The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 42

“I thought I had explained everything clearly back then. Was Your Majesty suggesting that I should not wear this dress to the palace?”

By now, the dress had been wrapped in such a beautiful story that criticizing it further would only make things worse. The Empress cleared her throat softly, closed her eyes for a moment, and opened them slowly.

Only Sasha seemed to notice that the Empress was visibly irritated.

“How curious it is to meet the young ladies of noble houses here in the palace again.”

During that pause, Sasha had already reconnected with the daughters of the counts. They had been chatting about how much they had enjoyed the recent gathering.

“It’s such a pleasure to see you again, Duchess. That day was truly joyful and meaningful for all of us.”

Lada’s voice was cheerful, and the other young ladies responded with enthusiastic nods.

“As I said earlier, the House of Ignote hasn’t hosted a party in years. Do you not know why?”

The Empress returned to the previous topic, and Sasha slowly turned to face her. Her gaze was calm and unreadable.

Midienna watched her, hoping for some reaction. Instead, Sasha remained composed, which only made the bitterness rise further within the Empress.

“I was never told the reason. Neither the head maid nor the steward ever mentioned it to me.”

Sasha answered confidently. Midienna’s expression twisted into something awkward, as if she was pretending to be sympathetic.

“If you knew how the former Duke and Duchess passed away, you would understand why. It is a painful memory for Kyler, the current Duke. They died in a tragic accident. Though it was ruled accidental, it was such a terrible event that it remains a deep scar for him.”

It didn’t feel like she was explaining something. It felt more like she was trying to put Sasha on the spot.

“How Your Majesty came to know such details, I cannot say. But this matter belongs to our household now. The party was held properly, and the Duke made no objections.”

“Yes, exactly. He even came to talk with us. He was so charming.”

Picolla chimed in at just the right moment, a bit oblivious but well-meaning. As Sasha nodded, the Empress turned her glare toward Picolla.

The other young ladies began to notice the shift in atmosphere. The Empress was no longer hiding her displeasure.

“Really. Does it make you feel good to sit in someone else’s place and pretend it’s yours?”

Finally, Elina burst out in frustration. Midienna gave her a disapproving glance but didn’t say anything to stop her.

“So, a direct confrontation now?”

Sasha muttered quietly to herself and turned her head. Clearly, the earlier warning hadn’t been enough. Elina wanted to push further, and Sasha was more than ready to respond.

She had grown tired of that smug face. The fact that Elina kept bringing up the same topic was becoming tiresome.

“Someone else’s place? Lady Elina, don’t you think your words are rather harsh? Especially toward the Duchess.”

Rosehill spoke up, her voice steady.

Technically, that seat belonged to no one. Everyone knew how Kyler had treated the many young ladies who tried to approach him over the years. Even rumors made it clear that anyone who had seen him at a formal event would know how unreachable he was.

Many had desired that seat, but none had been able to claim it. Kyler himself was a fortress, impossible to breach.

“That seat was always unclaimed. No one ever had it. Lady Sasha simply stepped into a place that had been left open.”

“You must be mistaken. I clearly remember Duke Kyler telling His Majesty that he intended to marry the young lady of House Ivern. He said ‘the young lady of Ivern’ and nothing more.”

Midienna spoke as if revealing a dangerous secret. The daughters of the other noble houses exchanged confused glances.

“At the time, Lady Sasha was hardly known in society. In fact, she was so ill she could barely leave the house, and many believed she wouldn’t live long. She was completely hidden from the public. So, who do you think Kyler meant when he said ‘the young lady of Ivern’ back then?”

Sasha truly had no way of knowing. She had no memory of what had happened before. So, she remained silent, calmly watching as the others tried to gauge the situation.

“I’m not sure exactly when you’re referring to. But the Duke never told me he intended to marry Lady Elina, so I cannot say.”

Sasha chose not to respond directly. She had no way of confirming the details of that time, no way of knowing what had really taken place.

“You say he never told you. But does that make it right to take something that wasn’t meant for you? Why do you think the Duke came to that estate? Officially, it was to secure hunting supplies. But in truth, he was there to find a bride.”

Elina’s words grew more vivid, and strangely, they held more weight than Sasha’s silence. If there had been someone before Sasha, perhaps a promise had been made. Perhaps Kyler had needed to clarify that situation, which was why their marriage had been arranged more as a contract than a romantic union.

Ah… the thought of being dragged into this mess made Sasha’s head feel like it was spinning.

“So he came looking for a bride and found me, I suppose.”

“Are you serious? Do you really think you and I were even comparable back then?”

Elina, shouting again, suddenly froze mid-breath. It sounded like she had just said something she shouldn’t have. Sasha caught on immediately. That slip had been a mistake.

“Comparable? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh dear, Lady Sasha. What kind of life were you living at the marquisate that such harsh words are being thrown at you now?”

The young ladies began murmuring among themselves, picking apart Elina’s words. Sasha responded with a gentle smile and comforted them with a calm gaze, and in return, they glanced at Elina with faint hostility.

“How shameless. You act so noble, but I saw something that day too.”

Strangely, Elina didn’t back down. Normally, this was the point where someone would retreat in shame, but instead, her anger only seemed to grow stronger. Something about it felt off.

Sasha kept her composure and answered calmly.

“Rather than shouting accusations, wouldn’t it be better if you explained yourself clearly? When you yell like that, it’s hard to understand what you’re actually trying to say.”

She was still keeping her cool. But then, for a brief moment, even her composed heart began to crack.

“I saw the contract.”

Sasha nearly gasped but managed to steady her breath.

This was something she had never been able to resolve. What exactly did that contract say? Why had they entered into one in the first place? Did the contract even truly exist?

“A contract? What are you talking about?”

Midienna picked up the bait like it was the most delightful thing she had heard.

“Listen carefully, Your Majesty. That day, I saw the two of them write a contract. I couldn’t catch the exact details, but I clearly heard them refer to it as a contract. And then the next day, the Duke told my parents he was taking Sasha with him.”

Sasha’s brow furrowed. She couldn’t help but think how much easier this would have been if she already knew what that contract was about.

No, perhaps not. If she had learned about it from someone else, it would have been even worse. The contract must have been something that involved a private exchange between them.

“Lady Sasha? A contract? Is that true?”

“I thought you two simply cared for each other. Was that not the case?”

“Surely not… not back then, right?”

As Sasha sat there without answering or reacting, uncertainty began to ripple through the daughters of the counts.

This was the same woman who had stood firm even in front of the Empress, and now she was sitting still, offering no defense. That silence began to speak louder than words.

“Could it be… true?”

“Is it really?”

Sasha didn’t know what to do. The moment she heard the word “contract,” her mind went blank, as if everything around her started spinning.

Only yesterday, her heart had been so full when she watched him leave. That goodbye had been painful and overwhelming, but it had meant something.

Sasha forced herself to return to the present. She pictured Kyler’s back as he left to face the monsters.

She raised her head with a soft smile forming on her lips.

“How could that be true? What do I even have to offer in such an arrangement? I was just a sickly young woman who couldn’t even appear in public. He, on the other hand, is a duke with so much. A contract between us wouldn’t make sense.”

Her voice was steady and full of conviction. The young ladies, hearing her words, seemed convinced once again. Elina gritted her teeth, and even Midienna looked displeased, but none of that mattered.

Sasha held on, keeping herself grounded in the memory of his silhouette.

Because she had chosen to walk with him. Because she had chosen to stay by his side.

She had to believe that the contract, if it truly existed, was for their mutual protection.

And if it wasn’t, if the truth was something different and deeply painful then she would face it. Human feelings change, and contracts can be rewritten.

There was no need to be afraid. With how deeply she loved him, she felt that anything was possible.

“Now then, are we all clear now? The tea is quite lovely, isn’t it?”

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