“Olivia. What do you think of the Duke of Dustin?”

“The Duke of Dustin…? Do you mean Duke Edmund Dustin?”

A rosy flush like flower petals colored Olivia’s face at the thought of Edmund. Count Ember burst into hearty laughter without even hearing her answer, seemingly satisfied with just that.

“This girl. I can tell without hearing your answer. If your heart feels that way, I can proceed with the marriage to the Duke without worry.”

“Marriage? Between me and the Duke of Dustin?”

“Should I pair your brother with the Duke of Dustin instead?”

“But how could our Countess’s family possibly with the Dustin Ducal House…”

Olivia trailed off. Her father couldn’t be unaware of what she herself knew.

What kind of family was the Dustin Ducal House? Wasn’t it the most honorable noble family in the kingdom, with a lineage running parallel to the royal family? 

It was far beyond the station of the mere Countess’s Ember family to discuss marriage with them.

Blocked by that realistic barrier, Olivia had only suppressed her admiration for Edmund deep inside.

“Nothing to worry about. The Dustin Ducal House proposed it. There are plenty of noble families in this kingdom forming marriage alliances for business reasons.”

According to her father’s explanation, it went like this:

A gemstone called ‘Eve’—not as sparkling as diamonds nor as brilliant as rubies, but enjoying sensational popularity in high society for its unique teardrop shape, elegant color, and luster. 

The special mineral found only in the Count’s territory had recently caught the Duke’s interest for exclusive supply rights.

The sales share they proposed was nothing short of groundbreaking. The troublesome distribution channels to foreign countries would become easier through the Dustin Ducal House’s merchant guild. There was no reason for the Embers to refuse such a proposal.

Only one thing bothered her: the ducal house had demanded Olivia, the Countess’s family’s precious treasure, as part of the contract.

The pretext of solidifying the contract sounded plausible, but Olivia couldn’t quite understand it.

“Does the ducal house really need to form a marriage alliance with our Countess’s family? They must know we can’t back out of the business deal anyway.”

“When the ducal house wants it, how can we question their reasons? I was concerned about burdening you, but now I see it was needless worry.”

The Count smiled warmly and lightly stroked Olivia’s cheek. Olivia ducked her head in embarrassment. The slight doubt disappeared before long in her mind, swirling with overwhelming joy.

A few days later, someone came from the ducal house to finalize the procedures for the contract marriage. Olivia expected a representative in place of the busy Duke, but the person waiting for her in the reception room was none other than Edmund himself.

“Ah…”

Olivia was so surprised she couldn’t even maintain basic etiquette.

The person she’d always watched from afar at balls or official palace functions stood right before her. Since first greeting Edmund two years ago, she’d never faced him this closely. 

She rarely had opportunities to be in the same place as him anyway, but after falling for him at first sight, Olivia had consistently avoided him, unable to bear the trembling.

Edmund was the first to speak to Olivia, frozen with nervousness and excitement.

“You have nothing to fear. I promise to accommodate all conveniences to you.”

At the Duke’s request, only the two of them were in the reception room. Olivia gripped the chair’s armrest with trembling hands and sat across from him.

“Miss Olivia, you need only observe two things in our marriage.”

As soon as she sat down, Edmund held out a document. His manner was urgent, like someone being chased.

The brief document, organized clearly, was easy to read at a glance. But Edmund read its contents aloud in his sweet voice, seemingly finding sight alone insufficient.

“First, divorce is absolutely not permitted in this marriage.”

Divorce wasn’t common in high society. It might damage the ducal house’s reputation. In truth, reputation aside, Olivia had no intention of divorcing anyway.

“I accept.”

When Olivia nodded calmly, Edmund’s stiff lips loosened slightly.

“Second concerns marital duties.”

“…Pardon?”

Olivia, who had been listening intently to Edmund’s words, raised her voice without realizing it.

Marital duties meant…

A vivid blush spread across her pale, tense complexion. Now that she thought about it, becoming husband and wife meant sharing a bed. She’d been so excited about marrying Edmund that she hadn’t considered that part.

“I apologize. Please continue.”

A hint of determination appeared on Olivia’s face. She couldn’t ruin this good opportunity to stand beside Edmund with foolish behavior. Olivia steeled herself not to waver even if he said he’d abandon marital duties.

“In my view, marital duties…”

Fierce strength suddenly gripped the hand holding the armrest. Edmund’s blue gaze dropped to her hand for a moment.

“Three times a week seems appropriate.”

Edmund spoke with a generous attitude, like he was doing her a favor. Olivia, who had been prepared to humbly accept any proposal, couldn’t believe her ears and asked again.

“Three times a week? Not a month?”

Wasn’t that a bit excessive? Did married couples normally share a bed that frequently?

It was an unknown world to Olivia, who had no marriage experience. She’d never heard intimate marital stories through others’ mouths either.

Watching the horrified Olivia, Edmund added a condition soothingly.

“Of course, exceptions apply when your health is poor or circumstances are unavoidable.”

Well, in that case… Olivia half-lowered her chin, then came to her senses and straightened her head instead of nodding. Thinking about it, that was far too obvious a condition! 

She’d nearly been fooled because Edmund muttered it so seriously, like it was a major matter.

When Olivia ultimately maintained her upright posture, Edmund said with a sigh.

“If you find it too much… how about adjusting to once?”

Though clearly displeased, Olivia ignored his expression and agreed to once.

Just sitting across from him like this made her heart pound—if she saw him in bed three times a week, it might severely strain her heart. This was a choice for survival. Olivia wanted to live beside Edmund as long as possible.

“That’s all I’ve prepared. If Miss Olivia has any other clauses she wants, I’ll add them.”

“Do I really only need to observe these?”

It was far more reasonable than expected. Since this was an arranged marriage, Olivia had anticipated more frightening conditions.

For instance, confidentiality clauses, or holding her responsible if she failed in her duties as the Duke’s wife, or expelling her if she didn’t behave properly, or limiting her sphere of activity.

Wasn’t that normally what contract marriages entailed? Olivia stared at the document with a bewildered face, containing only two insignificant clauses.

Edmund asserted once more in clear tones.

“This is all I need.”

Then he gazed steadily at Olivia, seemingly asking if she wanted nothing. His frank eyes gently urged her. Olivia gathered her courage and carefully opened her mouth.

“I do have one thing I want…”

“Please speak comfortably.”

“If it’s alright with you, Your Grace, let’s not keep lovers.”

Olivia whispered in a small voice, fidgeting with her hands. Edmund didn’t answer immediately but blinked.

“Are you saying now that we won’t keep lovers?”

It was an excessive request worthy of his questioning. But she couldn’t not voice the one wish she desired most earnestly.

Olivia opened her mouth in a rambling way, not wanting to be refused.

“Yes. I know keeping lovers is done secretly in high society, but it’s still an act deserving social condemnation. I don’t want our Countess’s family and the ducal house to become gossip fodder that way…”

“So by ‘we’…”

Edmund suddenly cut off her lengthening ramble.

“You’re included too, aren’t you?”

“…Pardon? Ah, yes. Of course.”

“Good.”

Willing permission fell from Edmund’s lips. His curved lips even looked pleased for a moment.

“I hadn’t thought of that. Let’s add it to the contract clauses.”

He hurriedly wrote the clause Olivia mentioned into the contract. Then, after pondering something deeply, he added:

“We should complete the contract with a divine oath. What do you think?”

“A divine oath? Isn’t that a privilege only royalty can use?”

“I have a private connection at the temple. If you permit, I’ll handle it.”

“But…”

Is a divine oath really necessary for a mere marriage contract?

She wanted to ask, but Edmund’s bright blue eyes sparkled more than ever, so Olivia couldn’t say anything. She simply nodded, drawn by an invisible force.

A ‘divine oath’ meant infusing divine power into a treaty. In other words, it was a kind of semi-coercive method to strengthen bonds. Breaking the oath caused health problems for the transgressor, and if that state continued, they’d ultimately lose their life.

Since only high priests with strong divine power could wield this ability, it was a special measure mainly used when a kingdom’s royalty concluded important agreements.

She hadn’t known the Dustin Ducal House could freely use divine oaths despite their power. And for a mere marriage contract at that.

Once Olivia’s permission fell, Edmund showed signs of hesitation.

“This isn’t coercion, so decide carefully. Are you really alright with this? Miss Olivia, a divine oath cannot be broken until death, and those who violate it lose their lives.”

“It doesn’t concern me. I won’t betray the contract.”

“Good. If you value yourself, be sure to keep the contract.”

Though the driving force for keeping the contract would be love for Edmund, not self-regard. Olivia obediently nodded under Edmund’s solemn gaze.

After repeatedly confirming Olivia’s intentions, Edmund wrote a letter to send to the temple right there. His manner was quite practiced. Perhaps divine oaths were secretly prevalent among high nobility.

“A divine oath for a mere marriage when you’re not even royalty? Have you finally lost your…!”

A few days later, she realized it was crazy behavior only after seeing the priest who came to the Countess’s family to officiate the divine oath cry out in shock. But the divine oath proceeded without a hitch under Edmund’s fierce momentum.

* * *

Thus a marriage contract with three clauses came into being between them. Olivia still kept the contract, and the divine oath engraved on her heart remained as well.

“Did he completely forget the clause I mentioned?”

Olivia sat alone in her room, quietly examining the document. The contract, written in Edmund’s handwriting and finished with her signature, remained unchanged even now, half a year later.

In other words, Edmund had broken the contract.

“Come to think of it, is the divine oath alright? He didn’t look unhealthy.”

Had he secretly broken the oath? They said oaths couldn’t be arbitrarily dissolved, but Edmund might know methods unknown to the public.

“Who am I worrying about right now?”

Olivia’s serious expression crumbled helplessly.