The date for the Grand Duke’s wedding was set. It was a week before the Grand Duchess’s entrance to the Imperial University. With just over a month left to prepare, the servants at the Grand Duke’s residence were feeling rushed.

The ceremony would be held in the chapel of the Grand Duke’s residence, followed by a celebratory reception. As the Emperor and notable noble families of the Empire would be attending, everyone put their utmost effort into the preparations.

Especially since it was the grand occasion of the Grand Duke they served so loyally, no negligence could be tolerated. Marlin was in charge of interior decorations and event preparations, while Gregory handled external guest reception and protocol.

“Lady Aidel, here are the budget details related to the construction.”

“And here is the list of noble guests attending the wedding and the content of the invitations. Oh, and this is the budget execution report from the Grand Duke’s territory.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work. Please leave them there.”

Aidel, Marlin, and Gregory, gathered in the Grand Duchess’s office, were working together on various tasks for the Grand Duke’s household, centered around the wedding preparations.

In place of the Grand Duke who was busy with external affairs, Marlin and Gregory had been handling the household and administrative duties of the Grand Duke’s family, but now the future Grand Duchess joined them in filling that role.

“How fortunate we are that Lady Aidel has come.”

Gregory’s eyes sparkled with joy as he watched Aidel meticulously examining the documents on the desk.

He was immensely grateful for the future Grand Duchess who processed documents quickly and thoroughly, as it usually took ages to get approvals from the busy Grand Duke.

Marlin was also in awe of the broad knowledge and intelligence of the future Grand Duchess. Having already perfectly mastered the guidelines for a Duchess, she was handling even the administrative work of the Grand Duke’s household that Gregory had been managing without any difficulties.

“A telegram arrived earlier, saying that His Highness will be late returning home today due to a prolonged meeting.”

Gregory relayed the news that had arrived from the Grand Duke. At the mention of Caeron, Aidel’s movements briefly paused as she was organizing documents.

“It seems you’ll have to have dinner without the Grand Duke again today.”

Marlin’s expression turned regretful as she thought of the Grand Duke whom they wouldn’t be able to see all day due to his early morning departure. Mealtime was usually the only chance for the busy Grand Duke and the future Grand Duchess to see each other.

The servants had come to quietly look forward to serving meals, after their initial surprise at seeing the Grand Duke attentively caring for the future Grand Duchess.

“It can’t be helped. It’s alright.”

Aidel smiled faintly, as if comforting Marlin’s upset expression.

“We have a lot of work too, so it’s better if we eat simply. Could you bring something suitable to the office without going to too much trouble?”

“Yes, of course. Please wait a moment.”

As Marlin left to prepare the meal, Aidel resumed moving her hands that had been holding the documents. Her eyes were directed at the papers, but her gaze was drifting past the letters.

‘What exactly is this feeling?’

It was strange. While thinking it was fortunate not to face him, somehow the feeling was not entirely welcome…

Ever since that day of the banquet at the Emperor’s invitation, Aidel had become uncomfortable facing Caeron. So she had intentionally been avoiding situations where she might encounter him as much as possible.

It wasn’t because of the anxiety that came from his inscrutable demeanor as before. Rather, his increasingly clear display of emotions towards her plunged her into an unfamiliar anxiety.

‘Why… it’s just a contract…’

They would part ways after three years. For a temporary relationship, maintaining an appropriate distance should have been fine. Moreover, given the Grand Duke’s nature, she thought he would certainly act that way.

And yet.

− I fell for her. At first sight. For my Grand Duchess.

Aidel’s eyelashes trembled finely as she recalled what he had said at the recent banquet.

− Even now… I’m sufficiently intoxicated by her.

She couldn’t forget the warmth of his fingers intertwining with hers. As the hot sensation that had touched the inside of her wrist came to mind, she unconsciously rubbed the spot where his lips had touched.

Her earlobes had turned bright red without her realizing, and she shook her head slightly in urgency.

‘Don’t be foolish… don’t waver.’

The behavior he had shown in front of the Emperor and Roselyn… was surely just courtesy towards the Grand Duchess, like what he had done in front of the servants of the Grand Duke’s household. It must have been his consideration to hide their contractual relationship, nothing more.

She bit her lip and tried to focus on work again.

‘Pull yourself together. Focus on the duties of the Grand Duchess.’

But her mind was already full.

With thoughts of him that she was helplessly sinking into…

* * *

A thin sliver of light leaked through the crack of the Grand Duchess’s office door. Worried about the future Grand Duchess working late into the night, Marlin lingered in front of the door.

Concerned that she might fall ill due to the large temperature difference, Marlin had brought a blanket and was about to reach for the office door handle when approaching footsteps made her turn her head.

“Your Grace!”

Marlin’s face brightened as she saw Caeron walking down the corridor. The Grand Duke, dressed in his outdoor attire with a frock coat, seemed to have come straight here upon arriving at the mansion.

Caeron alternately looked at the still-lit office of the Grand Duchess and the blanket Marlin was holding. Marlin’s expression turned awkward as she saw the Grand Duke’s brow furrow slightly in displeasure.

“I was just about to suggest that Lady Aidel retire for the night.”

Seeing the Grand Duke’s expression still not softening, Marlin quickly added:

“It’s amazing how quickly she’s adapting to her duties these days. She was already a brilliant person, but working so diligently late into the night like this, it’s no wonder.”

“…So she’s working alone until late. After everyone else has gone home.”

“Well…”

Marlin hesitated, then closed her mouth. Even if she explained that Aidel had insisted they rest and pushed them out of the office, it didn’t seem likely to improve the Grand Duke’s displeased mood.

“Tell Gregory to come to my office early tomorrow morning.”

“…Understood.”

Marlin quietly prayed for Gregory’s fate.

“Give me that. You should rest too.”

Caeron reached out and took the blanket Marlin was holding.

Watching his back as he opened the door and entered the Grand Duchess’s office, Marlin let out a small sigh. She vowed that from tomorrow, she would never leave the office before the future Grand Duchess.

* * *

As he opened the door to the office, her scent that filled the room pierced his lungs. His hand holding the blanket unconsciously tightened.

The room’s illumination flickered following the movement of the flame quietly rising from the oil lamp. On the wall, the shadow of a man draping a blanket over a woman asleep at her desk was cast.

Perhaps due to the warm beige light, the face of the sleeping woman with closed eyes looked peaceful. Caeron gazed at that sight for a long while.

He too was aware that lately, she would avoid him with wary eyes like a startled deer whenever she saw him. He couldn’t help but notice that subtle change in her mood.

‘It’s what I intended.’

She was a woman who didn’t know how to cunningly play tricks like the other women he had seen. If she had resembled his half-sister even a little, there would have been no need to think so complexly.

‘It might have been easier that way.’

It would have been good if she had easily opened her heart to the kindness he showed… but the woman ended up averting her gaze each time, not knowing how to react.

As if she had never received affection before.

‘The flowerless bloom of Fluor…’

It was absurd. That this scent, so clearly perceptible to him, was not felt by others.

At the same time, he felt angry. Every time he saw her face dimming as she sank into the darkness in her heart. Even after leaving the Count’s house, that old abyss seemed to hold her captive.

The initial reason he wanted to keep this woman by his side was clear.

‘I want to embrace her, to possess her.’

To quell this uncontrollable, strange longing.

Perhaps he thought this burning thirst would disappear if he could fully take the woman. But the woman did not willingly offer herself to him.

Winning a woman’s heart was not difficult for him. The countless women who had flocked to him like moths to a flame, seeking his gaze, proved that fact.

Yet only this woman was quick to run away from him. From their first meeting, even now after he had brought her to the Grand Duke’s household with the contract as bait.

To catch her, he expressed a special interest in another person that he had never shown before. To his own surprise.

Whether this stemmed from his initial purpose, or was a change that occurred after glimpsing into her abyss, he couldn’t tell.

“Mmm…”

A faint moan escaped through the woman’s slightly parted lips. Her face, with all defenses lowered, was vulnerable.

Caeron slowly lowered his head. The distance between her sleeping lips and his grew closer and closer. The urge to steal her fragrant breath as it was dominated his entire body.

But just as they were about to touch, his movement stopped.

The contradictory emotions of wanting to blindly devour her, yet also wanting to embrace her without breaking her, created a hesitant distance between him and her.

“Your Grace…?”

In that fleeting moment created by that distance, Aidel gently opened her eyes.

Her eyes, hazy with sleep, fell upon the Grand Duke’s face before her. She thought the image of the Grand Duke entering her field of vision was a dream.

‘Now you appear even in my dreams.’

All day long she had thrown herself into work trying to erase thoughts of him. Yet to recall him even in her dreams like this, she smiled slightly at her own patheticness.

If it’s a dream, I can stare as much as I want, right? Her dim eyes, still blurry, slowly took in his features as if etching them into her mind, the image that wouldn’t leave her thoughts.

From his solid-looking jaw and perfectly drawn lips, to his sharp nose bridge and deep set eyes…

As her gaze slowly climbed upwards, Caeron’s eyes grew hotter, as if a fire was gradually igniting. His blue eyes began to shimmer, taking on an even deeper hue.

As their eyes met, her pupils dilated and trembled slightly.

It was that very gaze. The one she had so desperately wanted to avoid… Aidel’s eyelashes fluttered as she whispered in a plaintive voice.

“Please don’t…”

It sounded like a desperate plea.

“Please don’t shake me…”

Because I’m afraid I’ll fall for you…

Swallowing the last words, she closed her eyes again as if seeking sleep. Knowing that while it might be happy for a moment, it was ultimately a dream she had to wake from.