Savior Who Strangles Me

Chapter 3

...What did I just hear? Although usually stoic and expressionless, Elaina displayed a visibly shocked expression in response to Melvin's words.

"What have you been doing outside? You wretched, filthy girl!" Melvin, seething with anger, grabbed Elaina by the collar and began shaking her violently, as though this would solve everything. But Elaina herself had nothing to say; her only outings were to a second-hand bookstore to deal with old books or to visit her unmarked mother's grave.

"I don't know anything about this!" Elaina protested weakly, but Melvin seemed utterly uninterested in listening.

"Master, His Highness the Prince..." interrupted the family butler, his voice shrunk in fear as if he were an animal chased by a hunter.

"I told you to wait!"

"Yes, I conveyed that, but..." Melvin paused his rampage.

"He forced his way in because..."

"..."

"He is waiting downstairs now. I fear he might come up here if we delay any longer."

This situation presented nothing good for Melvin. Perhaps realizing this, he forcefully let go of Elaina's collar. She gasped for air, sprawled weakly on the floor.

"Get yourself together and come down," Melvin commanded, looking down at her. "I don’t know what’s happened, but it absolutely cannot proceed. Just last night, Duke Hank sent another message, saying he could increase your dowry!"

Duke Hank—the very duke who, despite being as old as her grandfather, held possessions envied by many and was at the pinnacle of power, closely linked to the current emperor and the crown prince. For Melvin, there could be no more fitting reason for Elaina to be sold.

"Come down immediately and resolve this," Melvin threatened. "If you can't resolve it yourself, I’ll personally cripple your remaining leg."

"..."

"Even if Sinclair's tastes are peculiar, a woman with both legs disabled is surely too much!"

"Hello, Elaina Aswell," Sinclair finally addressed her directly, disregarding whatever thoughts she might have. "Has Melvin told you about my proposal?"

"..."

"No? Perhaps he hasn't conveyed it properly," Sinclair frowned slightly, then reached out and grabbed a document from the table. "Here, take this."

Elaina took the document in her hands, a proposal and a marriage contract from Prince Sinclair Butler to Elaina Aswell. "Before going to war, I made a wish to the Emperor."

[Why, Mrs. Yona's relatives at the gathering are of royal descent. She said that Sinclair had boldly set a condition before going to war.]

"A wish that must be granted no matter what."

[If I return victorious, grant me a wish.]

"The Emperor agreed, and I have returned victorious. By rejecting my proposal, you would be committing treason against the Emperor's command."

What was he talking about? Elaina's blue eyes trembled as she stared at Sinclair.

"Yes, that's right. My wish was this—to take Elaina Aswell, the Aswell family's half-penny and limping bastard, as my wife."

"..."

"So it would be wise not to refuse." Unless she wanted to die.

Unable to comprehend Sinclair's bizarre declaration, Elaina's gaze returned to the document. At the end of the marriage contract was the Emperor's seal of approval. What kind of proposal was this? It was nothing short of a coerced marriage.

'This... this is absurd...'

Elaina's hands trembled as she held the document, but unbeknownst to her, Sinclair's gaze lingered long on her injured leg.