Chapter 7
The situation had spiraled into a tangled mess, leaving me with only one option. I took a deep breath, my eyes flashing with determination, and shouted, “Three months!”
“Three months?” Axel echoed, his face etched with confusion.
“You said you wouldn’t marry without love, Your Grace. Fine. Give me three months! Just three months to prove myself. If you don’t come to like me in that time, I’ll back off cleanly and never bother you again.”
“You’re saying you’ll make me fall for you in three months?” he asked, grasping my intent with unnerving speed.
I nodded firmly, meeting his gaze head-on. After a moment of consideration, Axel threw a question back at me. “Why three months, exactly?”
“Well… that’s because…”
Because of my bet with Duke Melberine. But I couldn’t say that. The Duke and I had sworn secrecy on the wager, sealed with a magically binding contract. He’d threatened that if I so much as hinted at it, he’d force me into an arranged marriage on the spot.
My lips twitched as I hesitated, but then an idea struck me, and I quickly spoke up. “Because… any longer than that would tire you out, Your Grace, don’t you think? Three months felt just right. Should I make it longer?”
Axel didn’t answer. Instead, he fixed me with a piercing stare, as if trying to unravel my true intentions. I squirmed under his gaze, sweat prickling at my temples as I looked away.
“And if I don’t agree to this?” he asked, his voice low.
Then I’d have to resort to force… No, I didn’t need to say that. I’d already done enough to earn his suspicion; I had to hold back. The future could wait—I didn’t need to worry about it now.
“You’re thinking something strange, aren’t you, Lady Melberine?” he said, his tone sharp.
“N-no! Not at all!” I stammered, waving my hands frantically, like a thief caught red-handed. “I swear, I wasn’t planning to chase you down or anything like that!”
Axel let out a faint chuckle at my flustered reaction. For the briefest moment, I caught a glimpse of his smile—a rare, fleeting thing—and I stared, utterly captivated, my mouth hanging open. But the moment passed, and Axel tilted his head toward me, his expression cool again. “Alright, I’ll take you up on it, Lady Melberine. Let’s see how well you can keep this up for three months.”
I clapped a hand over my mouth, staring at him in disbelief. Oh my… heavens. Yes.
As soon as Judith left the office, Axel’s aide, Shuan, strode toward him, his face a mask of alarm. “Your Grace, you can’t be serious! This is Judith Melberine we’re talking about. That absurd proposal—it’s too suspicious!”
“Do you think I’m serious?” Axel replied, his voice calm as he stared at the spot where Judith had been.
“Her behavior is suspicious, as you say. She’s acting like a completely different person.”
“Then why—!” Shuan began, exasperated.
“Exactly why we need to keep her close and watch her.”
Axel recalled the radiant smile Judith had worn. He still didn’t fully trust her claims of love. “The more suspicious she is, the more we need to uncover her true intentions.”
Whatever she’s scheming.
For now, Axel decided to play along with her game.
“Ehehe… Squeal! This is too good!” Back in my room, I sprawled across the bed, giggling like a maniac before pounding the mattress with my fists in excitement. “Finally, I’ve convinced him!”
It wasn’t the classic cliché of a contract marriage or fake romance, but that was fine. Axel seemed to at least partially believe I was serious about my feelings for him. If I’d made it this far, our marriage was practically a done deal.
All that was left was to spend the next three months slowly winning him over, letting him warm to me bit by bit.
I could practically see our blissful future unfolding before my eyes. With those happy visions dancing in my mind, I drifted off to sleep.
Before Axel accepted my proposal, we’d hashed out a few terms. First, he’d agreed to set aside time for me once a week. Second, for the rest of the time, I was free to show up unannounced to see him, just as I’d done before—though, of course, he was equally free to ignore me as he pleased.
It might seem like a raw deal at first glance, but I was brimming with confidence. I was certain I could win him over. Going all-in was my specialty, after all. Like an unstoppable runaway train, I was ready to charge straight toward him.
I flung open the door to Axel’s office with a flourish, instantly drawing the eyes of three people: Axel and his two aides. “Good morning!” I chirped.
Axel, his brow furrowing between his two stunned aides, fixed me with a look. Even today, his striking features seemed to glow. “What brings you here so early, Lady Melberine?”
“Didn’t you say I could drop by whenever, Your Grace?” I replied, feigning innocence.
“I did, but… I didn’t expect you to show up the very next day.”
“I’m just a woman of action,” I said with a grin, my eyes crinkling as I flashed a playful smile.
Axel tilted his head slightly, as if weighing my words. “Well, unfortunately, I don’t have time to entertain you today.”
The subtle curve of his eyes was utterly captivating, as if his words carried an unspoken addendum: And I never will. But I’d already anticipated his cold shoulder—our agreement didn’t require him to be cooperative, after all. Smiling brightly, I waved off his dismissal. “Oh, that’s alright!”
“…Alright?” Axel’s brow furrowed deeper, clearly puzzled by my response.
“I’m not here for you today, Your Grace. I have business with your aides.”
I pointed at the two men, who stared at me, dumbfounded. One of them sputtered, “Us, my lady?”
“Your Grace, it won’t take long,” I said, turning back to Axel with the most pitiful look I could muster, my eyes drooping. “I just want a quick word with your aides. Surely a moment isn’t too much to ask…?”
Axel hesitated, then nodded, granting permission. “Fine. A brief chat should be alright. Go ahead.”
The reactions couldn’t have been more different. The aides looked as if the world had crumbled, while I beamed. With a slight bow, I said, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace. I’ll be back shortly. Shall we, gentlemen?”
I addressed the aides warmly, but they followed me with the grim expressions of livestock being led to slaughter.
Near the office, I’d prepared a table and chairs in advance, set with steaming tea and delectable desserts. “Please, have a seat,” I said.
The aides glanced at me warily before cautiously sitting down. Xenon’s eyes sparkled at the array of desserts, while Shuan regarded me with the sharp vigilance of someone facing an enemy. Their personalities were so transparent I had to suppress a laugh as I spoke. “Feel free to enjoy the cake and tea. I prepared them for you. Go ahead, dig in.”
“I’ll gladly take you up on that!” Xenon exclaimed, as if he’d been waiting for the invitation. He grabbed a fork and began shoveling cake into his mouth, his earlier tension forgotten. Shuan, meanwhile, sipped his tea, eyeing Xenon with the exasperated look one might give a wayward child.
