Do Flowers Bloom in the Fallen Land?

However, Seira had no intention of offering anyone else aside herself on the table. It was the same for a child that would come from her own womb. Even if it was the condition to revive Askan, she would never concede to such ideas.

‘Please, please…’

Trying her best to stay calm, Seira waited for Louis’ answer with a heavy feeling crushing her shoulders.

“I really don’t have much interest in that,” finally came his answer.

She had to blink several times before Seira found her voice, “… what did you say?”

“Planning for succession is only for the family’s future, and I can’t afford to calculate the future,” he added an explanation as he saw the confusion in her face.

Seira stared at his face for a long time without uttering a single word. His cynical remarks sounded oddly sincere, which confused her even more.

“However, when it comes to relationships…” he paused and then continued, “It’s hard to say for sure. As I mentioned, I fell in love at first sight.”

Louis tilted his head to an angle and asked, “What about Seira? Do you have any thoughts of adding Franto’s head to your list of partners?”

Seira looked at him wide-eyed. She never thought he’d throw the question she gave him back to her.

Since she already decided to pretend as his lover, it was only natural to spend at least one or two heats and rut together. For that reason, it was clever to ask her intentions even though she wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“Well… well, I don’t think it’s all bad.”

She was the one who pretended to be promiscuous to hide Aven’s relationship with her. She didn’t have any excuses to make now.

“Really?”

“I already told you,” Seira said as she looked him straight in the eyes, “I tend to enjoy my freedom. How can I not refuse a handsome man such as the Duke Franto?”

She needed another Alpha to spend her next heat cycle anyway. She was determined not to put that burden on Aven no more. It wasn’t a bad choice to get Louis as her partner. First of all, she liked his general appearance. Second, his appearance again. Third, his appearance…

‘My eyes…’ she found herself grumbling.

Seira couldn’t help it because he wasn’t as good-looking as…

“Instead, it’s a bit hard to be faithful to you alone. Do you understand?”

She had to make sure everything was clear in the case she had to get Baron’s help.

“Well, of course,” Louis clapped his hand, “We’re not even a real couple, so I don’t see the need to interfere with such things.”

“No… I have no intention of playing so obviously.”

“Is that so?”

“You don’t have that kind of preference, do you?”

At her question, an impish smile spread across Louis’ face, but he didn’t give any answer.

“Louis…?”

“Wouldn’t it be more fun to find out for yourself which one?”

“…”

Seira was very curious about what alternatives he had, but she tried to suppress her curiosity.

‘We already agreed to include a clause related to children in the contract, so that’s fine.’

It wasn’t as if the sadistic Damon Glad was any better. As long as there was a line to a certain extent, she was willing to suit any taste.

Now that the bigger frame has been roughly decided, all they had to do was to write a contract. After Seira drafted it first, Louis went ahead and decided to supplement necessary parts.

Seira wrote down the details one by one with the paper that Louis brought her.

“When I visit the ecliptic, you’d want me to spend at least a third of your time in Franto’s mansion, yes?”

“Agree. We need plenty of time to be together, even if it’s because of the power-filling work.”

“I know.”

“Is there anything else Seira wants from me?”

As if she had been waiting for him to ask, Seira immediately answered, “I want Franto to act as a political ally to Askan while the contract is maintained. It would greatly help me not to suffer from retaliatory disadvantages.”

She had no choice if Calrad pushed Askan into a corner like before. At that time when she had to focus on sneaking nest remains and filling her powers, she also had to run around everywhere just to make ends meet.

“You need not to worry about that. It’s not that difficult to take over the real power of the noble council.”

His confidence had his basis. If Jeff held Hesrad’s military power, Franto would’ve held gold. Now that Baron, the owner of Jeff, wasn’t paying attention to much of politics, Louis was the head of ceremonies.

‘What’s he really aiming at?’ Seira could only speculate as she perused the completed contract.

‘She thought he wanted to marry her because there was no mention of any engagement, and he wasn’t greedy for a successor. But most of all, there’s no way that Franto would carry a heavy sense of debt to Askan like Zion.’

It wasn’t long ago, but Seira sensed Louis’ temper was formidable. She shouldn’t be deceived by his splendid and beautiful appearance. He always smiled, and his tone was always soft to her. It was clear that he was hiding something behind her back.

‘Is it revenge?… or maybe.’

As she went through the provisions one by one, Seira felt something vaguely familiar to her.

‘There is something wrong with this contract…’