Chapter 63: The Second Contract
“What kind of business are you preparing?”
Aracila looked at him with curiosity.
Earlier, she had refrained from showing any surprise in front of Lucas, but now that they were alone, she could finally ask.
Damian answered simply.
“A transportation business.”
“Oh, really?”
A spark of interest lit up in Aracila’s eyes.
In truth, she had been considering offering him a business partnership if he happened to be working in a similar field.
The magical airship project aimed to create a new mode of transportation, meaning it could easily be integrated into the transport industry.
“Damian, then why don’t we become business partners?”
At her sudden proposal, Damian raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“Well, I’m preparing a business too.”
Aracila calmly explained her magical airship project.
Damian listened intently, his expression unreadable.
Even after she finished, he didn’t immediately respond.
Truthfully, her proposal was quite tempting.
However, a business partnership was not something to be decided lightly—it could lead to losses for both parties if not handled properly.
I should ask for detailed documentation first.
From her explanation alone, the concept of a magical airship was too broad.
Just as he was about to ask for more details, Damian suddenly froze.
Aracila had leaned in close, staring at him intently.
Her starry eyes, just as Lucas had described, shone brightly as they locked onto him.
After a long moment of silent observation, Damian slowly spoke.
“…Do you have a business plan?”
“Of course.”
“Then show me. I need to understand the details before making a decision.”
As soon as they arrived home, Aracila handed Damian the investment proposal her juniors had prepared.
“Take your time reading it and think carefully. I guarantee you won’t find a more innovative business plan than this.”
Leaving those words behind, she returned to their bedroom, while Damian remained in his office.
Seated on the sofa, he opened the proposal and began reading.
The deeper he delved into the document, the more his posture changed—at first, he had been reclining lazily, but soon he was leaning forward in concentration.
This doesn’t just help me achieve my own goals—it holds immense commercial value as well.
The magical airship could serve as more than just a mode of transport—it could revolutionize tourism and travel.
As long as there was a large enough field to land, it could go anywhere.
After reading the final page, Damian closed the proposal with a faint chuckle.
How did Aracila always present the perfect solution exactly when he needed it?
Her timing was almost eerily precise—he had never encountered someone like her before.
The truth was, Damian’s interest in the transportation business was directly tied to the Vandemir Duchy.
The duchy maintained its influence by controlling the surrounding trade routes and restricting the movement of neighboring territories.
To counter this, Damian had planned to establish a new transportation network that would unite those regions.
However, he had been struggling to find a suitable method—until now.
Aracila’s magical airship project was the perfect solution.
Having made his decision, Damian wasted no time.
The next morning, as soon as he saw Aracila, he gave her the answer he hadn’t provided the previous night.
“I would like to enter a business partnership with you.”
Aracila beamed, as if she had expected this all along.
“Great. You won’t regret it. Let’s work well together.”
“Yes, I look forward to it. Do you have any plans this afternoon? If not, let’s meet to draft the business contract.”
“Alright. I’ll keep my schedule open. Let’s meet at home.”
As expected of a couple who had even entered marriage through a contract, their approach was swift and precise.
After agreeing on a time and place, they both left for their respective workplaces, their steps noticeably lighter.
***
“Guys, I found an investor!”
Aracila burst into the research lab, excitement written all over her face.
At her words, Rudy, who had been buried under a pile of books, shot his head up, eyes wide with anticipation.
“Gasp! Really?”
“Of course. Didn’t I tell you to trust me?”
“Wow, as expected from you, senior!”
To think that she had actually solved the investment problem that had been causing them all such headaches.
Sally raised her thumb with a grin and clapped her hands. Rudy, equally impressed, stood beside her and joined in.
“Our lab’s fearless leader!”
“A true visionary!”
“The esteemed head of research!”
“A masterful commander!”
The two cupped their hands around their mouths and took turns showering her with praise. Aracila spread her arms wide, fully basking in their admiration and applause.
“But who’s the investor?”
“My husband.”
“Ah, so it’s Senior’s husband… Wait, what?!”
Sally and Rudy stopped clapping mid-motion, completely stunned.
They had never expected her husband to be the investor.
“Y-Your husband is investing in us…?”
“Yep. We’re meeting later today to draft the partnership contract. He won’t set any unfair terms for us, so don’t worry and trust me.”
Aracila tapped her chest confidently.
Though still slightly bewildered, her two juniors decided to trust her.
After all, their senior had never let them down before.
Later, after spending the day designing the airship’s structure with her team, Aracila left work early and returned home.
Damian had arrived first and was waiting in his office with a preliminary contract in hand.
“I’ve drafted an initial version outlining the key terms we should discuss. Let’s go over it carefully before finalizing the agreement.”
“Alright.”
Aracila took the document from him and read through it with a calm, focused expression.
The contract detailed everything from the division of business shares to the allocation of responsibilities.
Naturally, their first point of discussion was the division of ownership.
“Let’s each state our position on how to split the shares and reach an agreement—”
“Fifty-fifty. No exceptions.”
Aracila cut him off firmly.
Her tone left no room for negotiation.
Damian studied her in silence for a moment.
Honestly, he had expected her to demand a larger share, so her insistence on an equal split was surprising.
“Why must it be fifty-fifty?”
“Because that way, things won’t get complicated when we divorce.”
Damian paused, caught off guard by her response.
Still focused on reviewing the contract, Aracila didn’t notice his reaction and casually continued.
“Considering how many couples get tangled in financial disputes during a divorce, wouldn’t it be better for us to split cleanly? We’re going to separate eventually anyway.”
There was nothing factually wrong with her words.
Yet for some reason, Damian felt strangely unsettled.
Was this just how relationships with predetermined endings worked?
Did every decision have to be made with their eventual separation in mind?
It wasn’t a big deal… but for some reason, it left a bitter taste.
“I’ll be investing a significant amount from my personal assets, so an equal share division isn’t a bad deal. However, since the overall budget will be determined by the project’s requirements, you’ll need to contribute more capital.”
“…Understood. Let’s do it that way.”
Like a prenuptial agreement, they carefully adjusted and revised the terms to ensure neither party would suffer significant losses or gain an unfair advantage.
Damian took charge of the business’s financial and promotional aspects, while Aracila handled development and planning.
Once finalized, Damian’s aide, Colin, drafted the official contract.
Both of them signed it—their second formal agreement as husband and wife.
And so, their joint business venture took its first step forward.
***
With the airship development officially underway, Aracila’s lab shifted into full-time work mode, often staying late into the night.
They designed an attachment mechanism that allowed levitation stones to be installed on the airship’s underside, enabling them to be removed one by one during landing to control descent.
Fortunately, the levitation stones had been modified to function without continuous mana input, making them relatively easy to manage.
Next, they carefully designed a propulsion system that would allow the airship to move in a controlled manner.
Taking inspiration from birds, they gave the airship a winged design, equipping each wing with two propellers.
The propellers would be powered by high-density mana stones containing significantly more energy than standard ones.
Since levitation stones only lifted objects into the air but did not generate forward motion, an additional power source was necessary.
Aracila even purchased land on the outskirts of the capital to build a hangar for the airship.
With so much work to oversee, her schedule became overwhelmingly packed.
Even after returning home, she continued working late into the night.
However, Aracila thrived on dedicating herself completely to her work—if anything, she felt most alive when fully immersed in a project.
Tonight was no different.
As she reviewed project documents at home, she suddenly got up and made her way to Damian’s office.
After knocking and waiting for a response, she was greeted by Damian, who was also working late, though he had changed into more comfortable attire.
“What is it?”
“Damian, these are the finalized airship design candidates. Take a look and tell me which ones you think are best.”
Damian accepted the stack of papers and examined them carefully.
“I think these two seem the most viable.”
“Alright, I’ll take that into consideration.”
Taking the papers back, Aracila returned to her room to continue working.
Some time later, it was Damian who came to see her.
“I’ve compiled a list of noble families interested in investing in the airship project. These are the ones worth considering as potential collaborators. Review them when you have time.”
“Hmm… There don’t seem to be any with particularly bad reputations. This list looks good.”
Satisfied with her response, Damian withdrew.
For several days, they continued this pattern—constantly moving between the office and the bedroom to consult each other.
Over time, the frequent back-and-forth began to feel inefficient and inconvenient.
Though neither of them voiced a complaint, the inconvenience was undeniable.
Then, one morning at breakfast, Damian suddenly spoke up.
“I ordered a new desk.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll set it up in my office for you to use. That way, we can work together when we’re at home.”
Aracila, who had been half-asleep and absentmindedly eating due to working until dawn, blinked in surprise.
Chapter 64: Shared Space
It was an unspoken rule in the mansion—Aracila’s domain was the bedroom, while Damian’s was the office.
They usually refrained from intruding on each other’s spaces.
So when Damian announced that he was setting up a desk for her in his office, Aracila was momentarily dumbfounded.
“…Are you serious?”
“Do you think I would joke about this? Since we’re working on the same project, it’s a waste of time to be in separate rooms. Sharing a space is much more efficient.”
Damian’s response was calm, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.
But in truth, he had deliberated over this decision for quite some time.
Between the two of them, he was the one even more accustomed to solitude.
However, since their business venture wasn’t something that would be completed in a matter of days, he reasoned that it was best to find a compromise for the sake of convenience.
“If you’re uncomfortable with the idea, let me know. I can cancel the order.”
“No, well… I don’t mind. Let’s work together.”
Aracila nodded.
She had never had a proper desk in the bedroom, which had been inconvenient anyway.
Three days later, the desk arrived.
That evening, the two of them officially began working together in Damian’s office.
Aracila took a moment to slowly look around.
She had been in this room several times before, but there was a distinct difference between being in someone else’s space and being in a shared space.
The room was neatly arranged, containing only the essentials.
The only two objects that stood out were a wreath of everlasting flowers—hung by Aracila herself—and the large, elegant desk now placed diagonally across from Damian’s.
Made of mahogany, the desk was spacious, painted entirely in pristine white with gold accents along the edges.
It closely resembled Damian’s ebony desk in design, differing only in color.
However, in an office furnished in muted, dark tones, the bright white desk was strikingly prominent.
Judging by its style, it was clear Damian had carefully considered her preferences when ordering it.
Touched by the thoughtfulness, Aracila ran her fingers lightly across the surface.
Both of the most out-of-place objects in this room are connected to me.
Damian was someone who disliked letting others into his personal space.
That applied not only to people but also to objects.
And yet, here were two things linked to her, sitting boldly in his office.
And here she was, sitting inside it as well.
It felt strangely like an acknowledgment—that she was the only one allowed to enter his space.
“Damian, if my presence here is uncomfortable or distracting, just say so.”
“And what would you do? Step out?”
“No? I’d kick you out.”
Aracila looked at him as if wondering why he would even ask.
Tapping the desk lightly, she added,
“I like it here. So if anyone has a problem, they should be the one to leave. Let’s agree on that.”
“…Are you aware that this is my office?”
“Don’t be so petty. If you didn’t want me here, you shouldn’t have invited me in the first place. Letting me in was your decision, but leaving is mine.”
Damian let out a short, incredulous laugh.
It was ridiculous—but it was also so like Aracila that he couldn’t even be annoyed.
Instead, he simply rubbed his temple and shook his head.
“…It seems I’ve let a tiger into my den.”
“I have been told I have the eyes of a tiger.”
Shrugging nonchalantly, Aracila took her seat and began organizing her documents and writing materials.
Damian, too, turned back to the report he had been reviewing.
For a while, the room was filled only with the quiet sounds of flipping pages and scratching pens—reminiscent of students studying in a library during exam season.
Their faint breathing blended into the stillness of the space.
Perhaps because they were alone together in an enclosed room, they couldn’t help but be aware of each other.
Damian found himself stealing occasional glances at Aracila, discreetly sipping water to suppress an unnecessary cough.
Meanwhile, Aracila kept running her fingers through her hair, strangely conscious of even the faint screech of her chair moving.
Then, just as Damian was sneaking another glance at her, Aracila looked up at the same time.
Their eyes met.
It was just a brief moment of eye contact—yet it startled them both as if they had been caught doing something wrong.
“Ahem.”
“….”
Damian cleared his throat and quickly averted his gaze, while Aracila turned her head, pretending to adjust her hair.
After that, both of them sat completely still, as if they had been frozen by some kind of spell.
***
Their awareness of each other didn’t last long.
Within days, they had fully adjusted to sharing the space.
They even started meeting in Damian’s office on weekends.
One benefit of this arrangement was that they no longer had to deliberately set aside time for meals.
Since they worked in the same room, they naturally ended up eating together—whether it was lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack.
However, their working hours still differed due to their separate responsibilities.
On weekdays, Aracila typically came home much later than Damian.
But today, it was the opposite.
When Damian finally entered the office late in the evening, he was surprised to see Aracila already at her desk.
“You’re here early.”
“Welcome back, Damian.”
But something was different.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, focusing on the object resting on the bridge of her nose.
“What’s with the glasses?”
They were simple black-rimmed frames, perched neatly on her nose.
He had never seen her wear glasses before, so the sight was unfamiliar.
“Oh, these? They don’t have lenses—it’s just the frame.”
To demonstrate, Aracila removed the glasses and passed her fingers through the empty rims.
Damian looked at her, completely puzzled.
“…If there aren’t any lenses, why are you wearing them?”
“For some reason, I concentrate better when I have them on. I used to wear them during exams back at the Academy.”
She slipped them back on.
Something about the glasses softened her usual sharp, elegant features, giving her a more studious and gentle appearance.
Damian found himself staring as he walked toward his desk.
“I see. Personally, I don’t understand. I’d find them distracting.”
“Hah. That’s exactly what Frederick said too. It’s really not that uncomfortable.”
Aracila mentioned Frederick absentmindedly.
She hadn’t meant to compare them—it was just that Damian’s words had reminded her of something Frederick had once said.
As Damian pulled out his chair, his fingers twitched slightly, and his expression turned unreadable.
His wife recalling someone else in the middle of their conversation—if they were a real married couple, it would have been upsetting. But for a contract couple…
“You must have worn glasses often around His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
The thought nagged at him more than he expected, so he threw the words out casually.
“Well, I studied in the library a lot with Pola and him.”
Aracila responded without much thought, as if Frederick’s name had come up by coincidence rather than any special sentiment.
Realizing he had asked something pointless, Damian clamped his mouth shut.
He had known from the beginning that Aracila and Frederick were friends—why was he acting like this now?
As Damian fell silent, Aracila was the one to speak next.
“Damian, I’ve been wondering—how do you usually sleep in here?”
The office was designed purely for work, stripped of unnecessary furniture, with only a large, rigid black sofa as the sole resting place.
There wasn’t even an adjacent lounge, making her curious about how he managed.
“You’re not laying a blanket on the floor, are you?”
“I just sleep on the sofa.”
“That sofa? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“I’m used to it. I’ve slept in far worse conditions.”
Damian’s tone was even and unbothered.
As a former commander who had led an order of knights through countless hardships and marches, he had long since learned not to be picky about sleeping arrangements.
Sleeping on the floor with a simple blanket wouldn’t faze him in the slightest.
Realizing he was genuinely fine with it, Aracila found herself at a loss for words.
Still, it has to be uncomfortable, she thought.
But the thought was fleeting.
Both returned to their respective work, immersed for so long that they lost track of time.
Eventually, feeling stiffness in his neck, Damian tilted his head from side to side to stretch—and then, by chance, glanced at Aracila.
So that’s why it’s been so quiet.
At some point, she had fallen asleep, slumped over her desk.
Soft, even breathing filled the silent room.
The moonlight streaming through the window bathed her face in a pale glow.
Damian frowned slightly upon noticing that she had fallen asleep with her glasses still on.
What if she injures her eyes like that?
Clicking his tongue, he rose from his seat and approached her.
Her face was small enough that his palm could nearly cover it.
Slowly, he reached out, intending to remove her glasses.
But the moment his fingertips brushed the rim of her frames—
Aracila’s hand shot up, gripping his wrist.
“……”
Still hazy from sleep, her blue eyes blinked up at him, unfocused yet searching.
Damian remained still, looking down at her as she gazed up at him.
Their eyes met in the dimly lit room.
Then, slowly, her lips parted.
“Do you want to go to the bedroom?”
“…What?”
Damian was a beat too slow to react.
Aracila’s grip on his wrist tightened slightly as she repeated,
“Let’s go to the bedroom together.”
“What…?”
Startled, Damian yanked his hand free and took a hurried step back.
His ears turned a deep shade of red, as if they had caught fire.
Unaware of the turmoil she had caused, Aracila stretched with a yawn and straightened up.
“What’s wrong? You don’t want to go?”
“…What exactly do you mean by that?”
His wary question made her blink in confusion before responding nonchalantly,
“What else would I mean? Stop sleeping uncomfortably on the office sofa and sleep somewhere better.”
“……”
“The sofa in the bedroom is much softer.”
Hearing her say that with such casual kindness, Damian felt the strength drain from his shoulders.
With a heavy sigh, he ran a hand down his face.
By now more awake, Aracila looked at him, puzzled.
“I’ve been thinking for a while now… You really don’t think before you speak, do you?”
“What? Where is this coming from?”
“Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself if it’s really just me saying things carelessly.”
Looking genuinely indignant, Aracila placed her hand over her chest as if taking an oath.
Meanwhile, Damian simply sighed again and returned to his desk, resuming his work with an exhausted look.
After a long pause, Aracila finally realized how her words could have been… misinterpreted.
She frowned slightly and muttered,
“You know, I’ve been thinking about this too—Damian, you have a dirty mind.”
“…If you’re going to spout nonsense, just go to sleep.”
“Oh, now you’re trying to send me away just because the conversation isn’t in your favor.”
At her smug remark, Damian had no rebuttal.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───
