The Maid's Contract Marriage - Chapter 34

“Arthur…”

The voice murmuring against the neck made the body tremble.

Arthur stiffened, startled.

Lips were touching his neck.

The moment the ticklish breath touched his nape, Arthur pushed Reina away from him, almost throwing her off.

“…!”

Heat rushed to his face.

And elsewhere.

As the pushed Reina tilted and was about to hit her head on the bed’s headboard, Arthur startled and quickly supported the back of her head with his hand.

“…Hah.”

A sigh of relief escaped him simultaneously.

Bewilderment spread at the vivid breath and warmth separated by just a thin cloth.

Through the bodies that touched again as he supported her head, the sensation he had been startled by and avoided just moments ago returned.

She, peacefully sleeping and oblivious to the world, burrowed into his embrace seeking cool skin.

His heart sank.

The memory of holding her five years ago vividly came back to life.

What he could do right now unfolded before his eyes as if seeing an obvious future.

Arthur’s fingertips twitched.

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Bang.

Roughly flinging open the reception room door.

Arthur, who entered carrying bedding for two people, threw one at the crown prince.

“?”

While the crown prince, startled, caught the bedding thrown at his face and stared blankly.

Arthur strode over and plopped down on the sofa in the corner.

Then he lay down there, covering himself with his share of the bedding while turning his back on the crown prince.

“…”

“Arthur?”

“…”

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut.

“…Did you come to sleep with me?”

The crown prince asked quietly.

Damn it.

Arthur silently turned over and pulled the bedding up to cover his face.

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Using the excuse of mourning due to the war.

To keep all the noble young ladies who could be candidates for crown princess selection unmarried for the sake of the unmarried crown prince.

And to ensure that young men of marriageable age called to duty for the war would not be disadvantaged or feel deprived in the marriage market upon their return.

The Empire had issued marriage and social gathering bans targeting the nobility.

Commoners could marry freely, but high-ranking nobles could not marry because official marriage permits from the Imperial Chapel had not been issued.

And in tandem, people from middle-class families preparing to rise to the gentry class also voluntarily stopped attempting interactions that could lead to marriage talks in order to prove their own honor and dignity.

That was considered noble and honorable behavior.

Of course, there were still some noble marriages.

However, nobles marrying even unofficially only happened when a child was conceived before marriage.

That was naturally a dishonorable marriage without the Imperial Chapel’s marriage permit, so nobles’ public marriages naturally came to a complete halt.

At first, everyone accepted it without much difficulty, expecting the war would end in a year or two at most.

“…But the war lasted for five years, and as a result, noble women in their late teens to early twenties, the most active age for marriage discussions, are all passing the appropriate age for marriage at the end of the war without being able to marry. Because of this, everyone is anxiously waiting for the resumption of social gatherings and the lifting of the marriage ban.”

“…”

Kay continued speaking.

“So… as you said, this spring’s debutante ball will be a big event symbolizing victory and the normalization of the Empire. I hear the talk has already gone around once among the nobles.”

“…”

Kay was the son of a prestigious noble family.

He had unmarried and married sisters between their teens and thirties, so the social news he shared was quite reliable.

The other knights who didn’t know much about noble families and social circles quietly listened to his report to Arthur.

“In a way, it’s natural for ‘Lady Christina’ to come out as the opening act. She’s a 22-year-old lady who couldn’t have her debutante ball five years ago, and she’s also the bride of Sir Arthur who ended this war, symbolizing the reunion with her fiancé after five years apart.”

“…”

Kay carefully continued speaking.

“Moreover, Julius has become a prince-elector. So Lady Christina dancing the first dance of the debutante ball with Sir Arthur… will be a very symbolic event. For Julius, it’s entering high society as a top-tier, and for the nobles, it symbolizes the normalization of the social season.”

At each hesitant timing, Kay’s discomfort in conveying that the debutante ball couldn’t be avoided was apparent.

Having passed the difficult hurdle, Kay finally concluded briefly.

“So as you said, if an invitation comes, it seems it can’t be avoided with any ordinary excuse.”

Tristan thought briefly and asked.

“Isn’t His Highness the Crown Prince a male candidate who could symbolize similar ‘normalization’?”

“But he doesn’t have a fiancée, so… The first dance at the debutante ball is also very meaningful. He’ll be choosing crown princess candidates this social season, so rather than dancing the first dance with family or a specific young lady… it’s more natural for Sir Arthur to come out with his wife.”

Kay glanced around cautiously and added.

“To be frank… if His Highness the Crown Prince steps out for the first dance, overtaking Sir Arthur, there’s concern it could be seen as taking Sir Arthur’s place due to pressure from Empress Maria… The imperial family probably won’t want to do that either.”

With Lukan’s murmur of “Oh, why is this so complicated?” in between, Kay continued speaking.

“…And the imperial family will probably try to show respect to Sir Arthur as a sign of recognizing him now… In fact, they probably haven’t even considered that Sir Arthur might refuse.”

Arthur closed his eyes tiredly and tilted his head back on the chair’s backrest.

“…If I say from my side that I want to yield the spotlight to Crown Prince Kyle…”

Kay shook his head in difficulty.

“…It won’t do. Rather, it could be seen as sneering at the imperial family’s goodwill. They’ll think Sir Arthur is deliberately doing it to trouble the imperial family.”

Tristan let out a short sigh.

“Well… Nothing can be done. This situation will be normalized by then anyway. The problem is that His Highness the Crown Prince has already seen the face of the ‘wife’…”

Lukan rolled his eyes.

“If it’s just the debutante ball, can’t you just take your ‘current wife’ there?”

Kay frowned as if it was nonsense.

“That’s impossible. It doesn’t end with just going there and dancing once. You have to stay for several weeks, showing your face to all sorts of nobles as well as Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and even build relationships with important people. Would Lady Christina want to send a stand-in there?”

Lukan scratched the back of his head and said.

“Ah, is that so? Well, I’m a commoner, so how would I know.”

Kay said.

“Even if the relationship is delicate now, considering the future, it’s right for the person who will look after the Julius territory for life to go. Lukan, you should start paying attention and listening too. You’ll soon receive a baronetcy, so you should start social activities. Let me tell you, when you’re introduced to bride candidates, be sure to ask me first, and first of all, manners…”

Lukan immediately changed his expression and declined.

“Ah, serving and attending to noble young ladies doesn’t suit my temperament. I decline a wife who would be dismayed by my vulgarity every night.”

Kay made a bewildered face.

“No, how could a wife possibly be dismayed by her husband every day? Nobles are people too, that’s prejudice against nobles. You wouldn’t marry someone like that anyway…”

Lukan cut him off.

“Ah, forget it. I’ll just marry a girl I meet by fate. A pretty girl who matches my level, similar to me, a commoner I like. I won’t accept introductions.”

Tristan laughed.

“Your standards are quite clear.”

Kay tried to persuade him.

“How can you choose a bride just by looks? You’ve received ample war compensation and you’ll get a title, so plenty of pretty girls who like you will line up, and there are all sorts of kind brides with much better conditions…”

Lukan snorted briefly and puffed out his chest.

“Then it’s even better. It means I’ve reached a level where the person I want won’t reject me, right? That’s enough for me. It’s even better if my pretty wife is happy to have met me for life.”

Life should be lived happily.

Tristan laughed.

“Having one clear goal rather than wanting everything does increase the chances of getting what you want.”

Kay eventually chuckled and stopped giving unnecessary advice.

Tristan brought the topic back to the main point.

“Then we’ll have to tell His Highness the Crown Prince the truth and ask for his understanding to keep it a secret.”

The knights each added a word.

“Before that, we need to finish discussing compensation for the sham marriage with Julius and normalize the bride’s position.”

“It feels like we’ve suddenly got a time limit.”

“The time limit is on their side. What does it matter to us?”

“…”

Arthur remained silent, leaning back in his chair.

The knights continued talking among themselves.

“When does the social season resume?”

“Next spring. March. There will be a debutante ball then, they say.”

“There’s plenty of time.”

“It’s not that plenty. Sir Arthur has to attend the victory parade in the capital too. If you go to the capital for the victory parade and then return to Julius territory, at least a month and a half will be gone. Then to go back to the capital for the debutante ball, you’ll have to start preparing from February at the latest…”

“Hmm… It will be busy going back and forth.”

“We don’t need to worry about it, I tell you. Julius will take care of it.”

“…”

Arthur had been quietly listening to their conversation all this time.

Debutante ball.

Wife.

Normalization.

Tristan, who had been talking with the knights, turned to Arthur and asked.

“…Since you’ll find out anyway, should we consider telling His Highness in advance and devising a method?”

Arthur immediately said.

“No. Keep it a secret from the crown prince’s side for now. I’ll think more about whether there are any other options.”

Feeling that Arthur was putting up too much of a wall against the crown prince, Lukan rolled his eyes.

Although they didn’t respect him as much as Arthur, Lukan and the knights didn’t dislike the affable crown prince who treated Arthur well.

Despite various circumstances, the crown prince genuinely liked Arthur and wanted to be of help.

Sometimes it seemed like Arthur didn’t appreciate that sentiment enough.

“…Your Excellency. His Highness the Crown Prince is on your side. He’ll try to help you.”

“No.”

Arthur calmly cut him off.

“Julius is now my family, for better or worse. And the imperial family can be my ‘backing,’ but they can’t be ‘my family.'”

Kay’s expression darkened slightly as he understood his words.

Tristan, who vaguely understood, glanced at Kay’s face.

Lukan, who didn’t understand, looked at Arthur in puzzlement.

Arthur continued speaking.

“I know Kyle is sincere. But if the crown prince rashly moves the imperial family trying to help me, and Maria Empress’s side ruins Julius under the pretext of protecting me, that would be my loss.”

“…”

Lukan closed his mouth.

Arthur quietly continued speaking.

“On the battlefield, Kyle could be my family. I know personally that Kyle cares for me, and I think he’s a good person. But in the battles to come, he’s no longer on my side. Regardless of his own will.”

“…”

A heavy silence fell among the knights.

Arthur smiled as if to lighten the stiffened atmosphere.

“…Don’t tell Kyle about my circumstances. That’s the only way to remain friends with Kyle, not enemies.”

“Yes.”

The knights, including Lukan, answered.

Tristan asked.

“…What about Lord Rembrandt? That side too…”

Arthur rolled the cigar between his fingers, recalling Reina’s words that she ‘promised to keep secret that he saw her unadorned appearance.’

“…”

Unadorned appearance.

It probably means they met while she was a ‘maid.’

Perhaps, that side already knows.

“…”

“Lady.”

He recalled Rembrandt speaking quickly and softly in her ear.

“Don’t be surprised. It’s alright.”

“It’s alright.”

Next, he recalled the words spoken while holding her arm and looking at him.

“Um, Sir Arthur.”

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

And finally, the words heard through the aura as he took Reina aside.

“Are you alright?”

“Do you… need any help?”

“The Marquis and Marchioness, or Sir Arthur…”

“Is someone troubling you?”

“…What to do? You should return. Your eyes are red. It shows you’ve been crying.”

“What shall we say to match stories?”

Arthur smiled out of habit.

For some reason, he felt his head getting hot.

Arthur calmly put the cigar in his mouth and opened his lips.

“That side is indeed imperial. Especially Maria Empress’s person.”

“…”

The knights nodded as if it was the answer they had expected.

Arthur blew out a long puff of smoke and tapped the cigar on the ashtray.

“Be wary. Don’t let him approach my wife.”

The knights answered.

“Yes.”