Either way, bridal gifts were supposed to be provided by the bride’s family, so it was embarrassing. More than that, it felt even worse when I thought about what I had to bring up next.
“…That concludes all the general terms. Are there any special clauses you would like to add, my lady?”
“Ah…”
Of course. There certainly were.
“Please, speak freely.”
“Well, the thing is…”
Despite Philip’s courteous prompting, I kept swallowing dryly.
Look, we just openly acknowledged that I showed up with nothing but the clothes on my back, and now I’m supposed to negotiate my divorce settlement in advance? I’d look like absolute trash.
“…I think it would be better for Your Grace to speak first.”
P-Pass for now.
In a pinch, this was always the easiest way out. Kiers had been quietly sipping his tea, seemingly indifferent to my side of the table, but the moment I said that, his head snapped up. Every time our eyes met, his red gaze gave me a reflexive start, but I was so worn out I didn't even have the energy to flinch.
“Well now. I have only one condition.”
“…Please, Your Grace.”
With the tension draining from my shoulders, I barely managed to paste on a polite smile. I could have tried faking an even sweeter, more convincing grin, but that would cost far too much energy.
“That you, Elijah, properly fulfill your role as the Grand Duchess.”
“Pardon? Well, naturally… since I will be the Grand Duchess, after all.”
“Merely holding the title and performing the duties are two entirely different things. I expect you, Elijah, to carry out every responsibility of a Grand Duchess and fully satisfy your role as the mistress of this house.”
“…”
What on earth is that supposed to mean?
Was it just my vanity running wild, or did he place special emphasis on 'role as the mistress of this house'?
“…”
His words sounded reasonable yet inexplicably chilling, sending a prickle of goosebumps up my arms.
I was just a placeholder paperweight keeping the seat warm until the original heroine showed up, so what kind of role was he demanding of me? A dull throb pulsed behind my eyes for a second, but realistically, receiving that kind of money while doing absolutely nothing would indeed be absurd.
Right. Ethically speaking, I should at least earn my keep.
Pushing down my anxiety, I fixed my eyes on Kiers. I managed to put on the brightest smile I could muster, though whether it looked that way to him was another matter entirely.
“Haha, of course. There will be plenty to do as mistress of the household. Assisting with Your Grace’s affairs, for instance, or attending to guests whenever someone visits.”
“And, of course, the conjugal duties inherent to a union founded on trust.”
“…Excuse me, just one moment.”
Hold on! Look at me, just look at me!
Bracing my hands on the table, I scraped my chair back and stood up. Kiers simply gave a light shrug and indulged my sudden movement. Philip stepped forward with a worried look, but Kiers waved him off with a single gesture.
With hurried footsteps, I hiked up my skirts and marched straight into the endless garden, but I could feel his presence towering right behind me with every nerve in my body.
What had I gotten myself into? Only when I was practically out of breath did I whirl around.
“Excuse me, Your Grace. There’s something I really need to clarify.”
“…Go on.”
He was standing so close that his chest filled my entire view, but this wasn't the time to worry about personal space. Quelling the trembling in my cheeks, I stared at him with sheer desperation in my eyes.
“W-Well, you see, I'd like to know precisely what you mean by ‘the role of the mistress of the house.’”
“I fail to see why you needed to drag me all the way out here to ask that, but it is obvious, is it not?”
Kiers dipped his haughty chin slightly, his red lips curling into a soft smirk.
“…It entails precisely what you are imagining.”
…Why am I hearing such nonsense lately?
I’ve just been through way too much lately. Right, it makes complete sense that I misheard him.
I rubbed my ringing ears with the tips of my fingers. If this man wasn't standing right in front of me, I would’ve patted my own cheeks, but that would make me look utterly insane. As a gust of wind fluttered my eyelashes, I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.
“Could you please say that one more time, Your Grace?”
Even with a fragile, strained smile, I remembered my ladylike poise. Tucking my hair behind my ear, I leaned closer to Kiers, and he parted his lips with complete nonchalance.
“I said I want exactly what you are thinking, down to the last detail.”
“…W-What on earth do you think I'm thinking?”
“Surely you know that better than anyone.”
No, I don't! I don't know, and I don't want to know!
Clenching my fists in a silent scream of agony, I hung my head. But that was the height of self-delusion. What was flashing through my mind right now was, without a shadow of a doubt…
“Haa.”
A pained groan slipped past my lips, and I hurriedly swallowed the rest of it down. Making noises like that in this situation would only make things more chaotic.
I glanced sideways at Kiers.
Am I just completely sex-crazed? Is it only me?
Come on, looking at the male lead of an R-rated novel and not having those thoughts would make someone an absolute fool who didn't know what they were paying for!
“…Elijah?”
“Yes!”
Answering as crisply as a student during roll call, I practically leaped backward. But Kiers smoothly matched my pace with a step of his own, his shoulders lifting in an amused shrug.
“Whatever are you thinking that leaves you with so much to say?”
“…Your Grace.”
Allow me to give you a little prophecy about your distant future.
Kiers Valencia, in the far future, on Korea's biggest book site, you are going to be voted the number one most insatiable, vigorously endowed male lead of all time. You're the kind of guy whose top reviews don't even need words—just a single exclamation mark!
“I’m… just worried.”
“About what?”
About what? About my own body!
The female lead, Cecil, would spend a single night with him and then end up bedridden and moaning in fever for three whole days, driving Kiers frantic with worry. Of course, it was all a cheap narrative trick to tease the readers' hearts, but his terrifying stamina in that department was an indisputable fact.
Someone in the comments had even said that after sleeping with this man, you’d never be able to look at another guy again.
…That would be a massive problem. Once our Rose becomes the head of the Platinum Guild, I plan to get parachute-hired at an overseas branch and be aggressively courted by a younger boyfriend. If I sleep with you and can’t look at other men anymore, I’m the one who ends up losing out!
“Well… how should I put it? Your Grace might end up regretting it.”
“Why would I?”
Did he even realize he was casually dropping honorifics left and right? Granted, that blunt, informal tone suited him to perfection, but every time Kiers acted like this, my heart practically dropped into my stomach.
“…Think about it. This isn't even a proper political marriage; I was essentially sold off to you in a one-sided deal. In the future, Your Grace could easily find someone else…”
How on earth was I supposed to phrase this? If I started babbling about novels and plotlines, he’d just think I was an idiot, but I couldn't just meekly agree to it, either. Clinging to my scorching panic, I paced back and forth around him.
“…Your Grace is of noble imperial blood, after all.”
“And I have just as many enemies.”
“Still, the human heart is a fickle thing…”
“Are you hesitating because of my appearance?”
“Excuse me?”
Following closely on his heels like a lost puppy, I stared at him in utter disbelief. Why in the world was he bringing up his face right now? A breath of incredulous laughter slipped out before I could stop it.
“What is wrong with your appearance, Your Grace?”
I already know full well you're going to turn into a ridiculously stunning hunk later anyway.
“Besides, why does a person’s face matter so much? Staying alive—no, that’s not what I mean. As I’ve said repeatedly, a person’s character on the inside is far more important than how they look. A responsible head of the house who remains dedicated to his duties is infinitely better than someone who runs around relying solely on a pretty face.”
“Hmm…”
Kiers turned back around rather sharply, but was it just my imagination, or did he look strangely pleased?
“…”
For a brief moment, I had projected my feelings about that so-called father of mine. Come to think of it, it was only natural that this man still had a complex about his appearance.
Ah, why hadn't I thought of that? The fact that he constantly wore black clothes and hid behind a black mask was more than enough clue.
Shaking my head vigorously, I stepped closer to him. I had to choose my words carefully and change his mind. If he just put his current appearance out of his mind, better days were bound to come soon. And even if it wasn't with me, a glorious day would come when he could put all those legendary skills of his to full use.
“Looks are just an outer shell, Your Grace. A man’s worth lies in substance! Pure substance!”
“…”
“Just… like you, Your Grace.”
Mmh, maybe I could have left that last part out.
Unfortunately, you can’t swallow words once they're out. The second those words left my mouth, the very air around us seemed to shift. It wasn't the bone-chilling hostility from the hall, but that cool, musky scent of his drifting toward me whenever I stood near him.
“I am relieved. To hear that you think of me that way.”
D-Don't be touched by that!
“Ah, yes. So, what I meant was…”
“Then I cannot fathom what troubles your mind so much.”
Gentle, yet somehow not.
His calm, steady question made my head spin with sudden dizziness. Stifling the nausea churning in my stomach, I pressed a finger to my lips.
“Well… honestly, I never imagined Your Grace would actually have any genuine interest in a real marriage.”
“Once people enter into marriage, is it not only natural that they remain faithful to its vows?”
“Ah…”
Why do you keep making me look like total scum?
If I said no to that, my future survival would be completely off the table.
