Two days were spent entirely focused on traveling from the capital to the territory while avoiding protesters, so they had actually only spent six days in the castle.

“Will His Highness be busy today too?”

“Yes, I heard he’s extremely busy! They say he barely comes out of the study!”

Laila had a chatty personality.

“Hey, Laila.”

Meanwhile, Nora was quick-witted and said there were countless times she wanted to sew Laila’s mouth shut.

“What. It’s fine to talk to the madam.”

Watching the two bicker and fight, at least she was fortunate that there would never be a dull moment when with them.

For her, ‘living’ meant ‘enduring.’ It was Prince Reizen who had ordered her to ‘live’ when she most wanted to die.

“If you had explained your situation like that, the maids would have understood perfectly.”

He was also the one who had encouraged communication to her, who had lived her whole life without needing to explain herself to others.

The results had been good, and honestly speaking, these few days Melissa had spent in this castle felt like a dream. Though those around her had always pointed fingers and been incredibly rough, here it was different.

Not all the castle staff liked her, but being able to have face-to-face conversations and share smiles with even one or two people was a big change.

The wounds on her body were healing too. The injuries on her battered legs had somewhat closed up.

Though they still looked hideous, she began to harbor some hope that things would keep getting better this way.

Hope.

This faintly sprouting emotion heralded an unfamiliar spring.

The past had been a long winter that stripped all hope from her entire being. But here, could she perhaps put down strong roots and bloom?

If she could stay by Reizen’s side.

“Useless beings are meant to be ignored, Melissa.”

She wanted to stay by his side.

“Be a useful granddaughter to me, at least. Then I will love you.”

She had wanted her grandfather’s love. She had wished for him, her only guardian, to smile. So she had spent her whole life being obedient and doing her best for grandfather’s satisfaction.

But after her grandfather passed away, what had she lived for? Hadn’t she just been swept along like a dried leaf in whatever direction the wind blew, without any desires or needs?

But this time was different.

Following the order to ‘live’ from that man, she had gone through with the wedding and come here, and now that she was here, she found it wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.

So she became curious. If she could continue staying by his side, how would she change in the future?

Somehow, being by his side… wouldn’t she be able to find what she didn’t know?

Who she was. What she should live for…

She was climbing the stairs with the maids after finishing their walk. In her mind, she kept wondering how she could remain by Reizen’s side.

And as if that wish had been granted, she heard the man’s voice from upstairs.

“If we kick them out, different looking ones will just come again.”

How many days had it been since she’d heard that voice?

I’ve been thinking about you constantly. I followed your advice and started talking with others around me, but you showed no interest in me at all.

She saw the man who hadn’t shown his face to her even once happily chatting with his knight.

“What a scary joke.”

“I’m serious.”

Melissa’s steps quickened. The ceiling was high and the stairs were wide apart, making her breathless. Has climbing stairs always been this difficult?

“Madam, please slow down a little.”

Despite Nora’s concern, her pace didn’t slow.

At this moment, all of Melissa’s attention was focused upstairs. In her mind, she had already greeted him dozens of times. What expression should she wear, what voice should she use?

How should I present myself so you’ll let me stay here longer?

Finally reaching the top of the first floor stairs, Melissa caught her breath. As she lifted her head, a man came into view.

Dazzling golden hair and deep blue eyes.

Though he wore just a casual shirt and dark brown pants with suspenders, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

When he smiled with crinkled eyes, his white teeth showed, and his lips curved up softly into a perfect arc.

Just his smile alone was enough to instantly capture attention even from afar – he was a man of extraordinary beauty.

Standing next to the muscular knight, Reizen was about a head taller. No, looking closely, they were similar in height, but Reizen’s proportions were so good that he appeared taller.

Wearing ankle-high brown leather shoes, the man played with a silver lighter in one hand, pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Click, snap. Click, snap.

Moving to the rhythm of the unconscious sounds he made at regular intervals.

Strangely, her breathing became more labored the closer she got to him.

And now, with that beautiful voice from the past that hadn’t rested, she called out to the man.

“Your Highness.”

The man’s smiling blue eyes slowly moved to rest on Melissa’s face. When their gazes met, a slight tremor and ripples arose within her.

Melissa smiled after averting her gaze to hide her trembling eyes. Then she politely greeted the knight beside him as well.

“Lord Whilton.”

Whilton also gave a respectful bow in return.

Even in that brief moment of receiving his bow, those blue eyes persistently stared at her face.

The handsome man’s face, which had been full of laughter until just now, visibly hardened in real time. It was clear he didn’t welcome her.

All the assumptions she’d made while climbing the stairs just now cracked. What had she expected from a man who disliked even such chance encounters…

“Well then, please continue your conversation.”

Melissa turned away with a plain smile as if she had just been passing by.

‘I decided not to expect more.’

Wasn’t it fortunate enough that she hadn’t been thrown out after the wedding? Moreover, it seemed he hadn’t forgotten her existence, so that too was fortunate. But…

“Melissa.”

Melissa’s steps halted at the voice from behind her. He called her ‘Melissa,’ not ‘Melissa Grey.’ He did. For the first time.

“Shall we have dinner together?”

It was a dinner invitation after eight days of marriage. After treating her like she didn’t exist until now, suddenly like this…

When she turned around, those clear blue eyes that didn’t look at all like they were asking for a date curved artificially. If nothing else, that smile on that picture-perfect beautiful face was worth acknowledging.

“Don’t want to?”

Even knowing it was artificial, her eyes kept being drawn to him.

“How could I not want to, Your Highness.”

Though somewhat late, at least she was thankful for the chance to talk.

“I’ll see you at dinner.”

Melissa bowed politely and turned away with a gentle smile.

Unlike the maids who were delighted that they would finally have dinner together, Melissa’s eyes were tinged with gloom. It was because of Reizen’s expression that had looked at her with apparent displeasure.

***

The dinner was held in the old castle’s dining room.

Five silver candlesticks were placed on the large dining table. It was a beautiful dining room where colorful fresh flowers decorated the surroundings.

Melissa had also dressed up for their first dinner together. She even wore the hair ornament with rubies and diamonds that was said to be Lady Miellin’s keepsake.

It took well over two hours just to style her half-up hairdo. Even this was done hurriedly for fear of being late to the appointment. However.

“It seems His Highness will be a bit late.”

The very person who had first proposed dinner hadn’t shown up even after an hour.

Melissa sat rigidly straight in front of empty plates and cutlery, stubbornly keeping her place.

“Could something have happened to His Highness?”

If he had perhaps confused the appointment time, they could go inform him even now. Melissa had never once arrived first and waited for an appointment time before. Back in her days as a young lady, she had always been the absolute superior, and the other party had been the inferior.

In other words, no one had ever dared to keep the Duke Grey’s granddaughter waiting.

‘Is he trying to show me my place?’

That this is exactly where you belong now. That I shouldn’t act arrogant and hold my head high in front of others – was that what he wanted to express?

Sitting still with her back straight as if being punished, various thoughts came flooding in like clouds. Even the servant who had gone to bring back an answer to her question hadn’t returned for a long time.

Melissa still hadn’t moved an inch from her spot. The candles on the table flickered sadly.

Though her breath couldn’t possibly have reached them, they wavered as if sharing the same feelings. The wax dripped down the candle pillars in streams.

Just then, the door opened and footsteps were heard.

It had been a long wait.

“His Highness says to eat first. Today he’s not feeling well, so regrettably…”

The servant’s next words weren’t even heard. It was just an excuse anyway.