Herdin looked at that hand, then swallowed a sigh and got up from his seat.

“…Rest.”

Contract. Contract. Contract.

Seeing how she kept talking about the contract every time she opened her mouth, it seemed his fake wife was determined to stake everything on that one-year contract.

He wasn’t sure why this fact, which had been planned since before the marriage, suddenly felt so annoying and irritating.

Herdin swept his bangs up somewhat irritably as he left the room. Luth was waiting outside.

“Fire that hypnotist.”

At the quietly uttered command from his lord, Luth’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What? But you said to keep her on staff?”

“Find a new one. That one seems like a quack.”

As Herdin passed by Luth and headed back to his office, he added:

“And tell that maid who came from the imperial palace to come to my office.”

Recalling the ‘maid’ Herdin was referring to, Luth unconsciously stiffened his expression.

That woman who always looked at everyone in the duke’s residence with hostile, piercing eyes. Though he had never spoken to her, just her gaze alone made him not want to talk to her.

“W-why her?”

At Luth’s question, Herdin’s cold gaze turned back.

One cannot question the lord’s orders.

“…I will carry out your command.”

Luth gave an uncharacteristically formal bow and walked away.

* * *

Suddenly summoned to Herdin’s office, Lina was fidgeting with her fingers and staring intently at his desk.

Even with that handsome face that other maids would stare at in a daze when they passed by right in front of her.

That was because she couldn’t even begin to guess why he had suddenly called for her.

The only thought that came to mind was the absurd speculation: ‘Could he have heard me cursing him in my mind?!’

But there was no need to be scared.

The bad one was the duke who left his bride on their wedding night, not herself who had served Blair faithfully.

As Lina was straightening her body that had shrunk in fear, Herdin removed the cigar from his mouth and spoke.

“I heard you’ve served my wife for quite a long time.”

Contrary to her earlier resolve not to be scared, Lina answered with a start:

“Y-yes! That’s right.”

“The fireplace not being lit in the room, is it because Blair is afraid of fire?”

On their wedding night, the fireplace in Blair’s room was not lit. Even in weather cold enough for snow. At the time, he had just thought she didn’t like the stuffy air.

But the moment he saw Blair suffering after confronting the memories drawn out by hypnosis today, he suddenly realized.

“Ah, yes. That’s why we try to warm the room when she’s away and turn it off when she’s there. She’s okay as long as she doesn’t get too close, but she still seems uncomfortable.”

“Because of that incident ten years ago?”

“I think so. She’s never talked about it directly, but…”

“And the constant coughing too?”

“Yes. I heard it’s because her respiratory system weakened as an aftereffect of the accident.”

So that was it, as expected.

Herdin twisted his lips upon hearing the confirmation.

“You may go.”

Lina left, and the sound of the office door closing was heard.

As Herdin unconsciously tried to put the cigar back in his mouth, the sound of Blair’s coughing suddenly came to mind.

Along with the image of her looking at him with dazed eyes filled with tears just earlier.

He exhaled an irritated sigh and put the cigar back down. Then he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes irritably.

The sunlight flickering beyond his eyelids reminded him of that fine platinum blonde hair, which was annoying.

* * *

The next day, Blair was bedridden with a fever.

“Some people fall ill due to weakened immunity as a result of receiving a great shock. It seems Madam is in such a case.”

The doctor made that diagnosis and left.

Herdin, who had come upon hearing the news, looked at the sleeping Blair with a somewhat dumbfounded expression.

How could a person be so weak?

Inherently, a woman’s body is bound to be weaker than a man’s.

But even taking that into account, his wife seemed to have a physique far below the average health of ordinary people.

“Please call if you need anything.”

Noticing that Herdin would not leave immediately, Lina quietly left the room.

He gazed intently at the sleeping Blair.

In the peaceful scene, the frail woman breathing heavily through slightly parted red lips looked quite distressed.

After keeping watch for a while, Herdin approached the bedside. He placed the back of his hand against her cheek, which had turned red from the fever.

The breath escaping from her small lips that barely touched the back of his hand was still warm, but definitely better than before.

The fever reducer seemed to be having an effect.

Just as Herdin was removing his hand with a soft sigh, it happened.

“…el.”

A faint voice seeped into the silence.

Herdin looked at the lips from which that voice had escaped. Then Blair furrowed her fine brows as if in pain, and her small lips moved with difficulty.

“Asiel…”

The pitiful voice uttered with a sob scattered in the quiet room. His hand that was being withdrawn paused.

Hearing the unfamiliar name that flowed from her lips, he suddenly recalled Blair’s obsession with the ‘contract’ every time.

Only then did he understand her actions up until now.

Asiel.

It seems to be the name of a lover she loves so much that she wants to meet even in dreams, that she wants to fulfill the contract even if it means recalling those terrible memories.

Was that talk of not believing in love ultimately a lie to hide her true purpose?

To keep the existence of that precious lover hidden, lest I expose it to the world?

Herdin burst into a wry laugh as he stood up.

The hypothesis he had dismissed lightly before had taken shape, but whoever that fool was who fearlessly fell into forbidden love with the imperial princess, it was none of his business.

Nevertheless, the reason that name flowing from the woman’s lips was bothersome was probably because the woman who hid her true intentions and deceived him was contemptible.

The fact that the name happened to be that of a Delmark ancestor probably played a part too.

Herdin left the room immediately.

Luth, who had just come looking for him, was startled to face his lord. Though he always had a cold face, right now he was colder than ever before.

While Luth hesitated at that aura, Herdin asked first:

“What is it?”

“Baron Sionel’s wife sent a catalog.”

Baron Sionel’s wife was regarded as the best costume designer in Ardel, bar none. Born a commoner, she was a great talent who even received a title from Empress Dowager Katrina in recognition of her skills.

They had planned to call her to the duke’s residence today to make formal attire for the upcoming New Year’s festival, but the appointment fell through when Blair fell ill.

The servant who went to deliver the news received the catalog instead.

Herdin took the catalog that Luth handed over.

“She asked to please choose the fabrics first, so that difficult-to-obtain fabrics can be procured in advance.”

When he opened the catalog, he saw small fabric samples cut and pasted. Next to them, the pros and cons of the fabrics and even the prices were written in small letters.

Herdin closed the catalog and handed it back to Luth, saying:

“Tell her to get any fabric that’s good for cold protection, it doesn’t matter which.”

From the start, for the Duke of Delmark who possessed wealth rivaling the imperial family, the price of fabric was not a consideration.

* * *

A few days later, when Blair’s condition improved, Herdin brought in a new hypnotist.

She was a woman with a gentle impression who looked to be in her mid-thirties, and was said to be from a family serving the House of Delmark.

The woman, who introduced herself as ‘Agnes Lorelaine’, explained the future plans to Blair.

“Those who have lost their memories due to great shock sometimes cover up their memories even more as a backlash when trying to forcibly draw them out.”

Agnes continued her explanation with a gentle smile towards Blair.

“So rather than trying to draw out memories hastily, I want to start by slowly getting used to the memories of that time.”

“How?”

“First, would you have tea time with me once a week and tell me stories about your childhood? Any story is fine.”

Blair was facing Agnes with her usual calm expression, but her fingers under the table were fiddling with the hem of her dress.

With Agnes’s proposed method, she wouldn’t be able to access the memories quickly.

There was only one reason why she was so obsessed with finding the memories of that time. Because she had to find the memories no matter what, before having Asiel.

If she couldn’t end this contract marriage even after getting pregnant, Herdin would find out about the pregnancy.

Moreover, since her body got sick every time she tried to find the memories, she wouldn’t be able to attempt it after becoming pregnant.

Just over half a year left until Asiel came into being.

It was a tight timeline even to finish all the affairs here and prepare to leave.

Lost in thought, Blair couldn’t readily respond to Agnes’s words and just fiddled with the rim of her teacup after placing her hand on the table.

As if reading Blair’s mind, Agnes said:

“Don’t be too hasty. I will certainly find your memories. Just relax and follow me with trust.”

There was an irresistible power in her gentle gaze.

Would she be able to talk about personal matters well in front of a stranger?

Though she was reluctant, she didn’t feel like refusing Agnes’s proposal. Strangely enough.

“Alright.”

Seeing Blair finally nod willingly, Agnes smiled brightly.

“I’m looking forward to what stories you’ll tell me. By hearing those stories, I’ll be learning another life.”

Just as the two were about to set their next tea time appointment, there was a presence felt from behind.