“Your Majesty! Are you unwell?”

“…Don’t worry, Lady McDowell. It’s just a little dizziness. The audience ceremony will take quite some time, and it seems it’s a bit much for me to handle alone. What should I do…?”

Fabiola’s gaze shifted languidly to Astrid and stayed there. As the experienced head lady-in-waiting, Lady McDowell quickly grasped what the queen wanted.

“Your Grace, the Grand Duchess of Cliff, may I ask for your assistance? Her Majesty is feeling unwell, and your presence would greatly help stabilize her spirits. Would you kindly oblige?”

“…Assist her? What could I possibly do? I’m sure Lady McDowell can manage just fine.”

All Astrid wanted was to leave the audience chamber as quickly as possible. She couldn’t shake the suspicion that Fabiola had laid some trap to lure her here.

Despite Astrid’s veiled refusal, Fabiola’s smile didn’t falter. She clearly didn’t care whether Astrid agreed willingly or not.

“Simply standing by my side will suffice, Grand Duchess. As my sister and a member of the royal family, it’s both your right and duty. Serving the queen is surely your foremost obligation, is it not?”

“….”

In the current royal hierarchy, the queen stood above all other women, followed by the crown princess, and then Astrid, the Grand Duchess of Cliff. Beyond their familial ties, they were bound by the feudal system. Fabiola’s words, technically, were not wrong. Refusing wasn’t an option.

“It would be my honor to serve, Your Majesty.”

Astrid bent her knee slightly in a polite curtsy. Fabiola’s radiant smile widened in response. For the next three grueling hours of the audience ceremony, Astrid had to stand by Fabiola’s side.

Not once did Fabiola offer her a seat or refreshment. She treated Astrid like an invisible shadow.

Even so, Astrid forced herself to relax her tense expression and muster a smile. But as the ceremony dragged on past the three-hour mark, it became harder and harder to endure.

Determined not to falter, Astrid straightened her trembling legs and held her back er*ect. She was standing here as the Grand Duchess of Cliff. She refused to be reduced to a mere spectacle.

‘I would’ve been content never to see her again. Still, we won’t cross paths often. The capital and Cliff are far apart…’

That was her only solace. Fabiola would remain in the royal palace, and Astrid would stay in Cliff. They could live their separate lives.

Even if they met once or twice a year, Astrid could endure such petty malice. Enduring pain was a skill she had long mastered.

Astrid resolved to think productively rather than waste her energy on futile thoughts. Her focus shifted to the recent success of mass-producing “Cliff’s Tears” and the implications of exporting it.

“If we secure export channels, not only will the income of the fief’s residents increase, but we can also reinvest the profits into charitable projects. Building schools is especially urgent. I need to support orphans and the families of fallen knights. What else…?”

No matter the conversations exchanged in the audience chamber, Astrid’s mind was entirely occupied with Cliff’s matters. Her face grew tense as she calculated various scenarios, a detail that did not escape the notice of those around her.

“Goodness, look at the Grand Duchess’s expression. She seems so serious, doesn’t she?”

“Indeed. I heard they’re cousins, but they don’t seem to get along well.”

“You didn’t know? The Grand Duchess wasn’t in a favorable position in the Bowell family, especially since this isn’t her first marriage.”

“My, is that true? The poor grand duke, marrying a widow…”

“Speaking of which, the queen is younger than I expected, but her manners and grace are impeccable.”

“Exactly. Preparing personalized letters and gifts for each guest? How kind she is.”

“But look at the Grand Duchess’s expression… Could she disapprove of the queen?”

“Beauty alone doesn’t suffice. Standing next to the queen with her radiant smile makes even the Grand Duchess’s striking looks seem dim, doesn’t it, Lady?”

The hushed voices, scattered laughter, and shallow curiosity mixed with veiled disdain and casual malice drifted to Astrid’s ears, like the faint melody of string instruments.

She had forgotten these kinds of whispered criticisms while living in Cliff, but they were far from unfamiliar. Instead of letting it affect her, Astrid lifted the corners of her lips into a deliberate smile.

Anyone who met her gaze promptly closed their mouths or averted their eyes, feigning disinterest.

‘…Is it almost over? It feels like it should be wrapping up.’

Her gaze swept over the heads of the crowd, toward the reception room door. She fervently hoped it would remain shut. All she wanted now was to leave the hall and rest.

‘I hope no one else enters. This is enough…’

As she silently wished for reprieve, the herald’s booming announcement shattered her thoughts.

“His Grace, Caleb Lionel, Grand Duke of Cliff, has arrived!”

The words reverberated in her ears, and for a moment, Astrid felt dizzy.

“Caleb has returned?”

Every night, she had clasped her hands in prayer for his safe return. But this was not how she had envisioned their reunion. Something was off. It had to be a ploy by Fabiola to unsettle her. She briefly entertained the thought.

‘No, that’s impossible. There’s been no word. Even Elkan’s letter last week didn’t mention his return.’

Yet her heart betrayed her, pounding uncontrollably as if in rebellion. Blood surged through her veins, stirring excitement and tension in equal measure.

The steady sound of boots crossing the reception room commanded her full attention.

A tall figure strode in, his black hair brushing his shoulders, his rugged face marred by a prominent scar. Beneath the weathered exterior, his deep, dark eyes held an intensity that seemed even sharper than before.

It was a face she had longed to see.

Familiar yet unfamiliar, it unmistakably belonged to Caleb Lionel, Grand Duke of Cliff—her husband.

‘Caleb, why did you come without notice?’

Their gazes locked briefly, an electric connection binding them in silence.

However, Caleb’s focus quickly shifted away from her. He walked directly to Fabiola, bowing with a knight’s decorum.

“Caleb Lionel, Grand Duke of Cliff, reporting my return from the monster subjugation. Greetings to Her Majesty, the new queen.”

‘My, Grand Duke!’

Fabiola’s eyes scanned the rugged yet striking man kneeling before her. Once her betrothed, Caleb now exuded a primal masculinity far removed from the young man she once knew. Compared to the frail King of Croatan, Caleb was a paragon of vitality.

But regret was fleeting.

‘He couldn’t have brought me to this position.’

Content with her current choice, Fabiola smiled graciously and extended her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grand Duke.”

Caleb paused, gazing at her outstretched hand. Instead of taking it, he offered a curt bow, politely but firmly rejecting the gesture.

A faint crease appeared on Fabiola’s flawless brow, but Caleb paid it no heed.

“Please forgive my unkempt appearance. I came straight from the battlefield.”

His tone was courteous but devoid of warmth. Without sparing another glance at Fabiola, Caleb’s gaze shifted past her to Astrid, who stood silently behind.

“My lady.”

Without hesitation, Caleb extended his large, calloused hand to Astrid. Despite the scars, his hand retained an air of refinement, a testament to his command of the sword.

Seeing the hand offered to her, Astrid felt her heart lurch violently. Instead of taking it, she pressed both hands against her chest, trying to steady its frantic rhythm.

If she didn’t, it felt as if her heart might burst from her chest.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Your Grace.”

Caleb’s face momentarily tightened in irritation. Her distant demeanor and refusal to take his hand clearly displeased him.

As Caleb furrowed his brow, Astrid unconsciously stepped toward him, as though spellbound.

In her heart, she had already run to him and grasped his outstretched hand, but her body did not cooperate.

“…Ah!”

The moment she moved her foot, her legs, weakened from standing for too long, almost gave way, causing her to nearly collapse awkwardly. However, that mishap did not happen. Astrid found herself securely caught in Caleb’s strong arms.

“…Caleb.”

It wasn’t until Astrid murmured his name faintly, almost inaudibly, that the wrinkles on Caleb’s forehead began to ease.

“Ahem. Grand Duke, how did you…”

She tried to maintain formal decorum given the public setting, but it wasn’t easy. Above all, she worried that Caleb might notice how her face was growing unbearably hot. That was her greatest concern.

The source of her discomfort was the solid, warm hand wrapped around her waist and their unnervingly close proximity. Whatever her role as grand duchess entailed, all Astrid wanted was to escape the situation immediately.

“I was summoned by His Majesty and have returned. I also intended to pay respects to the new queen. And since my grand duchess is here, we’ll return to the estate together and talk there.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

Though his tone was formal, Caleb’s gaze never left Astrid. He scrutinized her small face thoroughly before finally releasing his hold on her waist. The absence of his firm, steadying touch left her with an inexplicable sense of loss.

Pretending nothing was amiss, Astrid composed herself and walked in step with Caleb as he led her. She tried to appear unaffected, but the frantic pounding of her heart echoed through the fingertips that held his hand. She was flustered, but more than that, she felt a deep sense of relief that he had returned safely. It was a moment she had long awaited, almost like a dream.

‘…Thank goodness you made it back unharmed.’

Their reunion was unexpected. But no matter the reason, the fact that he had returned safely was enough to fill her with gratitude.

It had been two years since she last saw her husband. Astrid discreetly stole a glance at Caleb’s profile as he walked beside her.

‘For some reason… he feels distant.’

They had never spent an extended period together before, so perhaps her feelings were natural. Still, Astrid couldn’t shake the awkwardness that lingered. There was a faint ache in her chest.

‘Everyone is watching. I can’t speak casually to him like before, mess up his hair, or act as freely as I used to. This is how it should be. I know that. But still…’

At that moment, Astrid didn’t realize that what she was feeling was disappointment. It was only the beginning of a string of emotions she would endure endlessly after this day.