It's Not A Childcare But A Contract Marriage - Chapter 2 Part 2

“Coming to the Duke and divulging the information I’ve acquired isn’t meant to threaten you with this secret.”

First and foremost, I wanted to dispel any initial assumptions the duke might have about my intentions as a member of my family, the Sinkere.

“Rather, I came to inform you that we can eliminate this dangerous secret altogether.”

“… … Is that the medicine the young lady mentioned?”

For a moment, I flinched at the duke’s words, which pierced right through me, but I proudly placed a small vial on the table to maintain control.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“… …”

“It’s a drug that only I know how to create.”

The duke’s eyes widened as he glanced at my hand holding the pouch.

Once again, I found myself facing his crimson gaze, surprised by the unexpected calmness within them.

‘The family’s secret was unexpectedly revealed, and perhaps even a solution to their weakness has emerged.’

I thought the duke would be taken aback….

A brief moment.

I double-checked, making sure I hadn’t misread his reaction.

“Isn’t that surprising?”

Still, there was no trace of agitation on the duke’s face.

“…”

I swallowed a gulp and silently acknowledged to myself.

“He’s not an easy opponent, after all.”

Well, I never expected it to be easy from the start.

Okay. He’s the Duke of Ivernum, and there’s no way he would let his guard down when dealing with ordinary trading partners.

Abandoning my usual negotiation demeanor, I opted for a fastball approach.

“I’ll be straightforward.”

Recalling my family’s reaction when I first developed this drug, I began with a revelation.

“The Sinkere family initially intended to use this as a trap to manipulate the duke.”

“In your family?”

“Yes, but I’m different.”

It held a different significance.

It was an audacious statement that a typical noble lady would never dare utter, but it was necessary to say it now.

“Well, what I’m trying to do now is distance myself from that family.”

The noble and dignified aura of the Sinkere family doesn’t quite match the personalities of its quirky members.

That was my family in this current life.

“It’s a Count’s family, and I can’t extricate myself due to its unnecessary prestige.”

In this unfair aristocratic society, there was little a noble lady could do against her family’s wishes.

Even if it meant marrying a widower 40 years her senior.

Under normal circumstances, the only way to escape such a marriage would be to weep and plead.

‘Okay. If it’s normal…’

Pursing my lips, I recalled the scheming family members who undoubtedly assumed I would stoop down and accept their plans.

‘Unless someone with a higher status than the Count interferes with that marriage!’

In a society where status was everything, marriage was a means of obstructing and climbing the social ladder.

In my mind, I fervently prayed, drawing upon the countless romance novels I had read in my previous life.

‘Oh, Contract Marriage Heroines, grant me strength!’

“I have a proposal in exchange for resolving Ivernum’s side effects.”

It was embarrassing to utter the following words, no matter how resolved I was.

‘After all, if I want to change the course of my life, I must take action.’

I placed my heart in the duke’s hands, gently pushing forward a vial instead of a ring.

I tightly closed his eyes and blurted out.

“Please marry me for one year!”

Silence hung in the air for a moment.

“…”

Damn it.

I didn’t know what to do with my shame.

“I, Duke…”

Unable to bear the silence any longer, I gathered my courage and met his gaze once again.

And I couldn’t help but be taken aback.

“Huh? Those eyes…”