If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 14
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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The carriage that had escaped from the palace continued without rest towards an unknown destination. The wheels occasionally hit rocks, making a dull thumping sound.
Feeling the oddly comforting vibrations of the carriage, Agatha glanced at Cain, who was sitting across from her. Despite the occasional bumps and jolts as the carriage hit rocks, his expression remained composed.
“Whew…”
She let out a sigh unconsciously. Well, she couldn’t quite figure out what Cain was thinking, but at the very least, she had to admit that she had narrowly averted a major crisis. Without him stepping forward, she would have been helplessly dragged into a marriage with John Calvino and taken to the wedding ceremony.
“Is there something you want to say?”
She had thought he was looking out the window, but it seemed he had been aware of her gaze.
“Where are we heading right now?”
Cain, who had led Agatha out of the venue and to a carriage waiting outside, responded, “We are going home.”
“Home? You mean Marquisate Vernat?”
“The final destination is indeed Marquisate Vernat, but before that, we should drop off the Lady.”
As he spoke, Cain smirked and smiled at her.
It all felt so natural, as if it had been planned from the beginning. Meeting Cain Vernatunexpectedly at the social event, receiving his playful proposal, and then escaping the scene in front of everyone—it all happened so quickly and smoothly that it was hard to believe it was just a coincidence.
“Perhaps…”
Agatha began, her rational mind starting to entertain suspicions. The Ice Knight, Marquis Vernat, who had never shown his face at social gatherings, had suddenly appeared here. Could it be possible that this was all premeditated? That he had planned and orchestrated this from the beginning? Agatha couldn’t help but wonder.
“Perhaps?”
Cain echoed her words, leaning forward with curiosity.
“No, it’s nothing,” Agatha quickly replied.
She decided to keep her suspicions to herself. After all, it was unlikely that Cain Vernat had gone to such lengths just for a powerless lady like her. Asking about it aloud might make her sound like a paranoid daydreamer.
“Did my explanation about the wedding leave something lacking? Our wedding will be held as quickly as possible. We can prepare the ceremony at my estate if you prefer, but if you wish to hold it at your family’s estate, I will personally arrange everything. And…”
Cain began to provide overly detailed explanations, as if Agatha had inquired about the wedding. He discussed the date, location, and the guests who would attend.
“Oh, and I only require an official wife for appearances, so you don’t need to worry about things like a married life,” he added.
“What?”
Agatha furrowed her brow in confusion at his mention of married life. His words weren’t making much sense to her.
“What we’re doing is a kind of contract where we take care of what we need from each other, Lady. Once we agree and sign the contract, our relationship is established as husband and wife.”
“A contract? That’s quite an unusual combination of words – a contract marriage.”
“Don’t find it strange. Among nobles who engage in strategic marriages, prenuptial agreements are essential.”
His words made sense. In strategic marriages for the consolidation of noble families, people often drafted prenuptial agreements to ensure their mutual benefits.
In cases where the heirs of two noble families or the sole successors of their families marry, prenuptial agreements were crucial to prevent one family from being absorbed and disappearing into the other.
It was just a contract, after all. What Cain was proposing didn’t seem all that unreasonable. However, she still couldn’t find an answer to the question, “Why me?”
Why had he chosen her?
A gust of wind through the carriage window tousled Cain’s hair, making him seem even more imposing than he did at the party. He felt more like a stranger now than he did back in the ballroom.
The carriage space felt so narrow that they were almost knee-to-knee, which added to the awkwardness of the situation. Agatha avoided making eye contact with him, looking away as she heard his surprising words. She raised her head again when she heard his next words.
“Well, about the bedroom… If you wish, we can share it.”
“What? What are you saying?”
“Our marriage doesn’t necessitate a conjugal relationship, but just because it’s not required doesn’t mean it has to be completely excluded.”
This revelation left Agatha stunned, and she struggled to process what he was suggesting.
As he spoke, Cain shrugged his shoulders. Did a contract to obtain what he wanted necessarily have to involve a physical relationship? It seemed that he didn’t find it particularly significant to share a physical connection without love.
Agatha, on the other hand, wasn’t as generous when it came to physical relationships without emotions. Unfortunately.
