<CHAPTER 6>

Honestly, I had come here half-expecting it to be a wild goose chase, but the Grand Duke of Bayern was actually here.

What was more, with just a few words, he had revealed that he was in the same situation as she was.

After being shown to the room where she would be staying by an aide, evening came.

As a guest, Ivel was seated at the same table as Victor.

“I assumed that since I had returned, you might have returned as well. If you hadn’t, I would have made other plans. But I needed you.”

“Why me?”

“Because I need someone I can trust.”

The sight of the Grand Duke pouring wine with nothing but a white shirt on was strangely sensual.

The hem of his shirt fell naturally along his broad shoulders before gathering loosely around his waist, while his sleeves had been casually rolled up.

Without the neat, cold demeanor of the commander she had always known, he looked far more relaxed.

It was almost strange to think that the Grand Duke could look like this, but Ivel made sure not to let it show.

She still had no idea how she was supposed to process everything she remembered from the battlefield.

“Could there be others who returned besides Your Grace and me?”

“There could. But if there were, they would have certainly come looking for me. The fact that no one has contacted me means that, for now, there are only the two of us.”

“Ah.”

That made sense.

Among the others, there were people of high enough standing to contact the Grand Duke immediately.

And even those who were not in a position to write directly to him could have found a way to get in touch through Lucas or Heinrich.

“There’s a possibility that their memories may return gradually with time, so it would be best to wait and see. However, I intend to bring all twelve of those who remained until the very 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 of them could remember.

But wishing for it wouldn’t make it happen.

And for their sake, perhaps it was better if they never regained those memories.

“After I had assessed the situation, the first person I went looking for was…”

Victor Bayern was never a man who rushed.

Even when he spoke, he always took his time.

Knowing that, she waited without pressing him.

“I believe I once told you about my nephews. I want someone who can properly look after them. Someone who won’t reveal what they see or hear to anyone.”

The veins on the back of his hand stood out prominently as he set down the wine bottle.

Watching him slowly turn his glass as though revisiting an old concern, Ivel swallowed nervously before asking as casually as she could.

“Are they ill?”

“You could say that. In mind or body.”

A self-deprecating smile briefly crossed his impossibly handsome face before disappearing just as quickly.

Then his deep blue eyes met hers directly.

“I intend to live differently.”

“Yes.”

“I want you to help me.”

“…Yes.”

A request rather than an order was strangely unfamiliar.

The fact that she actually had the right to refuse—it was an almost extravagant kind of freedom.

“This is the contract, so read it carefully. If you agree, you only need to affix your seal. If you don’t, I’ll buy you a house wherever you wish. You deserve at least that much.”

Ivel silently stared at the documents being held out to her.

They contained a surprisingly detailed set of terms.

“You will have separate bedrooms before the marriage, but after the formal ceremony, you will share a bedroom. Of course, you will also be provided with a private bedroom of your own, separate from the marital one…”

“Although we met under these circumstances, I intend to make it appear as though I fell in love with you at first sight.”

He said it so calmly that Ivel nearly spat out the wine she had been drinking.

Love at first sight?

Victor Bayern?

“So, although it’s a contract marriage, you mean for it to look like a love marriage?”

“Yes. You’ll also have to play the role of a high-ranking noblewoman. At the very least, you’ll need to observe proper etiquette. Here.”

Ivel decided not to pry any further.

She needed money, after all.

And, more importantly, she needed to make sure her twin brother couldn’t bleed her dry of it.

Even if he says I can simply have a house, Abel might come looking for me. But if I enter the Grand Duke’s household, he won’t be able to threaten me.

Abel was sharp enough to connect the timing of her disappearance with the Grand Duchy of Bayern.

But beyond that—

What could he possibly do?

Once I have a secure source of funds, I could go abroad, continue my research, and perhaps even continue working as a doctor.

She had heard that in some countries, it wasn’t particularly unusual for women to become doctors.

Time and money to gradually prepare for asylum.

And freedom from her wretched family.

All of it was far too tempting a proposition for her to refuse.

“You’ll take control of matters within the family and also handle the duties of the Grand Duchess…”

As she ran her hand over the document, she realized there was no mention of an heir.

“Do I not have to bear children?”

Had that been too blunt?

The Grand Duke paused, and she blinked at him before the answer came, bringing her relief.

“There is no need for an heir. I intend to pass everything on to one of my nephews.”

“That’s a relief. I don’t want to have children.”

“You don’t need to try to love me. You only have to pretend. I imagine you’d be good at acting.”

“Because I’ve been pretending to be a man?”

The Grand Duke silently confirmed it.

Ivel let out a short breath.

“When did you realize I was a woman?”

“From the beginning.”

“…What?”

Did I hear that correctly?

She had thought she’d hidden it well.

Perhaps she was staring at him rather foolishly, because the Grand Duke raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t understand how anyone could fail to notice.”

“…You have a sharp eye. Then did the others know as well?”

“Half of them. Your build is different, after all.”

That hurts my pride a little.

She had even cut her hair short and deliberately chosen oversized clothes.

Grumbling inwardly, she turned her gaze back to the contract.

“I have one condition.”

“Anything.”

“My twin brother knows my identity. Send me somewhere he can never come back from.”

“What else?”

I wasn’t sure this would work, but apparently this will work too.

The Grand Duke gave a slight nod, as though he intended to grant nearly anything she asked for.

“Hmm… Then once the contract ends, please arrange passage on a ship for me. Somewhere I can travel safely to another country. Preferably somewhere that won’t be dragged into a war.”

“That will be easy.”

They shared memories of the future.

They knew which countries would start wars and which would remain at peace.

The only difference between him and her was that Ivel had neither the money nor the power to change the future.

But at least my own life… This much will definitely change it.

Provided her parasitic family didn’t track her down and cling to her again.

“One more thing. Please make sure my face doesn’t appear in the newspapers.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

She was just beginning to relax, thinking that everything was finally settled, when—

“Now that we’ve reached an agreement, why don’t we speak more casually with each other?”

“…Pardon?”

“This isn’t a battlefield. And I’m no longer your commanding officer. Wouldn’t it seem more natural if we called each other by our names?”