“You are now husband and wife.”

Applause filled the air at the officiant’s words. Grace looked up at the man holding her hand. Velenus Eleuterio – that was the name of the man who had become her husband today.

“Please take care of me.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

He smiled warmly, his soft laugh and gentle voice soothing her. Though it was a political marriage, he seemed to fit the bill. He wasn’t ill-tempered, nor was he unattractive. And he was the Crown Prince.

“I will do my best to ensure that your time in this land is peaceful.”

Velenus whispered softly before kissing the back of her hand.

“I hope you’ll find this place more appealing than your home.”

“I trust you will,” Grace replied lightly.

As they walked back to the end of the white carpet, the King and Queen greeted them with smiles.

“Please take care of us from now on.”

Instead of answering, she responded with a gentle smile and a graceful bend of her knees in a slight curtsy. Although this was the first time she had met them in person, her first impression of the royal family was quite favourable.

The King, though unlikely to be remembered as a legendary monarch, was known for his stable and uncontroversial reign. The Queen, with her captivating and gentle smile, made an equally favourable impression.

Her new husband had clearly inherited his mother’s charm, for his kind smile suited him exceptionally well.

“Cajetan. You should introduce yourself as well:

The queen spoke, pulling someone forward from behind her. 

Grace’s eyes shifted to the man who reluctantly stepped into view. Their eyes met – his striking blue – and she quickly looked down, bowing politely.

“Please take care of me.”

“Hey, Cajetan.”

“I’m looking forward to it, sister-in-law.”

The words ‘sister-in-law’ were oddly emphatic, as if deliberately emphasised. Grace blinked in surprise.

“This is my younger brother. He’s a bit reserved by nature, so I hope you’ll understand.”

Velenus said with a slight smile as he introduced the man.

‘They don’t look alike at all,’ Grace thought to herself.

Amongst the family members, who all seemed to have a gentle demeanour, he stood out with a distinctly cold expression. While his features bore some resemblance to theirs, his aura was completely different, unlike anyone else in the room.

Grace blinked, and when she realised that Cayetan was still staring at her, she instinctively responded with a polite smile.

“May I call you Cajetan?”

” Do as you wish.”

“Cajetan.”

Velenus called to his brother in a slightly reproachful tone.

“Cajetan.”

“Now that you are Crown Princess, you must greet the nobles as well.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Oh my, Mother, is it?”

The Queen laughed with delight at his unexpectedly affectionate words, her cheeks flushing with a girlish warmth that Grace found unexpectedly charming.

‘These people are my family now.’

Though she would never forget her family back home, the rest of her life would be spent here, in this kingdom, as their Crown Princess and eventually their Queen.

It wasn’t a bad start. The kingdom wasn’t overly wealthy, but it was comfortable and stable. Even the nobles, with their relaxed expressions, seemed to embody the unhurried character of the nation.

The tension that had gripped her began to ease. Grace smiled as she exchanged greetings with the nobles, carefully memorising their names. Velenus also seemed to be a good Crown Prince, his familiarity with the nobles evident – a positive sign for her new life.

‘I think I’ll be able to manage here.’

Feeling a little more at ease, Grace suddenly became aware of a tingling sensation at the back of her neck, as if someone’s eyes were boring into her. Instinctively, she turned her head and there was Cajetan.

Their eyes met – his piercing blue gaze locked with hers. To her surprise, it was Grace who jumped. His gaze was uncomfortably blunt, almost impolite in its intensity. Even when their eyes met, he didn’t look away. The sheer boldness of it sent an unsettling shiver down her spine.

“Grace?”

Velenus’ voice broke through her thoughts.

“Yes?”

“Are you all right? Are you feeling unwell?”

“Oh, no.”

Grace said, shaking her head quickly. She smiled at him, trying to make him feel better.

But when she turned back to where Cajetan had been standing, he was gone. The room was empty, devoid of the man whose gaze had so unnerved her.

The memory of his open, unrelenting gaze was too vivid to be dismissed as mere imagination.

Even now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was still watching her from the shadows.

Though she continued smiling at the nobles, the unease lingered, distracting her thoughts.

‘Why? Why is he doing this?’

Could it be that he doesn’t like me? Grace wondered. But there really wasn’t any reason for him to dislike her. They’d just met today, and wasn’t this a political marriage? Besides, her relationship with Velenus didn’t seem strained or problematic.

‘If he were aiming for the Crown Prince’s position, I would have heard about it.’

But she had heard nothing. Before coming to this country, she had done her best to prepare and study its inner workings, but there was almost no information about the second prince.

Apparently he had no particular complaints about his brother becoming Crown Prince, no great ambitions, and wasn’t known to lead a reckless or indulgent life. Just a quiet second prince – nothing more.

But now that she had met him in person, even the way he looked at her sent a shiver down her spine.

“Your Highness.”

“Please, call me Velenus, Grace. I’ll call you Grace too.”

Grace hesitated for a moment. Velenus looked at her with sparkling eyes, as if urging her to try.

“…Velenus.”

“Thank you.”

His smile widened and he planted another gentle kiss on the back of her hand. He truly was a kind man – so effortlessly expressing gratitude for something as simple as saying his name, and showing affection with such a gentle, considerate gesture.

“Your brother seems to be missing,” Grace remarked, looking around.

“Don’t worry about it. Cajetan can be a bit unpredictable sometimes.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, but he’s not the type to cause trouble, so there’s really nothing to worry about. As quiet as he is, there are moments when it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking.”

The tingling sensation at the back of her neck returned, sharp and unsettling. Grace forced an awkward smile as she looked around.

‘Again.’