Since My Time is Limited, I’m Entering A Contract Marriage

Chapter translated by Loulou.

 

 

“No, I don’t like it! I have to bring Tisha back!”

 

“Fine, Larienne. I understand. Let Mom handle that, and just wait quietly in your room.”

 

“No, I don’t want to! I’m going! Let go of me…!”

 

Ignoring Larienne’s struggles, the door closed and locked.

 

But Lady Dorothea, seemingly worried about her daughter, instructed the chef to prepare a sweet dessert. Then, gazing at Viscount Heinz, she murmured with an anxious voice,

 

“Darling… What should we do now?”

 

“Sigh. That’s the problem. At this rate, we’ll not only be excluded from the northern territories but also be looked down upon by the nobles here…”

 

“What? No, not that. I’m talking about Larienne. Shouldn’t we bring Etisha back since Larienne seems so adamant about going to find her?”

 

“What? Bring her back? Can’t you assess the situation? Do you think it’s possible to bring Etisha back here right now?”

 

“What’s with you? Why do you keep getting angry?”

 

“Ahhh, both you and Larienne are the same. I’m the only one who worries about this family.”

 

“And what about you? Should I be the only one concerned about our daughter? You should show some interest too!”

 

“Shut up! You know nothing …!”

 

“Why do you keep doing this? Stop yelling!”

 

“This… … !”

 

“… … .”

 

After a fiery argument, a tense silence soon settled over the mansion.

 

The Viscount Heinz and his wife fell silent, lost in their own thoughts.

 

‘How… … . What should I do… … .’

 

But no matter how hard they thought about it, there seemed to be no solution in sight.

 

There was no way to restore Heinz’s reputation that had fallen to the ground, nor was there a way to bring back Etisha, whom Larienne so desperately wanted.

 

And so, the dark night faded away.

 

* * *

 

When Etisha returned to the villa, a familiar maid, Marin, came out to greet them in the central hall.

 

“Welcome. Duke, My lady.”

 

Marin took Etisha’s coat and guided her to the room. However, the location of the room she was being led to seemed strange.

 

“Wait a minute, shouldn’t we go to the guest room on the second floor?”

 

“Oh, you will be using the hostess’s bedroom starting today. Since Lady Etisha is the future duchess.”

 

“Yesterday, the bedroom wasn’t properly arranged, so I had to take you to the guest room. But everything should be in order now, so please stay in the hostess’s bedroom,” Kaiyen subtly chirped in.

 

“I see…..”

 

“If you feel uncomfortable, you are welcome to go to the guest room where you slept last night. Lady Etisha, do whatever is convenient for you.”

 

“No. I can’t refuse after you’ve gone through all the trouble to get it ready. I will go to the hostess’s room.”

 

“Alright then.”

 

Etisha went up to the third floor along with Kaiyen. And as they walked down the hallway, the two people’s paths overlapped perfectly.

 

‘How far are we going together… … ?’Etisha asked inwardly.

 

That question was answered only after the both stopped in front of their respective rooms.

 

‘It’s next door?’

 

The Duke’s room.

 

And so close to mine.

 

The two bedrooms were next to each other. Completely stuck together.

 

In her moment of shock, Kaiyen opened the door and entered his bedroom.

 

Now, it was too late to ask to change rooms.

 

“Miss, shall we go inside?” Marin suddenly asked.

 

“Yes….Let’s go.”

 

Marin opened the door and guided her inside. Etisha tidied her dress and stepped into the room, but she was left speechless once again when she saw the splendid interior.

 

‘This is the bedroom?’

 

It seemed even more beautiful than the palace she had just visited. The bedroom was decorated mainly in clean white with occasional gold accents, which of course  looked like real gold rather than mere gilding.

 

“Am I to sleep here?”

 

“No, My lady.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Something was definitely wrong.

 

It appeared that Marin had mistakenly guided Etisha to what seemed more like a reception hall than a bedroom.

 

“This is the living room. The actual bedroom is further inside. Let me show you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Please, come this way.”

 

The Duchess’ chambers had several doors on the inside. Upon opening one of them, they entered a spacious room with a large bed.

 

“This is the bedroom. This area here is the dressing room, and over there is a small private study. And that door you see over there…”

 

“No, it’s alright. You don’t have to explain,” Etisha interrupted Marin, shaking her head.

 

After all, she would be leaving for the North tomorrow. This place was just a villa… Wait, a villa?

 

‘If this is a villa, then what on earth will the main mansion in the North look like…?’

 

Etisha’s thoughts came to a halt.

 

“Instead, could you help me get out of this dress? I’m tired and would like to go to bed early.”

 

“Yes, Miss.”

 

With Marin’s assistance, Etisha took off the dress. After all the accessories such as shoes and jewelry were taken off and put away, only a thin, white chemise remained on her body.

 

“Should I put this pendant away too?” Marin asked as she looked at the pendant hanging around Etisha’s neck.

 

The pendant, a gift from Emperor Ignivan, bore the emblem of an open-mouthed lion in the center.

 

“No, I’ll keep this. Just put the rest of the jewelries away. There’s no need to remove Wendell’s as well .”

 

After everything was tidied up, Marin left the room with the garments in hand. It seemed she was going to organize things in the dressing room. Left alone, Etisha fiddled with the ring for a moment before leaning back and lying down on the bed.

 

‘It’s so fluffy , warm, and… it smells nice…’

 

Even when she fell asleep in the guest bedroom last night, she felt comfortable, but today there was an even greater sense of tranquility. It was as if she was being embraced by someone’s big arms.

 

‘Since this is the Duke’s villa, it’s like being embraced by the Duke….’

 

Huh?

 

Etisha blinked in surprise.

 

She didn’t know why that thought crossed her mind.

 

Etisha covered her flushed cheeks with her hand and burrowed deeper under the blanket.

 

‘Why am I acting like this? Why am I suddenly thinking about the Duke!’ Etisha pondered for a while under the blanket.

 

‘Could it be that the Duke is a good person…? No, that can’t be. It hasn’t been that long since we met, it’s too early for such feelings.’

 

Etisha was still unfamiliar with love. She didn’t even know basic affection, let alone love. Because she had been trapped in Larienne’s clutches, she never had the chance to build relationships with others.

 

And since she couldn’t even properly exchange a word with people, let alone her peers, her dating experience was at the same level as that of a 10-year-old child.

 

‘I’m just grateful….because the Duke is so good to me… …’

 

Etisha let out a shallow breath. While she did feel a fondness for Kaiyen, it didn’t extend to romantic feelings.

 

‘And even if I did have feelings for him, what would be the point? The Duke already has a woman whom he sincerely loves. He also has a child.’

 

Receiving Kaiyen’s assistance, wearing his ring, and sleeping in the room adjacent to his did not make her a true Duchess.

 

Etisha was a fake.

 

A meticulously planned fake.

 

‘I’m actually relieved that I don’t have romantic feelings for him. It wouldn’t be right for me to feel that way.’

 

She had agreed to marry Kaiyen under the condition of becoming nothing more than a façade of a Duchess. Therefore, she couldn’t allow herself to love him as if she were truly his wife.

 

She promised to live quietly, like air, almost nonexistent, and leave this world once her life came to an end.

 

‘Sigh, let’s not entertain such thoughts.’

 

Etisha tossed and turned on the bed, as she closed her heart off.

 

At that moment she noticed that the night was deep, with not a single light outside, enveloping everything in darkness.

 

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Etisha calmly scanned the bedroom.

 

And as she did, she realized that there was another door inside the bedroom that she hadn’t noticed before.

 

‘What’s that door?’

 

It had a thin curtain in front of it.

 

Suddenly, curiosity sparked within her.

 

‘Should I open it?’

 

Earlier, she had little interest in exploring the room, but now, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to take a look and clear her cluttered mind.

 

Etisha quietly got up from the bed; The hem of her thin nightgown brushing against the floor as she approached the door and cautiously reached for the handle.

 

“…..”

 

Click.

 

The door opened up with a subtle sound.

 

And when Etisha saw what lay beyond, she was so startled that she let out a scream.

 

* * *

 

“Lady Etisha?”

 

Behind the door was Duke Kaiyen.

 

And he was half-naked.

 

Sitting up on the bed.

 

When she opened the door, Kaiyen had raised himself to a sitting position and reached for the candlestick on the side table. Using the flame from that candlestick, he lit  another lamp beside him, casting a soft glow throughout the room.

 

“My apologies, Your Grace. I didn’t realize the rooms were connected…”

 

“The marital quarters are meant to be this way.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Etisha had never had a reason to visit the Viscount couple’s private chambers, so she was unaware of the configuration.

 

“Well then, please excuse me, Your Grace. I will take my leave.”

 

As Etisha moved to close the door, Kaiyen called out to her,

 

“Please, wait just a moment.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“There is a matter I wish to discuss.”

 

Etisha hesitated as she looked at Kaiyen. Even from a distance, his bare body shimmered under the light.

 

‘Oh my god!!!’

 

His broad shoulders, muscular chest, and thick arms… She had never seen anything like this before.

 

Unable to find a place to direct her gaze, Etisha replied while looking at the floor.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Marin expressed her desire to accompany you to the northern region. It seems she wants to continue serving you.”

 

“ Marin? But the northern region is far, and it would be difficult to return once we go…”

 

“Marin? But the north is far away, and once you go, it will be difficult to come back… … .”

 

“Still, why me…?”

 

Etisha looked at Kaiyen with a worried expression. While it was the maid’s personal desire to go to the North, becoming Etisha’s maid was another matter altogether.

 

‘I’m going to die soon.’

 

If she followed Etisha to the North to serve her, then a year later when Etisha died, that maid would end up being alone and isolated. That aspect troubled her greatly.

 

Perhaps sensing Etisha’s concerns, Kaiyen said in a low voice,

 

“You need not worry about the maid’s future well-being.  Moreover, since it’s her own desire to go, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Wouldn’t it be more convenient for you to have someone from the capital by your side?”

 

“Yes… I think it would be good to have Marin with me.”

 

“In that case I will arrange for her to accompany you.”

 

“Yes, Your Grace. If Marin truly wants to come with us, then let it be so,” Etisha lifted her head to answer.

 

And as she did, the Duke’s naked body that she had been avoiding, filled her vision again.

 

Caught off guard, Etisha hastily took a step back, only to accidentally step on the trailing hem of her chemise, causing her to stumble.

 

“Eek!”

 

Etisha wavered as if she were about to fall. Seeing her in that state, Kaiyen quickly got up from the bed and rushed towards her.

 

“Lady Etisha, are you alright?”

 

Closing the distance in an instant, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

 

It was almost like an intimate embrace.

 

Etisha in her thin chemise and Kaiyen without his shirt on were now closely pressed against each other.