Chapter 3
“…Excuse me?”
“My painkiller. You need it, right? And clearly, it’s a secret.”
Toba’s mouth fell open. Cassel just stared silently at Blair, who answered as if it were nothing at all.
“Just by looking, it’s obvious. You’re someone important, you wield a sword — your hands and build say it all. It’s not unusual for people like you to keep your condition hidden. You were planning to keep me close to make your medicine whenever you needed it, weren’t you?”
“…You catch on quickly.”
Blair smiled sweetly.
“That’s how I survive in this harsh world. The painkiller I make is a secret passed down by my master — I’m the only one who knows how to make it. I’m also discreet and very skilled. So, what do you think? If you sign a contract with me, I can supply you with that painkiller whenever you need it.”
Hugging the bundle of two thousand peeks tightly to her chest, Blair stared back at Cassel with confidence. Cassel slowly stood up.
He’d changed his mind.
“Discreet and skilled, huh…”
He still wasn’t sure why she was so certain he wouldn’t silence her for mentioning his secret. Maybe she really was bold — or just foolishly clever.
“What’s your name?”
“Blair. Blair Marie.”
She stepped back slightly as he came closer, her pale green eyes — like new spring buds — looking up at him with a hint of fear.
He realized he couldn’t let this strange, shameless woman walk out freely with his secret.
“All right, Blair.”
‘Keep her close and have her make the medicine whenever you need it.’
It was starting to sound more practical than he’d thought.
“Let’s make a deal.”
“Good choice!”
But what Cassel didn’t know then…
“Marry me.”
“…What?”
…was that those simple words would flip his entire life upside down.
‘Is he sick in the head? Is he insane?’
Blair stared at Cassel blankly, feeling as if someone had smacked the back of her head with a hammer.
Who could ever imagine they’d get proposed to by the leader of their kidnappers, a man they’d never seen before, right after being abducted?
‘All I wanted was to secure a long-term VIP customer out of this mess…’
Anyone could see he was a noble — and if the way he’d casually thrown out that expensive cufflink was any hint, he was clearly wealthy too.
“…Are you in your right mind?”
She blurted it out before she could stop herself — then clamped her mouth shut. Behind her, Toba growled like an angry wolf.
“Just for one year. Be my wife — officially, at least.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“You were right. I do need that medicine often. I’ve tried almost every remedy, but yours works the best.”
“Well, of course— Wait, so?”
“As you said, it’d be troublesome if people knew how much I rely on it. So, we’ll have a contract marriage. You’ll be my wife, and make the medicine whenever I need it.”
“…That’s not the kind of contract I was talking about.”
“I’ll pay you for making the medicine, for accompanying me to events, for acting the part. And when we divorce, you’ll get alimony.”
“Alimony?”
“It’ll be substantial. You’ll never worry about rent again — no matter what you imagine, it’ll be more than that.”
His conditions poured out so smoothly that Blair felt them sink straight into her brain. She went a little light-headed. Was this really her chance to flip her miserable life upside down?
She almost nodded, enchanted — but snapped back to her senses at the last second. She nearly agreed on the spot.
‘No, no. Get a grip. Am I really going to sell my entire life for a bit of money?’
Blair shook her head slightly, scolding her worldly, greedy self. Marriage was serious — you couldn’t just jump into it like this.
“I get what you’re saying, but this is too sudden. I don’t even know who you really are. Can’t I think about it for a few days—”
“If you think it’s absurd, you can ignore it. But if you say no right now, there won’t be any deal between us at all. Other than a confidentiality agreement.”
Gulp.
Blair’s lips snapped shut.
A one-year contract marriage with a complete stranger — anyone would say no.
But…
‘You’ll never worry about rent again — no matter what you imagine, it’ll be more than that.’
Those words were like honey.
‘And he’s handsome, too.’
Blair lowered her guard and studied his face again.
‘He’s suspicious, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
He hadn’t ordered her abduction directly — he’d even treated her politely, apologized first for his man’s mistake, and hadn’t threatened her once.
Blair’s eyes dropped lower.
His broad shoulders, solid chest, the veins standing out on his large hands, those strong thighs…
Gulp.
She swallowed dryly. She felt like she’d peeked at something she shouldn’t have.
‘Think, Blair Marie.’
Devastatingly handsome, tall and built, wealthy, polite. Where else would she find a man like that?
It wasn’t just about being blinded by his face — really, it wasn’t.
‘If I say no, the 2,000 peeks and the cufflink are all I get — no long-term client.’
If she pulled it off, she could finally break free of her miserable poverty and live comfortably.
Blair lowered her head, thinking hard.
‘It’s just a very… close long-term client, right?’
It was a contract marriage, but if she was going to get married someday anyway, maybe this was better. She didn’t have much to lose.
Blair lifted her head, locking eyes with those icy blue eyes staring down at her, and finally answered.
“Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll be your wife — for one year.”
Three days later
Thunk—
“Ow!”
Blair jolted awake with a yelp. Her head, nodding like a clock’s pendulum, had finally slammed into the carriage wall.
She was now riding in the carriage Cassel had sent for her, on her way to the capital — a full day’s journey. She hadn’t slept properly since that night, and she was exhausted.
“When are we getting there?”
Once she’d accepted the proposal, everything had moved at breakneck speed. She barely had time to put her affairs in order.
‘We’ll finish the official contract at my estate. For secrecy’s sake, you won’t have much time. I’ll send a carriage in two days — be ready.’
Her master, Aaron, had nearly exploded when Blair came home in the dead of night and suddenly announced she was getting married.
‘What nonsense is this? You’re getting married out of nowhere — and leaving for the capital in two days?!’
‘What did that man say to make you, of all people, agree to this?’
It was a natural reaction — she was suddenly leaving with a man she’d never even introduced to him.
‘It’s not like that. He’s been coming to the shop often. He’s tall, handsome, and kind — you’d like him if you met him!’
Blair had squeezed out every redeeming quality she could think of to calm her furious master.
Granted, the man hadn’t “come often” — his men had barged in and carried her off instead — and his kindness was more of a hopeful guess than fact. But at least the handsome part was true.
‘We’d already talked about marriage — we just moved it up for unavoidable reasons.’
That was how she’d barely managed to stop Aaron from chaining her to the door. Only then could she pack her things and leave.
“If I can fool him now, I just have to make sure he never finds out for the whole year…”
Could she really keep this secret from Aaron, who knew her better than anyone? The thought made her stomach twist.
Just then, the carriage came to a halt.
“You may disembark now, Miss.”
Before she knew it, they had arrived at a large mansion.
