Rebecca remained silent for a brief moment after hearing that, not because she did not understand, but because she needed to confirm whether she had really heard correctly. Her expression did not lose control, but there was a slight change in her eyes—they became more focused.
"You don't usually get straight to the point like that… or do you?"
"Depends on the situation"
Leon remained still, without changing his posture, simply observing her calmly. Rebecca took a small step forward, now more interested than before. Her mind was already working, trying to connect any information she might know to understand why he would offer this to her.
"Marriage with an elemental… is not a common proposal"
"Well, I'm not someone who makes common proposals, Miss Rebecca"
Rebecca looked away for a moment while organizing her thoughts, quickly analyzing every aspect of the proposal without letting her expression show excessive surprise. This was far beyond what she had planned for this point in her life, not only because of the proposal itself but because of the person offering it, and even so, her mind did not consider refusing, only adjusted her expectations to the new scenario that had appeared before her.
"And what exactly do you want in return?"
"Of course I want loyalty"
Leon kept his gaze fixed on her, without any change in posture or tone. She looked back at him more carefully, now evaluating Leon himself. Many said he was an impressive man, and they were right.
'Even if he were ugly, I wouldn't refuse'
"Just that?"
"And the use of your ability"
Her reaction was minimal, but enough to show that she had fully understood that part. Her eyes narrowed slightly, not out of distrust, but interest. She had not even revealed that she developed that ability. It was a secret only she should know.
"How do you know?"
"That's a secret. The only thing you need to know is that I know enough about you to know about your abilities"
Rebecca remained silent for a few seconds, but this time her expression changed slightly, a small smile appearing as she confirmed that Leon was not there for a superficial reason, which was a bit disappointing—her pride from moments ago, imagining that someone like him might be interested in her beauty, was shattered. But at least he knew exactly who she was, what she could do, and still decided to make that proposal, which made everything valuable in a way.
"Interesting, Lord Leon"
She uncrossed her arms calmly, slightly adjusting her posture while keeping her gaze on him. Now she knew what she wanted. It was possible he wanted to use that ability on some enemy, but she still had doubts in her mind. Why did he offer the title of wife if the title of mage would already be enough to convince her… at least for now?
"So you need me"
"Exactly"
"That makes everything simpler"
Rebecca took a step forward, reducing the distance between them while analyzing Leon more closely. The more she observed him, the more doubts she had, but she preferred to stay silent, since nobles like her or Leon did not like too many questions.
"You take me out of here, resolve my current situation, restore my position… and still place me beside someone at the top of the hierarchy… that's a lot of advantage for me"
"So, do you accept?"
"If I refused, I would be an idiot"
Rebecca knew exactly what she was accepting and also understood perfectly what she could gain from it, and for someone with her ambition, that proposal was too direct to ignore. She slowly raised her hand toward him, with a small arrogant smile.
"I accept"
The answer came without a single hint of hesitation, because at that moment there was no need for it. For someone like her, that was more than enough to justify any risk involved. Their hands touched, sealing the agreement with ease. Rebecca's gaze remained fixed on Leon, and this time there was something more evident than before—not just ambition or calculation, but a real interest emerging along with the opportunity.
"So, who will I need to use my ability on? It must be someone important—"
"Me"
Several question marks appeared in her mind, and she tilted her head slightly to the side, looking at him without understanding. Was this a joke? Who in their right mind would make themselves the target of a technique that could make them fall in love with someone?
"You?"
"Of course. If you're going to be my wife, then that technique is meant to be used on me"
Leon's face remained neutral while hers turned incredulous. She kept her gaze fixed on him for a few seconds, trying to identify any sign of irony or hidden test in that response, but found nothing that indicated hesitation or mockery. Leon's expression remained stable, his tone unchanged, and his posture the same, which made the situation even stranger within her logic.
"You're serious"
She narrowed her eyes slightly, crossing her arms more firmly while analyzing the proposal from another angle. That was not just unusual—it went completely against the expected behavior of someone in his position, especially considering the kind of ability she possessed.
"You understand what you're asking?"
"I do"
"Then it doesn't make sense"
"It does to me"
Rebecca let out a light breath through her nose, this time closer to disbelief than interest. The man in front of her was completely strange and undoubtedly stubborn, judging by how easily he said those words.
'Calm down, don't ask any more questions. Remember that, just like you, he doesn't seem to like that very much, at least from the stories I used to hear about his past'
Besides, this only made her path easier. Because she could use this to make that man fall madly in love and become her greatest pillar in restoring her family to the top.
"Very well then, Lord Leon, I hope you won't regret this later"
"That will never happen, Miss Rebecca"