Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 40: The King’s Offer

[Killian Rhett King had a penchant for making everything perfect.

It wasn’t limited to the contracts he signed or the immaculate way his clothes were arranged. That inclination bled into every choice he made—every pause, every glance, every word left unsaid.

He disliked uncertainty. The secrets bugged him, always had.

And Alina had become exactly that.]

The person in front of Severine, however, wasn’t as perfect.

He looked apprehensive, or rather, he had something to say but was hesitating about how to voice it.

What is going on?

It startled Severine when she easily noticed all those particularities she would have ignored otherwise.

My senses.

Yes, Awakeners tended to have heightened senses.

It was based on the bloodline they awakened. Much like how an eagle Awakener would have sharp eyesight, an owl Awakener tended to show heightened intelligence.

Her fingers subtly curled over the soft bedsheet.

The reality of her situation finally started to dawn on her.

Something she had always dismissed as a fever dream had solidified into truth. Much to her dismay, she had no clue about the name of her bloodline at all.

Exactly what am I?

"How are you feeling?"

The question that should have been asked earlier was dumped on her, almost like an afterthought.

Perhaps the emotions in her gaze were too strong. Killian soon realized his blunder.

He scratched the back of his neck, and a boyish, almost silly, grin appeared on his face. He let out an awkward sound.

"Cough... Look at me saying all the wrong things."

All the confidence and maturity seemed to vanish from him.

"The doctor said your condition wasn’t suitable for transfer, so we decided to keep you here until you wake up. I am sure you have your own plans regarding your new status."

New status...

It wasn’t surprising that Killian figured out about her awakening. Old man Edmund was clearly a competent doctor.

The shock of awakening still lingered inside her. So, she forgot to consider that others might have discovered it.

Her lips parted and then closed, trembling fingers curled around one another as she held her hands together.

Her gesture was like a prayer.

Ironically, she had stopped praying a long time ago.

The blanket covered all her tiny actions, and her cold face gave nothing away.

Or so she thought.

"Don’t be so nervous," Killian said, startling the patient.

It was astonishing how Killian caught her subtle emotions with nothing more than a glance. The very same eyes her dear mother had found dull.

The young lord pointed toward the door as he said, "Your assistant is staying in that room. Only he and Dr. Edmund know. I can take the old man’s guarantee as for your people..."

There was no need to complete the sentence.

But... what about you?

The process of awakening was brutal. Most people wouldn’t survive the terrible pain that came with new strength.

Severine had assumed that might be the biggest reason there were fewer and fewer Awakeners.

Though her own circumstances never scared her.

If she lived, then good. If she didn’t—then that option was equally tempting.

However, the external factors, like the earlier incident, would be her direct death warrant.

"You can stay here for now. We have complete facilities to help you."

Severine took a long breath.

[Did you awaken here as well?] she impulsively asked. That explained why the room had almost all the medical equipment needed to rescue her.

"Yes." Killian stared out of the window, toward the distant patch of trees that surrounded Luminor Manor. "If you find anything problematic, you can tell me."

There it was. Another favor of goodwill.

Severine wavered only for a second before finally typing again.

Like Killian, she also hated uncertainty, especially when it was related to the main leads.

[Why are you helping me? What exactly do you want to ask?]

When Killian read the words, he chuckled softly. "You are very perceptive, Miss Vale."

If she weren’t, she wouldn’t be making millions by herself.

Severine’s back was pressed against the soft pillow. She had a sudden desire to just slide down and curl under the blanket.

Then, she wouldn’t have to play this guessing game with the young villain.

Sighing, she waved her phone with the earlier note, urging Killian to get it over with.

She had yet to realize that her temper had started to shift.

"I was thinking of making a deal with you."

The young lord lowered the arm supporting his chin and sat up straight.

Despite his sudden seriousness, his red eyes still appeared to be smiling. Or maybe it was the way the sunlight hit at the perfect angle, making them shine like the most expensive rubies. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Severine found herself gazing at them. They were pretty, so pretty that they deserved all the praises the people lavished on them.

Of course, some of them also called them the sigil of blood curse behind Killian’s back.

Curse, huh.

Severine didn’t type anymore, placing her phone beside her. Her gesture was clear to the young lord.

So, his low, mellow voice rang in the otherwise silent room. "How about forming a partnership? I’ve shown enough sincerity to be considered trustworthy—and you clearly need help."

Severine understood all those words, yet when put together, they didn’t make any sense to her.

She suddenly missed Samuel. The assistant would clearly explain all the points, unlike Killian.

Maybe it is because he had never done so before? Severine thought to herself while typing again, [What do you mean by partnership?]

If he wished to buy the land of red tulips, she could sell it to him at a lower price than what the market offered.

She would still make some profit off it anyway.

Killian’s arrival that day wouldn’t be without reason, and originally, that piece of land was supposed to belong to him.

The favor of saving her life could be paid easily, cutting off all future entanglements.

"Ah, my bad. I should have explained it properly," Killian said.

Once again, his finger was tapping on the armrest.

"Be my fiancée, Miss Severine Vale."