“Estelle.”
If Estelle were to die while still bearing the name Lady Winterren, her immense fortune would legally pass into the hands of the Winterren family.
If she dies before then and I lose any chance of inheriting that wealth…!
The count’s grip on Estelle’s shoulders unconsciously tightened.
“Do you have any idea how unforgiving the North is? I’m worried the climate might ruin your health.”
“But I’ve already accepted the proposal,” Estelle replied calmly. “You know the Duke of Winterren’s fearsome reputation yourself. If I suddenly refuse to marry him and use my health as an excuse, there will be consequences.”
And those consequences would be incomparable to what had happened when she broke off her engagement to the dying Count Blim.
Considering the inevitable backlash, there was only one path left: marry first, then somehow survive long enough to divorce.
“Count, please don’t worry so much.”
The despair in the count’s expression softened, and the strength left his hands.
Seizing the moment, Estelle gently pushed them away.
“I’m going to live—for my family.”
“…Estelle.”
“You were the one who told me to live for the family.”
I’ll survive until the very end… to witness your downfall.
Completely unaware of the thoughts hidden behind her smile, the count finally nodded.
“Very well. If you ever fall ill, you must send word. And if life there becomes unbearable, come back immediately.”
Because only if she returned as Estelle Bellonsa—not Estelle Winterren—could they claim all of her fortune.
“You don’t have to earn a single coin. No matter when or why you divorce, this family will welcome you with open arms.”
“Of course. My family is here. Where else would I go?”
Leaving the restless count behind, Estelle stepped outside.
“Finished talking?”
“Yes.”
Lennox’s gaze lingered briefly on her empty hands.
Yet, as though he had no desire to pry, he said nothing.
Keeping a respectful distance out of consideration for his germophobia, Estelle climbed into the carriage first.
To her surprise, Lennox did not follow.
When she looked at him questioningly, he spoke in his usual rigid tone.
“I have business to attend to. Go ahead to the ducal estate without me.”
“…All right.”
“Our marriage won’t be legally recognized until the first night is observed. I’ll return before dawn.”
“The first night…?”
“There will be no wedding ceremony. If we don’t at least spend one night in the bridal chamber together, rumors will spread. We’ll simply remain in the room together until morning.”
Nothing would happen between them.
Understanding his meaning, Estelle nodded.
Clack.
The carriage door shut.
Ordinarily, reaching the Winterren domain in a single night by carriage would have been impossible.
But by passing through the warp gates installed in the major cities, even enormous distances could be crossed in the blink of an eye.
Not long after departing, they arrived in Winterren territory.
So this is Winterren.
Outside the window drifted scenery washed of color—gray stone buildings and barren landscapes, duller than even the capital’s.
Even the sky seemed permanently overcast.
As Estelle gazed at it in silence, an inexplicable certainty settled over her.
I think… I can survive here.
She immediately revised that opinion.
“Achoo!”
The moment she stepped out of the carriage, a violent coughing fit overtook her, making her painfully realize how badly she had underestimated the northern climate.
While spring had fully arrived in the imperial capital, Winterren remained trapped on the edge of winter.
The ancient fortress before her was so enormous it should have dominated the horizon, yet the gloomy weather concealed much of its grandeur.
As she pulled her clothes tighter around herself, a maid approached.
“Lady Estelle? His Grace informed us in advance. Please come this way.”
Inside, the air was pleasantly warm.
Finally able to breathe comfortably, Estelle cautiously looked around.
The interior reflected its owner’s personality perfectly.
Not a speck of dust could be found.
Everything was polished so immaculately that she half expected her feet to slip on the floor or her hands to slide off the walls.
“I’ll assist you in preparing for your wedding night.”
She was escorted directly to the bath.
The maids carefully washed every inch of her body several times before applying fragrant oils to her skin and hair.
It was already the fifth round of preparation.
By the time they finally finished, night had fallen.
Will he really come back?
The brief conversation they’d shared earlier had convinced Estelle that Lennox despised physical contact with other people.
Yet sitting alone on the enormous bed made her uneasy.
What if he suddenly changes his mind and breaks his promise not to touch me?
A handful of contracts was hardly enough to erase the many terrible experiences she had endured on wedding nights before.
Maybe something unavoidable will happen and keep him away.
But fortune had never favored Estelle.
Creeeak.
She had remained awake the entire night when the bedroom door slowly opened.
The silhouette that entered resembled an enormous shadow.
Startled, Estelle flinched instinctively.
The newcomer did the same.
“Ah.”
The room was lit by only a single candle.
As the dim light revealed Estelle’s figure, Lennox’s eyes widened.
“That’s right… We got married today.”
He muttered the words with a weary expression.
It sounded as though he had completely forgotten he had brought her here.
It hasn’t even been a day since the proposal.
She was dumbfounded.
Is he doing this on purpose to belittle me?
“I must look a mess. I’ll wash up first.”
But the exhaustion etched across his pale face and his drained voice suggested he had genuinely forgotten.
He must have been hunting monsters.
Dark miasma still clung to his body as he turned his back on her.
For some reason, his retreating figure looked strangely unstable.
Then—
He staggered.
Reacting on instinct, Estelle rushed forward to catch him before he collapsed.
Smack!
The instant her fingertips brushed against him, he shoved her away with startling force.
Rubbing the back of her hand where she had been struck, Estelle met Lennox’s awkward gaze.
“This is…”
He seemed about to explain himself.
When no excuse came to mind and the silence stretched on, Estelle spoke first to spare him further embarrassment.
“Are you hurt?”
“…Once I wash, I’ll be fine.”
Could he actually be weakened simply because he feels dirty?
With a case of germophobia this severe, perhaps keeping her distance was the best help she could offer.
“I’ll go clean up.”
Seeing Estelle deliberately step even farther away from him, Lennox rubbed a hand across his face before disappearing in haste.
Watching him leave, Estelle reached a firm conclusion.
Honestly…
She had spent the entire day worrying for nothing.
There wasn’t the slightest chance that man would so much as brush her fingertips tonight.
Not even by accident.
A short while later, Lennox returned looking immaculate.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“I made an unsightly display. It was nothing worth worrying about.”
Indeed, the color had returned to his face.
“That’s a relief. I was worried I might end up attending another husband’s funeral.”
As she spoke, Estelle adjusted her robe.
The thin nightgown threatened to slip with even the slightest movement, making her distinctly uncomfortable.
She stole a glance at Lennox.
Although he had no intention of touching her, she still felt self-conscious.
To her surprise, he discreetly turned his head away.
For all his coldness, perhaps he has some basic decency after all. Maybe he feels guilty about knocking my hand away earlier.
Considering he had once held a blade to her throat, worrying about her hand now seemed almost laughable.
As Estelle absently rubbed the back of her neck, Lennox cleared his throat and withdrew something from inside his coat.
“I should have given this to you earlier, but it slipped my mind.”
“…?”
“Read it and sign.”
It was a stack of documents.
And the first word that caught Estelle’s eye was:
Divorce.
On the very night of their marriage, her husband had handed her divorce papers.
“I’ve also prepared the contract. Sign them both.”
Flip. Flip.
Behind the divorce agreement were the marriage registration and the contractual terms.
After reading the contract carefully, Estelle looked up.
“I’d like to add one clause.”
“What is it?”
“If I request a divorce first, or die from miasma—or fail to complete the agreed one-year term for any reason—I want all of my assets transferred to Your Grace.”
“…What?”
“In other words, if I fail to fulfill the contract, everything I own becomes the property of Winterren.”
“No. I understand the meaning. But isn’t that incredibly disadvantageous to you?”
Even Lennox found the condition excessively one-sided.
“Your objective is to maintain this marriage for one year. Mine is to obtain money.”
“…”
“We’re equal parties in this agreement. Shouldn’t both of us pursue our own interests when setting the terms?”
It was a convincing explanation.
If I die, not a single coin will return to the Bellonsa family.
It also served as insurance.
If he discovers later that I’m so frail I’ve effectively been given a death sentence, he might claim the contract was fraudulent.
Lennox desired only one thing:
A woman who could survive beside him for one year.
This clause would discourage him from breaking the agreement prematurely.
But from his perspective, it merely disadvantaged Estelle.
Unable to discern her true motives, he studied her carefully.
Estelle answered with a bright smile that seemed to ask, Is there a problem?
“Very well. I’ll add it. Don’t complain later.”
“Of course not.”
“I’ll show you the revised version afterward. Sign the divorce agreement and marriage registration first.”
Estelle signed without hesitation.
Then she immediately revealed the location of the naturally growing mandrakes.
“There’s a forest near the eastern village of Centia. You’ll find mandrakes there.”
“I see.”
He asked no further questions.
For now, he doesn’t realize it’s worthless wasteland no sane person would ever pay for.
Seeing no need to elaborate, Estelle handed over the documents.
Lennox walked to a nearby sofa and sat down.
“I’m leaving early tomorrow morning. Don’t concern yourself with me. Sleep in the bed.”
“Won’t the sofa be uncomfortable?”
“Sharing a bed with you would be even more uncomfortable.”
Lennox suffered from chronic insomnia.
Even without his obsession with cleanliness, another person sleeping beside him would keep him awake.
If he manages even a brief nap tonight, it’ll be a miracle.
He slowly closed his eyes.
At once, the voices returned.
“Pathetic. If this is all you amount to, just die!”
“No! No! I don’t want to!”
Whenever he came into contact with miasma, countless desperate grudges echoed in his mind.
Hallucinations no one else could hear.
Only him.
I’m so sick of this.
Even after washing away the miasma, the pounding inside his skull remained.
The staggering earlier…
The endless insomnia…
All of it stemmed from these relentless phantom voices.
No matter how tightly he covered his ears, they never ceased.
Lennox squeezed his eyes shut harder out of habit.
Then—
“Achoo!”
An explosive sneeze shattered the silence.
“…Estelle Bellonsa. What exactly are you doing?”
Opening his eyes, Lennox found Estelle not in the bed but directly in front of him.
She was kneeling on the floor.
