Chapter 14
Sasha quickly let go of his arm, feeling awkward. She moved the empty soup bowl aside, trying to shake off her embarrassment.
She was curious about the contract, but at the same time, part of her did not want to know. She was afraid that hearing the truth might leave her too shocked to recover. She worried it would trigger another emotional collapse like before. It seemed better to leave the curiosity behind and bring this conversation to an end.
“Um, thanks to you, I’ve come to my senses. Thank you.”
She felt it was something she absolutely had to say. Looking back now, she realized she had wasted so much time over something that had not been as serious as it felt.
Rose had probably been worried because of her. The other maids must have been frustrated too, dealing with a duchess who refused to come out of her room.
“Please let Rose and the other maids know that I’m sorry. I must have caused them a lot of trouble.”
As Sasha spoke with a more serious expression, Kyler’s lips curled into a faint smile again.
Even the way she thought reminded him of himself. Only after he had regained control over his emotions had he realized how difficult his behavior must have been for the people working around him. No one would have found it easy to serve a reclusive and troubled young duke. That was why he had apologized to them first.
Kyler looked at her quietly for a moment, and Sasha felt her cheeks grow warm. Still, seeing him smile even slightly made her think that perhaps he was going to let the matter go.
Then a thought crossed her mind. Just how long was this man planning to stay here?
Now that the conversation was over, he should return to his duties. But Kyler remained seated, showing no intention of leaving. After a moment, he lowered his gaze to the table, then slowly reached out and gently wrapped his large hand around hers.
Sasha inhaled sharply, just softly enough that he would not hear it. From everything she had seen so far, she could only come to one conclusion. This man was terrifying. No one ever described him as kind or gentle.
Some of the maids gossiped that his desire for her made him seem passionate and intense. But that was only speculation based on what they thought they saw.
When she thought about the night they had spent together, she remembered how he still held her close even after she had turned him down. He could not seem to fall asleep without holding her. That added some truth to the rumors, but still, it was all just guesswork.
To Sasha, the Kyler Ignote she was seeing and experiencing felt different from what people said about him.
Kyler stood up and began walking slowly, still holding her hand. Sasha stood too, gently pulled along by his steps.
But if they kept going this way, they would reach the bed.
“Um, Your Grace? The sun hasn’t even set yet…”
Sasha was flustered. She had not expected things to go this way. She tried to resist and stop in place, but his grip remained steady and continued guiding her forward.
He glanced back at her then, his face still expressionless. As she met his eyes, she froze. What if he brought up the contract now? If he said it out loud, she was afraid she might lose control and run away from the estate altogether.
As that fear washed over her, she gave up resisting. Her strength faded, and Kyler kept walking until they reached the bed.
Realizing there was no point in struggling, Sasha climbed onto the bed herself. She lay down on her back and looked up at the ceiling, but Kyler did not follow her up.
What was going on? She had mentally prepared herself, and she had even gotten into position. So why was he just standing there?
Her heart began to race. She was starting to feel foolish. Embarrassed by her own thoughts, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited. But nothing happened. There was no movement. No sound.
Confused, she slowly opened her eyes. Kyler was looking down at her with the same calm expression.
“I’m glad I didn’t have to force you to lie down. Now, get some rest.”
“…Sorry, what?”
That was it?
Sasha stared in disbelief as he turned around and walked out of the room without another word.
Had she really been thinking that way all by herself?
“Aaaaah!”
She buried her face into the pillow and kicked her legs in frustration. What was she even thinking? Her entire face flushed with embarrassment.
No, wait. So… that means… Ugh!
Even coming up with excuses in her head felt too humiliating. She screamed into the pillow again.
Had she actually been expecting something?
The thought made her even more ashamed. With her mind spinning and her face still buried, she could not lift her head for a long time.
The next time they met was in the dining room at dinner.
The table had already been set with a full meal. When Sasha arrived, there were no servants in sight, only Kyler sitting there alone.
The table was arranged so that everything they needed was within arm’s reach, making the presence of attendants unnecessary.
“Welcome. You should be able to eat now, since the soup earlier helped settle your stomach.”
It seemed he had arranged this with her in mind, knowing it had been a while since she had left her room. She could feel his care in how he had made sure she wouldn’t have to face too many people and, in his desire, to help her eat properly after missing several meals.
Sasha always dressed simply, without layers like petticoats. Because of that, it was easy to see just how thin she had become.
“You need to eat a lot more.”
Just as she sat down and lifted her fork, Kyler spoke up. She had not even taken a bite yet. She had not even used her fork, so what did he mean by that?
“Is there something wrong with the way I look?”
She tilted her head, confused, and looked at him. Kyler reached across the table and gently took her wrist. The sleeve of her dress only reached her elbows, exposing the bone-thin arm beneath.
“You’re too thin. I didn’t notice at night, but seeing you now in the light really surprised me. If you’re that underweight, your strength won’t recover properly. So eat a lot.”
Sasha could feel her face flush at his words, especially with him talking about that while sitting at the dining table. He still held her wrist, and she could feel her skin growing warmer.
“I’ll eat, so please let go of my hand.”
It seemed like he had no intention of letting go just yet. Instead, he gently ran his fingers along the thin part of her wrist, as if feeling the bones under her skin.
“I’ll erase everything from before you came here. You can live however you want. As long as you do not bring disgrace to the name of Ignote, you are free to do anything.”
He kept rubbing her wrist as he said that. Sasha wondered what kind of man Kyler Ignote really was. Everyone said he was frightening. But then why was he so gentle with her? Why was he giving her freedom and saying such kind things? Was it all because of the contract?
“Alright, let’s eat.”
He finally let go of her wrist, and even though her hand was free now, she couldn’t bring herself to move right away.
It was only when he brought a second bite of food to his mouth that she finally lifted her fork. She picked up some vegetables and brought them to her lips. The fresh crunch distracted her from her thoughts.
“I did not bring you here out of pity.”
They had been quietly eating for a while when Kyler suddenly spoke again. The words were so unexpected that Sasha blinked and asked, “What?”
He turned his head and met her eyes for a brief moment, then looked back at his food and continued.
“Choosing a Duchess for the house of Ignote is no small thing. There’s no way I chose carelessly. So don’t think of coming here as something unfortunate.”
It seemed he had guessed what she was feeling. She was not a proper lady, not someone who belonged in the highest noble house. That guilt, that doubt, had been sitting in her heart.
Why me? If this marriage was just a contract, did she even have the right to enjoy the privileges that came with it?
He was not reading her thoughts, but his words matched exactly what she had been feeling.
“Are you saying that I’ve actually been… helpful to you?” she asked quietly.
Kyler had mentioned the contract. Of course, not every contract had to be equal. Still, a contract was usually built on mutual interest. If she had gained something from this arrangement, then surely he had too.
She worried that asking such a thing would make her seem bold or arrogant. She chose her words carefully, trying not to overstep. The fact that she still felt the need to tiptoe around like this showed how timid she remained. It was hard to live as her true self.
“We made a deal. Even if you were the one who made the request, I wouldn’t have brought you here without something in it for me. Unfortunately, I’m not a charity worker.”
The word “request” echoed in her mind. Was that the reason Elina had objected so fiercely?
Still, hearing his response, which matched her thoughts exactly, gave her a strange sense of relief. It was as if the pressure around the word “contract” had suddenly lifted. She didn’t feel trapped anymore.
“I see. Alright. I won’t bring shame to Ignote.”
Kyler watched her as she smiled, then calmly resumed eating.
“Whatever you want to do, eat well first. That’s the most important thing.”
“Yes, I think so too. You should eat a lot as well.”
There was something stronger in her voice now, a little more confidence.
Kyler didn’t comment on the change. He simply kept eating, chewing with focus and determination. For some reason, both of them had become strangely serious, almost like they were on a mission. Piece by piece, they cleared every dish on the table.
