MHYFMAMD Ch 7
by rosey‘It’s the first time since then.’
Her face flushed at the thought of seeing him again, ever since he had promised to see her again.
Why was she so nervous about this? Tenesia clasped her cheeks, and the warmth that had been spreading down her neck seemed to have infected her entire face.
At that moment, the door behind her suddenly creaked open. Startled, Tenesia jumped to her feet and turned her body around.
“Ah…”
Tenesia couldn’t say anything.
There were countless things she had planned to say when they met. Yet, for some reason, nothing came to her mind.
She could only blankly stare at the man who was approaching her. His jet-black hair. Eyes darker than the night. The unchanged features were etched into her sight, yet she couldn’t move a finger.
Dietrich, after five years, was not the man she knew.
Though his appearance had often led to misunderstandings before, now it seemed more so. His gaze, sharper and more vicious than ever, emitted a menacing light
He was almost unrecognizable. Tenesia almost wanted to ask who he was.
He sat down across from her without hesitation, and though it was undoubtedly Dietrich, Tenesia couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.
His hollowed face suggested that he had neither eaten nor slept properly. What about the shadows under his eyes? They were so dark it seemed like soot might rub off.
It wasn’t just that. The eyes that had always seemed indifferent now scrutinized her with a sharpness. The warmth and kindness that used to reside in his eyes were nowhere to be found.
Why? Wasn’t the war over with a massive victory?
Surely, the Emperor had promised a substantial reward for the victory.
“I heard that you’ve come here to talk about my wife.”
“Ah…”
For a moment, Tenesia faltered. His voice, which she hadn’t heard for months, held no tenderness at all.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Right. Who sent you this time?”
“…I am Tenesia Blanchette. I’m not sent by anyone. I’ve come to tell you what I know, Margrave.”
“Blanchette…”
Dietrich’s indifferent gaze quickly swept over Tenesia.
“A family with no connection to my wife. Not worth listening to.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to listen to my story before making such a judgment?”
It didn’t seem to be a strong enough rebuttal. Dietrich’s brows twitched very briefly.
“You must be confident there’s no connection. Grace and I have known each other even before Your Excellency met her.”
“So close, yet you never visited my wife all this time?”
“I couldn’t due to illness.”
Tap, tap.
Dietrich flicked his fingers briefly.
“You do realize how absurd that sounds, Lady Blanchette? If you keep talking nonsense, I can kill you right here and now.”
“I don’t care. If you kill me without listening, it is you, Margrave, who would suffer the loss.”
Killing an insignificant Baron’s daughter like Tenesia would be an easy task for Dietrich. Yet, the reason Tenesia could speak so boldly was because of one reason.
Because he wouldn’t. Her trust in Dietrich stood firm.
“So? What are you planning to show me?”
“Here. This is a letter Grace gave me.”
When Tenesia pulled out the letter from her bag, Dietrich’s pupils dilated.
“…And how do you prove that this letter is written by my wife?”
“You can verify it yourself. A person’s tone and handwriting aren’t easily imitated.”
At her words, Dietrich snatched the letter from her hand with alarming speed.
The letter, wrinkled from being shoved into her bag, unfolded in Dietrich’s hands. His sharp gaze softened as he read, gradually slowing down.
He spent a long time reading the single page letter. His eyes moved repeatedly, reading it several times. Eventually, Dietrich managed to tear his gaze away from the letter.
“…What do you want from coming here? It wouldn’t have been easy for a mere Baron’s daughter to come to such a place.”
“I heard rumors. That Your Excellency is looking for traces of the Margravine.”
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
“…So?”
“This is not the end of the letter your wife gave me. Despite the distance, we exchanged letters regularly.”
Tenesia slowly looked at Dietrich.
“Your wife shared various stories with me — her daily life, her likes… Perhaps these are the things you’re looking for.”
“What’s the price?”
His indifferent eyes captured her face. Somehow, that made Tenesia relax completely..
She hadn’t expected to say these words again.
Her heart pounded in her chest. The same restless feeling surged within her that she had when she was Grace.
Unknowingly, a smile crept onto Tenesia’s lips as she spoke.
“Please, enter into a contract marriage with me.”