It's Not A Childcare But A Contract Marriage - Chapter 6 Part 1

‘When I touch her—’

A fleeting moment he wished would last forever.

The duke gently closed his eyes and let out a soft breath, his thoughts becoming momentarily rough just by thinking about it.

“…”

“My Lord, you must remain vigilant.”

The daughter of a hostile family. A sudden breakthrough treatment plan. Everywhere he looked, there were suspicious things.

‘It seems suspicious.’

It was only natural for the aide loyal to the duchy to be wary. Even so, the duke couldn’t help but…

“Well, can I view it positively? It’s ‘Our Marriage’ after all…”

The moment he thought of her, suspicions couldn’t naturally arise within him.

In front of her trembling eyes, it was impossible to cast sharp thorns of doubt and vigilance.

“There is no need for an interrogation.”

“Yes, my Lord. But…”

The encounter back then was already like an interrogation.

Her skin seemed delicate, as if it would be wrong to touch it, let alone pry into her secrets.

The duke shook his head, realizing he was losing his thoughts in an unfamiliar place.

“I will keep an eye on her.”

“Ah, yes! If the Lord personally oversees, nothing will happen!”

Watch… Although he didn’t deny its necessity.

He didn’t see her as someone who would harm anyone.

‘Even when I first saw you…’

The duke was aware of the irrational beliefs welling up inside him, but he didn’t bother to dismiss them.

“She is under my care, so don’t do anything foolish.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

With his decision made, the duke returned his gaze to the papers.

In his distracted state today, the image of a person he had encountered earlier kept replaying in his mind.

“Please marry me for one year!”

Do you know what you’re getting yourself into with your eyes closed so tightly?

The duke smiled as he recalled her expression, how she had shrunk her body like a trembling rabbit.

Contrary to Evely’s expectations, the duke was deeply contemplating her proposal.

Recalling the same scene repeatedly, the duke furrowed his eyebrows at the nagging thought.

“Because in the eyes of others, I will be seen as the beloved youngest daughter of the family.”

‘In the eyes of others— she said.’

In other words, the opposite of what is known is true.

In other words, she was treated unbearably by her family in reality.

‘Enough to make her run away from her family and seek refuge with someone unfamiliar.’

What had driven her to deceive others and burden her heart in Sinkere?

The image of her face as she came to him, someone she had only met once, trying to lift her trembling lips, remained etched in his mind.

“…”

Unconsciously, the duke crumpled the papers as his eyes caught the word ‘Sinkere’.

“Shall we go, Your Excellency? If we can’t find the existing documents, should we conduct a new investigation?”

“Very well.”

Giving his aide instructions, the duke recalled the information he already knew about the County of Sinkere.

It used to be an insignificant place, but now it held a different meaning.

‘To drive people to such desperation.’

As he remembered Evely’s slightly pale complexion, his hand clenched involuntarily.

A deep displeasure surged within him at the circumstances that had led her to wear such an expression.

“As for Sinkere, leave no stone unturned.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

In the not-too-distant future, Sinkere would come to regret catching Ivernum’s attention.