Since the Grand Duke, who claims to be her biological father, has appeared, I can’t continue keeping her as a temporary guardian. If I want to stay with her a little longer…

“Maah, eessuu.”

Angie flailed her little hands toward me, and I realized I had unconsciously bit my lip.

It wasn’t a habit ingrained in this body—it was my habit.

I placed one of my fingers into Angie’s grasp, and she clenched it tightly, as if she had no intention of letting go.

‘…Since Angie has already grown so comfortable with the Grand Duke, it won’t be long before the two of them manage just fine without me.’

At most, a month or two? Or if I allow myself a bit of greed, maybe six months… No, at least until my health deteriorates enough for Angie to notice.

When that time comes, I can leave the Grand Duke’s castle and spend the rest of my days elsewhere.

‘Yes. I can think of it as accumulating good karma for a better next life. Helping mend the awkward relationship between Angie and her father is a good deed. If the Grand Duke intends to use Angie for something sinister, I can find her a new guardian instead.’

My conclusion was entirely different from what I had been firmly resolving myself to ever since the Grand Duke’s relentless persistence began.

But when I thought of the Grand Duke, who said he needed me, and Angie, who didn’t want to be separated from me—and even the nanny’s delighted expression when she heard his proposal—this new decision felt quite satisfactory.

I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Your Grace, I apologize, but—”

“Cedrion.”

“…Cedrion, I apologize, but—”

“There’s nothing you need to apologize for, as long as you’re not rejecting my proposal.”

Perhaps because I had been facing him for more than two weeks now?

He still had a fundamentally cold demeanor and a sharp way of speaking, but now… I felt as if there was something like warmth or generosity mixed in.

At first, I had been desperate to avoid him, thinking of him only as the original novel’s villain.

Suppressing a small laugh, I continued speaking.

“Let’s make it a contract.”

“A contract?”

One of the Grand Duke’s elegant eyebrows arched upward.

“Cedrion, while I understand that you need me for Angie’s sake, as I’ve said repeatedly, I have no need for this marriage.”

“My offer regarding Lure still stands.”

“I told you, I have no intention of participating in a rebellion!”

“…A rebellion, huh.”

The Grand Duke chuckled briefly as if he were indulging me.

Considering his reaction whenever Lure’s rebellion was mentioned, there was some truth I wasn’t aware of.

It didn’t matter much to me, though—I had less than a year to live.

Still, now that I was entangled with the Grand Duke, I decided I should at least try to understand the situation when I arrived in Norhart.

Without revealing my thoughts, I pressed on.

“What you need is merely a legitimate reason for me to stay in Norhart, right?”

“…If you put it that way, yes.”

“And this was the best option you came up with for the sake of my honor.”

Personally, I thought he had just come up with it on the spot.

“Let’s make it an engagement instead. Allow me to stay in Norhart as your fiancée.”

“If that is the contract you propose.”

“If Angie grows attached to you, we call off the engagement.”

Angie, who had been staring only at me, suddenly shifted her gaze. It was almost as if she understood.

“And if she doesn’t, then after a set period of time, we still break off the engagement.”

“…So, no matter what, we must break it off.”

His murmuring voice sounded oddly bitter. Given his status, he had probably never been rejected before.

‘But this is the best option for me. As Dame Gwendolyn said, an illness of this severity would be enough reason to annul a marriage.’

Lost in thought for a moment, the Grand Duke’s golden eyes lowered, his long black eyelashes casting a shadow.

Then, when his gaze finally lifted again, I found myself once more entranced by its brilliance.

For some reason, my heart pounded uncontrollably.

“…Well, that’s not a bad way to start.”

As he spoke, a wry smile played on his lips.

Caught up in his striking expression, I failed to notice the subtle competitiveness hidden in that smile.

“Franz.”

With a crisp snap of his fingers, the reception room doors suddenly swung open—despite no one having touched them.

“Lady Odelia has accepted my proposal.”

“Eek!”

Mila, who had been waiting outside, let out a squeal before dashing away with loud, clumsy footsteps.

“W-wait! Proposal?! What happened to our conversation just now?!”

“Make all the necessary preparations so that Lady Odelia can relocate to Norhart as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“And for the engagement ceremony as well.”

“Understood.”

“Bwaaah!”

As soon as the Grand Duke finished issuing his dry commands, Angie let out a delighted giggle, as if she truly understood what was happening.

Nielsen, pleased that his lord’s will had been enforced, simply kept grinning.

The gardener, now able to sell his fertilizer and soil to help move my garden to Norhart, was also beaming with satisfaction.

‘We should finalize the contract soon.’

…Only I was left flustered and dumbfounded.

***

The distorted rumor that I had accepted the Grand Duke’s marriage proposal became the talk of the Blue Roof Manor.

“My lady, what a commendable decision you’ve made! Now I can face the late madam without any regrets…!”

“Nanny, didn’t you become my nanny after my mother passed away?”

“I can face the marquis, who entered a coffin of atonement, without any regrets…!”

Even my nanny, who had believed I wouldn’t marry the Grand Duke because of my terminal illness, was blindly overjoyed.

“Many herbs in Norhart haven’t been documented in academic circles. Thanks to this, I’ll have the opportunity to explore new studies. If I’m lucky, I might even find an herb to help you, my lady.”

Dame Gwendolyn, who should have assessed the situation rationally in my place, seemed solely excited about new academic pursuits.

“If we go to the Grand Duke’s castle, I’ll have a chance to spar with Norhart’s knights, won’t I? And if His Grace personally observes my swordsmanship… how amazing would that be…!”

Mathias, the young knight who idolized the Black Knight of the Ice Wall, was simply overwhelmed with admiration.

“You’re taking us with you?”

“But Norhart Castle only has the finest personnel…”

“Can we really dare to follow you, my lady…?”

Mila, Paul, and Peter were thrilled they wouldn’t have to part with their generous employer.

“I prefer familiar faces. As long as you don’t mind leaving your hometown, I’d love for us to stay together.”

Finding new workers after leaving Norhart once the contract ended would be a hassle anyway.

“Kyaahoo!”

“Angie, are you that happy? Because I’m going with you?”

“Mmaa! Oooaah!”

Angie continued to babble and giggle joyfully.

Even after the Grand Duke’s entourage had left, the excitement lingered, and the Blue Roof Manor buzzed with energy well into the evening.

“Is anyone there?”

It was while I was conversing with Nanny and Dame Gwendolyn after dinner.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Someone pounded on the door with an almost ridiculous force.

“Just a moment, my lady.”

Mila, who had been sewing a bib for Angie near us, clumsily ran toward the entrance.

“Who could it be?”

“The only one who’s visited lately has been His Grace, and he wouldn’t knock like that…”

“Especially not at this late hour…”

As Nanny, Dame Gwendolyn, and I exchanged puzzled looks, Mila’s voice rang out.

“My lady, please come out for a moment! The acting lord is here!”

Huh? Baron Alterman?

I quickly threw on an indoor robe and shawl before leaving the room. Sensing that something was off, I handed Angie to Nanny, but she merely rolled her big eyes instead of fussing.

Walking down the corridor toward the entrance, I saw that the baron had barged inside without permission and was pointing an accusatory finger at me.

“What is the meaning of this rudeness?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in seclusion?!”

Huh? What was he suddenly talking about?

“You, who were exiled from Belvo, dare to form a marriage alliance with Norhart? Does that make any sense?”

I was so baffled that my mouth simply opened and closed in silence.

Storming in at night without notice, acting like it was his business whom I chose to marry…

And how had he even heard about what had happened just a few hours ago?

‘Even for a place as small as Meldorf, this is absurd.’

Sigh, I really needed to make these people keep their mouths shut. I let out a deep breath.

“Baron, you are being—”

“The one being improper is you, my lady.”

Wait, why was he cutting me off?

Annoyed by the baron’s persistently rude attitude, I snapped back.

“And why is that?”

“When the royal family granted you exile in Meldorf, it was an unspoken order to remain quietly hidden away. Do you not understand that?”

“There was no order forbidding marriage, though.”

Of course, I had no intention of actually marrying the Grand Duke.

But seeing the baron throw such a fit was triggering my contrarian instincts.

“Do you really think you’re in a position to marry right now?”

“And what exactly is wrong with my position?”

“As the daughter of a traitor, you are supposed to be in seclusion. If you marry the Grand Duke of Norhart, who once petitioned for Lure’s leniency, won’t it look like you’re still clinging to treasonous ambitions?”

Sharp. Considering the Grand Duke had indeed made such a proposal, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

But because it was him saying it, I already disliked hearing it.

“His Grace says he fell for me at first sight and has been passionately pursuing me. Must I refuse such affection?”

“Of course you must! Besides, even if you do marry, it’s not like—!”

“What? Not like what?”

The baron, who had been shouting with a flushed face, abruptly swallowed his words, looking flustered.

‘He hesitated just like last time. Could he possibly know about my terminal condition?’

Could it be that my illness had already spread widely in Arcadia’s social circles?

It wouldn’t be surprising if the servants from Lure’s estate had gossiped. Norhart was far away, so the news likely hadn’t arrived yet.

‘Now that I think about it, even Viscount Nielsen acted as if he knew nothing about Odelia’s infamy…’

As these thoughts ran through my mind, I crossed my arms and squared off against the baron.

Technically, I should have invited him into the reception room, but he had been rude first, so I saw no reason to extend him any courtesy.

I could only feel Odelia’s heart pounding and a sharp tension creeping up my neck.

‘Still, I can’t back down…!’

I widened my eyes and glared fiercely at the baron.

From behind me, Dame Gwendolyn’s anxious gaze stabbed at my back.

After a tense staring contest, the baron, visibly irritated, spat out his words as if they tasted bitter.

“In any case, you won’t be able to leave Meldorf.”