“As I told you before, I have no intention of committing any act that would make me responsible for you.”

He had no interest in a woman’s body, in the soft curves hidden beneath the dress, or in the secret, sweet spring. From the beginning, this entire contract existed to keep Count Duston’s side empty. Despite the indifferent man’s words, Radilt couldn’t relax.

“……I trust you, Sir Duston. But my mother-in-law will think differently!”

“Yes. But that doesn’t matter.”

Rustle, another page turned. Pendlore continued without giving Radilt a single glance.

“Surely no one would believe I brought dresses and flowers without once putting my lips to those shapely br*asts.”

“……!”

Radilt could only bite her lips without giving any reply. Pendlore was right. Even Radilt herself had guessed what kind of gaze she would receive.

Just look at Saldat’s attitude in the workshop. Everyone would think Count Duston had naturally taken that widow. They would assume he had already warmed the bed multiple times with her, not needing to be careful with a virgin. They would think spending the night together wasn’t anything new.

“So please rest comfortably.”

Radilt stared blankly at Pendlore before slumping down on the bed. Her mind, foggy with lingering sleepiness, gradually became more organized. Along with that, she also recalled how she had ended up waking in this bed.

The man’s harsh voice. The rain-soaked forest. The sobbing she had swallowed down.

Her green eyes settled calmly. Each cold word that had torn through her heart still caused a numbing pain when recalled, but it was bearable. No, she had to bear it.

‘Such weakness…… I don’t want to show it twice.’

Once was more than enough.

Radilt closed her eyes deeply and opened them again. This would pass. All of this would eventually pass. She steadied herself, repeating this over and over. It’s okay. I’m okay.

“……What happens to our contract?”

Standing up again with strength in her legs, Radilt asked. Pendlore raised his head and looked back at her. Radilt met his gaze without avoiding it.

“Asking me to stand by  your side and participate in high society’s social activities is an unreasonable request. No matter what compensation you offer, my mind won’t change.”

She lacked confidence and had no desire to step into that world. The position of a lover who spent nights with Count Duston was already burdensome enough. She hoped not to progress beyond a simple physical relationship. She hoped to end with a relationship light enough to be easily discarded.

“The servant who went to deliver news to your house told me.”

After a brief silence, Pendlore spoke.

“That the old Mrs. Sentangs made this request.”

“……What?”

Though it was too early to be called an old lady, there was only one person who could be referred to that way—Radilt’s mother-in-law, Merdea. The blue-gray eyes, deepened in the shadows, stared at Radilt bindingly and continued.

“She said she believes Sir Duston should provide at least one large shop, since he played with an innocent child who only knew her son. And she also said you should take responsibility for finding a marriage partner for her daughter, whose name has been tarnished because of you.”

“That’s……!”

Despite her efforts to calm down, Radilt’s heart raced violently. Dizziness swept over her, making the ground spin beneath her feet. Barely managing to keep herself from collapsing, Radilt spoke with a trembling voice.

“……Don’t listen to Mother’s words. They’re nonsense. She’s just testing you.”

“I’ve heard the rumors are already widespread. That the Sentangs family will sell their daughter-in-law to secure a good profit. My, your face has turned so pale, Mrs. Brill.”

Pendlore rested his arm, wrapped in a white shirt, loosely on the chair’s armrest and put on a deliberately kind smile.

“Please calm down. I have no intention of paying meaningless compensation to irrelevant people. Though if you personally came to ask for your in-laws’ sake, that would be different.”

“That won’t happen!”

Radilt shook her head firmly. At the same time, she exhaled a sigh of relief. It was fortunate he wouldn’t give them a shop or anything else.

“I don’t want that, so please forget Mother’s words.”

She thought it would end well with that.

“Forgetting your request isn’t difficult.”

But Pendlore’s words weren’t finished.

“For me, that is. But them. Those fools’ stupid minds who gossip about Count Duston’s generosity, Mrs. Brill. How exactly do you plan to erase that?”

“That……”

“If I release you without any compensation, I truly wonder what kind of talk we’ll hear.”

At his scathing voice, Radilt clasped her hands tightly.

First, her mother-in-law would step forward and loudly criticize Sir Duston’s stinginess. She would mock and belittle him, saying that with all his wealth piled up, he didn’t give even a single coin to the poor widow he had toyed with.

What about those who agreed with her? The people of Snowgrass Street could hardly be called polite. They would surely tear at Pendlore Duston like a pack of dogs finding prey. Though they wouldn’t have the courage to go to House Duston, they would certainly gossip endlessly about the noble gentleman’s weakness.

Radilt’s entire body grew cold as though drenched in ice water. Unable to give any answer, she heard Pendlore speak for her.

“There are roughly two options. If you want to end this without receiving anything from me, Mrs. Brill. Leave that house.”

“……”

“You have no obligation to feed your in-laws. Sell that house—too large for a single person—and move away. If you cut ties with the Sentangs family first, I’ll have no connection to them either.”

This would remove any reason for Merdea to curse Count Duston for being stingy.

“The other option would be for you to commit a great wrong against me and be cast out. For example…… falling into another man’s arms while with me.”

“I hate that.”

Radilt said, her eyes trembling. Though she had few scraps of honor worth preserving, she didn’t want to bear the disgrace that would drag her dead husband down to the ground.

“Tell people I…… was too greedy with you, Sir Duston. Or perhaps I damaged a precious item in the mansion……”

“Cast you out for such trivial matters?”

“Or…… well……”

She desperately racked her brain but couldn’t think of a suitable offense. Pendlore, who had been watching the fidgeting Radilt, opened his mouth.

“How about a mistake in the social circles you so dread?”

“……”

“I’ll discreetly ask my friend’s mother to coordinate. I’ll request that on the day our contract ends, Mrs. Brill commits some rudeness to her. And I, valuing friendship and the lady’s honor more, will turn away from my lover while clutching my wounded heart.”

A man who stands alone, unable to forget his beloved despite everything. Pendlore curved his eyes, saying it was quite a good script.

“Another method is……”

“Material wealth means little to me. The reason for discarding you must involve honor. Or perhaps you using my name to extort others’ wealth—”

“No. But I truly lack confidence.”

Radilt said in a faintly trembling voice.

“If I mix with the nobility, I might be thrown out even before completing the remaining period.”

“That doesn’t matter either way. For Mrs. Brill who always wants to run away, it might even be welcome news.”

Perhaps so. Maybe that would be better.

Radilt’s gaze dropped to her feet. If she were alone, she might have been able to run away, but her in-laws were wrapped around her ankles like thorny bushes.

Yet she couldn’t sell the house and leave, as Pendlore suggested.

“……If you would tolerate my mistakes. If you wouldn’t blame me too much and would release me safely, yes. I’ll do it.”

“Don’t worry. Since we still have time, I’ll provide you with a tutor. You’ll be quite busy for a while.”

Radilt nodded weakly. If she made a big mistake and got thrown out, that would be it. She wouldn’t set foot in that world again anyway.

Satisfied with the negotiation, Pendlore rose from his seat. He draped a beautifully embroidered robe over Radilt’s shoulders.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Brill. I’ve instructed them to prepare a simple late-night snack.”

Despite her dizziness and anxiety, hearing those words made her strongly feel the hunger in her stomach. Radilt pulled the robe around herself and followed Pendlore.

* * *

Snort—

With a soft neigh, Serena approached Radilt. She seemed to convey grumbling concerns for her owner. Radilt affectionately stroked the mare’s bridge of the nose and fed her a sugar cube from her palm.

“Serena. Today we’re going out, just the two of us.”

Yesterday in the suburbs, she hadn’t properly ridden the horse. But Pendlore judged that since she could comfortably walk forest paths, slowly moving around the city would be easy, and decided to let Radilt take Serena.

The stable next to Radilt’s house was already prepared. So she could ride the horse to work at the workshop and then return home.

“Be careful, Mrs. Brill.”

Meanwhile, the servants helping with Radilt’s outing couldn’t hide their worry. This was because Mrs. Brill had been carried in Count Duston’s arms unconscious just the day before. Though they didn’t know the exact reason, everyone was quietly assuming she had fallen off her horse due to inexperience.

“When crossing bridges, don’t sit on the side where the water flows. The horse’s back is higher than the railing, so you might accidentally fall into the river.”