“I apologize, my lady.”

Even as Yezar apologized to me, he did not say he would spar with me till the end. I felt a bit cheated.

“Seriously, if we had spent our first night together, I wouldn’t feel so wronged. Should I say that even after seeing me, my husband was unable to react and thus we couldn’t spend our first night?”

At my casually tossed remark, Yezar called to me in surprise.

“M-My lady! What are you saying…”

I deliberately feigned ignorance as I replied.

“Why? It’s true that we haven’t spent a night together since it’s a contract marriage. We can’t keep accumulating silly misunderstandings like this either. Sigh.”

As I spoke as if I was truly depressed, he seemed at a loss for what to do. Seeing him like that, I wondered if I had been too mischievous. Still, I realized it had been a long time since I played around with someone like this.

‘My playfulness has increased. I shouldn’t be like this.’

I looked at him, thinking I should apologize quickly. But then he said something unexpected.

“But wouldn’t that be a lie? You told the maids that the first night was amazing and that the muscles were no joke, did you not?”

For a moment, my body stiffened involuntarily. I asked him, hoping against hope.

“So you did hear everything after all…”

“When you were talking at such a close distance, wouldn’t it be stranger if I didn’t hear?”

“Ah, r-right.”

What do I do? He must think I’m a total pervert. Groping my chest like that and chatting with the maids about such things…

I thought I should apologize right away.

“I must seem like a pervert to you…? I’m truly sorry…”

“That’s not it. Weren’t you complimenting me?”

“C-Complimenting?”

He took that as a compliment? No, isn’t this man too kind?!

“If you wish, I can show you… but right now I’m drenched in sweat so it might look unsightly…”

“No! You should be getting angry in this situation!”

Why are you preparing to take your top off!

Of course, his abs would be fantastic. They were stimulating enough to make my nose bleed after all.

“But didn’t I promise to become the ideal husband for you, my lady? Just as you spend time with me like this sharing leisure activities, I too wish to fulfill any of your desires.”

His words made me sigh uncontrollably. Just how far does this man’s willingness to please go?

“Sigh. What Yezar wanted was things like walking together or sharing each other’s hobbies. Even if what I want is Yezar’s body, you’d be okay with it?!”

Yezar seemed to ponder for a moment before taking my hand. And then he placed my hand on his chest.

“If you wish to touch, I will allow it.”

Since he wasn’t wearing armor but the simple clothing worn for sparring, I could feel the sensation through my hand. It wasn’t as vivid as when I felt his bare chest, but still…

I bit my lip firmly and quickly pulled my hand back.

“What I want isn’t Yezar’s body! Don’t just allow anything!”

“But you, my lady…”

Ah, this frustrating man! Unable to hold back, I cut him off.

“Do you like it when a woman you don’t even love carelessly touches your body? Cherish your own body!”

I don’t know why I’m saying this to a man. It’s just that whenever I deal with this man, it seems like he’ll offer anything, saying ‘If you wish it, my lady, I shall comply.’

“Really now… I’m worried that even if you take another wife after divorcing me, you might act the same way.”

If he readily offers his body like this, it’s obvious some relentless woman will devour him. It’s still far off until we divorce, but I’m already worried.

Like a parent worrying about a child who knows nothing of the ways of the world, I was standing there massaging my temples. He gently took my hand and met my gaze.

“That could never happen.”

“What?”

“I too cherish my body. And I have no plans to take anyone but you as my wife.”

“Then are you saying you’ll remain single after divorcing me?”

In the novel, it was said he lived alone because he couldn’t find a suitable partner, but by marrying him, that story became void. So how his future would unfold, deviating from the predetermined ending in the novel, was unknown.

I also thought it might be better for his life if he overcomes the pain of lost love and finds new love to marry. But he gave such a decisive answer.

“I believe that will likely be the case.”

“Don’t be so sure. Haven’t you heard that the pain of lost love is forgotten through new love?”

As I spoke firmly, he asked me instead.

“I know, but why are you already speaking of our end, my lady? Our time together still remains, and currently, my wife is Julieta Orbetian, is she not?”

It was a gentle tone, as if comforting me. I felt like I might unintentionally get swept up by him. He wasn’t wrong after all.

Our contract marriage had only just begun, and 2 years was by no means a short time. Except for the fact that its end was predetermined.

“But I’m your contract wife.”

“Even if it’s a contract, the time we spend together smiling does not disappear. So let’s add one more rule.”

“What rule?”

“How about for the 2 year contract period, we think of each other as true spouses and act accordingly?”

“That’s…”

Isn’t it too risky? Truthfully, Yezar is an attractive person. It would be troublesome if I develop even the slightest impure thoughts about him while acting like a real wife. If I cleanly think about our end, I shouldn’t accept the rule he proposed. As I hesitated, unable to continue my words, he spoke.

“Julieta, isn’t a marriage where you always think of the end lonely? Even when we talk and laugh together like this. If we only think of the time it will end, I don’t think it will be a happy married life. Of course, if it’s difficult for you, you don’t have to accept…”

Yezar speaking like that resembled a large dog with drooping ears and tail. At his pitiful voice, I pondered and cautiously asked him.

“Thinking of each other as real spouses and acting accordingly, does that mean I shouldn’t draw the line of being a contract wife?”

At that, as if the drooping ears perked up and the tail was wagging excitedly, he replied joyfully.

“It’s absolutely forbidden. Even if you get drunk, I hope you won’t say such things.”

I firmly grasped his protruding index finger as if giving a warning.

“Alright.”

Yes. Rather than seeing those eyes turn sad, it’s better for me to desperately hold onto my reason.

“By alright, you mean… you accept?”

“Yes. Because I too want to have a happy married life while we’re together. And I’m sorry. You took it seriously, but I kept talking about the end.”

Perhaps I thought without realizing that I shouldn’t give him affection. A clean contract relationship is mutually beneficial after all. And the more I saw that gentle man, the more I couldn’t help but feel a personal liking.

“It’s alright. But there is one thing I do want to say.”

“Yes? What is it?”

But at that moment, the blowing wind fluttered my hair, swallowing Yezar’s words.

“…It’s a lie that will be easily found out.”

“Huh? A lie?”

“Yes. A lie that will be very easily exposed.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear because of the wind, could you say it again?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t.”

I looked at him curiously, but he was only smiling at me. I gave up and nodded.

“Then shall we head back? The knights must be fed up with continuing to patrol the training grounds because of me.”

“Yes, Yezar. Ah, but is it alright if I take your arm?”

Compared to him who was considerate of the servants and acted to the fullest as the ideal husband, I felt apologetic for only focusing on the contract aspect, so I brought it up.

He narrowed his eyes and provided a space for me to take his arm.

“It’s fine. My lady.”

I carefully held his arm. And I slowly walked the short distance together with him. The footsteps of the knights diligently patrolling the training grounds, the rustling sound of grass, the unusually bright sky. And the person walking to match my slow pace.

Somehow, the words Wizlet said to me before the wedding came to mind.

‘I want you to be happy. Julieta.’

I don’t know why I recalled those words, but I felt like I wouldn’t be able to forget this scenery. And the words I vaguely heard or maybe not when the wind blew.

‘My lady is so beautiful… No one would believe the lie that I didn’t react even after seeing you, so it will easily be found out.’

When I arrived at the training grounds together with Yezar, the knights were diligently patrolling. They were sweating so much that I wondered if our conversation had been too long.

Thanks to that, sparring together that day was out of the question. I was also too embarrassed to immediately be with the knights that day, so I quickly went back inside the mansion.

Of course, the maid girls looked curious about what happened while I was out briefly with Yezar, but thanks to Ember’s consideration, I was able to freely be alone in the bedroom.

Ah. And there was one good thing.

In the end, Yezar couldn’t resist my stubbornness and promised to be my sparring partner. I was smiling brightly in a good mood when Yezar, who had finished his work at some point, came in.

“Why are you smiling like that, my lady?”

“Ah. I remembered how you said you’d be my sparring partner last night.”

The man who firmly refused at the training grounds that day became endlessly soft that night and finally allowed it.

“Well, you did say you’d wake up at the crack of dawn if I didn’t spar with you, my lady.”

Of course, there was a little threat involved too.

“I’m sorry. But you’re the famous Blue Knights’ captain. It’s an opportunity that won’t come again, right?”

It’s true I started with a lighthearted attitude, but I really liked the uplifting feeling of learning swordsmanship. I thought if I weren’t a noble lady, I would have become a knight.

“Did you want to spar with me that much?”

“What an obvious thing to say. It’s something every knight dreams of at least once! Of course, I’m not an official knight, but I’m still happy!”

When I spoke with my voice raised in excitement, he laughed.

“You’re unique. The noble ladies I know hated getting blisters on their hands.”

“Usually, that’s true. But families famous for martial arts do sometimes have women who take up the sword too.”

“Isn’t the Orbetian family not a martial arts family?”

“That’s true. My older brothers and father weren’t very suited for the sword either.”

So some knights looked at me as unusual too. They also thought it was a noblewoman’s temporary fancy.

“But I really enjoyed it. I did get scolded a lot by my nanny when I got hurt, but I still didn’t feel like quitting.”

Saying this now, I also thought if I hadn’t possessed the body of a noble lady, I might have become a mercenary.

Wandering here and there, crossing swords and meeting new people…

“The Orbetian Count allowed it quite readily.”

“I didn’t get permission though?”

“Pardon?”