Chapter 21
Although he tried not to dwell on it, he couldn’t stop the thoughts that came naturally.
It’s all because Judith said something like that.
Asking whether he liked her, saying that now wasn’t the right time…
She truly had a talent for catching people off guard.
But what was strange was that her question—”Do you like me?”—hadn’t offended him in the slightest. If anything, it felt as though she had struck right at the heart of something he had been unwilling to acknowledge. His emotions were restless.
And…
I always knew she was pretty, but…
He had always thought she had a delicate, cute face. But her bare face, exhausted complexion, and hair carelessly tied back had hidden much of her beauty.
Now, after Isabella had gone all out to dress her up, she was genuinely stunning.
It was hard to believe that such graceful curves had been hidden beneath those neat but worn ready-made dresses she usually wore.
If she attended a banquet looking like this, countless men would be unable to take their eyes off her.
Even he had been left speechless for quite some time.
When he caught sight of the porcelain-white skin peeking through the modest neckline of her dress, his heart began pounding uncontrollably.
It reminded him all too vividly of the time they had spent pressed closely together inside that secret passage.
This won’t do.
Ekian came to a decision.
I can’t come back to the ducal estate anymore.
Not because of the secret passage.
Not because he kept running into Judith.
It was because…
He kept imagining things he shouldn’t.
And he knew better than anyone that those thoughts would eventually become something dangerously close to greed.
What would happen if he simply returned home pretending nothing had changed?
His parents would rejoice.
He could finally face Judith without wearing a mask.
And Judith—
Even if only on paper—
was his wife.
The woman who had once liked him.
He was afraid.
Afraid that he would eventually surrender to those subtle desires and longings he had been desperately pretending didn’t exist.
Then—
“The three members of the ducal family are all in danger of being poisoned.”
Judith’s words crashed over him like a bolt from the blue.
It was as though a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over his head, forcing him back to reality.
“Fortunately, I don’t think we’re too late yet. I want to catch the culprit before it happens and stop the poisoning. But I need your help, Master.”
She looked directly at him.
“Please help me.”
He had no choice.
His family—
More precious to him than his own life.
The family he had been willing to disappear from this world just to protect.
“Tell me, Judith.”
Standing in his own room, looking at the woman who was now his wife, he spoke in a strained voice.
“What do you need me to do?”
* * *
At that same time—
Inside Duke Mayus’s office.
“It would be such a waste to let someone like her go.”
Isabella sipped her tea as she spoke to her husband.
“If she were a commoner, it would be one thing. But she’s still a noble in her own right. I can’t help feeling guilty that we’ve practically ruined her marriage prospects.”
She glanced at him.
“How about arranging another marriage for her later? Even if she’s technically remarrying, with the duke’s family backing her, she should still be able to marry the son of a respectable noble house.”
Her husband remained silent.
With a sigh, Isabella continued.
“She’s quite pretty… hardworking… and I think she’s genuinely kind-hearted.”
Those were words she had been too embarrassed to say in front of Judith herself.
“I think she also took wonderful care of Karl yesterday. He handled everything so bravely afterward.”
She smiled faintly.
“And she reminded me that no matter how much of a genius he is, he’s still just a child…”
Holding her teacup, Isabella looked troubled.
“Don’t you think she’s grown up remarkably well? Her irresponsible parents left behind nothing but mountains of debt and abandoned her, yet she still became such a fine young woman.”
“Hm.”
“Ben.”
Only after Isabella called his name did Duke Ben finally open his mouth.
“You seem to have grown rather fond of that girl.”
“…Ahem.”
Isabella looked away awkwardly.
She couldn’t exactly complain that Ben had repeatedly emphasized to Judith that she was only a temporary employee, even after the girl had promised to do her very best.
After all…
She herself had said almost exactly the same thing when they’d first met Judith.
Still…
Perhaps Ben would eventually end up feeling the same way she did.
The calm expression Judith had worn when she’d simply accepted those words—
“I expected as much.”
For some reason, Isabella couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Maybe that was why she wanted to do something for the girl.
Blinking, she asked,
“What about you? What do you think?”
“What is there to think about?”
Ben answered indifferently.
“In a few months she’ll be a stranger to us anyway.”
From Ben’s perspective, Judith was merely a young woman he’d met once.
There was no reason for him to become attached.
More cold-hearted than Isabella, he honestly didn’t believe this entire scheme would bring Ekian back.
It was a painful conclusion.
But knowing his son…
If anyone would choose not to return, it would be Ekian.
In any case, Judith would eventually have to leave.
If Isabella wanted to look after the girl afterward—
That made no difference to him.
“If arranging another marriage will make you feel better, then do as you please.”
Ben answered casually before taking another sip of tea.
“Although… considering the price of the dress you’re wearing today, isn’t that already far too generous for a poor girl like her?”
“Hmph.”
Isabella puffed out her cheeks.
“You say things like that now, but if you end up liking her, you’ll spoil her more than anyone else.”
* * *
The following morning, Ben was in his office.
He had returned from inspecting the territory and was buried in paperwork.
Among the documents waiting for him was the final paperwork for his son’s marriage registration.
Knock. Knock.
“Duke?”
At the unfamiliar woman’s voice, Ben looked up in surprise.
Who was that?
Before he could remember, the voice continued.
“It’s Judith Aylan. May I come in for a moment?”
Ah.
The woman pretending to be carrying Ekian’s child.
In other words—
His temporary daughter-in-law.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Judith entered, followed by a maid pushing in a tea cart.
“Oh, it’s nothing serious.”
She smiled gently.
“I actually came because there’s something about the marriage registration that’s been bothering me.”
“Hm.”
If she’d come merely to chat, he would have sent her away immediately.
But since it concerned official business, he was willing to hear her out.
He looked at her expressionlessly.
Well…
It wouldn’t be easy to leave behind records showing she became pregnant and then divorced.
If she wanted to cancel everything now…
He had every intention of allowing it.
“Very well. Sit.”
Ben gestured toward the table.
“I already have tea. There’s no need to prepare another cup.”
A teacup already sat on his desk.
It was prepared every morning and evening by Bart, the ducal family’s physician.
Depending on Ben’s physical condition, Bart personally blended medicinal herbs into the tea.
That was what it meant when people said Bart oversaw the health of the entire ducal household.
Not only Ben—
Isabella and Karl also drank Bart’s specially prepared tea every morning and evening as nutritional supplements.
Ben trusted Bart completely.
After Ekian disappeared, both he and Isabella had suffered terribly, and their health had steadily declined.
But after Bart prescribed this tea, Ben’s condition had noticeably improved.
Isabella also claimed that after drinking it, she slept better and felt much calmer.
“Oh, I received mine this morning too.”
Judith smiled brightly as she raised her own teacup.
“Bart personally examined me and prescribed it. He didn’t explain the details—just said he’d added nutrients my body was lacking.”
Ben gave a half-hearted nod.
To him, the tea wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.
Perhaps sensing that he wanted her to get to the point, Judith smoothly changed the subject.
“Actually…”
“My birthday was less than a week ago.”
“Hm?”
“But if we announce the pregnancy now… technically it would mean I became pregnant while I was still a minor.”
She gave an awkward smile.
“I know that isn’t unheard of… but this concerns Young Duke Ekian’s reputation. Wouldn’t that be a problem?”
Ben hadn’t considered that possibility.
Frowning, he fell into thought.
At the same time, he couldn’t help feeling that she was an exceptionally thoughtful girl.
She could have simply taken the money and left.
Instead…
She was worrying about Ekian’s reputation.
Even though she had never once met him.
In a sense, she was protecting the honor of the ducal family as well.
“Then… although it would look somewhat unnatural, we could set the announcement just before the official date of his presumed dea—”
At that moment—
“Wait a second, Duke.”
After finishing her tea, Judith frowned.
“…There’s something wrong with this.”
