Chapter 5. Bewitched

Breakfast, she said.

What she needed wasn’t magic stones, nor money, nor his body to help on the battlefield, but…

To eat breakfast together.

But what would this white squirrel-like woman eat for breakfast?

Would they need to go to the mountains to pick some leaves?

Theo’s mind became complicated.

Yuelina already thought Theo had rejected her request.

She wanted to share a casual conversation with Theo over breakfast, wondering if it might make things a bit more comfortable to chat about how he spends his days in the principality.

But Theo had coldly said that having breakfast together wouldn’t be possible.

It seemed he really didn’t like being married to her.

If they couldn’t even share a simple meal, how could she get closer to Theo in the future?

Yuelina, feeling discouraged, took a step back.

But then Theo stepped forward towards Yuelina.

“So, I…”

As Theo came closer, his large shadow fell over her. Yuelina looked up at him.

His deep blue eyes briefly rested on Yuelina before quickly darting away.

Strangely, Theo’s face seemed to have reddened.

He had said he didn’t feel the cold, but he seemed to be hot despite the biting wind.

Theo cleared his throat as he brushed back his black hair.

“I don’t eat breakfast.”

“Ah!”

“So it would be better if we have lunch together.”

Yuelina felt relieved at Theo’s words, her heavy heart lightening.

She nodded slightly and smiled shyly.

“Then I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.”

Theo watched for a moment as Yuelina bowed slightly and hurriedly returned to the attic room.

It hadn’t even been five minutes since he had resolved not to see Yuelina anymore.

In that short time, Theo had seriously pondered what to serve for the meal that would satisfy Yuelina.

Well, Yuelina would be living here as the Grand Duchess for the rest of her life, so they could at least share meals together.

Theo decided to think of it lightly.

Yuelina was the Grand Duchess, and he was the Grand Duke. Having meals together seemed like a necessary duty.

It’s not like having one meal would make him want to imprint on Yuelina’s body.

Theo decided to wake up Ulysse, who would be sleeping now.

The mansion’s chef’s skills weren’t very good.

He needed to quickly hire a renowned chef in the principality.

* * *

Ulysse thought his lord might be ill.

Theo had barged into his room at a late hour and said this,

“Change the chef immediately.”

At first, he thought it was a dream.

Theo had never shown interest in meals or the affairs of the mansion.

But suddenly ordering to change the chef? Ulysse was dumbfounded and first reached for his glasses.

Seeing his lord’s face clearly, he realized this wasn’t a dream.

Theo, seeing Ulysse put on his glasses, urged him to get up quickly.

Thanks to this, Ulysse went out at dawn and hired a popular chef from the square, paying extra.

Theo briefly tasted the chef’s cooking for breakfast and nodded, saying it should be good enough.

Ulysse learned the reason for the sudden chef change at lunchtime.

It was for the new Grand Duchess.

It was for his lunch appointment with Yuelina.

Ulysse couldn’t help but laugh.

He found it quite amusing that Theo had ordered to change the chef for Yuelina’s meal.

However, deep down, he was pleased.

Ulysse also knew that Yuelina was meant to be sacrificed. So he hoped she would return.

All the incidents involving Theo’s brides-to-be, whom he had brought with difficulty, either running away or suddenly committing suicide, were Delkan’s doing.

Apart from feeling angry at Delkan and the Emperor of Bios, Ulysse felt sorry for Theo.

The letters Delkan sent to the Bios Imperial Palace included stories about the brides Ulysse had brought.

Direct words saying they didn’t want to marry him, who was known as the War Demon and Murderer.

Negotiations demanding more money to run away. Threats saying they’d rather die than spend time with Theo in the barren north.

Theo had seen all of those.

Out of a sense of responsibility for suddenly becoming the master of the north at a young age, Theo took up the sword.

He had no hesitation in killing anyone. He kept putting himself in situations where he might die if he hesitated.

That’s why Ulysse wished for Theo to have a warm family life.

To become a husband who respects his wife, a parent who loves his children, and furthermore, to be loved by them.

But due to his hasty judgment, Theo was hurt even more.

Even though Theo won wars and the principality prospered, people feared and dreaded him.

No one wanted him. They only thought of him as a soulless puppet that wins wars.

Moreover, the Book of Prophecy and letters were full of the Bios Empire’s greed to use Theo’s imprint to exert power.

He had fought for others his whole life, but there were too few people who took Theo’s side.

Ulysse felt guilty and heartbroken about this fact.

So he didn’t stop Theo’s plan to keep Yuelina by his side without imprinting on her, intending to take revenge on them.

He thought if it could improve his mood even a little, that would be enough.

But now he felt quite differently.

Theo, who seemed like he wouldn’t care about Yuelina in the attic room, had changed the chef for her.

It was a good sign.

Whether Yuelina was a sacrifice or not, she had come to the principality as the Grand Duchess.

The last Grand Duchess.

If the two of them truly formed a marital bond…

All interfering figures had to be removed.

For instance, someone like ‘Delkan’ who would come looking for Yuelina with impure intentions, gossiping about Theo and this principality.

Ulysse went to Theo’s room early in the morning with the documents he had prepared.

Theo was sitting at his office desk, deeply engrossed in something.

He didn’t seem to notice Ulysse’s arrival.

“Ahem, Your Highness?”

As Ulysse cleared his throat to get his attention, Theo looked up.

Ulysse approached him and handed over the documents, sneaking a glance under the desk.

[Cut the food into very small pieces as her mouth is small.]

For a moment, he almost burst out laughing.

Ulysse forcibly managed his expression and started talking about the documents he had brought.

“These are documents about the refugees at the northern wall. How about dispatching Count Delkan there?”

Theo flipped through the documents.

It was common for refugees from defeated countries to set up camp at the northern wall and protest.

He shrugged as if wondering why such documents were suddenly brought.

Ulysse spoke again.

“It will probably take about three months. It would be best to minimize Count Delkan’s meetings with Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

A glint appeared in Theo’s eyes.

“Call Delkan. And before Delkan leaves, send a Shadow to the wall first.”

The ‘Shadow’ was an assassin from the knight order working for Theo.

Was he planning to kill Delkan without anyone knowing?

If so, the empire might notice that Theo knew about Yuelina being a sacrifice.

“If we send the Shadow first…”

“Tell them to spread rumors among the refugees at the wall. Say that Count Delkan will grant everything they want. Tell them to go to him if they have anything to say.”

“Ah.”

“Then he’ll be tied up there for at least half a year.”

Theo smiled wickedly.

The refugees at the northern wall wanted to enter the principality.

But what the Bios Empire was most wary of was accepting refugees.

It was out of concern that refugees flowing into the principality might turn their blades against the Bios Empire.

Delkan, a puppet of the empire, will be desperate to handle the situation to prevent them from entering.

“Yes. That’s a good idea, Your Highness.”

“And tell David to come in.”

Ulysse’s expression hardened at Theo’s words.

David was Theo’s personal doctor.

He was also a doctor specializing in counseling and mental health issues.

“Are you still having trouble sleeping? Or is it difficult to control your drinking?”

“No.”

“Then, why?”

Ulysse became anxious.

His lord, Theo, was suffering from severe lethargy and depression.

Moreover, his alcohol dependence was so severe.

He thought the symptoms were improving, but maybe that wasn’t the case.

Then Theo opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“I think I might be under a spell.”

Ulysse blinked his eyes.