Chapter 20

“What? Al-already? What should we do, my lady…!”

Allen made a worried face upon hearing that Killian had arrived at the door.

At this rate, they might have to send Letricia out as she is.

“At least change your clothes! Ah, but clothes would take too long, right? Then maybe just a hairpin…! Or should we escort His Highness the Duke to the reception room?”

While Allen was frantically running around in confusion, another knock was heard.

“Letricia.”

This time it was Killian himself, not a servant, who knocked on the door.

This made Allen even more tearful as she clutched the lace ribbons tightly in her hand.

“I know…! I’ll go out and talk to him. I’ll ask if he can wait just a moment. Since this is an unannounced visit, wouldn’t His Highness understand?”

“It’s fine, Allen. The preparation isn’t necessary.”

Finding Allen’s trembling fear yet determined attitude adorable, Letricia comforted her before removing a few pieces of lace from her hair and heading towards the door.

“Letricia, it’s been a while… oh.”

When she opened the door, Killian’s usually cold eyes widened slightly for some reason.

Then, as a shadow fell over her head, there was a soft rustling sound of fabric as the hairpin she hadn’t managed to remove fell away at Killian’s hand.

“I apologize. It seems my visit was too sudden.”

“Ah…! Why is this here…!”

Casually waving the blue lace that matched his own eyes, Killian assessed the situation in the room.

From the dresses hanging in the maid’s hands to the colorful hair accessories Letricia was holding.

It seemed she had been trying to dress up after hearing news of his visit…

As his gaze slowly settled on Letricia’s face, a deflated sound escaped from Killian’s mouth.

“Pfft.”

“Your Highness, did you just laugh?”

Embarrassed at showing such an unkempt appearance, Letricia had been fixing her hair but suddenly raised her head at that sound.

But perhaps she had misheard.

Killian’s face was expressionless, as if he had never laughed.

“Were you trying to dress up? There’s no need for that.”

Ah, as expected. This is why she thought there was no need to dress up.

Letricia’s face grew hot at his dry gaze that seemed completely uninterested in her.

“You’re right. I said it wasn’t necessary too…”

“What does it matter what you wear? Whether dressed elaborately or simply, you’re still just you, aren’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m saying you don’t need to stand on ceremony before me in the future. Whether you dress up or dress comfortably. Dress according to your own standards, not mine.”

Killian’s eyebrows twitched as he naturally tucked the lace in his hand into his inner pocket.

Then, unable to hold back, he let out another small laugh, like a forced cough.

“By the way, you seemed displeased with it then, but it appears you’ve quite taken to my gift.”

Killian bent down to face Letricia across the threshold.

“Hmm? Letricia.”

There was yellow paint on the tips of Killian’s long fingers.

It seemed she had gotten paint on her face earlier when touching her hair with hands that had been handling paint.

“While I’m glad you like the gift so much, but is it necessary to wear it like this?”

Though his voice was still as cold as if he had ice in his mouth, Killian seemed quite amused.

It was certain, given the mischievous way he wiped the paint from her face.

“I-I can do it myself!”

Feeling like a child caught in the act of mischief, Letricia hid her face.

“F-first, please come in. And next time, please send a letter before visiting. It’s inconvenient when you show up so suddenly like this.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. Though I wonder if there will be occasion to send a letter.”

Killian, his expression calm again, stepped decisively over the threshold.

“Because I don’t think I’ll be setting foot in this mansion again. I’m planning to leave for the North right now.”

* * *

Drip drip.

Steam rose from the round teacup as tea was poured into it.

“That’s enough now, Allen. You may go.”

“…Yes, my lady. Please call if you need anything.”

After Allen reluctantly left the room, filled with lingering attachment, Killian was the one who broke the silence that fell between the two.

“Is that all your luggage? I’ll tell Pel to pack it.”

“Are you really leaving for the North now?”

“Yes.”

Killian nodded briefly and ran his hand through his hair.

His forehead, smoothly revealed then hidden again, made his handsome features shine even more.

“Why, do you have more to pack? If so, I could delay the schedule a bit…”

“No, I’ve packed everything. I don’t have much to take with me.”

After briefly glancing at her luggage, which wasn’t even a quarter of the pile of boxes Killian had gifted her, Letricia brought the teacup to her lips.

“I’m just a bit surprised at how sudden this is. Is there a reason you’re in such a hurry?”

“There’s no particular reason, but if I had to give one, it’s because my arm hurts?”

“Pardon?”

With an exaggeratedly serious expression, Killian waved his bandaged arm and made a soulless groan of “Ouch,” completely devoid of sincerity.

“This hurts more than it looks. When it hurts, it makes me think of home.”

“…What is that?”

Letricia’s lips curved up gently at his uncharacteristically frivolous behavior.

“It’s true. As you know, the capital is no longer my home, and since the new homeowner quite dislikes me, I can’t rest comfortably in a place like this.”

Clank.

Killian set down the teacup he had picked up following Letricia’s lead.

The home in the capital must mean the imperial palace, and the new homeowner must refer to the Emperor and Empress.

“Why, do you not want to leave this place yet? Do you have lingering attachments?”

If guilt counts as attachment, then perhaps.

Letricia’s eyelashes trembled faintly at Killian’s question.

But she quickly composed her expression and shook her head.

“No. The mansion’s staff will be happier the sooner I leave anyway. Let’s go right now. However…”

“However?”

“Before we leave, I’d like to be more clear about our marriage.”

Letricia pulled out a crisp white paper from the drawer.

“What aspect?”

“The time limit.”

Killian crossed his long legs with a face both arrogant and beautiful, as if telling her to speak her piece.

Letricia placed the crisp white document she had prepared in advance on the tea table.

“Hmm. What could this be.”

Annoyed by the word ‘Contract’ written at the top of the paper, Killian wiggled his ankle back and forth.

The contract contained just one clause stating that their relationship would end after one year.

“A one-year time-limited relationship, is it.”

Killian pulled the contract closer with his index finger.

“Yes. As you know, I don’t have much time left. Let’s make it so our contract automatically expires after one year.”

“Hmm…”

Killian lightly tapped the table with the pen Letricia had handed him.

Though the time had only increased from half a year to one year, he wasn’t particularly pleased about writing this damned contract again, continuing from his past life.

In truth, such a contract could simply be ignored if one wished.

‘Naive Letricia. If you wanted to make such a contract with me, you should have brought a magic scroll with your life as collateral, not just a mere piece of paper.’

Twirling the pen between his index and middle fingers, Killian stared at Letricia.

Her crimson lips, which looked like they would be quite soft to touch, were pressed firmly together.

Seeing her determined expression, he thought she might ask to postpone the marriage again if he refused to write the contract.

‘Should I play along for now?’

Killian, who had no intention of keeping the contract anyway, opened the fountain pen cap with these dishonest thoughts.

“Is this all you want?”

“Ah… and about my condition, to the people of the duchy…”

“If you don’t wish it, I won’t tell others.”

“Thank you.”

Scratch scratch. The sound of signing the paper created a tickling noise.

However, just before finishing the signature, Killian stopped the pen.

“But Letricia, haven’t you forgotten something?”

“Pardon?”

“That form of address, I believe we agreed to change it.”

“Ah… that… it hasn’t become natural yet. Can’t we change the way of address gradually?”

“No. We cannot.”

At Killian’s answer that left no room for negotiation, Letricia’s lips twitched.

“If you don’t address me properly, I won’t sign this contract either. I have nothing to lose, what will you do?”

Seeing Killian completely set down the pen, Letricia fidgeted with her lower lip.

“K-Killian.”

When she finally managed to awkwardly speak his name, the corner of Killian’s mouth curved slightly.

“Well done. That’s how you should address me from now on.”

After lightly tapping Letricia’s hand with his fingertip as if in praise, Killian completed his unfinished signature.

“There. Now that I’ve signed the contract as you wished, shall we depart?”