For My Birthday, I Was Gifted Five Husbands - Chapter 170

What if this tree pervert tried to drag her to the imperial palace?

She couldn’t say the thought hadn’t crossed her mind, but she had a bit of faith in herself and quietly watched the situation unfold.

‘If things get dicey, I’ll just run for it.’

Teleportation? The first time’s the hardest, but as long as you have the will and put in the effort, you can do just about anything.

But instead of the palace, she was brought to a mansion not far from the black forest. She had no idea there were noble estates with such a view of the capital.

It wasn’t big enough to be called a true townhouse for the capital, but for someone reclusive by nature, you couldn’t ask for a better hideaway.

“…This place is…”

“This is my guest house. It used to belong to the Schroder family.”

Seriously. Of all places, she’d ended up in the lair of her least favorite woman.

But before Eugenie could quietly back out the way she came, Alokes let out a gentle, low chuckle.

“No need to be so hasty, Eugenie Norton.”

“…”

“If I’d told Sylvea about this, imperial soldiers would have surrounded the place long ago.”

“…Or maybe you’d just dump me right at the palace gates like during the hunting festival?”

“Exactly. That’s it.”

He patiently waited for her to sit on the sofa across from him. Meanwhile, a tiny branch, moving like a polite little snake, poured tea for Eugenie in place of a servant.

“The reason I intercepted you isn’t complicated. I want to propose a deal.”

“A deal?”

Eugenie looked up from the tea she eyed with suspicion. Out of all the scenarios she’d imagined on the way here, ‘propose a deal’ hadn’t even made the list.

Finally meeting her gaze, Alokes smiled in satisfaction.

“You might’ve guessed, but I’ve been bound to the Schroder family for a long time.”

“…”

“When the heir turns twenty, I become their servant.”

“That’s the condition of your ‘contract’?”

“That’s right. In return, I gained immortality.”

Eugenie looked at the person as he spoke so matter-of-factly. No wonder his clothes looked like someone from five centuries ago trying to adapt to the modern world…

And after living that long, would anyone still feel anything after killing so many people?

She thought of what happened with the Sabnac family and scoffed.

“And in all those years, you padded the Schroder coffers by making magic stones for them?”

“Sharp as ever.”

Alokes grinned wide, practically beaming.

“Exactly. That’s all they ever wanted from me.”

“And you didn’t care how many people died in the process?”

“If you’re hoping for a moral answer, sorry to disappoint. That’s never been my concern.”

“Sigh.”

“It’s not so different from using lab rats for your own research breakthroughs.”

He’d killed countless people to artificially create magic stones—experimenting on wizards, even throwing them into furnaces, and when wizards ran short, turning to those with divine power.

If anyone asked if he felt guilty about it, he could only answer with a shrug, so far removed from any sense of social norms.

Eugenie picked up on his utter lack of conscience and fell silent. She admitted she had a bit in common with him, but she’d never thrown away her morals so completely.

“But lately, I’ve grown tired of living like this.”

“Now, of all times?”

“Yes. What I want now is you, Eugenie Norton.”

“…?”

“I haven’t been able to forget you since the day you stabbed me in the shoulder.”

Right then, the little tree branch that had poured tea slithered over like a pet snake, stopping in front of Eugenie and blooming a bunch of tiny white flowers from its tip.

‘What is this, a bouquet?’

The thought of what kind of plant they’d come from made her skin crawl. But before she could say anything, Alokes smiled, melting with even more satisfaction than before.

“For five hundred years, I’ve pursued nothing but dead knowledge.”

All he cared about was how efficiently he could create magic stones—and killed for it. But that path has long since reached its end. He has been running in circles, spinning his wheels for ages.

“But from now on, my goal in life is a living person: you.”