“Did I write something wrong?”

“No. You didn’t.”

He said that while frowning. I didn’t write anything wrong though. If he’s frowning like that, did he get dust in his eyes?

I stared at his face intently and approached him. Then he leaned his body back.

“Why are you coming closer?”

“Blink your eyes, Yezar.”

Then his pretty eyelids disappeared and reappeared. I approached right up to his face and blew at his eyes with a ‘hoo’. His long eyelashes trembled finely.

“The dust is gone now, right? If dust got in, you should just say so. Why are you hiding it?”

When I smiled triumphantly, he quietly nodded his head.

“Yes, you’re right… For a moment, dust got into my eyes.”

As I thought, my prediction was correct. Happy that I was able to help him even a little, I asked him again.

“Are your eyes okay now?”

“…I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.”

“Ah, do your eyes still sting?”

“Yes. It seems so.”

While hurriedly disappearing, the tips of his ears were red. Even though it’s early spring, it’s not extremely chilly today.

“Do men’s ears usually turn red easily?”

Wizlet didn’t do that. Or is Yezar particularly like that? Because there are individual differences between people.

After organizing this new fact I learned about Yezar, I obediently waited for him. Before long, he appeared again. But as if he had washed his face roughly, there was moisture left on his face. His ears that were red had also calmed down.

“Is the dust gone?”

“Yes, it’s gone.”

I tapped the parchment I had organized, not making a big deal out of Yezar’s behavior.

“Then quickly, tell me if there are any other rules. It’s good to write them down in advance, because we can add them anytime if there are any inconveniences during our married life.”

These rules are written to prevent mishaps between him and me. If there are gaps in the rules and mishaps occur in succession, there would have been no point in setting the rules.

“Next, how about spending leisure time together?”

“Spend leisure time together? Are you really okay with that? I can understand if Yezar wants to rest comfortably alone.”

Due to his personality, he could be saying that out of concern for me. He might have thought that if I was left alone in the ducal residence, I would feel loneliness. But that was a misunderstanding.

When I was practically confined to the earl’s residence, how much did I struggle to find things to replace smartphones, YouTube, and various OTT services? There was no room to be bored.

“I’m fine. As an ideal husband, I want to spend leisure time with you as well.”

Somehow, what he wants is romantic. I narrowed my eyes and stared at him, then threw out the part that bothered me.

“By the way, Yezar.”

“Yes, wife.”

“Do you have a lot of things you want to do with me?”

“Are you saying that because I’m asking for too much…?”

His indifferent eyes took on a sad light. Surprised, I hurriedly denied it.

“No! I was just wondering, because people imagine it from time to time. When you get a lover, you imagine the scenery of the streets you’ll walk together, the time you’ll spend talking while eating your favorite foods together, the moments you’ll enjoy your hobbies together, things like that!”

Before this gentle man misunderstood, I hastily added.

“So I was asking if Yezar also wanted to try the things you dreamed of like that.”

Then his eyes darkened. He looked anxious as he carefully examined my expression.

“…That might be the case. I’m sorry. I said that without realizing my heart was getting ahead of me, even though it would make you uncomfortable, Julieta.”

I don’t know why he shrank back again when I never told him to.

I tried to reach out my hand to him but hesitated.

“Yezar.”

“Yes, wife….”

“Can I hold your hand?”

“Wh, what did you just say….”

His eyes wavered as if they couldn’t believe it. In this case, it was better to just say it shortly.

“Yes or no?”

He avoided my gaze and then nodded his head.

I grabbed both of his hands tightly. Like guiding a wandering lamb, I spoke solemnly.

“I have never once found Yezar’s actions uncomfortable. And just as Yezar acts as an ideal husband, I will also play the role of the ideal wife that Yezar wants. That’s our contract, isn’t it?”

“But….”

“Now it’s forbidden to lower your eyes so miserably like that. Apologizing first is also confiscated.”

“What on earth does Julieta want from me?”

Seeing his confused face, I thought I should guide him.

“What I want is exactly that. For both you and me to be happy during our 2 years of marriage!”

“It’s just a contract marriage that I forcibly started.”

“Forcibly? It’s a contract marriage that both Yezar and I wanted. So, Yezar. Even though I’m not the one you love. I’ll be someone you can laugh with, chat with, and share your concerns with. Even if it’s a contract marriage, there’s no need for the time we spend together to be unhappy. And my contract husband is someone who looks really good when he smiles!”

Then, sunshine settled on his face that had a sorrowful expression. As I thought, he’s someone who looks good when he smiles.

“Julieta, you really are….”

“I know. I’m reliable.”

When I slipped out of his hands with a wink, he held my hands.

I wondered why he was holding my hands and tried to pull away. But Yezar wouldn’t let go.

“Julieta, can I add one more rule?”

“What? Tell me.”

“Listen to everything I say. Will you keep that?”

“Oh, was that not what I was thinking?”

I was worried that I had cut off what he was trying to say and interpreted it my way.

His gentle yet sticky voice penetrated my ears.

“Yes. What I was trying to say was…. Julieta, you are really lovely.”

Huh? Are my ears wrong right now? What did Yezar just say to me?

“That was exactly what I wanted to say.”

Seeing him articulate it again, it seemed I hadn’t misheard. I realized I still had a lot to teach this man and carefully waited for him to let go of my hands.

He smiled brightly at me and let go of my hands after a few minutes, freeing me.

Before I forgot, I tapped the parchment that listed our marriage life rules.

“It’s also forbidden to call your contract wife lovely. Let’s add that to the rules quickly.”

At my resolute words, Yezar seemed to crumble as if he lost his energy. But I couldn’t back down.

There is a proper line in business relationships. If you treat them so well like that and then, huh? If you really fall for them… Hmm…

It might not be so bad? But I erased that possibility.

There’s absolutely no way that would happen. The man in front of my eyes has purely and devotedly looked at only one woman for a very long time.

And he falls head over heels for a wife he’s known for only a few days? This has a very big problem with plausibility. Yezar, who had been staring at the parchment, asked me.

“Do I really have to add it to the rules?”

“Oh my. Aren’t you going to do it quickly? Ah, and there’s more.”

At my words that there was more, his voice slowed down by a beat and became smaller.

“What is it…?”

“It’s also forbidden to be this kind to other women.”

Then he, who hadn’t budged, began to write the rules elegantly. The sound of the quill pen tapping against my ears, and the rules that would become the basic framework for our future married life were beautifully written.

“Julieta, I will definitely keep these rules.”

That’s how it should be. Otherwise, there would be young ladies chasing after Yezar like moths to a flame, mistaking his futile kindness.

I know of his long-time love, but to young ladies who don’t know, how alluring would he be? So it would be good for both Yezar and the young ladies to block it in advance.

“Yes, I’ll look forward to it.”

After twists and turns, the rules for our contract marriage life were set. I let out a sigh of relief and plopped down on the bed.

“Phew. It’s tiring in many ways.”

“Is your hangover okay now?”

“Thanks to a certain duke running around, it’s been gone for a long time.”

That certain duke must have been pricked because he smiled awkwardly. I answered that it was a joke and tried to lie down properly. Then he prepared to lie down next to me. Remembering the tragedy that had happened before, I spoke.

“When does Yezar usually wake up?”

“I wake up early in the morning because of training.”

As I thought, the reason he didn’t wake up late that time was probably because of the alcohol. Fortunately, now there was no alcohol to create an awkward situation, and my mind was extremely clear.

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

“What’s a relief?”

“I sleep so soundly that I don’t know if someone wakes me up. And my sleeping habits are fine except when I’m drunk on alcohol. If you wake up first and leave, nothing will happen.”

Really, nothing will happen between us. Because I have no intention of touching Yezar’s pure body.

I smiled brightly, raising both hands as if to reassure him.

“…The one who should say that is rather me. You think of me as quite gentlemanly, wife.”

“Of course. Because I know you’re not someone who would lay a hand on a woman’s body without her consent.”

Aren’t there many fools who, when the woman they’ve liked for a long time is taken away by another man, turn around and do crazy things?

But Yezar didn’t do that. Rather, he foolishly married a woman he doesn’t even love for their sake.

“I liked that kindness of yours, which is also why I accepted the marriage proposal. Even if it’s a contract, I felt like you would treat me kindly. And my prediction was correct. Perhaps, the biggest beneficiary of this marriage might be me.”

I answered brightly and closed my eyes tightly. Was it because it had been a very long time since I slept with someone?

The body heat seeping into the blanket was warm. Today, for some reason. It felt like I would have good dreams.