My Contract Husband Resembles the Male Protagonist - Chapter 41
Instantly, the air turned icy.
“Sharp eyes, a chiseled jawline.”
“……”
“Tall nose, and a refreshing smile, seemingly his most appealing traits. The only man with two dates on record.”
A stifling silence ensued.
“……”
“Your, Your Majesty……?”
“The last harvest was not prosperous, and hit Count Stefan’s finances hard, didn’t it?”
Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper than before.
“Yes? The count’s family? Yes, that’s correct.”
“The western landowner, Countess Lytia, has an eligible daughter, right?”
“Yes, precisely.”
“The Countess seeks to elevate her status, while the Stefan family has long been a power in the east.”
The advisor paused and listened silently, wondering if he was thinking what he suspected.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Marry them.”
“……! But, Your Majesty.”
“Viscount Lytia, ousted by the Hexagon Duke, harbors resentment. The count is cunning but lacks boldness. His daughter, who will succeed him, is a graduate of the academy and seeks an escape through marriage.”
He pointed to a document.
“She went as far as hiring the northern information guild for that.”
The Empire’s information guilds were largely under Dale’s control.
Though the North was an exception, they had secretly dealt with him during the mining rights negotiations years ago.
Dale tapped the table.
The Stefan family was one of his loyal followers.
A marriage here could extract one of Hexagon’s pawns, a welcome move.
“Proceed with the marriage.”
“……I’ll take care of it, Your Majesty.”
Satisfied with the advisor’s crisp response, Dale nodded.
“And Your Majesty, the nobles’ general assembly is soon.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“I hear Marquis Schultz will be attending this time.”
Dale’s brow twitched, his expression thick with displeasure.
“Who invited him?”
“After refusing the title of Marquis for so long, he’s finally accepted it, leaving no grounds to force his absence.”
Dale’s eyes narrowed.
“Ensure Cassion Schultz doesn’t even catch a shadow of Lady Lockheart.”
His demeanor turned noticeably colder.
“No Marquis Schultz.”
***
“Gone. The ring must have grown legs.”
After a week of searching, not a trace of the ring was found.
“Are you cold?”
Dale asked, noticing me wrapped tightly in a blanket.
“Ah, I’m… cold… and sleepy, I’m not sure? Ha-ha, what’s this? Maybe I’m coming down with a cold?”
Dale touched my forehead with his large, cool hand.
“You don’t seem to have a fever, but have you been coughing or shivering?”
“Ch-chilly… maybe?”
I stealthily moved away from Dale, hiding the finger that lacked its ring.
Then, Dale’s face momentarily darkened.
“Ah, why is it so cold? I drank the tea. I’ll go up first. Rest well!”
“…….”
I hurried to our second-floor room.
Upon closing the door behind me, I immediately threw off the blanket, soaked in sweat.
The lengths I went to hide my ringless finger.
Days of searching yielded nothing.
I scoured the house, the Lord’s castle, the herb garden, everything, even on the walk from the manor to our home, but found no sign of it.
It was lost.
The ring Dale gave me, completely gone.
“Ugh!”
I clutched my head, rolling around on the bed.
This won’t do.
“Buying an identical ring is the best course of action.”
But there was a problem.
I’m terrible at drawing, and while I remember the vague shape of the ring, I can’t recall the detailed craftsmanship.
I assessed the situation with a humble heart.
“I’m in trouble.”
I was doomed.
There’s a limit to how long I can go without showing Dale my hands. How long can I live like this?
“Miss Enya.”
Dale knocked on the door.
“Cough! Yes! Dale, I’m sleepy! Don’t come in!”
“I’ll leave some medicine here. Just in case you get sick, please take it.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Just hearing his voice made me jittery. The ring, the ring, where is it… Where is that ring…?
