Reizen’s vision gradually began to blur. Fearing what he might do if he lost his reason, he quickly told her to call the butler instead of a physician.

Melissa responded “Understood,” immediately called a servant to relay the message, and the old butler came rushing in with the medicine bottle.

Reizen only lost consciousness after seeing how quickly the old man had run, watching him grab the door and sink down, catching his breath.

***

After moving Reizen to the bridal chamber and taking a breather, the butler wiped his sweat. Since they had agreed to carry out the Emperor’s orders starting today anyway, it was right for the two to share a room.

After being hit by Reizen in the morning, Horrux’s face was swollen on one side, and he was walking around with a zombie-like face and fire in his eyes.

His attitude clearly showed he would find fault if Reizen didn’t keep his word. Seeing how he even posted guards in the hallway after the two entered the room, it seemed he planned to monitor them all night.

“Sigh.”

The butler let out a sigh. It seemed to contain multiple meanings in that long exhale.

“Would you like to have some tea before you go?”

Melissa offered tea, sharing the same complicated feelings as she watched Reizen sleeping on the bed.

“That would be nice.”

The butler sat neatly on the sofa with his hat placed on his knee. Even while drinking hot tea, his somehow gloomy expression suggested he had much to say.

“It’s alright. If you have something to tell me, please speak freely.”

“Are you sure?”

Melissa nodded.

“If His Highness asks later, I’ll say I asked first. I’ll take responsibility, so please tell me anything.”

“Actually…”

When she gave her assurance, the butler immediately spoke what had been troubling him.

“He hasn’t slept for over a week?”

Melissa, who had been conversing for a while, wore a shocked expression.

“How could you hide such an important matter from me? If it was because of me, naturally…”

Isn’t it life-threatening for someone to go without sleep for over a week?

It was hard to believe they had hidden the mark’s side effects from her until it got this bad. She thought it was foolish if he collapsed even after taking medicine.

But after hearing the butler’s following words, Melissa couldn’t bring herself to blame them.

“I also told His Highness that asking for your help would be the most ideal solution. But since emotional wounds aren’t something that heal overnight…”

The butler caught his breath for a moment.

“He judged it wasn’t something that would be solved just by talking about it. Rather, he worried you might feel burdened if you found out about this matter.”

Melissa swallowed bitterness inside. Because it wasn’t wrong.

She needed time. She couldn’t even guarantee how long it would take.

On the other hand, it was surprising. She never dreamed he would consider her wounds too.

Melissa had thought Reizen was avoiding her because he disapproved of this marriage. While she had been resenting him inside…

‘That wasn’t it.’

Thank goodness. The fact that he had actually been considering her made her feel like a chunk of ice in her chest was slowly melting.

“His Highness took sleeping medicine, so he should sleep straight through until tomorrow morning. Since there’s no immediate solution, we’ll have to rely on medicine’s power for now.”

“Is the medicine reliable?”

“It’s from Emerson.”

Melissa nodded.

According to the butler, the Emperor wanted them to have a child within a year.

He said that if they refused to try or failed to conceive, Melissa would be immediately executed and Reizen would have to give up all his power.

Since it was a marriage forced through despite criticism, he wanted quick results. It meant the prince’s life and her life hung on one year.

“If I can’t have a child… His Highness will really be in trouble.”

Instead of answering, the butler blinked slowly.

“The nobles on the Empress’s side are making moves. For those desperate to bring down His Highness, this must be the perfect timing.”

“And they wouldn’t want me to get pregnant.”

“That’s right.”

The butler holding the teacup nodded slowly.

The butler, who said he had worked at the palace long ago, was very experienced and wise. During their hour-long conversation without breaks, Melissa’s eyes kept growing big and small.

‘I’m a special constitution that’s immune to the mark’s effects?’

Thinking about it after learning this, all the strange things she had noticed before made sense. Including why her ex-husbands had beaten and pressured her so much when she refused to sleep with them.

But then they could have forced themselves on her…

After committing all sorts of other horrible acts, why didn’t they take her body?

Was it enough for them to sleep with other healthy women rather than her who was trying to die?

Then if Melissa continued to be unable to spend the night with him, would Reizen also sleep with other women? It was an unpleasant thought.

“Do you have any other questions?”

Melissa composed her expression and shook her head.

“No.”

“Then may I take my leave?”

The aged butler groaned as he lifted his hips, as if his back hurt from sitting too long. It must have been quite a tiring day for him too since it was late.

When Melissa told him to go rest, he got up using the sofa for support. Even while groaning, he didn’t forget to bow politely to her.

“Ah, and.”

As he reached for the doorknob, he gave one last piece of advice.

“Be careful. Assassins sent by the Crown Prince occasionally visit to check on you.”

Melissa nodded, recalling the nature of the man she had known since childhood.

Soon the butler’s footsteps faded away.

Now Melissa should rest too.

As she tried to move in the quiet room, her legs gave out and she staggered. Fortunately, she caught the sofa and didn’t fall, but her thin legs trembled, unable to support her anymore.

‘This body won’t do.’

To be helpful to the prince, she needed to recover her health first. At this rate, it wouldn’t be strange if she died in a week rather than a year.

‘And…’

Melissa gazed intently at Reizen sleeping like the dead on the bed. When she bent down in front of the bed and looked at his face up close, he wasn’t scary.

‘He’s handsome.’

Looking at his features carved like a sculpture, she felt newly amazed. Melissa, lost in admiration, lay her tired body on the bed while looking at him.

Outside the window came the chirping sounds of insects. The wind blew, and the window shook slightly.

Even in an atmosphere that would normally have made her anxious, she looked at Reizen without wavering.

Then she quietly whispered to herself.

“…I’m sorry.”

For being like this.

“I’ll try harder.”

So I won’t be a burden to you.

“I’ll definitely… prove it.”

That I can be useful to you.

Melissa lay on her side facing Reizen and curled up into a ball like a caterpillar.

The day had been so long. With her poor stamina, even these events made her whole body feel tired and sinking to the floor.

She had lived her whole life as her grandfather’s granddaughter. When he said to become the Crown Prince’s bride, she tried to do so, and having children with the Crown Prince and leading the empire to prosperity was practically her predetermined life.

But now for the first time, she wanted to live as something other than her grandfather’s granddaughter.

As Reizen Kalphenster’s wife.

***

“You want to help with work?”

When she woke up the next day, he was gone.

Since he was excluded from the capital’s duties for a while under the pretext of the honeymoon period, his busyness must be due to territory work.

“Yes.”

While it was partly to lighten his workload, it was also aimed at increasing time spent together to eliminate her fears.

“Of course, only if Your Highness permits.”

Melissa spoke in a polite tone with her hands clasped. Though her voice was soft and gentle, her eyes held quite strong determination.

She had been thinking about helping with his work for a while. Since sleeping in the same bed yesterday wasn’t bad either, if they increased their time together and got used to each other, maybe someday she could…

Accept him?

A slight blush and fear appeared on Melissa’s face.

But unlike Melissa’s enthusiasm, having finished grooming herself and coming to find him first thing in the morning, Reizen’s gaze wasn’t entirely kind.

“No. I don’t want to create situations where I have to deal with corpses in my office.”

He meant she should focus on recovering first.

“I’m eating well starting today.”

Usually, she would have given up and turned back after being rejected once. But this was a matter that both their lives depended on.

She couldn’t just end with words after saying she would try. Since it was something she had decided after gathering great courage, she didn’t want to go back on her resolution either.

“The assistant position happens to be empty, so I’ll sit there. Please tell me anytime if you have work for me to do.”

Reizen let out a laugh at Melissa’s proper yet brazen behavior.