IVF 27

Chapter 27

Even though the room was not very bright, Lucius stood out because he was wearing black sunglasses.

He was dressed entirely in black from head to toe, so normally he might not have drawn attention. But his tall, long frame was probably one of the reasons he did.

“You came on time.”

“Yes. I woke up early. But, Duke.”

“What is it?”

“…Is that human blood?”

“Human blood?”

Lumina gestured toward the pattern that looked as if it had been drawn in blood.

It completely changed the genre of her life into horror, so she couldn’t just ignore it.

“It’s paint.”

“It’s red.”

Was he calling it dye on purpose, afraid she would run away if she knew it was blood?

She couldn’t help asking again, suspicion in her eyes.

“Red stands out well. I chose it in case it wouldn’t be visible in the dark.”

“What exactly is that?”

“A formation based on ancient magic.”

“Ancient magic? Wow.”

Wasn’t ancient magic extinct? And illegal, too.

In the Empire, where magi-engineering had developed greatly, ancient magic was considered heretical. Some scholars even claimed it was primitive.

And in modern times, magic that inherited the lineage of ancient magic was called black magic.

That, too, was illegal.

On the outside, Lumina looked at Lucius with sparkling eyes like a child who knew nothing.

But inside, her thoughts were far from innocent.

Are we all going to end up in prison holding hands?

“The former Duke of Hart had great interest in it. Thanks to that, the ceremony should proceed smoothly.”

When he mentioned the former duke, there was a faint trace of displeasure in his voice.

Just like when Karayan spoke of Lucius.

But since he mentioned the former duke only briefly, she couldn’t be certain.

Today, Lumina was scheduled to form a vow with Karayan.

When people heard “vow ceremony,” they usually thought of a simple wedding. But Lumina’s case was a little different.

It was not a marriage for family benefit, nor was it born of love.

After today, they would be husband and wife on paper—but the reality would be quite different.

“Because of your nature, we will conduct the vow ceremony in a slightly unusual way.”

“A vow ceremony means…?”

“A vow spoken in words. A contract binding soul to soul. In that process, we will need your blood.”

“B-blood?”

It felt like they were about to drain every drop from her body.

“Don’t worry. You won’t die.”

I might not die, but I’ll probably be close to it!

Remembering her earlier conversation with Lucius, Lumina glanced at the magic circle.

The lighting, the temperature, the atmosphere.

Everything felt like a warning that the next circle would be drawn with her blood.

She tried to shake off the bad feeling when she sensed someone entering.

Turning her head, she saw a boy who had just opened the door.

It was Karayan.

I thought he might not come.

Karayan hated Princess Arabel—but he hated his father, Lucius, even more.

And since he regarded Lumina as nothing more than his father’s pawn, she had assumed he would run away.

But he did not run. He only looked displeased.

“Duke. Please check the condition of the holy grail one last time.”

“Very well.”

Lucius and Olivia stepped away briefly to finish preparations.

Karayan moved to stand beside Lumina.

“Do you like me?”

“…Excuse me?”

When someone suddenly asked if you liked them, the natural answer would be “No.”

But they would be seeing each other often from now on. Generous as she was, Lumina decided to be kind.

“Yes. I like you!”

She smiled brightly.

Karayan’s face turned red instantly.

Swish—

He quickly turned his head away.

But his neck and ears were already bright red, making the gesture meaningless.

“We’ve only met a few times. How can you say you like me so easily?”

He muttered, covering half his face with his hand.

“I heard you went to him on your own because you liked me. That as soon as you awakened as a Legion, you begged to be of help to me.”

“…?”

“No matter how much you like me, how could you accept a marriage proposal so easily? I’m satisfied since I won’t have to face the princess anymore, but you’re different.”

Ah.

Lumina understood how Lucius had persuaded his son.

He hadn’t introduced her as his clever partner. Instead, he had portrayed her as an innocent lamb being used.

“Once we become adults, we’ll divorce. It’s worse than a political marriage. Are you really okay with that?”

“Yes!”

Because I’ll receive a huge alimony!

“If you’re like this, you’ll get scammed by some strange man one day.”

“You’re not a strange man, Young Master. I know you wouldn’t scam me.”

In truth, it was Lumina and Lucius who were scamming Karayan.

Karayan seemed to believe this was simply a somewhat unusual wedding.

“Didn’t you come because you were worried about me?”

“W-worried? Of course not!”

As Lumina slowly stepped closer, Karayan reacted as if he might jump.

“I told you not to get involved. Aren’t you afraid of that man?”

“Hmm. Not really?”

“You might not realize it because you’re fearless, but with just a little effort, he could kill you. The same goes for me.”

Karayan lowered his voice in what sounded like a warning.

But Lumina answered calmly.

“People who truly intend to kill don’t say things like that. They hide a knife behind their back and pretend to be kind.”

“……”

“So if someone openly says they’re scary, I don’t believe them.”

Karayan stared at her, unable to hide his confusion.

“My lady, Young Master. Please come this way.”

Everything was ready.

Lumina and Karayan stepped onto the ancient magic circle.

On the altar before them sat a golden cup called the “holy grail.”

“It will sting a little.”

Lucius pricked Lumina’s finger lightly with a needle, while Olivia did the same to Karayan.

A small drop of blood formed. Following the instructions given beforehand, they each let a drop fall into the grail.

Then they spoke.

“I, Lumina Rangshus, swear to become a mirror that reflects soul to soul, and to look only upon you.”

“I, Karayan von Hart, swear from this moment, as our hearts are bound together, to follow only you.”

As they recited the memorized vows in order, a faint light seeped out of the grail.

After a moment, Lucius reached into it and drew out two red gemstones.

“Olivia.”

“Yes.”

Olivia attached one gemstone to a chain prepared in advance and placed it around Lumina’s neck.

“For the Young Master, we prepared a custom accessory.”

Karayan’s gemstone looked identical to Lumina’s.

But his accessory was an earring.

“Why do I have to wear this?”

“You must, or the marriage won’t be properly established. Surely you’re not planning to reject the bride right after the ceremony?!”

Olivia cried dramatically.

“If you don’t wear it, rumors will spread through high society that the lady was abandoned—”

“Give it to me.”

Karayan snatched the earring.

Without any preparation, he pushed it straight through his unpierced ear.

Even as a Legion, it must have hurt. His expression tightened slightly.

Now the contract between Lumina and Lucius was no longer just words.

There was a kind of binding force to it.

Lumina remembered her earlier conversation with Lucius after she had fallen for the enormous sum of money.

“Why do we need to hold the vow ceremony?”

“Karayan goes out often. We’re always searching for him. There was even a time he lost control and devastated an entire area.”

“That must have been serious.”

“Fortunately, there were no people nearby. But we can’t rely on luck forever.”

His voice had lowered darkly then, though he quickly masked it.

“You will be the one he seeks first whenever he needs someone.”

Recalling those words, Lumina touched her necklace.

It was Karayan whose ear had been pierced—yet she felt like the one truly bound.

Overnight, Lumina became the daughter-in-law of the Hart ducal house.

However, she decided to return home that very day.

She planned to stay there until Endymion left for the Academy.

Knowing the Duke’s personality, at most he’ll finish the procedures within a week and bring me back.

So once she returned this time, she likely wouldn’t visit the Rangshus estate again for quite a while.

“I’m worried the princess might seek you out. I’ll assign you a guard.”

Lucius nodded slightly.

A large man stepped forward awkwardly.

“Ash Munez.”

“Yes! Nice to meet you!”

Ash Munez.

The moment she heard his name, Lumina’s eyes sparkled.

“I am only your guard, so please speak comfortably.”

“Okay, I will.”

Ash kept glancing at Olivia behind him. Every time he did, Olivia glared sharply.

Pretending not to notice, Lumina exchanged farewells with Lucius. Karayan did not come out to see her off.

She wasn’t particularly disappointed.

After glancing around, Lumina finally pretended to notice Olivia.

She ran over and hugged her tightly.

“When I return home, I’ll miss you the most, Olivia. So don’t forget me, okay?”

“You’ll be back soon. How could I forget you?”

“But you’re busy. You might forget a girl like me.”

Lumina murmured in a trembling voice.

“When I come back, don’t pretend not to know me. Promise?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Olivia’s lips kept twitching upward.

She seemed to be trying to maintain a poker face, but her emotions were obvious.

“A lady as lovely as you could never be forgotten.”

They had spent a short but close time together—Olivia helping her walk, tending to her, chatting often.

So it wasn’t strange that Lumina had grown attached.

“Don’t skip meals. Eat your snacks, too. And until we’re fully at ease, absolutely no running!”

Olivia reminded her earnestly.

Nodding, Lumina boarded the waiting carriage.

Soon, it departed.

As if she had never been on the verge of tears, her eyes turned calm.

Why didn’t I recognize her immediately?

Olivia.

After observing her carefully out of suspicion, Lumina finally realized who she was.

The reason she hadn’t recognized her just from the name was not only because she had introduced herself as an ordinary maid.

By the time Lumina reached adulthood in the future—

Olivia was already dead.

And in the future, she was someone people hesitated to even mention.

Her full name: Olivia Munez.

An ordinary human, not a Legion. Lucius’s right-hand and capable adjutant.

The mother of Ash Munez—the youngest Sword Master among ordinary humans.

And…

“Traitor.”

The infamous traitor who betrayed Lucius.