Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 115

You must not rely on others. Once you lose the strength to stand alone, you’ll never be able to rise by yourself again. For an orphan without a family, it was all the more obvious.

That’s why Brianna had endured alone until now. But right now, she just wanted to entrust everything to this man. Even though she knew he wasn’t truly family.

Lucius’s large hand touched the top of Brianna’s head. As if comforting her, his long fingers gently swept through her hair.

Feeling that tender touch, Brianna closed her eyes. Hoping that even if this shoulder disappeared one day, she wouldn’t collapse all at once.

***

By the time the carriage arrived at the ducal residence, Brianna was fast asleep. Lucius raised a finger to his lips toward the coachman who was about to open the door. Instead of announcing their arrival, the coachman shut his mouth and quickly stepped aside.

When Lucius entered the mansion carrying Brianna in his arms, the head maid approached with a startled expression. She looked between Lucius and Brianna, then whispered softly.

“Did something happen to Madam? We were starting to worry since you were running late.”

“She’s fine. Just fell asleep from exhaustion. Where’s my mother?”

“She returned early and went to bed.”

Lucius nodded.

“I’ll take care of Brianna, so everyone else should head to bed.”

The head maid was slightly surprised that he would attend to the Duchess personally, but as a seasoned servant, she stepped back without a word.

Lucius carried Brianna to their room. After laying her on the bed, he removed her shoes and dress. He also took out all the pins from her hair and let it down. Even as he covered her with a blanket over the thin slip she wore, Brianna did not wake.

Lucius sat on the edge of the bed, quietly gazing at her peacefully breathing face.

When he decided to go pick her up, he never expected any of this to happen. She had said she didn’t need his help, but she never told him not to come. So, he had justified the visit and headed to the marquis’s estate—wondering how she would react upon seeing him. At most, he imagined she’d scold him for not trusting her.

He never imagined Franz, that insect of a man, would have crawled in there.

“Brianna, I only want one thing. Your body. Just give me that.”

The moment he heard that voice echoing down the corridor to the banquet hall, Lucius felt his blood run cold. And then, he saw Brianna’s face—pale and drained of all color.

It was the first time he had ever seen her like that. She looked as though she were standing on the edge of a sheer cliff. The woman who had always remained composed through so much looked as if she could fall at any moment.

What enraged him even more was the realization that this wasn’t the first time she’d been threatened like that. Even back in Harzen, that man had tormented her and even tried to sneak into her room in the middle of the night.

Remembering how Brianna had left the count’s house without a letter of recommendation and struggled because of it made Lucius want to tear Franz apart on the spot. The only reason he didn’t was because he intended to trample him completely this time—along with all his past misdeeds. So that filthy man would never dare to show himself before Brianna again.

As fury surged through him, Lucius clenched his fist tightly. At that moment, Brianna stirred slightly and made a small noise. He waited until her breathing settled again, then let out a quiet sigh.

He smiled at the sight of her deep in sleep, and gently stroked her cheek. But only for a moment—his gaze soon turned bitter.

Perhaps, you’re unhappy right now.

He knew all too well how hard she had tried. He had told her she didn’t need to push herself so much, but those words meant nothing. It was because of her title—Duchess of Carlisle. She seemed to feel pressured to perfectly embody the role. And the one who had pushed her into that position was none other than Lucius himself.

If she had married Florian, she would have lived a much more peaceful and happy life. A small, cozy house, a loving partner—simple days spent together. The neighbors she met would have been kind and down-to-earth, and Franz would never have sought her out.

If I had just let the carriage go and not chased after it, would you be living a much freer, happier life by now?

But Brianna, even if that were true, I can no longer let you go. I’ve made up my mind to do whatever it takes to keep you by my side. Not just through a contract—but by any other means necessary.

Lucius moved the hand resting on Brianna’s face down to her belly. Spreading his palm, he gently placed it there.

He hoped Brianna would have a child as soon as possible. A child born from Brianna would surely be beautiful and lovable. He wouldn’t want to part with them even for a moment. Then, even if their marriage had started from a false contract, she wouldn’t be able to leave.

So he hoped the first child would be a daughter. He imagined her pouring all her love into raising the child. And when her heart had fully settled in this place, it would be even better if she bore the promised son.

Imagining this quiet bedroom filled with the laughter of children oddly lifted his mood. It felt as if something long left hollow had finally been perfectly filled.

One hopeful thing was that today, for the first time, Brianna had leaned on him. Like a small bird folding its wings and falling asleep after a long flight.

Lucius kissed Brianna’s sleeping eyelid.

In truth, as he watched her resting against his shoulder, he had the fleeting thought of cutting off the tips of her wings so she could never fly far again.

Brianna would never even dream of such a thought.

***

For the next few days, Brianna mostly stayed at the estate. She sometimes went shopping with the Dowager Duchess or attended small gatherings, but there was nothing as taxing as the Marchioness’s birthday party.

During that time, Lucius also spent more hours at the estate. As he had promised, he began teaching her how to ride. He even helped her practice shooting in the back garden.

One particularly peaceful day, Lucius asked Brianna what she planned to do that afternoon. When she replied she would likely read in the library since nothing was scheduled, he invited her to read in his office instead.

Caught off guard, Brianna agreed, but she soon found herself wondering whether this kind of arrangement was normal. After all, she’d never heard of a noble couple spending both day and night together constantly.

Lucius began working at his desk while Brianna sat in a plush chair nearby, flipping through the pages of her book. After reading for a while, she glanced up to see Lucius frowning deeply at a document. Curious about what had made him look so serious, she stared at him—only to meet his eyes a moment later. Embarrassed, she quickly averted her gaze, and he chuckled as he handed her the document he’d been reading.

“Seems the book you’re reading isn’t that interesting. In that case, how about helping me with my work?”

Without fully understanding, Brianna accepted the document. She assumed it must be something trivial if he was so willing to share it—but as soon as she began reading, she realized it was far from trivial.

Her eyes widened as she looked back at him. If she had read it correctly, the document detailed a background investigation on the Empress of the Kazak Empire.

“What kind of person do you think the Empress is?”

From her birth to her current situation, everything was written in great detail. After carefully reviewing the contents, Brianna cautiously asked a question.

“Are you thinking of placing someone of ours inside the imperial court?”

Currently, the Empress of the Kazak Empire was in a difficult position. The Emperor had long neglected his wife and instead doted excessively on his mistress, the Countess of Rienz. While he had only one daughter with the Empress, the Countess of Rienz had borne him three sons.

At one point, the Emperor had tried and failed to divorce the Empress. Since then, he had openly brought the Countess to official functions. Naturally, the Empress’s position had become pitifully weak.

“I’m looking for someone inside the imperial court who might be willing to make a deal with us. The Empress seems like a good candidate, but I’m unsure if she’s truly capable. That’s what I’ve been trying to determine.”