Strange. While it would be understandable for Gabriel, Kisa didn’t drink that much.

From the start, she didn’t particularly like alcohol, and even a small amount would quickly make her drunk.

“It’s already a great honor to perform at such an important event as the Duke’s engagement ceremony, but to receive such generous compensation as well…”

Kisa momentarily let Gabriel’s words go in one ear and out the other, focusing on her own heartbeat.

Thump-thump. It seemed a bit fast.

After trying to calm her excited heart by taking deep breaths repeatedly, she focused again.

Then she felt that her heart’s pounding had definitely slowed down compared to earlier.

A moment later, Kisa, concluding that her heart was perfectly normal, let out a sigh of relief.

No matter how weak she was to alcohol, it would be troublesome if her heart acted up after drinking just one glass of wine.

“Kisa?”

But then Seiyard’s voice tickled her ear.

“Is something wrong? You seem to have been distracted from the conversation for a while now. Are you feeling unwell?”

He leaned in close to Kisa, who was sitting next to him, and whispered in her ear as if worried about her.

Kisa hastily shook her head, moving away from his lips that had almost touched her.

“…No, I’m just a little tipsy.”

For some reason, the part where Seiyard’s breath had touched felt hot and flushed.

“That’s a relief then. But Kisa.”

“Yes?”

“Would you come to my room after dinner?”

Seiyard quietly said amidst the background of Gabriel’s breathing, who had started to doze off, apparently quite drunk.

“I have an important matter to discuss.”

His eyes curved.

Shortly after, Gabriel left for his room supported by servants, and Kisa and Seiyard also rose from the table.

Kisa followed him towards the innermost part of the mansion where his room was located.

‘An important matter.’

As Seiyard avoided giving a direct answer when asked what it was, saying she would know when she got there, Kisa’s curiosity grew with each step.

Part of her thought it probably wasn’t anything serious, but she couldn’t help feeling nervous for some reason.

As they walked, they soon arrived in front of a door that exuded a dignified atmosphere.

“Please, come in.”

Seiyard opened the door with a polite gesture, inviting Kisa inside.

This was Seiyard’s office. One of the spaces where he spent most of his time during the day.

Stepping into the room, Kisa carefully observed her surroundings.

A large desk, bookshelves filled with books, a low table and sofas for receiving guests…

It was the impeccably neat and luxurious office of Duke Hillan.

Yes, rather than Seiyard’s office, it was Duke Hillan’s office.

Despite the excellent space before her eyes, which needed no further explanation, Kisa felt a little disappointed.

She had unknowingly expected to discover a different side of him in this place.

“You can sit there.”

At that moment, Seiyard pointed to the sofa next to the table and walked towards the desk.

“Ah, yes.”

Kisa sat down awkwardly and observed Seiyard standing in front of the desk.

He picked up a document lying on the desk and looked at it with an expressionless face.

Judging by his reaction, it seemed to be a new document that someone had placed there in his absence.

Was it quite serious content? His reddish-brown eyes seemed more subdued than usual.

Seeing this, Kisa naturally corrected the thought she had earlier.

‘Here it is, a different side.’

Come to think of it, this was the first time she had seen him performing his official duties as Duke Hillan.

The man who had seemed like a student in the library and a lover in love during their date was now unmistakably Duke Hillan.

Kisa furtively observed his profile as he examined the document, feeling somehow anxious.

Meanwhile, Seiyard put down the document he was holding and opened a drawer, rummaging through it.

Soon after, he approached Kisa holding another document.

“It’s okay if you need to work. I can wait.”

As Kisa said this, Seiyard, who had sat down opposite her, shook his head.

“It’s unacceptable to keep a guest waiting. Moreover, this matter is more important to me.”

Seiyard held out the document as if inviting Kisa to read it too.

Her eyes widened slightly as she confirmed the words written on the paper.

It was a marriage contract that formalized the contents of the contract marriage Kisa and Seiyard had agreed upon.

First, the two shall maintain their marital relationship for a mutually agreed-upon period.

Second, after the said period, if either party wishes for a divorce, they can terminate the relationship.

Third, as long as the marital relationship is maintained, they shall faithfully fulfill their roles as each other’s spouse.

Fourth, however, this spousal role does not include sexual activities such as conjugal relations.

Below these four main principles that Seiyard had set at the Vanspelt’s garden before, there were detailed contents that the two had discussed bit by bit whenever they met.

He had said before that he would take charge of preparing the contract, and it seemed it was finally completed.

While Kisa was reading through the content written on the paper, Seiyard spoke.

“Please check it thoroughly and feel free to tell me if there’s anything you want to modify or add.”

“Oh, is there really a need for that? I’m sure Seiyard has written it well.”

“No, that won’t do. Regardless of the type of contract or who the contracting party is, a contract should always be examined until there is not a single doubt left.”

“Of course, that’s true.”

“Kisa, do you understand?”

“…”

Seiyard, emphasizing again, looked at her as if he was watching a child left alone by the water.

Although slightly embarrassed, Kisa glared at the innocent contract, as even she thought her previous words were too naive.

She was determined to leave no room for doubt, as per his life advice.

For the next hour or so, she wrestled diligently with the contract, which was just a single page.

She read parts she didn’t understand multiple times, and if she still couldn’t grasp it, she asked Seiyard.

Thankfully, he answered Kisa’s questions faithfully without showing any sign of annoyance.

As she listened to his coherent explanations, even difficult legal terms became easy to understand.

A moment later, having finally eliminated all doubts and checked the same content more than five times, Kisa confidently said,

“Let’s sign now.”

Everything was exactly as the two had agreed upon, and there were no clauses disadvantageous to Kisa.

Seiyard silently took out a pen from his chest pocket and signed his name in the signature field first.

Then, after signing another copy of the contract with the same content, he handed both copies of the contract along with the pen to Kisa.

Kisa, who had secretly thought that his signing looked cool, tried to write as coolly as him as she moved the pen.

“With this, our contract is established.”

When she finished signing, Seiyard said in a somewhat subdued voice.

“Now you can’t back out even if you want to?”

At his playful tone, Kisa responded cheerfully.

“That’s my line. You’re the one who’s stuck being married to me for at least two years after the wedding, right?”

Seeing Kisa inwardly embarrassed by the connotation of the word ‘married’ despite saying it herself, he curled up the corners of his mouth.

“That’s what I’m hoping for.”

That day, the two each took one of the twin-like copies of the contract.

The next day, Kisa visited the Hillan mansion again.

The ostensible purpose of the visit was to prepare for the engagement ceremony, like the day before, but in truth, she couldn’t calm her mind while staying at home.

No matter how predetermined the end of their relationship was, she couldn’t help feeling excited about the engagement ceremony.

After meeting Seiyard and watching the ballroom transform together like yesterday, Kisa strolled through the garden that the Hillan family prided themselves on, as a walk.

“My Lord, here you are.”

But during the walk, Gilliam, Seiyard’s secretary, appeared before the two, looking for him.

“A message from His Majesty the King has arrived from the royal palace.”

From what she heard, it seemed that the King had once again found a trivial excuse to summon Seiyard.

Seiyard apologized to Kisa with an embarrassed expression.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go right away. It seems you’ll have to continue your walk alone.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

“I apologize.”

Apologizing once more, Seiyard headed towards the garden exit with Gilliam.

Kisa continued walking in the garden, feeling a bit disappointed. She had just arrived, and it felt too early to leave.

But then, someone caught her eye.

It was Gabriel, who had dinner with them yesterday.

Thinking that he must have come out for a walk too, Kisa was about to casually greet him but stopped herself.

Gabriel was staring intently at something with an unusual look in his eyes.

And at the end of that gaze was the back of Seiyard, leaving the garden.

His expression, as he stared at Seiyard endlessly without even noticing Kisa’s presence nearby, was incredibly complex.

It definitely didn’t look like the face of someone looking at a benefactor who had helped them.

‘Yes, that’s like…’

It was the look of someone harboring an immense love dilemma that they couldn’t do anything about.

Good heavens. Kisa swallowed a single exclamation in her throat.