The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 107
“Fata or not, I don’t care. So why don’t you get lost, Lady Babenhausen? I didn’t come to this party to see your face.”
“How can you talk so harshly to a lady? Surely, you don’t speak to the Marchioness like that too?”
“Funny. Did you forget I don’t treat anyone here like a lady except for Johanna? Especially not you, Crow Josephine.”
Crow?
At the sudden nickname, Johanna blinked in confusion, her gaze shifting between Josephine and Leonid. Leonid’s face held a mocking smirk, while Josephine’s smile had vanished entirely.
Her expression had turned cold, transforming her into someone almost unrecognizable. Johanna felt her body tense, sensing the palpable shift in the atmosphere.
“I didn’t think you’d still call me that even as an adult,” Josephine murmured in a low voice, her lips quivering slightly. It was clear she was trying to suppress her anger.
“Well, your nature hasn’t changed. It still suits you perfectly,” Leonid shot back, his tone dripping with disdain.
“…That’s rude, Leonid. No matter how much power you wield as the future Duke of Elderique, you should at least show some respect to a family that maintains friendly relations.”
Josephine had a point, and Johanna knew things were getting out of hand. Feeling the need to intervene, she gently tugged on Leonid’s sleeve. He had been ready to fire off another retort, but the light pull on his arm made him pause, and he looked down at Johanna.
Feigning discomfort, Johanna put on a pitiful expression, hoping to deescalate the situation.
“My headache’s getting worse… Can we just go home now?”
Allowing the confrontation to continue would only cause more trouble, so leaving quickly seemed the best option.
“…”
Leonid stared at Johanna in silence for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. His gaze remained sharp as he glared at Josephine one last time, but he didn’t say anything more.
In the carriage, as they rode home, Johanna hesitated before speaking, unsure if it was appropriate to ask.
“So… do you and Lady Babenhausen usually have such a bad relationship?”
She asked cautiously, unsure if the question would be well-received. Leonid, sitting with a relaxed, almost careless posture as he gazed out the window, turned his eyes to her and let out a small chuckle. It wasn’t a mocking laugh; his expression was surprisingly mild.
“Why are you so careful about everything?”
“Because… it might seem like I’m overstepping.”
Johanna constantly had to measure what was appropriate. It seemed like Leonid was oblivious to her internal struggles. Fortunately, this time, her question seemed acceptable. He let out a brief, amused scoff and answered nonchalantly.
“Asking something like that won’t get you into trouble.”
“Ah, well, that’s a relief…”
“It’s true that Josephine and I don’t get along. We both can’t stand each other.”
“Is that… so?”
Johanna had assumed Leonid was the only one who disliked Josephine, so she was surprised to learn it was mutual. She was about to ask more when Leonid, with a piercing gaze, suddenly moved from his seat and sat next to her.
Instinctively, Johanna shifted away, pressing herself against the window without even realizing it. Leonid, giving her an incredulous look, grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.
“Am I some kind of animal to you?”
Johanna felt a sharp, rebellious thought rise in her mind—Doesn’t he deserve to be treated like a beast?—but it quickly faded. She let herself be pulled closer as Leonid demanded, stammering a weak response.
“I… didn’t mean to, it just happened…”
“Don’t do that again. It’s annoying.”
“…Okay.”
Despite his irritated tone, he pulled her tightly against him, burying his face into her shoulder and taking a deep breath. He rubbed his nose against her exposed neck, demanding softly,
“Release your pheromones.”
“Here? But…”
“What does it matter? Didn’t you notice how everyone at the party was practically throwing their pheromones at me?”
“…?”
Were they? Johanna blinked, surprised by his words. She had sensed faint traces of pheromones, but she hadn’t realized it was meant to seduce him. Her unique condition made her less sensitive to other people’s pheromones. There were only two scents she could perceive clearly—Leonid’s and Ilian Rediess’s…
Does Leonid know that? Should she tell him? Johanna hesitated for a moment, lost in thought.
“It’s always the same after those events, it’s disgusting,” he growled impatiently, snapping her back to the present.
“What are you waiting for? Release your pheromones.”
Startled by his sharp tone, Johanna quickly did as he asked. The soft, sweet scent, reminiscent of tropical fruits or delicate flowers, slowly filled the air around them. Leonid inhaled deeply, his head still resting on her shoulder.
“It’s strange…”
“…”
“Your pheromones aren’t repulsive.”
