The unspoken rule in the mansion was that the bedroom was Arasila’s domain, and the study was Demian’s domain.

They usually did not invade each other’s spaces. So when Demian said he would put a desk for Arasila to use in his space, she was momentarily dumbfounded.

“Are you serious?”

“Why would I lie? Rather than wasting time working separately on the same task, it’s much better to share the space.”

Demian calmly replied to the question that seemed to express surprise.

But in fact, it was a decision he had made after quite a lot of deliberation. Demian was even more accustomed to being alone than Arasila.

It’s just that the business wouldn’t be over in a day or two, so he judged it would be good to compromise and seek each other’s convenience.

“If you don’t like it, please say so. I will cancel the order even now.”

“No, well… It’s fine with me. Let’s work together.”

Arasila, who had been secretly uncomfortable because there was a table but no separate desk in the bedroom, nodded.

The desk arrived three days later, and from that evening on, the two began working together in Demian’s study.

Arasila looked around the study again with a fresh gaze. Although she had been here several times before, the feeling of ‘someone else’s space’ and ‘our space’ was different.

There were two things that stood out in the tidy study that only had necessary items:

One was the never-wilting flower crown that Arasila had personally hung, and the other was Arasila’s desk placed diagonally across from Demian’s seat.

The desk made of mahogany was large and spacious. It was neatly painted all white, with gold decorations on the corners and front, making it look luxurious.

It was almost identical in shape to Demian’s desk made of ebony, only different in color.

However, in the study furnished with mostly low-saturation furniture, the pure white desk stood out with its strong presence.

Arasila casually ran her hand over the desktop surface, as it seemed he had put quite a bit of thought into ordering it to suit her taste.

‘Coincidentally, the two things that don’t fit in here are both related to me.’

Demian was basically a person who disliked letting others into his space. This applied not only to people but also to objects.

But now, with items related to her prominently placed here, and herself inside as well.

It gave her a strange feeling, as if she was recognized as the only person allowed into his space.

“Demian, if my presence is uncomfortable or disturbing while you work, tell me.”

“Then will you vacate your seat? Such consideration is unnecessary…”

“No? I’ll kick you out.”

Arasila looked at Demian as if to say ‘what are you talking about’. She lightly tapped the desk and added:

“I like this. So let’s have the person with complaints leave, shall we?”

“… Madam, you do realize this is my study, right?”

“Don’t be so petty. If you were going to be like this, you shouldn’t have let me in here. While letting me in was your decision, leaving is mine.”

Demian let out a snort mixed with a laugh at her bold statement. It was ridiculous, but so like Arasila that it was more amusing than annoying.

He lightly shook his head while touching the corner of his eye with his hand.

“It seems I’ve brought in a tiger that repays kindness with enmity.”

“I do often hear that my eyes resemble those of a tiger.”

Arasila retorted with a shrug of her shoulders, then sat down at the desk and neatly arranged her work materials and various stationery. Demian also turned his attention back to the documents he had been reading.

Time passed quietly as they worked, like students gathered in a library during exam period.

Amidst the sound of turning pages and moving pens, their faint breaths mingled.

Perhaps because they were alone in a confined space. Even if they tried not to be conscious of it, they were subtly aware of each other’s presence.

Demian would glance at Arasila from time to time while looking at documents, and drank water to suppress the urge to clear his throat unnecessarily.

And Arasila kept brushing her hair back for no reason, and didn’t move an inch as even the sound of the chair dragging seemed bothersome.

Then, when Demian glanced at Arasila again, and Arasila looked at him slightly, their eyes met.

It was just a momentary eye contact, but they both startled as if caught doing something wrong.

“Ahem, ahem.”

“……”

Demian cleared his throat and averted his eyes, while Arasila turned her head pretending to touch the opposite side of her hair.

Afterwards, both of them remained motionless for a while, as if under a spell.

Being conscious of each other in the same space didn’t last even a few days. The two soon came to regard the other’s presence as natural and met in Demian’s study even on weekends.

The good thing about this was that there was no need to make time for meals. As they worked face to face every day, they ended up eating together, whether it was regular meals or late-night snacks.

However, the time they gathered in the study varied daily. This was due to the difference in their return times from work.

Usually, on weekdays, Arasila was overwhelmingly more likely to return home late, but today was the opposite.

Demian, entering the study at a rather late hour, widened his eyes slightly in surprise when he saw Arasila sitting at the desk.

“You’re back, Demian?”

“Yes. But what’s with those glasses?”

He asked curiously, fixing his gaze on the black horn-rimmed glasses perched on her straight nose.

It felt somewhat unfamiliar as he had never seen Arasila wearing glasses before.

“Oh, these? They’re just frames without lenses.”

Arasila took off the glasses and showed them by passing her finger through. Demian looked at her with incomprehension.

“If there are no lenses, why are you wearing them?”

“Somehow, I feel more focused when I wear glasses. I used to wear them when studying during exam periods at the academy too.”

Arasila put the glasses back on. Just by adding a pair of black horn-rimmed glasses, her glamorous impression was slightly subdued, giving a pure and docile feeling.

Somehow unable to take his eyes off her, Demian walked towards his desk while responding,

“Is that so. I don’t quite understand. I’d think glasses would rather decrease concentration by being in the way.”

“You sound just like Frederick. It’s not as uncomfortable as you might think.”

Arasila mentioned Frederick unintentionally. It was because what she had heard from him at the academy was similar to what Demian had just said, and it came out unconsciously.

Demian’s fingers trembled slightly as he was pulling out his chair. At the same time, his expression became subtle.

A wife who thinks of another person upon her husband’s words. If they were a real couple, it would have been quite hurtful, and for a contract couple…

“You must have often worn glasses in front of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Demian blurted out the words as if throwing them, oddly bothered.

“Well, we often studied together with Paula in the library.”

Arasila answered nonchalantly. As if Frederick’s name didn’t come out immediately because memories with him were particularly special.

Suddenly realizing he had said unnecessary things, Demian closed his mouth. It was ridiculous to react like this when he had known all along that Arasila and Frederick were friends.

As Demian grew quiet, this time Arasila spoke up.

“Demian, I’ve been curious about something. How do you usually sleep here?”

The study was cleared of all unnecessary items to focus solely on work, so there was only a large, hard black sofa to lie down on.

There wasn’t even a rest area connected to the study, so Arasila wondered how he managed to sleep.

“You don’t spread a blanket on the floor, do you?”

“I just sleep on the sofa.”

“On that sofa? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“I’m used to it, so it’s fine. I’ve slept in more uncomfortable places, so it doesn’t matter.”

Demian answered calmly.

He had been the leader of a group of knights, and through countless hardships and marches, he had become less concerned about his sleeping arrangements.

As he said, he wouldn’t mind even sleeping on the floor with a blanket spread out.

Arasila’s words stopped as she realized he really was fine with it, and the conversation ended awkwardly.

Still, it must be uncomfortable. She thought that for a moment, but it was just a fleeting thought.

The two focused on their work again. After a while, not realizing how much time had passed, Demian lifted his gaze while tilting his head left and right, feeling stiffness in his neck.

Then he casually looked towards Arasila.

‘I thought it was too quiet, but there was a reason.’

At some point, Arasila had fallen asleep, lying on the desk. Soft, even breathing sounds echoed quietly.

Moonlight pouring through the window illuminated Arasila’s face white. Demian furrowed his brow when he saw that she had fallen asleep uncomfortably without even taking off her glasses.

What if she hurts her eyes sleeping with glasses on like that. He clicked his tongue softly, got up from his seat, and approached Arasila.

Then he slowly extended his hand towards the small face that could be covered entirely by his palm. He intended to take off her glasses for her.

However, the moment his fingertips touched the horn-rimmed glasses, Arasila suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“……”

Blue eyes, still not fully awake, looked up at Demian blankly. Demian looked down at her, his wrist held still.

With their eyes locked, Arasila slowly opened her red lips.

“Shall we go to the bedroom?”

“… Pardon?”

Demian questioned a beat late. Arasila slightly tightened her grip on his wrist and said again.

“I said, let’s go to the bedroom together.”

“What……”

Flustered, he shook off Arasila’s hand and stepped back. His ears turned bright red in an instant, as if burning.

Whether aware of Demian’s feelings or not, Arasila yawned widely and straightened up.

“What’s wrong, don’t you want to go?”

“… What do you mean by saying such things?”

To the question full of wariness, Arasila blinked a couple of times and answered in a cool tone.

“What do I mean? I meant don’t sleep uncomfortably on the study sofa, but sleep more comfortably.”

“……”

“The bedroom sofa is softer, isn’t it?”

At her words tinged with unnecessary consideration, Demian felt his strength drain away.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes with his palm. Arasila, now a bit more awake, looked up at him in bewilderment.

“I’ve been thinking… Madam, you seem to lack caution in your words and actions.”

“Why the sudden criticism?”

“Put your hand on your heart and think if it’s really just criticism.”

Arasila put her hand on her chest with an incredulous and displeased face. Demian staggered back to his seat and resumed his work with a tired expression.

Meanwhile, after pondering for a while, Arasila belatedly realized that her statement could have quite an ambiguous nuance and said,

“I’ve been thinking too, Demian seems a bit lecherous.”

“… If you’re going to talk nonsense, go to sleep.”

“Now you’re trying to send me away because it’s disadvantageous to you.”

Demian couldn’t refute Arasila’s prim retort.