The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 19

Was it a mistake to mention the name Ignote?
The Empress was so agitated, it looked like she might charge at Sasha at any moment.

If the lady-in-waiting hadn’t been holding her back, no one could predict what might have happened.

There had to be a limit.
Kyler always valued the dignity of House Ignote above all else, so Sasha began to wonder if the Imperial Family cared about propriety at all.

“Your Majesty, I believe you have misunderstood. I am not a maid of House Ignote. I am the Duchess, and I have no reason to lie to you.”

Sasha, who had been silent to avoid offending someone of higher status, finally spoke up.
Her voice, usually soft and reserved, was now firm and clear.

Hearing her steady tone, the Empress stopped moving.
But instead of calming down, her eyes burned with anger, even more intense than before.

Why did the Empress, of all people, seem to hold such resentment toward House Ignote?

“The Duke will be back soon. You may wait and confirm everything with him. He was very upset and asked me to explain things clearly. Would you like to do that?”

If the Empress had an issue with the Duke, she should take it up with him. Why direct that anger at someone she had just met?

Sasha held her gaze without hesitation.
She even thought she would ask Kyler why the Empress was reacting so sensitively.

“You are the young lady from House Ibern?”

Did she just say “you”?
Sasha was taken aback by the Empress’s lack of courtesy, but decided not to press the issue.
Now was not the time for minor complaints.

The Empress bit her lip and glared at Sasha without saying a word.
She seemed to be holding back a storm of emotions, but Sasha stood her ground and met her gaze directly.

The way the Empress looked her up and down made her disapproval very obvious.

“Sasha.”

At that moment, Kyler appeared, just as Sasha had expected.
She had only been left in the hallway briefly, so it made sense he would return quickly.

When Sasha shifted her eyes slightly from the Empress, Kyler was walking toward them from behind her.

As soon as the Empress heard his voice, her face froze.
Her eyes flickered with emotion, and Sasha noticed the shift immediately.

“Your Majesty, I greet you.”

Kyler walked over and stood beside Sasha before offering a polite greeting to the Empress.
Then, as if his formalities were finished, he turned to Sasha.

“I am sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, it’s alright. It wasn’t long. I was just enjoying the view from the window.”

At his gentle apology, Sasha replied softly.
Even in front of the Empress, the tension in her chest began to ease.
Worrying about status or position suddenly felt less important.

“Kyler.”

A voice called out to him from in front of them.
As soon as Sasha heard it, she understood the situation completely.
Even someone like her, who was not well-versed in emotions, could sense the deep longing in that voice.

“I am Duke Ignote. This is my wife, Sasha Ignote.”

When she had only been referred to as Lady Ibern, her name had felt ordinary.
But once Kyler added the name Ignote, it suddenly felt special.

Being part of House Ignote now felt warm and meaningful, like belonging to a true family rather than being someone’s possession.

With Kyler by her side, Sasha could face the Empress more confidently.
She now understood that the Empress’s behavior came from jealousy, not just hostility.
And knowing that, there was no reason to be afraid.

“I already greeted Your Majesty earlier, but perhaps my dress gave the wrong impression.
It may have looked like a maid’s outfit, but I assure you, I am indeed the Duchess.”

Since she had already spoken, Sasha felt she had to follow through.
In a gentle voice, she spoke clearly while glancing at the Empress’s stiffened expression.
She was about to suggest that they leave and return home.

After all, the Empress had not done anything seriously wrong.
It seemed more like a matter of pride than anything else.

“This dress was made from a special fabric, woven by an artisan. The Duchess has a deep appreciation for fine materials.
If someone does not recognize it, the simple design might be misleading.”

When Kyler spoke up like that, Sasha looked at him in surprise, then glanced at the Empress.
Did he really have to go that far? Especially him?

The Empress looked up at him with a pained expression.
Sasha, unable to see Kyler’s face but fully aware of the tension, started to feel uncomfortable.

She suddenly felt very similar to the anxious lady-in-waiting standing silently in the background.

“Oh, I didn’t realize this fabric was that valuable.
I suppose I should save this dress for special occasions.”

As Sasha reached for his arm, wanting to end the situation and leave quickly, the Empress couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke again.

“I apologize for not recognizing you, Duchess. Next time you visit the palace, please wear a dress more appropriate for this place.”

“A dress appropriate for the palace? So, it only needs to be flashy? That may not suit my wife, but I will purchase a few nonetheless.”

Sasha had been trying to walk away quietly, but the Empress kept provoking the situation. In the end, Kyler spoke decisively. His gaze fell directly on the Empress’s extravagant dress as he questioned her remark, making his point impossible to ignore.

The Empress bit her lip and could not bring herself to speak again.

Kyler offered a brief and calm farewell, then turned and walked away with Sasha by his side, showing no sign of hesitation.

They walked through the long hallway and exited the building. Neither of them said a word until they reached the carriage and climbed in. Sasha waited in silence, hoping he might say something first, but he remained quiet, sitting with his eyes gently closed.

The only sound that accompanied them on the journey back to the estate was the soft rumble of the carriage wheels over the road.

Earlier, Sasha had been looking out the window, but now she kept her eyes fixed on Kyler. She stared at him as if trying to understand his silence, but with his eyes closed, he gave nothing away.

Was he choosing not to speak? Was it something he could not explain? Or was it something that even he found difficult to face?

The Empress’s expression had been filled with longing. In contrast, Kyler had shown no emotion at all. If anyone else had been sitting beside him, he probably would not have spoken to the Empress, or even looked in her direction.

What kind of relationship allowed for such cold distance?

And of course, the Empress must be the wife of the Emperor, the one Sasha had seen in the audience chamber.

Sasha looked at Kyler again, his handsome face calm and quiet as he rested. Her mind filled with questions and assumptions.

Did they know each other before marriage? It didn’t feel like they were just acquaintances. Judging from the Empress’s eyes, it seemed more likely that they had once been in love.

That theory made too much sense. Even after marrying someone else, the Empress still looked at Kyler with eyes full of unspoken emotion. She must not have been able to let go of the past.

Perhaps they were once deeply in love, but due to their families’ ambitions and obligations, she was forced to marry into the empire and become Empress. Now, living with a man she did not love and serving more as the Emperor’s subject than his wife, she could not forget her former love.

That explained everything. But it still left one question. If she loved him so much, why was Kyler treating her with such complete indifference?

Was it because he had once loved her deeply but refused to hold on to a woman who now belonged to someone else, especially the Emperor?

That could be it. The more she clung to him, the colder he had to become.

Sasha had painted the perfect story in her head. She became so caught up in it that she forgot she was staring off into space, her eyes fixed on the wall of the carriage. A sudden bump in the road shook her back to reality.

Kyler was definitely asleep. It was almost strange how still he remained despite the shaking.

Her perfect theory faded like a dream.

“You might as well write a novel. What a great author you’d make,” she muttered to herself.

She laughed quietly, realizing how ridiculous she had been, getting lost in her own imagination and nodding to herself like it was all real.

The Empress clearly could not see the situation for what it was. She was drowning in her own feelings. The same woman who had shown Sasha so much hostility, simply because she was standing beside Kyler.

In contrast, Kyler had shown not even a trace of emotion toward her. Even Sasha, who knew him only briefly, could tell.

If there had been anything left in his heart, she would have noticed.

“He looked tired earlier. When we return, make sure to have a proper meal and get some rest.”

This was more like him. Kyler might not be expressive with his emotions, but at least he was never careless with those he cared about.

Even if he could be cold, Sasha felt that his actions in front of the Empress were not born from affection, but something else entirely.

The carriage finally arrived at the estate.

Without mentioning a single word about what had happened at the palace, Kyler helped Sasha down from the carriage. He adjusted his steps to match hers as they walked. Once inside, he immediately called for Rose and instructed her to prepare a bath and dinner for Sasha.

Sasha looked at him for a moment, but remained silent as she walked inside.

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