Chapter 3

Maybe to put me in my place, Eleanor deliberately left an empty seat between us at the dinner table.

On my left was the stone; on my right, no one.

I paid it no mind and dug in, eating my fill with both hands.

Robert tried to make conversation. I ignored him.

He tried to lay a piece of fish on my plate, so I stood up and reached across for the roast duck instead.

By the time the meal was over, his good temper was gone.

Nobody but me had enjoyed a single bite.

"Oh, right."

I picked up the stone and stood there, looking at them.

"I know full well I'm ill-fated and doomed to bring death to my husband. I could never aspire to a lord."

"From now on I'll follow my stone husband, and I'll never remarry in this life."

"So as for taking a concubine, you needn't consider me at all."

I was about to leave when I heard a chair being knocked back.

Robert clamped down on my hand and held it tight.

I turned to look. His brows were tightly furrowed.

"It's just a broken rock. Do you really think it can protect you?"

"When the day comes, you'll still have to marry! Nobody can spend a whole lifetime with a stone!"

I hugged the stone tighter to my chest and shook my head at Robert with a smile.

"Other people are other people. I can."

Snap.

He snatched the stone away and flung it into the pond, and in an instant it sank out of sight.

"Fine! You say it's your husband! Then fish it out right now!"

"If you can get your stone husband back, I'll grant your wish!"

I looked down at the pond, so green it was nearly black, and the stone's cursing came through.

Screw you! If you're sick, go get treated! What's the big idea, throwing me in here?!

Don't be scared, honey, I can do a short-distance Blink Step! Tonight I'll blink right onto your bed!

We're a match made in heaven. Even in death we lie side by side. He can't split us up!

I couldn't help covering my mouth and laughing out loud, and Robert's eyes flashed with faint anger.

He was about to say something more, but I leapt into the pond with a splash.

At once Robert's frantic calls came from the surface, along with the sound of him going in after me.

I paid it no mind and swam toward the deep water.

Some time passed, and the surface went calm, without a ripple.

Robert stared at the pond, his eyes full of grief.

"Why are you dragging me up! I have to save Lena!"

Cornelia clung to his waist and held him back.

"If you go in, what becomes of the child in my belly? What becomes of the Marquis' House?"

"How can you throw everything away for one woman!"

Robert shuddered, and the hand he'd reached out went slack.

Just then a few bubbles broke the surface of the water.

I spat out a mouthful of water and came up.

I held up my stone husband in my hand and gave him a little shake.

"This is a bond decreed by heaven! I found him at a single glance—that chip on him, I'm the one who made it!"

"Robert, now you can't force me to be your concubine, can you?"

Robert had been overjoyed to see me surface, but he froze in place when he heard that.

As if to ask me why I could so easily let go of everything and turn and walk away.

But he never asked himself why.

He was the one who let go first.

So of course I would oblige.