9. Wedding Preparations  

His proposal was simple.  

He bought a pretty, expensive necklace, and at the next morning’s breakfast table, he fastened it around her neck in front of the servants and said:  

‘Marry me.’  

Up until then, the servants had been unsure about the two of them, and Judy still remembered their stunned, confused faces quite clearly—even today, a full day later. And from their noisy movements since morning, Judy could easily tell.  

The Crawford Dukedom family is coming……!  

Just anticipating meeting them made her feel crushed by a heavy pressure. Especially when she pictured the cold gaze of Duchess Sabina Crawford—who would clamp her mouth shut and simply stare at her without a word—Judy already wanted to run away, even though she had not even faced them yet.  

“I’ll come in for a moment.”  

Judy, who had been dressing herself up with the dress and accessories bought yesterday, paused at Theo’s voice from outside the door. The door opened, and he came in.  

“I think my family will arrive in about an hour.”  

“Okay. If they ask how we fell in love, what should I say? Don’t we need to get our story straight?”  

“Say I fell for you and chased after you.”  

Unlike Judy, who asked out of anxiousness, Theo answered as if it were nothing, then plucked a stray hair fluttering on Judy’s dress and tossed it away. He truly looked as though he was not even the least bit concerned about his family.  

“Last night, I sent Luke to the Grant Marquisate. I was curious what she’s doing in your body.”  

Was there ever a more reliable ally?

Watching Theo pay even more attention to her situation than she did—acting rationally—Judy vowed she would repay this kindness no matter what.  

“She regained consciousness, and it looks like she’s been resting in the bedroom all day. The important part is that, just like you said, she seems to be putting on a show that she doesn’t remember anything.”  

“She said she’d do that. I guess she thought that was the only way she could live completely as me.”  

“If you’re stupid, your body suffers.”  

“There’s a simple way to make her stop that act.”  

Theo did not interrupt, calmly waiting for her answer.  

“Find the men who were with her when she threatened me, and threaten Asilly in return. Then Asilly won’t be able to withstand the threat—she’ll get anxious and show up. At that point, the man explains to Asilly what happened when he met me and asks for more money.”

“…….”  

“Then Asilly will either say she already paid enough so that can’t happen, or she’ll say she’ll pay more, right? We listen nearby in secret, then pounce. Saying we heard everything. Then she won’t be able to pretend she has amnesia.”  

“But then your body could be put in danger.”  

“Right.”  

Asilly had tried to kill her own body for a happier life. She had no attachment to her own body and would do anything. And if things went against her, she could even harm Judy’s body, so they had to be careful about everything.  

“So I think we need to think it through a bit more. What to do with Asilly, who’s already decided to try to kill me once.”  

“I’ll help you.”  

His steady, large hand lightly patted her shoulder. Judy gently placed her own hand over the back of his hand resting on her shoulder. She felt him flinch in surprise for just a moment, but Judy did not mind.  

“Thank you, Theo. I’ll definitely do something that helps your life, too.”  

***

After hearing from Luke, the aide, that Theo’s family had arrived, Judy headed to the drawing room with Theo escorting her. Theo told her not to worry and spoke lightly, but in reality, Judy was deeply anxious.

If, by any chance, the Crawford Dukedom side opposed this marriage, Theo would be put in an awkward position, and she would be driven out with nowhere to go—her plans against Asilly and everything else could collapse, leaving her a wanderer.  

No. Don’t think like that.  

Judy shook her head to toss away the bad thoughts. Right. Theo would know his own family better than she did……. If he told her not to worry, then she would not worry.  

She repeated that to herself dozens of times in her heart and mind before arriving in front of the reception room. The moment she stepped into the clean, lavish room decorated solely with white marble and gold, several pairs of eyes from the people seated on the sofa instantly pinned themselves on Judy.  

“N-nice to meet you. I’m Asilly Leroni.”  

Even under their sharp gazes, Judy greeted them with proper courtesy.  

“You’re Baron Leroni’s youngest daughter, right?”  

Judy quickly turned her gaze to Duke Crawford, who asked with a broad smile and the only kindly-looking expression among them.  

“Yes, that’s right.”  

“I’ve seen the two daughters a few times, but it’s my first time meeting the youngest. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  

Even as Duke Crawford willingly stood to shake hands, his mother and two sisters merely sat upright in their chairs, silently watching Judy. But, remarkably, everything Theo had said was true.  

Not a single family member doubted their romance, and no one opposed it. Yet, their gazes couldn’t be deceived. Several eyes, eager to ask something, were fixed on Judy.

So much so that it was hard to pretend not to notice.  

“Is there something you’d like to say……?”  

When Judy asked carefully, Duke Crawford—who looked the least able to endure it—straightened his back and took a posture to ask questions. Seeing his reaction, Judy looked up at Theo in discomfort. Theo, too, tilted his head with a slightly stiff face, as if he had not expected it.  

“When, where, and how did the two of you meet?”  

Duke Crawford fired off the question quickly. Judy tensed at the completely unexpected question and looked to Theo for help. Theo, too, was startled by his father’s attitude, which was far beyond what he had anticipated.  

“Dear.”  

The Duchess, seated beside Duke Crawford, lightly tapped his arm as if telling him not to ask such things. Then Duke Crawford flailed his hands, flustered, going “Ah!”  

“Actually, that doesn’t matter. Yes. It doesn’t matter! If I inconvenienced you, Miss Asilly, I apologize.”  

“You don’t have to apologize.”  

“But I do have one request.”  

At the Duke’s look—pleading with his eyes as if asking her to please grant this—Judy nodded.  

“Please go ahead, Your Grace.”  

“Even if hardships arise, can you stay with our Theo to the end without leaving him?”  

He asked that one question carefully.  

“Yes.”  

This was not an answer meant merely to get through the situation. In the worst moments of her life, it was also a promise for Theo—the only one standing with her. Judy meant it sincerely.  

“No matter what hardships arise, I will stay with him until the end.”  

***

Judy had braced herself, expecting the stepmother and two older sisters—who treated Asilly like a thorn in their side—to lash out in resentment. But unexpectedly, Baron Leroni’s side also readily approved the marriage. Above all, Brooks smiled so widely that his gleaming teeth showed as he welcomed it. It was a smile that plainly revealed his greed—thinking that if he became in-laws with the “Crawford Dukedom,” something might fall into his hands.  

To have dresses fitted for the engagement ceremony and the wedding, they summoned a tailor said to be the best in the Dabans Empire.  

“Where is Young Duke Theo?”  

As the tailor took her measurements, Judy asked a servant about his absence.  

“Young Duke Theo has gone to the Imperial Palace with Duke Crawford to see His Majesty the Emperor.”  

“Ah…….”  

He likely went to the palace to make his presence—and the marriage news—known. Soon enough, an article with their marriage announcement would be printed in huge letters in the newspaper. Asilly would see that paper too, wouldn’t she? How would she react? Would she simply accept it and, relieved that an obstacle was gone, push forward with marrying Earl Wesley? Of course, there was no chance she would ever marry Earl Wesley in that body. Judy planned to prevent it from happening.  

After looking over dozens upon dozens of designs again and again, she finally chose dresses for the engagement ceremony and the wedding. After that, a jeweler came, and she wasted a long time choosing jewels to match the dresses she would wear that day.  

“Ah, I’m exhausted.”  

This was on a completely different level from picking things back when she had been the Marquis’s daughter. Back then, the standards had simply been “pretty” and “what I want.” But as the Young Duke’s wife, everything she wore and put on had to be chosen with restraint and dignity to some degree, so there were many times she was stopped by the head maid who had served the Crawford family for a long time.  

Judy was so tired that she shifted her drained body.  

“Shall I prepare water for you to wash?”  

A servant approached and asked carefully, but Judy did not even have the strength to twitch a finger right now. It felt less like physical exhaustion and more like her energy had been sucked away.  

“No. I’m so tired right now…….”  

Mumbling her words, Judy fell asleep just like that.  

***

“Ju…… no, what is Asilly doing?”  

He had almost called for “Judy” out of habit. It was the first thing Theo said to the aide who greeted him the moment he got out of the carriage.  

“It seems today’s schedule was quite tight, so she’s sleeping without even taking a bath.”

“Really?”

His voice was thick with longing. His Majesty the Emperor and his father had been more talkative than expected, and the conversation dragged on so long it became tedious. Since it was a conversation tied to his marriage, he could not easily stand up and leave. Because of that, the carriage that had departed during the day could only return home when the night grew pitch-black. In his hand was a lemon pie—something Judy usually liked.  

“Young Duke?”

Seeing Theo heading toward Judy’s bedroom rather than his own, Luke called out, intending to correct his steps. Theo shot him a look telling him he would handle it himself and to step back; understanding at once, Luke quietly turned away with the knights. After Luke turned away, Theo carefully gripped the doorknob to open Judy’s bedroom—  

“Ugh…… s-save me…….”  

From inside, Judy’s pained voice could be heard.