I had to find another way if it was unreasonable. Though it was someone else’s castle, I was ready to take the whole blanket and run away when Johan opened his mouth.

“I would like my wife to call me by my name from now on.”

“……What?”

“It would be even better if you use informal speech.”

It was totally unexpected.

“It’s not a difficult condition, is it? We’ve already spent the night together.”

“That, that was just pretend!”

“Still, a night is a night. It won’t change what has happened.”

The conversation was making my head spin. The villain’s way with words was too good.

“But why all of a sudden do you want me to call you by your name and use informal speech?”

“I don’t know. Somehow, it seems like it would suit my wife better to use informal speech with me.”

His soft whisper seemed to pierce through me. Suddenly, the time when Johan went wild came to mind.

‘Is it because I used informal speech in front of Johan back then?’

If so, could it be…

‘He hasn’t recovered the memories from when he went wild, has he?’

The lies I told in front of Johan at that time kept coming back to me.

‘I mean, I said we were in love back then.’

His arm reached inside the blanket, wrapping around my body, and his firm chest pressed against my back.

Johan urged me.

“Or is there a reason my wife finds it difficult to comply?”

“No!”

I shook my head vigorously and said,

“I’ll do it.”

I had been using informal speech in my mind anyway, so there was no need to resist. The problem was that I didn’t know why Johan was asking for this.

‘It’s not because he has memories from when he went wild, right?’

Johan chuckled and kissed near my shoulder.

“Then you have to call me that way right away. Otherwise, I won’t leave until tonight’s banquet is over.”

“Johan.”

But saying it out loud was a little embarrassing. I tried to hide my embarrassment by speaking nonchalantly.

“Johan.”

“Yes, my wife.”

“Take your hands off and leave now.”

“…….”

“Can’t you hear me?”

Suddenly, Johan fell silent.

‘Did I speak too harshly?’

Unconsciously, my hidden discontent seemed to have burst out. In the tense moment, Johan began to chuckle quietly.

“Ah, really.”

Johan, who embraced me once more, whispered,

“I knew informal speech would suit my wife.”

“……Are you satisfied now?”

“Plenty.”

I didn’t know how I ended up like this with the villain.

(This is a time marker.)

After Johan left, I quickly put on a new dress and went outside. If I stayed in the room, I felt like I would keep remembering the embarrassing moment.

“Duchess of Blanchet. What a coincidence to meet you here.”

It was Lord Ortega.

“Ah, yes. Were you out for a walk?”

“Yes. Somehow, when I look at these trees…….”

His cold green eyes leisurely swept over the trees in the garden.

“I feel like there’s a secret I’ve been looking for.”

“What kind of secret are you looking for?”

“That is a secret, so I cannot explain.”

I hesitated for a moment.

‘Is he looking for what I hid between the trees?’

Thinking about it, besides the key, there were also lists and documents of other nobles who had taken bribes from Libertan. Given that the emperor had sent Libertan away for treason, it made sense to look for them.

But I feigned ignorance with a fleeting smile.
“I understand enough. But I thought Lord Orteka would ask me about that secret.”

“Hoho. Why is that?”

“Because he praised me as Princess Armatys.”

Princess Armatys is the most exceptional new bride in the empire’s mythology. However, it was not a character commonly used in daily praise.

‘It met a tragic end.’

That too, while keeping her husband’s secret.

So Princess Armatys’ nickname was also a noble secret. Lord Orteka smiled faintly.

“What if I praised you, thinking it suited Duchess Blanchet?”

“It would be a light mistake on my part for not getting the joke. So, do you think I made a mistake, Lord?”

“How surprising. What you thought, Duchess, is correct.”

Lord Orteka raised the corner of his mouth as if interested.

“Somehow I think Duchess Blanchet knows the secret I’ve been looking for.”

“But I know nothing if you, Lord, don’t tell me about the secret?”

“But there’s nothing to be done. I’m quite sorry too.”

Unlike with Johan, talking to Duke Orteka was uncomfortable. Lord Orteka’s green eyes shone ominously.

“But since you listened and understood my story, I feel like I should tell you something else.”

“What is that?”

“Today, Countess Hettel put a lot of effort into the banquet. To an excessive degree.”

Duke Orteka tapped the garden floor with his cane and smiled at me.

“She prepared something very rare for dinner. Duchess, I hope you look forward to the main dish tonight.”

A woman’s voice calling for Lord Orteka was heard from the back of the garden.

“Lord Orteka! Are you here?”

It seemed to be the second daughter of Count Hettel. Lord Orteka elegantly lifted his cane and gave a light greeting.

“Then I’ll see you tonight.”

(This is a time separator.)

After parting with Duke Orteka, I was lost in thought about unexpected information.

‘The problem is what situation will arise…’

Too many things were predictable, making it a little hard to act.

Then Betty, who came to find me in the garden, smiled brightly when she saw me.

“Madam! Since the banquet is soon, is it okay to freshen up your outfit one more time?”

Perhaps because Count Hettel had invited several guests, as Duke Orteka and I were about to leave, so the Duchess Blanchet, myself, needed to put effort into dressing.

“Alright, fine.”

“You’ll be the star of tonight’s banquet, too, Madam. Because you will be the most beautiful lady.”

Betty nodded with an enthusiastic face.

“But Betty, can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Please ask.”

“What did you do at the Blanchet Duke’s house before?”

“Excuse me? I was a maid.”

“That’s not all.”

“Excuse…?”

Surprised by the unexpected words, Betty blinked her innocent eyes. I looked at Betty like that and smiled kindly.

“Besides being a maid, what you usually did. Can you tell me about what you usually did before coming to watch me?”

Betty’s brown eyes trembled.

(This is a time separator.)

Count Hettel paced anxiously around his office. His wife, displeased with his appearance, shouted.

“Honey, we have an important banquet soon, why are you acting so undignified!”

“But my dear.”

Count Hettel spoke, unable to hide his tension.

“Can we really trust that child’s words? As my dear knows, if this goes wrong, we’re really finished…”

“What’s there to be anxious about?”

Countess Hettel scolded her husband disdainfully.

“The situation is over, and we even hurriedly obtained and verified the magical tool. We have to take advantage of the opportunity given to us; we can’t live like this forever.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Honey. Think about Lotte and Flora.”

Countess Hettel seemed to calm down as she held her husband’s hand.

“The rumors of our disgrace in society have spread, and our children can’t even get married now. We can’t leave it like that.”
The Earl nodded innocently. The Countess’s face, which had been twisted in displeasure, relaxed again.

Honestly, he had not known that such a use would arise even when hiding Viscount Penula. He had planned to drive him away before it became a nuisance.

‘It must be this fortune that has come to me because I have lived kindly.’

It was time for the banquet. The guests gathered in the banquet hall of the welldecorated Hetel Earl’s house. And in the very center of the banquet hall, the Duchess Blanchet, more beautiful than anyone, stood with her husband.