Chapter 42

She hadn’t been asking for anything grand. She simply needed someone she could speak openly with in this unfamiliar place, and that person had to be Edmund. Even if they were bound by a contract, they were still, at least for now, a married couple. Even if only in name, he was her husband, and the one who had said he would take on his wife’s discomfort was Edmund himself.

“I don’t quite understand.”

But his response once again left her feeling hollow.

“Is a trivial remark really that important? I also don’t see why Miss Blair needs to know my private affairs.”

The gaze he fixed on Blair was serious to the point of severity. Edmund was genuinely perplexed. Meeting his eyes, Blair bit her lip.

“Edmund, can you trust me?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We don’t know what will happen in the future. There are so many variables in our lives, so I can’t help feeling anxious. That’s why, even if we’re only a couple in name, I think we need to build at least a minimum level of trust.”

Even as she continued to explain, Edmund looked unconvinced. With an expression tinged with fatigue, he replied, “We’ve already signed a contract. An agreement bound by contract is never ambiguous. It clearly states the obligations that must be upheld, and if they’re violated, there are consequences. That should be enough. Why feel anxious?”

“To me, trust feels more important than words written in ink.”

“Trust is precisely what’s uncertain.”

Edmund’s voice sank lower.

“Trust changes depending on circumstances. Today’s faith turning into tomorrow’s betrayal is hardly uncommon.”

“….”

“But a contract is different. Each clause serves as a standard, and that standard doesn’t waver. I chose a contract to eliminate unnecessary variables.”

He spoke in a calm tone, as if reading lines straight off the contract itself. Blair kept her mouth shut and looked back and forth between Edmund’s eyes. After holding her gaze for a moment, the man added firmly, as though signaling that this topic should not be pursued any further.

“We were bound by mutual interests before we were ever husband and wife. Trust between us was never a necessary condition to begin with. Keeping the agreed-upon terms is the way to maintain this relationship in a stable manner.”

His logic was airtight, leaving no room for rebuttal. How could anyone possibly win against a man armed with the perfect answer? A young woman who had only just come of age had no way to contend with someone seasoned enough to rise from the very bottom of Borsa’s social circles to the top. Blair gave a small nod and lowered her eyes.

“You’re right.”

“….”

“I’ll do that, then. I’m sorry for asking something pointless.”

She felt endlessly small. She’d always thought of herself as fairly level-headed, yet standing before him, she always seemed to become someone immature, led by her emotions.

“If I may offer one piece of advice, when you’re anxious, it’s best to maintain your composure, Blair.”

“…Maintain my composure?”

“Seeking reassurance in others’ words isn’t a very good approach. Showing impatience or fear only becomes a weakness, so it’s better to conceal your emotions and preserve your dignity.”

Now Blair could no longer hide her bewilderment as she stared at him. Edmund didn’t stop there.

“That’s the most reliable way to suppress anxiety, and it should be a familiar method for someone like you, who was raised and educated as a noblewoman.”

“Is that really something the man who suggested a contract so I could choose freedom over a life bound as a woman should be saying?”

“Of course, your freedom is guaranteed after the contract. But not now. While the contract is in effect, you must play the role of my wife. Fulfilling that role is what preserves your dignity, and that dignity will become the shield that protects you.”

“That’s interesting. I thought you chose me as a contractual partner precisely because I’m not a typical noblewoman. Yet now you’re advising me to uphold such virtues. Don’t you find that somewhat contradictory?”

A heavy silence settled over the table. With no attendants present, the breakfast room was so quiet that even the sound of breathing seemed loud.

“I’m getting tired already, and it’s only morning.”

Breaking the stillness, Edmund rubbed the space between his brows with his long fingers.

“When I emphasized the need to appear close, did you decide that a marital quarrel was one of the options?”

“I didn’t intend to argue.”

“Then let’s focus on appearing like a harmonious couple. That will both preserve your dignity and naturally cover up your anxiety.”

Blair averted her gaze, and the meandering conversation ended there. Edmund’s advice felt like an undeniable reality. She tried to accept it somehow and steady herself, but it was difficult to dispel the anxiety crouched deep in her chest.

***

Time passed quickly, and before long, the day before the wedding arrived.

Edmund left the estate early in the morning due to his schedule, and Blair finished breakfast alone in her bedroom. As she wondered whether she should at least call for a familiar maid to ask for a tour of the estate to fill the rest of the day, she received an unexpected invitation.

“The Duchess is asking to see me?”

“Yes, miss. She said she would like to have tea with you and asked that you be escorted to the drawing room on the first floor.”

Having tea with an elder of the family was nothing unusual. But since that elder was Isabelle, it couldn’t be taken lightly. With Edmund absent, and with the wedding only a day away, what exactly was she trying to test?

“All right. I’ll go right away.”

After tidying her appearance enough to avoid fault, Blair left the bedroom at once. Following the duchess’s maid, she descended the broad staircase, passed through a corridor lined with portraits, and arrived before a familiar door. It was the very drawing room Isabelle had summoned her to on her first day at the ducal estate.

“Madam, I’ve brought Lady Twyford.”

“Let her in.”

Blair stepped forward as the door opened quietly. The heat from the blazing fireplace and the scent of flowers enveloped her. Seeing Isabelle seated at the tea table, Blair gathered her skirts and greeted her with proper courtesy.

“Thank you for inviting me, madam.”

“Come, sit.”

Isabelle gestured lightly toward the chair across from her with a faint smile. Blair moved gracefully and sat, straightening her back. Isabelle’s gaze, carrying a subtle trace of amusement, swept over Blair from head to toe.

“It hasn’t even been a week since you came to Eldenvale, yet everything has progressed straight through to the wedding. It suddenly occurred to me that, now that you’re to become the duchess, I haven’t properly exchanged even a word of greeting with you. So I thought I’d arrange this, just for us women to share a cup of tea.”

Each word she spoke carried a quiet weight. Blair swallowed a bitter smile and lifted the corners of her lips to mirror Isabelle. Since she’d argued with Edmund about dignity just the day before, composing her expression wasn’t particularly difficult. In truth, Blair wasn’t someone who struggled to hide her emotions. He was the only exception.

“I can only be grateful. I won’t forget your consideration, madam.”

“You’re a rare sort of forthright young lady.”

Isabelle lifted her teacup and smiled, the corners of her eyes curving softly.

“But remember this. Reeds that bow before the wind survive, while trees that stand rigid are the ones that snap. I say this because I worry about you.”

With that, she gently lowered her gaze, savoring the aroma, then took a sip of tea. On Isabelle’s immaculate face, only the curve of her smiling lips deepened slightly.

“So, what do you think?”

“…What do you mean?”