This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 134

“[Don’t you think you’re overworking me?]”

Kyst looked at her with clear displeasure. Elaina clasped her hands together in front of him.

“[I’m sorry. But please, you really have to help us. At this rate, we’ll actually be divorced.]”

As Elaina stomped her feet in frustration, Kyst glanced over at Lyle. Even the usually aloof Lyle bowed his head to Kyst.

“[See? Even Lyle is asking.]”

“[…So what exactly do you want me to do?]”

“[It’s simple.]”

Elaina answered with pride.

“[Can you create letters in the sky with magic? Like with clouds or light?]”

“[Sure.]”

Asking him to form letters? It was a strange request, but Kyst nodded without question. Elaina’s eyes sparkled as she continued.

“[What I want is for you to write something big above the Grant mansion. Something like: ‘Oppose the Divorce!’]”

The high priest who had said a miracle would annul the divorce was an awfully unpleasant person. Elaina figured that unless the sign was this direct and explicit, he might try to deny it as a miracle, so she devised a simple and straightforward approach.

“[You want to claim a miracle occurred because God wrote “Oppose the Divorce” in the sky.]”

“[Why not? The priests aren’t admitting their mistake. We might as well use whatever’s at our disposal.]”

“[And the one at your disposal is me.]”

“[Please? Are you really going to be like this between us?]”

Kyst stared at Elaina for a moment, then shrugged silently. It was a gesture of agreement. Elaina gleefully hugged him. Lyle’s expression hardened at the sight. A grin played on Kyst’s lips. That expression alone made the miracle worth it.

***

A few days later, massive clouds formed above the Grant mansion—clouds large enough for everyone to see. The sky had been perfectly clear, so the appearance of clouds only over the manor was bizarre enough. But what happened next was truly shocking.

As if writing on a chalkboard, flashes of light began to etch letters into the clouds. Though the sun was not obscured, beams of light shone from within, making the letters visible from anywhere in the capital. Unbelievable, but true.

OPPOSE THE DIVORCE.

Not since the founding of the Empire, when legends say the gods descended to aid the first Emperor, had such a miracle occurred. What was more astonishing was that the writing remained in place even by nightfall.

By the following afternoon, overwhelmed by public inquiry, the temple was forced to surrender.

“My goodness. I didn’t expect a priest to visit the mansion in person.”

Elaina, who had gone out to greet the priest alighting from the carriage, was surprised by what she saw.

“What are you doing? Why are you taking off your shoes…”

The priest knelt and prostrated himself on the floor. For a long while, he did not rise. Eventually, with a solemn expression, he stood and addressed the startled Elaina.

“This is sacred place where a miracle occurred. Paying homage to God is only right.”

His attitude was completely different from when they had last met. Elaina offered an awkward smile at his newfound reverence.

“Aha… Y-yes, of course. Let’s go inside.”

Even inside the mansion, the priest remained deeply reverent. To him, the Grant mansion was now a holy site blessed by divine glory.

Only after reaching the parlor did the high priest explain the reason for his visit.

“To be direct, the divorce that was already finalized cannot be undone.”

“What? But with the miracle…”

“Yes, you’re right. I did say if God opposed the divorce, He would show a miracle.”

As Elaina quietly listened, the priest continued his explanation.

“After an emergency meeting yesterday, His Holiness the Pope decided to amend a clause in the marriage law.”

He presented the amended clause, which was the same one the Lord of Hennet had once mentioned—the one stating that remarriage between previously divorced partners was forbidden.

“Then…”

Elaina trailed off. The priest nodded.

“Yes. You may now file a new marriage registration. The temple will be ready to accept it at any time.”

***

Elaina explained to Lyle what had happened during the day. Lyle watched her with gentle eyes as she spoke triumphantly.

“Are you listening to me? All we have to do now is register the marriage.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

“A priest came to see me too.”

He confessed that a priest had visited the newly built Grant Knight Order building earlier that day.

“What? Then why didn’t you say so sooner?”

“Because listening to you was fun.”

Elaina waved her hands in embarrassment. “Anyway! It’s all over now. Let’s go file the marriage registration.”

“No. I won’t.”

What was he saying? Elaina stared at Lyle with a blank expression.

“You won’t?”

“Nope.”

“Why not? Don’t tell me… you don’t want to marry me?”

She tried to sound casual, but the anxiety in her voice was evident. Lyle’s smile deepened at her question. Elaina raised her voice, irritated by his continued silence.

“Don’t just laugh—answer me. You don’t want to marry me?”

“No.”

“Lyle!”

Lyle looked at the shouting Elaina with endless warmth in his eyes. But he sensed that dragging it out any further might actually upset her.

“Elaina.”

He slowly stood from his seat. Elaina pouted as if to say he should explain himself already—her cheeks were puffed up.

Lyle picked up the box he had placed on the desk in advance. Elaina, who had been too caught up in the conversation to notice it before, finally recognized it.

“Lyle…”

“The first time I proposed, I used my mother’s ring.”

Lyle slowly opened the ring box. Inside was a ring with a large yellow diamond at the center and pink, petal-shaped gems set closely around it.

“…When did you prepare something like this?”

“As soon as I returned to the capital.”

“Back then, we didn’t even know if we’d get married.”

“Even if the temple didn’t approve, it wouldn’t have mattered. You’ve always been my one and only wife.”

Unlike other titles, an Archduke could, if desired, declare his territory independent and govern it as a “principality.” No Archduke in history had ever exercised that right, but Lyle had always been prepared to do so—for Elaina’s sake.

“Elaina.”

In a room so still it felt as if even the air had paused, only Lyle’s voice echoed.

Elaina was suddenly reminded of the same time last year. That winter when she first met Lyle. One chilly day, she had worn the orange dress Sarah prepared and waited secretly in the hallway to catch a glimpse of him.

She never imagined things would turn out this way.

No one could have.

Who would have thought she’d fall so deeply in love with the man she once believed was Diane’s villain?

“Our marriage came as a surprise to both of us.”

Perhaps thinking the same, Lyle repeated the very words he had used during his first proposal. Elaina and Lyle burst into laughter at the same time.

“Maybe you regret our previous marriage. Despite promising to protect you, I put you in danger—and you almost died.”

Elaina quietly looked into Lyle’s eyes. They, reflecting the crimson sunset, were focused only on her.

“Love wasn’t part of our contract. You never asked me for it. But it was inevitable. Before I realized it, I was already in love with you.”

Lyle slowly knelt on one knee.

“I’ll make the vow again. For as long as you are my wife, I will be a faithful husband to you. This time, there’s no need for a contract. I’ll ask just one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Love.”

The man who once claimed that such sweet, tender words had nothing to do with him had finally spoken them aloud.

“If the contract lasts a lifetime… I’ll consider it.”

Elaina’s playful reply made Lyle laugh.

“A lifetime, is it? Then I’ll pledge myself for every life that comes after. In the next life, and the one after that, I’ll find you again.”

Facing the fading sunset outside the window, Lyle’s face looked truly perfect. Elaina thought—this moment, she would never forget it.

“Will you be my wife?”

Instead of answering, Elaina threw herself into his arms. Holding her gently to keep her from getting hurt, Lyle fell to the floor with her. A rare, radiant smile lit his face.