The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 25

The Ignote estate, which was usually filled only with the quiet presence of its people, felt unusually lively today. The word noisy might even be accurate.

Kyler, who held the duty of protecting the Empire, was often away from home. Even when he was present, he stayed quietly inside, so there was rarely any reason for the estate to become busy or loud.

At most, the quiet chatter of the younger maids was the only background noise.

Listening to the sounds of the house today, Kyler realized something. This wasn’t just noise. It was the sound of people living.

And the one person likely causing all this energy was her.

Kyler left his office, where he had been working since morning, and walked downstairs, following the noise. As he turned toward the drawing room, he noticed the door was open and a few maids were peeking inside.

He suddenly found himself wondering what Sasha was doing. He was genuinely curious about how she looked trying on and choosing dresses.

“Ah… I am so sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t realize you were there…”

Just as Kyler approached the entrance, trying to glance in like the others, one of the maids who had been watching jumped in surprise when she noticed him. She immediately bowed her head in apology.

The other maids turned pale and quickly greeted him, clearly flustered. Kyler, however, didn’t react at all to the startled maid or her apology. He simply gave a small nod and looked into the room.

“They just finished taking measurements. Now she’s choosing the final design.”

Sarah, who had been watching him from nearby, lowered her gaze to the floor and quietly explained what was happening inside.

“Then why are you all standing out here?”

Kyler looked down at the four young maids huddled by the door, none of whom had stepped inside. They looked even smaller than Sasha and fidgeted nervously under his gaze.

“I’m not scolding you. I’m asking why you’re watching from here instead of just going in.”

Knowing the maids were usually hesitant to speak to him directly, Kyler softened his voice and explained further. The girls, who had been stiff with nervousness, relaxed a little and made room for him, as if giving him permission to go inside.

“It’s really fine. We were just here to…”

Before the maid could finish, Kyler reached out and guided them forward with a gentle push. All four were swept into the drawing room.

“Your Grace, you’re here.”

Sasha, who had been deep in discussion about designs with Rose and the designer, turned toward him in surprise. Her wide eyes quickly shifted to the young maids who had suddenly stumbled inside.

“You girls…”

“I’m sorry!”

Rose raised her voice and scolded them sharply. The startled maids immediately shouted their apologies and rushed out of the room one after another.

“Rose, it’s alright. It’s not like there’s so much work today that they can’t take a short break.”

Sasha tried to calm Rose, who looked like she was about to follow the maids and scold them again. Then she turned back and looked at Kyler, who had appeared behind them.

For some reason, she had a feeling that Kyler had been peeking in with the same curiosity as the maids. Maybe he had been watching out of interest in the fitting process too.

Her eyes met his. Kyler looked at her for a moment, then quickly looked away. That tiny, awkward shift in his gaze only made Sasha more certain.

“They finished the measurements. Once I choose a design, today’s fitting will be done. I picked something like this.”

Sasha showed him a design that wasn’t too flashy. It had neither overly puffy sleeves nor layers of heavy fabric. It also wasn’t revealing. It looked simple and elegant, something close to what she usually wore.

Kyler had no particular interest in women’s fashion, so he didn’t fully understand the differences. But he could tell that what she chose was much more modest compared to the other dresses he had seen.

“Is something this simple alright? Most of the others looked shiny and full of volume.”

“Do you like flashy dresses, Your Grace?”

Sasha turned the question toward him. The one she had picked clearly didn’t fall under that category.

She began to wonder. Was it considered improper for a woman of her rank to wear something so plain? Shouldn’t someone in her position choose something more formal or grand?

Of course, if there were any specific expectations, Rose or the Madam would have told her. But something about Kyler’s response made her curious, so she asked again.

“That’s not what I meant. I’m just not familiar with this kind of thing, so there’s no need to worry about how I react.”

Kyler had been curious, but he never intended to interfere. He remained quietly near the entrance of the drawing room, watching them from a distance.

Sasha, Rose, and the designer kept glancing at him. Since Kyler hadn’t explained why he was standing there, his presence continued to draw their attention.

“So… is it alright if we continue?”

The Madam looked toward Sasha as she asked the question carefully, trying to gauge Kyler’s expression. Sasha, understanding that there was likely no real reason for his sudden visit, gave her a small nod.

“As the Duke said, it won’t be flashy or extravagant. Instead, I’ll use the finest fabric and add just the right amount of detail with elegant accessories. It will be simple and refined, but still catch the eye.”

Sasha’s choice was actually a great challenge for the Madam. Current fashion trends favored dramatic, showy dresses. But as the Duchess of Ignote, Sasha still had to maintain dignity and presence, even with a minimalist style.

This was a dress meant for the woman second only to the Empress. The Madam’s face had become very serious.

Sasha noticed and smiled warmly, as if to ease her pressure.

“Then I’ll begin the design. We can go over the details later. I’m feeling very inspired.”

With determination in her eyes, the Madam gathered the fabrics, sketches, and dresses that filled the room. After bowing politely, she left the estate with her staff.

The drawing room looked exactly as it had the day before, but both Sasha and Kyler stood quietly, as if in a daze.

“That was a lot, wasn’t it? All the dress planning and fitting.”

Rose spoke gently to Sasha, who was still looking around the room as if trying to process it all. Sasha blinked, then smiled softly.

“Now I understand why you said we should start with this. It was overwhelming, but also exciting.”

She had never cared much for flashy things, but having something made only for her sparked a quiet joy. The idea that something was designed just for her made her smile, even when she wasn’t thinking about it.

“There’s still a lot more to prepare. Soon, people will want to meet you. It would help if you knew who they were and what kind of people they are. It may be time to study a little. Would that be alright?”

Sasha let out a small sigh as Rose added this. It was exactly what she had expected. Meeting people was always the hardest part.

“Do I have to learn everything right away? Trying to remember everyone at once sounds overwhelming.”

To her surprise, Kyler spoke up in her defense. He had grown up in these circles and had learned much simply by being around it. But expecting Sasha to memorize every name and title just for a single gathering was unrealistic.

“It’s not necessary to know everything. But the more familiar you are with the names and faces, the easier it will be to avoid any problems. I won’t be able to stay by your side the whole time.”

Rose’s response was calm and honest. Sasha blinked once, then gave a small nod.

“It won’t be easy, but I’ll try. I think I’ll start with the people I should be aware of. The ones who are kind or important to know. I’ll learn those names first.”

Her voice was steady, and there was a surprising spark of motivation in her tone. She even looked ready to begin studying immediately, right there in the drawing room.

“Sasha.”

“Yes?”

Kyler called her name, sensing that she was about to throw herself into studying without even taking a moment to rest.

The house was unusually quiet today. He had come downstairs partly because of the calm, but mostly because he wanted to spend time with her. That had been his real reason for stepping away from work.

He didn’t want to spoil her enthusiasm, though. So even as she looked up at him with those warm brown eyes, he found himself unable to say anything that might discourage her.

“Did you eat lunch? I heard you’ve been focused on dresses since morning.”

He figured that even sharing a simple meal together would be enough for now.

“Oh, you’re right. Now that you mention it, I think I’m actually hungry.”

Sasha had been so focused on what needed to be done that she hadn’t noticed. At his words, she smiled and nodded.

Seeing the change in her face, Kyler reached out his hand.

Sasha didn’t hesitate. She walked over and placed her hand in his without a second thought.

He gently wrapped his fingers around hers. Her small hand fit easily in his, and holding it gave him a quiet sense of peace. Walking together like this, hand in hand, felt unexpectedly comforting.

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