Judge of Cosmos

CHAPTER 13

Ajax continued to soothe Neria as he always had, gently caressing her brunette locks. Despite his inner conflict, he knew that, at the end of the day, Neria was the only person who truly understood him. 

She was his childhood friend, someone who had shared similar grief. Like him, she had lost her mother, leaving her a child with no one to lean on. In their shared sorrow, they found comfort in each other. For Ajax, it was a deep sense of camaraderie, not romantic love—or so he believed. But for Neria, it was different.

Neria harbored a different kind of  love for Ajax. She had lost her mother in a tragic accident when she was still a child, and the father and brother who should have supported her emotionally barely gave her a glance.

"Neria, are you okay?" Ajax asked softly, his voice tinged with concern.

He had become the Grand Duke at the tender age of 12 after his own parents had died in a carriage accident. For Neria, he was a beacon of light, and as they spent more time together, her feelings for him grew stronger. She knew that Ajax saw her only as a younger sister. At first, she accepted this, but over time, her love deepened, and with it, a dangerous greed began to fester in her heart. She wanted him, not as a friend or an acquaintance, but as a companion—a partner to share her life with. Driven by this desire, she proposed a deal, one that would bind Ajax to her.

"I think my father had something to do with your parents' death. Make a deal with me," she had said.

 At first, Ajax thought she was insane, but he let her continue. She claimed to have overheard her father speaking with a suspicious man about the late Grand Duke and Grand Duchess. The implication was clear, and Ajax, desperate for answers, found himself drawn into her web.

"If you're lying, you'd better be ready for the consequences. You know how much I despise lies, especially when it comes to my parents. I won't let you off, even if you're like a sister to me."

Like a sister. The words cut through Neria like a knife. She wanted to scream that she didn't want to be treated like a sister, but she swallowed her frustration and focused on the plan she had been meticulously crafting for so long.

"I'll extract the information from my father. I swear on my life that I won't give you any fabricated evidence. I'll do everything in my power to help you."

"This deal," Ajax said, his eyes narrowing, "I'm sure you want something in return. You know this isn't an easy agreement, Neria. It involves the downfall of your family. What do you want?"

Her lips pursed, her cheeks flushed with heat. As the wind brushed past, it made her brunette hair flutter. Neria gathered her courage, her mouth parting to deliver the words she had been holding back, with a newfound confidence.

"Act as my lover. My father will grow greedier when he hears about it. He'll undoubtedly include me in his plans, but that's not all I want. In return for the downfall of my family... Ajax, marry me."

And so, she transitioned from being his friend and subordinate to his lover. Ajax didn't find the idea distasteful; after all, he had no interest in mingling with other ladies. It seemed practical to marry someone he knew well. 

For Ajax, their relationship was purely a business arrangement, but for Neria, it was so much more. Although he continued to treat her like a sister, she didn't mind. The jealousy of other ladies, the people currying her favor, and most of all, the unexpected power that came with being the Grand Duke's lover filled her with euphoria.

But her happiness was short-lived.

A soul-binding decree arrived—an order Ajax couldn't disobey. Neria thought she could endure it since Ajax had never shown interest in other women, until she laid eyes on Moraine Eurydice Clarke. Moraine, with her divine beauty, was like a goddess, and Neria realized, with a sinking heart, that this was no ordinary woman.