The longer the silence stretched, the more awkward the atmosphere became. I decided to respond.

“Ah… yes, I enjoyed it.”

“That’s a relief. I specially brought in the royal pastry chef.”

“Did you really?”

I nodded appropriately, but I still felt completely unaccustomed to this, which left me confused.

In the past, our mealtimes typically ended after a few polite exchanges—delicious, thank you for the meal.

Unless I initiated further conversation, nothing else would arise at the table. Even those greetings had become an annual event as our shared meals dwindled.

Could it be that the Leopold of the past and the man before me now were fundamentally different individuals? If so, perhaps it would be easier to let everything go. It was sad, but the person I loved might no longer exist here.

“The meeting ran long, so I skipped lunch. Thanks to that, I’m quite satisfied with this meal. How about you?”

“…It’s delicious.”

Yet, despite my words, the food seemed to lose its flavor.

I didn’t want to engage in conversations that made us appear like an ordinary couple sharing daily life. This felt like a shortcut to ruin.

Releasing the lower lip I had been biting, I made a difficult request.

“Leopold, can we eat quietly now?”

“Oh, have I been talking too much? Sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

The dining room quickly filled with only the sounds of clinking dishes and glasses. Whether it was fortunate or not, I could finish my meal calmly in the familiar silence.

Now it was time to say what I had prepared.

“Leopold, I have something to—”

“Have dessert first.”

He interrupted with a gentle tone. I nodded involuntarily and watched as the plates were cleared, organizing my thoughts once more.

As long as I said it before leaving the dining room, there was no rush.

However, what appeared on the clean table was completely unexpected.

“What is… this?”

Along with dessert, a marriage contract was placed on the table. It was the sorrowful piece of paper I had been unable to sign for half a year in my past life.

Even though he knew I wasn’t asking out of ignorance, he answered sincerely.

“Now that we’re a proper couple, we need to sign the contract and get it officially approved by His Majesty.”

I stared blankly at the marriage contract. The name “Hazel Lawrence” written next to my husband’s name felt strangely new.

‘Leopold. Mother asked why I hadn’t signed the marriage contract yet. I didn’t even know such a thing existed… We need a contract with His Majesty’s seal to add me to the family registry.’

‘Ah, I forgot since it’s not important. I’ll tell Peter to prepare it soon.’

But time passed, and the butler never asked me to sign. Eventually, I had to approach him again with the same request, and only then did my husband reluctantly hand over the marriage contract.

I hadn’t begged for this marriage, yet it hurt my feelings all the same. On top of that, how bitterly I smiled at his comment that it wasn’t important.

“I won’t sign it.”

Leopold frowned slightly at my calm but firm response. Pretending not to notice, I quickly added more, “And let’s call off this marriage.”

His beautiful green eyes wavered helplessly, like a forest caught in a storm. For someone who had never been shaken by anything, it was puzzling to see him wear such an unfitting expression. It felt as if a fierce wind swept through my heart as well.

“…I don’t want that.”

“I’m not asking for your consent. If even one person doesn’t sign the contract, it won’t be officially recognized. Once I leave, time will naturally resolve the rest. You won’t have any issues marrying someone else. I’m just sorry for tarnishing the Lawrence family name in this way.”

I quickly expressed my thoughts and lowered my gaze. I wanted to meet his eyes, but I feared I would be met with the same cold stare that always froze everything in its path.

“Tell me… why.”

Leopold asked with difficulty, his words breaking. Given the grand wedding, he must have been holding back his anger.

I wanted to tell him the truth—that it was all because of him, that I was leaving out of fear of being hurt by him again—but that relationship had ended long ago.

“I want to live freely. Being a duchess is too restrictive. And…”

I looked up at him again. As I expected, Leopold appeared angry. His piercing gaze felt aggressive, but I continued speaking without concern.

“We don’t love each other, do we? I have no intention of indulging in emotions like love in the future.”

“…Emotions?”

“Yes. At least, that’s how it is for me. It might sound silly, but I believe marriage should be based on true love, not strategically arranged by others. Perhaps it’s because of my humble beginnings, but I find it hard to change my old-fashioned thinking.”

“How can you say such—”

“It’s true.”

Having said what I wanted, I stood up.

“I don’t think I can have dessert.”

“No.”

“But we’ve finished eating, haven’t we?”

When I asked in confusion, Leopold took a deep breath and spoke with a strained voice.

“If you want to live freely, go ahead. I’ll build houses for you all over the empire. You can even travel abroad if you want. Take Jayden with you as an escort. You don’t have to stay at the manor. But… I can’t annul the marriage.”

“Why not?”

“That’s…”

He couldn’t continue and took a sip of wine.

To conclude that he couldn’t annul the marriage without giving a reason—he truly was a noble. Appearance was the most important thing to his kind.

“Is your reputation… really that important?”

Still foolish, I couldn’t shake the faint hope and asked.

For a day, he had been kind, and I hoped that in those moments, there was even a little bit of feeling for me.

No, it would be fine even if there were no feelings. If he just humored me with empty words about love, perhaps my weak heart might change instantly.

“…Yes.”

But my husband was never going to give me the answer I wanted. A dreamy response, like not being able to let go because he loved me, was impossible even in my imagination.

Oh, Hazel, you’re so foolish. After all you’ve been through, what were you expecting?

I tasted the metallic tang of blood from my lip, bitten unconsciously. It was the familiar taste of despair.

“Alright. I’ll take my time with the signing. It’s not urgent, right?”

Even if Leopold didn’t agree with me, it wouldn’t be a problem. He was a busy man, so there would be plenty of chances to leave secretly. Besides, once I left, he wouldn’t bother looking for me. Such ‘troublesome things’ didn’t suit Leopold’s character.

Though he might have thought I was being stubborn over something that only required a few signatures, I believed this was the best approach for now.

And… you told me yourself that such contracts weren’t important.

Suppressing the urge to elaborate with words that the current Leopold wouldn’t understand, I waited with a complicated heart for his response.

“If you insist, I’ll concede for now. But it shouldn’t take too long.”

He spoke calmly after a moment’s contemplation. His beautiful, deep voice pierced through my chest, awakening emotions I thought I had buried.

I believed I had no lingering feelings, yet I was surprised by how disappointed I felt that he wasn’t rushing to sign. My heart felt like a dandelion seed, floating aimlessly and bitterly.

Trying to remain composed, I changed the subject.

“By the way, there’s something I want to check. It’s about your health. Can I take a look?”

“Do you really think I’m sick? Thanks, but I’m fine.”

He chuckled softly. It made sense; Leopold was naturally robust, and I had heard from his mother that he had never suffered from any childhood illnesses.

But I wasn’t going to let it go. If I left any reason for concern, I would end up thinking about him repeatedly after I left.

“It’ll just take a moment.”

Leopold hesitated, rolling his eyes slightly before nodding in agreement. He got up and approached me.

“Right here?”

“Yes, it’s just a quick check. Please excuse me.”

I was about to stand to match his height, but Leopold moved faster, bending his upper body toward me. His face was so close that it almost touched my nose. Trying to appear nonchalant, I placed my hand on his broad chest. I felt tense, perhaps because I had rarely been this close to my husband.

“Don’t move; it won’t hurt.”

My breath trembled, prompting me to add unnecessary words to mask my feelings. Whether I succeeded in hiding them was questionable.

A bluish light flowed from my fingertips and was absorbed into Leopold’s body. I closed my eyes and carefully examined him, focusing on his heart and following the flow of light.

Contrary to my worries, there was nothing wrong. I couldn’t detect any memories related to problem areas. I was inwardly surprised at how healthy a person could be.

“You’re healthy, Leopold. That’s a relief.”

I couldn’t help but smile softly at the wave of relief that washed over me.