Chapter 29

So the two of them could read books together and talk as much as they wanted in the first-floor cafeteria.

Kaiden enjoyed sitting across a small table from Astrid, studying together and sharing the little moments of daily life.

Astrid, who liked debates, always presented her opinions logically, and Kaiden mostly listened to what she had to say.

Her gentle way of speaking sounded like a kind song.

Whenever Kaiden hit the mark with a sharp point, her white cheeks would flush red.

He loved the moment when her sparkling green eyes wavered and her words trailed off. When he cornered her, Astrid seemed filled entirely with herself.

If he went to her room now and brought up the words that only wandered in his mind, what would Astrid say?

How far would she go for the Mason Merchant Guild and Declan?

If only they could talk about international affairs instead, they could have a pleasant conversation.

Kaiden clenched his fist in regret.

It was hard to go to her at this late hour and tell her that the Dowager Duchess and the Queen were trying to bargain with the nobles over her.

Kaiden stared at the door with narrowed eyes.

He had expected that his mother and the Queen would move to push for Sophia and Kaiden’s marriage, but he never thought the Queen would show such great interest in Astrid.

When he closed his eyes, her fresh green eyes appeared. Whenever he was alone, those eyes would mercilessly rake his heart.

Kaiden pulled on the door handle.

Things around them had already started moving out of control, and Astrid deserved to know about this disaster.

If talk of a political marriage started, would she leave him again?

The strange feeling he couldn’t shake was the fear that Astrid might abandon him once more.

For a year, slowly, he had tried to open her firmly closed heart.

He decided to wait until she revealed why she hadn’t come to him when she was driven out of the Hamilton Marquis’s house, why she spent three years with Declan Mason without saying a word to him.

At the end of that, he wanted to start over. To clear up their disappointments and misunderstandings and love each other purely.

He still hadn’t decided what he wanted to do with Astrid.

But one thing was clear—she had to stay by his side.

Astrid and Kaiden belonged to each other, so she could never be anyone else’s.

Kaiden entered the secret passage.

The once-dark path now felt familiar, as if it were lit by bright lanterns.

It was as if the woman who had shaken his whole life was leading him to her room.

When he arrived in front of Astrid’s room, his body temperature rose and the veins in his neck stood out. Even clenching his fists didn’t calm his pounding heart.

If he showed up suddenly in the middle of the night, how would she look at him?

Praying it wouldn’t be with contempt, Kaiden pushed the bookshelf.

At the moment the bookshelf rattled, Astrid was startled and dropped her pen.

The fountain pen rolled across the floor and stopped at the man’s feet, and Kaiden bent his knees to pick it up.

The spot on the pen where nobles usually engraved their names was empty. Kaiden stared at that spot for a moment, then moved his lips.

“What was your name at the guild?”

“Is that what you came to ask?”

“…Yes.”

When Kaiden answered briefly, Astrid let out a hollow laugh, as if she couldn’t believe it.

She carefully wrapped the shawl around her shoulders, then picked up the fountain pen from his hand.

The fresh smile on her face showed no trace of the hardships she had endured.

“Just As. Surnames and families didn’t matter.”

“…Declan called you As, not senior.”

“Yes, because he was my boss.”

Astrid quietly organized the documents that had been on her desk.

He’d wondered why she kept taking books and statistics from the library—she was writing a business plan for the Mason Merchant Guild. Even next year’s plan.

When Kaiden’s gaze lingered on the documents, Astrid quickly put the plan away completely.

“Kaiden, what’s the real reason you came?”

“…The Queen and my mother are discussing what to do with you.”

When Kaiden murmured this quietly, Astrid frowned.

As she pressed her lips together and fell into thought, he quietly studied her pale face.

He liked the time Astrid spent thinking. It was as if she was drawing water from a deep well, her eyes lowered in silence.

“If you came to see me yourself, it doesn’t sound like they’re planning to send me to another region for convalescence. Are they looking for a marriage match for Miss Selinger?”

“It seems they’re planning to arrange a gathering to introduce you to the nobles soon.”

Astrid nodded. Brielle Selinger had been the wife of a young duke and was still young, so she’d be suitable as a second wife for a noble or the spouse of a merchant.

She hadn’t expected something like this to happen just two months after accepting the role.

If it was hard to keep to her room with the excuse of poor health, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go on arranged meetings with various men.

“If there’s someone decent, I’ll meet him. As long as my true identity isn’t revealed, right?”

“What?”

“I said I’ll go on arranged meetings. Isn’t that what you want too?”

Ha.

Kaiden let out a laugh mixed with a sigh.

Clever Astrid had quickly grasped Brielle Selinger’s social position and was even ready to fulfill the role.

As Duke Raselles, he should applaud her conduct, but his heart pounded wildly.

“I never gave you permission to meet other men.”

“Then are you going to go against Her Majesty the Queen and the Dowager Duchess? If you do, I might end up being removed.”

Astrid spoke as if it were someone else’s story.

She was just carrying out the contract, showing no interest in Kaiden.

Her attitude, as if she understood everything he was trying to say, only made Kaiden angrier.

Suddenly heated, he grabbed Astrid’s wrist tightly.

“Do you really think I’d let a woman who sleeps with me go on arranged meetings with other men?”

“That was something I had no choice about. Now I’ll just endure it alone….”

“No choice?”

His grip on her slender wrist tightened. Astrid frowned, and Kaiden reluctantly let go.

“Did the night we spent together mean so little to you?”

Kaiden’s voice sounded as if he might cry. Astrid’s expression twisted, not understanding why a man who would soon marry the princess was acting this way.

“Of course it was good. You’re handsome and have a great body. Rolling in bed with a wonderful man is better than suffering alone with painkillers.”

“……”

“But that’s all. I got your message, so would you please leave now?”

Astrid massaged her tingling arm and glared at him.

Her green eyes shone with sad anger. Staring at those eyes endlessly, Kaiden turned around.

He could feel her gaze on his back, but he never looked back.

* * *

The Dowager Duchess began to pay extra attention to Astrid’s dresses and jewelry.

To others, it might have seemed as if she were a mother preparing her daughter for her debutante ball.

The tailor introduced by Declan recommended a light-colored dress that would suit Astrid’s blonde hair, but she shook her head. Standing out in that place would only bring trouble.

“I’ll take that purple dress.”

“White would suit you better….”

“Purple contrasts with my skin and will look prettier.”

The tailor was disappointed, but Astrid didn’t change her mind.

As a merchant, she knew exactly what the person trying to sell her something wanted. She could see right through the attempt to dress her up and sell her off at a high price.

If an actual marriage discussion progressed, it would be hard to back out, so she needed to maintain her dignity while giving the man a reason to hesitate.

Brielle Selinger had recently suffered a major accident, so if Astrid emphasized her frailty at the critical moment, the other side would hesitate to pursue the match.

They wanted a pretty, well-spoken flower, not someone they’d have to nurse.