A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“Yes, I like them.”

Her eyes curved gently as she smiled.

It was such a simple answer—yet the moment Kain met that smile, his body seemed to stiffen.

But Viola continued calmly.

“Many flowers are used as medicinal herbs. And even if they aren’t… I just like them.”

“Which flower do you like the most?”

She furrowed her brow thoughtfully.

“Hmm… I like too many.”

“If you had to choose?”

“Then definitely the sow thistle flower!”

“Sow thistle?”

Kain let out a quiet laugh at the unexpectedly rustic answer.

But Viola brightened immediately.

“It’s very useful! It has detoxifying properties, so it’s wonderful as a medicinal herb. Oh! In some countries, they even eat it!”

Most people would have said roses or lilies.

Even in a moment like this, she was thinking about pharmacology.

She truly is unique.

And… interesting.

Kain could no longer deny it.

He found Viola fascinating.

The way she reacted vividly to small discoveries. The way her petite frame carried such boldness.

She was the sort of woman people would naturally gravitate toward.

Lost in thought, he didn’t realize when their gazes met.

Her soft, grass-green eyes looked straight at him, as if quietly asking what was wrong.

“…!”

He hadn’t been thinking anything improper—yet heat rose unexpectedly to his face.

His breath caught.

He looked away.

His heart pounded violently against his ribs—an unfamiliar sensation.

Even facing monstrous beasts had never caused this.

Noticing his sudden silence, she stepped closer in concern.

He instinctively pointed at something nearby.

“That flower.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know its name as well?”

An abrupt change of topic.

Thankfully, she followed his gesture without suspicion.

Her steady gaze shifted away—

And strangely, that made him feel disappointed.

She crouched near the bloom.

“Wow. This is a Silver Moon Flower! It’s notoriously difficult to grow. The gardener must be incredibly skilled.”

Her eyes sparkled as if she had discovered treasure.

“Do you know why it’s called Silver Moon Flower?”

“No.”

“It looks ordinary during the day. But at night—”

She pointed gently.

“See? It glitters under the moonlight.”

Indeed, the edges of its petals shimmered faintly, as though dusted with fragments of silver.

She looked up at him brightly.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“…It is.”

But his gaze wasn’t on the flower.

It was on her—bathed in moonlight.

Before he could stop himself, he spoke.

“…Would you tell me flower names again sometime? Like tonight?”

The words slipped out impulsively.

He quickly added,

“I mean—if we happen to meet like this again.”

“Of course! It’s not difficult. I actually love talking about plants. I just don’t usually have anyone to talk to.”

She continued chatting cheerfully.

“When do you usually walk?”

“…Tomorrow.”

He hadn’t planned to.

But there was no reason to say that.

“I was thinking of coming out tomorrow too… Should we ‘accidentally’ meet here again?”

Her playful tone softened what was essentially a promise.

He wasn’t fond of wordplay.

And yet—

This felt pleasant.

He nodded.

She smiled brightly.

Under the moonlight, her smile shimmered like the petals of the Silver Moon Flower.

He stared for a moment longer than he should have.

Beautiful.

The Next Day

I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed.

“I thought I’d be tired, but I feel great.”

I had only meant to get some air last night, but I must have walked longer than expected with Kain.

I hope I didn’t disturb him.

No—if I had, he wouldn’t have suggested meeting again.

More importantly—

I had a bigger problem.

How to obtain a lethal poisonous herb.

In the Study

“Lady Viola, what kind of assistance do you require?”

I faced Conrad, slightly nervous.

“I need something essential for treatment…”

“Anything. There is nothing House Ashellen cannot procure.”

Easy for him to say.

But this wasn’t simple.

Because what I needed was a powerful poisonous herb.

Sweet Reaper Grass.

A deadly toxin nicknamed “the Sweet Reaper.”

It tasted sweet—but within thirty minutes, it could induce a deathlike state.

A favorite among assassins.

Easily in the top three.

It was banned everywhere.

But I had no choice.

“It’s called… Sweet Reaper Grass. Could you obtain some?”

I squeezed my eyes shut as I said it.

When I opened them, Conrad’s reaction was… unexpected.

“Lady Viola… I trusted you. Are you, perhaps, an assassin?”

“What? No!”

He chuckled lightly.

“I am joking. What assassin would openly request poison?”

“Oh! Exactly! What kind of idiot assassin would boldly ask for Sweet Reaper Grass?”

“Indeed. Unless it were Black Death Root.”

He smiled faintly behind his glasses.

I laughed along.

Wait… was that truly a joke?

“Regardless,” he continued calmly, “I will procure the Sweet Reaper. It should take two days.”

“Thank you!”

“I will report this to His Grace. Even if it is for treatment, it is a lethal substance. Protocol requires documentation.”

“Of course!”

Honestly, I had expected far more suspicion.

But Conrad accepted my explanation without hesitation.

He trusted me.

And if Conrad trusted me—

That meant Kain did too.

Then I have to live up to that trust.

I clenched my fist.

Alright, Jaden.

Just wait.

The perfect syrup medicine is coming.

But I would soon discover—

Obtaining the poison wasn’t the real problem at all.

The real issue lay somewhere entirely unexpected.