The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 120
“Marchioness… Are you alright?”
Nella’s face came into view. Johanna blinked blankly. There was no longer a foreign sensation lingering below, nor did she feel the intense heat that had clung to her constantly.
Her body was no longer sticky; instead, it felt fresh and clean, with a pleasant scent lingering in the air. She was dressed in a thin, soft nightdress.
Taking in all of these details, Johanna reached a single conclusion.
The rut had finally ended…
‘I survived…’
It was a tremendous relief not to have died.
She spent the next two days doing absolutely nothing but recovering her body. It felt like she was living the life of a lazy slacker, just rolling around in bed, but the muscle pain was so intense that she couldn’t move much anyway.
On the morning of the third day of this aimless life, Victoria came to check on her condition. Fortunately, there was no major issue, which made Johanna let out a hollow laugh of relief.
Victoria also shared what she had discovered regarding the experiment with mixing magic and pheromones.
“It seems rare, but there are cases where instead of enchanting the other, it stabilizes them… According to records, some omegas used this mixed power to mediate when alphas were fighting. It seems to have an effect in calming aggression and excitement.”
“Is that so…”
“They call it ‘equilibrium’ in academia. Though, there are very few documented cases.”
Pheromones naturally had the capacity to either soothe or excite others, and they could also convey strong emotions.
Equilibrium, as it was called, was likely just a slightly enhanced version of that inherent pheromone ability. So even those capable of it might not have thought of it as special, and simply lived their lives without drawing attention—hence, the limited reports.
“Why not practice it more often in the future? It might come in handy,” Victoria suggested cheerfully. Johanna nodded earnestly in agreement with her.
Living as an omega came with its own set of challenges. Even if the effect was subtle, having an ability to utilize in critical situations could be a lifesaver.
* * *
He wasn’t someone who frequented social clubs often, but occasionally, he visited them to gather information, engage with prominent figures, and build connections. All of this wasn’t for leisure, but rather a part of his “work.” Even if it meant playing mindless card-stacking games.
“Ah, damn it! Lost again,” muttered Count Jorge, frustrated as he downed his whiskey in one go. He was notorious for drinking hard liquor like water.
Leonid subtly indicated that he wasn’t interested in participating further by pulling out a cigar and placing it between his lips. Lighting it, he watched as the end burned to a blackened edge, releasing spirals of smoke. He gazed out the window, taking a deep drag before exhaling. A sense of lazy contentment washed over him, curling the corners of his lips upward.
There was no longer a need to drown himself in suppressant injections during his rut, so he could enjoy smoking freely now. It was satisfying.
The men inside the club glanced curiously at Leonid, who seemed unusually relaxed, like a sated predator. It was rare to see him so unguarded, and they couldn’t help but find it intriguing.
“Uh, um… Your Excellency, Marquis Neubitz…”
At that moment, someone approached Leonid hesitantly. It was Baron Bremen, known for his timid demeanor. He glanced nervously at Leonid, lowering his voice almost to a whisper.
“It’s just… over there… the second son of the Kestner family… he’s talking about the Marchioness, and… well, it doesn’t sound like he’s saying anything good…”
“…Is that so?”
In other words, he had come to tattle. Leonid’s question prompted Baron Bremen to nod vigorously. His expression, with clenched fists and widened eyes full of righteous indignation, was almost comical, but Leonid decided to play along.
He was curious about what that Kestner brat was saying about Johanna.
As Leonid pulled back his chair and stood up, the eyes of the other men in the club turned sharply toward him. Ignoring their curious and intrigued stares without any particular reaction, Leonid followed the direction given by Baron Bremen.
