A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6

“Exactly as you just said! I deduced… it!”

After barely managing to shout while my trembling body shook, I gasped for breath.

Phew. I thought I was going to die.

‘But now it seems a bit better…?’

I cautiously gauged Cain’s mood. The sharp energy that had been piercing like an awl until just moments ago had definitely subsided.

‘Sob. Thank goodness. I really thought I was going to suffocate and die earlier.’

I knew he would naturally be angry since I had touched on a sensitive topic first. I had even prepared my explanation in advance.

But when I actually faced his fury, I was completely overwhelmed and my mind went blank. I couldn’t even speak properly.

‘So this is why they call it dragon’s blood.’

I immediately understood why he was portrayed as an object of fear in the original work.

I had been lost in thought for a moment, but quickly pulled myself together. Though the situation had calmed down, it wasn’t time to feel relieved yet.

“Explain.”

As if giving me one last chance, Cain asked in a low voice.

I carefully opened my mouth while reading the atmosphere.

“I noticed Young Master Jayden’s condition a few days ago.”

That was the day I realized I had been reincarnated as an extra in a novel.

The moment I learned the flow of the original story, I naturally became certain that Jayden had contracted Tamutarbyeong.

This was because there was content in the early episodes about Melody helping with Jayden’s treatment.

‘After that, Jayden came to cherish Melody like his own little sister.’

An episode placed in the early part that was quite impressive.

But that didn’t mean my claim of deduction was a lie.

I had already noticed Jayden’s condition even before realizing my reincarnation.

“As you can see from my resume, I operated an apothecary in a southern rural village. So naturally, I had many exchanges with herb gatherers. But recently, I heard news that someone of high status was purchasing pointed-leaf grass at expensive prices. I thought it was strange.”

Pointed-leaf grass was rare as it only grew in specific regions of the south, but it was also treated as useless weeds. This was because it had only weak hemostatic effects and there was almost no demand for it.

‘But that’s just the general story.’

“It’s not well known, but pointed-leaf grass is actually the only herb that can suppress dragon’s energy.”

That was something I had seen in the marquis family’s old books.

Old knowledge is inherently disparaged as outdated and antiquated. So normally one would ignore dusty old books…

Having no teacher, I used to read whatever books I could find in the manor.

Sometimes I was mocked for doing useless things.

‘Who would have thought it would help in this way.’

I continued my explanation in a clear voice.

“So I immediately thought of the Ashern family. At the same time, I thought someone must have contracted Tamutarbyeong.”

It was an extremely rare disease that only those with dragon’s blood could contract.

A disease caused when the body’s growth rate cannot handle the dragon’s power rampaging inside.

In other words, it only occurs during the growth period.

And that was sufficient information to deduce who was sick.

“Your Grace is already fully grown, and Prince Noah is attending the academy. Therefore, I naturally deduced that Prince Jayden had contracted Tamutarbyeong.”

…Well, that’s the end of the story I prepared.

Will he believe me?

Of course, there’s nothing I can do if he doesn’t believe me.

I naturally have no intention of claiming I saw it in the original work.

I was needlessly nervous as I cautiously observed Cain’s expression.

“…”

The energy that had been pressing down on me had disappeared, but he was looking down at me with a frown for quite some time.

Sob. I’m trembling, so please don’t just stare and say something…

“Really. Are you claiming you figured all this out with just that much information?”

I answered vigorously.

“…Yes! If you still have doubts, you’re welcome to investigate my background.”

“If you were a spy, I’d acknowledge that confidence of yours.”

“No way. I’m just being honest…! If I were a spy, I wouldn’t have appeared before Your Grace in the first place. I don’t have a strong enough heart to think of deceiving Duke Cain…”

It was sincere on my part, but Cain let out a small sneer at something he found amusing.

‘I think something like this happened before…’

Whatever it was, the atmosphere wasn’t bad. I looked up at him again and spoke in a clear voice.

“Your Grace, you may doubt me all you want. If you judge me useless, you may dismiss me immediately. Just… please give me a chance.”

“Can you really help treat Jayden?”

“Yes. I can do it. No, I really want to do it.”

The reason I came to find Cain despite knowing the danger wasn’t just for Melody and myself.

Though Melody is older, Jayden is still only six years old. Knowing through the original work that he would live in pain for quite a long time ahead, I couldn’t turn away.

“What I want in return is simple. Please protect the saint candidate and me from other forces.”

“You’re asking for protection from the temple.”

“Yes.”

He nodded as if understanding my intention, but then hesitated. As if he had something left to ask.

“…But I still don’t understand. Why are you going this far to protect the saint candidate?”

“She’s still very young. She also suffers from selective mutism, so I don’t know how she might be exploited. Especially since the saint position has been vacant for over 20 years…”

I clenched my fists tightly.

A saint is someone who possesses God’s crest. And that crest only reveals itself when a specific holy relic is brought near.

So for now, I called Melody a saint candidate and clenched my fists.

“At least until she can protect herself, I want to protect her as an adult.”

It was undoubtedly sincere.

The original work’s genre was child-rearing.

So the protagonist Melody desperately endured and struggled to survive like in any other novel.

‘It’s strange. It was definitely interesting content when I read it as a book.’

But still…

After reincarnating, my thoughts changed.

Melody was no longer a character in a book but a real person to me.

Someone who smiled brightly when given macarons, and snored when sleepy.

A truly ordinary, ordinary child you might encounter in real life.

‘Of course, I know she’s a saint. That she possesses sacred power incomparably stronger than the clergy.’

Her innate destiny itself wasn’t ordinary, so living the same life as others was almost impossible.

But regardless, Melody was just an ordinary child to me.

Once I realized that fact, the original work and everything else didn’t matter anymore.

Even if it’s a child-rearing story, I wish the children would stop suffering now.

‘Children don’t have enough time to play and chatter happily.’

Adults should handle the headache-inducing problems!

It was a reason I had no choice but to be desperate about.

“So please make a contract with me.”

Looking directly into Cain’s red eyes, I spoke clearly one last time.

* * *

Cain silently looked down at the woman.

Viola.

At first, it was merely curiosity.

But the more he conversed with her, the more she left a strange impression.

She was completely transparent yet somehow difficult to understand—a type of human he had never encountered before.

She was bold to the point of seeming to have lost all sense of fear, yet she wasn’t truly unable to feel fear.

Even after taking such a gamble, what she desired wasn’t gold, silver, treasures, or mighty power.

She was simply asking him to protect a young saint candidate and herself.

‘A saint candidate…’

Did she mean her younger sibling?

Cain recalled the scene he had witnessed in the town square yesterday.

While priests with the same divine power couldn’t sense it, only he, with dragon blood, could feel it.

Indeed, despite being a young child, there was an extraordinary aura emanating from her.

He clearly understood why the woman claimed she was a saint candidate. Judging by that overwhelming power, there was a high possibility she truly was a saint.

If he kept such a child under his protection, the Temple would become hostile, but…

‘It doesn’t matter anyway. We weren’t on friendly terms to begin with.’

Generally, noble families tried to maintain close relationships with the Temple, but the Ashern Family was an exception.

‘Did she know all this when she proposed the contract?’

It was a question with a predetermined answer.

She was clever enough to figure out Jayden’s condition with an absurdly small amount of information. She must have approached him knowing everything.

In many ways, there was no reason not to make the contract.

Cain finally opened his mouth.

“Let’s proceed with the contract.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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