Obey Me Now

“Have you known me for a long time?”

He never asked anything, yet somehow, he knew so much about her. Moreover, Amelia kept feeling a strange sense of familiarity with Iclite. At first, she had doubted it, but just now, when he embraced her, it all became clear—the scent of violets, the warmth, the moment when she, dying, had desperately reached out, when someone had touched her.

‘It doesn’t seem like that was the only time he helped me on the mountain. That day…’

‘…Please, help me… Please, stay with me… Save me…’

The person she never could identify. Could it have been him… but Iclite firmly shook his head.

“No. Our first meeting was on that mountain, wasn’t it?”

His intense gaze softened. Amelia couldn’t believe it. Once doubt had set in, it kept pushing for confirmation.

“Didn’t you see me after you helped me on the mountain? At the Duke’s house?”

“On the contrary, Lady Amelia, have you seen me before? Do you know me?”

Amelia hesitated at his counter-question.

“Uh? Oh, no…”

“I feel the same. If it hadn’t been for the proposal you sent, we would never have met again. You didn’t even know what I looked like.”

Amelia was at a loss for words. His words were true. But why did it feel like he was hiding something? There had been no real connection. Before they met on the mountain, he couldn’t have known her.

‘I was trapped in the Count’s house, and he said he never came to the southern region after being exiled from the north.’

When she had collapsed at the Duke’s house, he couldn’t have saved her.

‘How could he have known I was there? Did he sneak into the Duke’s house?’

Nothing made sense. The reason they could meet again and be here together was because of one thing.

‘I want revenge, and he wants the throne. That’s all it is.’

Still, there was one thing she wanted to be sure of, something that lingered uncomfortably.

“I sent the proposal to the northern region. How did it end up in your hands, Your Grace? Why did you stay in the southern region? No, why did you even come to the southern region?”

“I’ve always been waiting for a letter. So I made sure all my letters were sent here, and the reason I stayed in the southern region is a secret. But the reason I stayed here for a while was…”

Iclite paused, taking a short breath before answering briefly.

“An excuse.”

At his unexpected answer, Amelia stopped, and his next words made her heart beat strangely slow.

“Just once, I wanted to see you. I’ve always worried about you.”

His voice carried a warmth, somehow slightly higher in tone. Amelia swallowed her breath, which had turned cold, sharply.

‘He had someone he loved.’

The reason he stayed in the south was to see the person he loved. It was an answer she hadn’t expected. The fearsome Duke had such pure feelings. Amelia suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable and fell silent.

“Is that the answer you wanted?”

“Yes. I must have been mistaken. Maybe it was because you reminded me of someone I was looking for.”

“I’m relieved the misunderstanding is cleared up. And I truly congratulate you on becoming the head of the family.”

Amelia unconsciously brushed off what she had been holding back.

‘Don’t forget. The reason I’m with this person.’

“It’s thanks to you, Your Grace. The training helped a lot. Oh, and I owe you a reward for that. Is there anything you want?”

“Something I want…”

“Don’t say there’s nothing. I don’t want to owe anyone. This is how our relationship is, after all. Let’s take what we need from each other.”

Despite her somewhat stiff words, Iclite slightly curled the corner of his lips.

“Of course, I’ll accept. That’s why I said it.”

“So, what should I give you?”

For a moment, Iclite stared at Amelia intently.

“Anything you’ll give me?”

“Anything I can give?”

“Even something dangerous?”

“Something dangerous?”

What was this? What was he expecting? Could it be that he was asking for the throne right now?

“What I want…”

At that moment, his gaze turned cold, and he moved directly in front of Amelia. But before he could act, Edjoff pulled Amelia’s hand.

“Amelia!”

Iclite tried to step between them, but Edjoff held Amelia tighter and shouted.

“What’s going on here? What are you hiding?”

“Brother!”

“Stay out of this!”

But Iclite tightened his grip on Edjoff’s wrist, suppressing his emotions with difficulty.

“I clearly said before. Listening to you ends here.”

Just as Iclite wasn’t willing to back down, Amelia grabbed his hand. His gaze wavered, unsettled.

‘Is he going to send me away again, like before?’

Edjoff, without hesitation, pulled Amelia’s hand. But instead of letting go, Amelia took Iclite’s hand and removed Edjoff’s grip.

“You definitely told me not to grab your hand back then, didn’t you, Your Grace?”

Amelia held Iclite’s hand. He froze for a moment, feeling a surge of emotions, and Edjoff clenched his fist, glaring at Amelia. But at that moment, Iclite wasn’t the problem.

“Fine. Then answer me properly. How do you use magic? And what is this about…?”

Edjoff couldn’t believe his own eyes. He couldn’t fathom the monstrous results of the test. Of all people, Amelia—how could she have done this with that dying heart?

“I told you. The day I pull the trigger will be the day I become the head of the family. Do you remember that? The letter His Grace gave me. Is it still valid?”

“What?”

Amelia quickly drew her revolver from its holster and aimed it at Edjoff’s head. Iclite, who had been watching, widened his eyes. However, he didn’t stop her; he simply observed. With the gun aimed at his head, Edjoff couldn’t smile confidently like before. He froze, and Amelia lightly smiled.

“His Grace said, didn’t he? That any accident happening here would be considered a suicide. He even stamped it with his seal. I still have that seal. And now, I want to use it.”

Edjoff gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening. So that’s why she had been so arrogant, pretending to know nothing, acting indifferent. She had made him let his guard down, only to strike back like this. But how was she using magic? And how was she pulling this off while wielding such tremendous power?