It wasn’t a laugh tinged with sarcasm. It was as pure as when they ate cream-topped strudel together after finishing a battle against monsters.
‘He can still smile like that.’
Daphne admired his expression, not realizing she had just worn the same smile herself.
“We fought together risking our lives, and saved each other in times of crisis. So my attraction to Your Highness was a very natural thing.”
The smile gradually disappeared from Kartun’s face. Under the brilliant sun, she shone so brightly that he couldn’t resist touching her.
His large hand slowly approached and gently cupped Daphne’s cheek. She startled and tried to move her upper body away, but he moved closer, keeping the distance between them unchanged.
“Would you allow me what I couldn’t do in our past life?”
Kartun’s voice asking for a kiss was slightly cracked.
That fervent gaze like yearning and his rough voice.
Would this tall, handsome being even know how breathtaking those things made others feel? That was why she always had to keep her guard up.
When Daphne gave permission by closing her eyes instead of speaking, his lips approached.
The lips of this man—who seemed all hard and rough—were surprisingly soft and tender. And they were hot and affectionate.
Their first kiss was careful and shy, but it shook everything within both of them.
Still with their lips touching, Kartun whispered to her.
“When will you come to the grand duchy?”
“As we promised.”
Until she had taken her revenge. Daphne had asked for two years, and Kartun had suggested helping her shorten that time. But Daphne had firmly refused.
“Ah, you’re truly terrible.”
He murmured like a groan.
“Hmm, it was Your Highness who surprised me with a sudden proposal.”
“Yes, I’ll take the blame.”
When he laughed softly, the vibration transferred completely through their touching bodies. Daphne’s heart trembled helplessly.
If they stayed like this, she felt she might abandon everything, fall into his arms, and depart for the grand duchy right away. She needed to reaffirm her resolve once more or she would crumble.
Daphne called to him with deliberate firmness.
“Your Highness.”
“Kartun.”
When Daphne tilted her head quizzically, he spoke with a slightly more cracked voice.
“Call me by my name. I’ve waited through two lifetimes for you to call my name.”
Daphne stepped back slightly and looked at him as if examining him piece by piece.
It seemed Kartun liked her more than she had thought. The “love” he had mentioned earlier wasn’t just another expression for “like,” but something much deeper and more intense…
His passionate gaze was saying as much.
“Call me.”
“Kartun.”
Daphne spoke his name aloud like someone enchanted by a monster. He smiled with satisfaction like a predator that had finally succeeded in its hunt.
“Tell me.”
He looked at her with an expression suggesting he would grant her anything. But her request immediately brought him back to reality.
“If you keep your promise not to interfere with what I’m doing, I’ll try my best to shorten the time as well.”
“…Alright.”
He reluctantly agreed.
“It’s disappointing for me, but we should end this now, right?”
Kartun captured her lips once more briefly before pulling away.
“If I keep the busy avenger too long, we might not have a next time.”
“I hope you won’t unilaterally decide what we’ll do next time. Our marriage seems to have many things we need to discuss together.”
“If that’s what my wife wishes.”
Kartun stood up and extended his hand to her. Daphne took his offered hand while slightly furrowing her brow.
“You say ‘wife’ without changing your expression at all?”
“Because it’s true.”
“Please tell me later at length how Your Highness came to change like this.”
Kartun gently smoothed out the furrow between her brows and said.
“Have you considered that this might be my true self, and that I perfectly concealed it in our previous life?”
“If this is Your Highness’s true self, why didn’t you keep it hidden until the end?”
The two started walking again, smiling.
Just then, a voice called from behind.
“Sister!”
Fabian was visible in the distance.
Daphne waved her hand while Kartun frowned.
“His expression doesn’t look good.”
True to his words, Fabian came running, fuming, forgetting he was supposed to be escorting the Emperor.
“Why is Your Highness touching my sister’s forehead?”
Daphne looked elsewhere, apparently feeling quite guilty, while Kartun looked at Fabian as if he were insignificant.
He had done even more than that, and he wondered what expression Fabian would make if he found out.
⁕⁕⁕
At that time, Ludwig and Stephanie were heading to the marquis’s residence. The entire family was gathering for dinner together for the first time in years.
Ludwig usually didn’t spend money carelessly. But he had ordered a new carriage for his pregnant wife. It was very large and comfortable, worth every penny spent.
Ludwig asked Stephanie with a satisfied expression.
“Do you like the new carriage?”
“Yes, somewhat.”
Despite her words, Stephanie, always aloof no matter what gift she received, looked as comfortable as a cat in front of a fireplace.
Ludwig stroked her belly and said.
“I met Leonhardt.”
Stephanie remained quiet for a while after hearing this. Ludwig knew she was calculating in her mind the reasons why he had asked for the meeting and other circumstances, so he waited patiently.
He was newly pleased to have married a woman with such a cautious and prudent temperament. It made him even happier knowing this was a happiness Werner would never know.
Stephanie’s response was simple compared to how long she had been silent.
“To appease Daphne?”
“That’s right.”
“Is it that Leonhardt still has some use, and it’s uncomfortable to give her to someone else?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m curious about Daphne’s price. What did he offer in exchange?”
“We agreed to trade her for Barbara’s vineyard.”
Upon hearing this, Stephanie, who had been leaning diagonally against Ludwig, sat up straight as if springing.
“The one Barbara’s father left as inheritance?”
When Ludwig nodded, Stephanie even clapped her hands.
It was a vineyard that produced the finest wine every year, with the wine appearing at auction as soon as it was produced. The taste of the wine varied each year depending on the quality of the grapes, and last year they had harvested exceptionally good grapes, selling at a record high price.
The vineyard that produced the Empire’s best wine was almost impossible to value.
After rejoicing for a while, Stephanie suddenly stopped laughing and asked.
“But that belongs to Barbara. Leonhardt can’t touch it freely. What if we take it and problems arise later?”
“Leonhardt showed me a power of attorney.”
“No way……”
“Yes, Barbara signed a document entrusting her property to Leonhardt.”
“So there’s no problem at all?”
Ludwig nodded with a satisfied expression.
“I was already concerned about various issues if Daphne became the Grand Duchess. It’s truly fortunate that Leonhardt still can’t let go of his attachment!”
Stephanie was elated by this stroke of luck.
She held Daphne in great contempt. Partly because Daphne truly was nothing special, but also because Ludwig subtly enjoyed when she treated Daphne that way.
Before marriage, Stephanie had actually felt something close to fondness for Daphne. The only daughter of the Armin marquis family, with a good character and a pretty smile. There was no reason to dislike her.
But after marriage, she realized that the one who hated Daphne most wasn’t Zenos but Ludwig. He had been manipulating Zenos from behind since childhood to openly torment her.
Stephanie quickly noticed this while visiting the marquis’s residence after her engagement to Ludwig.
‘The more I disrespected Daphne, the more affectionate he became.’
Ludwig controlled situations by rewarding those who mistreated or neglected Daphne.
Since her future husband liked it, Stephanie gradually increased the intensity to impress him. At first she felt somewhat uncomfortable, but watching Daphne who only endured, she began to think she deserved it.
Thus, her pangs of conscience gradually faded. And she grew to appreciate her husband’s cunning tactics even more.
Stephanie smiled brightly and leaned against Ludwig again.
“But why does Leonhardt want Daphne?”
“In a way, it’s a wise choice. Daphne has what Anaïs lacks.”
“Is that all?”
“I had my doubts too, but honestly, what would he do with someone like Daphne? She’s not a threat at all.”
“Is that so?”
Stephanie felt somehow uneasy.
“It’s better than her daring to become the Grand Duchess. She’ll live like a figurehead beside Leonhardt.”
“That’s exactly the problem. Why would Kartun want her?”
Ludwig detected intense jealousy in her tone of questioning.
Translator
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bluemoon238
Man is going against Family and Emperor with a decision that equates with slave owners (selling people) and expecting to get his way with no backlash? He knows his father is back? Does he understand what is even going on before making a family decision? Man needs to be kicked out of the family and forced to deal with the consequences of his stupidity…