Ribeta moved her head, and the woman in the mirror mimicked her exactly.

“I’ve cast a disguise spell on the ring. Now, while you’re wearing the ring, your appearance will change to Illeshia Barea. Your voice will transform to sound like Illeshia Barea’s as well.”

“Did you say…… a spell?”

Ribeta couldn’t help but ask again, finding it hard to believe. And for good reason—magic was a forgotten power whose lineage had nearly died out in the Solania Empire. The beings called mages who could use magic had vanished without a trace, and only records of them remained.

“Are you a mage, Count?”

Ribeta asked again. She simultaneously thought it absurd, yet also that if it were Count Ruperto, it might be possible. Count Ruperto’s business acumen was so remarkable it was called miraculous.

But Diego didn’t answer Ribeta’s question and rattled off something else instead.

“If I’d known the activation would take this long, I should have chosen something else.”

“……Don’t tell me the magic activation phrase was ‘I love you’?”

“Isn’t it good? It’s everyday, not childish. It even makes you feel good when you hear it.”

The activation phrase for magic that disguised her to look like Lady Barea was ‘I love you.’ It couldn’t be in worse taste.

She even felt a bit frightened of Diego, who mentioned that fact so casually. What more could she ask such a person? Would it even mean anything?

When Ribeta lost her motivation and closed her mouth, Diego tapped the ring on her finger.

“Always keep the ring on. If you say it’s an engagement ring, it won’t raise suspicion.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“And……”

Diego cut off mid-sentence and took out his watch. His slightly furrowed brow clearly showed annoyance. Running one hand through his hair, he said quietly:

“Let’s move locations. Somewhere more private.”

※※※

“Haah……”

A sigh leaked from between the lips of Ribeta, who lay in bed. She finally sat up.

She’d tossed and turned for nearly an hour, but sleep wouldn’t come. All her nerves were focused on the contract in the desk drawer.

It seemed she wouldn’t be falling asleep today anyway. Ribeta draped a thin shawl over herself, then sat at the desk and took out the contract.

[Marriage Contract]

The private place Diego mentioned was his office. The two of them drafted the marriage contract there. It proceeded with Diego’s pre-prepared draft as the basis, reflecting what each wanted to add or remove.

The first condition Diego asked Ribeta’s opinion on was alimony.

“Do you have an amount in mind?”

“No. I think you’ll set an appropriate value, Count.”

“Then let’s make it 80,010,000 sola.”

Ribeta stared at Diego. Diego met her gaze with an unconcerned attitude.

“Is it too little? Do you want double? Or triple?”

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His shameless retort with an expression that knew everything seemed like he was teasing her. No, it was certain.

80,010,000 sola was Ribeta’s answer to Diego’s final question.

[I need 80,010,000 sola. I don’t want to marry while still a slave. I believe a master and slave cannot become an equal relationship like husband and wife.]

The alimony was set at 80,010,000 sola. Diego had Ribeta write the amount of 80,010,000 sola directly into the contract herself.

Ribeta felt a strange sensation looking at the absurd number. The money Diego paid to retrieve her from Lerrbatia was 80 million, and the money he’d have to pay in two years for her freedom was another 80,010,000.

It seemed she was deeply connected to the number 80 million.

The two exchanged opinions and completed the contract. Diego wasn’t overbearing, at least when drafting the contract.

Occasionally when a term came up that Ribeta didn’t understand, he’d explain its meaning. His attitude, which even seemed kind at times, was puzzling, but Ribeta finally learned the reason for Diego’s behavior at the end.

“A contract made by deceiving or threatening the other party is meaningless. Only bastards who lack confidence in making someone want to contract use such despicable methods.”

“You’re…… honest, Count. I’m truly sorry if that was rude to say.”

Diego chuckled. He crossed his legs and leaned deep into his chair. That was the end of their conversation.

Finishing her recollection, Ribeta scanned through the contract. Besides the duration and alimony, the definition and scope of ‘married life’ were specified.

They would use one bedroom but separate beds. They would maintain a harmonious relationship to the extent it wouldn’t negatively affect them publicly.

Finally, neither of them would create improper relationships for two years.

The last item was proposed by Diego first. It was necessary for a smooth marriage and clean divorce. She just hadn’t expected Diego to mention it first, which surprised her.

‘There’s nothing problematic.’

Once she wrote her name in the empty signature line, the contract would be sealed. Diego had already signed in his office. Ribeta was hesitating with just one last step remaining. Even though she thought she had no choice, it wasn’t easy to shake off the anxiety.

‘Should I take a walk?’

Diego had said she could freely roam the mansion as long as she wore the ring. She hadn’t asked for details, but Diego had probably set up a situation where he was searching for and protecting Lady Barea.

Ribeta fiddled with the ring on her finger, then looked in the mirror. The her in the mirror was a perfect Lady Barea from every angle. Even her shoulders, which had been crushed under the brand her whole life, were clean without a single mark.

Would other people really not see the brand either? How could she guarantee the magic wouldn’t break? If only she could erase the brand, the anxiety would lessen somewhat.

She opened the door and came out. She had no particular destination and planned to just walk briefly, get some air, and return.

Walking wherever her feet took her, Ribeta noticed light leaking through a door crack. It was a room at the end of the corridor.

Looking around while she was at it, it was a place she’d never seen before. Perhaps because it was a dark night, she seemed to have come to quite a remote area.

She should go back. Just as she was about to turn her steps, something rolled out from the room with the leaking light into the corridor. Ribeta’s head tilted. She looked around once more. There was no sign of people, not even a small sound. That’s why the sound of that object rolling into the corridor seemed particularly loud.

She hesitated for a moment, then approached quietly and examined the object.

“……It’s paint.”

A long glass container held red paint. Ribeta carefully picked up the paint. It was her first time seeing and touching paint directly. Paint was such an expensive item, and none of Melissa’s family had a hobby in painting, so they didn’t keep paint on hand.

Perhaps because it was in a transparent glass container, the red paint looked like blood. It was both fascinating and ominous.

‘Should I take it inside the room?’

The door to the room the paint had rolled out from was slightly open. The light illuminating the corridor was also leaking from inside.

Ribeta briefly considered whether to leave the paint in the corridor and pretend she hadn’t seen it, but soon knocked on the door. If the precious paint broke, it might cause unnecessary misunderstanding.

“Excuse me. I found some paint.”

Only silence. If there’s no one inside, I can just leave the paint and go. Thinking that, Ribeta entered the room, swallowed her breath, and froze.

Diego was there.

Diego sat before an easel with his back to the door. His hand holding a pencil drew lines across a white canvas. Tilting her head slightly to look, she saw apples, limes, and lemons placed on a table. He was dressed much more casually than during the day. Instead of a jacket and vest with every button fastened, he wore only a white shirt.

Thanks to the shirt tailored to fit his body perfectly being pulled taut, the muscles in his back were clearly visible. When he moved his pencil, veins would briefly appear and disappear on his forearm exposed below the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Those who disparaged him as a merchant who only sat at desks scheming to make money would be quite shocked if they saw this. For a merchant, his body was absurdly good.

Ribeta took her eyes off him and looked around.

An art studio. This was a small art studio.