The carriage arrived at the ducal mansion. Lorendis seemed to have returned from an outing as well, as the coachman was taking Lorendis’s black horse to the stable. Lorendis strode over. As always, he was in uniform.

“Why is Your Grace here……”

Catherine shrunk her arms awkwardly. While she was staring blankly at him, Lorendis smoothly extended his arm.

“How long will you keep calling me ‘Your Grace’?”

“What?”

“Call me by my name.”

When Catherine called him Lorendis, he gestured to his arm and spoke.

“Won’t you take my hand?”

“……Why?”

Catherine sat in the carriage, staring down at his arm. Ah, it’s an escort. Feeling embarrassed, she took his hand and stepped out of the carriage. Lorendis smoothly guided her, their fingers brushing over the lace gloves.

“Where are you coming from?”

“From the imperial palace. His Majesty called me again, probably about marriage.”

A faint breath escaped from Catherine’s lips.

“His Majesty must be very concerned.”

There were many dark clouds this afternoon, so as Deborah had said, it seemed ready to snow heavily. Haa– as she sighed, white breath rose.

“Are you cold?”

Was she cold? Catherine shook her head casually. Lorendis placed the back of his hand on her cheek, clicked his tongue softly, and led Catherine into the main castle.

You can be cold as ice but then become warm. But that behavior also makes one let down their guard…… which is harmful.

Catherine held his hand and remained still for a long time.

“Are you busy today?”

Lorendis had been constantly busy for days. He frowned as if wondering why she would ask such a thing, and questioned back.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“Do you have time for a meal?”

Lorendis was still busy, and letters seeking the war hero Lorendis steadily passed through the castle gates. Both the imperial court and the battlefield sought him. So if Lorendis refused because he was busy, Catherine planned to speak with him later.

“Have the banquet hall prepared.”

Despite her caution, Lorendis readily accepted her proposal.

* * *

A dinner setting was prepared in the banquet hall. Delicious foods filled the table, and the fragrant aroma of spices subtly filled the hall. From refreshing fruit-flavored salad to tender, marinated roast turkey.

The white tablecloth complemented by candles created an atmosphere beyond expectations. Catherine took her seat across from Lorendis.

“Did you force yourself to make time because of me?”

“Don’t worry, I have time for one dinner.”

Though Lorendis answered smoothly, deep fatigue was evident in him. She had heard that he was especially busy these days, trying to handle the accumulated work from his time wandering battlefields during his brief stay in the duchy.

Catherine had lightly dismissed knowing Lorendis was busy, but seeing his expression now, it seemed the workload had indeed been heavy. The fact that the duchy’s administration and work continued even when Lorendis was absent for long periods was all thanks to this.

“Does the food suit your taste?”

“I like that it’s mild. The spice aroma isn’t too strong either.”

When she cut a piece of turkey and put it in her mouth, it melted softly. The mild seasoning spread evenly in her mouth, and the meat was tender to chew.

“Please dismiss the people.”

To start this conversation, she needed to clear the surroundings. Lorendis put down his utensils and gestured lightly. The maids and butler withdrew, and the banquet hall doors closed. Lorendis nodded leisurely at Catherine, telling her to speak now.

“You know, you brought me here as your bride, right?”

“Call me by my name.”

“Lo, Lorendis.”

There was a heavy weight in his correction about using his name. Catherine hesitated and caught her breath. Lorendis slowly blinked and stared at Catherine.

“Yes. Now speak.”

“But did your vassals agree to this? The Milden viscountcy is in a remote countryside area, so most people don’t even know its name.”

As if such concerns were meaningless, Lorendis replied indifferently.

“They agree with whatever I do.”

Oh. I almost forgot what kind of people Helen’s vassals were.

If the Duke of Helen was famous as a war hero, his vassals were famous as his followers. To them, Lorendis’s orders were unconditional directives.

‘The weight of that name can’t be light.’

There’s no disobedience to his orders, and questioning is a sin. The weight that the name “Lorendis Helen” carries in the Helen duchy must be heavier than Catherine imagined.

“I heard the general situation from Nancy.”

“What story?”

“I heard you’re under pressure from His Majesty to marry? You’re the only bloodline of the Helen ducal family and the emperor’s nephew. Yet, there’s still no proper heir, and wandering battlefields at this time poses a significant risk for Lorendis. The imperial family is deeply concerned.”

“His Majesty just got old and became worrisome.”

If someone else said this, it would be regarded as an insult to imperial authority, but Lorendis was closer to being annoyed by an old person.

‘So it’s true that he’s close with the imperial family.’

It’s more like the imperial family unilaterally clings to Lorendis, but that’s a trivial matter, so let’s forget it.

“I heard you’re under pressure not to go to the battlefield until after the formal wedding ceremony. Despite your name as a war hero, you’ve been restricted.”

“You heard that too?”

Usually, the imperial court checks strong powers by sending them to more treacherous battlefields. That implies a death wish on the battlefield, but this imperial court is the opposite.

‘Rather, the emperor worried about him.’

Sorry for using such family affection, but…… Catherine decided to thoroughly exploit this relationship.

“Do you plan to leave again after the wedding ceremony, Lorendis?”

Catherine smiled broadly.

“That’s right, my lady.”

“I thought so.”

“Tensions with the barbarians are rising, but His Majesty is worried about me only wandering battlefields, so he forbade me from going to battle before marriage. His Majesty’s position is that I don’t necessarily need to be on that battlefield…… Tsk. That’s just wishful thinking.”

It’s a strange relationship. The emperor should be wary of northern powers, but instead of rejecting them, he chose to embrace them.

“For the next year, I need to stand on the battlefield again.”

Lorendis will be absent for the next year.

“Then the reason you sought me out……”

“Marriage is the easiest way to persuade His Majesty, and since Viscount Milden was a vassal of Helen, it wasn’t a bad choice out of courtesy.”

No matter how grandly packaged, the context is one.

He devised a temporary deception to escape the pressure of marriage.

A marriage arrangement is a contract between families. A contract entangled with various interests. No matter how complex the interests may be, if approached rationally and coolly, it might be surprisingly easy to resolve.

“One year is enough. This marriage is needed for the next year…… until Lorendis returns from the battlefield.”

One year. The marriage needs to last until he returns from the battlefield in one year. In one year, her stepmother and stepsister will be dealt with, and the final moment of her limited life will unfold before her eyes.

She can suppress her symptoms with inhibitors while waiting for Lorendis, and leave the ducal mansion at the appropriate time.

Will she live longer than the expected one year? Then she’ll get a house in a quiet mountain village or countryside and live leisurely, picking herbs.

Catherine smiled broadly and rested her chin on her hand. I’ll contract for this one year for us, and spend the remaining time for myself.

“I’ll be your contract wife for just one year.”

“Why?”

“Because I plan to leave far away after that.”

After that year……

“Please let me go then.”

* * *

‘Please let me go.’

When our marriage contract ends, please let me go then.

Wanting to feel a brief freedom, she proposed a contract marriage to Lorendis. No, this is closer to a contract divorce. Since it was a contract made with separation in mind.

“If I fulfill that term, please divorce me.”

Lorendis remained silent. He looked at Catherine with an unreadable expression, then rested his chin on his hand and asked leisurely.

“So that’s why you’ve been living like someone who would leave anytime?”

“Are you offended?”

“There’s nothing to be offended about. I’ve suspected it all along. You never intended to give your heart to anyone here. Not even to me.”

Catherine smiled awkwardly. Since she would eventually part ways with the people here, she kept her distance to avoid lingering attachments when leaving.

She thought she had hidden it well, but apparently not everything can be hidden. Catherine avoided his gaze out of awkwardness.

Lorendis sighed, tapped the table slowly, and spoke.

“Then we’ll hold the wedding ceremony soon. And when the war ends in a year, the divorce will be as you wish.”

After that, they finished their meal quietly. They had a light dessert and then went to the garden. The garden was already dimming.

Catherine quietly followed him, taking small steps to keep up. Judging by how their paces matched, it seemed Lorendis was intentionally walking slowly.

‘He’s attentive in these aspects.’

While appearing indifferent to the world, he’s surprisingly attentive in unexpected ways. As Catherine blankly stared at his back, Lorendis mentioned casually.

“After that, you can stay if you want, or leave if you want to go.”

It seems he means he’ll do as Catherine wishes, and if Catherine wants, she can remain at the ducal mansion even after the war ends.

Hmm. With her future of departure already decided, there’s no reason to stay long at the ducal mansion.

“Lorendis, I don’t want to stand out.”

Catherine intended to maintain her position inconspicuously and then leave.

That’s why she agreed to take on the role of contract wife for the remaining year to fulfill the contract period. If she shows her presence and then gets held back later…… Ugh. Her head was already spinning.

“I’ll stay quiet.”

“So you mean to leave anyway?”

“Once we have the wedding ceremony, you’ll go to the battlefield anyway. I just need to maintain my position until then.”