"Since you say you have no memory of that time, we're currently looking for a hypnotist."
Blair's body flinched at the word 'hypnosis'. It was because memories of the past surfaced.
"Hypnosis... I've tried it a few times before, but it didn't work."
"Well, this time might be different."
Herdin replied nonchalantly, but his words had an edge to them. He suspected that Blair wasn't really amnesiac, but pretending to have lost her memories.
"...You're suspicious of me."
"How could I trust you?"
His tone suggested that it was such an obvious thing to ask.
Although one might try to hide their true feelings when exposed, he seemed to have no intention of concealing his true thoughts, remaining composed.
"Whether you've really lost your memories, or if there's another reason you're pretending to have lost them, only you would know."
The daughter of the Imperial family, a political adversary.
That alone was reason enough for him not to trust her.
Blair was fully aware of this from her past life, having experienced it firsthand.
But there was a difference between vaguely thinking about it and actually facing the raw hostility of the other party.
"Accepting the contract doesn't mean I trust you."
His words were right.
This was a contract.
A contract made after weighing the pros and cons, not a marriage based on love and trust. Wasn't it this side that proposed it first?
Having made the contract, she needed to explain herself in the face of his suspicion.
Blair calmly acquiesced to his demand.
"...I understand. Then, as you say, let's try hypnosis first."
And so ended the newlyweds' first intimate meal together on their first day of marriage.
* * *
After the introductions to the staff were over, Mason, the butler, took charge of the mansion tour.
Having served the Delmark Duchy for generations, he had a deep loyalty to the ducal family, took pride in his position, and knew the history of the duchy better than the current Duke, Herdin.
The tour of the mansion continued even after dinner had ended.
Although Blair, who had lived in this mansion until her regression, already knew all this information, she listened attentively to Mason's explanations. Seeing it all again after returning from death gave her a fresh perspective.
As they headed towards Blair's bedroom after the tour, Mason apologized as if he had just remembered something.
"You must be tired after just having the ceremony yesterday, I'm afraid I've been too eager and inconsiderate."
"These are things the lady of the house should know. Thanks to you, I was able to quickly grasp the ins and outs of the mansion."
Like most people in the Duke's household, Mason wasn't particularly friendly towards Blair, but he had never shown his personal feelings in front of her.
Even if Blair was an unwelcome mistress, she didn't want to make him uncomfortable when he had treated her with respect as his mistress. Besides, she had genuinely enjoyed the tour of the mansion.
They had finally arrived in front of Blair's bedroom.
"If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask at any time."
"I'd like to see the staff roster and the household inventory ledger."
Mason was surprised by Blair's request.
It was indeed the duty of the lady of the house to know how much was being paid for the staff's salaries, the inventory of household items, and other financial matters related to the family.
However, in reality, it was rare for the lady of a noble house to do this work directly. As examining and managing numbers was quite a headache, it was usually done by subordinates.
Yet she wanted to do this work herself.
"Are you saying you want to handle these matters personally?"
"I'm now a member of the Delmark family too. It's only right that I do my part."
Before her regression, Blair, like other noble ladies, had left the internal affairs of the duchy to Mason.
It was partly because the duties of the lady of the house were difficult, but more importantly, because the people of the Duke's household didn't look favorably upon her involvement in family matters.
But now, she didn't care what others thought. Even if she was only going to be the Duchess for a year, she wanted to do her part.
Not to gain recognition from others, but because she no longer wanted to feel inferior to herself.
Search "child" at redcatty [.] com to read ahead up to chap 170.