Standard Contract Guidelines for a Fraudulent Marriage - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 22

Beneath her hair pinned up in a disheveled twist, a delicate line of her neck showed through.

The crisp white collar of her Laboratory Coat emphasized the soft curves of her figure all the more.

The sight of her in that oversized coat, sleeves rolled up, moving through her tasks with effortless efficiency—it reminded him of a child carefully tidying away toys.

‘She’s impossibly cute.’

The thought struck Loarston suddenly, and he snapped back to awareness, rubbing his own cheek.

Heat climbed into his ears.

Why?

He could catalog Adellia’s endearing qualities endlessly if pressed.

Yet this—his face burning crimson without warning—was a first for him.

He touched his lips absently and was startled to discover he’d been grinning like a fool.

Grateful she hadn’t noticed, he quickly composed himself.

The last thing he wanted was to seem like a burden to her.

‘Adellia and I—we’re in a Contractual Relationship. I can’t give her strange ideas and upset her for no reason.’

“All done!”

Having finished her work in the meantime, Adellia beamed and folded her Laboratory Coat neatly, hanging it in its place.

She double-checked that everything was in order, then turned to Loarston and extended her hand with a shy smile.

“Shall we go now?”

Loarston stared at the pale hand offered before him.

And then, acting on impulse,

he brushed

his lips to her fingertips and rose to his feet.

Her cheeks flushed crimson in an instant—and yet the sight struck him as so impossibly cute he nearly lost his breath.

If he could, he’d have teased her further.

“Shall we head out now, my lady?”
“Oh, y-yes…”

More compliant than usual, Adellia stepped out and cracked open the door to Siern’s Research Laboratory.

He was absorbed in some important work, unaware of her presence.

So Adellia simply shaped her words silently—”See you tomorrow”—and closed the door quietly.

Loarston, who’d been waiting for her while watching the scene, spoke up with visible displeasure.

“Doesn’t he even greet you?”
“Oh, no—it’s just that he’s busy with research right now.”
“Hmm. He isn’t working you too hard, is he?”
“Not at all!”

Adellia was confused. Working her too hard?

What on earth was Loarston thinking?

“He doesn’t make me do anything difficult. Well, when it comes time to write papers, that’ll be challenging, but… he’s actually very kind. He even notices when I miss lunch.”

Just as Loarston was helping Adellia into the Carriage, he froze in surprise, his voice sharpening.

“You’re missing lunch? What do you mean?”
“Oh, well…”

The Carriage lurched forward, and Adellia’s upper body swayed.

“Ah!”

She lost her balance and tumbled toward him. She tried to catch herself, but it was too late.

“Steady now.”

Loarston caught her as she fell, cradling her against his chest.

Finding herself nestled in his arms, Adellia’s face turned scarlet. She quickly straightened up.

“I-I’m sorry!”
“Sorry for what? The Carriage just lurched.”
“But—”
“Never mind that. Tell me what you were saying. About missing lunch.”

Adellia hesitated, then explained her research as concisely as she could.

By the time she finished, the Carriage had already left the district of the Research Laboratory far behind and entered the heart of the Plaza.

“…So I get so absorbed in it that I don’t even think about lunch.”

Loarston let out a dry laugh, as if exasperated.

“Regardless, you still need to eat.”

He gently squeezed her hand as he spoke, his voice soft.

Adellia felt a tickle in her palm at his touch and drew her feet closer, nodding earnestly.

“Yes, you’re right.”

And she added,

“Professor Siern bought me a Sandwich today, actually. He’s incredibly kind. And so thoughtful.”

Loarston’s expression shifted subtly.

But Adellia didn’t notice.

“You should’ve been given something better than a Sandwich.”
“What? But the Sandwich was delicious.”

Loarston narrowed his eyes and swallowed what seemed like a grunt of displeasure, turning his gaze to the window.

It seemed he’d need to take care of Adellia’s lunch himself from tomorrow onward.

Watching her delight over a mere Sandwich bought by some professor left him profoundly unsettled.

He couldn’t quite say why.

“From tomorrow on, make sure you eat lunch properly.”
“Yes? Ah… okay. Don’t worry, I could bring a bento box in the morning, that might work—”
“That’ll get cold.”
“A Sandwich is fine, isn’t it?”
“No more Sandwiches from the professor. I’ll arrange it. You just make sure you have time to eat lunch.”

Adellia tilted her head at his words but acquiesced, nodding obediently.

Well, lunch was important, she thought.

Nourishing the mind—wasn’t that the true path to becoming a true scholar?

‘I really do need to think seriously from tomorrow on about how to develop my little creations.’

Adellia clenched her fists with determination.

Loarston’s gaze lingered on her for some time.

It held an emotion he couldn’t quite name.

Upon arriving at the Duke’s Mansion, the two changed into dinner clothes in their respective rooms and met again in the Dining Hall.

The lavish table was arranged with Goose Meat, roasted until crisp and seasoned with fragrant spices.

“By the way, how did this goose end up here?” Adellia asked.

She was cutting the Goose Meat the servant had served her into small pieces.

Loarston, seated across from her, looked at her with an expression caught between amusement and bewilderment before responding.

“What do you mean?”
“Well, geese usually fly around rivers, don’t they? I’m just curious how it made its way to the dinner table. We don’t raise them, after all.”
“We hunted it, obviously.”

A lightbulb seemed to appear above Adellia’s head.

“You didn’t know that?”

At his teasing tone, Adellia’s cheeks warmed.

“It’s not that I didn’t know… I’ve just never really thought about hunting, to be honest.”
“Goose hunting is permitted this season. I’ve been having hunters sent out since you seemed to enjoy it.”
“There’s a separate Hunting License for each season?”
“Of course. All such matters are designated by the royal…”

Loarston’s words trailed off abruptly.

Adellia looked at him in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing at all.”

The truth was, mentioning the royal family had brought Princess Claria to mind.

But he didn’t want to bring that up with Adellia just yet.

He hadn’t even promised to attend the princess’s birthday party, so there was no reason to burden Adellia with such information.

Not now.

“By the way, you haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you?”
“An agreement?”

Loarston rang a small bell at a leisurely pace.

Rudolf entered promptly, carrying a tray.

On the silver tray sat two transparent Glass Cups and a bottle of Wine.

Adellia’s eyes widened at the sight.

Now it came back to her. The agreement to grow accustomed to drinking!

Adellia regarded the bottle Rudolf had set before her with some nervousness.

It was slightly smaller than a typical Wine bottle, with a blue ribbon wound around its neck.

The label bore foreign script she couldn’t read, which Loarston explained.

“You know of a country called Hamod, don’t you?”
“I remember learning about it in history. It’s a nation that fell in ancient times.”
“Exactly. Hamod is said to have been the first country to create Wine. The climate was perfect for growing grapes, and in the process of turning grapes into various products and trade goods, Wine was born.”

Loarston removed the cork and poured a small amount into one of the clean Glass Cups.

Adellia watched the rose-colored liquid fill the glass with fascination, then asked,

“What does the blue ribbon signify?”
“It’s proof that this was made using Hamod’s traditional method. It’s quite rare to find such Wine nowadays.”

‘Oh my, how could he give me such precious Wine without hesitation?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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