Hestia, the daughter of a fallen nobleman who relies on the Carlton family as her sponsor, is eagerly anticipating the day when she can cast aside everything that is binding her and run away. She thought the time had finally come.... more>>

“Hestia.”

No! Don’t kneel! Don’t propose! And don’t take out that ring box!

“As you might have guessed, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Expected? Sure, I did. But this wasn’t the way. Weren’t we just friends? Didn’t we agree to be friends?

“Will-“

Hestia closed her eyes tightly. As he continued, she could easily anticipate what he was going to say. Will you be my bride? Will you be the mistress of my family? Will you give birth to my heir? It might be one of these three, but you don’t do these with a friend, right?

“No, I won’t marry you!”

“-you become the mage of my territory?”

…What? Hestia slowly opened her eyes and faced his signature foxlike smile.

“Of course, I’m fine with marriage too.”

Her face turned slightly red. Whether it was because she was ashamed of her mistake or because of his answer, she wasn’t sure.

“But, your dream is my dream. So, Hestia,”

Instead of a ring, he held out a standard mage contract and a fountain pen. In front of her was something she had neither seen nor received before.

“Please, become my territory’s mage.”

Her life had not been a happy one so far. When she was at the edge, where she just wanted to let go of everything, he reached out his hand to her.

“Let’s go to Rosehill together.”

She signed the contract and, as a mage, she followed him, the lord…

The contract with the lord was a trap! <<less

On New Year’s Day, a visit to check my fortune led to a bizarre curse. If I fail to have the last word in a conversation, my body will turn to stone—can you believe it?... more>>

I tried to endure it for a year… but then the Duke, a notorious reply villain, appeared.

“Yes, thank you.” “Have a great day!” “May you also have a wonderful day, Count.” “Thank you!” “I’m grateful too.” “No need to respond!” “Count, you don’t need to reply either.”

Didn’t I say you don’t need to reply? Don’t respond! I might be cursed and can’t help it, but what’s your excuse? It seems I might bid the world farewell sooner than expected because of this guy.

But this Duke, does he have unusual tastes?

“From the moment I saw you, my heart was yours.”

Are you talking about that time when I had to shout at everyone to shut up so I could have the last word? That moment when I seemed like a madwoman? Why is that? <<less

Lohengrin had been betrothed for eight long years.
Even when she lost her voice, her fiancé remained steadfast by her side, never once breaking off their engagement.... more>>

Just as she was about to marry him,
She found out that her fiancé had a mistress and a five-year-old son.
Such deceit was beyond anything she could ever tolerate.

But then.

“Have you forgotten how to speak because you suffered some sort of shock? Or is it that you’ve never had the ability to speak in the first place?”

Wynbergen’s disgrace, Bern’s libertine, His Majesty the Emperor’s setback.
Wynbergen’s bastard.
Carlisle Ansgar.

This man…

“What is it that you want?”
“Marriage.”

…Why has he appeared as though he had been waiting for this very moment? <<less