The Duke of Bright was planning to marry Wendy off to the third prince, who was the empress’s son. That way, things would be balanced. To make his plan of aligning with both the second and third princes work, the most important thing now was to get through this quietly.

“Your Grace.”

“My lady, whatever the reason, wouldn’t it be best to just let this go?”

Without giving her a chance to speak, the duke signaled to the duchess. The duchess bit her lip in frustration and glared at April until the very end, but she had no choice but to back down under the duke’s gaze.

April just blinked. It was the first time the duke had ever taken her side.

She almost laughed, but then the duke’s cold gaze fell on her. She felt chilled to the bone, as if doused with ice water.

‘What was I even expecting?’

That look was filled with deep contempt.

“Why do you keep causing trouble in this house?”

“That’s—!”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

With that low command, April couldn’t say a word. She’d had no trouble talking back to the duchess, so why was she unable to say anything to the duke?

‘Even if not the duchess… you’re still my father.’

‘Maybe I’m still dreaming of something unattainable. That one day they might accept me, that I could be cherished like family here.’

‘A foolish dream.’

There was no need to hope for that anymore.

April cut off the last lingering feelings she had. She didn’t want to waste her emotions on something so one-sided anymore.

She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them, composing herself. There was no longer any expectation in her gaze.

“I’ve always told you. Your role is to stay quiet in this house and get married.”

“I know. I’m supposed to bring in a large dowry through marriage, right?”

“That’s right. You know well.”

April forced a smile at the duke’s answer, who spoke so casually about selling his daughter for money. She couldn’t endure this situation without smiling.

“But will the imperial family really give you all that bridal money?”

“I’ll make sure they have no choice.”

“How?”

“I’ll handle that. You just keep your mouth shut and get married.”

“Understood.”

Even as April answered obediently, the duke watched her with suspicion. Only then did April realize he still hadn’t said why he’d come to her room.

‘Come to think of it, why did he come? He never comes near my room.’

“I heard you went outside last night?”

At the duke’s words, April froze.

“……”

She couldn’t possibly ask how he knew. April bit her tongue to stop herself from blurting anything out. But the duke, who saw right through her awkward expression, scoffed and gave his order.

“From today, you are not to take a single step outside this mansion.”

“Your Grace!”

“Don’t even think about leaving until the wedding.”

“What are you—!”

“Butler!”

Calling the butler in a cold voice, the duke firmly ordered that April must not be allowed outside under any circumstances, then left the room. April’s desperate gaze followed him, but he didn’t look back.

Bang—

Once the door shut completely and April was left alone in the room, she clenched her teeth.

“This damn house!”

***

Meanwhile, before the duke and duchess arrived at April’s room, Calsion had already slipped out and couldn’t hide his amusement. Behind him, the knights Yulifa and Jarenne approached. With a dissatisfied expression, Yulifa bowed to Calsion and spoke.

“Your Highness.”

“Call me Captain here.”

“Is all this really necessary?”

Time was short enough as it was to gather support in the imperial palace. Even meeting the nobles who wanted to back him was taking too long, yet Calsion had insisted on staying at the Bright estate. Acting as both his aide and his advisor, Yulifa was frustrated.

“Yulifa.”

“Yes, Your Highness… I mean, Captain.”

Calsion’s gaze was chilling as he looked back at him, but Yulifa didn’t avoid his eyes.

“If I don’t marry April Bright, I won’t be able to secure my place in the palace.”

“But you could just wait until the wedding day—”

“Do you really think a woman who tried to run away will sit quietly until the wedding?”

Yulifa was at a loss for words at Calsion’s cynical question. No one would have expected April, a duke’s daughter, to try to escape rather than marry. It was tantamount to defying the emperor’s order.

“That’s…”

“Be quiet.”

If Calsion hadn’t happened to be there that day, April would have escaped for sure. Then he’d have to find a new bride, and the empress would never let that happen.

‘She’d find some excuse to send me back to the border.’

Right now, the empress was only biding her time and looking for an opportunity to overturn everything. If the emperor’s plans fell apart, he wouldn’t bother trying to fix them.

If he wanted to secure his position in the capital, Calsion needed April. That was why he insisted on keeping her close, even if he didn’t particularly like her. Once he entered the palace and established himself, he planned to seize the throne, so this marriage had to happen.

Calsion walked slowly, with Yulifa and Jarenne following behind. He didn’t speak again until they’d left the corridor and reached the garden.

When he was sure no one else was around, Yulifa finally couldn’t hold back and spoke first.

“But this is your chance. Nobles who want to meet you are coming every day.”

“They’ll keep coming until I enter the palace. That’s not what matters right now.”

“But, Your Highness.”

“Captain.”

“Captain, you should leave the knights here and return to the palace—”

“Yulifa.”

“Yes.”

Calsion’s eyes flashed sharply. He’d listened so far only because he was his aide, but it was a clear warning not to say another word. Sensing this, Yulifa immediately bowed.

“It’s my decision.”

“…Understood.”

When Yulifa accepted his decision, Jarenn, who’d been standing by, reported,

“As you expected, there aren’t any proper knights at the Bright estate. There are a few, but they’re hardly worthy of the title.”

“I thought so.”

There was a reason the Duke of Bright had agreed to this marriage.

‘He demanded such an enormous sum—so that’s why.’

The duke had demanded a bridal fund from Calsion instead of sending a dowry with his daughter, which made no sense for a duke. But now, after seeing the inside of the estate, Calsion was sure—the Bright family was a duke’s house in name only.

They had so little left that they were selling their daughter for money. April’s clothes were shabby, and the servants’ faces looked grim.

“And they’re very tight-lipped about the one who’s to be your bride.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The servants gossip freely about the young master and second daughter, but when asked about her, they all clammed up.”

Jarenne shared what she’d learned from looking around the estate. Hearing this, Calsion grew suspicious. Perhaps there was something about April he didn’t know.

“Jarenne.”

“Yes.”

“Go back to the palace and tidy up my quarters.”

“Will you be all right without an escort?”

“If anything happens to me here, public opinion will turn, so even the empress won’t be able to act recklessly.”

“Understood.”

After Jarenne gave a bow and walked away, Calsion turned back toward the main house, planning to speak with the duke again.

***

“Mother! Are you really going to let that girl marry into the imperial family?”

Wendy threw a tantrum, clinging to her mother’s arm, after hearing that the duchess had visited April and come back with nothing to show for it.

Wendy couldn’t understand why her mother was letting April be. She desperately wanted something to happen today—no, something had to happen. As time passed, just as April said, she would become the princess consort, while Wendy would remain just a duke’s daughter.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

At that moment, someone spoke before the duchess could reply.

“Wendy, why are you making such a fuss? Honestly.”

Aaron Bright. The duchess’s son and the heir to House Bright. He was checking his formal attire with his mother, but frowned at his younger sister’s loud voice.

Seeing Aaron’s displeasure, the duchess smiled and patted him on the shoulder. Looking at Aaron, who looked so dashing in his ceremonial clothes, the duchess’s red lips curled into a satisfied smile.

“She’s as good as dead anyway, so just leave her be.”