Chapter 11
Aileen wondered if she had woken him up and felt a little sorry.
“Yes. I guess I can’t sleep because the bed feels unfamiliar. Did I wake you up?”
“I wasn’t asleep to begin with,” Richard replied calmly. “And no, it’s not because of you. I’m just not used to a different bed either.”
He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. Aileen followed and sat up as well.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Richard leaned his back against the headboard and stared blankly at the ceiling, while Aileen gazed out the window at the night sky.
The silence was starting to feel awkward, so she suddenly turned to him.
“…Should we make some magic stones?”
Richard’s eyes flicked toward her. She rubbed her cheek awkwardly.
“Well, since there’s nothing else to do.”
“So you’re saying, ‘if we can’t sleep, might as well earn money’?”
“Pretty much.”
Richard let out a short laugh. He switched on the lamp beside the bed and scooted closer, holding out both his hands.
“Alright then.”
Aileen hesitated for a moment, then placed her hands over his.
After making stones together for several days to prepare the wedding gifts, this had started to feel almost familiar.
She closed her eyes to focus. Her golden hair swayed slightly as her magic began to move.
Before long, a glowing crystal formed between their palms and dropped onto the blanket.
More stones began to appear, one after another, stacking up on the bed. Even in the dim light, each one gleamed softly.
Richard’s eyes followed the shine for a while before moving to Aileen. She was still sitting quietly, eyes closed in deep concentration.
Watching her, he spoke, half out of boredom.
“Are you tired?”
“Not yet. I usually start to feel it after the twentieth one,” she said, smiling faintly.
“Honestly,” she added, “this might actually help me fall asleep faster.”
He chuckled. “If I’d known that, we should’ve made some before going to bed.”
They both laughed softly.
“I’m glad I listened to your suggestion about the wedding gifts,” Aileen said. “Although I’ll admit, it hurt a little to give away those stones.”
“You felt that bad about it?”
“Of course. Do you know how much those were worth? Just a handful of them could help pay off my debts—”
She cut herself off abruptly.
“…Forget I said that. It’s not a pleasant topic.”
“Alright,” Richard answered simply.
He already knew about her situation — everyone had heard rumors about the fallen Walker family. And he was certain Aileen knew that he knew.
Still, his calm response made her feel lighter somehow. A small smile touched her lips.
“I’m really grateful to you, you know.”
“To me?”
“Yes. You showed up out of nowhere and became my hope. Like a magician from a fairy tale.”
Richard was quiet for a moment before replying evenly,
“It was only possible because you offered me a satisfying contract.”
“But I’ve gained much more from this arrangement,” Aileen said. “You’ve given me a place to stay, even if it’s temporary, and access to everything I need.”
“That’s only what’s due to you as the Duchess. The contract clearly states that you’ll be provided with everything necessary for the role.”
“Still, I’m thankful.”
Their conversation circled back to where it began, and Richard didn’t reply. Aileen smiled softly, then suddenly said,
“Oh! There’s one more thing I should thank you for.”
“And what’s that?”
“When Marquis Payne tried to belittle me. I just spoke up without thinking — I didn’t expect you to take my side.”
“I only did what was most reasonable. We’d already claimed to have fallen in love at first sight — if I’d agreed with him, people would’ve started doubting the story. Besides, the marquis’s rambling was boring.”
“I see,” she said, laughing.
“And if I hadn’t sided with you?” he asked with a curious tilt of his head.
Still focusing on her magic, she replied quietly,
“I don’t really like saying this, but life’s a gamble. You never know if a choice is right or wrong until after you’ve made it.”
“So you’re saying you left it up to luck.”
“Is that what it sounds like?” she teased lightly.
He sighed. “That’s not something to joke about. Sometimes you have to act rationally. Relying on luck alone will come back to bite you.”
“I don’t believe in luck,” Aileen said firmly. “And I don’t believe in vows either. I’ve been burned by both.”
She gave a bitter little smile.
If she’d trusted luck or believed in promises, she and Adrian wouldn’t be struggling like this now.
“I’m actually glad our marriage is based on a contract,” she added quietly. “The vows we recited at the ceremony don’t mean anything, anyway.”
Her voice carried a sadness that hinted at a deeper wound — something Richard couldn’t name.
He said nothing, just watched her silently as she opened her eyes. Her violet gaze met his across the bed, clear and unwavering.
Then she looked down, smiling faintly, and began counting the stones scattered across the blanket.
“One, two, three, four… sixteen total. That means eight for you, eight for me.”
Setting aside his share, she gathered hers into a jeweled box on the vanity. The stones shimmered like tiny stars as she admired them before closing the lid.
If she could fill the box entirely with high-grade magic stones, then maybe — just maybe — she could pay off all her debts within a year.
She brushed the lid lightly with her fingers, then turned to see Richard doing the same with his share.
“Shall we sleep now? Not that we’ll get much rest at this point.”
“Think you can sleep this time?” he asked.
“I used up a lot of magic, so probably. What about you?”
He hesitated before answering quietly,
“…I’ll try.”
Aileen chuckled softly at his oddly serious response.
When she climbed back into bed, Richard turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness again.
As she lay there, her thoughts drifted.
She truly didn’t believe in luck or vows anymore. Once, she’d trusted them — but luck had only ever given her low-grade stones, and her father’s marriage vow had been nothing more than a promise to wealth and gambling.
Since then, she had stopped trusting anything that couldn’t be proven.
That was why this arrangement felt… safe. A tangible contract, a clear agreement, a reliable partner.
It was enough.
Aileen closed her eyes and wished that, somehow, this contract marriage would last peacefully for the next year.
***
When she finally opened her eyes again, sunlight was streaming through the window, casting patterns on the floor.
So she had fallen asleep after all.
Rubbing her eyes, she sat up — and immediately noticed the empty space beside her.
Richard was gone. He must’ve woken up early and left already.
He went to bed late, too… Is he just an early riser or incapable of sleeping?
She stared at the empty spot for a moment, then climbed out of bed and rang the bell. Soon there was a knock at the door.
“My lady, are you awake?”
“Yes, come in.”
The maids entered, bowed, and greeted her warmly.
“Good morning, my lady.”
“Good morning, everyone,” Aileen replied with a bright smile. Their faces softened with delight at her cheerful tone.
“We’ll prepare your bath right away.”
“Please do.”
The maids worked efficiently, filling the tub with warm water and adding fragrant oils that filled the room with a sweet scent.
After a few minutes, Aileen slipped into the bath. The warmth seeped into her tired muscles, relaxing her completely.
As one of the maids gently washed her hair, Aileen asked,
“Has Adrian woken up yet?”
“Yes, my lady. The young master is awake and… waiting outside your door.”
“Outside?”
The maid looked awkward. “He seems… upset about something.”
“Adrian?”
Aileen frowned slightly in confusion.
He’d gone to bed happy after her goodnight kiss — what could’ve happened overnight?
Worried, she hurried through her bath, dressed in a simple gown, and stepped into the hallway.
Just as the maid said, Adrian was crouched by her door, sulking.
“Adrian, what are you doing out here?” she asked, startled.
He glanced at her briefly — then turned his head away sharply.
The unusual reaction made her freeze.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
She crouched beside him, her voice gentle and full of concern. Finally, Adrian looked up, his emerald eyes clouded with frustration.
Sensing he needed privacy, Aileen gestured for the maids to leave. When they were gone, she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him.
He didn’t resist — he just clung to her silently as she stroked his hair.
“Tell me, Adrian. Did something upset you?”
“…Yes.”
“What was it? Did I do something wrong?”
He gripped the collar of her dress tightly, still silent for a few seconds. Then, in a tiny voice, he muttered,
“…I saw it.”
“Hm?”
He looked up, his eyes shimmering with hurt.
“I heard you slept in the same room as the Duke.”
