Prologue

“Your Grace, the reason I have come to see you today is…”

“Speak comfortably.”

At Cassian’s interruption, Yulia tightened the hands she had neatly folded on her lap.

She had to pause, but she forced herself to remain composed. What she was about to say mattered far too much.

Keeping her gaze lowered on the ornate carpet spread across the drawing room floor, she spoke again.

“I know this may come as quite a shock—”

“Speak casually.”

For the second time, her words were cut off. Yulia’s expression twisted ever so slightly.

‘Of all times, he’s fixated on something as trivial as the way I speak… This isn’t the moment for that…’

Letting out a quiet sigh he wouldn’t hear, she tried again.

“What I came to tell you is—”

“Yulia.”

At the low voice brushing her ears, Yulia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Drop the formalities. Just speak plainly.”

“…Ha.”

Finally, she lifted her head and met Cassian’s expressionless face.

He simply stared at her with those deep, dark green eyes, not a flicker of emotion in them.

“…Why does the way I speak even matter right now?”

“That’s better.”

A satisfied smile curved at Cassian’s lips as he looked at her faintly scowling face.

It was, infuriatingly, a perfect smile.

For a fleeting moment, Yulia felt a twisted urge to wipe that flawless expression right off his face.

“I’m pregnant.”

She hadn’t intended to be this blunt.

But seeing him sit there, perfectly composed—so unlike herself, who had agonized over this for so long—irritated her just enough.

A heavy silence fell between them, the table dividing the two.

“……”

Cassian, still watching her, lifted his teacup and brought it to his lips.

He appeared calm, but the slight crease of his brow betrayed otherwise.

Even a man who seemed unshakable by anything found it difficult to remain composed when told a woman carried his child.

Somewhere deep inside, Yulia felt a thin, inappropriate sense of satisfaction bloom.

“…Marry me. Come live with me.”

At last, after the long silence, Cassian spoke.

It was the answer she had expected.

Not entirely satisfying—but still, the one she had hoped for.

***

“Your Grace, Duke Duvert and his wife have arrived.”

A knock sounded from beyond the door, followed by Abil’s voice.

“…Mm.”

Cassian replied lazily.

As Abil pushed the door open, the large, luxurious wooden door revealed the couple who had clearly been waiting anxiously outside—they rushed in without regard for decorum.

The pair stumbled in noisily, only to freeze at the sight of the room filled with cigar smoke, exchanging uneasy glances.

“Sit.”

Without even lifting his head, Cassian gave the order.

They quickly took the seats Yulia had occupied moments ago, catching their breath.

“Y-Your Grace, greetings. I am Duncan Duvert, and this is my wife, Catherine Duvert.”

Cassian drew in a slow breath from his cigar.

“W-We have come because… there is something we must tell you about the young lady who just left this room…”

Duncan pulled out a pristine white handkerchief, wiping the sweat from his brow with trembling hands.

His anxiety was impossible to hide.

Cassian gave a slight nod, as if to say go on, exhaling a plume of white smoke.

Duncan stiffened as the smoke drifted toward him.

‘How insolent…’

Still, he forced himself to speak.

“Y-Yulia may have told you something, but… it is all a l-lie…”

At the mention of her name, Cassian lifted his head.

His gaze locked onto the pitiful duke, who swallowed nervously under the pressure.

“In truth… w-we… that is, our son—”

Catherine jabbed Duncan sharply in the side.

“Your Grace, we administered a drug to Yulia for certain reasons. A drug that makes one believe they are pregnant.”

“T-That’s right! It was part of a plan of ours… b-but Yulia is absolutely not pregnant!”

A faint glimmer of hope seemed to break through the dark confusion clouding their minds.

“Yes, exactly! We will catch her at once and give her the antidote as soon as she leaves the estate!”

“Y-Yes, we’ll resolve everything immediately. She is absolutely not carrying Your Grace’s child, so p-please do not worry! We apologize for causing unnecessary concern!”

Duncan bowed deeply, stammering through his words.

“…I know.”

Cassian crushed the thick cigar into the glass ashtray on his desk, extinguishing it.

“Y-You… knew? What do you mean—?”

Duncan lifted his head in confusion.

“But I’d prefer she continues not knowing.”

A slow smile spread across Cassian’s previously cold face.

***

Yulia stood before a large door.

Turning her head, she shot Emma a resentful look.

“Fighting!”

Emma, the seasoned head maid who had served the Isheide estate for over fifty years, winked repeatedly at her.

Behind her, Abil clenched both fists in encouragement.

“Just go right in!”

Under their sparkling gazes, the pressure was unbearable.

“…Ha.”

Reluctantly, Yulia turned back.

Meeting him wasn’t difficult. But lately, his attitude had changed so much from what she once knew that it left her uneasy.

Swallowing, she lightly knocked on the study door with the edge of the marble tray she held.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

His low voice came through the heavy door.

As Abil opened it, Emma immediately pushed Yulia from behind, sending her stumbling into the room.

‘What a perfect pair…’

Grumbling under her breath, Yulia walked toward the wide desk.

The door shut firmly behind her.

“…I brought some snacks. Coffee, and… I think these are butter cookies…?”

‘Emma, you could’ve at least told me what you prepared!’

Cassian lifted his head, fixing his gaze on her.

Suddenly self-conscious, Yulia stopped in the middle of the room.

“…Are you planning to throw them from there?”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

“Come closer.”

Cassian extended one arm, as if inviting Yulia to him. He looked visibly tired and worn from being cooped up in his office since morning.

Once she approached, he took the tray from her and set it on his desk.

“Did you rest well today?”

Turning fully toward her, Cassian looked up. He took her hands gently, pulling her closer.

“Mm… I just stayed in my room all day.”

‘Here we go again…’

Having brought Yulia near, Cassian began to slowly caress the back of her hand with his thumb. The gentle touch made Yulia flinch slightly.

“I’m a bit tired.”

His voice was low, almost a murmur.

On the desk, a precarious stack of documents towered—evidence of sleepless nights spent reviewing newly appointed nobles.

“Yulia.”

Noticing her gaze drift, he frowned faintly.

“Ah—sorry.”

When her eyes returned to him, his expression softened.

Interlacing his fingers with hers, he suddenly asked:

“Shall we bathe together?”

“…What?”

“My head feels heavy. I’ll work better after washing.”

“I… already bathed earlier.”

Suddenly suggesting they bathe together? Yulia was taken aback, doubting her ears at the unexpected proposal.

“According to a book, the fastest way for a married couple to grow close is to bathe together.”

“…What kind of book teaches that?”

“I’m studying whatever I can. The child is growing, but the parents don’t seem very close.”

His unexpected answer took her aback. Despite his overwhelming workload, he was still trying—thinking of the child.

‘And yet, I…’

Yulia placed a hand over her still-flat stomach. A quiet sense of guilt settled in her chest.

Seeing this, Cassian gently pulled her closer, supporting her back.

“Yulia.”

She hesitated, then rested her hand lightly on his shoulder. Cassian lowered his head, pressing his cheek softly against her stomach.

He often did this—seeking proof of the child’s existence. Sometimes he would rest a hand there, stroke gently, press his ear or cheek, or place the lightest of kisses.

Yulia looked down at his dark hair, pressed against her. A few strands stuck up awkwardly at the crown, oddly endearing.

She felt a faint urge to reach out and smooth them.

Before she realized it, a month had passed since their wedding. A month since Cassian had begun acting like a gentle husband.

In other words, this strange, unfamiliar marriage had begun… on that day.

That cursed graduation banquet.

Chapter 1

In front of the academy’s grand building, students in uniform gathered in small circles, chatting excitedly.

“Wow… Yulia! You really held onto first place all the way through the graduation exams?”

“Political science, sociology, economics, herbal studies, mathematics, physics… I can’t even count how many subjects you got perfect scores in. Aren’t you a monster?”

“You’re so lucky, Yulia… The moment you graduate, all the top companies will be scrambling to recruit you, won’t they?”

At the center of the crowd stood Yulia—the very subject of their conversation—wearing the proudest expression of anyone present.

Ah, how long she had waited for this moment!

Only the countless nosebleeds, sweat, and tears she had shed could prove her efforts.

Lifting her blue eyes hidden behind large, round glasses that covered half her small face, she looked up at the bulletin board on the school building.

[1st Place. Yulia Haybel.]

At the very top, her name gleamed in brilliant gold.

The paper fluttered in the warm breeze, her name swaying gently with it.

“Yulia was different from the moment she enrolled. She ranked first on the entrance exam, got perfect scores even in Professor Maybel’s notoriously difficult ethics class, and aced not just the written tests but the physical exams too!”

“Yulia, which company are you going to join after graduation? The Ruibel Imperial Bank? The Shifga Corporation?”

“Well… I haven’t really thought about it seriously yet.”

Yulia answered with a smile.

Her friends were already listing the most prestigious companies in the empire.

She did have a rough list in mind, but she didn’t want to get ahead of herself over places that hadn’t even hired her yet.

Still, one thing was certain—any company would gladly open its doors to her the moment she knocked, diploma of a top graduate from Tritan Royal Academy in hand.

With a pleased expression, Yulia lowered her gaze and opened the navy-blue cover of her diploma.

[Top Graduate of Tritan Royal Academy. Yulia Haybel. Congratulations on your graduation. – Principal Isabel Tweed]

Wow…

Yulia couldn’t stop admiring herself, celebrating inwardly over and over.

At this moment, she was unbearably proud.

Just as she had planned, a bright future seemed to unfold before her like a finely painted masterpiece.

After enduring her long years as a student, she would finally, once she secured a good job, live the life she had always wanted.

She thought of all the things on her bucket list she had put off for the sake of studying.

‘Once I get a job, I’ll get a boyfriend and experience a passionate romance! I’ll taste every delicacy in the world! And I’ll bring Grandpa to live with me as soon as possible!’

Yulia swam happily through her endless stream of joyful fantasies.

“But… hey, maybe you should have…”

At that moment, Lily—standing closest to her—whispered in a voice too low for others to hear.

Yulia snapped back to reality.

“Hm?”

“…Maybe you should have let His Grace win.”

Lily gestured toward a group approaching from ahead.

Cassian was walking across the courtyard with a few noble youths he was close to.

His tall frame stood out immediately, his black hair rising above the rest.

Even from a distance, his striking features were unmistakable, his overall presence cold and aloof.

Yulia stared at him as he drew closer.

As if sensing her gaze, Cassian lifted his eyes and looked at her.

Their eyes met for a brief moment—

Startled, Yulia quickly lowered her head.

At the edge of her vision, her navy diploma glimmered.

‘Why did we have to make eye contact…’

Flustered, she forced herself to look back up at the bulletin board, pretending to read.

[1st Place. Yulia Haybel.]

And right beside it—like a pair—

[2nd Place. Cassian Isheide.]

“He’s still of imperial blood… If he graduated second, he might not take it well…” Lily murmured worriedly.

‘What, so it’s improper for a nobody like me to beat someone born with a diamond spoon?’

Yulia fidgeted with the diploma in her hands.

“Cassian! H-hello!”

“C-Cassian! Congratulations on graduating!”

“Let’s keep in touch after this!”

“You worked hard!”

Starting with Evan, the others greeted him one by one.

Despite attending the same academy, chances to speak with Duke Cassian were rare.

Without stopping, Cassian merely gave a slight nod.

‘Ugh, how arrogant.’

Despite her thoughts, Yulia bowed her head slightly along with the others, careful not to stand out.

For a fleeting moment, she felt his gaze linger on her face.

A bead of cold sweat ran down her back.

‘Lily’s words are making me overthink…’

Once Cassian passed them and disappeared beyond the gates, she let out the breath she had been holding.

Evan, standing beside her, exhaled loudly as well.

“Phew… Did you all see that? I spoke to Cassian casually!”

“You looked calm, Evan! My voice was shaking—I don’t even remember what I said.”

“And at the graduation banquet, you’ll call him ‘Your Grace’ again, right?”

“Hey, do I look like that much of a coward? …Actually, you’re absolutely right.”

Laughter burst out among them.

Yulia forced a small laugh as well, pushing aside the lingering unease.

“Yu… Yu…lia…”

From behind them, someone called her name.

Turning quickly, Yulia saw Jerome waving his diploma as he approached.

“Jerome! You’re done? Guys, I’ll head off first—!”

“Yulia, wait!”

Lily grabbed her wrist.

“Hm?”

“You have to come to the graduation banquet next week, okay? It’s going to be huge! You can’t skip it as the top graduate!”

“…Alright. I’ll think about it.”

“Is it because of a dress? I told you I’d lend you my prettiest one!”

“With Yulia, it’s not the dress—it’s her drinking habits, isn’t it?” Chloe teased.

“That’s not it at all! Lily, Jerome’s waiting—I’m going! See you all later!”

“See you at the banquet, Yulia!”

Pulling her wrist free, Yulia waved goodbye and ran toward Jerome, who was smiling brightly at her.

***

Yulia Haybel, the only granddaughter of a poor farmer, had realized something far earlier than most.

‘If you want to rise from nothing, studying is the only answer!’

It was an unchanging truth—one that applied in any world.

The reason she had come to understand this so early was simple.

She had transmigrated into the novel The Stars Embroidered on Tritan.

One day, she opened her eyes to find herself inside the story—as a completely insignificant extra.

“What… isn’t that the flag from the novel I was reading?”

Flags fluttered everywhere—inside her house, outside, even at the neighbors’—reminding her exactly where she was.

“And this isn’t even the capital, Mondinium!”

Not the heroine, not even a side character—just an extra with no role.

And not just that—

A poor farmer’s granddaughter, living in poverty.

“I only bought the novel because the title was pretty… I barely even finished understanding the main character and the setting!”

Lying on a thin mattress by a drafty window, Yulia buried her hands in her messy brown hair in despair.

Her patched, shabby nightclothes only made it worse.

She prayed desperately for this to be a dream.

She even pinched her cheeks until they turned red like a squirrel stuffed with acorns.

But nothing changed.

This was her reality.

“…I’m screwed.”

Yet Yulia, ever practical, adapted quickly.

Fortunately, she was still young.

Yes—being young meant she still had countless opportunities ahead of her.