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chapter 7
Liliot, the senior maid of the mansion and the Duchess’s closest attendant, was a woman about the same age as Adelia’s aunt.
From the very first day Adelia arrived at the estate until now, Liliot had been by her side through everything. She was someone Adelia felt deeply grateful for.
Even so, Adelia still couldn’t get used to having someone else wash her body.
And so, every time she bathed, she would inevitably receive a bit of gentle scolding from Liliot.
“How was the laboratory?”
“Oh, um! It was really nice! No—no, I mean… it was very nice.”
“That’s a relief. The young master… no, the master—he was quite worried about you.”
Adelia’s eyes widened.
“Senior was worried about me?”
“Of course he was. What kind of husband wouldn’t worry when his wife spends hours studying among others?”
Liliot even let out a small laugh, as if stating the obvious.
But to Adelia, those words felt unfamiliar—almost awkward in how new they were.
No, earlier too…
She remembered what Roerston had said—that even if he was just a fake husband, hearing about other men would still make him jealous.
She remembered how he had called her “you” so gently, using polite, affectionate speech.
She remembered the warmth of his hand, the brush of his lips against her cheek, and the soft sound of his breath as he insisted she needed to get used to such things.
One by one, the memories surfaced—
Her heart began to pound, and her face flushed bright red.
What am I even thinking?!
He’s only acting like that because of the contract—so why am I the only one getting carried away like this?!
Inside, Adelia mentally shook herself before finally speaking in a small voice.
“It just feels strange… that someone is worried about me.”
“My lady, you used formal speech again.”
“Ah—yes. I mean… anyway, that’s what I meant.”
Liliot smiled gently.
“I’m sure there have always been people who worried about you. Your teachers at the academy, for example… wouldn’t you agree?”
“Well… yes, of course. I know that. But Senior is… how should I put it… he’s someone close. Very close…”
Instead of saying words like “husband” or “family,” Adelia could only describe him as “someone close.”
Watching her, Liliot felt a quiet pang of sadness.
Having been separated from her family at such a young age and forced to live almost like an orphan—it seemed to have left this kind, innocent girl unfamiliar with even the simplest forms of affection.
“That someone so close worries about me… it just feels strange.”
“There’s nothing strange about it. You two are married, after all.”
Adelia, sitting with her knees drawn in, tilted her head and let out a quiet laugh.
“Mmm… that’s true. We are married.”
…For now, at least.
The thought that she had to deceive even kind-hearted Liliot sometimes weighed on her heart.
When she finds out the truth… how betrayed will she feel?
She might never want to see me again…
No… once I’m no longer the Duchess, I won’t even be living here anymore. There won’t be a reason for us to meet.
Then there was only one thing she could do.
Don’t look so gloomy! Just treat Liliot as well as I can while I’m still here!
Adelia clenched her fist underwater.
After her bath, her hair freshly brushed, and dressed in an elegant dinner gown, Adelia moved with careful restraint—completely different from how she had been in the laboratory.
Partly, she didn’t want to ruin the hairstyle Liliot had worked so hard on.
But more than that, in her mind, a “Duchess” was someone quiet, refined, and composed…
“You don’t have to do that.”
Adelia, who had been lowering her gaze demurely, frowned slightly and looked up.
“Pardon?”
“You don’t have to be so stiff and formal. This isn’t some royal palace. You can’t keep acting like that even at home. You can relax a little.”
Roerston’s words eased her tension instantly, but she still carefully gathered the hem of her voluminous dress before sitting down.
“Relax a little”… but how much is “a little”?
“Being a Duchess isn’t easy, is it?”
At his teasing tone, Adelia let out a sigh.
“I had no idea it would be this difficult.”
“Still, I think living fourteen years at the academy without ever getting below an A+ would be harder.”
“That’s not true! There was one time I didn’t get an A+… just once… though I can’t remember when…”
“You mean the time your math professor graded your answer incorrectly and marked one question wrong?”
Adelia’s eyes widened in shock.
“How do you know that?”
“Of course I do. The rumor that ‘Adelia Whitten got one question wrong in math’ spread across the academy in less than ten minutes.”
“What? You’re joking, right?”
“No. It’s true.”
That’s impossible!
Adelia covered her flushed cheeks with both hands.
Watching her, Roerston continued calmly,
“But your answer wasn’t wrong—the grading was. In the end, it was corrected back to an A+.”
How does he know even that?!
Even the correction had been a secret known only between her and the professor.
“How do you know something like that…?”
“Are you joking with me right now? You’re the one who told me. Well—told my father, anyway.”
Only then did Adelia realize.
Originally, the former Duke of Ipsel—Roerston’s father—had been her anonymous sponsor.
At the time, she had no idea who was supporting her, and there was no way for her to repay him.
So she had come up with a small idea—writing him letters from time to time.
“You used to call my father ‘My Summer Friend,’ didn’t you?”
Adelia’s face turned bright red again. It felt like her diary had been exposed.
She puffed up slightly in protest.
“That was meant for the former Duke! How could you read it?”
“My father proudly left them out in the open. What, was I supposed not to look?”
“Even so—you shouldn’t have read them!”
Roerston looked like he wanted to ask why, but fortunately held back.
“Anyway, thanks to that, I know quite a bit about your school days. I even know about the time you caught a snake with one hand in your third year of the basic course.”
Even that?!
Adelia’s face turned pale.
Roerston chuckled at her reaction.
“Back then, the entire student body called you ‘Adelia who caught a snake at nine.’ Didn’t you know?”
“I… I had no idea.”
“Well, now you do.”
A dizzy feeling washed over her, and Adelia shut her eyes.
Something from over ten years ago resurfacing like this—it was overwhelming.
This is why people should always live properly… you never know when your embarrassing past will come back to haunt you.
“What’s wrong? Does the food not suit your taste?”
Noticing her weakened state, Roerston asked with concern.
“N-no, not at all.”
“If there’s anything you don’t like, tell me right away. I’ll have it replaced.”
It sounded like a joke—but Adelia knew it wasn’t.
Once, when venison she found difficult to eat had been served, Roerston had noticed her expression alone and immediately called the chef to prepare something else.
It had taken less than five minutes.
It must have been prepared in advance—just for her.
“I’m just embarrassed that you knew about the snake incident.”
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Roerston let out a small laugh, then continued his meal before murmuring quietly,
“It’s a cute memory. There’s no need to be ashamed.”
At those words, Adelia’s cheeks flushed once more.
Just as dinner was coming to an end—
Rudolph entered the dining room silently and handed something to Roerston, then bowed politely toward Adelia.
Tilting her head, she spoke.
“Senior, about that man—Rudolph…”
“Yeah? What about him?”
“I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before… or maybe I’m mistaken?”
“No, you’re not mistaken. He’s actually your senior too. He was my classmate. The guy who defeated Ensilia Academy’s chess champion in just three minutes during our first year of the upper division.”
