The Maid's Contract Marriage (1 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“Hey!”
At the sharp grip shaking her shoulder, Reina jolted awake in a panic.
“What’s going on! Were you asleep? Did you sleep with Sir Arthur?!”
Startled, Reina bolted upright in bed.
The warm blanket slipped off her body, letting cold air touch her bare skin.
Huh? Bare skin?
“!”
Reina gasped in alarm and quickly pulled the blanket up to cover herself.
Behind the black-haired maid, who sighed and pressed her palm to her forehead, another maid hopped anxiously in place, unsure what to do.
“What are you going to do now?! Do you really think the young lady will let this slide?!”
Realizing her own state, Reina’s face turned deathly pale.
Clothes. My clothes. Where did they go?
Thus began the refreshingly awkward morning of a maid who woke up naked in the young lady’s bridal chamber.
[This is the timeline separator]“Wash your body yourself.”
The two maids announced this curtly after setting down the bathtub with obvious irritation.
……Well, I don’t exactly want to show you my naked body either.
Reina replied.
“Of course. Th-thank you. For bringing the tub…”
……The words stumbled out of her mouth involuntarily.
It’s not like I wanted to end up in this situation.
Perhaps because she felt she was somewhere she absolutely shouldn’t be, she shrank inwardly.
Though grumbling, the maids set up a screen around the bathtub, then moved far away from Reina, who remained seated on the bed, and turned their backs to her.
“…….”
Reina quickly checked that their heads weren’t moving, then sprang out of bed and tiptoed hastily behind the screen.
She frantically examined her body, poking and prodding every part.
‘Right? Exactly!’
Reina let out an unconscious sigh of relief.
‘Nothing happened!’
Only her corset was missing, and her body felt clean.
If something had actually happened, she wouldn’t possibly feel this fresh and soft.
Based on her experience from five years ago, Reina was nearly certain nothing had occurred between her and Sir Arthur last night.
At the same time, with anxious eyes, she clutched her head in confusion.
……I was definitely attending the victory procession, wasn’t I?
‘I can’t remember.’
She recalled waving her hand all night until dawn began to break.
She remembered accepting and drinking warmed wine… but nothing after that.
What happened afterward?
Why am I here?
She couldn’t recall where her dress and corset had gone, or how she’d ended up sleeping in this bedroom at all…
“…….”
Wait—bedroom?
Suddenly chilled, Reina stiffly raised her head and scanned her surroundings.
“…….”
Black carpet embroidered with gold thread, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, sheer curtains, a luxurious fireplace, familiar masterpieces on the walls, and exquisite decorations.
Plus the familiar arrangement of furniture…
Having been assigned to clean and prepare this room herself, Reina had spent over a month constantly coming and going, so she knew very well where she was.
This was…
‘The bridal chamber for the young lady and Sir Arthur!’
Her head went numb, and every hair on her body stood on end.
The maid’s voice, stomping her feet and shouting, “Do you really think the young lady will let this slide?!” echoed in her ears.
[This is the timeline separator]Arthur crossed his legs and lit the tip of his cigar.
To his right sat Marquis Julius and Marchioness Julius, their faces wearing indescribable expressions.
And across from them sat a man who had introduced himself as “Rembrandt Eaton von Klein.”
He claimed to be the Empress’s nephew.
The Marquis and Marchioness seemed unusually wary of him.
Arthur exhaled a puff of smoke to the side and gave a calm, plain smile.
“Did you sleep peacefully last night?”
“…….”
At this host-like pleasantries, the Marquis’s face flushed red then turned purple with anger.
‘Is this your house?! You insolent brat!’
He would have shouted it out loud—if only Lord Rembrandt hadn’t been present.
Arthur continued composedly.
“I heard you came to visit early this morning. My apologies for keeping you waiting. As you know, I only returned at dawn after handling the victory procession, so I rose later than usual.”
He brought the cigar back to his lips and smiled again.
“In truth, I’m not accustomed to receiving such ardent attention. My lack of diligence over the past years must be to blame—I failed to deliver news worthy of your interest sooner.”
His words carried an edge.
Translation:
His smooth voice continued.
“I never expected such excessive attention, so I committed a breach of decorum. Your sudden and overwhelming kindness startled me. I’m grateful to your esteemed elders for receiving me with such generosity.”
Translation:
The Marquis hardened his expression, clearly conscious of Lord Rembrandt seated across the table.
Marchioness Julius clutched her trembling teacup and recalled the events of that dawn.
·
·
·
“I’m at a loss for words—such hospitality in the dead of night leaves me unsure where to place myself.”
Upon entering the mansion, Arthur didn’t even glance at them as he adjusted the woman in his arms and spoke.
“Of course, I’m sure you’d have been even happier to welcome us during the day—but alas, that’s regrettable.”
Behind Arthur, a knight trailing him clearly turned his head and snorted, barely containing a sneer.
The Marquis clenched his fists in fury, gritted his teeth, and glared at them in silence.
He wanted to shout, but this was the middle of the mansion’s corridor.
‘Rembrandt, Rembrandt, Rembrandt…!’
Repeatedly invoking the noble guest’s name like a mantra to exercise restraint, the Marquis swallowed his outburst.
Meanwhile, Marchioness Julius stood speechless, staring at Reina—still dressed in her gown and fast asleep—in Arthur’s arms.
‘……Is she asleep?’
What shameless state was this, nestled sleepily in a man’s embrace?
Everyone would surely assume “that” was their Christina!
Marchioness Julius pointed a trembling finger toward Reina in Arthur’s arms and stammered,
“Excuse me, Sir Arthur… that girl… our Christina… why is she… held like that… in your arms…?”
Arthur tilted his head slightly and gave an enigmatic smile.
At that moment, the Head Butler appeared around the corridor’s corner, his face pale, walking swiftly toward them.
Though he tried hard to maintain composure with a stiff expression, his panic was evident in his hurried pace, urgent tone, and the veins bulging on his forehead.
The Head Butler approached Marchioness Julius and lowered his voice.
“My lady. Lord Rembrandt has arrived. He’s right there at the end of this corridor…”
His troubled gaze then shifted toward Arthur and the sleeping Reina in his arms.
The Marquis and Marchioness Julius nearly shouted in unison.
“Good work! Go upstairs and rest now! The victory procession must have exhausted you!”
“The maids have already prepared your room! Please go up and take your ease!”
·
·
·
And so the Marquis and Marchioness stood before Rembrandt, dripping with cold sweat.
They babbled endlessly—how exhaustion from the all-night victory procession weighed on them, how emotional they were to reunite with Christina after five long years.
They worked themselves into a lather trying to cover everything up.
Thankfully, their efforts seemed to bear fruit—Lord Rembrandt smiled and graciously accepted that he couldn’t meet “Arthur and Christina” just yet.
He even generously excused Marquis Julius for breaking the prior appointment.
But then came his next question: whether he might look forward to meeting them tomorrow.
If he were merely a court portrait painter, they could have easily brushed him off by saying the session could wait. But he was the Emperor’s maternal nephew.
As a member of the Imperial family, he clearly expected priority—and the Marquis and Marchioness had no choice but to hastily nod and promise him the very first appointment of the next day.
Just when they thought they’d somehow barely managed Lord Rembrandt and could now breathe a sigh of relief—focusing only on how to handle Arthur—
“……What?”
Upon hearing the maid’s report that Sir Arthur had taken Reina upstairs and truly occupied the young lady’s bridal chamber, Marchioness Julius wore an expression she’d never made in her entire life.
When she heard he’d even dismissed the servants, saying he didn’t want to be disturbed, her eye twitched and her jaw dropped.
“Huh…”
When she’d told him to “go upstairs and rest,” she’d meant “go up briefly and wait for us.”
Not to actually go and do that.
After all, no matter how legendary a couple they were, or how strategic this noble marriage was—
someone of his status could easily keep mistresses.
But even if he were furious or wanted to insult them, this was too far.
To bring his mistress into the bridal chamber prepared for my daughter?
·
·
·
Though she resolved to personally defuse this crisis—since her husband clearly couldn’t—Marchioness Julius seethed inwardly, her heart burning black with rage.
That was Christina’s room.
How long and how carefully had she prepared that bridal chamber herself?
Arthur must have known they’d gone to such efforts precisely to signal their renewed goodwill.
And yet he chose to humiliate Christina like this.
“…….”
Gripping her teacup, Marchioness Julius spoke.
“Don’t mention it—it was only natural. But Sir Arthur… did you rest comfortably? I do hope the room pleased you. We put considerable thought into its preparation.”
With a warm smile, she added, chewing each word deliberately,
“After all, it’s a room where not a single unworthy thing may be brought in.”
Arthur answered with a smiling face.
“It was perfect. I’m grateful for your thoughtfulness.”
As he tapped ash from his cigar, he kept a smile at the corners of his lips and smoothly continued,
“Especially ‘Christina’—she was the very best. My wife.”
A rigid smile settled on Marchioness Julius’s face.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. Nothing in that room could compare to her. She was magnificent. I can’t imagine how you raised such a daughter. She is far too good for me.”
A chill swept across the dining table.
Finally, Marchioness Julius gave Arthur a frosty smile and struck back.
“Please, don’t be modest. Sir Arthur’s abundant dignity and noble bloodline suit her perfectly.”
Translated from noble-speak, that meant:
“My lady!”
The Marquis snapped sharply under his breath.
“Hmm.”
And Lord Rembrandt cleared his throat politely behind his hand.
“!”
In that instant, Marchioness Julius realized her mistake.
Lord Rembrandt was the Emperor’s maternal nephew—
in other words, the Empress’s nephew.
In her emotional outburst, she’d just insulted Arthur’s origins in front of the Empress’s nephew by sarcastically praising his “noble bloodline”—referring to the Emperor’s illegitimate child.
Whether he took it as mockery or flattery, it was the worst possible blunder.
Her face revealed utter dismay.
“Oh, it’s quite all right.”
Rembrandt lowered the hand covering his mouth and revealed a faint lingering smile.
“By the way, hearing you say that makes me curious about ‘Lady Christina’ all over again. In truth, I’d been eagerly looking forward to finally seeing the legendary couple together today.”
He turned directly to Arthur and continued,
“It’s already a tremendous honor and pleasure simply to meet Sir Arthur like this, but I confess I’ve also held some curiosity about the famed ‘Lady Christina.’ Of course, only to a degree that wouldn’t offend your wife, with whom you’ve taken sacred marriage vows.”
Noticing how clearly the Marquis and Marchioness were fretting over Lord Rembrandt, Arthur calmly smiled back at him.
“Is that so? I heard you’ve been staying nearby for the past week or so, yet apparently you haven’t had a chance to exchange greetings with my wife.”
The Marquis and Marchioness watched Arthur’s mouth with sweaty palms, hearts pounding—terrified he might stand up and say, “I’ll introduce you to my wife right now. Let’s go meet her.”
Inwardly, Rembrandt smiled as he recalled his meeting with “Reina.”
He couldn’t exactly say he hadn’t greeted “that wife” of his—but of course, he couldn’t say that aloud.
So he answered as if speaking of “Christina.”
“Yes, I’ve only glimpsed her from afar. She’s an exceptionally reserved lady, after all.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Chapter Comments (37)
Inline Comments (172)
I wanted the time we spent together to remain good memories.
Not possible brother… you two can’t be on equal standing. Reina has a bigger threat looming over her and she can’t even be her self around you
"Say it again, but longer."
This is the second time he has said this lol 😆 , blunt isn’t he
After long hesitation…
Ohh that’s a whole other can of worms waiting to be opened
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Omgosh I forgot how much I dislike the misunderstanding trope
Oh my gosh my heart aches for reina… everyone is just tossing her around
Oh gosh reina 🥺… even in this day and age taking contraceptives mess you up … I can’t even imagine how it was back then. ( yes I’m aware it’s fiction but sympathy is free)