Chapter 3.5

She pulled out a folded newspaper and placed it on top of the others. The article, though not explicitly naming them, clearly referred to the Earl and Countess of Melfir, exposing the hidden side of a certain newlywed couple.

“Besides, I’ve heard that tomorrow’s party will include not only members of high society but also quite a few of your distant relatives.”

“……”

“They’ll be watching us.”

At those words, Luette furrowed his brow. He already knew that. They were likely already eager to find and exploit his weaknesses. 

But he wasn’t worried.

“It seems you haven’t noticed, Solnia, but I’ve always been perfect.”

And he meant it. He had always been perfect.

“I’ve played the role of a fool who spent years pining for one woman, only to finally marry her, countless times.”

Even after their marriage, he had traveled to the capital several times and met with people, yet no suspicions or problems had ever arisen. With just a charming smile and a gesture suggesting he was rushing home for his beloved wife, people were easily deceived.

“Of course, you were perfect. You were alone back then, after all.”

Her calm retort followed his confident statement.

“You say you’re always perfect, but isn’t that only when you’re by yourself?”

“……”

“Tomorrow will be the first time we appear together in public. Since our wedding.”

Faced with an undeniable truth, he silently gazed at his wife. Her pale complexion, which seemed even more pronounced due to her gray eyes, and her expression filled with distrust as if to say, ‘I can’t trust someone like you even if it kills me.’

“So, what exactly do you want me to do?”

It was clear that his noble wife had come to him with a request. Being someone who had no patience for beating around the bush, he asked directly.

“Do your part properly.”

“Properly?”

“……”

Solnia hesitated briefly. She had been trying to say this all morning but found it difficult to put into words. Now, however, she had no choice.

“I want you to treat me with utmost care.”

In the end, she failed to meet his olive-green gaze. Her eyes wandered to the scattered newspapers instead. She didn’t even want to imagine what kind of expression Luette Trovill might be wearing.

But this was the only way. The only way to avoid everyone’s suspicion, including her grandmother’s…

“Treat me as if I’m the most precious thing in the world to you.”

“Hah.”

As expected, Luette Trovill let out a short laugh. It was his characteristic laugh, the kind he gave when he found something absurd.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, Your Lordship, should it”

Solnia swallowed her words and looked up as a shadow fell over her.  

Luette Trovill had approached her without her noticing and was now looking down at her. While Solnia was captivated by the unreadable look in his eyes, his hand reached for her face.  

His cold fingers pressed against her lower lip, which she hadn’t realized she had been biting.  

Solnia clenched her hands resting on her thighs into fists.

Luette scoffed as he looked at her tightly clenched, pale hands.

“You can’t even bear my touch, yet you want me to treat you with utmost care. How do you expect me to do that?”

He knew well how she viewed him.

A man obsessed with women, who neither stopped those who came to him nor held onto those who left. A man who smirked and flirted wherever he went. A man she despised.

“I don’t have any sadistic hobbies, so I don’t see why we need to go to such lengths to act.”

“……”

“Especially when you can’t even endure it.”

Just as he was about to step back with a smirk—

“Who said I couldn’t endure it?”

A small hand grabbed his and placed it back on her face. Her gray eyes were now fixed directly on him.

“I can do it.”

Her determined expression made Luette chuckle.

“So can I.”

It wouldn’t be difficult.

Pretending to be a husband blinded by love for his wife was a simple task.

The conversation continued for another two hours. It was the first time since their contract marriage discussions that the two of them had spent so much time talking face-to-face.

In the end, they came to an agreement of sorts.

If anyone asked about their life as a couple in Melfir, they would describe it as peaceful and filled with leisurely hobbies. If asked how long they planned to stay in the capital, they would say they intended to return to Melfir after the party, citing Solnia’s health. 

To prepare for unexpected questions, they agreed to explain their separate bedrooms by saying they were both light sleepers. As for the inevitable questions about heirs, they decided to frame it as the selfishness of a newlywed couple who wanted to enjoy their time together a little longer.

Regarding the articles about them, they agreed to claim that Solnia had been deeply hurt by the malicious content, to the point of tears and days of emotional distress.

It was close to midnight by the time they finished. Exhaustion and hunger weighed heavily on them. Yet, despite it all, Solnia maintained her upright posture.

Luette couldn’t help but admire her silently. She had sat for hours without slouching even once.

“That seems to be all we need to discuss.”

Solnia said as she stood up.

Finally, it was over.

Just as Luette let out a sigh and ran his hand over his face—

“I have a question.”

Solnia, who had been about to leave the study, stopped in her tracks.

“Did you stash away the newspapers that were delivered to Melfir?”

She didn’t dare turn around. She felt she already knew the answer just by imagining his expression.

“The Duchess mentioned something interesting. She asked if I was hiding any secrets from her.”

“……”

“So I looked into it, and it seems there are quite a few people suspicious of us. Strange, isn’t it? The newspapers I read in Melfir didn’t contain any of this, so I had no idea.”

After returning from the Ducal Household, the first emotion Solnia felt while reading through the countless newspapers and magazines was shame.

She truly hadn’t known anything.

Solnia had left the capital but could not remain ignorant. She consistently subscribed to newspapers and magazines, yet the articles about the Earl and Countess of Melfir were always favorable.  

Thus, she believed everything was going well.  

“Perhaps…”  

Solnia began to speak but hesitated.  

She wanted to ask, ‘Do you also think I’m mentally ill? Is that why you’ve hidden everything from me?’ But the words wouldn’t come out. It felt as though she was exposing her own flaws.  

Can you really say you’re not mentally ill?  

Is it just that you don’t remember?  

Is that really true, Solnia?  

“I was the one who stopped it.”  

A voice, tinged with slight fatigue and irritation, broke the silence.  

“You know the reason well enough.”  

“……”  

There was nothing more to ask.  

***

The party was set to begin at 6 PM, yet the maids from the Ducal Household arrived by noon.  

Under the special orders of the Duchess of Trovill to make the young madam look more beautiful than anyone else, the maids displayed remarkable dexterity and aesthetic sense.  

Solnia endured two baths and tried on and removed several outfits. Once the attire was decided, her hairstyle was adjusted to match. Throughout this process, several maids busily worked on her hands and feet, carefully grooming her nails.  

“Young Madam, you mustn’t fall asleep.”  

“If you’re very drowsy, shall I bring you some cold tea?”  

“No, I’m fine.”  

Even for Solnia, who was accustomed to sitting in one place for hours, this was a torturous experience. It even felt more chaotic than her wedding day.  

“Just hold on a little longer. Imagine the face of the Young Master when he sees you later!”  

One of the maids exclaimed in an excited voice. Then, the maid working on her hair gently turned Solnia’s shoulders so she could face the mirror.  

“That’s right. Imagine how surprised he’ll be when he sees you.”  

“……”  

“He might fall for you all over again.”  

Solnia silently gazed at her reflection.  

The person in the mirror certainly looked different from before. The deep navy-blue dress resembled the dark depths of the ocean, giving her an extraordinary air. Her pale skin, exposed in stark contrast, made her stand out even more.  

“This seems a bit excessive…”  

Solnia awkwardly ran her hand over her exposed shoulder.  

Until now, she had always stuck to dresses in simple shades like white, cream, or gray. Her grandmother believed that wearing flashy colors would cheapen a noblewoman’s image, and Solnia herself had no desire to draw attention.  

So, this ostentatious outfit, as if designed to attract all eyes, felt unfamiliar.  

“Then—would the red dress be better?”  

The red dress the maid referred to was even more outrageous. Its tightly cinched waist would surely draw remarks about how provocatively it swayed with every step.  

“Or perhaps the lemon-colored dress?”  

The lemon-yellow dress with its dramatically puffed sleeves would also receive poor reviews. It was far too frivolous a color for a nineteen-year-old married woman.  

When the tailor summoned by the Duchess of Trovill had taken her measurements a few days earlier, Solnia had no idea she would be gifted such daring dresses.  

It was likely a strategy to make her stand out in high society, where she was essentially a newcomer…  

“Can’t something be done about this?”  

Solnia gestured vaguely at her chest, too embarrassed to look down. Her prominently lifted bust felt overwhelming. If she found it so indecent, how would others perceive it?  

“Young Madam, this is the highlight of this dress.”  

The maids were resolute.  

“It’s the Dowager’s party, after all! The prelude to this year’s social season! When else would you wear such an outfit?”  

“That’s right. Besides, it’s essentially your first official event since your marriage. You need to leave a strong first impression.”  

“Most importantly!”  

The senior-most maid, who appeared the most experienced among those sent by the Trovill Ducal Household, grinned as she spoke.  

“You must completely captivate the Young Master!”  

“…Uh, yes.”  

Solnia reluctantly nodded, sensing that further protests would only lead to a lecture disguised as advice.  

She didn’t know then.  

Why the maids insisted she needed to captivate a husband she was already married to.