A Fair Deal
The news that the Duchess had been walking around the dining hall in her nightgown spread throughout the mansion that evening.
Leonhardt visited the bedroom with a nervous smile.
“It seems my wife really likes me, judging by the trouble she went through.”
Duha wore a satisfied smile, as if expecting his arrival.
It seemed the head maid had delivered Duha’s message properly.
“You seem to cherish this coat. You came all the way to retrieve it.”
She was holding the coat Leonhardt had draped over her in the dining hall.
Leonhardt’s face hardened as he snatched his coat back.
“I just don’t like my belongings in someone else’s hands.”
“That’s not very convincing. You draped this coat over me yourself.”
“Should I have let everyone continue seeing the Duchess in her nightgown?”
“You could have ordered the servants to bring a blanket.”
In fact, Duha had instructed Leila to prepare a shawl, though it had not been used.
Leonhardt frowned silently.
“There’s something I couldn’t tell you yesterday.”
Duha continued, looking up at her much taller husband.
“I never said I didn’t want this marriage.”
“…What?”
“I chose you as my husband. I agreed to this marriage because I wanted it.”
She added a reminder not to be mistaken.
“Of course, it’s not because I love you or because I covet the position of Duchess of the Empire.”
There was only one reason Duha had come to this foreign land.
For the peace and well-being of Bashar, the land where she was born and raised.
“I decided to do what I could, and this marriage was the best choice I could make.”
Unable to become chief because she was a woman, she chose to do what she could for Bashar and the Wind Tribe as a princess.
That was something only Duha, a woman, could do.
“So don’t undervalue my choice.”
Undervalue her choice?
Leonhardt frowned at the rather intense word choice.
“So, what are you trying to say?”
“I want a fair deal.”
“A fair deal?”
“Yes. You gained the Emperor’s trust and a Duchess through this alliance marriage, but I gained nothing.”
Starting from her status as a princess to countless things left behind in her homeland.
She had lost much, but gained only the pride of having sacrificed for Bashar in this marriage.
On top of that, her husband had declared separate rooms from the first night, and she had been ignored by the maids of the mansion.
“So shouldn’t I gain at least one thing from this marriage?”
“…What do you want?”
“Everything that I can enjoy as a Duchess.”
Duha added with a slanted smile.
“So that incidents like this morning don’t happen again, don’t you think?”
“……”
Leonhardt silently admired the golden eyes staring straight at him.
She was indeed no ordinary woman.
Since becoming the head of the family, few men or women had dared to look him straight in the eyes.
Even his longtime adjutant, Claude, and Baron were quick to read his mood and back off if he showed even a hint of discomfort.
After all, who could stand confidently in front of the greatest knight of the empire and the Grand Duke of the Esbaden family?
A man who, just by his presence, stirred up all sorts of terrifying rumors.
Yet, this woman not only glared at him but also mocked him.
Beyond feeling unpleasant, it was quite intriguing and fascinating.
Did she know whom she was arrogantly confronting?
Leonhardt suddenly wanted to see this woman’s serene face turn to confusion.
He looked at her silently before slowly speaking.
“…Fine. If you wish.”
With a deep, hushed voice, he tousled his hair.
“From today, you will enjoy all the rights as a Duchess.”
Leonhardt wrapped an arm around Duha’s waist and pulled her towards him.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“But you know that to claim rights, you must also fulfill obligations, right?”
Through his drooping bangs, his blue eyes glinted dangerously.
In response to this unfamiliar look, Duha froze like a rabbit before a lion.
In an instant, they tumbled onto the bed.
As his overly hot and large hand invaded her thin nightgown, Duha involuntarily bit her lip.
As his calloused palm brushed against her sensitive spots, her mind went blank.
She should reject this unpleasant man.
But the words of refusal didn’t come easily.
And the same was true for the Duke, Leonhardt.
At first, he had only intended to tease her until she was flustered, but once things started, he couldn’t stop himself.
He had always felt repulsed by women, so he hadn’t expected to become so inflamed.
Leonhardt gritted his teeth, swallowing a groan.
His mind grew hazy as his hand touched her soft and elastic skin, and his thighs ached.
Just as his heated breath trailed from her nose to her neckline, Duha pushed his chest away.
“Wait.”
Finally regaining her senses, Duha pushed against the Duke’s chest.
Leonhardt growled at her defensive posture.
“Why? Didn’t you say you wanted everything as a Duchess? Weren’t you prepared for this?”
“I was prepared, but I don’t like sleeping with a man I don’t care for.”
A man she doesn’t care for.
Leonhardt had never considered keeping her in his heart either.
So why did that one statement make him feel so foul?
Leonhardt frowned unconsciously.
“You said you didn’t want to share a bedroom with me. If you need an heir, I’d be willing…”
“Enough.”
Leonhardt, back to his usual calm and composed self, released his arm from around her waist.
He seemed somewhat deflated.
“Are you sure? If you wish, I’d be willing…”
“I have no hobby of holding a woman I don’t care for. Let’s stop.”
Anyone would think I’m clinging to this woman.
Leonhardt frowned and turned his head away.
Meanwhile, Duha secretly sighed in relief at his answer.
She had competed with men in hunting grounds but had never contested in bed, so she had been quite worried. She was lucky.
At that moment, Leonhardt made an unexpected remark.
“Since you brought it up first, I’ll assign you the duties of the Duchess starting tomorrow.”
“Duties?”
“You didn’t plan to do nothing while enjoying everything as a Duchess, did you? That wouldn’t be a fair deal.”
Budget planning, estate management, overseeing the servants, social activities.
Indeed, there were many duties for a Duchess.
“You wanted to enjoy all the privileges of a Duchess, so you should bear the corresponding responsibilities. Don’t you agree?”
If you want to enjoy the rights, you must fulfill the obligations.
An unspoken rule applied everywhere.
“I hope you won’t make any mistakes. It would be quite troublesome if people said my wife tarnished the Esbaden name.”
“…I’ll try.”
The Duke left the room without a word after hearing her answer.
Left alone, Duha collapsed onto the bed, breathing shakily.
The spots his hand had touched still felt hot and itchy.
Her previously untroubled heart fluttered momentarily.
*** *** *** *** ***
“Princess, shall I bring more tea?”
“No.”
“Then, perhaps some more refreshments…”
“I said no.”
Leila finally snapped at her lady’s repeated refusals.
“Do you know how long you’ve been looking at those documents? You skipped lunch too!”
“I’m not very hungry, so it’s fine.”
Duha replied nonchalantly, diligently wielding the quill in her hand.
She was currently organizing the mansion’s budget from last year and reviewing the budget for this year.
Thanks to the Duke, who had assigned her work through a servant as soon as the sun rose.
Giving a new bride a mountain of ledgers as a gift on the third day of marriage.
He was indeed a very kind husband, just thinking about it made her grit her teeth.
“At least it’s a budget. There are more numbers than letters.”
“Now that I think about it, you managed the caravan’s ledgers too, didn’t you?”
“Yes, the experience of keeping those ledgers is proving useful now.”
Of course, she hadn’t thought she’d be learning accounting to manage a household as a mansion’s Duchess.
“Duchess, it’s Sylvia.”
As Duha was busy drafting the budget, the head maid Sylvia visited.
“What is it?”
“These are the lists of necessary items and invoices from various departments of the mansion.”
“Ah, thank you.”
As she flipped through the papers, Duha’s hand gradually slowed.
“What’s the matter, Duchess?”
“Sylvia.”
“Yes, Duchess.”
Duha smiled at the puzzled head maid.
“What do you think is necessary for one person to manage a household?”
“Well, calling the servants from all over the mansion to receive reports…”
“I can’t trust reports from others. I want to inspect things myself.”
“Pardon? The Duchess herself?”
“Yes. I haven’t toured the entire mansion yet.”
It had only been three days since Duha had come to the mansion.
Judging the household’s state solely by numbers on paper was foolish.
“I don’t know the geography, so you should accompany me, Sylvia.”
“Pardon? But there’s no need for the Duchess to go through such trouble…”
“I need to familiarize myself with the layout. It would be embarrassing if the Duchess got lost in the mansion later, wouldn’t it?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Faced with persistent persuasion, Sylvia finally nodded.
Indeed, the Duchess would have to familiarize herself with the mansion’s layout eventually.
“Alright. Let’s get ready then.”
At the head maid’s sighing answer, Duha’s lips curved up in satisfaction.
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