A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Prologue

“Let’s get married.”

I stared blankly at the man standing before me.

Silvery hair shimmered like spun threads of light. His neatly swept bangs revealed a smooth, cool forehead—and beneath it, striking crimson eyes.

Was it the sunlight pouring into the garden?

Today especially, his unreal, breathtakingly handsome face looked almost otherworldly.

But this was hardly the time to be admiring that.

What… did he just say?

“Excuse me?”

The question slipped out before I could stop myself. Kain narrowed his eyes.

His expression was usually unreadable, but today it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

“I don’t understand your surprise,” he said evenly. “Weren’t you the one who said you wanted a contract marriage?”

…It was true that I had said something like that.

This was the world of a childcare novel.

To protect my daughter Melody—and to protect myself—I needed to marry someone.

But that didn’t mean I was proposing to a duke!

“W-wait a moment, Your Grace. It’s true I need a contract marriage, but this is…!”

Kain was the head of the Duchy of Ashellen, a family said to rival the imperial house in both wealth and influence.

Fitting for the father figure in a childcare novel, he possessed an almost inhuman level of beauty.

There were rumors that the dragon blood flowing through his veins had left him with… certain personality flaws. Still, he was widely considered the most eligible bachelor in the empire.

And me?

In high society, I was nothing more than an unwed mother abandoned by a man, raising a child alone.

Even if it was only an act forced by circumstance, that was how the world saw me.

If I entered a contract marriage, we would eventually divorce.

I had prepared myself for that.

But I didn’t want to leave a stain on Kain’s life.

I was already indebted to him enough.

My conscience pricked painfully as I hurried to protest.

“You don’t have to sacrifice yourself for me! This is my problem. I’ll find someone else—”

Something complicated flickered across Kain’s usually indifferent face.

Was he angry?

Or hurt?

He frowned faintly, his gaze dark and heavy.

“Rather, I should be asking you.”

“…”

“I signed a contract to protect you and Melody. And yet you’re saying you’ll marry another man?”

No one mentioned marriage being included in that contract.

The words rose to my throat, but under his intense stare, I swallowed them.

Kain stepped closer.

“I don’t understand,” he said quietly. “Am I lacking as a contract husband? Or do I fail to meet your standards?”

No. Absolutely not. If anything, you exceed them by far.

I shook my head instinctively.

The corners of his lips softened ever so slightly.

“Then have I failed to earn your trust?”

You’ve given me more than enough…

I was about to nod again when I forced myself back to my senses.

“That’s not it! But marriage is a different matter—”

“I will cherish both you and your child, Viola.”

Maintaining unbroken eye contact, he clasped my hand firmly.

“Marry me.”

His low, honeyed voice made my throat run dry.

“You mean… a contract marriage, right?”

Instead of answering, Kain simply curved his lips into a slow, knowing smile.

How did things end up like this?

My thoughts drifted back to what happened a few months ago.

“Miss Viola, are you there?”

“Ah, yes! One moment!”

At the voice from outside, I hurried to open the apothecary door.

Whew. There’s no time to catch my breath today.

Grinding medicine, preparing ointments, organizing shelves—being the only apothecary and clinic in this rural village meant constant work.

Buying herbs from gatherers was part of the routine as well.

“You’re early today. Thank you for coming all this way again! It must be inconvenient.”

“Haha, I was just passing by.”

James scratched his nose shyly.

Passing by? That was an obvious lie.

He was such a simple, kind person.

Not just him—the people of Heiron Village were like that in general.

That was probably why Melody and I had been able to settle in so easily.

It had already been a year since we arrived.

I had worried a lot at first.

It was my first time living in the countryside—and publicly, I was an unmarried mother.

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I could raise a three-year-old properly.

But instead of shunning us as outsiders, the villagers welcomed us warmly.

Thanks to them, I now ran this small apothecary and lived comfortably.

Just then, James placed a bundle of herbs on the table.

“Will these be enough?”

“Yes, that’s perfect!”

As I sorted through them, I suddenly gasped.

“Oh! Do you happen to have any Sharp-Leaf Herb? I’m running low.”

“That might be hard to get for a while.”

“What? Why?”

“Some high-ranking noble’s been buying them at inflated prices. Gatherers from neighboring villages came to sweep them up.”

That was strange.

Sharp-Leaf Herb was mild enough for children—but that also meant its effects were weak.

Unless…

For a fleeting moment, a certain noble family crossed my mind.

But I shook my head.

It didn’t matter. I was no longer a noble lady.

“By the way, Miss Viola.”

“Yes?”

“Did you hear there’s a festival in the lower village?”

A festival.

My worries instantly melted away.

“Of course! I was thinking of taking Melody.”

“W-well, in that case… perhaps the two of us could—”

“Waaah!”

Right then, Melody, who had been waiting patiently, suddenly began running circles around us.

“Melody~ No running!”

“Uu…”

After a bit of playful scolding, I scooped her up into my arms.

James had been saying something.

“Sorry! What were you saying?”

“I was asking if we could go to the festival together—”

“Mommy!”

Melody suddenly buried her face in my shoulder.

“Are you hungry already?”

“Uu!”

Kids really do get hungry fast.

“James, I’m sorry. She’s fussy today. Let’s talk next time!”

I quickly paid him.

He walked away looking slightly dejected.

“Hehehe.”

“What’s with that suspicious laugh?”

“Uu!”

Later, as I prepared a snack, Melody suddenly claimed she wasn’t hungry anymore.

What was going on with her today?

Then—

“Ouch.”

I nicked my finger with the knife.

“Mommy?”

“It’s just a small cut. I’ll put some medicine on it.”

But Melody looked devastated.

She grabbed my finger and gently blew on it.

And then—

Golden light burst from her tiny hands.

The wound vanished instantly.

“…Holy power?”

And not just ordinary holy power.

That level could heal injuries in an instant.

Why would Melody have—

Before I could finish the thought, a sharp headache pierced my skull.

Memories from my previous life came flooding back.

“Mommy?”

I couldn’t respond.

A terrible truth echoed in my mind.

Rule #1 of childcare novels: The heroine’s mother always dies early in the story.

This was the childcare novel I had read in my previous life.

The protagonist was Melody.

Which meant—

I was the heroine’s mother.

Wait.

Someone… please save me.