HDBMTD 17

Chapter 17

Aria was never emotionally attached to the engagement from the start.

As Nocturne had said, their engagement was born from love, not politics—so a mere document held little weight.

However, this breakup was the only card Aria had left to play. And even after offering it, Nocturne showed no joy—only a calm face. Watching him closely, she carefully spoke the words she had prepared.

“In exchange, I have a condition. Go on a date with me every day for the next month.”

At her request, something flickered in Nocturne’s eyes—competitive spirit, or perhaps resistance. Aria quickly adjusted her terms.

“Fine, two weeks. Just act like my lover for two weeks. After that, I’ll disappear for good, just like you want.”

“I don’t understand your intention. Why should I believe you?”

Even after she offered their breakup as collateral, suspicion filled his voice. Aria sighed and tried to explain.

“Like I said, we were together for a long time. I need to be sure… I need time to reconsider.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Just two weeks. If you still want to break up after that, I’ll accept it. If you don’t trust me, have your aide draft a contract.”

Nocturne went silent, as if weighing the pros and cons, then called his aide from outside the door. It was a sign of acceptance.

The contract was drawn up in minutes, making their long dispute seem almost trivial.

For two weeks, Nocturne would act as Aria’s lover in good faith. Afterward, if his heart remained unchanged, Aria would accept the breakup and never appear before him again.

“Here.”

She handed over the signed contract. Nocturne’s expression relaxed noticeably. It was no wonder—the contract was a powerful Influence Artifact devised by the era’s foremost expert in empathic psychology.

It didn’t crash through a person’s mental walls but subtly bypassed them—making the signer perceive the contract terms as their own choice, embedding it into their subconscious naturally.

Like sneaking past a gatekeeper by pretending to be the homeowner.

When crafted by a high-ranking Eshafe, the contract had a binding power close to brainwashing—but with none of the side effects. It was a safe and reliable tool.

Now he can trust that I’ll go through with the breakup after two weeks.

And it was necessary—if she wanted to infiltrate Nocturne’s defenses, which had been meticulously trained against mental-type Eshafes like herself.

“Then, what are we doing today?”

Nocturne tucked the contract away and asked. It was the first time he’d spoken without sarcasm since stepping into the study.

She had suspected his hostility was a result of brainwashing that made him speak only in barbs—but perhaps not. Aria felt a strange wave of emotion and replied:

“You must be tired from traveling. You should rest early. The annex is more comfortable, right?”

“…You’re not making any demands?”

He looked genuinely puzzled.

Apparently, after her abrupt acceptance of the breakup, he had expected her to pelt him with conditions in return. Aria was curious just how far he thought she’d go, but now was the time to back off.

She simply smiled. Nocturne slowly stood up.

“Very well. Then, until tomorrow.”

As he said his goodbye, Aria began tidying the documents. Watching her, Nocturne asked warily:

“You’re not planning to follow me to the annex, are you?”

Aria blinked at the unexpected question, then curved one side of her lips.

“Of course I am. We’re lovers for two weeks, remember? Why act so reserved?”

“We’ve never been that close, Your Highness.”

His formal tone made her chuckle dryly. Then she leaned closer to his ear and whispered:

“Not on Friday night, we weren’t.”

“…”

That shut him up.

Before his mood soured completely, Aria reached out her hand.

“Just kidding. I’m counting on you starting tomorrow.”

Nocturne stared at her hand for a moment, then reluctantly took it. A soldier’s calloused grip wrapped around the dry, fragile hand of someone long bedridden.

Looking him in the eye, Aria said:

“Just endure for two weeks. After that, you’ll get everything you want. This mess will be over, and you can lay down your burdens.”

Nocturne looked at her as if hypnotized. His lips moved.

“…Understood. See you tomorrow, then.”

After exchanging a courteous goodbye, Nocturne left the study.

As the door shut behind him, the smile on Aria’s face disappeared.

They warned to be careful with physical contact when dealing with a mental-type Eshafe…

The moment they shook hands, Aria had implanted a subtle suggestion.

He hadn’t even realized a handshake was still physical contact.

Everything was going well—for now. When Nocturne returned to normal, she’d have to warn him.

At least the first step is complete.

Now, she just needed to spend the next two weeks with him and gradually strengthen that suggestion.

As she pondered tomorrow’s schedule, the waiting staff were summoned. Among them appeared Padva—likely here to confirm the outcome.

“Did the conversation go well?”

“Yes, it’s resolved.”

At her curt answer, Padva raised an eyebrow. Aria elaborated:

“I convinced Nocturne not to go through with the breakup.”

The reason she insisted on a “lover’s role” was to give Padva the impression that she had successfully persuaded Nocturne.

If Padva believed his plan was proceeding smoothly, Aria would have more freedom to act.

Unaware of her motives, Padva widened his eyes in disbelief.

“You talked him out of it? How?”

“I just… talked to him face-to-face.”

The vague reply made Padva blink again—then suddenly burst into laughter.

Aria watched with surprise as he clutched his stomach, laughing until tears welled in his eyes.

“After all that push and pull, you just caved? Looks like the Duke really does care for you, Ari.”

“…”

It was a strange feeling.

Padva was saying that now, of all times—when Nocturne had shown her nothing but hostility.

Aria stayed silent, unsure how to respond. But Padva seemed unfazed and even offered to escort her to her room once he heard Nocturne had left first.

As they walked, she studied his face—the gentle older brother from the past.

He seemed to know why Nocturne had changed. But that alone didn’t prove he was responsible for the brainwashing.

Because Padva gained nothing from turning Nocturne against Aria.

To prevent us from joining forces? But if that were the case, wouldn’t it be easier to brainwash me instead?

Padva’s top priority was to use Aria to control Nocturne—a critical asset in his fight for the throne.

If Nocturne had rejected her of his own will—to free himself from Padva’s control or protect Aria—that would be one thing.

But if it was due to mind control…

Then maybe someone else is interfering—to counter Padva.

That would make things much more complicated.

Who is it?

Aria began mentally listing people who might be involved.

“So I heard something interesting happened in the Western Palace yesterday?”

Handmaids from the East Palace approached their Western Palace counterparts in the garden.

Word that the Duke had come to the capital to demand a breakup was the hottest gossip among the staff.

All Aria had done was ask the prince to arrange a conversation with the Duke. But the prince had apparently told the Duke to submit an official document if he truly wished to break the engagement.

Everyone in the East Palace saw the Duke storm off to meet Aria.

What happened after that?

If they could have followed to watch, they would have. Denied that, the East Palace maids filled in the blanks with imagination—and bias.

With all factions currently against Aria, their imagined version painted her as pitiful and desperate.

“So, what really happened?”

Eyes gleaming with gossip, they pestered the West Palace maids, who merely shook their heads, looking exhausted.

“It was intense. The tension… I’m still recovering.”

“I heard the Princess begged the Duke not to break up with her. Is that true?”

“Well… I wouldn’t call it begging exactly…”

Yes, Aria did reject the breakup, but “begging” wasn’t the right word.

Tearing up that terrifying man’s document without a blink—Aria’s actions were more a counterattack than a plea.

“The Duke was scary, but so was Her Highness. Like I said before, she’s not as soft as she looks.”

“Yeah, we were the ones caught in the crossfire.”

“One of the maids who was there had a nightmare about Her Highness tearing up her job contract.”

But this wasn’t the kind of story the East Palace maids wanted to hear.

“Whatever. In the end, she got dumped, didn’t she?”

There was resentment in their tone.

They had bonded over their mutual dislike of Aria, but lately the West Palace maids had been softening toward her. That shift irritated the East Palace group.

It wasn’t exactly affection—it was a mix of respect and pity earned from serving a Princess who, despite her health, never showed weakness and always considered her servants.

That, combined with Aria’s deliberate emotional distance, made her hard to dislike.

“So did they break up or not?”

“We don’t know. We were asked to leave…”

“Obviously they did. The Duke was so clear about it. What difference does her clinging make?”

“Right? She can beg all she wants—doesn’t change anything.”

Their mocking tone grew louder.

“I bet she was devastated. The Duke was her last hope, and even he threw her away.”

They chuckled as they walked, approaching the lakeside—until one of them looked up and froze in shock.

There, in the sunlight, walking together affectionately, were the Princess and the very Duke who had supposedly abandoned her.