Obey Me Now

Amelia sighed, staring out at the darkness beyond the window. Before the banquet began, she had desperately hoped to meet her grandfather and plead for his support, but he hadn’t returned to the duchy.

“They said His Majesty is gravely ill. Grandfather must have his hands full.”

This meant even less time. At this rate, Edzoff would ascend to the throne. Her first step had to be meeting the so-called “Monster Duke.” Only then could she propose her plan and set things in motion.

“What if he ignores the proposal? No, I must find a way to marry him…”

At that moment, she felt a presence behind her. Amelia froze, her breath hitching. Behind her was the window—not the door.

“Someone entering through the window… could it be?”

The bandits had been suspicious. Was someone else targeting her life now?

“I’ve had enough close calls already.”

This wasn’t the first time her life had been threatened. She had ignored it before, thinking it would pass if she endured. But now…

“Not anymore.”

She only had one year to live.

“I won’t die without exacting my revenge.”

Calming herself, Amelia took a deep breath and gripped her late mother’s silver musket. In a flash, she raised the gun, only for it to be caught by a hand faster than her own. Startled, she tried to pull the weapon free, but the grip was unyielding, impossibly strong.

“Who…”

Her gaze traveled up the hand to meet the figure standing in the shadows. The dim light obscured his face, and Amelia’s lips trembled as she whispered.

“…Who are you?”

“You propose marriage at first sight and yet don’t know your future husband’s face?”

“Husband?”

“The one you so boldly decided to make your husband,” came the cold reply.

The icy voice made her realize the truth.

“Duke Clio?”

Amelia lowered the gun, staring in disbelief.

“You’re really Duke Clio? But how did you… how did you get here?”

Could her plan have worked this easily?

“So shocked he’d kill me on sight…”

Mami’s words echoed unbidden in her mind. He had come all this way, in the middle of the night, sneaking in through a window.

“He really did come to kill me!”

Tension crackled in the air as the moonlight revealed his eyes—deep, piercing blue like an endless abyss.

“Those blue eyes… they’re so beautiful, so mesmerizing…”

Eclite stiffened as he noticed her gaze.

“Am I scaring her?”

In the North, his appearance was unremarkable. But here in the South, he thought his rough attire might seem intimidating, even though he had made an effort to cover it with a robe.

“Should’ve worn something else…”

“You—you’re him, aren’t you? You’re the one who saved me!”

Amelia’s sudden exclamation startled him as she stepped closer, excitement lighting her face.

“Wait, hold on…”

“It’s you! It has to be! You saved me back then!”

Eclite, unprepared for her reaction, instinctively stepped back. His foot caught on the edge of the bed, and he lost his balance.

“Oh no!”

Amelia reached out to steady him, but instead, they both tumbled onto the bed.

Eclite froze, holding his breath as Amelia lay sprawled across him. Her proximity was overwhelming—the softness of her body, the faint scent of her hair, her breath lightly brushing against his skin. Heat surged through him, leaving him dizzy.

Amelia, oblivious to his turmoil, beamed.

“It really is you! I remembered your eyes. They were so beautiful—I couldn’t forget them!”

Her voice rang out cheerfully, but Eclite couldn’t hear her words. His thoughts were a cacophony of sensations, and he desperately tried to regain control.

“If this continues, I might do something reckless.”

“Excuse me, my lady,” he managed to say, his voice strained.

“Huh? Oh!”

Amelia finally realized the compromising position they were in and scrambled off him, her face flushed crimson.

“I’m so sorry! I must’ve lost my mind!”

As she stood, she stumbled in her haste. Eclite caught her by the waist, pulling her close once again.

Their eyes met, the space between them vanishing. Amelia’s flustered breathing mingled with his, and Eclite felt his hand burn where it touched her waist. Swallowing hard, he steadied his voice.

“You really are impossible to ignore. Are you always like this?”

His low, cool tone sent shivers down her spine, and she quickly stepped back to compose herself.

“I—I’m so sorry. I was just so happy to see you again, I didn’t think—”

“Happy?”

“Of course!”

“Why?”

“I was hoping we’d meet again!”

“I see.”

Eclite’s lips curved into a faint, genuine smile. Amelia stared, momentarily entranced by his expression. There was something captivating about him, something she couldn’t look away from. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she asked,

“Are you really Duke Clio?”

Eclite, too, took a moment to collect himself before answering.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Amelia could hardly believe it. The man who had saved her was Duke Clio? He seemed like such a good person—how could such malicious rumors have arisen about him? Was it because of his appearance?

“But his eyes are so beautiful… and his skin is so fair. If he just did something about that shaggy hair, he’d look rather dashing.”

“Did you seriously propose marriage to someone you didn’t even know and had only seen once?”

“Oh! You’ve already received the proposal letter?”

“You even used an expensive communication device to send it.”

“Well, yes… but weren’t you in the southern region? How did you receive it so quickly? I sent it to the North.”

Eclite paused for a moment, caught by her sharp observation, before smoothly changing the subject.

“That’s hardly the most important matter right now.”

“You’re right. That’s not what matters.”

What mattered was that they had met, and now she had to persuade him. He didn’t seem as fearsome as the rumors suggested, and they had a connection—no matter how coincidental.

“Even the smallest thread can weave a bond.”

Amelia steadied herself, hiding her nerves as she addressed him formally.

“Thank you for saving me that day, Duke Clio. I never imagined that one chance meeting would turn into such a significant connection.”

“Connection?”

“You must have been surprised by my proposal letter. But I assume you realized this wasn’t an ordinary proposal. That’s why you came to my room in the middle of the night, isn’t it?”

Eclite gave her a curious look before asking,

“So, what’s your real reason for pretending to propose and insisting on marrying me?”

His voice was low, and Amelia felt her mind cool and focus under the weight of it.

“I want revenge on Duke Bastyan.”

“…”

“You hate him too, don’t you? You’re both princes, yet you were the one exiled to that frozen land. Doesn’t it feel unfair?”

“And?”

“I’ll help you reclaim your place.”

This was her offer. He was a prince, just like Edzoff, yet shackled by terrible rumors and discarded in the North. Surely, his resentment and fury toward Edzoff were as deep as her own. And surely, he too dreamed of the throne.

Amelia extended her hand to him.

“So let’s marry. Let’s use each other to get what we want. I’ll help you become emperor. I’ll make sure no one dares mock your name again. Stand by my side, and become the most radiant sun this empire has ever seen.”

Despite the boldness of her proposal, silence hung heavily between them. She couldn’t read his expression; his face remained calm and composed.

“Shouldn’t he look at least a little shocked? Or outraged? Or maybe he’s just going to reject me outright? If I can’t convince him here…”

“Alright.”

His response was so short and simple that Amelia blinked, stunned.

“Yes. I know this isn’t an easy decision, so—wait, what?”

Eclite, still composed, repeated himself.