“A secret?”

“Yes.”

There was a hint of laughter in his voice as he said that.

“So you’ll tell me the reason later?”

“Yes, I will tell you. Well then, shall we step out now? If we stay in the garden for too long, the servants may misunderstand.”

“What’s there to misunderstand about us walking together in the garden?”

After a brief pause, he spoke cautiously in response to my answer.

“…It’s not a pleasant story, but the garden was a place my parents often frequented when they sought unusual pleasures.”

“Unusual pleasures?”

What could those unusual pleasures he mentioned be? Something embarrassing? As I slowly pondered, I noticed his face turning red. Suddenly realizing the hidden meaning, I opened my mouth.

“No… don’t tell me…”

“Yes. You’re correct in your assumption…”

The former Duke and Duchess were known as the epitome of virtuous nobility. And they raised such an upright man, yet this…

Our chattering conversation abruptly ended, and silence ensued at the sudden revelation of the former ducal couple’s behind-the-scenes history.

Thanks to that, the servants who saw us emerging from the garden with flushed faces whispered and glanced our way. Even without looking, I could feel their gazes growing warmer towards us.

Two weeks passed as the servants’ misunderstanding of our truth piled up layer by layer.

I naively thought that Yezar would have already handled that misunderstanding. Without knowing how the atmosphere in the ducal house was flowing, I was immersed in my duties as the Duchess.

I was worried about being scolded for not knowing much, but the butler managing this mansion seemed surprised by my abilities instead.

“Have you ever organized budget ledgers like this before?”

“Yes. After my mother passed away, there was no one to manage the internal affairs of the Count’s house. So when I was old enough, I received education and often managed the internal affairs.”

Of course, half of what I said was true and half was false. This wasn’t something I learned at the Count’s house. Based on the education I received through cramming in my previous life, I voluntarily helped manage the internal affairs of the Count’s house after confining myself.

‘I had nothing to do, so I interfered with this and that and roamed around the mansion a lot.’

Thanks to that, I realized for the first time that the internal affairs of the Count’s house were not well managed, so I meticulously managed the ledgers together with the butler of the Count’s house.

‘I think it’s time to slowly take on other tasks.’

With that thought, I raised my head. The butler apologized.

“I’m sorry, Madam. You probably didn’t want to bring up that story. I was rude.”

There was no need to apologize, really. I didn’t feel nostalgia for someone I had never met anyway.

However, I was worried that another misunderstanding would spread if I answered that way, so I didn’t bother correcting that misconception.

“It’s alright, just let me know about other tasks. I will do my best as the Duchess while I’m here. Of course, don’t show me the important matters of the family. I’m someone who has to leave, after all.”

The butler said he knew our circumstances. So I answered honestly. It would be troublesome if I accidentally learned the important secrets of the Perhaem Duchy.

However, in response to my answer, the butler gave a sorrowful smile.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear you say you’re someone who has to leave, Madam.”

Why are the people of the ducal house so sentimental? I’ll be staying for 2 years and then returning anyway.

“It’s the truth. Besides, both the Duke and I agreed on it.”

The head maid of this ducal house said the same thing. Now the butler is doing it too. Even the servants resemble the master of this mansion.

No matter how much they like the contract Madam, once she leaves, she’s just a stranger. Well, I can’t say anything terrible to someone who sincerely wants to serve me.

“Since you say that much, I can’t dissuade you. Alright. I will also fulfill my role as the Duchess with the most sincere heart while staying at the Perhaem Duchy.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Now then, shall we finish checking and wrapping up the next tasks?”

Recently, I’ve been busy learning tasks and haven’t been able to keep up with the rules of married life. Yezar hasn’t said anything about it so far, but if we don’t spend leisure time together soon, I might become an indifferent wife rather than an ideal one.

After finishing my work, I went to the dressing room and changed clothes. The maids who helped me change asked.

“Madam, do the clothes fit well?”

I moved my body and smiled brightly.

“Yes. It’s fine. Very comfortable.”

“Thank goodness. We were so surprised when you suddenly asked for the activewear prepared for the knights.”

Before going to the training grounds, I couldn’t wear a fluttering dress, so I asked for the activewear the knights wear. It seemed they still weren’t used to it. In response to Ember’s words, I calmly replied.

“Is that so? It’s not like I’m wearing armor like a full knight, I just asked for comfortable clothes.”

“It’s an outfit that noble young ladies usually don’t wear.”

Right. They don’t engage in active tasks that require wielding a sword or sweating from running around.

“That’s true. Thank you for preparing it.”

“Not at all. Then I will guide you to the training grounds.”

I quickly followed at those words. My body was feeling sluggish anyway. It was a good thing.

The reason I first started wielding a sword was trivial. While confining myself at home, I was too bored. I had nothing to do, and my busy father and older brother were often absent from home. Even Wizlet, who was attached to the mansion, disappeared whenever his fiancée called.

So I started doing things that could be hobbies, but I got bored within 2 hours of embroidery and knitting, which were considered accomplishments for young ladies, and gave up. That’s when my eyes turned to swordsmanship.

Although exercise was grueling, there was no room to think it was boring. However, I had no intention of becoming a formal knight, so I only learned what I thought was moderately important and rested whenever I wanted, immersing myself in books in the library.

When the outside was excited about festivals and such, I leisurely enjoyed expensive alcohol alone while gazing at the night sky.

I even ran a business. I roughly provided ideas and passed them on, entrusting the operation to others. Still, I did it with the thought that I should make a decent living, and it went well, but it was just a hobby I did out of boredom.

Before I knew it, I must have approached the training grounds, as I heard the vigorous shouts of the knights. The sound of swords clashing, the sound of dust rising. It was all familiar.

‘I wonder how the knights of the Count’s house are doing.’

At first, they strongly dissuaded me, saying how a delicate noble lady could wield a sword. But unable to resist my stubbornness, they occasionally hung out with me. They taught me how to hold a sword and techniques that could be considered self-defense, and they ran with me in the training grounds, kindly talking to me.

They didn’t completely open up to me, thinking I was the daughter of the lord they served. Still, I enjoyed that time. My favorite hobby was hanging out with the knights and learning about swords.

“It seems the Duke is still focused on training. What would you like to do?”

At Ember’s words as she briefly stopped, I answered without hesitation.

“I informed him beforehand, so he should know. Could you let him know I’ve arrived?”

“Yes, Madam.”

After sending Ember away, I watched the knights train from a distance for a while. I heard the giggling and whispering voices of the maid girls behind me.

“How can the knights all be so cool?”

“I know, right? I heard Katelyn confessed to that brown-haired knight the other day.”

“Really?”

Listening to them made me smile involuntarily. Girls at that age are immersed in romance.

“Are the knights that cool?”

Startled by my question, the girls bowed their heads.

“We apologize. Were we too loud?”

“No. It’s alright. I asked because I was genuinely curious.”

Then the hesitant maid girls chattered away.

“Yes! The way they focus seriously on training is so cool, and their bodies are so fit!”

“That’s right. When the knights get hot, they take off their tops. Their muscles are really…”

The maid girls blushed as if just imagining it was delightful. The knights of the Count’s house didn’t act like taking off their tops in front of me, perhaps because it was me. So the first time I saw a man’s bare upper body was that first night.

There were solid lines and scars here and there, but the muscles were very sexy and rippling… I bit my tongue hard.

That was a mistake. It was rude to have such thoughts. I quickly changed the subject.

“Is that so? Then, who do you think is the coolest among the knights?”

“Regardless of gender, the coolest is definitely the Duke.”

“That’s right. He is serious, kind but strict when needed, and someone everyone can respect.”

Then their eyes looking at me were mischievous.

“Don’t you think so too, Madam?”

“Yezar is certainly cool.”

He was undeniably a cool person, kind, gentle, and doing his best in everything. He was once the top marriage candidate for noble young ladies.

“The first night must have been amazing too, right?”

A slightly playful question followed. There was nothing like what the maid girls were thinking, but the scene I had tried to erase bloomed again.

“It was amazing. His muscles were no joke…”

I stopped mid-sentence at the words that naturally flowed out.

‘Seriously, why did that scene come to mind again?’

But I thought Yezar, who was focused on training, wouldn’t hear it anyway, and as long as I kept the maid girls’ mouths shut, it wouldn’t be passed on. So I immediately continued.

“I misspoke by mistake. Could you forget it?”

But the maid girls who were laughing just fine had their heads bowed deeply. My gaze naturally turned forward. And there stood Yezar.