Perhaps… this might be a way to bring down the Ibelle Count’s family.

So this was the problem.

Even for the only Grand Duke in the empire, completely destroying a family would be taking on unnecessary risks, and for whatever reason, it was clearly too troublesome.

Especially for a powerful and wealthy family like the Ibelle Count’s.

Yet Reus was saying he would take on all of that if I married him.

If this wasn’t a joke to tease me, he must really have something he wants from me.

I carefully opened my mouth and spoke.

“It seems you know all my secrets, Your Grace, but let me say… I have nothing I can give you.”

Even though I said I had nothing to give, Reus still seemed to be in a good mood.

“What I want is something you can certainly give. Well, you might need to put in a bit of effort depending on the situation.”

“What is it that you want…?”

“The Forest of Silence. That’s all I need.”

Once again, it was an answer I hadn’t expected at all.

‘He wants that?’

The Forest of Silence.

The least valuable asset my father owned.

A gloomy forest that seems devoured by darkness even in daylight. A troublesome land where all sorts of incidents occur when darkness seeps into darkness.

That was the Forest of Silence.

Even if offered at a bargain price, no one would buy it, and it was a piece of land that could barely be disposed of even if money was given to take it…

He wants to exchange all the Ibelle Count family’s fortune for that forest?

“Why specifically the Forest of Silence?”

“Hmm. Well.”

Reus gave a brief answer and then showed a gentle smile.

That smile seemed to say that he couldn’t tell me anything until he could trust me.

“I’m not asking you to live there forever. You can bring the Forest of Silence when you return here, and that will conclude my business. So you can leave whenever you want after making the contract.”

‘So he means he won’t interfere with when I disappear as long as I bring the Forest of Silence somehow when we get married.’

So now, along with revenge I never dared to dream of, have I suddenly been given a golden opportunity to obtain the assets I need most…?

‘It’s sudden, but will such an opportunity come to me again?’

It was certainly an offer difficult to refuse to give up coolly.

After all, money changes the quality of the rest of one’s life.

I wasn’t planning to settle in Belliata without a penny to my name because I wanted to. It was simply the best option among the choices given to me.

Reus’s rebellion would happen about 2 years from now.

‘Couldn’t I run away far before he rebels…?’

If that’s possible…

“Are you proposing a contract to me, Your Grace…?”

“That’s right.”

“Then…, can everything be finished within a year?”

About 1 year before Reus’s rebellion. A time neither too late nor too early to escape.

The villain answered with a charming smile.

“That’s plenty of time.”

* * *

I accepted Reus’s proposal. After my acceptance, things progressed very quickly.

Reus, who claimed to know everything, seemed to have even anticipated my decision as he immediately presented a contract.

Along with the words I was most curious about.

[“The person who said they saw you will never reveal your secret, so you can rest assured about that at least.”]

To summarize the contract Reus handed me:

After the wedding ceremony, he would tell me who knows about me, and once the Forest of Silence becomes completely Reus’s property, that’s when he would start bringing down the Count’s family.

He said all of that would be enough in a year, so I had no reason to refuse.

The only problem is that I have to pretend to be a lover madly in love with Reus for a year.

I’m not sure if I can act well enough, but…

‘I’ll be able to properly get back at Casien.’

I’m really curious to see how Casien, who said I had nowhere to go but by his side, will react.

Just then, a familiar voice was heard from beyond the door.

“Roel. It’s me, Shanette. May I come in for a moment?”

“Yes, of course…!”

As I opened the door, Shanette smiled brightly.

“I heard the news from Reus. I never thought the day would come when that child would tell me directly about marriage…”

“Ah…”

Shanette led me, standing there stupidly, to the table and as soon as she sat down, she spoke in a voice full of joy.

“A few days ago, when he said he had a woman he wanted to introduce, I didn’t believe it at all. But now I’m really hearing such good news.”

‘So he was planning to marry me somehow from the beginning.’

What on earth could be in the Forest of Silence…?

I tried not to be curious about anything, thinking it would be dangerous to get too deeply involved. But hearing that he had prepared in advance to marry me piqued my curiosity.

Doesn’t this make it seem like there’s something extraordinary buried in the Forest of Silence?

“Roel?”

“Ah, yes…!”

“From what I hear, Reus seemed eager to have the wedding as soon as possible… The schedule is quite tight, so it might be good to have someone help. What do you think?”

“If there’s someone to help, I would be very grateful.”

“Then I’d like to help with things until the wedding, would that be alright?”

“You personally, madam?”

“If I can help with your wedding, it would be the happiest joy for me.”

Seeing Shanette’s face, excited like a child, a piece of exposed conscience dug into a corner of my heart. But having signed the contract, I suppose I should bear this kind of burden.

I answered with a smile similar to Shanette’s.

“…It would be such an honor if you help, Lady Shanette.”

* * *

Just as I was in the middle of discussing wedding matters with Shanette, Reus came to the room.

“Ah, Reus. You’re here?”

“Aunt. I’d like to have a private conversation with Lady Ibelle for a moment.”

“Oh my, was I being insensitive? Roel, I’ll be going now. I had so much fun today. Let’s continue our talk tomorrow then.”

Shanette smiled, patted Reus’s arm, and disappeared before I could even say goodbye. Thanks to that, Reus and I were suddenly left alone in the large room.

‘This is awkward…!’

He was originally difficult to deal with and incredibly awkward. But thinking that I would soon be marrying this person made it hard even to look at him.

But it seems it’s not the case for him. Reus approached me naturally and reached out his hand.

“We should get used to this.”

“Yes, we should…”

I nodded weakly and took Reus’s hand.

“I just sent a letter to the Ibelle Count’s family.”

Reus led me to the table under the window, even pulling out the chair for me, and I naturally sat facing forward.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Although Reus was still standing beside me, I thought he would obviously go and sit across from me.

But Reus sat right next to me. That alone was very surprising, but he even stared at me without averting his gaze.

“Is there a problem−”

“Roel.”

“…”

Startled by Reus suddenly calling my name so familiarly, I unconsciously held my breath for a moment.

“Didn’t we agree to call each other by name?”

“Ah, yes… that’s right…”

We had briefly discussed how we should behave from now on after signing the contract.

Reus said he would like people to find no reason other than love in our marriage.

He seemed to have his own reasons for suggesting this, but I didn’t bother to ask. Anyway, I thought it would be better for me in many ways too.

But I didn’t know we would start like this right away. And even when we’re alone!

“Although I was the one who ardently courted you, if you agreed to go along with it, you should at least call me by name.”

“Yes, Your Gra…”

“Roel. By name.”

As it didn’t seem like I could say it right away, I nodded vigorously as if promising to do so from now on.

* * *

The reason Reus came to see me yesterday was to inform me that wedding preparations would start right away.

And as I was told, the wedding preparations proceeded busily.

On the first day, we chose the venue for the wedding and the company to decorate it, on the second day, the food to be served to the guests, and the next day, we narrowed down the general guest list and decided on the design of the invitations.

After spending several days so busy that we couldn’t even catch our breath, the day to fit the wedding dress had finally come.

The wedding dress I was to be fitted for today was from Celeste’s Atelier, which was said to be fully booked for several years in advance.

That’s why Shanette and Celeste had been enthusiastically discussing in front of me for a while now.

“Don’t you think something more glamorous would suit Lady Ibelle better?”

“But everything she’s tried on so far has looked so good that it’s hard to choose. The one she just tried on was so pretty too…”

“Ah! Then, how about choosing three dresses in total? One for the main ceremony, one for the second part. And another one for the congratulatory banquet.”

I was shocked to hear that one dress easily surpasses the price of a mansion, but now three dresses?

‘One is already more than enough…!’

But Shanette was already deep in thought, spreading out the dresses as if she had agreed with Celeste’s opinion.

Thinking I should at least try to stop Shanette, I was about to move my feet when suddenly there was a commotion among Celeste’s Atelier staff.