WBWB | Chapter 27

He seemed to have realized he had revealed too much. 

I nodded silently.

‘So that’s why he commented on my thin clothes.’

At the same time, I understood why he had been so fixated on a mere tutor’s attire. He had already experienced a similar situation.

“So, have you thought about what you want?”

The Duke changed the subject, as if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“I want to write a letter. Just one.”

“To whom?” he asked. “To Prince Mael?”

Young Master Mael? 

I was bewildered. Of course, if I could exchange letters with multiple people, I would write to Young Master Mael as well. But the people I wanted to inform about my well-being were my family.

“No. I want to write to my family. If they know I’m doing well here, my mother and brother will be able to rest easy. It would be even better if I could receive a reply, but for now, I just want to let them know how I’m doing.”

Wouldn’t anyone, given the chance to send just one letter to someone far away, write to their family? But he looked surprised.

“I thought you’d want to write to Prince Mael, asking him to lift your exile. But you… are you close to your family?”

“…”

“I envy you. Not everyone is blessed with a loving family.”

He finished his drink.

That’s when it happened. The thought of asking a question I would never normally ask crossed my mind. And the question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Your Grace, if you don’t mind, may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Your Grace… why haven’t you married? Until now?”

‘Gasp!’

I was surprised by my own boldness. Was it too impertinent?

“Why I haven’t married? Well…”

But the Duke answered readily enough.

“Because there’s no reason to.”

“…”

“As a member of the nobility, you know that nobles don’t marry for love. At my level, the pool of suitable brides is limited. And the same goes for them, in terms of eligible grooms.”

I nodded. 

Although a vassal sworn to the King, someone of his standing, ruling a practically independent duchy, was eligible to marry not only other ducal families but also princes and princesses. And that eligibility also meant that marrying someone of lower rank, a count or below, would be considered beneath him.

“Most of the potential brides are princesses. Women who have never experienced any hardship in their lives. Do you think they would willingly come here and become my bride? This is a land of frequent wars. Even though it seems secure now, it could be engulfed in flames at any moment, and it’s easy to become a widow here. Moreover, there’s little in the way of entertainment, and the warm days are few. I’ve seen enough of my mother hating my father and this land, and my father suffering because of her. Why should I follow in their footsteps? Why? Whoever she may be, it would be a disservice to both of us.”

But if that was the reason… couldn’t he consider marrying a princess or noblewoman from another country with a similar climate and circumstances? 

As if reading my mind, he continued,

“Furthermore, there are political complications surrounding my marriage. Imagine you were the King. Consider the problems that might arise if I married a princess of similar standing from another country.”

I thought about it. If he married a foreign princess, their children would have a claim to both the foreign throne and the Duchy of Skadi. Depending on the circumstances, their child could potentially claim both the foreign throne and the duchy.

“Doesn’t that sound like a headache? I already have plenty of headaches.”

He muttered cynically.

“On top of all that, why should I burden myself with more responsibilities and problems by getting married? I have no intention of starting a family. You wouldn’t understand, having a loving family, but being alone is better than having an unhappy family. I’m perfectly content as I am.”

I had already learned far too much about my employer’s personal life. There was a line between employer and employee, and while he might cross it as if it didn’t exist, I couldn’t. I should have backtracked, pretending I hadn’t heard anything and changed the subject to something lighter.

But I didn’t.

“But, with all due respect, Your Grace, you’re not strictly alone.”

Looking back, I must have been out of my mind, thanks to the strong liquor.

“What?”

“Don’t you have Lady Ana? Already?”

I continued, as if possessed. As if offering advice to a close friend, I poured out my thoughts.

“And even though you’re not related by blood, your vassals who manage your territory and the people living within it are all like your children. And even this mansion alone, you have over a hundred household members. Your Grace said you’re content being alone, but you’re not truly alone. In fact, because you’ve left the position of mistress vacant, you’re burdened with even more responsibilities and problems.”

Because I felt… it was a waste. A waste that he, this man, was alone.

“What I’m trying to say is that marriage could be a solution for Your Grace, not a problem.”

That didn’t mean the Duke was wrong. Princesses accustomed to the comforts of court life would undoubtedly struggle in this land, and some, like his mother, might never adapt. But there were exceptions, weren’t there?

“Your Grace seems to think that all princesses are like your mother, but just as not all men are the same, not all women are the same either.”

If there was love.

Just as I had been able to settle here thanks to Lady Ana and the Duke’s consideration, couldn’t someone else do the same? The thought captivated me.

“There might be someone out there who would appreciate Your Grace and this land for what they are. Wouldn’t it be a shame to give up on marriage too early based on assumptions?”

And at the same time, I also thought he deserved to be loved.

Why? Because he was a wealthy man with vast lands? Because he was surprisingly young and handsome, contrary to his fearsome reputation outside his territories?

It wasn’t just that. I realized that my first impression of him had changed. Like the changing of seasons, a natural progression over time.

At first, I had been terrified of him. But was that still true? Well, he was still a formidable presence, but he wasn’t just a figure of fear anymore.

‘Perhaps I had misunderstood him all along.’

I had been able to adapt to life here thanks to Lady Ana, but also thanks to the Duke. 

He had recognized my work and shown consideration for my well-being, allowing me to prepare for winter. If he could treat his wife with the same consideration he had shown me, no, he would surely be even more considerate and kind. 

Then…

‘Who wouldn’t fall for this man?’

The alcohol loosened my inhibitions and led me to thoughts I would never have entertained in my sober mind.

‘The Duke is handsome, one of the wealthiest nobles in the land, and his daughter is as adorable and sweet as a rabbit. What does it matter that the winters are long, tedious, and cold? The summers and autumns here are beautiful. Of course, one would be worried about him leaving for the battlefield every summer. But if one could endure that anxiety, marrying a man like him might be a blessing, not a misfortune.’

“Isn’t it possible, however unlikely, for two people to love each other in marriage?”

Because in my few years at court, I had yet to meet a decent man among the seemingly handsome and wealthy nobles. Not a single one. I had been shocked by the absence of honesty, morality, and enduring love. 

It was like… a cage of wild beasts. 

Wouldn’t this place be better, even if it was a bit monotonous? 

What if there was a princess, disillusioned with court life, who wanted to come here?