“Bella?”

“L-Lady?”

Startled, she looked down and saw Bella, her jet-black hair cutely tied with a red ribbon, smiling brightly.

“Hello, Teacher!”

Bella held the edges of her skirt with both hands and bowed.

Her graceful greeting was so perfect for a ten-year-old that Lorraine, impressed, turned to Elicity.

“Your Grace, you have truly raised the young lady properly. That was a perfectly formal greeting.”

“My Lady, your praise is too generous.”

“No, it is well deserved. At just ten years old… Oh!”

As she showered Bella with compliments, Lorraine suddenly clapped her hands together.

“I’ve heard the rumors. With such refinement, the young lady is surely—”

“Bella.”

Just then, Elicity hastily interrupted Lorraine’s words. She quickly looked at Bella and pointed toward the picnic spot where her peers were playing.

“Go back to where your friends are. I haven’t even properly introduced you to your teacher yet, have I?”

“Huh? But…”

“Go on! Don’t be rude.”

“…Alright.”

Bella, pouting at the sudden sternness, soon ran off to join her friends.

Elicity gave Lorraine an apologetic smile, sensing her confusion at the abrupt change in atmosphere.

“I truly apologize for interrupting you, Lorraine. But I don’t want my child to know about the possibility of becoming Salita’s crown princess just yet.”

“Oh, no, I understand. After all, it’s a lot for a child to take in.”

Lorraine nodded but remained curious.

“But isn’t it an honor for your family? You seem quite troubled by it, Your Grace.”

“Because I don’t want to send her.”

Of course, Elicity hadn’t asked Bella about her feelings on the matter—nor had she discussed it with her husband, Alex.

But she was certain that both of them would oppose it.

Alex, who undoubtedly loved their daughter, would never allow Bella to be sent to Salita, a nation that was once an enemy. And Bella, too, was currently enamored with a stable boy.

No, more than that, when Elicity recalled the past, she was determined—no matter what Alex or Bella said, she would never send her daughter away.

With a firm expression, she reiterated, “I have made up my mind. I will never send her.”

Lorraine was astute. Just from the look on Elicity’s face, she could roughly grasp why the Duchess was unwilling to send her daughter to Salita.

The real problem, however, was Salita itself. The kingdom, desiring the power of House Zeroden, would never easily relinquish their claim on the young lady.

But sensing that pressing the issue would only darken Elicity’s mood further, Lorraine refrained from saying more.

A heavy silence settled over the table. The two women quietly sipped the coffee that Olivia had brought when—

“Your Grace, My Lady. You both seem rather gloomy—has something happened?”

With a soft voice, a shadow fell over them.

The voice was familiar—one that should never be forgotten.

Startled, Lorraine and Elicity quickly looked up.

Golden hair, gleaming as if dripping with honey.

Eyes bluer than the depths of the ocean.

A broad chest and wide shoulders exuding masculinity.

A man who could rival Alex in handsomeness stood before them.

“Goodness, Prince Helios!?”

Elicity turned pale and leaped to her feet.

“I thought you had left early this morning with the princesses. I even saw you off myself… I had no idea you returned. Please forgive me.”

Neglecting a royal guest was a grave offense. As Elicity turned pale and bowed her head, another shadow appeared.

“Duchess, this is not your fault. The Prince rode back to the duchy midway.”

“The Duke of Zeroden is correct, Your Grace.”

Slowly, Elicity lifted her head.

‘Alex…!’

It was her husband.

Her heart pounded fiercely, and her lips parted slightly.

‘Why… why…’

Why did you leave me alone this morning?

She was desperate to know.

Even while entertaining guests, the unanswered question had weighed heavily on her heart.

But she couldn’t discuss their private matters from last night in front of others, disregarding propriety and decorum.

“……”

Resolving to ask him later, Elicity bit her lip.

Yet, despite herself, her violet eyes remained fixated on Alex’s face.

Noticing this, Helios raised an intrigued eyebrow.

“Hmm, the atmosphere between the Duchess and the Duke seems quite suspicious. Your Grace, did something happen last night?”

“…Pardon?”

Elicity’s lips twitched in surprise.

“Nothing of note, Your Highness. More importantly, may I ask why you have returned?”

“…Well, it turns out that the tutor you hired is an old friend of mine. I came back because I wanted to greet her.”

With that, the prince’s deep blue eyes turned to Lorraine.

“Lorraine, it’s been a while.”

“Ah… Y-yes.”

The mischievous glint in his blue eyes softened, like a gentle spring breeze.

It wasn’t the gaze one would give a mere academy classmate. However, Elicity, failing to notice, kept her eyes fixed on the ground.

She was too embarrassed, wondering what her husband must have been thinking when Prince Helios had asked that question earlier.

“I didn’t expect to see you at the Zeroden victory banquet. You once told me you dislike social gatherings.”

“Your Highness, it’s not that. I’m only attending as the young lady’s tutor.”

“Still, the Lorraine I knew would have shut herself away in the mansion. So—”

“Your Highness.”

Just as Helios was about to continue speaking, Alex did something unthinkable—he interrupted him.

Elicity, startled by her husband’s audacious act, quickly lifted her head, just as she felt warmth on her hand.

At some point, Alex had moved close to her and was now holding her hand.

“Instead of standing here idly talking, wouldn’t it be better for you to take a walk around the lake with Miss Fertel and introduce her to the ducal estate? You visit the Zeroden estate often enough, so it shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

Surprisingly, Helios seemed completely unfazed by Alex’s brazenness, as if he were used to it.

“Should I be thanking you for this?”

“There’s no need.”

Alex slightly lifted the hand he was holding.

“I simply wish to take a morning stroll with my wife, so I’m entrusting Miss Fertel to you.”

At Alex’s shameless words, Helios burst into laughter before nodding.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of such an affectionate couple. Besides, my reason for returning was to have a private conversation with Lady Fertel in the first place.”

With a nod, Alex intertwined Elicity’s arm with his own and led her away.

Everything happened so quickly.

Before she could even protest, Helios had already taken Lorraine and headed toward the lake.

Elicity, momentarily dazed, watched the two walk away before turning to Alex, who called her name.

“You don’t seem well today. Did something happen?”

“……”

‘Does he truly not know?’

His expression, pure and curious, made it seem as though he was genuinely unaware of the reason behind her sour mood.

For a brief moment, Elicity considered speaking her mind.

But she hesitated.

The reason Alex had left early that morning was because there was something more important than his wife.

Or perhaps he simply hadn’t thought it necessary to stay by her side in the morning.

Unlike her.

‘There’s no special answer to be found… Asking him for a reason is not something a duchess should do.’

In Madonia, men could spend their nights with their lawful wives and still be fully pardoned for sharing breakfast with their concubines.

A husband’s absence in the morning was something a noblewoman was expected to endure.

Forcing a smile, Elicity shook her head.

“I’m just a little tired.”

“Duchess, did I wear you out too much last night?”

Though Alex’s tone was playful, Elicity didn’t feel like matching his jest.

She averted her gaze and calmly replied, “Don’t say such things. It’s embarrassing.”

At that, Alex suddenly stopped walking.

He gently unlinked their arms, took her hand, and pressed his lips to the back of it.

The warmth of his lips on her skin, chilled by the cool morning air, made Elicity’s eyes widen.

“Duchess, you seem quite upset. Did you truly dislike last night that much?”

“It’s not that…”

“I told you before—I wouldn’t do anything you dislike. Just be honest with me.”

Alex looked genuinely concerned.

His worried expression melted the emotions that had been tightly bound in her chest, and Elicity’s lips parted slightly.

‘Should I be honest with him?’