The Maid's Contract Marriage - Chapter 28

Rembrandt smiled brightly.

“I finally get to meet you! It’s an honor, Lady. I’ve waited so long!”

He looked like he was having the time of his life in this situation.

Reina stopped breathing, turning pale white.

That person is Rembrandt.

Not an attendant, but Rembrandt.

I’m dead. I’m dead now…

“Lord Rembrandt is absolutely not allowed.”
“He’s already seen me.”
“Did he recognize me?”
“I’m Christina.”
“Should I give him money?”
“It’s difficult to give much, but…”
“Could you not abandon me?”

Confused sentences echoed in her head.

Reina trembled, unable to say “I’m Christina” as usual.

“?”

Arthur, sensing something was off with Reina, grabbed her arm.

“My lady?”

“Yes?”

Ah…

“Ah.”

Reina couldn’t say anything.

Seeing Reina trembling pitifully, Arthur’s expression changed.

He looked at Rembrandt once, as if searching for the cause.

Then he looked back at Reina and held her closer, as if supporting her.

“My lady.”

Rembrandt, surprised that Reina would be this frightened, stiffened his face.

Reina, who had turned pale, staggered backward.

As Reina was about to fall, Rembrandt quickly approached and grabbed her other arm, bending down.

“Lady.”

“…”

Their eye levels became close.

Rembrandt lowered his voice slightly and spoke quickly.

“Don’t be surprised. It’s alright.”

Reina looked at him, trembling.

Rembrandt repeated softly, as if soothing her.

“It’s alright.”

Arthur’s hand tightened, flustered.

“…”

A strangely tense silence fell.

“Um… Sir Arthur.”

Rembrandt looked at Arthur.

“May I speak with your lady for a moment?”

“…”

He was very polite and apologetic, with a courteous attitude, as if fully aware that his request could be rude.

“Over there, in sight. It seems the lady was surprised due to some misunderstanding.”

“…”

He truly looked cautious.

As if knowing that if her husband Arthur refused, he would have no choice but to withdraw, and as if he would politely apologize.

“I will not harm Sir Arthur and his lady’s honor.”

“…”

Arthur looked down at Rembrandt and Reina, and at his own hand gripping Reina’s arm.

Unlike himself, who was gripping Reina’s arm strongly as if restraining her, Rembrandt wasn’t even touching Reina beyond supporting her.

“…”

He was just polite and earnest.

“…”

After a long while, Arthur released Reina’s arm with a hardened face.

“Thank you, Sir Arthur.”

“…”

Rembrandt, having put away his initial joyful expression, escorted Reina with a considerate attitude.

Reina, though trembling, took his hand and moved away towards the small fountain on the other side within their sight.

Rembrandt, considering the startled Reina, walked very slowly, watching her footing.

“…”

The Crown Prince carefully spoke from the side.

“…Arthur? What’s wrong?”

“Ah. Yes.”

Arthur answered shortly with a terrifyingly hardened face.

He didn’t seem to care whose question, or what question he was answering.

Arthur just sat still like ice, doing nothing.

After a while, he nonchalantly took out a cigar and put it in his mouth.

“…”

The Crown Prince quietly observed Arthur.

And silently lit Arthur’s cigar.

Arthur inhaled the cigar lit by the Crown Prince as if nothing was wrong.

“…”

I thought only Taylor’s side was real…

…I thought that side wasn’t.

“…Phew.”

He exhaled cigar smoke in the opposite direction of the Crown Prince.

And putting the cigar in his mouth again, he thrust one hand into his pocket.

“…”

When he had probed earlier.

Reina’s reaction came to mind.

The clearly loud heartbeat when hearing Taylor’s name.

Just a slight agitation when hearing Rembrandt’s name.

So, thinking that side wasn’t it, he hadn’t paid attention.

“…”

What Tristan had reported came to mind.

The man investigating Reina.

An attendant of Lord Rembrandt, an imperial guest who had stayed here for only 2 weeks.

There’s a possibility she has a dangerous history with men.

You might need to be cautious.

She certainly charmed someone she hadn’t known for long.

“…”

Various possibilities floated in his mind.

Was it ‘Rembrandt’ or ‘Rembrandt’s attendant’ who was investigating ‘Reina’?

Or is there a possibility it could be both?

“…”

Arthur glared at the gold rim of the teacup with an ominous face.

“Arthur.”

The Crown Prince called him cautiously, as if observing.

Arthur sneered coldly.

“To my chaste wife.”

Arthur inhaled the cigar irritably and concluded.

“Why do strange men keep swarming around her.”

Arthur unleashed his aura.

·

·

·

[I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be this surprised.] [Are you alright?] […..] [Do you… need help?] [This is the timeline separator]

“Do you… need help?”

At those words.

Tears welled up in Reina’s blank eyes.

Drip drip.

The flustered Rembrandt took half a step towards her, not knowing what to do.

“Lady.”

“I’m sorry…”

Reina bowed her head and apologized, not even knowing what she was apologizing for.

From the tears falling drip drip, it was felt that she had been through considerable heartache.

Oh my…

Rembrandt became so sorry for himself who had only thought this situation was hilarious that he didn’t know what to do.

This wasn’t what I intended…

“Don’t cry. Do you need help?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I’m not blaming you.”

Rembrandt handed her a handkerchief in panic.

“…”

Reina declined the handkerchief Rembrandt offered, and undid the lace handkerchief wrapped around her wrist inside her sleeve to wipe her tears.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. Talk to me. Do you need anything? I’ll help you. How can I help you?”

Reina looked up at him with reddened wet eyes and hesitantly asked.

“Will you… not report me?”

Oh my…

Rembrandt swallowed a sigh.

Only then did he imagine what she must have thought alone, standing here instead of the real Christina.

“I won’t report you.”

Reina finally smiled in relief with red wet eyes, nodding thanks to Rembrandt, and sniffled.

“…To the Marquis… and the Madam…”

“Yes. I won’t tell them. You want them not to know that I found out, right?”

Reina carefully nodded.

Oh my…

Rembrandt kept swallowing “oh my” internally as he looked at Reina with pity.

“And to His Highness the Crown Prince…”

“Yes. I won’t tell Crown Prince Kyle either. I won’t tell anyone. So stop crying.”

Reina smiled slightly, raising the corners of her mouth.

It was pitiful to see her do that with a tear-stained face.

If she weren’t someone else’s wife, he’d want to hug her once.

Rembrandt smiled as if soothing her.

“Now, no more tears. They’ll start thinking strange things over there soon.”

“…”

Reina glanced slightly in the direction of the Crown Prince, then looked up at Rembrandt.

Rembrandt smiled, bending his eyebrows, reassuring Reina.

“Crown Prince Kyle is watching too, and it looks like I made Sir Arthur’s wife cry. Nothing will happen, so don’t cry.”

“…Thank you.”

“No. I’m sorry. I didn’t know I’d surprise you like this. It must have been a serious matter for you… To be honest, I didn’t take it seriously. To be frank, I found it amusing. I’m sorry. Truly.”

Rembrandt apologized sincerely.

“I’m also sincere about helping if you need it. Are you in trouble? The Marquis and his wife, perhaps. Or Sir Arthur…”

Rembrandt asked carefully, examining her eyes.

“Is someone making things difficult for you?”

“…”

Reina just shook her head without saying anything.

Her face that couldn’t speak and only smiled weakly was pitiful.

“…Did you know from the beginning? How did you know?”

She just hesitantly asked that.

Rembrandt chuckled.

“Is that important right now?”

Reina sniffled.

“So I won’t get caught next time…”

The words “I don’t know if others will be as understanding as you if I’m caught” were added in a trailing voice.

Rembrandt sighed in exasperation, feeling sorry for her.

“…Others won’t know. I’m a painter, you know. I have a keen eye for such things. I’d also seen you before.”

And he added with sincerity to help Reina.

“Who else knows? I’m asking to know in case I need to help you.”

“…”

Reina couldn’t say anything.

She must not trust enough yet, and is afraid of everyone getting entangled as accomplices if she speaks.

Rembrandt understood her feelings and nodded briefly.

“Alright. You don’t have to say. For now, we can’t take too long. Um… Instead, can I come visit later to help, to listen to your story? If you don’t want the Marquis and his wife to know, the portrait excuse won’t work. Something else.”

“…”

Reina just nodded slightly without saying anything.

Rembrandt finally sighed in relief and smiled at Reina.

“Okay. Then we’ll talk again later. Are you calm now?”

“Yes. …Thank you.”

Rembrandt smiled at Reina, bending his eyebrows slightly as if in sympathy.

“…What should we do? We need to go back. Your eyes are red. It shows you’ve been crying. What should we say?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Arthur.”

The Crown Prince grabbed Arthur’s arm strongly.

“Stop it.”

“…”

The Crown Prince spoke forcefully again.

“You’re using your aura. Stop it. It will get worse.”

“…”

His eyes held coercive but sincere concern.

“You shouldn’t use that for long. You know that.”

“…”

Arthur withdrew his aura.

Feeling the change in the air, the Crown Prince frowned and sighed.

He rested his chin on his hand and looked at Arthur as if he couldn’t understand at all.

“…I’ll ask Rembrandt what he talked about with your wife. He’s not the type to do anything foolish. Why are you being so sensitive? Don’t tell me you think my cousin is having an affair with your wife?”

“…”

Arthur’s face was calm, but his expression was stiff.

The Crown Prince sneered with a short laugh.

“I don’t know if you’re being devoted or jealous. It was an arranged marriage, yet you’re acting like it’s the love of the century.”

“…”

Arthur put out his cigar in the ashtray and said.

“You don’t need to ask.”

“…”

“I appreciate your concern.”

His attitude was very proper.

“…”

Crown Prince Kyle, who had been silently looking at Arthur, called him.

“Arthur.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Don’t rely too much on your aura.”

“Yes. I’ll handle my eyes on my own.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

The Crown Prince paused before continuing.

“Don’t ‘rely on your aura’. You, because you have your aura, you keep testing people instead of trusting them.”

“…”

Arthur’s face remained proper throughout.

But it was also stiffly proper.

Kyle’s voice continued.

“If you didn’t want to send her, you shouldn’t have. You could have said she’s your wife, here, in front of me. You could have said that. Why did you send her?”

“…”

“Did you send her on purpose to see what they would do, to hear what they would talk about?”

Arthur, who had been silent, quietly closed and opened his eyes.

“Kyle.”

“Yeah.”

Arthur raised his usually cold gray eyes to look at the Crown Prince.

“You think you know me completely because you know about my aura?”

“…”

The Crown Prince looked at him quietly for a while, then sighed and turned his gaze away as if to say do as you please.

Arthur stared at the tip of a new cigar he took out with cold eyes.