Aden couldn’t help but feel captivated by the Viscountess’ silver hair albeit this head of hair looked duller and flatter than he was used to seeing.
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A strange feeling which he couldn’t shake off followed him the moment he walked in.
“Greetings, I’m Den from Acid Merchant,” he said with a brief bow.
The Viscountess smiled; it was a weak smile, one that showed her tiredness making her put-together façade fade away. With that, the scent of summer Aden had felt the moment he walked in got stronger.
The scent was different from that of the fresh scent of Ilyn. The scent of the Viscountess was like that of an old vegetation. To Aden, it was a very unfamiliar scent. If the people of the warm region came across that smell, they would describe it as a moss which had been left out in the sun surrounded by a huge amount of humidity.
“I see that she married a handsome man,” said the Viscountess in a clear, commanding voice which was a contrast to her frail disposition.
Viscount Arlen sighed and quietly said to Aden, “She is always talking gibberish.”
I don’t think so. Aden ignored the Viscount. The Viscountess of Arlen also had the ability of foresight. The voice of Viscountess contained certainty. She wasn’t speaking gibberish.
“Don’t stop the child if she comes.” The Viscountess spoke again. At that, the Viscount’s sighing got louder.
“I have something to give her.” The Viscountess continued to speak in her clear voice. Aden quickly realized that the Viscountess was talking about Ilyn.
Did the Viscountess see something in a dream?
“A light snack should be ready by now. Why don’t we go downstairs and finish talking?” Viscount Arlen said to Aden trying to usher him out of the room. The Viscountess also turned to look out the window as she seemed to have nothing else to say.
Aden said a short goodbye and left the room. As he was leaving, he turned to check on the Viscountess one last time. She emitted a faint smell of death. It was faint but it was there for sure. Before his mother passed away, she looked like her.
***
When would the summer at the Arlen territory end? Aden was deep in thought.
“I see that she married a handsome man.”
The tone of Viscountess was different from those who simply mumbled random sentences. There was a strong sense of certainty in that voice. It was clear that she had the ability of foresight, so there were two possibilities; the key to summer was either Ilyn, or the entire Viscountess bloodline.
Aden focused on the foresight ability that came from Ilyn’s mother’s side. If the key was Ilyn herself, then this year would be the end of summer since his divine power was affected after the succession with Ilyn. That meant it should have started to become colder.
But if it was the bloodline? Viscountess Arlen also had the ability of foresight so if it was the latter, then summer would end when the Viscountess either leaves the place or dies.
If what Aden saw earlier was any indication, it would happen soon. The Viscountess’s room was already filled with the stench of death. Her health was very bad. Bad enough that there was no point for the Viscount to even bother with a doctor.
Either way, Aden realized, the territory’s summer would soon be over.
“How many years would you like the monopoly to be?” Viscount Arlen was clearly in a rush to finalize the contract.
“3 years.”
Viscount Arlen’s mouth stretched into a wide grin as did Aden’s although Aden did a much better job at hiding his glee.
The Viscount had ignored a part thinking that it was a rare probability, but at the end of the contract it was clearly stated,
“Each year, if less than half of the first year’s supply is remitted, you are to remit three times worth of the first-year deposit.”
Viscount Arlen would slowly lose everything he had left.
***
“It looks good. However, the condition stipulated at the end has caught my eyes.” Ilyn said after reviewing the contract. The merchant building at night had no outsiders so Ilyn had taken off the black veil as she sat across from Aden.
“The Viscount didn’t even care,” said Aden with a soft chuckle.
When summer in Arlen disappears, that condition in the contract will become the venom that deals the fatal blow to the Viscount. His fate was sealed.
“It’s up to you if you would like to start the trade,” said Aden, “If it bothers you, you don’t have to sign it.”
He knew the Viscount’s weakness, so he knew many ways to bring him down, he didn’t need the contract to do so.
Ilyn lifted her pen and looked down at the contract. It felt weird. Unlike the Viscount, she knew what this contract meant. The moment she allowed this deal, it would be as if a time bomb was put on Viscount Arlen.
Ilyn hesitated despite herself. To use Aden’s words, she couldn’t become bad.
“How was it earlier?” Aden didn’t rush her and instead asked her something else. “In the room.”
Ilyn remembered the meeting with him and the Viscount. Aden, who always looked so dependable, and the Viscount, who looked so pathetic next to him.
The Viscount she saw over the veil was a small and pathetic man. It was like he was nothing. It made her wonder why she allowed him to hold so much power over her all those years. Compared to Aden, he was nothing.
Aden reached out and caressed her silver hair. The hair that was always in a bun was let down; it was more curvy than usual now. It looked full of life unlike that of the Viscountess. He smiled as he met Ilyn’s eyes. Like he knew what she was thinking.
“Ilyn, do what you want. Achieve what you want. So that the winter can become your tool.”
Don’t worry. The moment you married me, you got everything. His whispers were always so sweet. He approached her and put his forehead against hers. The contact spread warmth to both. Aden slowly leaned in and placed his lips on Ilyn’s.
Like always, he brushed his lips carefully against hers. Ilyn, like giving permission, opened her mouth slightly. He smiled and let his tongue wander in. He attacked her lower lips and then tilted her head to deepen the kiss.
Leave the northern wind to me, and Ilyn can remain a warm person. When Aden pulled apart, his eyes were glowing. Viscount Arlen will lose everything.
It was all up to Ilyn now.
Aden couldn’t help but feel captivated by the Viscountess’ silver hair albeit this head of hair looked duller and flatter than he was used to seeing.
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A strange feeling which he couldn’t shake off followed him the moment he walked in.
“Greetings, I’m Den from Acid Merchant,” he said with a brief bow.
The Viscountess smiled; it was a weak smile, one that showed her tiredness making her put-together façade fade away. With that, the scent of summer Aden had felt the moment he walked in got stronger.
The scent was different from that of the fresh scent of Ilyn. The scent of the Viscountess was like that of an old vegetation. To Aden, it was a very unfamiliar scent. If the people of the warm region came across that smell, they would describe it as a moss which had been left out in the sun surrounded by a huge amount of humidity.
“I see that she married a handsome man,” said the Viscountess in a clear, commanding voice which was a contrast to her frail disposition.
Viscount Arlen sighed and quietly said to Aden, “She is always talking gibberish.”
I don’t think so. Aden ignored the Viscount. The Viscountess of Arlen also had the ability of foresight. The voice of Viscountess contained certainty. She wasn’t speaking gibberish.
“Don’t stop the child if she comes.” The Viscountess spoke again. At that, the Viscount’s sighing got louder.
“I have something to give her.” The Viscountess continued to speak in her clear voice. Aden quickly realized that the Viscountess was talking about Ilyn.
Did the Viscountess see something in a dream?
“A light snack should be ready by now. Why don’t we go downstairs and finish talking?” Viscount Arlen said to Aden trying to usher him out of the room. The Viscountess also turned to look out the window as she seemed to have nothing else to say.
Aden said a short goodbye and left the room. As he was leaving, he turned to check on the Viscountess one last time. She emitted a faint smell of death. It was faint but it was there for sure. Before his mother passed away, she looked like her.
***
When would the summer at the Arlen territory end? Aden was deep in thought.
“I see that she married a handsome man.”
The tone of Viscountess was different from those who simply mumbled random sentences. There was a strong sense of certainty in that voice. It was clear that she had the ability of foresight, so there were two possibilities; the key to summer was either Ilyn, or the entire Viscountess bloodline.
Aden focused on the foresight ability that came from Ilyn’s mother’s side. If the key was Ilyn herself, then this year would be the end of summer since his divine power was affected after the succession with Ilyn. That meant it should have started to become colder.
But if it was the bloodline? Viscountess Arlen also had the ability of foresight so if it was the latter, then summer would end when the Viscountess either leaves the place or dies.
If what Aden saw earlier was any indication, it would happen soon. The Viscountess’s room was already filled with the stench of death. Her health was very bad. Bad enough that there was no point for the Viscount to even bother with a doctor.
Either way, Aden realized, the territory’s summer would soon be over.
“How many years would you like the monopoly to be?” Viscount Arlen was clearly in a rush to finalize the contract.
“3 years.”
Viscount Arlen’s mouth stretched into a wide grin as did Aden’s although Aden did a much better job at hiding his glee.
The Viscount had ignored a part thinking that it was a rare probability, but at the end of the contract it was clearly stated,
“Each year, if less than half of the first year’s supply is remitted, you are to remit three times worth of the first-year deposit.”
Viscount Arlen would slowly lose everything he had left.
***
“It looks good. However, the condition stipulated at the end has caught my eyes.” Ilyn said after reviewing the contract. The merchant building at night had no outsiders so Ilyn had taken off the black veil as she sat across from Aden.
“The Viscount didn’t even care,” said Aden with a soft chuckle.
When summer in Arlen disappears, that condition in the contract will become the venom that deals the fatal blow to the Viscount. His fate was sealed.
“It’s up to you if you would like to start the trade,” said Aden, “If it bothers you, you don’t have to sign it.”
He knew the Viscount’s weakness, so he knew many ways to bring him down, he didn’t need the contract to do so.
Ilyn lifted her pen and looked down at the contract. It felt weird. Unlike the Viscount, she knew what this contract meant. The moment she allowed this deal, it would be as if a time bomb was put on Viscount Arlen.
Ilyn hesitated despite herself. To use Aden’s words, she couldn’t become bad.
“How was it earlier?” Aden didn’t rush her and instead asked her something else. “In the room.”
Ilyn remembered the meeting with him and the Viscount. Aden, who always looked so dependable, and the Viscount, who looked so pathetic next to him.
The Viscount she saw over the veil was a small and pathetic man. It was like he was nothing. It made her wonder why she allowed him to hold so much power over her all those years. Compared to Aden, he was nothing.
Aden reached out and caressed her silver hair. The hair that was always in a bun was let down; it was more curvy than usual now. It looked full of life unlike that of the Viscountess. He smiled as he met Ilyn’s eyes. Like he knew what she was thinking.
“Ilyn, do what you want. Achieve what you want. So that the winter can become your tool.”
Don’t worry. The moment you married me, you got everything. His whispers were always so sweet. He approached her and put his forehead against hers. The contact spread warmth to both. Aden slowly leaned in and placed his lips on Ilyn’s.
Like always, he brushed his lips carefully against hers. Ilyn, like giving permission, opened her mouth slightly. He smiled and let his tongue wander in. He attacked her lower lips and then tilted her head to deepen the kiss.
Leave the northern wind to me, and Ilyn can remain a warm person. When Aden pulled apart, his eyes were glowing. Viscount Arlen will lose everything.
It was all up to Ilyn now.
