“If you truly want to save your sibling, then you should understand by now what the best choice is.”

Lianna had tried desperately to avoid becoming deeply involved with this man, yet she still found herself drawn back to him.

Maybe there was some kind of connection between them.

Fate. Destiny.

Their relationship was far too twisted and ugly to be described with such beautiful, romantic words. And yet, strangely enough, no other expression seemed to fit quite as well.

Calix was right.

If she wanted to save Joel, she needed him.

If she married him, they would no longer have to struggle just to survive each day. She would be able to give him a safer and better future.

Lianna lowered her gaze and slowly curled her fingers around the ring engraved with the eagle crest.

“I’ll accept it.”

Ultimately, it was the only choice she could make.

It was the best decision she could have made.

Upon hearing her obedient reply, Calix’s lips curved into a faintly satisfied smile.

“A wise choice.”

Calix slowly rose to his feet.

Uncertain of what he might demand of her next, Lianna instinctively drew her shoulders inwards. Seeing his bare body so close to hers felt overwhelmingly strange, leaving her tense with unease.

However, contrary to her expectations, the man simply reached out and gently took her hand.

The ring she had been clutching slipped into his large palm.

Without a word, he carefully slid the golden ring onto her finger.

It fit perfectly, settling into place without any resistance at all.

“From this moment on, you are my wife—and the Grand Duchess of Einbert.”

Lianna stared silently at the royal ring gleaming on her finger.

Although she had chosen to accept the proposal, it still didn’t feel real.

Would she really be able to make a marriage with this man work?

Above all, she wondered…

She still could not fathom why he wanted to marry her in the first place.

The last time she had asked him, he had given her a careless answer, saying that he was interested in her body.

She did not know if he would answer her sincerely this time either.

Still, there was no harm in asking.

“May I ask you one thing?”

After hesitating for a moment, Lianna finally spoke.

Still wearing only a robe as he lounged lazily against the sofa, Calix answered with a small gesture, signaling for her to continue.

“Why does Your Highness wish to marry me?”

Opening the cigar box resting on the table, he pulled out a cigar and placed it between his lips before answering.

“Are you really that curious?”

“You’re not asking me to marry you because you have feelings for me.”

“And the same goes for you, doesn’t it?”

Calix let out a quiet laugh as he spoke.

For a moment, Lianna found herself unable to argue back.

Just as he said, this was a marriage without love for both of them, but…

“At the very least, I have a reason why I must marry Your Highness. And you already know what that reason is.”

“It’s the same for me. I simply have a reason why it has to be you.”

“And am I not allowed to know what that reason is?”

It was Lianna’s question that finally steered their meandering conversation in a new direction.

The golden depths of Calix’s eyes sank heavily.

The burning tip of his cigar slowly smoldered away.

Gray smoke stretched lazily through the stagnant air.

Breaking the silence, he looked directly at her and spoke.

“It’s because I don’t trust you that much.”

Lianna’s violet eyes trembled faintly.

The same golden eyes that had burned so hot while holding her now felt cold enough to freeze her in place.

“Do I need to explain any further?”

His voice was dry and indifferent as he asked the question.

Lianna quietly lowered her gaze.

Although she was already aware of his arrogance and selfishness, his words hurt her far more than they should have. Realizing this made her feel painfully pathetic.

To be honest, she didn’t fully trust him either. It wasn’t that she had intentionally hidden it; she too had secrets that she could never bring herself to speak about.

For reasons she could not understand, she had no memories of her early childhood. Everything before the age of twelve had been erased from her mind, as though carved away with a knife.

Of course, a man like Calix would never care about her past.

After returning to the inn by carriage, Lianna carefully lowered her aching body onto the bed.

Everyone had secrets they wished to keep hidden.

Whatever secret that man carried was none of her concern.

She had always known he was cold-hearted, so why did she still expect him to treat her gently?

It was strange.

Whenever he created distance between them deliberately, she felt a heavy sense of disappointment settle in her chest.

By this point, Lianna no longer understood her own heart.

Burdened by restless, tangled thoughts, she forced herself to close her eyes and fall asleep.

***

“Welcome back, Prince.”

King Philip of Gloucester greeted his son warmly upon his return from the brutal battlefield, after eight years away.

Beside the king sat Queen Valietta.

Even in middle age, the queen’s beauty had not faded. She offered Calix a gentle smile.

“In the harsh northern lands where bitter cold reigns, facing those savage barbarians… you must have suffered greatly. There were many nights when worry for the prince kept me from sleeping.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, the Queen slowly took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

Her lowered gaze appeared reddened and revealed deep worry and affection. To anyone unaware of the truth, she would have looked like a loving mother sincerely concerned for her adopted son.

“It seems your acting has improved even more since the last time I saw you.”

Calix swallowed the sneer threatening to rise to his lips.

He knew better than anyone that the Queen was behind the countless assassination attempts that had plagued him over the years.

“I too was deeply concerned for Your Majesty’s well-being. Throughout the war, I thought only of ending it quickly so I could return and see you again.”

A smile spread slowly across Calix’s face.

In a way, he was genuinely concerned for the queen’s safety.

After all, it would be terribly unfair if he were unable to kill the woman who had murdered his mother. He had no intention of allowing the queen to die at the hands of someone else, or to wither away from illness before he could take his revenge.

As Calix looked at the Queen, smiling perfectly, a tiny crack briefly flickered across her composed expression.

But she repaired the fracture almost instantly.

Then, in a soft, graceful voice, the Queen spoke.

“It brings me great joy to know this mother was held so dearly in your thoughts.”

The disgusting little performance of a loving mother and son, both hiding their true intentions, continued for some time.

The one who finally brought an end to the revolting charade between them was King Philip.

“Calix. You can already guess why I summoned you here.”

King Philip praised Calix for achieving what many had once thought impossible: conquering the northern barbarians.

Although age had long since worn away much of his former vigor, King Philip had once been an intensely warlike ruler, consumed by dreams of conquest.

Driving out the Ankerta tribe and reclaiming the northern lands that had once belonged to Gloucester was a wish that had been passed down through generations of the royal family.

This dream remained unattainable throughout King Philip’s reign, but had now been realized by Calix.

The king’s joy knew no bounds.

Seated upon the throne with a radiant smile spread across his face, King Philip finally spoke.

“You have achieved a great victory, so naturally you deserve a reward. If there is anything you desire, speak freely.”

If Calix wanted them, it seemed that the king was willing to hand over even the western gold mines, which had the highest output in the kingdom.

Watching the king’s blatant favoritism, Queen Valietta’s expression was quite entertaining.

Calix suppressed a sneer and spoke.

“The conquest of the barbarians was not an achievement I accomplished alone. It would have been impossible without the courageous soldiers who fought under my command. I ask that Your Majesty rewards them generously.”

King Philip burst into hearty laughter.

Pretending to scold Calix for his excessive humility, he replied,

“Of course your soldiers will receive ample rewards. So tell me your personal wish instead. As long as it is within my power, I shall grant it.”

Fulfilling the king’s long-held dream in his stead was a greater honor than Calix had anticipated.

In fact, it was so great that the king promised Calix he could have anything he wanted, despite knowing perfectly well how fiercely Queen Valietta sought to restrain him.

“In that case, I shall present my request during the victory banquet.”

Calix had already decided what reward he intended to ask for.

A faint smile curved across his lips.

“Very well. Then at the victory banquet, I shall grant your request.”

Upon hearing Philip’s bold declaration, Valietta’s expression hardened slightly.

Unless it was something extraordinary, what other reason could there be for him to insist on making his request in front of all of Gloucester’s leading nobles?

The queen smiled gracefully and leaned towards the king.

“Your Majesty. No matter how great the prince’s accomplishments may be, how can you agree so easily when you do not even know what reward he intends to request?”

“I understand your concerns. But it would also be unreasonable to treat a war hero poorly.”

“Even so, what if he makes an excessive request that places Your Majesty in a difficult position?”

“Ha ha, you worry too much. Surely Calix is not going to demand this throne itself, is he?”

Philip answered sharply.

Although he often appeared generous and open-minded, deep down, the king was an extremely proud man who disliked having his decisions questioned.

His determination to lavishly reward the soldiers who had conquered the barbarians was also tied to his desire to preserve his royal authority.

Following the death of Calix’s mother, Consort Luciel, Philip was consumed by grief for a long time and neglected state affairs while he mourned.

While the king shut himself away, endlessly longing for Luciel, Valietta quietly stepped in to fill the empty place beside him.

Acting in the king’s stead, the queen naturally began to expand her influence throughout the court.

By the time he finally emerged from his grief and resumed governing, most of the important court positions had already been filled by her supporters.

Now, with the queen’s influence having grown far too powerful and his own authority having been weakened in comparison, Philip was desperate to prove that absolute power still rested with him. He intended to demonstrate this by generously rewarding the war heroes.

Valietta understood his intentions perfectly.

If she opposed Philip further, she would only earn his resentment and provoke his displeasure.

Unwilling to clash with the king too openly, Valietta eventually chose to step back — for now.

“Excessive greed always invites disaster… I trust the prince will not make any unreasonable demands.”

It was a warning not to cause any trouble at the victory banquet.

Calix swallowed back a sneer.

Trouble?

That was precisely what he intended to do.

Having achieved his goal, Calix slowly rose to his feet.

Even as he announced his departure, Valietta never once allowed the smile on her face to falter.

Her ability to remain so composed after the man who should have died from the curse long ago returned alive and well was almost admirable.

Truly impressive patience.

Nevertheless, Calix could not help but wonder whether the queen would be able to maintain that same calm expression once he finally set his plans into motion.

After offering a respectful bow to the royal couple, Calix turned away without hesitation.

The moment his back was turned, all trace of amusement disappeared from his eyes.