A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 47

Chapter 47

“…Miss Squirrel?”

“Huh?”

The words slipped out before Eugene Hart could stop them.

Oh, I’m dead.

He clamped his mouth shut so fast his teeth clicked.

Eugene Hart. In the end, you’re the one who causes trouble.

Calling someone “Miss Squirrel” to her face—someone rumored to be close to His Grace Kain Ashellen, no less. If she truly became the future duchess, he’d just branded himself as the idiot who insulted her first.

Cold sweat crawled down his spine.

Fortunately, the healer didn’t seem to understand what he’d said. She only tilted her head, waiting for him to continue.

Eugene forced a cheerful smile—the kind he used when he was trying very hard to pretend nothing happened.

“Ahem—nothing. Never mind.”

Then, quickly, before his brain could betray him again, he redirected.

“More importantly… you’re Lady Viola, right?”

“Huh? You know me?”

She jolted in surprise, eyes widening until they looked comically round.

Eugene watched her blink, slow and honest, and a thought rose before he could stop it.

…Now I get why they call her a squirrel.

The way she stared, wide-eyed, hands half-raised like she was about to clutch an acorn—she really did resemble one.

A small one, too. Not the sleek kind in noble gardens.

More like a tiny ground squirrel.

Pink hair… so a pink squirrel…

No. Stop.

Eugene mentally slapped himself and returned to his usual sociable expression.

“Haha. Yes. Rumors spread quickly—especially when someone incredibly skilled appears.”

It wasn’t a lie. The story had been circulating everywhere.

After that, the nickname Miss Squirrel had become so loud it buried everything else, but the praise about her talent had remained.

“And my introduction is rather late.”

Eugene removed his dust-stained glove and placed his right hand over his chest.

The playful energy faded, replaced by crisp knightly courtesy.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you properly. I’m Eugene Hart, of the Silver Dragon Knights of Ashellen.”

“Nice to meet you, Sir Eugene. I’m Viola. I work as a healer.”

Viola bowed immediately.

It was simple—yet the way she gathered her skirt, the angle of her shoulders, the smoothness of the motion… it was refined.

He’d heard she was a commoner, but she moved like a noblewoman raised in a manor.

Eugene’s gaze lingered before he caught himself and cleared his throat sharply.

“Right. More importantly—what brings you all the way here? I heard you’re extremely busy.”

“I was told someone was injured.”

She said it as if it were obvious—like she’d merely been informed the sky was blue.

But as Eugene pieced together what had happened, his stomach twisted.

Normally, this would have been handled by the knights’ assigned physician.

But right now, there was no physician.

Or, more accurately—

No one lasted long enough to become one.

There was only one reason.

Captain Morden Barnes.

“…Haah…”

Even when there had been a healer, knights weren’t exactly obedient patients.

Those who chose the sword didn’t panic over blood.

Still—treatment was necessary.

If wounds weren’t treated properly, a knight could lose the ability to hold a blade permanently.

But Morden saw it differently.

To him, the knight order—including himself—was disposable.

If you don’t want to get hurt, become strong enough not to be hurt.

You are swords and shields to be used for Dragon Blood… then discarded.

So he didn’t even allow “minor” treatment.

Once, a physician had gathered the courage to protest.

That day, Morden had said—cold and flat:

“There’s no need for a healer in the Silver Dragon Knights. If you want to be useful, go shovel horse dung.”

With that sort of contempt, how could any physician—proud of their work—remain?

And finding a new one wasn’t easy.

A knight-order physician saw far more blood than civilian doctors.

It was a position people avoided.

And most of the authority within the knight order rested in Morden’s hands.

Even Eugene couldn’t fix it by force.

And with the vice-captain away, the responsibility landed on him.

He had failed to manage his people—and he had burdened someone unrelated.

He bowed deeply.

“I’m truly sorry. Because of my poor oversight, I’ve dragged you into this.”

“Dragged me in? Sir Eugene, please don’t say that.”

Her voice—clear and light, like a birdcall—made him lift his head.

Viola was smiling.

“If I can help the Silver Dragon Knights even in a situation like this, I’m simply glad.”

“…Pardon?”

“Even if you’re apprentices now, you’ll become proud knights someday, won’t you? I can’t just stand by while the heroes of the future bleed.”

Her eyes were transparent—like young leaves holding dew.

Not a trace of disgust at the blood, the dust, the stench of sweat and iron.

She looked at them like people.

Like children, almost.

Eugene blinked.

An angel…?

The apprentices around him looked equally struck.

They weren’t immune to words like that.

Eugene felt it too.

That warmth slid into a place that had been tense for too long.

We can’t let her go.

His instincts screamed it.

This woman was exactly what the order needed.

No—she was a benefactor.

If they tried to bring in a healer from outside, Morden would block it.

But Viola was already inside the ducal estate.

And more than that—

She belonged to His Grace Kain Ashellen’s household.

If it was Viola… even Captain Morden couldn’t easily object.

The thought was irrational.

She was already busy treating Jaden Ashellen.

But Eugene’s concern for his trainees pushed him past reason.

He blurted it out.

“Lady Viola—would you be willing to check on our members once in a while? Just one day a week—no, even less would help!”

Viola

At the sudden request, I blinked.

Eugene immediately backtracked, panicked.

“Ah—sorry. That was too much, wasn’t it? I’m flustered, and I keep being rude.”

His shoulders drooped as if he’d already been rejected.

Despite his size, he looked like a huge dog caught in the rain—so dejected I almost wanted to straighten his eyebrows back into place.

…I’ve been thinking this for a while, but Sir Eugene is genuinely funny.

The Silver Dragon Knights of Ashellen were admired—and feared.

People said watching them tear through monsters alongside the Dragon Duke was terrifying enough to chill even allies.

But Eugene didn’t feel like that at all.

Strong, yes—but not domineering.

If anything, he felt oddly free-spirited.

Before he could trudge away, I answered quickly.

“No, Sir Eugene. It’s not burdensome.”

“…Truly?”

His face lit up—only to falter again.

“No—wait. Even so, it’s shameless. You’re busy.”

“It’s fine.”

He muttered as if tormenting himself.

“Am I pressuring you so much that you have no choice but to agree…?”

Pfft.

I shook my head, smiling.

“It’s really not like that.”

And honestly—I wanted to do it.

I’d just seen what could happen without oversight.

There was no way I could ignore it.

If I did, I’d never sleep properly again.

“My priority is treating Jaden, so I can’t be here all day,” I said carefully. “But until the order hires a dedicated healer again, I can check in whenever I have time.”

It wasn’t much, but—

Eugene looked like I’d removed a boulder from his chest.

“Thank you. Truly. You have no idea what this means to me. I look forward to working with you, Lady Viola.”

“I’ll be in your care too.”

I smiled.

And Then…

News of Jaden’s dramatic improvement spread quickly through the duke’s people.

Naturally, it reached Captain Morden Barnes.

Jaden’s Room

Knock, knock.

“Viola?”

For a split second, Jaden’s face brightened—then stiffened.

He recognized the presence immediately.

The door opened.

And the one who entered was his swordsmanship master.

Morden bowed with perfect politeness.

“It has been a while, Young Master.”