“What?!”

I gaped at his shocking words, and the Grand Duke leaned back in his chair, giving me an indifferent glance.

“So you have the courage to get hit on the head, but not the nerve to pick up a fork?”

“……”

“Or was getting hit on the head part of some calculated scenario where you expected to survive, but this isn’t?”

“Do you still think I’m pretending to have lost my memory?”

“It’s certainly possible.”

How could he so calmly turn someone’s insides out?

He must have graduated top of his class in Imperial Sarcasm! He could be a professor!

I pressed my lips together to stop their involuntary twitching, unconsciously clenching my fists and giving him a sidelong glance—only to find myself making direct eye contact with the Grand Duke.

“Are you glaring at me?”

“No?”

I was totally glaring at you…

“I see.”

“I just… felt something in my eye and was trying to open it wider. Ouch, my eye.”

Right, the status window said I’d get a happy ending if I survived and uncovered the secret of my birth, so I just need to endure until then.

I quickly looked up at the ceiling, pretending to blink something out of my eye. The Grand Duke narrowed his brow as if exasperated and nodded dismissively at the steak placed before me.

“Eat.”

Hmm, well, it doesn’t seem to be poisoned.

He did say he wouldn’t kill me ‘today,’ right?

“Yes, I’ll enjoy the meal.”

After taking a deep breath to compose myself, I cut into the steak and put it in my mouth. What is this?

Wow, how long has it been since I’ve eaten meat!

No, it’s not just that it’s been a while—this is the most delicious meat I’ve ever tasted in my life.

It melted in my mouth, and the juices were exquisite.

The food was so delicious that my feet nearly started dancing under my dress.

“Who… made this?”

Unable to contain my happy smile, I swallowed the meat and looked at the servants standing nearby as I asked the question.

My addressing them seemed to cause some confusion.

Realizing I needed to explain why I’d directed my question to them rather than appearing critical, I hurriedly continued.

“It’s so delicious…! I feel like I’ve never eaten such wonderful food in my life!”

A well-built man standing stiffly with the most serious expression flinched as he looked at me. He seemed to be the chef.

“We… we have always served this during your time here, my lady.”

“Really? The steak just melts in my mouth.”

The chef stared at me with large, round eyes for a long moment before repeatedly wiping his thin face with his hand.

His face had even turned red, like someone receiving praise for the first time in his life.

“Th-thank you, my lady.”

“I should be thanking you. Such delicious food!”

The fish steak and grilled vegetables that followed were equally fantastic.

I might not get to eat such rare delicacies again after today, so I should finish everything placed before me.

Full of excitement, I picked up my fork but suddenly felt a gaze on my face and looked up.

“Oh, am I eating too much?”

The Grand Duke was watching me with an unreadable expression.

“Um, I wasn’t very hungry, but it’s not good to waste food, right?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Right…”

I nodded awkwardly with a slight smile, and he lowered his gaze indifferently to eat his food.

“……”

Looking at him sitting far away, I recalled an article from the newspaper I’d seen in the bathroom a few days ago, which devoted over half a page to praising his superior physique and beautiful appearance.

The end included some dubious personal opinions about the grand duchess.

According to that article, on the day the news of young Grand Duke Hedegen’s marriage to Lea Azanie was announced in the newspapers, most unmarried ladies throughout the empire wept and wailed…

“Why are you staring like that?”

“Ah, well…”

At his low voice, I suddenly realized I’d been examining his face too carefully.

Well, he is too handsome and capable to be murdered at such a young age.

At a loss for words, I quickly scanned his surroundings for something to talk about.

I noticed the broccoli left untouched on his plate.

“You… haven’t eaten any of your broccoli?”

He looked at me as if wondering what on earth I was talking about.

“You should eat your broccoli. Vegetables are good for you.”

“You’re quite meddlesome.”

“Taking care of your health is part of my job.”

He raised one eyebrow as if he’d heard something absurd. He didn’t forget to let out a scornful laugh either.

His expression made it clear he wouldn’t even lend an ear to my words.

Hmph, ignore me all you want. I have the confidence to endure without breaking my spirit.

From now on, I will be a devoted grand duchess to this grand ducal household and a wife hurt by another woman her husband loves.

So I need to stay strong.

Someone standing in this dining room among the servants might become a witness later, so it was good to show my caring side toward him in advance.

“But… why are you suddenly treating me to such a delicious dinner today? Have you had a change of heart?”

“I wanted to confirm something.”

“What?”

He stared at me while mercilessly crushing his sherbet with a smooth fork.

“How far you’re willing to go?”

The Grand Duke’s languid smile felt ominous for some reason, but there was only one thing I could do.

Push forward shamelessly.

“Wow… are we really go…ing there?”

“Did you think I was lying?”

The Grand Duke, walking slowly down an expansive, seemingly endless corridor, looked down at me with a chilling smile.

My shoulders instinctively hunched under that cold smile that sent shivers down my spine.

Could this corridor I’m walking truly lead to the Grand Duke’s bedroom?

“A married couple should share a bedroom at least. Don’t you think?”

After dinner, he said he would take me to his bedroom.

A bedroom!

We hardly seemed like a couple who would have shared a bedroom!

“Did we originally share the same bedroom?”

“Of course.”

Liar!

The moment he finished speaking, all the servants were noticeably surprised, and some even flinched.

Their reactions only confirmed my suspicion that this man and I had never shared a bed.

“Ah…!”

But when the Grand Duke’s bedroom doors opened wide, I gasped at the magnificent view of the spacious room.

Until now, the only places I’d seen in this castle were my hospital-like room, two reception rooms, and the dining hall. While I hadn’t seen anything cheap there either, this place was truly heavenly.

I nearly lost myself in the brilliant golden scenery lavishly spread beneath the chandelier.

“Oops.”

When the two servants who opened the door glanced at me, I quickly came to my senses and covered my mouth.

The Grand Duke, who seemed not to care about me at all, walked past me inside, and I hurriedly followed.

“How about it.”

“Pardon?”

“Going back now.”

The Grand Duke looked down at me indifferently as he asked.

“W-why?”

“A married couple doesn’t have much to do in a bedroom. And whatever we start, I have no intention of backing down.”

“……”

“Will you be alright?”

My goodness… isn’t he being too direct about what he plans to do?

But this man wouldn’t do anything foolish to me.

It seemed more like a haughty declaration that he wouldn’t fall for my detestable acting.

The slight upward curve of his lips was exceedingly handsome, but his eyes clearly contained a cold hatred when looking at me.

‘If you’re going to act, I’ll go all the way too.’

Perhaps he was just someone accustomed to skillfully confusing others.

I understood what he meant, but even so, I was someone who didn’t know what kind of relationship we had…

“Um… I don’t understand what you mean.”

I shook my head as if I truly couldn’t comprehend his meaning and forced a smile.

“This is our bedroom, right? Isn’t this where I should be?”

“……”

“You just kept me in that hospital room until my head healed, right? You’ve brought me here because I’m better now?”

Grand Duke. I’m a woman with amnesia who has no one to rely on but her husband. So no matter how much you test me, you won’t get what you want.

He stared at me intently before letting out a bitter laugh and straightening up from where he’d bent down to meet my eye level.

“Impressive.”

He seemed displeased with my answer, his eyes taking on a mocking gleam.

“Let’s see how far you go, then.”

His merciless gaze was so sharp that my lips went dry.

Knock knock—

Just then, two maids entered after knocking.

“We’ll prepare you for bed.”

Their “simple preparations for bed” involved removing cumbersome accessories, changing me from my dress into a chemise, and washing my face clean of makeup.

However, word must have spread that my mind remained intact during dinner, as the maids’ hands had returned to their rough handling.

Sigh… Could I really turn their hearts around, gain recognition as a grand duchess, and make them testify so I could receive compensation?

It seemed like an insurmountable task no matter how I looked at it.

“The lady is fully prepared.”

When the maid reported this as I exited the bathroom with its adjoining powder room, I doubted my eyes at the sight of him in the distance.

“……”

Could that leisurely man leaning against the pillow really be the Grand Duke?

But… why is he n*ked?

Does he normally sleep n*ked?

Weren’t nobles supposed to wear something to bed?

Do they sleep with just bare muscles?

My heart sank as my eyes darted around, and the ever-helpful butler even guided me to where he was.

“Ah…”

He had his upper body completely exposed without a single thread, and the thick lower half of his body was faintly outlined under the thin blanket. I quickly looked up at the ceiling.

“Everyone out.”

No, don’t go!

I looked at the servants with a desperate expression, but I couldn’t stop them from leaving into the corridor.

After watching them leave with dismay, I turned my head slightly and immediately made eye contact with the Grand Duke.

Surely he’s not completely n*ked down there too?

I forced a slight smile at the Grand Duke, whose thoughts remained completely unreadable.

What if he really is completely n*ked?

Then he gestured lightly toward the bed.

“Lie down beside me.”

“What?”

“Why. Don’t you want to?”

“Uh… n-no. Of course I should. Yes, yes.”

Unable to distinguish even what I was mumbling, I found myself lying on the bed.

Is he really testing me?

After pulling the blanket up to my neck, I deliberately spoke cheerfully.

“G-good night, then. I’ll just go to sleep…”

“I’m not letting you sleep.”

What? I opened my eyes wide after pretending to close them, and suddenly my vision went dark.

When I came to my senses, his upper body had already covered my field of vision.

His arrogant eyes, looking straight down at me, gleamed brightly in the darkness.

“……”

I was so startled that I couldn’t even scream, and the Grand Duke’s gaze began to sink frighteningly deep as he stared at me.

As if lost in thought, he momentarily sank into an abyss before unhesitatingly lowering his head toward my face.

I unconsciously held my breath and squeezed my eyes shut at his hot breath on my neck.

“Ah!”

Goosebumps rose as he gripped my thigh, and just as I pushed against his chest, the Grand Duke’s sharp voice—when he seemed about to twist his head to kiss me—echoed in my ear.

“Shall we continue?”