There was silence.
A thick, suffocating silence.
Then he started laughing.
She frowned. What if people around his carriage heard him laugh ominously? They would think the young Duke had lost his mind.
"It seems that the rumors about the young lady being smitten with the young duke were true," he said.
"Smitten?" she asked.
"You haven't heard about what your stepmother wanted your servants to spread around the capital?"
"I don't " she swallowed as realization hit her. "She had sent someone to spread rumors? I have yet to arrive" she snorted. Of course, this was something that Victoria was very good at. Creating rumors.
The rumors surrounding her in the past might be something that Victoria spread to create a poor impression about her. After all, how could they allow a Marquess's daughter to marry a lowly baron if she had an excellent reputation?
"Do not worry, my people were able to catch the messenger. The rumors will not spread in the capital. Unless, of course, you wanted me to spread it."
"You did you just agree?"
"I don't see any reason not to agree. Wugary would gain someone who had a Blessing while I gain a bride. Though I am curious, what are you getting out of this deal?"
She didn't expect him to just agree with her proposition. She expected more questions and maybe him telling her that he would think about it. Perhaps it was because of her Blessing?
"Freedom," she answered.
"Freedom?"
"I want to have my freedom. I want to leave Aster."
"You wanted to leave the place where you were born?" the Duke asked, lifting his perfectly carved eyebrow.
"Why not?" Why not leave the place where she grew up bullied? The place that was full of snakes? The place where she would die?
"Have you heard of the harshness of the North, young lady?"
Of course she had.
In her past life, she was quite close to Dorothy, the queen. Dorothy pretended to have the Blessing and to keep up with that, Rosalind had to be close to her at all times. Because of this, she had heard the things that the King and Queen discussed the North and their plans to abandon it.
"I have," she said. "Though I may not look like it, I can read."
He nodded, pursing his lips.
"Do you understand what would happen if they know about your Blessing after you married me?"
"They might want me back."
"And?"
"And the Aster Empire can declare a war against the Kingdom." They can also tell the other kingdoms to stop sending basic supplies to Wugary. And as the Kingdom located nearest to the forbidden lands, this might be akin to a death sentence to the Wugarians.
She knew about the consequences.
But she still chose the Duke.
Albeit knowing that this was going to be a losing game, she still chose him.
She smiled. "Isn't this why I chose Duke to help me?"
He lifted an eyebrow, so she continued. "The Duke is strong and mighty. The Empire can force the other kingdoms to stop sending supplies, but the Duke has been guarding the North for so long. Forcing other kingdoms is going to damage their reputation. It will be an uphill battle, but I believe the Duke has the ability to defeat them at their own game."
"For someone who did not receive any training or education, you are surprisingly good with words, young lady."
"I will take that as a compliment."
"You are very much welcome to do so."
She pursed her lips and waited for him to ask more questions, but he didn't. Instead, he started drinking his bitter tea.
"Are you not curious why I chose you, your grace?" she asked.
"I would be lying if I said that I am not."
"I chose you because I know you despise women." Getting married around seventeen or eighteen is the norm. Yet, the Duke stayed unmarried even now that he was approaching twenty-five. The reason wasn't exactly a mystery to most people.
The Duke's soon-to-be bride would die before reaching the North.
They will die for various reasons like poisoning, random attacks from monsters, assassination, and even just some sudden health problems they encounter as they travel north. Everyone knew the Duke killed them, but no one can actually prove it. And no one dared to go to the North to confront the man.
Soon, everyone would accept the fact that they cannot use women to control the warrior of the North.
In fact, the Duke remained unmarried even in her past life.
"Interesting notion. Given that this is our first meeting, isn't it disrespectful to say that your future husband had no interest in women?" he smirked.
"Am I wrong?"
"Perhaps."
"I knew you wouldn't dare do anything that I wouldn't want," she said. There were rumors that the man might be impotent, but again, there was no way to actually prove it, as he married no one in her last life.
"Now, that is correct."
"I do not want any complications in this transaction. I cannot give the Duke my heart and I know the Duke would return the favor. That is why I chose you."
He only smirked at her, clearly amused by her words.
But she was telling the truth. She didn't want to complicate things in the future. Someone who cannot give her anything aside from her freedom is the best person for her plans.
"You can use me as your shield. The other kingdoms would stop sending women as soon as you marry me. In exchange, please do not involve yourself in my business."
"Fair enough. I don't see any reason why I would not accept this business transaction," he answered almost immediately. "It seems that the lady really knew how to talk."
She said nothing. In her past life, she had studied everything from politics to court etiquette just so she wouldn't become an embarrassment to her older sister, who was already the Queen. She thought it was her responsibility to learn as much as possible for her older sister.
After all, she always thought that Dorothy Lux sacrificed herself to save her!
How could she not reciprocate?
Oh. How foolish.
"Then I bid the Duke goodbye. Have a good night, Warrior of the North," she smiled, then in front of the Duke, she used the Blessing of the night. Her body slowly turned into black dust until it disappeared inside the carriage.
Seeing the surprise on the Duke's face made her a little proud.
She knew that taking someone like her as a bride is perilous, so she wanted to show him what she can do. That she can be useful. This was the only way for him to take all the risk to have someone like her beside him.
"Interesting," Duke Lucas mused. He was still staring at the space where she disappeared. What are the odds that someone like her would appear in front of him now?
The Blessing of darkness. He chuckled.
At this time and age, only a few people knew about the eighth Blessing.
But he did.
He smirked.
Oh, he did.
After all, he was the one who killed the person who received the last Blessing of the darkness hundreds of years ago.