Despite having just celebrated their wedding and spent their first night together as a married couple, the dinner table was filled with an awkward silence.
Herdin was the one to break the silence.
“After the meal, the butler will introduce you to the servants.”
He spoke as he skillfully cut into his steak with a knife.
“After the servants’ greetings are done, they will guide you through the mansion. There are no further scheduled events, so you can rest.”
“Thank you.”
“If you have any more questions or anything else you’d like to discuss, please feel free to talk to me.”
“How will you investigate the fire incident ten years ago?”
His knife, which had been cutting the steak, came to a halt.
His eyes, which had been dry all along, turned towards Blair.
No matter how formal this contract marriage had been, she hadn’t expected him to bring up this topic so soon, especially on the day after their wedding and their first night together, when they were both physically and mentally exhausted.
“As you mentioned that you have no memory of that time, we are currently seeking a hypnotist.”
The word “hypnotist” made Blair shiver. It reminded her of her past memories.
“I tried hypnosis several times before, but it had no effect.”
“Well, this time might be different.”
Herdin responded calmly, but there was determination in his words. He suspected that Blair hadn’t truly lost her memories but was pretending to do so.
“…You’re doubting me.”
“How can I trust you?”
His tone suggested that questioning her was only natural.
Even though she could hide her true intentions, he had no intention of concealing his own.
“Whether you truly lost your memory or if there’s another reason for your feigned memory loss, only you know.”
As the daughter of the Delmarc family, which had a politically hostile relationship with the royal family, there was already enough reason for him to doubt her.
Blair was well aware of this and had already realized it in her past life.
But thinking vaguely and actually facing the raw enmity of the other party were two different things.
“Just because I accepted the contract doesn’t mean I trust you.”
His words were correct.
This was a contract.
Not a marriage based on love and trust, but a contract made after considering gains and losses. Moreover, hadn’t she proposed it first?
Since they had entered into this contract, she needed to address his suspicions.
Blair calmly agreed to his request.
“…I understand. So, as you said, let’s try hypnosis first.”
On their first day as newlyweds, their intimate first meal came to an end.
After the greetings with the servants were concluded, Mason, the butler, took charge of guiding them through the mansion.
Having served the Delmarc Ducal family for generations, he had deep loyalty to the Duke’s family and a sense of pride. He knew the history of the Delmarc Dukes better than the current master, Herdin.
The mansion tour continued until after dinner.
Blair, who had lived in this mansion until her reincarnation, already knew most of the information, but she listened to Mason’s stories with renewed interest. It was a fresh perspective to revisit the place after returning from death.
After the tour concluded and they headed towards Blair’s bedroom, Mason suddenly apologized, as if he had just realized something.
“You must be tired after hosting the feast just yesterday, and I rushed things.”
“As the hostess, these are things I should know. Thanks to you, I could quickly familiarize myself with the mansion’s layout.”
Mason, like most of the people in the Duke’s household, was not particularly friendly towards Blair, but that didn’t mean he had ever displayed personal emotions in her presence.
Blair, even though she wasn’t a warm and amiable mistress, didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by not acknowledging him as the master of the house. In fact, she found the tour of the mansion quite enjoyable.
Before she knew it, they had arrived at Blair’s bedroom.
“If you have any more questions or anything you’d like to discuss, please feel free to ask at any time.”
“I’d like to see the list of servants’ names and the household inventory.”
Mason was surprised by Blair’s request. Matters related to the family’s finances, such as the servants’ salaries and the inventory of household items, were typically the responsibility of the lady of the house.
However, in reality, noblewomen rarely handled such tasks directly. Managing numbers and finances was not an easy job, and it was usually delegated to subordinates.
But now, she wanted to do it herself.
“Are you saying you want to do this job yourself?”
“Now that I’m part of the Delmarc family, I should do my part.”
Before her reincarnation, Blair, like most noble ladies, had entrusted the internal affairs of the Duke’s mansion to Mason.
Part of the reason was that she found the duties of a mistress too challenging, but more importantly, the people in the Duke’s household did not appreciate her involvement in household matters.
However, now it didn’t matter what others thought. Even though she was only a one-year Duchess, she wanted to do her part.
Not to earn recognition from anyone else but to avoid feeling small and powerless again.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
