Chapter 143
Percival had always thought: no matter how many other men Eugenie Norton had, he would simply remain steadfastly by her side, just as his benefactor had said.
‘But being with the Madam… my mind keeps wandering.’
She accepted his nature without fuss, and even his grotesque appearance didn’t disgust her—she simply found it astonishing. She remained calm in all things, never overreacting, which put him at ease.
Most importantly, after losing all his family, she was the first person he had truly bonded with. His only family, his partner… all of him could be given to Eugenie Norton without regret.
‘But I want all of her for myself too.’
He didn’t want to be just one of her husbands; he wanted to be her only man. He wrestled internally with this thought, hesitant to make a decision.
But once he spoke his resolve aloud, he would never retract it.
“The more time I spend with her, the more certain I am: I want to be the only man in her future.”
“Ha…”
The sighs came almost simultaneously from multiple people. They had all underestimated him; despite his solemn appearance and quiet demeanor, it seemed the one who looked so unassuming was the most internally anxious.
“I’ve already expressed my feelings to Madam.”
Even Cassius whistled at that declaration. Under better circumstances, he might have even applauded. But the atmosphere from the other three men was too tense, and he didn’t feel particularly pleased himself.
“Wow… Duke, you were quite industrious in that mine. S*x, and now a proposal too?”
“Ahem…”
“Seems like you were too eager to pick a romantic location.”
Cassius’s teasing was cut off as Magnus stepped forward.
“Seems the lord of the Troys isn’t embarrassed at all. And he’s already forgotten what Mrs. Norton said.”
Of course, everyone remembered certain phrases:
[Acknowledge that there may be multiple husbands.]
[And do not cause disputes.]
Percival nodded solemnly.
“I remember her words well. And if I had truly broken those clauses, there would have been a backlash for violating the ‘contract.’”
He clenched and unclenched his hands. Since his beastly transformation hadn’t recurred, it was clear that declaring his intent didn’t violate the contract.
“For now, I accept that the Madam has multiple husbands, and I intend no harm to anyone here during this trial period. The reason I speak is…”
His face flushed again, but he continued resolutely.
“To declare sincerely that my feelings are genuine. To me, this is not just a ‘contract’ or an arrangement.”
Cassius pursed his lips at Percival’s declaration.
“Hmm, quite passionate, Duke. But… I, too, am starting to feel that being a contracted husband is a little insufficient.”
Cassius smiled in a way that could almost be described as devilish rather than the usual fairy-like twinkle.
“I’ll work to remain her only husband. I want the Lady to be mistress of the underworld, nothing less.”
“Everyone’s so impatient from the start.”
Alfred, who had been listening with a mixture of disbelief and amusement, folded his arms.
‘So this is how they lay it all out.’
Yet even he felt a sense of relief. From the day he had comforted the crying Eugenie as a child, he had hoped to be her sole support.
“By that logic, Eugenie is better suited to live by the southern coast. Perfect for reading her favorite books. And she hates the capital anyway.”
Alfred looked at the others, sharing his amused gaze.
“We can even dispose of the honeymoon house. I want my woman to live in a place that’s solely mine.”
“…That’s funny.”
Magnus said, gripping his cane tightly with a sharp laugh.
At first, he had only intended to stay nearby, then to quietly remain ‘one of the five’ out of a sense of guilt. But there were still words he hadn’t said to Eugenie Norton.
Perhaps, with time and explanation, there could be another future. He might even be able to correct the moments he had missed in his youth.
“You don’t realize that I can match Mrs. Norton’s preferences better than your share of influence. For someone from the rustic South, no less.”
Through the chaos, Carter remained silent, arms folded.
‘Ah, I didn’t want to be sincere anymore.’
He had resolved never to weaken his heart again after his first mistake at seventeen. He only wanted to see Eugenie as a tool.
And having these men all bound around her wasn’t bad for him either.
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