The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 3

“Well, a wife should act like one.”

Sasha let out a quiet sigh as she stared at the stack of lavish envelopes piled on one side of the office meeting table. With a small puff of breath, she turned away.

She just couldn’t bring herself to snoop. That wasn’t her nature. It was better to ask him directly.

There wasn’t much to uncover anyway. If anything, staying would only make her more uneasy. She was about to leave the study when voices outside the door caught her attention. Her hand froze on the doorknob.

She listened closely. The voices belonged to Minnie and Sarah, who managed the first floor.

“They said he came home last night, slept, and left again, didn’t he?”

Minnie’s quick, chirpy tone filled the hallway. If they were gossiping, it was almost certainly about the master of the house, the Duke.

But still, was it really something they needed to whisper about?

“I know. I really thought the Duke wasn’t interested in women at all.”

“Same here. But I guess even someone as cold as him still has… needs.”

Sasha’s cheeks instantly turned red as she realized what they were implying. She had always believed the Duke had no emotions or interests, not just in women, but in anything. Now they were saying he married her just to have someone for himself, only to come home, sleep, and leave again?

Did he really take a wife for that reason?

Was that the real reason behind their contract?

Just then, another voice joined in.

“I was so excited when I thought Lady Elina was going to be the bride. I was ready to brag about serving someone as beautiful as a goddess. But then it turned out to be Sasha. She’s her older sister, right? I saw her coming down from the fourth floor yesterday and, well…”

Older sister? Oh… Sasha had a younger sister. She didn’t know exactly how beautiful Elina was, but from the way they spoke, she must be stunning. Still, Sasha was incredibly beautiful too.

Sasha lightly tapped her cheek with her fingers. The face she saw in the mirror when she first woke up had been breathtaking.

Since it wasn’t her original appearance, she could look at it objectively. She felt she could stand beside the famously handsome Duke Kyler without being overshadowed.

That voice just now belonged to Nina, who worked on the second floor. She would remember that.

“No, from a distance she might seem a little plain, but Sasha is actually very beautiful. Is that why the Duke comes home every three days?”

“If the noble ladies of the Empire heard this, they’d be heartbroken. So many of them would do anything just for a chance to be in her position.”

Compared to the graceful Rose, the gossip from the maids felt petty and shallow. Still, Sasha listened quietly, nodding to herself here and there, until she suddenly opened the door and stepped outside.

“They said he came home last night, slept, and left again, didn’t he?”

From behind the group of maids cleaning the first and second floors, seventeen-year-old Connie quickly moved to keep up. But the conversation in front of her felt absurd.

Of course, Connie had heard plenty of rumors about Lady Elina, the daughter of a marquis. While not the highest-ranking noble in the Empire, Elina was known for her sparkling blonde hair and deep blue eyes. People said her eyes looked like jewels from the sea.

When a marriage proposal was sent to House Ivern, Connie had also assumed that Elina would become the Duke’s bride.

But on the day of the wedding, while working in the garden, she saw Sasha heading to the banquet hall. That moment changed her mind.

She didn’t know exactly how beautiful Elina was, but Sasha was stunning even without comparison. She was radiant.

“Did they really not see her properly…?”

Elina, according to the rumors, had dazzling blonde hair and vivid blue eyes. Sasha had softer blonde hair and warm hazel eyes. She wasn’t flashy, but her beauty was undeniable.

“No, from a distance she might look a little rough, but Sasha is really beautiful.”

As Nina stirred up even more speculation about Elina, Sarah tilted her head thoughtfully.

Come to think of it… that was true. She hadn’t seen Sasha dressed up since the wedding.

Connie, who often saw Sasha walking through the garden, had noticed it too.

According to Nina, Sarah, and Minnie, Sasha had married the most sought-after man in the Empire. But she didn’t act boastful, and she didn’t live in luxury.

In fact…

Just then, while the maids were chatting freely with the Duke away, the study door suddenly burst open.

This wasn’t the laundry area. This was the corridor connecting to the Duke’s private study. They only dared to speak so freely because the Duke had left the mansion earlier that morning.

When he was home, the entire estate felt like it was frozen in place. Everyone worked with tense focus. Old Nicol, the stable master, once said the best way to last long in this household was for the Duke to be away as often as possible.

But now, as the door opened, everyone froze in fear.

Even Connie, who had been trailing behind, was shocked. A woman stepped out, her soft golden hair glowing, dressed in a simple white gown that looked like sleepwear.

It was Sasha. The very person they had been talking about.

Th-this is bad…

Sasha was always accompanied by Rose, the head maid, who paid attention to every little detail. Even if this didn’t reach the Duke’s ears, if Rose found out…

Connie’s mind was racing. But before the panic could fully take hold, Sasha calmly stepped out and walked past the group without saying a word.

A faint floral scent drifted in the air. Even as she passed directly in front of Connie, Sasha didn’t seem to see them. Her face was composed, her gaze fixed somewhere in the distance.

Even her footsteps made no sound. No one dared say a word until she turned the corner and disappeared.

“W-what do we do…?”

Nina was the first to speak, looking completely lost. Normally she loved gossip, but now her face showed only confusion.

“How would I know…!”

Sarah and Minnie looked pale as they stared at each other. Finally coming back to her senses, Connie looked at the others, then turned her gaze toward the hallway Sasha had just walked down.

The soft swaying of her hair and the gentle rustle of her skirt lingered in Connie’s mind.

There shouldn’t have been anyone in the Duke’s office, so when the door opened, the startled, frozen expressions of the maids made perfect sense. Four of them, including the youngest girl following behind.

Sasha passed by without even making eye contact.

She walked toward the small garden behind the building, where a fountain gently bubbled in the center. It was a cozy space tucked just beyond the boxwood hedges that bordered the wide backyard. Ever since she discovered it a few days ago, she had been coming here often.

It seemed Rose had noticed. A tea table and chairs, which hadn’t been there yesterday, were now set up waiting for her.

Realizing even the youngest maids in this mansion had already started talking behind her back after only ten days of doing nothing was enough to make her pride sting.

She had once promised herself that, if she ever died, she would do absolutely nothing. That vow had been meant to comfort herself after being worn down by work and study.

Well, she had died. But she was also living again. This was her new life now.

“I’m not even dead anymore… I can’t just live like this.”

Gossip was nothing new. Whenever her grades improved after hard work, people would talk. She thought maybe it was because she didn’t have friends, but even when she made some, it didn’t change a thing.

Why can’t anything ever go smoothly… anywhere?

She let out a long sigh.

First of all, she didn’t know anything about this place. She needed someone who could inform her or protect her.

Stuck at the very first step, Sasha clicked her tongue and pulled out a chair at the table. She carefully adjusted her wide dress and sat down, finally getting used to how to move in it.

It was still morning, and the sunlight began to fill the small garden.

In a society built on status, you had to respect social ranks. The higher your position, the more you had to carry yourself accordingly. That’s how you preserved your place.

That meant she first had to be recognized by the staff here as the Duke’s wife.

“I was so excited when I thought Lady Elina was going to be the Duchess! I was ready to brag about serving someone they said looked like a goddess! But it turned out to be Sasha, her older sister… I saw her coming down from the fourth floor yesterday and, um…”

“So annoying,” she muttered.

Earning money was one thing, but building relationships with people was a completely different challenge.

Why is life never easy, no matter where I go?

She had often said that before. Hearing it now in Sasha’s soft voice made it feel strangely new and unfamiliar. There were so many things she needed to adjust to.

The large mansion had spacious, beautiful rooms, with everything she could possibly need, but it still felt overwhelming and uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like “her room” yet.

She had tried exploring to get to know the place better, and that had led her to discover this garden that suited her perfectly.

Just then, she heard soft footsteps approaching. Her ears perked up. The footsteps were cautious and heading her way.

A moment later, they stopped just beyond the hedge. It wasn’t unusual. This was a shared space, and several people were in charge of garden maintenance.

Still, it sounded like someone had come here on purpose.

She calmly watched the water falling from the fountain, listening. Then she heard a rustle, like leaves being gently brushed aside.

“Um, Lady Sasha. I brought you tea.”

It was a young, careful voice. When she turned around, she saw Connie holding a tray.

“Yes, thank you.”

Seeing how heavy the tray looked for her, Sasha responded quickly. Connie took a deep breath and came over to set the tea set carefully on the table.

She moved slowly and cautiously, pouring the tea with the same delicate attention. Watching her reminded Sasha of the conversation earlier. This little girl had been following behind the other gossiping maids.

They hadn’t spoken much, but Sasha had seen her often, tending the garden diligently.

“Connie, what kind of tea is it today?” Sasha asked gently. Her voice was so soft and lovely that it surprised even Connie.

Startled, Connie clinked the teapot against the cup.

“O-oh, yes. Today’s tea is black tea blended with pear.”

Sasha nodded while Connie continued checking and adjusting the table setup to make sure nothing was uncomfortable.

“This is the first time you’ve brought tea, right?”

As Sasha gently spoke while holding the teacup, Connie flinched again, just as she was about to step back.

Was it really so surprising to be spoken to? As Sasha watched her with quiet amusement, Connie’s pale cheeks turned pink. It was so endearing that Sasha’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“The sun’s pretty strong today. Must be tough working in the garden. Are you doing okay?”

Since Connie seemed open, Sasha tried to continue the conversation. If it had been one of the other maids, they would’ve acted aloof and tried to seem unaffected. But this girl looked genuinely surprised that Sasha had spoken to her and knew her name.

“H-how did you know?” Connie asked, her eyes wide with surprise and innocence.

Seeing that pure, honest expression made Sasha feel warm inside.

“I don’t know your age though. How old are you, Connie?”

“Um… I’m seventeen.”

She answered in a small, shy voice, lowering her head. Sasha had assumed Connie was about thirteen, maybe fifteen at most, so she quietly pressed her lips together. Still, she didn’t say anything about how young she looked.

“I see. Thank you for the tea. Make sure you stay out of the sun while cleaning the garden.”

Sasha gave her a gentle smile as she spoke. A small, shy smile bloomed on Connie’s blushing face in return. Among the group of gossipy maids, this girl had stayed quiet. And now, she was being genuinely kind.

The tension and confusion Sasha had felt earlier began to fade in the warmth of that smile. She realized again how powerful a single kind look or kind word could be.

“Well then, Lady Sasha. Please enjoy your rest.”

As the girl stepped away, Sasha took a sip of the tea.

This is just a new beginning.

The life she had been starting at university, she was now beginning again in a completely different world.

It had been a rough start, but somehow… she had a good feeling about it.

She gazed at the sparkling water and took another sip of her tea.

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