The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 18

The audience with the Emperor ended like that. After watching the curious dynamic between Kyler and the Emperor, where they seemed to amuse each other with every word, Sasha quietly followed Kyler out of the chamber.

She felt exhausted.

All she had done was ride in a carriage, engage in polite conversation with someone of extremely high rank, and yet her body felt drained.

Come to think of it, ever since waking up in this world, she had stayed inside the Ignote estate. The only real physical activity she had done was cleaning the floors with a rag. Back in her old life, she had worked constantly, and although it was tiring, it gave her a bit more stamina than she had now.

“Sasha.”

“Yes?”

Sasha had been walking slowly, watching his heels as she followed behind. When he suddenly turned to look at her, she answered absentmindedly and glanced up.

“Stay here. I have somewhere to go.”

“Oh, alright.”

Still feeling tired, she nodded without thinking. It wasn’t a dangerous place, and she knew he would come back for her.

As he stared at her for a moment, then turned and walked away, she briefly thought about asking if she could go with him.

Sasha kept watching until his figure disappeared around the corner. Only then did she take her eyes off him and look around.

They had come straight from the audience chamber, so she assumed they were still on the first floor. All she saw ahead and behind her were long, ornate hallways. Except for one large door in the middle, it was just a quiet corridor.

She felt a little relieved. It didn’t seem like a place people passed through often. She walked over to a window.

When she first arrived in this world, everything had been a blur. The chaos, the unfamiliar body, and the strange circumstances had been overwhelming. There were moments of despair, but it wasn’t the worst it could have been. If she was to live here, the most important person in her life would be Kyler. At least she knew he wasn’t her enemy.

In some ways, he seemed similar to her. Of course, unlike her, he had people working for him and wasn’t completely alone. Still, he seemed like someone who didn’t have anyone to share his heart with.

There were times when he felt intimidating, but Sasha sensed that wasn’t the real him. The reason people only saw the frightening side of Kyler was because they never tried to look deeper. But from what Sasha had seen, he was not that kind of man.

“It doesn’t matter what others think. As long as he’s not like that with me.”

Looking at it that way, maybe she was actually quite lucky.

He had once told her, “I’ll erase everything from your past. Just live how you want. As long as you don’t disgrace the name of Ignote, you’re free to do anything.”

The fact that someone had said that to her already made her feel like she had found something truly rare and precious.

“This place is incredible.”

Looking out the window, she saw the back of the building. Behind the palace stretched a wide green lawn and, farther in the distance, what looked like a dense forest. The layout was clearly man-made, but the greenery was so vibrant and beautiful that she couldn’t look away.

The rear garden of the Ignote estate gave off a similar feeling. The wide lawn was lovely to look at, but too open to feel comfortable walking through. She preferred the small, cozy spaces hidden behind the hedges and trees.

Maybe she would have tea with Rose when they got back. Or maybe that would be too awkward.

Sasha had never built close relationships or maintained friendships before, so even that small thought made her hesitate.

She still felt guilty about her failed attempt at cleaning. If Kyler was helping her this much, she wanted to contribute something as the Duchess of Ignote.

She was lost in thought, staring out the window, when the sound of footsteps echoed from the other end of the hallway.

They were not Kyler’s heavy steps. These were lighter and softer. Most likely a woman. No, there was more than one.

Sasha had been thinking she would simply wait for Kyler to return, but now that someone else was approaching, she stood up straight and turned toward the sound.

As tension built in her chest, the hem of a red dress appeared at the end of the corridor. A richly decorated skirt swayed with each step. Her golden hair, full and shining, shimmered as it moved.

A woman was approaching, radiant in both dress and appearance. She walked with confidence, a maid following closely behind.

With that level of elegance, Sasha assumed she must be someone of higher status.

Unsure of how to respond, Sasha quickly decided it would do no harm to greet her politely. When their eyes met, Sasha gave a small, respectful bow.

The woman stopped walking and gazed at Sasha.

Rose had insisted on dressing her up today, since they were going to the palace. She had even brought in a young maid to help with Sasha’s hair and makeup.

Though it wasn’t anything too extravagant, her skin and hair looked better thanks to proper rest and nutrition. She had even started to look a bit more refined.

Still, when Rose pulled out the most luxurious dresses, Sasha had refused them all and chosen something more comfortable. The fabric was so high-quality it looked like something from a television drama. She had loved how it felt.

But now, looking at the elegant woman in front of her, Sasha could tell she was being scanned from head to toe. The woman looked at her as if she was wondering how someone like this had ended up here.

“I have never lied. I came to the palace today with the Duke, and I am waiting here because he asked me to.”

Sasha had learned that staying calm was the best way to handle these situations. She lowered her gaze slightly, her voice steady and respectful. She chose her words carefully, trying to keep her emotions in check.

Even so, her calm explanation seemed to mean nothing. The Empress clearly had no intention of listening. The moment Sasha finished speaking, the Empress raised her voice again.

“You dare talk back to me so confidently after being caught? Unbelievable. How dare someone like you stand in this palace and pretend to belong here.”

The Empress’s voice trembled with fury. Her perfectly styled hair moved slightly as she turned sharply to her companion.

“Go and find the Duke. Bring him here at once.”

The older woman bowed quickly and rushed down the hallway.

Sasha remained still. She wanted to say something more, but anything she said would be taken the wrong way. Every word would be used against her. So she stayed silent and focused on breathing evenly.

The Empress glared at her with disbelief, as if even Sasha’s silence was an act of arrogance.

Just when the tension in the hallway reached its peak, the sound of firm footsteps echoed through the corridor.

They were strong, measured steps. Sasha immediately recognized them.

Kyler was back.

When he turned the corner and appeared in view, his sharp gaze immediately landed on Sasha, then quickly shifted to the furious Empress. He took in the scene without saying a word, but the air around him changed.

He walked over to Sasha and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

“Are you all right?”

His voice was quiet, but Sasha could feel the weight of it. His hand resting on her shoulder was steady, and it calmed her heart.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

Her reply was soft, but clear enough for both him and the Empress to hear.

The Empress narrowed her eyes.

“Kyler. This girl claims to be from House Ignote and says she came to the palace with you. Is that true?”

Kyler looked at the Empress without hesitation.

“Yes. That is correct. She is the Duchess of House Ignote.”

There was no hesitation in his voice. It was absolute.

The hallway fell silent.

The Empress looked at Sasha again, but this time with disbelief rather than contempt.

“Duchess… of Ignote?”

Kyler gave a small nod.

“She is my wife.”

Sasha’s heart skipped a beat.

It was not the first time she had heard those words from him, but hearing them in front of someone like the Empress made them feel heavier. More real.

“I see. That was not made known to me.”

The Empress, for the first time, seemed unsure of what to say.

“I understand now.”

Her voice had lost its earlier sharpness. She looked at Sasha once more, then turned to Kyler.

“Then it seems I have misunderstood. I will take my leave now.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away, the older woman quickly following behind her.

Sasha let out a quiet breath she had been holding.

Kyler was still beside her, silent but present.

“Thank you.”

She didn’t need to say more. He understood.

Kyler glanced toward the end of the hallway where the Empress had disappeared, then looked back at Sasha.

“You handled yourself well.”

Hearing those words made Sasha’s chest tighten with emotion. Her hands were still slightly trembling, but inside, she felt a little stronger than before.

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