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Blair stared at her reflection in the mirror with a bewildered expression. It was a different kind of surprise from when she had worn the wedding dress earlier.

“Is this…… all there is?”

The nightgown Lady Camille had brought was made of lace so thin it barely felt like wearing anything at all. The fact that such a garment existed, sheer enough to reveal the skin beneath, came as quite a shock to Blair.

“Could I have a…… robe, or something of the sort?”

“Pardon? A robe?”

“Well, it’s so transparent…… I can’t go in like this.”

Blair looked over the embarrassing outfit again and spoke.

“But Your Highness, the bedroom is just through that door. There is no need to step into the corridor.”

Lady Camille pointed to an arched ornamental door on one side of the room as she spoke.

On the day Blair had received the princess consort’s crown and moved into these quarters, she had asked Lucia about the elaborate door on one side of the room.

‘It connects to the bedroom. Your two chambers are linked through the shared bedroom! Her Highness the Queen was so pleased to see how well the two of you get along, and she set aside this room especially for you.’

An unforeseen side effect of appearing to be a happily matched couple.

“Haah…… even so, this is far too embarrassing. I need something to cover up with.”

Blair said with a short sigh.

Lady Camille looked mildly puzzled but brought out a night robe. It was just as revealing, but at least it no longer showed bare skin.

Right. This will do.

Blair turned slightly to the side and hid the rolled-up contract by tying it to the inner string of the robe, away from the others’ eyes.

In truth, the reason she had asked for a robe was precisely to conceal the contract. Bringing a suspicious roll of parchment to a wedding night was bound to look strange to anyone.

Of course, the sheer transparency of the nightgown was also a problem in its own right, so it was a necessary choice on multiple counts.

“You may go through here, Your Highness.”

Blair was fiddling with the robe she had already tied as tightly as she could, when Lady Camille opened the door connecting to the bedroom.

“His Highness the Prince will be along shortly. We will take our leave now.”

The ornamental door closed with a quiet sound.

The bedroom was a flawless room in every regard.

Antique furniture, tapestries bearing the mark of a skilled craftsman’s hand, a bed draped with luxurious velvet curtains. Even the smallest pieces of furniture showed careful, deliberate attention.

Blair walked slowly toward the bed.

Candles lit here and there swayed in a slow, languid rhythm as she moved.

Whether as decoration for the wedding night or not, flower petals carrying a soft fragrance were scattered near the raised platform where the bed stood.

The peculiar atmosphere that hung in the room made something in the corner of her chest flutter persistently.

Feeling oddly self-conscious for no reason, she picked up one of the petals and brought it quietly to the tip of her nose when,

“Her Highness the Queen has gone to considerable lengths.”

A familiar voice broke the silence.

She had no idea when he had arrived, but Kalintz was leaning against another door connected to the bedroom, standing at an angle.

He looked a little different from usual as well.

He was always immaculately dressed from the tips of his shoes to his cravat, but now he wore only a pair of comfortable-looking trousers and a dark navy robe. The sash was tied, but with his arms folded, a glimpse of firm bare skin showed through the gap.

On top of that, his hair fell naturally and held the dampness of a recent wash, making it look even darker.

She had expected something like this, but seeing it in person left her flustered and unsure where to look.

“You’re a little late.”

Blair glanced downward and arranged her expression into something that looked calm.

“Usually the man arrives first and waits.”

She could not think of anything particular to say, so she muttered some pointless line from the etiquette manual Lady Camille had recited to her.

“……Usually.”

Kalintz was quiet for a moment, then lifted one corner of his mouth and spoke.

“So you want the usual wedding night experience.”

“Wh, what do you mean! When did I ever…!”

Blair flustered and bristled, and Kalintz broke into a soft laugh.

“I’m joking. You looked like you’d gone completely rigid.”

“……It’s because I’m not wearing my usual clothes. It’s uncomfortable.”

Blair tugged at the collar of the robe for no real reason and grumbled.

“And you, Your Highness, look perfectly at ease.”

It was remarkable that he could tease her even in a situation like this.

“……Is that so.”

“Pardon? What did you say?”

Blair could not quite catch Kalintz’s murmur and asked again.

But instead of answering, he let out a laugh that sounded more like a sigh, then reached for the wine bottle sitting near the bed.

Left standing awkwardly, Blair felt a little out of place once he went quiet, and she sat down on the sofa.

He uncorked the bottle with practiced ease and filled the glasses.

His head tilted slightly as he poured, and his dark hair fell forward in a soft sweep. The firelight caught the side of his face, and his dark golden eyes took on the color of a sunset.

Blair swallowed without meaning to. He really did have an absurd face, one that made every woman’s envy entirely understandable.

“Want a glass?”

Kalintz offered the wine, apparently misreading her stare. Blair nodded, quietly hoping her face had not gone red.

Kalintz held out a glass carrying a faintly bitter, sweet scent and settled into the sofa across from her.

“So then.”

Kalintz swirled the glass in his hand slowly, as though savoring the aroma.

“How should we spend this long night, Blair.”

The rich scent of wine drifted through the air with the movement of his hand. She had not even touched the drink, yet she felt almost lightheaded.

“……There’s something. To do.”

Blair told herself it was better to bring out the contract before her thoughts drifted somewhere unhelpful.

Kalintz looked at her with a puzzled expression, clearly not having expected that answer at all.

“……Wait, what are you doing……”

Blair struggled to retrieve the rolled parchment tied to the inner string of her robe. Watching her, Kalintz’s expression grew increasingly flustered.

“No, why are you putting your hand there…… Blair.”

Blair reached inside the robe and wrestled with it, but she had apparently tied the knot tighter than she realized, and sitting down made it impossible to pull the contract out.

“Just a moment.”

She stood up from the sofa. Loosening the waist tie of the robe just slightly seemed like it would do the trick.

She turned to the side to work at the knot when,

“……Blair Mervish.”

A low, sunken voice reached her.

“Don’t.”

Kalintz spoke with a strained expression, his voice carrying the weight of something being held back.

“Why not? If we’re doing this, we should do it properly. It’s not for a day or two, we’re supposed to be husband and wife for two whole years.”

Blair had absolutely no intention of spending two years as princess consort on nothing but his word alone, without a single written contract.

Not that he seemed like someone who would break his word, of course.

“That doesn’t mean you have to go this far.”

“Why not? When you think about it, this is only natural……”

Wait. What is he talking about? I haven’t said anything about a contract.

Blair stopped mid-sentence and looked at Kalintz.

His eyes were shifting in a strange way. His face was drawn tight, jaw clenched, the muscle along it pulled taut.

Oh. Could it be.

Blair realized then what misunderstanding Kalintz had made.

She was about to hurry and tell him it was not like that when Kalintz opened his mouth.

“The kiss was in front of people, so that was unavoidable, but this…… you don’t have to force yourself. We can just make it look like……”

He trailed off mid-sentence, apparently dissatisfied with something, and raked a hand roughly through his hair with a deep crease between his brows. The ease he had carried earlier was entirely gone.

Seeing that, a petty little spark of mischief flared up in Blair.

“What do you mean. I’ve been waiting for this.”

“……What?”

Kalintz asked in a voice that had dropped even lower.

It was not entirely untrue. She had lost sleep over several nights writing this contract, hiding it from Tilda and Lucia.

“I’ve been waiting so long to have you all to myself.”

Blair turned slightly away and worked at the robe’s knot. She had been bold enough to tease him, but she did not quite have the nerve to undo the robe while looking him in the face.

Because of that, Blair had no idea what expression crossed Kalintz’s face when he caught a glimpse of her pale nape.

Completely unaware of the look in his eyes, which had grown dark enough to seem dangerous, Blair smiled with great satisfaction and drew out the rolled parchment.

“Do you have any idea how much effort I put into this contract…!”