The high priest did not back down. His thick eyelids trembled as he fiercely confronted Lutz.

“If dark magic truly resides in Your Highness’s body, this marriage cannot proceed.”

“This marriage is practically a tribute from the defeated Sarr to Trycas. Are you suggesting we avoid responsibility for the war?”

Varsel, standing a few steps away, waved his hands.

“That’s a misunderstanding! High priest, why are you making such an absurd claim!”

“It will only take a moment. Sprinkling the tears of Nushka on His Highness will reveal the truth immediately.”

And in an instant, it happened.

Before anyone could stop him, the clear liquid splashed onto Lutz.

A moment of suffocating silence stretched the air taut.

Lutz’s dark eyes flashed intensely. Like a drawn bowstring, it seemed he might shoot through the air and pierce the high priest’s heart.

Hinael gaped at the high priest’s rude behavior, praying fervently that Lutz would hold back just this once.

Ignoring her internal plea, the high priest wet his hand again and splashed more liquid.

“When holy water meets dark energy, soot will rise.”

He watched intently, fully expecting a reaction. Hinael wanted to gag the high priest, fearing all her efforts might be undone.

Terrified of returning to square one, she trembled, and Lutz, sensing her emotions through their joined arms, sighed. He rubbed his forehead, suppressing his temper.

“If there’s no soot or whatever, will the high priest take responsibility for his words?”

“I have served Nushka faithfully all my life. Since receiving His divine power, I have never made a mistake.”

The high priest’s eyes were resolute.

His firmness made everyone, including Hinael, doubt Lutz, believing he was under dark influence.

Lutz’s grip on the almoner tightened. He then defiantly stepped forward, as if daring the high priest to try again.

The distance between them was barely a span. Lutz glared down at the old man’s head, as if he was ready to crush it.

“You must take responsibility. Because…”

Lutz’s lips curled into a crooked smile as he stepped back, revealing his arm.

“There’s no reaction at all.”

It was true. There wasn’t even a faint trace of soot.

The high priest, pale with disbelief, shook his head.

“I must try again. I will verify it!”

As he prepared to sprinkle more holy water, Lutz snatched the jar.

“I can’t stand this humiliation any longer. Your Majesty, please conclude the ceremony quickly.”

“Yes, yes. High priest, what are you waiting for!”

Forcibly handing the jar back to the high priest, Lutz brushed off his ceremonial robe in annoyance. The holy water splattered around from his irritated gestures.

The atmosphere in the temple chilled as if it was doused with ice water due to the high priest’s grave mistake.

The high priest, nearly fainting, reluctantly stepped back but did not apologize to Lutz. He still seemed fixated on the dark magic.

In the tense atmosphere, the willow bark binding Hinael and Lutz fell away.

The high priest, dazed, barely continued the ceremony.

He took the bark to the altar, placed it in the censer, and burned it. Then, scattering the ashes into the air, he declared the couple married.

‘Phew… It’s finally over.’

Hinael let out a deep breath, feeling the weight lift off her chest. The intense situation had made her feel like her heart might burst.

Now that peace was restored, she felt like dancing. She was grateful to Lutz for enduring Chetter and the high priest’s provocations.

She later learned that Lutz hadn’t just endured.

Instead of overlooking the high priest’s rudeness, he had demanded more tribute.

Unable to punish the high priest, who was closely tied to the nobility, Varsel had loaded 500,000 gold coins into a carriage for Lutz. It was enough to supply his troops with food for a year.

* * *

Seeing Lutz’s fierce expression as he exited the temple, Evan knew something unpleasant had happened inside.

Though Lutz had always tried to maintain decorum as the envoy representative, despite his anger, today was different. He barely acknowledged the King and Queen and didn’t exchange a word with his new bride.

As soon as Lutz left, Evan rushed to him.

“Your Highness, what happened?”

“We’re leaving Sarr today.”

“T-Today? But surely not today…”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“…Understood.”

Lutz’s demeanor was so intimidating that Evan couldn’t argue.

Evan glanced at Hinael, who couldn’t take her eyes off Lutz’s retreating figure.

‘Did they have a fight?’

But Hinael didn’t seem capable of such a confrontation.

Was it something the King said…?

What could have happened to make the groom leave his bride on such an important day?

Deciding he’d find out soon enough, Evan refrained from further questioning.

Inside the West Palace office, Evan drew the curtains, knowing the bright sunlight would irritate Lutz further.

As he cautiously prepared to serve water, Lutz suddenly ripped off the buttons fastening his ceremonial robe and threw them to the floor. The mantle slipped off his shoulders, and he kicked it aside.

“Y-Your Highness…”

Blood dripped from Lutz’s thumb, possibly injured while tearing the mantle. Evan hurriedly wrapped it with a silk handkerchief.

“Did you just hurt yourself?”

“No.”

“Let me take a closer look.”

“Leave me alone.”

Lutz pushed Evan’s hand away and collapsed onto the sofa, ruffling his hair.

Unable to calm down, he sighed heavily several times.

In such moments, it was best to stay silent and wait for instructions.

After fuming for a while, Lutz finally spoke.

“The damn old man figured it out.”

“The old man… Do you mean His Majesty?”

“No, the high priest.”

“What did he figure out?”

Lutz, now calmer, turned his hand to show his palm. Blood had pooled on his thumb.

“My condition.”

“What… What did you just say?”

Evan’s sharp eyes widened with alarm.

“Didn’t you manage it well? The almoner. You’re wearing the almoner, right?”

“Of course. He’s a servant of the gods, so his ability to detect impure auras was quite impressive.”

Lutz continued, roughly wiping the drying blood.

“If I hadn’t directly absorbed the energy by stabbing the magic stone, I wouldn’t have been able to hide it.”

“Sigh…”

Evan’s face showed both relief and frustration.

The Trycas Empire was a country that had adapted to and settled in the harsh northern environment.

Long ago, during the process of subjugating the monsters that appeared, the Trycas royal family was cursed. Few knew the true nature of the legend passed down through generations.

Evan knelt, examining Lutz’s pale complexion with concern.

“Your Highness. The secret of the imperial family must never be exposed.”

Lutz leaned languidly against the backrest, shaking his hand that had been pricked by the magic stone.

“Don’t worry. I’m not that careless. Anyway, we need to leave today.”

Lutz’s speech was already becoming sluggish, as if he were drunk. His eyes were drooping, and it seemed like he would fall into a deep sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Evan bombarded him with questions to handle the situation.

“Shouldn’t you meet with His Majesty the King before we leave?”

“Do you think I can go like this? Make up an excuse.”

“What about the Princess, or rather, the Princess Consort?”

“Sigh… Evan Renov.”

He called Evan by his full name when pointing out incompetence. Evan flinched and immediately responded.

“Understood. I’ll take care of that as well.”

“Good. The envoy…”

“The envoy?”

“The envoy…”

Lutz couldn’t finish his sentence. His eyelids drooped as if weighted down.

* * *

The message came that they would leave Sarr tomorrow.

But we just had the wedding today…

Hinael stared blankly at the paper stamped with the Prince’s seal.

“I knew we were leaving soon, but this is too fast.”

“Indeed. It’s very sudden.”

They had been busy for days preparing for the wedding. Whenever she had free time, she tried to spend as much of it as possible with her mother.

But there was still something she hadn’t done.

She had planned to build a friendship with Mie, but now it seemed like it would end without even starting.

“Dea, I need to meet Mie quickly.”

“Right. You were supposed to have tea time, weren’t you? I’ll prepare some refreshments immediately.”

“Send someone to inform Mie first.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She felt a sense of urgency.

Luckily, she had already prepared a gift for Mie.

Since Prince Viant’s marriage had to be completed first, Chetter and Mie were still not officially together. She could talk to Mie before she went to the Count’s estate, so it wasn’t the worst situation.

Thinking it was too early to be disappointed, Hinael opened the drawer of her vanity and took out a glass bottle.

‘I went outside the palace alone, even ditching Dea to get this. But… I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.’

It was the perfume she had used in her first life to win Chetter’s favor.

Thinking about how his affection for her waned just months after their marriage still made her feel bitter.

She had even used a perfume with virgin ingredients to try to win back Chetter’s heart, which had been stolen by Isabel.

In hindsight, her efforts seemed pitiful.

‘But it did work.’

On the days she bathed in that perfume, he didn’t go to Isabel but spent the night with her.

Of course, Mie and Hinael’s situations were different.

Mie might never receive Chetter’s love, or she might be abandoned later due to his change of heart, just like Hinael.

Ideally, Mie wouldn’t get involved with Chetter at all, but that was beyond Hinael’s control.

It was also ridiculous to try to prevent Chetter from being interested in Mie. She wasn’t in a position to do that.

‘How could I stop it when they’re going to be married? And I’m leaving Sarr tomorrow.’

Wouldn’t it be better to help Mie receive Chetter’s love?

Hinael knew how miserable and painful it was to see the indifferent eyes of a husband whose affection had cooled. If Mie could capture Chetter’s heart now, she could prevent him from straying.