Chapter 4 - Engagement

On the bed, Edwin laid back and relaxed. Lying on the bed with only a white bathrobe and a slim, solid body, he looked quite good at this situation. Yes, he must be used to it. Because he’s someone who every woman would want.

Asaya wondered how many women had come and gone from this man’s bed. She felt bitter. She stood under the wall with everything she had prepared for, but for this man and this situation, even with a lot of preparation was just never enough.

Asaya calmed herself down.

With a strong mind, Asaya carefully climbed onto the bed and settled down beside Edwin. Her white face was unusually pale. Still, Asaya tried hard not to show her nervousness and fear as it was her last pride, but it was impossible to completely hide the trembling of her body. It was a pity to see her trembling with her fists clenched tightly, but Edwin thought it was funny rather than feeling pitiful.

“You shouldn’t say things that you can’t handle.”

“……”

“You don’t think you can keep your body after what you agreed to.”

He ridiculed. “It’s getting stuffy in here.”

Asaya was embarrassed by Edwin’s annoyed voice. It was evident that her hesitation and trembling were annoying to him. As soon as she realized that he was in a not so good mood, Asaya became nervous. Impatient to think that he might change his mind, she began to take off her clothes with trembling hands. At that moment, Edwin frowned and stopped Asaya’s hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Isn’t this… Don’t people usually take their clothes off before they do it?”

It was quite bold to say that with a nervous face. Edwin stared at her blankly and asked in a calm voice.

“… do it?”

“Yes..”

“I told you to lie next to me, but I didn’t tell you to take off your clothes.”

“But you told me to prove it.”

“I did. I told you to prove your worth, but I didn’t ask you to show me how your body looks.”

“Then why are you lying down..?”

“Because I have to check your worth.”

Asaya couldn’t understand at all what Edwin meant. She said she would give him her body, and Edwin said he would check her value. Then he led her to bed and told her to lie down. So, wasn’t it obvious that consummation would happen then? He laughed at Asaya, who had a confused face.

“By looking at your expression, I can see that you are simpler than I thought.”

“…”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but not everyone can hug me. So don’t do anything useless and lie down.”

Asaya quietly lay down next to him. If he told her that there was no minimum sexual relationship, would she have understood it? Asaya blinked without releasing tension. It was a large bed, but it may be because the man who was Iying next to her has a large presence that it felt very cramped.

“Stay still until I tell you to get up.”

“Yes.”

“For reference, I don’t like having to say it twice, so if you don’t want to be kicked out, you’d better behave yourself.”

Asaya nodded. There has been no conversation since then. Asaya lay on a soft bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering what on earth was going on. What does it mean to just lie down like this? Is it really okay like this? Embarrassed by the unexpected development, Asaya quietly turned her head away. Edwin was asleep, who had been talking a while ago. The man who pulled her into bed to check her value, had fallen asleep. How did she interpret this?

Asaya, who was embarrassed, straightened herself and looked at the ceiling again.

No matter how much she tried, there was no answer. Who could understand this situation? She couldn’t know the answer with this man sleeping with an angelic face next to her. Asaya gave up agonizing because she knew that it was a useless battle to try to find the answer.

It was rather fortunate. Nothing in her dirty imagination had happened in reality. It was a blessing for Asaya if she could just sleep quietly like this. As the tension was relieved, drowsiness came. Asaya decided to let go of her worries for a while. Even though the future was uncertain, her body was overly honest. At one point, Asaya’s eyes, which were struggling to resist sleep somehow, were completely closed. So she fell into a deep sleep on a fluffy bed.

🌸🌸🌸

“You are saying that the ridiculous proposal was real?”

Marshall said in a subdued voice toward Asaya, who was not getting out of the shock.

“There is so much to learn to become the lady of the House of Kabelheider in the future. Marriage will come fast, and you start with engagement. Still, it would be easy to understand because I believe you were once a noblewoman.”

“How do you know that I was a noblewoman?”

“Of course. We invited an outsider into the mansion, we should know that person’s background.”

“Then you know that I am a sinner. You know that, but you are telling me that the Duke is serious about this marriage?”

“Of course. There is no reason not to be sincere. If the Duke was not serious, there’s no reason to bring the lady here through a complicated procedure.”

Asaya hypothesized that Edwin was in love with her or harboring a dark heart as to why he requested the marriage. It seemed like a nonsense hypothesis, but it was the most reasonable one. However, as of last night, this hypothesis was shattered. If he fell in love at first sight or harbored a dark heart, he would not have slept quietly in the situation yesterday. Besides, it wasn’t that kind of atmosphere in the first place. His eyes were cold, and he was thoroughly calculated. In the meantime, Asaya couldn’t find anything about affection.

“If you sign the contract, the relationship will take effect immediately. You will be living as a potential hostess of the Kabelheider family.”

“…”

“You will also have a separate home in the August estate. There will be support that will last for a lifetime.”

Asaya couldn’t believe what she was hearing and asked back in a surprised voice.

“Are you saying that my family is allowed to live here, in the estate?”

“We can’t leave your family outside the walls if you become the hostess of the Kabelheider family. Of course, things will be done on the condition of accepting this marriage.”

Asaya was so surprised and lost her words. Something was wrong. Was it a fraud that was set up by the people inside the walls? Or was it a dream? Her mind was confused as unrealistic situations were unfolding one after another.

“Please think slowly and call us anytime if you have any questions.” Marshall said it and went out.

Asaya, who had been wandering for a long time due to the unfamiliarity of her own time, carefully laid down on the bed. Then she looked at the engagement certificate in her hands.

‘It’s an engagement.’

Engagement then marriage..

Asaya had never thought about it. She was busy making ends meet. She would be lucky if she didn’t go hungry that day. To love or to start a family was nothing but a luxury that could not be afforded. So Asaya had never thought of the future. When she opened her eyes, she had to start thinking about surviving that day. Yesterday, she was worried about where to get something to eat, and how to live in the future. It was a miserable life. In a lawless land that didn’t even have a basic system, she couldn’t work, and there was nowhere to work, so she couldn’t make money. What future would she dream of? Marriage, home. All of that was just a fleeting illusion. But now she is engaged. The man she met for just a day. Would it be okay? This relationship. This life.. Can she do well?

“Whether I can do it or not, this is a problem I don’t need to worry about right now. My family’s security is guaranteed. What am I hesitating for?”

Considering the reasons for the long passage, there was only one option. This ridiculous marriage was all that needed to be done. Asaya signed the paper without hesitation.