A New Life After Divorce - Chapter 116

Edmund let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“So, it even made a contract with a human soul to gain power. But who would have made such a deal…?”

“On the day of the tragedy, someone who made a contract with a demon must have placed the purification stone in the Duke’s territory, just like what happened in the incident in the Buell estate.”

And that person was likely someone connected to the Duke’s household, someone with access to the mansion.

I sighed deeply and looked at Edmund, who was still lost in serious thought.

His darkened eyes wandered through the empty air. I could feel his emotions vividly—how resentful and tormented he must be. How much he must want to hunt down the demon.

“I’m sorry.”

Edmund turned to look at me at my sudden apology. His eyes seemed to ask why I was saying such a thing.

“At the funeral of Viscountess Dien, I saw a man with Verita.”

I hadn’t realized it when I heard Verita’s account. But while describing his appearance based on her testimony, I naturally recalled the man I had seen at the funeral.

A handsome man with long black hair, radiating an eerie atmosphere. The somber air of the funeral paled in comparison to the unsettling aura surrounding him.

“If I had paid more attention to my surroundings, I could have caught him.”

A crease formed between Edmund’s brows.

“Do not apologize. I’m just grateful you returned safely to the mansion that day.”

“But if I had at least looked at a portrait of him, we wouldn’t have lost track of him…”

“You didn’t know I was hunting demons. Even if you had wanted to see a portrait, I wouldn’t have shown it to you. And besides, I should be the one apologizing.”

What does he mean by that? I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“If I had eliminated the demon earlier, the incident in the Buell estate would never have happened. You have every right to blame me, Etricia.”

I glared at him, not with hatred but with frustration. There he goes again, blaming himself. This man…

“You have suffered the most in your years of hunting demons. No one has the right to blame you.”

I pulled his hand onto my lap and said,

“Don’t say things like that anymore. It upsets me.”

“I can’t win against you, can I?”

Seeing the gentle light return to his eyes, I smiled in relief. But only for a moment. My expression soon turned serious.

“We both know that the reason Lunox has been able to evade capture is that he has no lasting connections with anyone.”

Edmund nodded and added,

“He must be living under a different identity. That’s why we haven’t been able to find him, even with witnesses.”

Perhaps he had even used a soul to alter his face or status.

How despicable.

Edmund seemed to share my thoughts as he narrowed his eyes along with me.

“If he disappeared after Viscountess Dien’s funeral, he likely hasn’t fled abroad yet. The port inspections became stricter after Devon’s escape.”

Who would have thought Devon would end up being helpful?

I curled my lips into a sly smile.

“Then we’ll need to move up the commercialization of the Lebron rings sooner than planned.”

“But there’s a risk that the demon might target the Lebron mine.”

I shook my head firmly.

“Lunox didn’t even know I was the lord of the Buell estate. He never had any interest in the Lebron mine to begin with.”

At first, I suspected that he might be a demon spy hiding to destroy the mine. But years had passed since the tragedy. If the mine had been his goal, he would have destroyed it long ago.

“Still, just in case, may I station knights from the Duke’s territory at the Lebron mine?”

“I’d be grateful.”

The Buell estate’s military strength was far inferior to that of the Duke’s territory, so I could only be thankful.

“Soon, we’ll have the results of the collaboration between the Magic Tower and the Temple. Once the Magic Tower officially announces that the purification stone caused the demon’s emergence, people will begin to question your statement. Specifically—”

“That demons can turn into humans.”

“That demons can turn into humans.”

We exchanged solemn glances and shared a faint, knowing smile.

If demons could transform into humans and live among us in hiding, people would be desperate to buy the rings.

For a demon forced to live as a human, this would be an immense pressure.

Unconsciously, my fingers toyed with the Lebron ring on his left hand.

“We need to provoke him and draw him to us.”

“Then perhaps we should host a banquet in the Duke’s territory to lure him out.”

I flashed a bright smile at Edmund’s quick understanding.

Lunox was said to be easily amused and fickle. If he lost interest, he would abandon everything and disappear like a wandering traveler.

That meant he was likely to act recklessly on impulse.

‘When he shows himself, that will be our chance.’

I steeled my gaze, filled with determination. Edmund, too, looked at me with eyes gleaming like hardened steel.

Then, a sudden thought crossed my mind, and I furrowed my brows slightly.

“But there’s one thing I don’t understand. Why does he even want to live as a human?”

And how did he manage to become one? Did he use some sinister power involving human souls? Or was it something else? Why did he choose to appear in the Duke’s territory, slaughter humans, and turn their lives into nightmares?

Edmund gently smoothed out the furrow between my brows.

“At this rate, you’ll get wrinkles. I’ll investigate both the demon’s contractor and the reason why the demon is living as a human. You just focus on commercializing the Lebron rings.”

It was his way of telling me to stay out of danger, but I didn’t mind. This was the first time he had ever asked me for something. It meant he trusted and relied on me.

I smiled and suddenly remembered my upcoming schedule.

“Oh, by the way, there’s an outdoor party hosted by Marchioness Wickley soon. Would you attend with me?”

Outdoor parties were filled with potential customers who indulged in luxury and refinement.

Simply appearing as a couple, with Edmund wearing the ring, would create significant publicity.

The thought of making waves in high society was nerve-wracking, and using our relationship for marketing felt a bit shallow… but how could I pass up the chance? Besides, I got to show off my handsome lover.

Edmund chuckled and nodded.

“Etricia, I’ll do anything you ask.”

I grinned. “Soon, we’ll be exporting the rings overseas. You won’t be the only one wearing them anymore. Are you okay with that?”

“Ha, are you teasing me?”

Edmund, saying it had been a while, pinched the tip of my nose. Ouch. That stung a little. I gave him a subtle glare and rubbed my nose. He chuckled once and gently brushed my hand aside, softly rubbing the tip of my nose himself.

“When it comes time to deal with Lunox, you won’t need to be on the frontlines. The Empire has its own subjugation force. I’ll protect myself, so you should—”

“You want me to protect myself?”

Edmund’s hand froze. Just as he was about to speak again with worry in his eyes, I threw myself into his arms.

“Alright, don’t worry. If you’re not in danger, I won’t act either. You already have a strong subjugation team—why would I need to use my power? Until Lova calls for me, I’ll keep my mouth shut and won’t say a word about it.”

A doubtful look fell onto the top of my head. I buried my face deeper into his chest.

Then he sighed, brushed my hair back, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. It was a gesture overflowing with warmth and deep affection.

“I sincerely hope you’ll keep that promise.”

There was a strange kind of pressure behind his words, and I smiled faintly where he couldn’t see.

I meant what I’d said. I truly didn’t want to use my power, which consumed my life force. But if an unexpected situation called for this “Purification” ability…

“Etricia?”

His voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

When he asked what I had been thinking so deeply about, I simply smiled and brushed it off as nothing.

All the while, I kept my secret resolve hidden—if “Purification” was needed, I wouldn’t hesitate.

Lebron Jewelry was thriving.

As a result, both the Buell territory and my father’s business reputation had been restored. However, a few narrow-minded people still viewed us as mere merchants.

But criticisms like that had always existed. In a way, I took it as a sign of interest.

During store hours, I stepped out briefly to purchase a gift for Marchioness Wickley. I chose a tea set and porcelain cups, known for their fine craftsmanship and reputation in the royal palace.

“I’m thankful for her advice last time, after all.”

Thanks to that, things had gone smoothly with Edmund. I suppressed the smile threatening to break out as I arrived at the store.

That was when I saw him.

Across the street, in a nearby alley, a suspicious man in a robe was watching the shop. His gaze was full of longing.

At first, I thought he might be the owner of a rival shop. But his expression was so sorrowful that I found myself approaching him instinctively.

When I stood nearby and followed his gaze, I saw he was looking at Lilien inside the store.

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