A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father - Chapter 88

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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 88

Before I knew it, the day’s work was finished and night had fallen.

“Melody, come here. It’s time to sleep now.”

“Wuu!”

After washing the child and changing her into cozy pajamas, I looked at the clock and saw the hands pointing to 8:30 in the evening.

‘If I read her a fairy tale and put her to sleep, it’ll be just right.’

For the past few days, instead of reading books, we had spent a long time chatting before falling asleep, so it felt like it had been a while.

I pulled out my secret weapon that I had prepared for this moment.

“Should Mother read you a book for the first time in a while today?”

“Wuu!”

Fortunately, Melody seemed excited and stomped her feet on the bed.

I immediately opened the picture book I had borrowed from the library during the day. The title was 『My Sister is Going to Fake Marry a Monster!』

“Once upon a time, long, long ago, in a small cottage in the forest lived an ordinary girl named Eileen and a cute little fairy.”

I began reading enthusiastically, modulating my voice using my experience as a kindergarten teacher.

To summarize, the story went like this:

When greedy hunters tried to steal the fairy’s wings, Eileen, after much deliberation, went to find a terrifying monster in a neighboring country. To the monster who was cursed by a witch and could only return to human form by marrying someone, Eileen made a proposal.

“I’ll become your fake bride and break the curse for you. In return, use that frightening power to protect my little sibling from the hunters!”

“Hwaa.”

Finding the story she was hearing for the first time interesting, Melody concentrated with sparkling eyes.

At every important part, I secretly observed Melody’s reaction.

“This marriage wasn’t because they truly loved each other, but was a secret operation to protect her precious sibling.”

Even while reading, I thought I had chosen a book that fit my situation amazingly well.

‘The situation is quite similar to mine.’

Eileen’s situation of having to choose marriage, even if fake, to protect her family strangely overlapped with my circumstances.

The difference was that in the fairy tale, Eileen later truly fell in love with the monster. The fake marriage became a real marriage.

Before I knew it, the story had reached its climax.

“My goodness, it turned out the monster was actually a very handsome prince under a curse. Through Eileen’s sincere heart, the prince’s curse was broken. And so Eileen and the prince lived happily ever after in the castle.”

“Wu?”

What about the little fairy?

Melody, who had been concentrating, asked in surprise.

“Of course the little fairy was with them forever too!”

“Hiya. Wuu!”

It was a sentence not in the fairy tale book, but when I casually added it, Melody finally showed a satisfied expression.

“The end! Was it interesting?”

“Wu!”

Melody clapped with her tiny hands like fern fronds, seeming moved.

Perhaps because it was more stimulating than the usual good-versus-evil stories I read to her, the child was sparkling with excitement, forgetting all about sleeping.

“Should I read it to you again next time?”

“Wuu!”

Her energetic answer made me laugh. Though I had a different purpose, it seemed I had unexpectedly hit Melody’s taste perfectly.

“Now, we’ve finished the book, so let’s turn off the light and lie down.”

Click. When I turned off the lamp, moonlight from outside the window gently seeped into the room.

In the darkness where we could only faintly see each other’s silhouettes, I naturally guided the conversation.

“Melody, why did Eileen say she would marry the monster earlier?”

“Wuu… Wu! (To protect the little fairy!)”

“That’s right. Even though the monster was scary, she was brave for her sibling’s sake. Then what did the monster do for Sister Eileen?”

“Wuu, wu! (He chased away all the bad guys!)”

Hmm. That’s exactly right?

Melody perfectly understood the deal of fake marriage.

‘In that case…’

I swallowed nervously and carefully broached the main topic.

“Then, you know, Melody. What do you think would happen if Mother, like Eileen, carried out a fake marriage operation to protect Melody?”

“…Wuung?”

Melody seemed to think for a moment as if it was an unexpected question, then soon shrugged as if she didn’t really know.

It wasn’t a negative rejection, but it wasn’t an immediate positive affirmation either—an ambiguous reaction.

Still, she didn’t show resistance to the word marriage itself by crying or getting angry.

Hmm.

The child seemed to continue thinking, holding her head, then as if thinking became bothersome, she burrowed into my arms and acted spoiled.

“Mommy, hehe!”

Warm warmth touched my chest.

Yes, even if I couldn’t get a definite answer right now, this wasn’t a bad start.

“Alright, alright. Now let’s really sleep.”

“Wu~”

The child who had been rubbing her head against my chest soon began breathing evenly.

‘She fell asleep faster than usual? Just a moment ago her eyes were so bright.’

After confirming Melody was asleep, I too quickly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

So until this afternoon, Melody had no particular worries.

Even when Jayden or Bagel came and suddenly said something strange out of nowhere.

“…Hey, is Viola getting married?”

Huh?

The words were so out of the blue that Melody didn’t even listen properly.

The reason it made no sense was clear.

Because it made absolutely no sense.

‘Mother is mine.’

But why would he suddenly ask that?

Could it be that Bagel was targeting Mother? Trying to marry our Mother or something?

Hmph. Not a chance.

Melody snorted and crossed her arms firmly. As if to say, try it if you dare.

Actually, when they lived in Hailon Village, there were plenty of misters and uncles like Bagel who targeted Mother.

They would secretly offer candy or dolls and coax her, saying “Melody, could you help uncle become friends with Mother?”

But clever Melody mercilessly chased them all away.

“Wuu! (We don’t need you!)”

“Aawu! (Go away!)”

She had handled all the men who bothered Mother herself.

That’s how she and Mother had lived happily together for a year, just the two of them. It would continue that way forever.

‘Of course, if Mother wanted it…’

Then the story would be different.

From what she had observed so far, Viola seemed to have absolutely no interest in marriage whatsoever.

So Mother getting married? That was an absurd story.

That’s why Melody, unlike Jayden who was acting as if the world was ending, could soon become calm without much thought.

But such peace only lasted until night.

Tonight’s fairy tale that was more vivid and interesting than usual.

A perfect day coming to a pleasant end.

She had planned to turn off the lights, lie down next to Mother, chat quietly, and fall asleep.

But with Mother’s single question, Melody felt her body grow cold.

“What if Mother carried out a fake marriage operation like Eileen to protect Melody?”

The moment she heard the question, Jayden’s nonsense from earlier flashed through her mind.

Marriage… fake marriage…?

No way.

Because of me?

Is Mother in a situation where she has to force herself into a fake marriage like Eileen in the fairy tale to protect me?

Melody was young but not naive. Rather, because of her harsh experiences at the Temple, she was much more perceptive than her peers.

In the fairy tale, Eileen married a scary Monster to protect the Little Fairy.

Then will our Mother be forced to marry some unknown Mister to protect Melody? Because Melody is the Holy Maiden?

I don’t want that.

Just imagining it made her sick.

She thought Melody and Mother would live happily together, just the two of them, for life.

Mother is mine. I want to protect her.

Our Mother is the most precious person in the world, but to marry some strange unknown Mister just because of me!

If Mother was going to marry, her partner should be handsome, tall, rich, incredibly strong, kind, and, uh, also… anyway, someone who had all the good qualities.

Even if he was a cursed Prince, she absolutely didn’t want to give Mother to a Monster.

She preferred someone who was a Prince from the beginning.

But instead of bursting into tears, Melody first tilted her head as if nothing was wrong.

Mother is considering a fake marriage solely to protect Melody.

But if I throw a tantrum here saying I don’t want it…

‘Mother will be troubled.’

Melody didn’t want to make Mother suffer. She knew it was all for her sake.

“Mmm…”

So Melody couldn’t bring herself to say she didn’t want it, and subtly evaded giving an answer.

And to prevent Mother from asking more questions, she quickly burrowed into her embrace and pretended to sleep.

But beneath her closed eyelids, her mind worked restlessly.

I want to stop this marriage somehow. I don’t want Mother to sacrifice herself.

After thinking hard for a while, Melody reached a conclusion.

‘I just need to make a deal first.’

Before Mother is forced into a fake marriage with some unknown Mister, I can make a deal with the Prince first to protect Mother.

Melody wasn’t like the Little Fairy who had to rely on Eileen.

Melody is Melody. So unlike the Little Fairy, she can protect Mother!

‘I’ll make a deal with the strongest person in this Castle first!’

A deal is exchanging what each other wants.

‘What should I give?’

She didn’t know yet, but she could go and ask about that.

“Hmm nya, hmm nya…”

Melody, who had been deliberately talking in her sleep and pretending to be fast asleep, opened her eyes wide the moment Viola’s breathing became steady.

Her light green eyes sparkling in the Darkness looked just like an owl.

Not a cute baby owl, but the eyes of a true bird of prey!

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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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