Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 63

Lucius approached Adelheid.

“You didn’t heed my warning last time. I clearly told you not to touch my people.”

Adelheid realized she had failed in her plans once again.

She had intended to create a small disturbance using Margot at the tea party. A minor commotion during the final moments of the engagement would not tarnish their union. But for him to sense something and confront her like this meant that Margot had failed yet again.

Useless woman.

“…I have something I want to ask.”

Adelheid decided there was no use in pretending innocence anymore. She had learned last time that such an act wouldn’t work on him.

Instead, she chose to ask him something she had genuinely been curious about.

“Does Brianna Everett count as one of your people too, Sir Lucius?”

Adelheid hoped he would deny it. That was not something one should ever say in front of their fiancée.

Even if it were true, Lucius Carlisle, a man known for fulfilling his duties and responsibilities above all, should never admit it.

But…

“In the sense that she’s someone you must never harm, yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that I hold her deeply in my heart.”

Adelheid’s breath caught.

“And the reason I’ve kept those feelings hidden is exactly as you suspect. She is my friend’s lover.”

Adelheid bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She was furious at his lack of even the slightest denial.

“How could you say that… How could you say that in front of me, your fiancée?!”

“If you wish to break off our engagement, I will do so.”

Adelheid stared at him, stunned that he was mentioning a breakup on their engagement day.

“Did you just say break off?”

“From the start, our marriage was never founded on love. If love is what you seek from me, then it would be better for us to break it off. I will never love you as a woman.”

“Why are you so sure? There are plenty of couples who start with arranged marriages and end up living happily.”

“If we marry, Miss Adelheid, I promise I will be the best husband I can be. I will remain faithful only to you. But that would be as family—a matter of duty and responsibility, not love.”

Seeing her face pale, he continued, “But you don’t have to be faithful to me.”

“What…?”

“During our marriage, you can meet other men as much as you like. If you end up having a child with one of them, I will take that child in as my own. I promise you that as well.”

“……”

Adelheid was momentarily speechless. He genuinely seemed to think he was being considerate by saying this to her.

“So let Brianna and Florian continue as they are. It would be better for you as well.”

“…Are you threatening me?”

“It’s not a threat—more like a mutually beneficial agreement.”

His tone softened, but the underlying message was anything but gentle.

“I will gain military achievements on the battlefield and acquire a title. With the title of Duke Carlisle and my rank added, you will lead a life of envy. I will be the loving husband that people admire, no matter your personal life.”

After a brief pause, Lucius added firmly, “But for that to happen, there is one condition. You must leave Brianna Everett alone from now on.”

Only then did Adelheid realize how little she truly knew about this man.

Was he always like this?

She had thought him a quiet, devoted, and considerate person. That was the Lucius she had known since childhood, the one she had loved for so long. She had begged her parents to let her marry him, believing she would have all of him to herself.

But now, he was cornering her with threats, to the point of seeming calculating.

“Until the day I return from the battlefield, Brianna Everett must be safe here, without any issues. If anything happens to her, I will hold you accountable, Miss Adelheid. Not only will I end our engagement, but I will use every means at my disposal to make you pay. For example…”

He paused, then spoke again, “Leaking information about the people your father, Count Kirchner, has been meeting in relation to the establishment of the House of Commons.”

“What…?”

“Count Kirchner has been taking bribes from the bourgeois, using his promise of getting them into Parliament as bait. If this information gets out, he’ll be forced to leave the House of Nobles.”

“If my father falls, it won’t be good for the Carlisle Duchy either!”

He would lose an ally. Lucius smiled, as if he could see through her thoughts.

“My brother might turn a blind eye for the sake of the country’s long-term stability, but I am merely a soldier. I have no such reason. And I already told you, I will use every means available to me.”

Adelheid’s lips trembled.

People often said Daniel Carlisle would have made the perfect duke, if not for his crippled leg. He was sociable, embraced people, and once he set his heart on something, pursued it without looking back—he seemed to lack nothing.

By contrast, Lucius Carlisle was deemed too reticent and lacking in ambition. But was that really true? Even Adelheid, inexperienced in politics, could tell one thing clearly:

When Lucius Carlisle, who was supposedly without ambition, wanted something, he became the most terrifying person.

“Make your choice. Either break off the engagement or accept all that I’m offering you, while leaving Brianna alone.”

There was only one choice for Adelheid.

“…I promise. I won’t touch that woman.”

Grinding her teeth, she uttered the words, and he smiled.

“And it would be best to send Margot away immediately.”

Adelheid agreed. “Fine.”

Lucius took her hand and kissed the back of it. The touch of his lips on her skin was cold.

“Then I’ll see you at the banquet.”

After getting what he wanted, he left. Alone in the room, Adelheid, overcome with rage, grabbed a vase from the shelf and threw it to the floor.

Crash!

“Miss?”

The maids, startled by the noise, rushed into the room. Among the mess, Adelheid clenched her fists.

Brianna Everett.

Now she couldn’t even lay a finger on that woman.

***

Brianna spent her time in the library, browsing through books. Even as she did so, she wondered if it was okay to just trust Lucius and remain calm like this.

But maybe it would be fine. He always kept his word.

At some point, Brianna realized that she had come to trust and rely on him. It had been a long time since she had completely leaned on someone—maybe the first time since Leona had died.

Time passed, and soon she saw the carriages of the nobles lining up outside the window.

Brianna cautiously stepped out of the library.

Could she just return to her room now?

As she wandered around, lost in thought, one of the maids who had worked with her in the kitchen noticed her and waved. It was one of the maids who had helped in the kitchen that day.

“Miss Brianna, I haven’t seen you around. Where have you been?”

Brianna approached her. “I was in the library, reading. Did the tea party end without any issues?”

“Of course. Everything went perfectly, and the Countess was pleased.”

The maid then seemed to remember something.

“Oh, you wouldn’t know since you’ve been in the library. Margot is leaving.”

“Margot?”

The maid nodded. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but the young lady told her to leave immediately. Isn’t that just too fickle? She wanted her to serve, then suddenly tells her to go. Seeing Margot packing her things while crying was actually quite pitiful.”

Clicking her tongue, the maid walked away, and Brianna realized that Lucius was behind Margot’s sudden dismissal.

As she made her way back to her room, Brianna passed by Margot’s quarters. Just as the maid had said, Margot was packing, crying uncontrollably.

As Brianna was about to pass by, Margot spotted her.

“You…”

Margot rushed out and swung her hand at Brianna. But before she could strike her cheek, Brianna grabbed Margot’s wrist.