"Anyway, I got it, Master. You'll tell me what I need to do when the time comes, right?"
"I will."
Still, seeing her faithfully address him as "Master" was at least somewhat reassuring.
"Then."
The business was done, so he turned away without lingering attachment. But then, with a mental "Ah," he turned back toward the woman.
"What's your name?"
"You're only asking now? You're trying to hurt my feelings, Master."
The woman pouted. Then she finally spoke in a cheeky voice.
"Helena."
"Helena, huh."
He actually already knew her name. It was information that had come up during his conversation with Rose in the dungeon. But he deliberately feigned ignorance and made her say it herself.
"See you later then, Helena."
As he turned away, he could hear Helena's giggling kideuk-kideuk from behind.
"I'll definitely pass the test. You can look forward to it, Master."
He wasn't expecting much. He was merely curious about what method Helena would use.
Helena's gaze, which had been clinging persistently to his back,
Ttubeok.
only fell away after he climbed the basement stairs.
"Phew."
Night was already approaching. It was time to head to the bedroom.
**
The maid Sonya combed her hair down with careful hands. The maid beside her meticulously trimmed her nails.
A pleasant fragrance rose from her hair, which had been generously coated with scented oil. Her skin, washed with fine soap and moisturized, was smooth.
"......"
Rose looked at herself in the gleaming mirror.
She was dressed as if she were about to go out. But the place Rose was heading to wasn't outside—it was the bedroom.
'This is embarrassing......'
Rose couldn't bring herself to voice her true feelings and just sat quietly.
On the first day going to the bedroom, she had naturally assumed she would sleep alone. The maids had provided only standard service accordingly.
But now it was different. The maids were going all out with the dressing up. In some ways, it was almost combative.
"Madam, what color would you like for your nightgown? Please choose the material too."
"Now, I'll apply scented oil even to the inner layers."
The maids already assumed Rose had spent her first night with Dane, and they served accordingly. That alone made Rose feel like she might die of embarrassment.
'I can't even tell them the truth.'
She had read the contract and signed it. It now felt real that she had to perfectly act the part of a married couple.
So she had to endure this too. She had to become a wife confidently heading to the bedroom to receive her husband's love(?).
"Madam. It's time for you to go."
Sonya whispered softly.
At first, Sonya had often appeared clumsy when dealing with Rose. That was natural for the servants of the Vikander family.
But this was Schmaichel Castle. Living among the castle maids who treated Rose with the utmost respect, Sonya seemed to have figured out how she should conduct herself.
'Her attitude really does flip like a switch.'
Rose found that quite funny.
She had no intention of just letting Sonya off so easily. A personality that calculated profit and loss so thoroughly would shift its attitude in an instant once the situation changed.
"Madam."
As she stepped out of the room, Head Maid Selma, who had been waiting in the hallway, greeted her.
"I will escort you to the bedroom. Please follow me."
She was familiar with the way to the marital bedroom, having used it in her past life. But she wasn't used to so many servants trailing behind her.
The path to the marital bedroom felt particularly short today. It seemed like she hadn't even taken many steps before she arrived.
"His Excellency has already retired to the bedroom."
"......Ah, I see."
Rose almost panicked for a moment without realizing it. She barely suppressed herself and stepped through the opening doors with feigned composure.
"Then, have a pleasant night."
Along with the servants' exceedingly polite voices, the door closed silently behind her.
"......"
Rose paused by the door for a moment and took a deep breath.
Dalgeureok.
She could see Dane sitting on the edge of the bed, doing something.
'Ah......'
When she saw him from afar at the academy, her heart had ached. Now, seeing him from just a few steps away, it was beyond aching—it tingled.
Just looking at him like this made her heart drop. And then it kept fluttering, sending pulses through her entire body.
How could she possibly guard her heart in front of him?
'I can't......'
So she had run away. Even knowing it would look strange, she had dashed out of the room.
'Whatever choice you make, I will respect your wishes.'
From him, who said that calmly,
'To insult my wife is to insult me.'
From him, who encouraged her,
'Do you intend to make me a man who goes back on his word as easily as flipping his hand?'
She had fled from him, from his gentle hand that had firmly held hers.
No, in truth, she had fled from her own chaotically swirling heart. It was because if she stayed even a moment longer, she felt she would pathetically confess her feelings.
But it was still within this castle. All Rose could do was flee to her room and soothe her heaving heart.
She had barely escaped like that, yet here she was, returning to him again.
"......"
Rose swallowed a rising sigh as she watched Dane's focused profile.
She resented his indifference. She feared being cast aside the moment she crossed the line.
'I must never let my feelings be discovered.'
She engraved the contract she had made with him in her heart, over and over.
What Dane wanted was not a foolish woman in love, clinging to him and pouring out her emotions.
She recalled the moments when he seemed satisfied—the times his frozen eyes loosened.
When they looked like a harmonious couple, when she understood his words well and followed along.
'Get a grip, Rose.'
Rose whipped herself internally, over and over again. She didn't want to repeat her past self.
That was when it happened.
"Are you going to keep standing there."
Dane spoke without even lifting his head. He was fiddling with something on the headboard.
Truthfully, if she could, Rose wanted to do exactly as Dane said. Knowing she couldn't, she resigned herself.
"No."
She answered obediently and approached the bed where he sat.
Sabak, sabak.
The carpet she stepped on with her slippers was soft and plush. The original carpet had been entirely removed and replaced with a new one. It was a precaution in case any wine bottle shards remained.
'Will I be replaced like this carpet too?'
Rose stood beside the bed with that thought.
"What...... are you doing?"
"Are you curious?"
"A little."
"If I tell you, you'll lose sleep over it, so I won't."
"Excuse me?"
For a moment, Rose wasn't sure if Dane was joking or being serious.
"Let's sleep now."
Dane, having finished his private business, lifted his head.
The moment she met his gaze, Rose felt relief and despair at once. His eyes, smooth as though ice had been embedded in them, betrayed no emotion whatsoever.
"......Yes."
She merely gave a restrained answer so as not to sound too despondent.
The earlier conversation that had sent such a huge stir through her had, after all, held no meaning for Dane.
The one-sidedly tipped scale of emotions was too heavy and painful for Rose. She could see a bleak future in which she would have to endure it, tilted like this.
Sabak, sabak.
Rose climbed onto the bed with her head bowed low, moving gingerly. In doing so, she didn't even notice Dane watching her intently.
"......"
Dane's lips parted as if to say something. But he soon shook his head and pulled up the blanket.
Sabak.
Rose also gripped the blanket that had risen to her chin.
The canopy bed in the marital bedroom was excessively large. Even though Dane was clearly lying right beside her, she couldn't feel any warmth from him.
'Right, this is what a contract marriage is.'
Rose soothed her troubled mind with that thought.
'This much isn't bad. No, it's actually incredibly good. I'm enjoying luxury I never even dreamed of. The maids are kind, everyone treats me well. The food is really delicious too.'
......Just,
'His Excellency treats me well too. I thought he'd treat me like I didn't exist, but this much is more than I could ask for.'
Just, just......
'I'll stop crying.'
The hand Dane had used to wipe her cheek was bigger than she expected. And warm.
That was why she kept wanting things she shouldn't want. Her heart, harboring futile hopes, was the problem.
"Good night."
"Yes."
Being able to hear Dane's voice from this close, at this distance, was enough.
Rose squeezed her eyes shut. She sought sleep, struggling to shake off her futile desires.
"......"
Her body was exhausted but her mind was clear. In that gap, when Rose had hazily drifted off to sleep—
Someone shook her shoulder and woke her.
"Mmm......"
The moment Rose frowned and opened her eyes—
Teop.
Something large clamped over Rose's mouth.
"-!"
She startled violently and tried to jump up, but another hand pressed down on her shoulder, pinning her in place.
Unable to move a muscle, Rose confirmed who was in front of her and gasped in shock.
'Your Excellency?'
It was Dane who had covered her mouth and gripped her shoulder. He was staring at her with an expressionless face.
Rose was so startled that she didn't even realize how closely her body was pressed against Dane's.
"......"
Once Rose had calmed down, Dane removed the hand gripping her shoulder. He then raised a finger to his own lips.
'Shh.'
It was a gesture to be quiet.
When Rose nodded vigorously to show she understood, the hand covering her mouth pulled away as well.
'What's going on?'
Rose asked with her eyes. Dane wouldn't have woken her for a trivial reason.
Seuruk.
Dane gestured with his chin toward the window. Then he quietly rose from the bed and approached that direction.
"......!"
Rose, who had been following Dane's movements with her eyes, was horrified.