Words flowed smoothly from my mouth. They were even logical and didn’t sound unreasonable at all.

This is the kind of woman I am.

Listening to me, Luden furrowed his brow like he’d fallen into deep thought. He looked at me carefully, then tapped his fingers on the table.

He seems to be considering my words.

“So… what should I do to avoid breaking off the engagement?”

“A marriage contract.”

Luden’s eyes twitched.

“Let’s write up an agreement.”

Marriages between nobles happened when their conditions aligned. That’s why divorces were rare.

Contract marriages were only done when there was a significant difference in conditions. Yet here I was, proposing exactly that.

Honestly speaking, when it came to family status, Luden and Annelia weren’t that different. Naturally, Luden wore an expression showing he didn’t understand why I was saying this.

“There’s no real need to…”

“Lord Marquis, I’m curious about something.”

“Please ask.”

“Once we’re married, who manages the money?”

At my words, Luden crossed his arms.

“I’ll manage it, and before I leave for knight training, I’ll select someone else to handle it.”

“Then how would I check those records?”

“Check the records?”

“Would I have to ask your subordinate?”

Hit right on the mark, Luden couldn’t answer readily.

“This is why I want to break off the engagement. It’s not a marriage where I’m treated with respect, and I don’t gain anything from it. So why exactly should I get married?”

“Then the reason you want a contract marriage is…”

“Since this is a marriage out of necessity, shouldn’t it at least be better than the current situation? I’m not getting married to be disrespected.”

At my decisive words, Luden wore a quite flustered expression. Seeing that, I smiled brightly.

My victory is certain.

He would probably agree to the contract.

* * *

Looking at her smiling cheerfully, Luden tilted his head to the side. Then he took a breath for a moment.

‘To think Annelia had this ability to control people.’

This was very different from the information he’d gathered. Of course, he wasn’t underestimating her. But according to his investigation, she wasn’t the type to control people. Her convictions were weak, so she was easily swayed by others.

That’s why he was surprised.

If Annelia’s personality differed from what he’d learned, he would have to change his attitude as well. For now, he focused on the current conversation. It would be troublesome if things fell apart here.

“May I ask what conditions you have in mind?”

Luden’s eyes gleamed with interest. He was curious what she would say.

“First, as the lady of the house, I think I should at least know how the money is being managed.”

That was unexpected.

He’d thought she would say she’d manage the money herself.

“How about setting a specific day each week to report to me once? What do you think?”

Not bad.

He was uneasy about entrusting money to Annelia. Because he didn’t know whether she could manage it well or not. If she happened to be a spendthrift, that would be very troublesome.

“And please respect me as your wife.”

“Isn’t that a given?”

“Still, I’d like it included in the contract terms.”

Worry settled on Annelia’s face.

‘Why does she have that look?’

Luden felt a bit confused, not understanding what her expression meant. Because Duke Rosaline, Annelia’s father, loved his wife dearly.

The Duchess wouldn’t have lived being disrespected. Yet she spoke and acted like she’d experienced such things.

It must be his imagination. She probably read some sad book somewhere and was acting this way for no reason.

He dismissed his excessive thoughts.

“And when we divorce, give me at least 30 percent of the assets.”

“…”

Divorce?

If they married and then divorced, it would create a flaw in his life. He reacted sharply.

“But divorce…”

Luden repeated those words several times.

“Lady, you’re already bringing up such words before we’re even married. Don’t tell me you’re already preparing for divorce?”

His voice was sharp. Because these were words he hadn’t expected at all.

Annelia smiled, her eyes crinkling prettily.

“I don’t have such intentions right now, but you never know.”

“Don’t tell me there’s someone else you secretly admire…?”

“There isn’t. But the future is unknowable. And Lord Marquis, you’re still young. Someday you might meet a better woman and choose to divorce me. I heard the Charlot family doesn’t keep two wives. So this clause is all the more necessary.”

Knowing he was uncomfortable, Annelia continued speaking calmly. What she said was certainly true. 

In the Duke Empire, men with titles could have two wives, and women could have two husbands. But the Marquis Charlot family had traditionally kept only one wife for generations. So when bringing in a new wife, they divorced the previous one.

“Ahem.”

“But divorcing just anytime seems a bit much, so how about adding a condition that we can divorce anytime after you return from knight training? Of course, I could be the one to ask for divorce first too.”

What Annelia was talking about was still far in the future. By that time, he would have finished his knight training too.

30 percent alimony…

He thought this might be what Annelia truly wanted.

* * *

Luden’s gaze changed. I smiled, watching Luden look at me suspiciously.

“…If we divorce, giving alimony would be natural.”

In fact, in the original work, Luden had tried to give Annelia alimony. It was Annelia who refused it.

But still, I needed to make sure.

“But you never know. I feel more at ease having a specific amount set.”

Anyone can say words. What I needed was a contract with legal force.

Thinking this, I stated more of what I wanted.

“Besides that, I have more conditions. Support the ducal family during our married life. And if we have children, let them decide custody themselves.”

Though if things followed the original plot, having children would be difficult. Luden, who had been just listening until then, jumped in.

“Then I have things I want too.”

“What are they?”

Though I can guess, of course.

“Keep my mother company for at least four hours, and maintain dignity as a wife?”

Dignity as a wife? What’s he talking about?

“Specifically, what are you hoping for?”

“First, you must attend banquets with me. And I’d like you not to take a lover until I finish knight training.”

At those words, I set down the teacup I’d been drinking from. My face heated up.

‘A lover?’

Well, the Duke Empire was liberal about keeping lovers. So there were many cases of maintaining marriages in name only while keeping lovers.

I understood what he meant, but… still, it didn’t feel great.

“Well, that much is obviously…”

I had no intention of taking a lover. I’d rather divorce and date a boyfriend—why would I take a lover when I wasn’t that desperate?

When I answered clearly, Luden nodded.

“Then shall we prepare for cases of contract violation?”

I’d probably need paper and a pen. I rang the bell. Then a waiting maid entered.

“What do you need?”

“Could you bring paper and a pen?”

The maid quickly brought what I requested. I saw rectangular paper. I picked up the pen and wrote my name on the paper. Then I started writing down the conversation we’d just had.

Luden stared intently at the document I’d roughly written out.

“Did I write something wrong?”

“No.”

Then why was he staring?

…It’s probably nothing.

“For now, if Lord Marquis violates the contract, half the assets become mine.”

“If Lady Rosaline violates it, I’ll recover the money paid to the Rosaline family.”

“Good.”

I agreed readily. We each attached conditions that would trouble the other most in case of violation. It was a contract that satisfied each person’s desires.

“I’ll prepare the contract myself.”

Luden said this while gazing at me.

“And next time we meet, please call me by name.”

“Please call me Annelia too.”

Since we were engaged, not calling each other by name seemed odd. Luden stood up from his seat.

Once married, he would become my temporary husband. I had no intention of looking down on him for being younger than me or violating the contract terms, and since my goal was to get along well with him and divorce amicably later to live a new life, I planned to smile at him often. 

So I looked at him with friendly eyes.

“Let’s get along.”

I extended my hand to him. The period Luden would be away for knight training was originally three years, but because a war broke out, he stayed on the battlefield for one more year.

And his departure was six months from now. He would leave for knight training this coming autumn.

The time I’d spend with him wasn’t very long.

“Alright.”

Luden took my hand. Then he smiled warmly.

Though it felt like an extremely fake smile, I stared at him blankly.

‘Wow.’

When a smile appeared on that handsome face, it was incredible. He was glowing.

“Luden, smile often. It suits you.”

At least my eyes would be satisfied, so he passed as a husband. When else would I get to spend time with such a handsome man?

That’s what I thought.

* * *

Returning to the mansion, Luden immediately went down to the basement. When he entered the dim place, magic responded to his arrival and white lights turned on in the ceiling.

This was a place only authorized people could enter. Anyone else would be blocked by the magical barrier.

As Luden entered, a man walked toward him through the lights.

“Did you see your fiancée properly?”

With short blonde hair and black eyes, he smiled playfully.

“Andre.”

He was the Charlot family’s knight commander and secretly in charge of information gathering. The son of Luden’s nanny, he’d lived like a brother to Luden since childhood.

“What?”

“Investigate Annelia again.”

At Luden’s words, Andre’s eyes widened.

“She’s not the woman we investigated.”

“That can’t be! We worked so hard investigating her.”

“Nothing matches.”

“What?”

Luden smiled bitterly. Andre’s eyes were shaking. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand why he’d make that expression.

“Is she very different?”

“Yeah, even her handwriting was different. I’m suspicious the ducal family brought a different woman.”

“There’s a portrait though.”

“Maybe she’s a twin.”

“A secret birth? But why would the Duke bother?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to investigate.”

At Luden’s words, Andre’s eyes sparkled.

“The ducal family might have pulled something.”

Luden was right. Andre nodded.

“Got it.”

“But what about this fiancée who’s different from the rumors? Do you like her more?”

Then Luden shook his head.

“She’s changed, so it’s troublesome.”

He’d needed Annelia’s kind personality. He’d wanted a woman who wouldn’t harm his mother.

For now, he needed to find out what kind of woman this changed Annelia was.