Soon the carriage moved, and one by one, the street lamps began to light up. The sound of the lamplighters’ oil cans clinking mixed with the rolling of wheels. Unlike the brightening street, Radilt’s heart was utterly dark.

The carriage seat wrapped in dark red velvet was perfectly soft and comfortable, but for her, there could be no more uncomfortable place. Her dangling legs, hands, arms, and even her gaze—she didn’t know where to put them, feeling so awkward she wondered if they were even her own.

Through that heavy air, Pendlore opened his mouth.

“This makes it seem like I’ve kidnapped you.”

How was it different from kidnapping? Radilt gathered her last shred of dignity and glared hard at the man sitting across from her.

“……Please tell me what you want to do with me.”

“Is there any need to explain at length why a man takes a woman from a banquet hall and puts her in his carriage?”

Pendlore’s voice continued lightly.

“I wish to court you, madam.”

“……Court me?”

“Let’s say I liked Mrs. Brill’s conditions.”

Conditions?

At that word, Radilt’s expression became slightly dazed. Did she have any conditions that would satisfy such a man as a lover? She couldn’t find any, no matter how hard she looked.

“I am…… first of all, a widow.”

“The most satisfactory condition.”

At these incomprehensible words, Radilt closed her mouth briefly before opening it again.

“……Do you want a convenient partner?”

“I’m relieved. You’re not completely oblivious.”

Radilt bit her lower lip slightly. Though she had been too preoccupied with being manipulated by this man, she wasn’t stupid enough to not understand his blatant words. Rather, she had eaten her fill of reading between the lines.

“You said many women rejected you.”

The green eyes, now much calmer, slowly examined Pendlore. Despite the layers of negative emotions built up in a short time, his appearance was still admirable.

Added to that were several businesses and a title. Though he had called himself insignificant, the possibility of that was extremely low. He had been pretending to humble himself before Radilt, but in reality, he was someone who had no need to do so at all. The large donation he easily gave and this carriage alone made it clear. He’s a man in a position to choose from numerous options rather than waiting for someone’s choice.

‘He would be the perfect husband candidate.’

At least in terms of outward conditions. He would have had endless partners at the banquet hall, and letters requesting private meetings would have piled up daily.

“Perhaps, Sir Duston needs a shield to display until you meet someone who catches your eye.”

A mature man maintaining single status would find it difficult to receive favorable views. There would also be many troublesome matters.

“You don’t need to take responsibility for a widow like me.”

Unlike a young unmarried woman, she was someone he could cleanly cut ties with anytime.

Radilt’s racing heart calmly settled. She also neatly folded away her bewilderment and anger. Pendlore tilted his head slightly and answered.

“Slightly wrong but close to the correct answer. Mrs. Brill, I have no intention of marrying.”

“So a woman who doesn’t need marriage, a widow, is your most favorable condition?”

“Do you perhaps have intentions to remarry?”

“Not at all.”

Especially not with the rude man before her.

Radilt swallowed a short breath. She felt calmer now that she clearly understood what he wanted.

“……Couldn’t you have told me from the beginning?”

“The preparation money, the sponsorship money was your goal, I presume. Mrs. Brill.”

“……”

Radilt reflexively averted her gaze, stung at a painful spot. Pendlore continued speaking, unconcerned.

“If you wanted to remarry, you wouldn’t have spent the money on something other than a dress. How many months?”

“……Three months’ worth.”

She had no desire to deceive the man who already seemed to see through everything. Radilt answered honestly.

“Then for three months to start.”

Pendlore continued, leaning comfortably against the backrest.

“Please be my lover, Mrs. Brill.”

Along with the rattling sound of the carriage. In a barren space without a single withered flower. The heartless voice made such a request.

It was merely a contractual relationship. That man had no feelings whatsoever. Though his heart was dry without a drop of sweet emotion, a corner of it still ached.

So I’m a woman deserving of such treatment.

Her own situation was etched terrifyingly clear. What expression should she make and what answer should she give? Perhaps she should just laugh.

“……”

A wife who killed her husband. A mother-in-law who clung like a noose around her neck, eating away at her back. In-laws who were so burdensome they felt like her arms would break. Her sister-in-law’s new dress. The Plumen Party. A tired and worn widow awkwardly smiling while standing in banquet halls for three months.

All those endless things.

“Yes.”

It’s hard.

“I will.”

Radilt nodded her head like a dead body bending.

Because things wouldn’t get better or worse anyway. So.

The coffin-like carriage ran and ran until it reached a splendid building. Radilt stepped out of the carriage in a daze and then, still dazed, was led by the man into the building.

Then she stood before an elegant woman, the shop manager. The manager, not understanding Radilt’s confusion, greeted her warmly.

“Welcome, lovely madam.”

“……What? No, wait….. That is, this place……”

“Lady Fond, as you can see.”

The place where the carriage had arrived was none other than Lady Fond. A high-end shop for banquets, mainly for women preparing for their garden debuts. Staff surrounded the confused Radilt while nearby customers whispered about the couple.

A contract lover for three months.

Radilt had thought simply. That it would end after meeting a few times and perhaps having meals together. Her biggest worry was her mother-in-law’s fury if she found out, which in some ways would have been gratifying.

Even a field weed of a widow has a man who likes her. She could have taunted her that way.

But suddenly, such a luxurious shop? While Radilt stood in confusion, Pendlore calmly opened his mouth.

“Please alter the ready-made dresses for now. And I’ll also need all other necessary items.”

“Leave it to us, Sir Duston.”

The shop manager responded with a bright smile.

“Excuse me, Sir Duston—”

“I hope you find a look that suits you, Mrs. Brill.”

Despite Pendlore’s polite words, Radilt’s expression remained stiff and unrelaxed.

How could she not notice the thorn planted in those words? It wasn’t for her sake but for the sake of making her appearance suitable to stand beside him.

She muttered coldly to herself, but having accepted the proposal to act as his lover, she was in no position to refuse.

How did she look now? Old clothes, disheveled hair without a trace of care, a complexion full of fatigue, roughened hands, and so on. Her appearance paled in comparison to that man who was perfectly dressed as if ready to stand before the Emperor himself.

Perhaps sensing her inner thoughts, Pendlore left only a faint smile before turning away. Left alone, Radilt gave an awkward smile to the kind staff surrounding her.

“Would you like to start with a massage?”

“What? No, that’s….”

“Your hair is quite damaged. Would it be alright to cut a little, madam?”

“Now, come this way. Mind the stairs, please.”

After fumbling through a few words with her mouth completely blocked, Radilt was guided to a beautifully decorated private room where she ended up removing her clothes and soaking in warm water. Subtle fragrances spread out, and flower petals picked early in the morning floated on the water’s surface.

Despite her bewilderment, her body relaxed in the warm water. Along with it, her tense nerves also loosened. Bathwater heated by someone else—this alone was luxurious enough.

‘……How beautiful.’

The round curved marble ceiling, large vases full of various flowers, candles flickering in front of colored glass windows, sparkling decorative strings hanging here and there. From somewhere, the crystalline sound of a music box could be heard.

Radilt exhaled a long, low breath almost touching the water’s surface. Red flower petals swirled following her breath.

‘He did whatever he wanted from beginning to end.’

Her green eyes blinked, reflecting the man whose appearance was beyond reproach. The blade-like blue-gray eyes under pitch-black hair. That cool gaze without a hint of consideration for others.

‘Without any roughness, completely at his will.’

She felt angry yet envious of that arrogant attitude that moved forward without hesitation, doing exactly as he pleased. That’s the kind of life he has, that man.

In contrast, what about herself? What could a blade of grass do against that rough storm that had arrived without warning? She could only be swept along. Bad luck, she’d have to bow her head once and be carried away.

‘Yes. That’s just how it is.’

The environment she grew up in was like that, her current circumstances were like that. From birth, what they held in their hands was as different as heaven and earth—they were too different, completely different people. From the beginning, weren’t there far more common people like her in this world?

Radilt tried to keep her mind at ease. It was only three months anyway. With good luck, it might end sooner. With even better luck, her sister-in-law wearing the dress she had suffered for might meet a suitable man in the garden and get married.