Of course… There’s no way she wouldn’t know. She must have seen everything while providing first aid and treating my injuries.

Sidney slowly raised her body. It was painfully difficult to breathe, but she gritted her teeth and endured.

As she barely managed to sit up, she could see the bandages tightly wrapped around her chest and shoulders, and the white shirt.

Thinking it was all over, she felt at ease, no longer afraid or anxious.

“Yes, it was me.”

“After insisting so strongly that it wasn’t you all this time… Now you’re not even making excuses.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For denying you were Marienne? Or for not making excuses now?”

Sharp criticism followed immediately after the apology. It was understandable. A subordinate had spent the night with her superior while disguised, and then denied it until the end…

Sidney clasped her hands together and confessed her guilt.

“Neither. I would have done anything to hide the fact that I’m a woman. What I’m sorry for is… deceiving you, Commander.”

“So you were planning to deceive me until the end.”

“If I could have, I would have.”

Logan let out a scornful laugh and then fell silent.

He must be disgusted. Why wouldn’t he be? Even I feel revulsion at such brazen and despicable behavior.

Sidney lowered her head and bit her lower lip.

Dong, dong, dong… The temple bells rang six times, announcing the morning. Logan’s voice followed on the tail end of their echoes.

“Well, I suppose you had to hide the fact that Imperial Army Captain and Countess Warden Sidney Warden was a woman. Your family and sick younger sister would have to bear the punishment for deceiving everyone.”

Each word Logan spat out pierced Sidney’s heart.

Her father and brother who had left everything to her and abandoned her. She had resented them and vowed again and again not to act so irresponsibly herself…

In the end, she was no different from them.

At least for Emilia’s sake, she should beg… No, that wouldn’t work on Logan Redford. Rather…

Sidney clutched the blanket and raised her head.

In the same posture as before, with his chin resting on his hand, he stared at her intently with sharp eyes and tightly closed lips. His expression seemed to show more impatience than any anger-like emotion.

Perhaps because of this, she was able to be a little more shameless despite her lack of decency.

“Commander, could we make a deal, with my secret as collateral?”

His brow furrowed and his eyebrows twitched. His eyes narrowed and the right corner of his mouth curled up in a mocking smile.

It was a very subtle change, but considering Logan Redford’s typically unexpressive face… he seemed quite pleased.

That meant he wanted to make a deal. But what could someone like him, who seemed to have everything, possibly want from her?

Sidney had only lost consciousness due to excessive blood loss; her wounds were not that deep. As time passed, color returned to her face and her expression and breathing became more relaxed.

Looking at the white bedsheets illuminated by the dawn light and Sidney, Logan was suddenly reminded of the morning when Marienne had disappeared without a word.

The reason for that disappearance. Was it embarrassment at having spent the night with a superior? Or to avoid being discovered as a woman?

He could simply reveal that he already knew everything and tell her it was alright.

The Sidney Warden he knew would never spend the night with just any man, so she must have had some feelings for him. They could start over from there.

Once his thoughts were settled, he even found himself looking forward to waiting for her to wake up.

For some reason, Sidney seemed more interested in who had targeted her than in her own secret. It was a bit vexing that she had so strongly denied being ‘Marienne’ if it wasn’t such an important secret.

Her calm tone in saying she was sorry for the deception but would do it again if she could made it clear that, unlike him, ‘that night’ held no great significance for Sidney.

That can’t be true. The Sidney of that night was definitely not just enjoying a one-night tryst.

Those lips calling his name, those eyes yearning for him, that face contorted with pleasure, those gasping breaths – none of that could have been a lie.

Though he had lashed out with criticism in the heat of the moment, he had no intention of stooping so low as to blackmail Sidney with her secret.

But if she was the one to propose a deal first…

“…I’ll consider it if you can give me what I want.”

“What do you want from me?”

This was it. Was this how a hunter felt right before their prey stepped into the trap? He felt dizzy with anticipation and excitement.

Logan furrowed his brow to hide his true feelings and began to speak.

“My family thinks I’m engaged to Marienne and getting married in April. As you know, I needed a pretext to search for the missing Marienne, and after that, as you can see, I’ve been busy…”

Seeing Sidney’s expression immediately harden, he added an explanation. She narrowed her eyes and asked with a puzzled look.

“It sounds like you’re saying it doesn’t necessarily have to be Marienne.”

He had deliberately given her a choice to try to persuade her. But Sidney Warden questioned that part.

As if to ask what the problem was, Logan tilted his head slightly with an indifferent expression.

“That’s right. But if it’s ‘Marienne’, I won’t have to go through the trouble of convincing my grandfather again.”

“I have no intention of getting married. If you could suggest another condition…”

“There is no other.”

Logan cut off her words firmly.

She was the one who had proposed the deal. The choice of whether to accept it or not had now passed to him.

Logan uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. Interlacing his fingers and meeting her eyes.

“The condition I want is an official fiancée and wife to present publicly. Other than that, you can live as Sidney Warden.”

He presented a compromise that would seem plausible to both of them. Sidney, seemingly confused for a moment, fell into deep thought.

Was this how a hunter felt, hoping the trap hidden in the undergrowth wouldn’t be discovered? Logan held his breath, waiting for her to speak again.

“So it’s not a real marriage.”

“It is real. It’s just that through an agreement, we’ll be a bit different from other couples.”

Sidney’s hand twitched, as if showing her aversion.

Damn it, is it too much after all? No. It’s meaningless if it’s not ‘real’. If she refuses, then…

As Logan was considering his next move, Sidney spoke with a troubled expression.

“…Will you give me time to think about it?”

“If you stay here.”

“Thank you.”

Pushing too hard would make anyone rebel. Logan stood up, looking forward to the next opportunity.

“Take it easy at home today.”

“I’m fine, ugh…”

Sidney tried to stand up as well but trembled in pain.

Logan unconsciously reached out a hand but withdrew it as he turned away. He didn’t want to ruin everything with a hasty touch or kindness.

Although she called it a deal, at first glance it seemed like an overly generous offer for Sidney herself.

He said he would hide the fact that she was a woman and let her continue living as an Imperial Army Captain and Count Warden, just as she had been.

Although marriage was a precondition, it seemed acceptable if it just meant appearing as ‘Marienne’ at official functions. Even if the conditions were harsher, she would have to accept for Emilia’s sake…

Sidney muttered while gazing out the window.

“…It feels a bit fishy.”

Logan Redford was a top-tier bachelor.

Honestly, she had thought he had many personality issues, but seeing how he treated Marienne, it seemed he wasn’t like that with women. And he was also very healthy.

Probably no family in the Aslan Empire would reject Logan. So why would such a man want to marry her, who offered no benefit? Even throwing away the chance to kick her out of the Imperial Army.

Ah, this is… Judging by how he recommended her for the investigation team leader position, it seems his thoughts have changed.

“Ah, I don’t know. The one good thing is…”

That he no longer seemed overly obsessed with ‘Marienne’ like before.

If anyone would do, if he just needed someone to play the role of fiancée and wife…

Just as she was trying to organize her thoughts, there was a light knock followed by a woman’s voice.

“I’ve brought your meal.”

A moment later, the door opened and a young woman with short navy blue hair entered. Judging by her black dress with white lace trimming on the collar and cuffs, she seemed to be a maid.

As she set down the bed table, she introduced herself.

“I’m Jane, the maid assigned to attend to you, Count Warden.”

About seventeen? Her young, nervous face was so cute that Sidney couldn’t help but smile.

“I look forward to working with you, Jane.”

What a luxury, to have meals in bed.

Sidney reached for the spoon while eyeing the white bread and stew. At the same time, Jane grabbed the spoon with a flustered expression and said,

“Ah, Lord Logan told me to help you with your meal…”

Logan did? He always had been attentive. Sidney tried to suppress the laughter bubbling up between her teeth by fake coughing.

“I appreciate the thought, but I can manage most things with my left hand.”

“I see.”

The finely chopped potatoes and meat slid down smoothly without even needing to be chewed.

After finishing the rich, savory stew and soft bread, Sidney set down her spoon and said,

“Please tell the chef I enjoyed the meal. And next time, there’s no need to prepare it as an invalid’s meal.”

“It’s Sam. The chef’s name.”

“Ah, then please tell Sam that.”

“Yes, Uncle Sam will be so happy to hear that.”

Jane clasped her hands together, looking ready to jump for joy. It was heartwarming to see her so happy, as if it were her own accomplishment.

But that pure, innocent happiness felt a bit awkward and burdensome, so Sidney subtly changed the subject.

“By the way, where are my clothes?”

Given Logan’s meticulous nature, he wouldn’t have washed clothes that were torn and bloodstained.

Thinking he must have stashed them away somewhere, and planning to wear them home to change into other clothes, she asked the question.

“Milo took your clothes to find a uniform of the same size.”

“Oh dear, it would have been faster to go to my house on Dustin Avenue and bring my clothes.”

In the end, it meant there was no coat she could wear out right now. And she couldn’t wear Logan’s coat without permission…

Betty would be coming to clean today. Sidney pressed her temples and let out a deep sigh.

“Um, you’re not thinking of going out yourself, are you, Count Warden?”

Jane cautiously inquired about her intentions, her round gray eyes wavering anxiously.

Am I being held captive? Sidney unconsciously glanced at the door.