When she sat facing him, their gazes naturally intertwined. Kailen was the first to give a slight nod in greeting. And Adeline responded with a faint smile befitting the formal occasion.

Her heart raced helplessly at meeting him after waiting and waiting. Even the scent of cologne she’d been subtly aware of since the moment he appeared felt welcome and pleasant.

His face, which she was seeing after so long, was still beautiful. As an adult, he exuded an ascetic atmosphere unlike his childhood self. When he, seemingly indifferent at first glance, smiled gently at her, Adeline would forget even where she was.

She wanted to sit close to him and feel his body heat. She wanted to hear his affectionate voice and see his smiling face.

However, she couldn’t show such childish behavior in front of the royal officials. Adeline tried to focus on the proceedings, making an effort to rein in her gaze that kept wanting to turn toward him.

“Now, since you’re both seated.”

The royal appointee divided the organized document folder on the table in two and placed them in front of Adeline and Kailen respectively.

“Then let’s review the contract now.”

Adeline took a breath for a moment, then turned the cover of the document folder placed before her.

This agreement has been drafted under the approval of the Royal House of Krauben to clearly define the legal status, property relations, and scope of responsibilities between the parties.

With just one added word—royal—the preamble wasn’t much different from the standard prenuptial contracts Adeline was familiar with.

Originally, not just royal marriages but upper-class unions were matters connecting nations to nations, or houses to houses. So this format wasn’t particularly surprising. Adeline had signed a similar engagement contract in the past.

Article 1

1. This marriage is defined as a public marriage approved by the royal house.
2. This marriage goes beyond a private union between individuals and includes contractual relations concerning royal financial stability and national interests.

Article 2

1. Party A maintains royal bloodline even after this marriage. However, Party A shall neither acquire nor exercise succession rights or political rights as royalty.
2. Party B shall be granted a non-hereditary honorary title approved by the royal house upon marriage, but said title shall not be accompanied by territory, legislative power, or authority to participate in state affairs.

Maintains royal bloodline…

Based on past precedents, Adeline should have been stripped of her royal status through this marriage as a matter of course. In fact, she had secretly hoped for that. She no longer wanted to be bound to the Rosenthal name.

She had never acquired or significantly exercised any official rights as a princess of Krauben. She thought it would be better to distance herself completely at this opportunity.

However, her uncle didn’t allow it. He maintained Adeline’s royal status while also whitewashing Kailen’s status. But there was no real authority. His title was just a shell, no different from what had been imposed on her.

Adeline slowly raised only her eyes to look across. Beneath his neatly arranged black hair, his straight forehead and handsome eyebrows were revealed, and blue eyes showed within his deep-set gaze. But none of it moved even slightly.

Watching for his reaction, Adeline felt both relief and bitterness when he showed no sign of disappointment or anger.

She already knew Kailen wasn’t a man who would want to be confined within such a framework, that he was a man of great boldness and capacity. 

However, at the fact that this was all she could give him, Adeline had to feel shabby even before him whom she was meeting after so long.

She lowered her gaze to hide her mournful expression.

“…”

Then, quickly moving past Article 4 regarding the dowry to the next page, Adeline’s breath caught and her lips parted.

…What? …Wh-what is this?

The black pupils at the center of her irises rimmed with gold slowly expanded. The expression “so dumbfounded no words would come out” was clearly meant for times like this.

Article 5

1. Party B shall provide the funds and assets listed in the appendix to this agreement (hereinafter “donated property”) within the designated period for the financial stability of the royal house and its affiliated institutions.
2. Party B shall bear responsibility for repayment and settlement of existing debts and payment obligations within the scope designated by the royal house (hereinafter “designated debts”) upon establishment of the marriage, and the specific scope, repayment schedule, collateral provision, and settlement method shall follow the appendix.
3. The designated debts in the preceding paragraph include loans, interest, penalties incurred before the establishment of marriage, and all additional costs arising therefrom in the future, and said designated debts shall permanently exist as Party B’s personal responsibility regardless of whether the marital relationship continues.

The word “unreasonable” was woefully inadequate. In every clause that followed, content that was unacceptable to Adeline’s eyes was packed densely line after line.

The two couldn’t dissolve the marriage without royal approval, and even if that relationship ended, the royal house bore no obligation to return or reimburse the donated property and debt repayment Kailen provided.

In other words, it meant Kailen alone should shoulder all losses incurred by the royal house.

At the shamelessly brazen contract, Adeline’s face gradually heated up. She was so embarrassed, so utterly embarrassed she truly wanted to bite her tongue.

Unable to even flip through the thick appendix, Adeline removed her hand from the paper. Her hands trembled, and her breathing quickened.

Is this what happens when a person gets agitated…

This document was clearly made for Kailen to see, yet she felt humiliated like she herself had been doused in filth.

A faint ringing buzzed in her ears. Only then did she realize the reception room had filled with deathly silence.

A suffocating, heavy stillness.

She barely broke that stifling air.

“…Please excuse us for a moment.”

Her clear voice asking for understanding didn’t waver at all, but the corners of her eyes holding large pupils trembled.

After exchanging glances with each other, they pushed back their chairs after brief hesitation. When the appointee stepped out first, the rest silently followed.

The reception room door closed with a dull thud.

“…”

After hesitating briefly, Adeline walked toward the window where Kailen had his back turned. 

When she stopped before the window where autumn sunlight seeped in, her soft blonde hair that had been carefully groomed since dawn absorbed the light.

Adeline raised her head. To look at Kailen. She thought not making eye contact while apologizing wasn’t sincere.

Kailen also turned his head slightly to follow her. He too, leaning against the backrest with one leg loosely extended, didn’t take his eyes off her.

“…Kailen.”

She hadn’t wanted him to be treated this way. She hadn’t decided on marriage with him for this.

Really, this wasn’t right.

Of course, she knew it would be unfair. That the prenuptial contract wouldn’t favor him, that he would take on a national project, and that financial losses would follow—she had anticipated to some degree.

But this…

There was no line at all.

Far from a transaction, it couldn’t even be called a contract.

It was simply shameless.

She thought for a long time about how to apologize, but ultimately couldn’t find the right words.

“…I’m sorry.”

When she bowed her head, her wavy curled hair swayed lightly along her delicate jawline. Adeline only repeated the same words again. Unable to embellish them.

“I’m sorry.”

While trembling with anger and shame, in truth, part of her felt the impulse to just close her eyes and sign.

That’s how much Adeline wanted to be bound to him. Wasn’t he her first love? Her first love she thought would never be fulfilled.

“Sorry, you say…”

He questioned back.

“Well, about what exactly?”

Adeline, who had been staring at his handsome eye-smile curving languidly, blinked once. It somehow seemed tinged with hostility.

“…”

Before she knew it, Adeline’s hand was caught in his large hand.

“Tell me.”

Keeping his gaze fixed, he brought his lips to her cold palm. Then he urged the delayed answer.

“Go on.”

His lips, holding a hint of laughter, vibrated finely.