“No, it’s fine!”

I quickly replied, and the Duke clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“Is that so? That’s a shame.”

The Duke made a sad expression as if genuinely disappointed. For a moment, his ruby-colored eyes curved like crescent moons and gleamed mesmerizingly as they stared at me. My body involuntarily trembled at that gaze.

But I smiled as if nothing was wrong.

“You think so?”

Meanwhile, a strange sense of relief arose. ‘So I didn’t pounce on him?’

But the relief was short-lived.

‘……Isn’t that an even bigger problem?’

It could mean we went all the way.

For a moment, my head went blank. No, surely that couldn’t be. But since I couldn’t be sure, I looked at the Duke.

“Your Grace, may I… ask one more thing?”

“What is it?”

“……How far did we go?”

But was this too blunt? At my question, the Duke burst into laughter.

“Last… night……”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I added timidly.

“Well, let me see.”

The answer was immediate. But does this man know? That this makes it even more upsetting.

“Your answer is ambiguous……?”

“I’ll leave it to your imagination.”

“……!”

“As a lesson not to drink too much in the future.”

The Duke smiled refreshingly as he said this. Just as my gaze was involuntarily drawn to my own body.

The Duke, who had approached closer, whispered in my ear.

“But I didn’t force anything you didn’t want.”

At that moment, my face involuntarily flushed hot. But that wasn’t the end.

“By the way, I know well. That it was a mistake.”

Those were the words I had said to him when we had our first kiss. Receiving them back now made me feel ashamed.

Unable to face him any longer, I lowered my head and said:

“I’m going to wash, get out!”

This man was too dangerous no matter how I thought about it.

❀❀❀

The Duke and I each washed and finished our preparations before meeting again in the bedroom. This was because we were scheduled to have breakfast with my father.

Seeing the Duke dressed casually unlike usual, I felt a similar emotion to when I heard his husky voice in the morning.

“I guess we really did get married.”

At my sudden remark, the Duke tilted his head curiously.

“What made you feel that way?”

“It’s just strange. Your Grace has always been perfect, but seeing you in a relaxed state is fascinating.”

“Is that so?”

After answering like that, the Duke was silent for a while, then opened his mouth as if remembering something.

“Actually, I feel the same.”

It was just one sentence, but from his curious gaze scanning me, I could tell. That he too found this situation unfamiliar.

Somehow, knowing we shared the same feeling made me feel ticklish.

“……Even though it’s a contract marriage.”

I deliberately reminded him in a low voice, and the Duke’s eyes became slightly downcast. I knew it was a disappointed look, but I pretended not to notice and looked away.

Around that time, the Duke rose from his seat and began speaking.

“I suppose we should be heading out now.”

I nodded at the Duke’s words.

“Is there anything else you need to bring?”

After breakfast with my father today, the Duke and I were scheduled to go on our honeymoon with Elysion. I had roughly packed my luggage this morning, and the Duke was asking if I had packed well.

I smiled and answered his question, which was typical of his meticulous nature.

“No, I don’t. What about you?”

At my question, the Duke nodded but then looked at me with a slightly serious expression and said:

“I don’t either, but how long will you keep calling me that?”

“What?”

“We’re married, aren’t we? The title ‘Your Grace’ seems too vertical and doesn’t sit well with me.”

I was a bit surprised by the Duke’s words.

Don’t men usually like women treating them submissively? Alex was like that too.

So it was surprising to hear him say he disliked a vertical relationship.

“Is that so? Then what should I call you?”

“……”

“Brother…?”

Usually men like cute titles, so I thought carefully before saying it, but somehow the Duke’s expression seemed displeased.

Oh, is this not it?

“Honey…?”

This one actually felt a bit awkward to say. Because it reminded me of Alex. Since I didn’t have many good memories with him, I thought I would feel uncomfortable if this title became fixed.

The Duke also didn’t look particularly pleased, whatever he was thinking.

‘I guess none of them were good.’

I had put some thought into it. Putting aside my disappointment, I waited for the Duke to speak.

After some time passed, the Duke finally opened his mouth.

“The first one is fine too, but……”

“……?”

“That’s a bit much. Please call me by my name.”

“Ah.”

I finally understood. It seemed he found setting a specific title burdensome.

I nodded and asked:

“So I should call you Assel?”

“Yes. Please call me that, Levedi.”

“Yes, Assel……”

Why? Even though it was just permission to use his name, somehow this situation of calling each other by name felt strangely intimate. Perhaps because his name still felt unfamiliar on my tongue.

“Your name is pretty.”

The moment I complimented the unique, smoothly rolling sound of his name, the Duke’s cheeks reddened.

“Is that so.”

Though only trivial questions had been exchanged, somehow an awkward current flowed. That silence was suffocating, but at the same time, it was tender enough to make my heart tickle.

Not knowing what to name this emotion I was feeling for the first time, I remained still.

Assel seemed to feel the same way, and so time passed as we stood facing each other.

❀❀❀

Assel and I left the room side by side.

Unlike the bustling previous day, the mansion was desolately empty after the wedding guests had departed.

Moreover, thanks to the servants who had cleaned everything neatly, it was hard to believe a wedding had taken place here at all.

Almost as if it had been a midsummer night’s dream.

Lost in such thoughts as we walked, Assel and I soon approached the dining room.

The servants standing at the entrance recognized us both and bowed their heads in greeting.

“Good morning, Miss, Your Grace.”

“Yes, good morning to you too. Is my father here?”

“The Count is already waiting inside.”

“Already?”

Even though we had deliberately come down about 10 minutes early, Assel and I exchanged surprised glances at the news that my father was already down.

The maid standing at the door smiled awkwardly and said:

“Yes, he’s been down for two hours already. The young master is there too.”

“……Two hours?”

“He said that both of you need to eat well the day after your honeymoon, and he was personally directing everything.”

At the maid’s explicit words, my face involuntarily heated up.

If nothing had happened at all, I would have dismissed it as a common misunderstanding, but having seen my reflection in the mirror when I woke up this morning, I couldn’t remain calm.

However, unlike me, Assel was completely composed, just as he had been this morning. Not only that, but he went even further.

With his lips curved into a smirk at the maid’s words, he asked in a low, almost whispering voice:

“Well, you did overexert yourself yesterday. Didn’t you, wife?”

The maids nearby let out “Oh my” sounds and burst into laughter. Some waved their hands as if embarrassed.

I widened my eyes at Assel’s words.

“What?”

‘This man really……’

He was certainly skilled at teasing me. But just as I couldn’t believe he was only teasing, Assel’s seemingly sincere gaze momentarily confused me.

Did something really happen last night…?

But soon realizing I had fallen for his pace from his playful smile, I discreetly pinched his side.

“Yes, I did overdo it. Yesterday we were both so tired from the wedding that we fell asleep early. Both of us.”

The expectant looks on the maids’ faces faded. But they didn’t seem to fully believe me, as their lewd smiles still didn’t leave.

This is all because of Assel.

‘Such a slick person……’

Thinking that I might fall for it if he deliberately deceived me, I entered the dining room with Assel.

❀❀❀

“Mommy!”

As soon as we entered the dining room, we were greeted not by my father or delicious food, but by Elysion.

Elysion didn’t attend our wedding yesterday. With so much talk circulating about our marriage.

It was a decision made after discussion, as we couldn’t bear to see Elysion, still a child, caught up in unnecessary rumors.

“Sion, have you been well?”

“Yes. I ate well and slept well, just like Mommy said.”

Looking at Elysion, who was nestled in my arms and moving his small lips, my heart felt tight. He’s truly a little devil.

“Oh, did you?”

I gently stroked Elysion’s back, finding him both cute and admirable for spending yesterday alone. Elysion giggled and burrowed deeper into my embrace.

“Hehe, I missed you, Mommy.”

“Do you know how much Mommy missed Sion too?”

“How much?”

“As much as the sky and the earth!”

Elysion burst into laughter again and rejoiced. After briefly reuniting, I put Elysion down, and a woman ran over from a distance.

“Oh my, young master!”

The middle-aged woman was familiar to me. I recognized her as Elysion’s nanny from seeing her every time I visited the Duke Esteban’s residence.

I think her name was Lasia.

“Where did you go……”

While I was lost in thought, the woman discovered me, slowly raised her head, and then brightened.

“Oh, Madam, you were here.”

“You’re calling me that already?”

While I was surprised at her remarkable adaptability, Lasia laughed and replied:

“Of course. Actually, I’ve been holding back from calling you Madam for a while now. Now that you’ve had the wedding, there’s no reason not to.”

“I look forward to working with you. By the way, has Elysion been well?”

“Yes. He behaved very well all day yesterday. When I asked, he said he made a promise with his mother.”

“Did he?”

Somehow, listening to her story made me feel strangely uplifted and proud. What parent wouldn’t feel good hearing their child praised?

It was newly surprising to realize that I now truly considered Elysion as my own child.

“Elysion, is it true that you were good?”

“Of course! Sion doesn’t lie. You said liars are bad people!”

“That’s right. Our Sion is so smart.”

When I patted his head, Sion smiled broadly and hugged my thigh. I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable and funny he was, only able to reach my thigh due to his small height.

But why? Despite seeing Elysion, Assel had been silently watching the two of us without saying a word.

He even looked a bit sulky.

After entrusting Elysion to his nanny and meeting Assel’s eyes, he grumbled:

“……I’m well-behaved too.”

“……?”

What is this man saying?

“Pardon?”

Doubting if I had heard correctly, I asked again, and he glared at Elysion and said:

“I’m quite well-behaved too.”

“……”

“More than Elysion.”

What? Could this man possibly be…

Jealous of Elysion?

I had heard that men have strong competitive spirits, but experiencing it firsthand like this was a first, so I had to hold back an incredulous laugh.

But our conversation didn’t continue any further. It was because my father approached just then.

“Did you two have a good night?”

❀❀❀

My father had a sensitive temperament, having worked as a poet in his youth.

The maids’ claim that my father had personally directed breakfast was no exaggeration; the taste and presentation of the food were extraordinary.

While I was admiring it, my father suddenly asked a question.

“Does it suit your taste?”

Since being told to speak comfortably last time, my father had initially been awkward but now spoke casually to Assel.

Assel also treated my father with respect, as if such treatment was natural. Many people don’t respect their fathers-in-law even after marriage, asserting their authority, so I thought his character was admirable in this regard.

“It suits my taste very well. It seems like you must have gone through a lot of trouble preparing this.”

My father’s lips curved upward. Since growing older, my father had become easily swayed and couldn’t resist praise.

“Haha, what trouble? It’s nothing when it’s for feeding you two.”

Seeing my father genuinely happy, I thought he was beyond help.

“Does it suit your taste, Sion?”

“Of course it does! Grandpa made it!”

My father’s target soon shifted to Elysion. The two had become quite close after spending time together whenever we dated.

I couldn’t help but smile seeing Elysion chewing his food more enthusiastically, deliberately showing off to my father.

My father also smiled contentedly as he watched the three of us.

Eventually, as we were finishing our meal, dessert was served. While I was taking a spoonful of custard pudding, my father suddenly asked:

“Come to think of it, what are your plans for a second child?”

Gulp.

For a moment, I almost choked. Thankfully, what I was eating was soft pudding; otherwise, I might have gotten it caught in my throat.

“Father!”

When I looked at him with reproachful eyes, my father gave me a puzzled look. An expression that showed he didn’t understand what the problem was at all.

I sighed deeply and whispered:

“Sion is listening……”

Then my father looked at Elysion and said:

“Sion, is there a problem with that?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you say you wanted a younger sibling? A pretty little sister, right?”

“That’s right! I want a sibling!”

“……”

At Elysion’s immediate confirmation, my father looked at me with a triumphant expression. A look that seemed to ask if I had anything more to say.

Then my father looked between me and the Duke and said:

“I think the sooner the better……”

“……”

“Let’s say within three years. Sion wants to play with his little sister before he enters the academy.”

I sighed deeply seeing my father arbitrarily setting a date.

“But three years is a bit……”

It was right at that moment.

“Father-in-law, I agree.”

The energetic voice that came from beside me was. At Assel’s sudden declaration, I looked at him with wide eyes, while my father wore a pleased expression.

“Is that so?”

“As long as Levedi is okay with it, I’m ready anytime……”

“……”

……Are these people for real?

I was overwhelmed by the urge to sew Assel’s mouth shut.

❀❀❀

Fortunately, the second child controversy ended inconclusively when Elysion choked while eating.

Everyone’s attention turned to Elysion, whose complexion had turned pale white. A commotion broke out as even the servants rushed in making a fuss.

Fortunately, after patting his back a few times, Elysion’s complexion returned to normal.

After finishing all the desserts, the maids brought in tea.

“So where did you two say you were going for your honeymoon? I think you told me, but I can’t quite remember.”

While drinking tea and chatting about various things, my father suddenly asked.

I had already told him once, but he probably hadn’t paid much attention due to the rush of wedding preparations.

“Father, I told you we’re going to Leontaine territory.”

At my answer, my father showed a surprised expression.

“Oh, Leontaine territory? The beaches there are famous.”

“I happen to have a hotel there, so I thought we could stay comfortably.”

“You even built a hotel?”

At Assel’s words, my father looked at him with a surprised expression, and Assel smiled calmly and replied:

“Yes, somehow it happened……”

“Young man, you’re quite sharp in business. Haha, I almost want to learn from you.”

He blushed as if embarrassed.

“Levedi is no less impressive. I had an easier time because I inherited a lot of wealth from the imperial family.”

“Still, impressive is impressive, and I’m proud of my daughter too. I heard at some gathering that Black Rose is quite remarkable.”

“……Is that so?”

Father’s praise evoked a strange feeling in me. All this time, my father hadn’t interfered with my trading company business, but he hadn’t shown much interest either. So while I could run the business without major obstacles, I had felt somewhat neglected, to be honest.

However, since the Josh incident, my father had gradually started taking an interest in what I do. It seemed like he had been asking around here and there, but this was the first time I had received such direct praise.