Chapter 6
Honestly, she had come here half believing and half doubting, but the Grand Duke of Bayern really was here.
Even with only a few words, he had let her know that he was in the same situation as her.
After being shown to the room where she would stay by the aide, evening came.
Ibel was sitting at the same table as Victor as a guest.
“I assumed that since I had returned, you might have returned as well. Even if you hadn’t, I would have made another plan, but I needed you.”
“Why me?”
“Because it had to be someone I could trust.”
The Grand Duke, pouring wine while wearing nothing but a white shirt, looked strangely sensual.
The shirt naturally fell along his firm shoulders and hung loosely around his waist, while the sleeves were rolled up roughly.
Having thrown away the neat and cold appearance of the commander she had always seen, he looked much more relaxed.
It felt unfamiliar to see the Grand Duke like this, but Ibel did not show it.
She still did not know how to process all the memories of what had happened on the battlefield.
“Could someone besides Your Grace and me have returned as well?”
“That is possible. But if they had, they would certainly have come to me. The fact that no one has contacted me means that, for now, it is only the two of us.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, that made sense.
Among the other members besides her, there were people of a status that allowed them to contact the Grand Duke immediately.
Even if they could not write directly to the Grand Duke, there were many ways to contact him, such as through Lucas or Heinrich…
“Their memories may return slowly as time passes, so it would be better to wait. However, I intend to bring all twelve people who remained until the end to my territory.”
“I understand.”
Just as the final twelve had been special to her, they must have been special to the Grand Duke as well.
Still… I wish at least one more person remembered.
But wishing for it would not make it happen.
For that person’s sake, perhaps it was better that they had no memories.
“After understanding the whole situation, the reason I looked for you first was…”
Victor Bayern was never a man who hurried.
Even when speaking, he always took his time.
Knowing this, she waited without urging him.
“I believe I told you about my nephews before. I want someone who can properly take care of them. Someone who will not reveal what they see or hear to anyone.”
The veins on the back of his hand stood out clearly as he put down the wine bottle.
Watching his hand slowly turn the glass as if he were thinking over an old concern, Ibel swallowed for no reason and asked casually,
“Is there an illness?”
“Something like that. Whether of the mind or the body.”
A self-deprecating smile passed over his impossibly handsome face before quickly disappearing.
Soon, his deep blue eyes met hers directly.
“I intend to live differently.”
“Yes.”
“I want you to help me.”
“…Yes.”
A request instead of an order felt quite unfamiliar.
The fact that she had the right to refuse.
Wasn’t that a rather luxurious kind of freedom?
“This is a contract, so look through it carefully. If you agree, you can put your seal on it. If you don’t agree, I’ll buy you a house wherever you want. You deserve that much.”
Ibel silently stared at the documents being held out to her.
There were quite detailed conditions written inside.
“You will use separate bedrooms before the marriage, but after the formal wedding ceremony, we will have to use the same bedroom. Of course, besides the marital bedroom, you will also be given a private bedroom that you can use separately…”
“Although we met this way, I intend to make it seem as though I fell in love with you at first sight.”
He spoke calmly, but Ibel almost spat out the wine she was drinking.
Fell in love at first sight?
Victor Bayern?
“…So, even though it is a contract marriage, you mean we have to make it look like a love marriage?”
“Yes. You will also have to act as a high-ranking noblewoman. You should at least have basic etiquette. Here.”
Ibel decided not to ask too many questions.
She needed money anyway. And she needed to make sure her twin brother could not take it away from her.
He says I can simply receive a house, but then Abel might come looking for me. However, if I enter the Grand Duke’s household, he won’t be able to threaten me.
Abel was quick-witted, so he might be able to connect the time she disappeared with the Bayern Grand Ducal family.
But that was all.
What could he possibly do?
Once I secure enough safe funds, I could go abroad to continue my research and keep working as a doctor.
Apparently, in some countries, it was not particularly strange for a woman to become a doctor.
Time and money to gradually prepare for asylum.
And escaping from her tiresome family.
All of it was an incredibly tempting offer to her right now.
“You will take control of the family from within and also handle the duties of the actual Grand Duchess…”
As she ran her hand over the documents, she realized there was nothing about an heir.
“Do I not have to give birth to a child?”
Was that too direct?
She blinked as she watched the Grand Duke pause, then felt relieved by his answer.
“An heir is unnecessary. I intend to pass it on to one of my nephews.”
“That is a relief. I don’t want to have children.”
“You don’t have to try to love me. You only need to pretend. You seem like you would be good at acting.”
“Because I’ve been pretending to be a man?”
The Grand Duke silently confirmed it.
Ibel let out a short breath.
“When did you know that I was a woman?”
“From the beginning.”
“…What?”
Did I hear that wrong?
She had thought she had hidden it well.
Perhaps she had stared at him stupidly, because the Grand Duke raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t understand how anyone could fail to notice.”
“…You have good eyes. Then did the others know as well?”
“Half of them. Your build is different.”
That hurt her pride a little.
She had even cut her hair short and deliberately chosen only oversized clothes.
Grumbling inwardly, she turned her eyes back to the documents.
“I have one condition.”
“Anything.”
“My twin brother knows my identity. Send him somewhere he cannot return from.”
“What else do you need?”
I wondered if this would work, and even this works.
The Grand Duke gave a slight nod, as if he would grant almost anything she wanted.
“Hmm… Then, later, when the contract ends, please arrange a ship for me. So that I can safely travel to another country. If possible, somewhere that will not go to war.”
“That will be easy.”
They shared memories of the future.
They knew which countries would start wars and which would remain peaceful.
The difference between him and her was simply that Ibel did not have the money or power to change the future.
But at least my own life… This will definitely change it.
As long as her leech-like family did not find her and cling to her again.
“One more thing. Please make sure my face does not appear in the newspapers.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Just when she thought everything was finally finished and was about to relax a little—
“Since the contract has been settled, how about we speak more casually from now on?”
“…Pardon?”
“This isn’t a battlefield. And I’m no longer your superior. I think it would look more natural if we called each other by name.”
For a moment, she was speechless.
He was not wrong, but her first thought was, How could I dare?
It was true that they had decided to get married…
But from Ibel’s perspective, the Grand Duke was still an overwhelmingly distant superior.
“We can gradually work on it during the preparation period. I’ll make the effort first.”
“Ah, Your Grace…”
“If it is difficult for you to speak casually, wouldn’t it look better if we continued speaking formally to each other?”
For some reason, her heart sank as if she had done something wrong.
His way of addressing her had also changed at some point, from you to my lady.
It was no longer the way he addressed a subordinate, but the way he addressed an equal—or a lady.
“…I understand.”
“Then I will escort you to your bedroom.”
