‘Sweet. Ah, it’s too sweet.’

It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long since I started living with him. Many embarrassing things happened that I wouldn’t have experienced if I were alone. Naturally, I found myself laughing more often.

In the past, when I sat by the window looking at the night sky, I used to recall one by one the things I missed from my previous life. Now, memories of the times spent with him flashed through my mind.

‘Even if it ends someday. Still, this feeling will remain in me for a long time, unforgotten.’

It was really good back then. Sometimes I would wonder how he’s doing, and from afar, wish for him to meet someone who would make him happy and help him forget the pain of heartbreak.

That was enough. I didn’t want to be greedy and make him uncomfortable. Every moment with him felt so precious that I dared not spoil it.

As I was counting the stars dotting the pitch-black night sky, I suddenly heard the door quietly opening.

“I… I’ve resolved it.”

Seeing Yezar enter hesitantly, I somehow felt like laughing. Clearly, I was also embarrassed, my ear tips turning red.

I playfully asked.

“So you’ll talk to me again, right?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Don’t pull the blanket up to your neck again.”

“I won’t, my lady.”

Despite saying that, he stood far away from me.

“Yes. But Yezar, why are you keeping your distance from me?”

At that, Yezar approached me. I flinched involuntarily. He paused for a moment and said to me.

“You also flinch when I come closer, my lady.”

I hesitated for a moment, then gathered my courage and took his hand. Then, moving out of sync, I led him to the bed and made him fall onto it.

Yezar fell helplessly onto the bed, and I quickly lay down next to him. Yezar called my name in confusion.

“M-my lady?”

“Standing like that won’t change anything! I don’t want to have an awkward conversation tomorrow. I don’t like drifting apart after being close!”

“Still, we’re too close.”

“We’re close, but our bodies aren’t touching, right? And isn’t it odd to be so self-conscious when we sleep in the same bed every day?”

“I think your words lack persuasion when you say them with such a red face, Julieta.”

Let’s pretend we didn’t see that. I’ve never seen a man react like this before.

“It’s my first time experiencing this, so how can I not feel embarrassed and shy? But I dislike becoming awkward with Yezar more than this embarrassment. I took courage, but what about you? Will you keep standing there hesitantly?”

“No. Since you’ve taken courage. I won’t avoid it. I don’t want our precious conversation time to be further reduced by becoming awkward with you.”

Realizing that he valued our time sharing our daily lives as much as I did, I felt strangely happy.

“Phew. Ah, even a contract marriage isn’t so easy.”

“A contract marriage is still a marriage after all. It’s a time of adjusting to someone else.”

It wouldn’t be easy to share and live daily life with a completely different person. Especially since we met knowing only fragmentary information about each other.

Ah, of course, I’ve observed Yezar in the novel, so I probably know him better than he knows me.

“Then this is our adjustment period. Let’s try to adapt well.”

“Yes, I think we’ll know each other better and be more in sync in a year than we are now.”

Come to think of it, our contract period was 2 years. Usually, in other novels, wasn’t it 1 year? That’s why I hadn’t seen much about celebrating wedding anniversaries.

“In a year, we’ll have our wedding anniversary. It might be fun to celebrate it.”

For now, what he wanted was a life like a real couple. I thought it would be good to try everything we could.

“Of course, if it’s burdensome, we don’t have to celebrate. We agreed to respect each other’s wishes.”

“How could it be burdensome? I’d really like that. However, my parents might visit the duchy at that time. My mother especially considers such anniversaries very important.”

Recalling what he told me, his mother did seem to have a personality that enjoyed celebrating anniversaries.

“That’s good. By then, I won’t be unnatural as a wife and I’ll be able to answer well whatever your mother and father ask.”

“Won’t you be uncomfortable with my parents staying at the mansion?”

“Well, I’m sure they’re good people, aren’t they?”

At my cheerful answer, Yezar’s expression darkened instead.

“I brought it up because I was worried you might find my parents uncomfortable. You’re so kind and gentle that I feel sorry.”

“But they’re Yezar’s parents. The people who raised such an excellent son couldn’t possibly be bad people.”

“I think your evaluation of me is too generous.”

“It’s not too much. To me, Yezar is always someone admirable and worthy of respect.”

It was because he was such a person that I felt the emotion of excitement. He was someone I couldn’t help but naturally come to like. He was seeping into me to the point where I had to put a control on my emotions, afraid of how much I might fall for him.

“I think my face is going to turn red again……”

“It’s okay. Mine is red too.”

I felt like laughing out of embarrassment, and various parts of me were red and in a mess. But I thought that sometimes, nights like this in disarray might be okay too.

The maids, with expressions more stern than usual, checked my attire. They were careful even when choosing my clothes for the picnic with Yezar, but then their faces were blooming with smiles.

But now, everyone was focusing intently with all traces of smiles wiped away.

‘Why on earth did the bright atmosphere turn around like this?’

Until just a moment ago, the maids were giggling about which outfit would be better for attending the tea time. But after Ember opened the door and appeared, the atmosphere changed drastically with what she said.

“This is no time for laughing and chattering. Madam is now going to attend that Duchess Eckert’s tea time.”

As soon as those words ended, the maids gathered in front of Ember in perfect unison and responded in a serious voice I had never heard before.

“Head maid, please give us instructions.”

“What should we do to dress Madam more perfectly than anyone else today?”

The silence where they didn’t speak except for necessary talk was unfamiliar. I opened my mouth, thinking if we really needed to go this far.

“Do we need to go this far for Duchess Eckert’s tea time?”

At that, their hands stopped. May, the most honest among them, shouted at me with trembling hands.

“Madam, how can you say such an obvious thing! It’s that Duchess Eckert! She’s the viper lady who dominates weak ladies by giving them a hard time even for slightly crooked attire!”

Surely, when I heard from the butler, there was no such talk. It seems she’s famous enough for rumors to spread among the maids.

“May! How can you raise your voice like that in front of Madam?”

As Ember cautioned her, May immediately closed her mouth with a ‘heup’. It seemed she was being scolded for badmouthing another noble lady loudly in front of me. I was about to tell them not to be so strict. If only it weren’t for the words that followed.

“Moreover, calling her the viper lady. That title is close to praise for Duchess Eckert.”

Huh? Ember usually doesn’t speak ill of people like this. That’s close to praise?

I thought I couldn’t be as relaxed as I was at the previous Duchess Stemun’s tea time, but it seemed I had to go to a place with someone even scarier than I had imagined.

As I was rolling my eyes, feeling nervous, Ember skillfully twisted up my hair and said,

“Although Madam will do well, Duchess Eckert has a bad habit.”

“By bad habit, what do you mean?”

“She enjoys finding flaws in ladies who are not accustomed to social circles and rebuking them. She’s also very territorial, targeting and harassing ladies who don’t bow their heads in front of her. She’ll give wrong dress codes or incorrectly inform about arrival times, making them either too early or too late.”

I thought it was quite a petty way to harass people. As I was wondering if it was too late to cancel now,

“Moreover, if someone accepts the invitation but doesn’t show up citing personal reasons, she seizes the opportunity to harass their maids. She’s really vicious.”

It’s going to be difficult. Cancellation was definitely not an option now.

‘Sigh. I wondered why even Ember was talking like that.’

It seemed it wasn’t someone else’s business. I could understand why Duchess Stemun naturally thought I would accept Duchess Eckert’s invitation.

With such a person at the center of the social circle and ladies, who would dare think of not attending?

“I hope Madam doesn’t get hurt.”

Ember was worrying about me with a voice full of sincerity. The other maid girls in front of me were the same. Their usually bright eyes were moist.

“I’m the Duchess of the Perhaem Duchy. Don’t worry too much. I’ll have a good conversation and come back.”

Of course, Duchess Eckert would know that I had already attended Duchess Stemun’s tea time. She must be really looking forward to this.

“If that lady catches you on something, please punish us, Madam.”

“Why would I punish you? You’re serving me so perfectly.”

“But, Madam.”

“It’s okay. And I really love seeing everyone in the duchy smile. Will you smile for me?”

At my words, they all smiled with tearful expressions. The people of this mansion were consistently cute and lovable.