“…This woman, even in such a state, still doesn’t know her place…”

Mathias, who had been muttering his anger under his breath, suddenly stood up and lunged at Leticia.

“It seems you still haven’t come to your senses. There’s only one thing you’re allowed to say! Only one thing!”

His rough hands grabbed Leticia by the collar and shook her violently. Leticia’s hair swayed as if caught in the wind. Seeing her eyes remain unwavering, Mathias’s fury reached its peak.

“If I lock you up in solitary confinement again, perhaps in a month you’ll have something else to say. Ivan Chester! Take this woman immediately… Aaaahh! What are you doing right now?”

“Your Highness! Hold her hand! Don’t let her stab him!”

Even in this situation, Mathias Metherdea didn’t understand Leticia. Leticia had hidden a fork beneath the tattered sleeve of her dress while clearing the dishes.

Of course, she hadn’t taken it with the intention of stabbing anyone. She had kept it as a precaution, thinking it might be useful later. But what could she do now? At this moment, no one was coming to save her. She was the only one who could protect herself.

When Mathias charged at her, Leticia couldn’t miss the opportunity to strike. She had to stab him.

Blood flowed from Mathias’s neck. However, because she was quickly restrained, the wound wasn’t deep. Knights on either side of Leticia restrained her frail body and pressed her wrists until she dropped the fork.

“Summon the palace physician immediately!”

“Your Highness, you must calm down. If the wound worsens…”

“Do I look like I can calm down right now? I’ll tear that wench apart and throw her to the dogs!”

Leticia silently stared at Mathias, who was being restrained by his knights as he tried to lunge at her.

“I’ll make sure you pay the price you deserve. You’ll regret this!”

She already regretted many things. But this—this moment—was not one of them. Mathias needed to know. Leticia hated him so much that she would rather die than marry him.

She had conveyed that to him, so there was nothing to regret.

—

A month later.

Leticia squinted her eyes shut against the sunlight that was too bright after such a long time. Like a fish out of water gasping for air, she felt a large shadow fall over her.

Mathias, who had crouched to meet her eye level, grabbed her by the hair.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’ll make you pay the price you deserve. I’m going to sell you—to the man who will hate you the most.”

The twisted grin on his face was grotesque.

Seeing Mathias’s revoltingly delighted expression, Leticia shut her eyes tightly again. She still regretted not stabbing him properly that day. If only she had done it right, she wouldn’t have to see this disgusting face again. What a shame.

“Is that my wife?”

Leticia blinked, trying to focus her vision. The voice and face were unfamiliar.

Wife? Who is he calling wife?

The man’s straight eyebrows furrowed. Leticia, like a withered plant desperate for air, focused solely on breathing.

“What do you think? How does it feel to meet your wife?”

“…”

Wife. Mathias had called Leticia someone’s wife.

“She may look unkempt now, but once she’s dressed up, she’s quite presentable. Did you think I’d marry you off to just anyone?”

Leticia tried to push her slow-moving thoughts into action.

“Of course, I trust you wouldn’t.”

Leticia’s body was lifted. Servants on either side of her supported her, forcing her to stand. Her head spun, and nausea churned within her, but there was nothing to vomit since she hadn’t eaten.

Mathias evaluated Leticia like a merchant inspecting goods to ensure he’d made the right purchase.

“She’s disobedient, but I trust you’ll be able to tame her.”

“…”

The unknown man, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable even looking at Leticia, keeping his head turned away.

“She’s a perfect match for you, isn’t she?”

Even in her dazed state, Leticia knew that such words were an insult to anyone. She grew increasingly curious about who this man was, the one Mathias was mocking.

And why he was calling her his wife.

‘Husband.’

Throughout her time in solitary confinement, Leticia had alternated between rage, tears, and fainting spells. Her body was in such poor condition that it wouldn’t have been surprising if she had died.

At the moment, the existence of this husband who would supposedly detest her was less threatening than her dehydration and malnutrition. Mathias seemed to think the same, as he gestured to the servants.

“Take her and get her back to her senses…”

“She’s my wife, so I’ll do it myself.”

The man lifted Leticia into his arms. The sudden sensation of falling head-first to the ground made her nausea worsen, but the man didn’t seem to care.

Leticia’s legs dangled in the air. His arms holding her were solid. Whoever he was, it was clear that marrying her had ruined his life.

To distract herself from her churning stomach, Leticia closed her eyes. As her consciousness faded, she heard the man whisper something.

“Even tearing him apart wouldn’t be enough for that vermin.”

—

Not long after regaining consciousness, Leticia learned the name of her husband.

She overheard the maids talking as they fed her thin gruel once she came to her senses.

Callius Maxis, the Emperor’s hunting dog.

Callius Maxis was a well-known figure in Metherdea. From the moment he first appeared, he had made a name for himself.

Years ago, he had participated in the Emperor’s birthday jousting tournament, defeating the previous year’s champion to claim victory. As a reward, he requested to become a royal knight.

Rumors about him spread throughout the empire. Even Leticia, who had been at Damian Academy at the time, heard about him.

“They say he’s obsessed with success.”

“I heard he’s from a fallen noble family.”

“Noble? He’s practically a commoner.”

The man, who had been dismissed as a fleeting topic of gossip, defied expectations.

He went to war, where defeat was anticipated, and delivered victory to the Emperor. That was just the beginning. He carried out every task the Emperor assigned him.

It was around this time that he earned the derogatory nickname “hunting dog.”

In recognition of his many achievements, the Emperor granted him the title of a long-extinct duchy. Callius swore loyalty to the Emperor and continued to carry out his commands, no matter how dishonorable.

Leticia and Callius Maxis were worlds apart. They shouldn’t have been associated, especially after the fall of the Rearbon family.

—

The prince’s palace was the epitome of opulence, so extravagant it felt suffocating.

When Leticia, barely recovered, entered the room she had been led to, the man was already there. Leticia stepped forward, feeling like a sacrificial offering.

The man seated in the center of the room had a sturdy face that somehow matched the lavish surroundings.

“Do you know who I am?”

His deep voice, which she heard for the first time, was filled with unmistakable anger.

Leticia nodded in response to his question. The man’s composed face twisted into a scowl.

“Then you must know how vile this marriage is.”

Rumor had it that Callius Maxis was an uncouth brute who knew nothing of etiquette.

Thankfully, those rumors weren’t false.

Right now, Leticia needed to learn as much about him as possible. If she could avoid becoming Mathias’s concubine and escape solitary confinement, she would use every method at her disposal to survive.

Leticia wholeheartedly agreed with Callius’s sentiment.

Of course, agreeing didn’t mean their situations were the same.

Leticia was a participant in this marriage, but she wasn’t truly involved. Her opinion had never been considered from the beginning.

But Callius Maxis was different.

At least he had the semblance of choice.

If Leticia was the price of his blind loyalty, then he had every right to be furious. With his brutish temperament, this was not something he would easily overlook.

All of his accomplishments and honors had been insulted by this marriage.

Leticia found herself bitterly reflecting on her own circumstances. Once, she had been a bride admired by all.

“You could choose your own spouse.”

“…”

Leticia slowly spoke.

The man’s face, as solemn as a priest’s, made it hard to believe he was the infamous war demon. Leticia erased the useless thoughts she had about him.

“You’ve accomplished too much to deserve someone like me as your wife.”

“So?”

“What I’m saying is that you have the right to refuse me.”

“…”

For a moment, an inscrutable expression crossed the man’s face.

He seemed angry—or perhaps incredulous. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a favorable reaction.

Does he know my words are untrue?

In truth, Leticia was testing him, throwing out empty words. From the beginning, Callius had no right to refuse her. This marriage was nothing more than a test of his loyalty.

If he was foolish enough to overturn everything out of sheer emotion, then it would be better to end this farce now and save both of their time.

“Do you think I don’t know that?”