Before, Rubica believed in the rumors and used to think that it all happened because Duke Claymore, blinded by power, sided with some foreigners and smuggled out the weapon. However, when she actually met Edgar, she found out that he did not crave for power, although he did have serious problems with his way of talking.

He was a man who acted on what he thought was right and just.

‘I want to save him.’

That must be the reason. She concluded she wanted to see him from time to time because of her anxiety and worries that came from her knowing the future.

‘Wouldn’t there be a way to save him or help him even if I leave after our promised time ends?’

However, how could she explain all that? Explaining what had happened to her could get her locked up in an asylum. Most people would think that she couldn’t tell nightmare and reality apart. Moreover, there was something that worried her even more.

‘This family has risen with weapons, and the people in this kingdom can continue living only thanks to that. If I tell him to stop making weapons…’

The kingdom would immediately run out of food, and the people would all starve to death before the war even broke out.

‘What should I do…’

Rubica kept thinking as she finished the conversation and had dinner with Edgar. He knew nothing about what he was about to face, and she pitied him for that. She didn’t know why he was going to make such a terrible weapon, but she wanted to do her best to save him.

***

When they were done eating, a messenger arrived to deliver the news about Lord Sesar.

“Well, where did they find him?”

“He was sleeping in a forest, totally drunk. He hasn’t woken up yet but, according to the adventurers, judging from the shape of the jars scattered around him, it seems like it was liquor made by the goblins.”

Edgar couldn’t help sighing. Really, Lord Sesar had no limit. It looked like he was going to say he had forgotten to send a letter about his whereabouts because he was invited to the goblins’ party and had lots of rare and mysterious dishes.

“Rubica, I will go to take care of Lord Sesar and the adventurers. Go and rest first.”

“Okay.”

However, before she left the hall, she thought for a while and made a comment.

“Don’t work too hard.”

It was a small encouragement. But at that moment, Edgar couldn’t help it and smiled at her. That smile was much more natural and prettier than the forced smile made earlier, and Rubica’s heart sank.

‘That smile he sometimes shows, it’s strange, but it’s so familiar. It reminds me of Arman, but he can’t be Arman…’

As Rubica had a bath, she tried to recall when and where she had seen that smile. She checked if she had ever gone past Edgar in her previous life, but she couldn’t remember such a thing happening. Besides, he was so handsome. If she had ever seen him even briefly, she would have definitely remembered him.

‘Maybe he is a little like Arman.’

She thought so as she was done bathing. Arman had been through a lot and had looked like someone in his 80s, even though he had been only 73 years old. Moreover, he had so many scars on his body and it was hard to say he had been as handsome as Edgar. Rubica was harsh when appraising beauty even when it was the man she loved.

‘And there are more similarities… yikes!’

Rubica’s thinking ended the moment she saw the nightdress Ann brought. Khanna’s sexy nightdress, which she had only seen as a picture, was now in front of her eyes.

“What, what on earth is that?”

“It’s a nightdress.”

Ann replied as if it was nothing.

“Of course, I can see that? But why is it in front of my eyes?”

“Well, it was among the dresses Madam Khanna brought, I guess we must have put in the wrong order.”

Although her mouth could lie, her eyes couldn’t. She couldn’t look straight at Rubica and spoke while staring at the ceiling. Rubica sighed.

“Ann, I can see what you’re thinking. Just confess the truth.”

Ann smiled awkwardly since it seemed that fooling the duchess was impossible. Ann made the maids, who had helped Rubica during her bath, leave and explained honestly.

“Madam, as for this whole thing about your pregnancy, faking a miscarriage is a solution, but I think the safest way would be to, um, get pregnant fast.”

“I should get pregnant fast? That’s the safest way?”

“Yes, if something goes wrong people may find out about the fake miscarriage. Wouldn’t it be better to convince everyone that a baby can come out a month or two later?”

Now, what was Rubica supposed to say to that? Was she supposed to tell Ann she had made a deal of not having any kind of physical intercourse as she married Edgar? However, it didn’t look like the housekeeper would believe her. Rubica had, after all, shared kisses with Edgar in front of the others and even fallen asleep in his arms.

“I’ll talk to Edgar about it, Ann. Really, there was no need to prepare this… thing.”

Rubica truly didn’t want to show herself wearing the dress in front of Edgar.

“But… but madam.”

“Yes?”

“I heard His Grace doesn’t spend the nights here. It’s, um, it’s not like I can talk about it, but I’m worried.”

“Oh, that’s because he’s busy, and…”

“But he can’t be that busy. Actually, I couldn’t tell you this earlier as he has been kind to you, but I’ve been worried that you might be hurt by it.”

Rubica and Edgar had promised to appear like they were falling apart in time so that the others wouldn’t get suspicious when they divorced, but Rubica hadn’t known it would backfire like this.

“Could it be that he, um, cannot function as a man?”

“That’s, that’s not it!”

Rubica yelled. Of course, she didn’t know about Edgar’s condition, but she couldn’t allow people having those kinds of thoughts, so for now she said he was healthy.

“Please, wear this, only for once.”

Ann looked so desperate that it shook Rubica’s heart. Saying no was going to make her despair, and Rubica had a soft spot on her, anyway. The nightdress was too sexy, but she could cover herself with the duvet and explain what had happened when Edgar comes.

‘He’s a gentleman, so it should be fine.’

At first, he had his way and ignored her opinion. But these days, he didn’t do anything she hated, so he wasn’t going to use the nightdress as an excuse and make trouble.

‘He won’t be able to see me if I cover myself completely with the duvet.’

In the end, Rubica had no choice but to wear the nightdress. It was half-transparent and clearly showed her silhouette. It was so embarrassing that she couldn’t even look at the mirror. She then ran out of the bathroom, climbed onto the bed, and went under the duvet.

“Everyone, please go out.”

Then she waited for Edgar with only a couple of lighted candles.

‘This is going to be even worse from now on.’

She had expected something like this to happen. Giving birth to children was an important duty of noble ladies. Actually, Edgar agreeing to her terms had been quite odd. Many men and women who were not in love got married and had children for their family, and it was considered only right. However, it looked like people were not going to respect her opinion like Edgar did.

‘To think about it, he is a really nice person.’

When their marriage made by the mistake of a messenger ends, he would meet a good woman and get married for real. He had fought with Rubica enough, so he wasn’t going to be that rude a second time. He would surely express his feelings properly, propose, and live happily.

‘I wish him to be happy.’

However, imagining that beautiful future made her heart ache.

‘No, I cannot do this.’

She was supposed to be glad to see him happy, not sad. She grabbed the pillow.

Ding, ding, ding.

Then the clock sounded the hour. It was already 11 o’clock and Edgar hadn’t come. That was unusual.

‘Is he very busy? Maybe Lord Sesar has caused a lot of problems, even more than the messenger talked about.’

Maybe he was not going to come at all tonight. Meeting him wearing the nightdress Ann had prepared was going to be too embarrassing. Nevertheless, she felt strangely disappointed and worried if he was busy or too tired.

‘Now thinking about it, the bed in his resting room is really small.’

The bed was so small that only one person could sleep on it. Compared to her bed that was big enough for five people, it was way too small. If he tossed and turned on that bed, he could tumble down. She was a little, no, very sorry about him sleeping on that bed only because of her.

‘Should I tell him to sleep here from now?’

She started to think that she had been too hard on him. Maybe she failed to see him as the man he was because of the first impression and the prejudice she had about him.

‘I should talk to him about it later.’

It looked like he wasn’t going to come today, so she decided to not wait for him and just sleep.