Last Desire

7

‘It’s the first time since then.’

Her face flushed at the thought of seeing him again, ever since he had promised to see her again.

But why was she so nervous about this? Denisia clasped her cheeks. The heat that started at her nape seemed to spread to her face.

Suddenly, the door behind her burst open. Startled, Denisia stood up and turned around.

“Ah…”

Denisia found herself unable to speak.

There were countless things she had planned to say upon meeting him. Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t recall any of them.

She could only stare blankly at the man approaching her. His black hair. Eyes darker than darkness itself. The unchanged features were etched into her sight, but she couldn’t move a finger.

Dietrich, after five years, was not the man she knew.

He had often been misunderstood because of his appearance, but now it seemed more so. His gaze, sharper and more vicious than ever, emitted a menacing light.

He was almost unrecognizable, prompting a desire to ask who he was.

Sitting down across from her without hesitation, it was definitely Dietrich, yet Denisia couldn’t take her eyes off him.

His appearance was drawn, likely from not eating or sleeping properly. What about the shadows under his eyes? They were so dark it seemed like soot might rub off.

And there was more. The corners of his eyes, usually indifferent, were now sharply scrutinizing Denisia. The warmth and kindness that used to reside in his eyes were nowhere to be found.

Why? Hadn’t the war ended with a grand victory?

Surely the emperor had firmly promised rewards for the victory.

“I heard that you’ve come here to talk about my wife.”

“…Ah.”

She stuttered for a moment. His voice, heard for the first time in months, lacked any trace of affection.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“So, who sent you this time?”

“…I am Denisia, Denisia Blanchette. I’m not sent by anyone. I’ve come to tell you what I know, Margrave.”

“Blanchette…”

His unimpressed gaze swiftly scanned Denisia.

“A family with no connection to my wife. Not worth listening to.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to hear my story before making such a judgment?”

It seemed it wasn’t a good rebuttal. Dietrich’s brows twitched very briefly.

“You must be confident there’s no connection. Grace and I have known each other even before Your Excellency met her.”

“So close, yet you never visited my wife all this time?”

“I’ve been too ill to do anything about it.”

Tap, tap.

Dietrich’s fingers twitched briefly.

“You realize how preposterous your words sound, Miss Blanchette? Speak nonsense, and I can kill you right here, right now.”

“It doesn’t matter. If you kill me without listening, it is you, Margrave, who would suffer the loss.”

For Dietrich, killing an insignificant Baron’s daughter was effortless. Yet, Denisia could speak so boldly for one reason.

Because he wouldn’t. Her trust in Dietrich stood firm.

“Then. What are you planning to show me.”

“Here. This is a letter Grace gave me.”

As Denisia pulled out the letter from her bag, Dietrich’s pupils dilated.

“And where’s the proof that my wife wrote this letter?”

“You can check for yourself. A person’s tone and handwriting aren’t easily imitated.”

As Denisia spoke, Dietrich snatched the letter from her hand as if seizing it.

The letter, which had become wrinkled from being stored in the bag, unfolded in Dietrich’s fingers. His sharp gaze softened as he read, gradually slowing down.

He spent quite a while reading the single-page letter. His eyes moved repeatedly, reading it several times. Eventually, Dietrich managed to tear his gaze away from the letter.

“…What do you want from coming here? It wouldn’t have been easy for a mere Baron’s daughter to come to such a place.”

“I heard a rumor. That Your Excellency is looking for traces of the Margravine.”

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

“…And?”

“The letter from your wife to me isn’t the end. We exchanged letters often due to the distance between us.”

Denisia slowly looked at Dietrich.

“Your wife shared various stories with me. Her daily life, her likes… Perhaps these are the things you’re looking for.”

“What’s the price?”

His indifferent eyes captured her face. Somehow, that made Denisia relax completely.

She didn’t expect that she would have to say this again.

Her heart pounded. The fluttering feeling was just as intense as when she was Grace.

Unknowingly, a smile crept onto Denisia’s lips as she spoke.

“Please, enter into a contract marriage with me.”