The more Jean followed Jerome, the more his suspicions turned into certainty.
The carriage Jerome was riding in didn’t head to the harbor as expected but to an unfamiliar location instead.
Watching this, Jean’s mind was flooded with thoughts.
If Jerome truly had another woman, what was he supposed to do?
Surprisingly, the first emotion he felt wasn’t betrayal, but disbelief.
“No, seriously, what kind of woman would even agree to meet Jerome? Could she be blackmailed or something?” This was his initial thought.
His second was, “If she’s seeing him without knowing his true nature, I’ll just have to convince her to leave him.”
And the third?
“If that bastard’s been toying with some naive girl, I’ll beat some sense into him, no matter what it takes.”
These weren’t exactly the typical thoughts of someone catching their lover cheating, but in any case, Jean’s immediate goal was clear.
He resolved to save this innocent woman, and to calmly explain why she should never meet Jerome again.
With a determined nod, Jean solidified his plan.
“All right. First, I’ll talk to the girl. Jerome can wait until after.”
Just as he made up his mind, the carriage came to a halt.
Peeking through the curtains, Jean saw Jerome stepping out of the carriage and entering a large mansion.
The excited look on Jerome’s face made Jean’s chest tighten for reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint.
Once Jerome disappeared inside, Jean got off the carriage as well, telling the coachman to wait before heading toward the mansion.
“Good thing I brought this, just in case.”
Jean pulled a promotional worksheet out of his coat.
Ever since libraries began serving as educational hubs, a culture of tutoring children late into the evening had developed.
Cheryl had wanted to organize this practice systematically, which led to the creation of these promotional materials.
They were meant to persuade Sacre parents, who lacked the concept of formal education facilities, to consider such options.
“Let’s try convincing her to invest, just in case there are no kids in the household.”
Once the conversation started, he could subtly bring up Jerome.
Taking a deep breath, Jean knocked firmly on the door.
Footsteps approached from within, and soon, the door opened.
“Who’s there?”
Standing at the door was a charming young girl with curly brown hair cascading down to her waist.
Her petite, adorable appearance left Jean momentarily speechless, causing him to take a step back.
Though she wasn’t the woman he had seen at the marketplace before, Jean immediately realized who she was.
This was the girl Jerome loved.
Her beauty was enough to make any man fall in love at first sight.
Seeing Jean’s stunned expression, the girl tilted her head with a bright smile.
“Are you looking for someone?”
“No, actually… I just… wanted to deliver this.”
Startled by her friendliness, Jean unconsciously held out the promotional worksheet.
The girl, momentarily puzzled, accepted it willingly.
She glanced at the paper before speaking.
“Oh, I’ve heard about this! You’re teaching Sacre children how to read, right?”
“Yes, and even if you don’t have children yourself, perhaps you’d be interested in investing—”
“Oh, that’s great! We actually have a child here!”
“What?”
“What?”
Both of them stared at each other, wide-eyed, before Jean quickly hid his trembling hands behind his back.
A child?
He struggled to maintain his composure.
If there was already a child involved, the situation was far more complicated than he thought.
If this were true, then the one who needed to step back from Jerome’s life wasn’t this girl—it was him.
“Are you all right? You don’t look so well,” the girl asked, her voice tinged with concern.
“I… My stomach feels a bit off. I’m sorry, but I think I need to leave.”
“Wait! You really don’t look well. Why don’t you come inside and rest for a moment? My mother will be back soon. I’m not old enough to make investment decisions anyway.”
The girl laughed sheepishly, her innocence shining through.
Narrowing his eyes, Jean took a closer look.
She did seem quite young.
Hesitating, Jean cautiously asked,
“May I ask how old you are?”
“Huh? My age? I’m seventeen…”
“…”
“Is something wrong?”
Jean staggered, barely steadying himself against the wall.
Seventeen.
That bastard Jerome had gotten a seventeen-year-old pregnant?
Boiling with rage, Jean debated whether he should roast him alive or boil him instead.
The girl, noticing his pale face, hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry if I did. My mom always says I talk too much.”
“No, it’s not that… Could I trouble you for a glass of water? My throat is parched.”
“Of course! Follow me.”
The girl nodded cheerfully and skipped off into the house.
Watching her bright, carefree demeanor, Jean let out a bitter chuckle.
In this era, even fifteen-year-olds had arranged marriages, so perhaps her age wasn’t such a big issue.
And yet…
“She’s definitely a better match for him than I am.”
Wiping his sweat with the handkerchief, Jean looked around.
The house was beautiful, well-lit, and surrounded by a spacious lawn perfect for children to play on.
It was the kind of place Jerome deserved—one that Jean had no part in.
He bit his lower lip to keep from tearing up.
“So this is it. I knew it wasn’t normal from the start…”
Sniffling, Jean followed the girl into the house, even though he already knew what he’d find.
He just needed to see for himself if the child was truly Jerome’s.
When they reached the parlor, the girl gestured for him to sit.
She smiled brightly as she said,
“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll bring out some refreshments.”
With that, she left, carrying a tray.
Jean leaned back on the sofa, letting out a heavy sigh.
He had no idea how things had come to this. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion.
Jerome and Jean had one thing in common—they both didn’t know what a normal family looked like.
Neither had ever received proper love, so they couldn’t grasp the concept of unconditional parental affection or the bonds of family.
This shared deficiency unconsciously drew them closer, but at the same time, Jean felt uneasy about their relationship, which had formed out of mutual lack.
After all, love isn’t about finding someone who shares your deficiencies but about finding someone who can fill them.
While Jean’s deficiencies resembled Jerome’s, he wasn’t sure how to address them.
“Until now, I’ve been stuck with him because of the mission to destroy Mephisto, but I’ve only just realized—my true self is painfully insignificant.”
Jean sifted through his memories.
Playing the role of Jeanne, every day had been a battle for survival.
He fought heretical divine beasts, helped those in need, and was treated like a hero.
But now?
No one remembered him.
He had nothing to his name.
He was just an ordinary person. Worse, he had stubbornly refused to ascend to the capital.
Perhaps, from Jerome’s perspective, it was only natural to grow tired of someone like him, who wasn’t even a woman.
Knock, knock.
Jean, caught in an endless spiral of self-loathing, raised his head at the sound.
The quiet room was pierced again by a knock, coming from the direction of the window.
Jean stood up, noticing a small silhouette behind the gently swaying curtain in the breeze.
“A person…?”
Just as he extended a cautious hand toward the curtain, countless hands shot out from between its folds, grabbing his shoulders.
He had no time to process his shock before an icy chill enveloped him.
The world around him turned pitch black in an instant.
A dark, looming shadow swallowed his face.
[Give me your soul.]
Jean flinched at the damp, cold touch brushing his cheek.
The shadow stared directly at him, splitting its mouth wide open.
Its teeth, packed tightly together, glinted ominously, and Jean’s eyes widened.
[Give me your soul.]
The shadow, jaws agape as if about to devour him, suddenly paused.
Just as Jean gathered his wits and prepared to scream for help, a strong arm wrapped around his neck from behind, pulling him into an embrace.
Startled by the warmth that seemed to chase away the cold, Jean turned to look.
Jerome, who had appeared without him noticing, was holding him tightly, a faint smile on his lips.
Jerome spoke calmly to the shadow.
“No can do. My wife’s soul belongs to me.”
With a snap of his fingers, the pitch-black surroundings reverted to normal.
Gasping for air, Jean’s gaze landed on the curtain, now crumpled on the floor.
“There’s something inside it.”
The curtain bulged oddly.
Jean slipped out of Jerome’s arms and lifted the fabric.
His face darkened when he saw what was beneath.
“Explain. Now.”
Underneath the curtain wasn’t a monstrous creature with sharp teeth but a young child who could barely walk.
The child wore dirty clothes and had hair so long and matted it reached their waist, resembling a feral animal.
Their face, though half-hidden by hair, bore an uncanny resemblance to Jerome’s.
The child flinched at Jean’s gaze, ducking back under the fabric, which quivered as they trembled violently.
After a tense silence, Jean spoke with a stern expression.
“What is this supposed to be?”
