Ah, what kind of situation is this now?

Caught off guard by Ruan’s sudden action, Mercian lay on the bed for a moment, staring quietly at his face.

As I felt earlier, he really has a handsome face.

Usually when someone is that thin, it’s easy to think they look haggard, but why does that man’s face still look handsome?

“Wife?”

“Yes? Ah, yes, Duke!”

“Ruan, please call me Ruan!”

Ruan thought Mercian looked cute for a moment as she blinked her eyes nervously, unable to breathe properly, seemingly not knowing how to respond to his question.

Wait a minute? Cute? What am I thinking right now?

Wasn’t I someone who had never been interested in women even once since birth?

Yet to find a woman I’ve only seen three times today cute,

I must have taken this marriage too seriously, thinking I should please my aunt.

Ruan quickly erased the thoughts in his head and carefully raised Mercian, saying:

“Wife, breathe.”

“Pardon?”

“Someone might think I’m going to eat you up.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No need. Your reaction was so amusing that I played a bit too much of a joke. I was thinking of talking about our wedding night anyway.”

Ruan, who was smiling broadly, leaned Mercian against the bed and then looked into her eyes and said:

“First, let me apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“The reason for this absurd marriage is actually not so much my will, but rather a forced marriage that my aunt initiated after learning of my situation, in an attempt to continue the family line.”

“Yes, I know. Your aunt told me earlier.”

“I see. Then it might be easier to talk.”

“Pardon?”

“First, whatever my aunt said, please forget it all.”

What am I supposed to forget?

Mercian frowned, puzzled, as she hadn’t really heard anything in particular from Olivia.

“I only intend to spend 6 months.”

“If it’s only 6 months…”

“I mean I don’t intend to ask anything of you. So I hope you can stay comfortably for 6 months.”

“You mean?”

“It means there won’t be any chance of a child between us.”

I guess my thoughts were right.

Mercian’s expression momentarily showed relief at Ruan’s words.

Ruan, who was observing Mercian’s expression, carefully asked:

“I heard from Cassel that you want to leave the duchy after 6 months.”

“Yes.”

“Do you perhaps have a lover outside?”

“Pardon? No, I don’t have a lover.”

Seeing the flustered Mercian, Ruan smiled and said:

“It’s fine even if you have a lover. Just endure for 6 months, please.”

“I don’t have a lover.”

At Mercian’s firm answer, Ruan got up and brought the contract.

“From what I saw, the other contract conditions don’t seem to be much of a problem, but this clause seems a bit problematic.”

Ruan pointed to the part of the contract that said [We must consummate at least 4 times a week] and said:

“If this were a marriage out of love, it would be a perfect condition, but you’re planning to leave the duchy after 6 months, and as I said earlier, I have no intention of having children either, so it would be right to remove this clause. But my aunt insisted that this clause must not be removed when drafting the contract.”

Mercian nodded, recalling Olivia who had held her hands tightly and pleaded with her.

“Ah, I see.”

“So I was thinking, how about we do this?”

“Yes?”

“Although my aunt left the duchy after I became an adult, most of the people here are still her people. So if we don’t consummate, she’ll find out soon, so let’s consummate 4 times a week for now.”

“Yes. What?”

As Mercian raised her head at Ruan’s words, Ruan looked around his room and said:

“But since it’s just consummation in name only, I’ll put a sofa here and sleep there.”

“But what if servants come in early in the morning…”

“There’s no servant bold enough to dare open my door carelessly, so don’t worry.”

At Ruan’s words, Mercian looked at the large bed that could easily fit four people and said:

“Don’t do that, how about I sleep here and you, Duke, I mean Ruan, sleep over there? The bed is so wide that we won’t bump into each other, right?”

At Mercian’s words, Ruan looked at the wide bed for a moment and said:

“Wife, won’t you be uncomfortable?”

“No, I tend to sleep quietly, so I’ll be fine.”

“Alright. Then let’s do as you wish. Oh, and we’ll have to act like a couple in front of others, so please understand if there are unavoidable situations.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Mercian found it very unfamiliar to see Ruan showing her the contract and asking for her opinion on each item.

In the viscount’s house, she just had to do whatever Penelope and Lucienne wanted.

Even the marriage wasn’t what she wanted, but what they wanted.

Is this how it’s supposed to be, asking for opinions on everything?

Mercian felt awkward about Ruan’s behavior, but somehow felt that she was being respected.

“Wife, you probably talked with Cassel earlier, but if there’s anything you want to change or find uncomfortable, please tell me.”

“Pardon? Ah. Just a moment, please.”

Mercian read the contract Ruan handed her again.

It was the same contract she had read earlier when talking with Cassel, but somehow it felt different.

“If there’s no problem, I’ll finalize the contract as is.”

Mercian, who had been staring blankly at the contract for a moment, hurriedly exclaimed at Ruan’s words.

“No, that last clause…”

“The last clause you say?”

At Ruan’s words, Mercian pointed to the part written at the very end of the contract and said:

“It says you’ll give me enough money to live on for life when I leave the duchy…”

“Ah, yes. Are you short on money? Then I can tell Cassel to…”

“Ah, no. I mean, you don’t need to give me more money.”

“You don’t need money?”

Mercian smiled at Ruan, who was looking at her as if he couldn’t understand, and answered:

“I’ve already received enough money as dowry and alimony.”

“Are you perhaps afraid that your mother and sister will take the money away?”

“Pardon?”

“I apologize. I don’t know if I’m meddling unnecessarily, but if that’s the case, I can make sure that absolutely no one but you can touch the money.”

Mercian’s face reddened at Ruan’s words, which seemed to know all about her position in the viscount’s house.

Well, he probably thinks I’ll return to the viscount’s house when this contract ends, so he might think that way.

She felt it would be easier on her mind not to take as much of the duke’s property as possible, to avoid any hindrances when leaving the duchy later.

She didn’t want to explain the situation in detail, that she wouldn’t return to the viscount’s house when the contract ended and she had to leave the duchy anyway.

Although Ruan’s offer was appreciated, if Penelope and Lucienne found out that she had taken that money when she left, they would surely come looking for her.

I’ve prepared myself for hardship anyway, so it’s better not to take anything.

“It’s not that. I… Ruan, please just remove this clause without asking anything.”

Ruan, though not understanding the reason, drew a line through the clause with a pen, seemingly unable to resist Mercian’s desperate expression.

“Then, how about this? If you find this money burdensome, why don’t you take the remaining amount of the operating expenses you received while in the duchy when you leave?”

“Pardon? Operating expenses?”

“The duchy provides monthly operating expenses to the duchess. The remaining amount after managing the duchy is the duchess’s personal funds.”

Mercian fell into thought at Ruan’s words.

Well, when Father was alive, Mother also saved money that way.

Yes, if I save little by little, I might be able to save enough to open a shop.

Mercian nodded at Ruan’s suggestion and answered:

“Yes, thank you. Ruan.”

“Then this concludes the contract, and I’ll mention a few things to keep in mind.”

Ruan put the contract on the table, then sat in front of Mercian and said:

“First, let me talk about my body. Currently, I’m in a state of poisoning. It’s been a few days since I was poisoned, so I can say I have about 5 months and a little more to live.”

“Is there no antidote?”

“Unfortunately, the poison I’m afflicted with cannot be neutralized. The symptoms of the poisoning are, as you can see, significant weight loss and lack of energy, but nothing else major has appeared yet.”

You say you lack energy, but you lifted me up easily?

Mercian thought Ruan’s appearance was a bit strange compared to the situation she was seeing, but soon dismissed it, thinking that must be the symptoms of the poison.

“Then there’s no coughing up blood or collapsing?”

“It’s an unusual poison, so I’m not sure about the exact symptoms either. If you find my appearance uncomfortable, please let me know and I’ll try not to be in your sight.”

“Ah, no. It’s not that bad.”

“And regardless of the poisoning, I’ve had severe insomnia since I was young, so I always take sleeping pills. So even during consummation, I’ll probably fall asleep first most of the time, so I hope you won’t feel bad about it.”

Mercian felt secretly relieved at the words that he would take sleeping pills and fall asleep first.

It’s not easy to sleep in the same bed with a stranger after all…

“Do you take a lot of sleeping pills?”

“At first I took a little, but whether it’s because of the poisoning or because I’ve built up a tolerance to the medicine, I’m not sure, but lately it seems I can’t sleep deeply even if I take a lot. Are you a light sleeper by any chance?”

“Pardon? No?”

“That’s a relief then. I was worried that if I toss and turn at dawn, it might disturb your sleep. Ah, today I deliberately didn’t take sleeping pills because of the wedding.”

“I’ll be fine, so please go take your sleeping pills.”

“No need. And we should eat breakfast and dinner together for at least the 6 months so we’re not too awkward. If you have any favorite foods, I’ll tell the chef.”

“I’m not picky about most foods.”

“That’s good. Then let’s go to sleep now.”

At Ruan’s words, Mercian adjusted her nightgown.

“Then, wife, sweet dreams.”

After Ruan greeted her and went to lie down on the opposite side of the bed, Mercian slowly lay down as well.

A moment later.

Despite the tiring day, Mercian tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep in the unfamiliar environment.

Mercian quietly turned around, holding her breath, worried that Ruan, who also had insomnia, might not be able to sleep because of her.

When Ruan, who was lying at the end of the bed near the window, turned his head towards her, she unconsciously closed her eyes and then opened them slightly to look.

But Ruan was already in a deep sleep.

What? He said he couldn’t sleep because of insomnia, but he’s sleeping just fine.

Mercian suddenly felt her tension release and quietly looked at Ruan’s face in the moonlight.

As I felt during the wedding, despite having a body that’s only half mine due to being so thin, with that height and that level of looks, no wonder so many young ladies submitted marriage proposals even for the position of a 6-month terminally ill wife.

Mercian recalled the faces of the young ladies who had been looking at her with envy and jealousy throughout the wedding ceremony.

My husband…

He might be my first and last husband in my life.

Ah, if I think that way, should I be grateful to Mom and Sister?

Whatever the reason, in my situation, I can live with such a handsome man like this.

We should live for 6 months with minimal involvement with each other, right?

It’s not just anything, but a dying person, so if I develop feelings… well, such a handsome man wouldn’t like me anyway, so I just need to steel my heart.

Mercian repeatedly vowed not to give her heart to that handsome face as she tried to fall asleep.

Squishy. Squishy. Is it pudding?

Ruan slowly opened his eyes at the very squishy and pleasant feeling touching his fingertips.

When did I fall asleep?

I didn’t even take sleeping pills today?

Ruan looked around as if he couldn’t believe he had been sleeping.

The dawn was visible in the distance outside the window, perhaps it was early morning.

When Ruan raised his head to look at the clock on the table, it was pointing to 6 o’clock.

6 AM?

Even when I took sleeping pills, I would wake up after sleeping for two or three hours. I slept until now without waking up once?

How long has it been since I slept this long?

Ruan couldn’t even remember when it was, as it was such an old memory.

By the way, I heard she slept quietly…

Ruan quietly looked at Mercian, who was gradually getting closer and eventually nestling into his arms.

A round forehead, big eyes, and a small mouth that made him wonder if food could fit in it.

It wasn’t a face that could be called beautiful, but the more he looked at it, the cuter and prettier it seemed.

Moreover, her squishy flesh made him think it would be like pudding that he wouldn’t get tired of touching all day.

Wife…

Ruan couldn’t help but smile slightly as he looked at Mercian sleeping so well in his arms.

He had thought it was unrelated to him, regardless of the 6-month time limit…

But he thought that marriage itself wasn’t bad after all.