It's Not A Childcare But A Contract Marriage - Chapter 12 Part 1

I leisurely enjoyed the morning bath and massage before heading down to the drawing room.

“Would you like to go in now, my lady?”

“Are the guests inside?”

“Yes, I’ve already taken them to the drawing room.”

Satisfied with the answer, I nodded my head in approval. With a grateful smile and a wink, I watched as the attendant slowly opened the drawing room door. The well-oiled door opened without a sound.

‘Hmm.’

Through the open door, I could see a hardened back.

A stiff back with shoulders hunched as if withering. Sweating and restless, unable to keep his hands still, as if anxious.

Seeing that, I chuckled.

‘Did he have enough humble pie?’

It was a question worth asking since he was sitting on the carriage adorned with the Cinquere pattern, right in front of the Duke of Ivernum’s mansion gate.

There must have been fierce glares from the people associated with the first prince, who frequented the Duke’s residence.

And there might have been fears of being misunderstood by the faction of the second prince, who he’s aligned with.

‘Even from a hundred meters away, his hunched shoulders are visible.’

Doulian, who was sitting in the corner of the long sofa, showed signs of nervousness as he glanced around.

‘He brought it upon himself.’

I believe there’s no reason for him to feel aggrieved, as he’s the one who has been picking up on my silent words all this time.

As I approached the table, Doulian sensed my presence and turned his head.

“Pudding!”

The guy who was awkwardly adjusting his collar suddenly brightened his face and jumped up.

In no time, he had regained his usual fussy expression and stood before me.

“You…”

Doolian approached impatiently, scrutinized my face, and suddenly frowned, shouting.

“Do you know how many hours I’ve been waiting?”

Hm?

“How long has your elder brother been anxiously waiting outside while you’re busy applying makeup and choosing this kind of dress?”

“…”

“Your face is so heavily painted, it’s practically glowing!”

Doulian pointed accusingly, his fingers like forks. I stared blankly at his flushed face.

‘I must have enjoyed the massage and skincare,’ I thought. My complexion must have become so radiant that it triggered such a reaction. The maid responsible for my appearance must be exceptional. I crossed my arms, planning to give her compliments later.

“Pudding, what have you been doing?”

Doulian spoke in a harsh tone, as if demanding my attention. He glared at me, his face full of anger, as if expecting an immediate apology.

Hmm.

I stopped tapping my fingers on my arms and tilted my head.

‘Do you still think I’m your pudding?’

The foolish one who cherishes the blanket given by her second brother and pushes the precious golden fruit pudding forward with a regretful look from her eldest brother.

“Pudding, I’ve been enduring a lot.”

The second guy imitated an ultimatum, lowering his voice and pointing his finger at me as if mimicking a scolding.

“I’ve been enduring all this time.”

The corner of my mouth twitched as I realized that he still believed I was ‘pudding.’

Then I saw Doulian triumphantly open his mouth as if he had misunderstood something. But I didn’t care and spoke my mind.

“Heh, even if you don’t feel too sorry—”

“Is the young count pointing at me right now?”

“What?”

Doulian’s face seemed flustered.

“What are you talking about? Pudding, what kind of language is that?”

“To me, the soon-to-be duchess.”

‘It’s just a one-year contract. I should make the most of it while I’m the duchess.’

Can I waste the title for a limited time? Well then.

Thinking that to myself, I raised my chin proudly.

“Doulian, didn’t you like this? It’s all about judging and categorizing people. Well, you should know…”

“What now?”

“Ah! You enjoy doing things to others, but you can’t stand being on the receiving end, is that it?”

You should know better, considering how much you value hierarchy, right?

Is the untitled second son trying to match up with the future Mrs. Ivernum? Huh?

I looked at him coldly, refusing to let go of his gaze. Doulian raised his eyebrows as if trying to lower his tail.

“Haha, what a joke, Pudding.”

“…”

“Ah, Pudding. What’s wrong? You made me wait so long… I feel embarrassed and a little hurt.”

Doulian made an effort to smile, speaking to me as if we were friends. But even in the midst of it, he didn’t forget to mention that he had kept me waiting for a long time.

“Do I need to know how that feels? It’s the fault of the person who came without an appointment.”

Naturally, I didn’t accept his excuse.

“Alright… I made a mistake!”

“That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Doulian seemed on the verge of tears, but he tried to force a smile, pulling up the corners of his mouth as if to prove he wasn’t a fool.

“Okay… But you shouldn’t treat me like this. Pudding, I volunteered to come here for you.”

Pretending to be calm, I turned away. But before I could even make a suggestion, Doulian, who was still sitting, glanced behind me.

“Who’s that?”

“Looks like a messenger.”

“What? …Ahem. Well, who’s behind you?”

For someone like Doolian, he’s surprisingly patient, isn’t he?

I kindly replied to him, with a slight smile on my lips.

“That’s a knight given to me by the Duke.”

“Aren’t you going to dismiss him?”

“He was sent by my fiancé because he’s worried about me. I can’t just dismiss him for no reason.”

“Hmm. Well, whatever.”

In an instant, a wicked smile flickered across Doulian’s face.

‘Hmm?’

Sensing my gaze fixed on him, Doulian quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, since it’s a family matter, there’s nothing good about having too many listening ears, right?”

Mixed with his voice, which seemed to speak with a smile, was an underlying mockery that he couldn’t fully conceal.