The cold and secretive circumstances surrounding the newlyweds remained hidden as a few days passed.

Hilda, looking regretful, returned to her estate, leaving Dana feeling lonely. However, a welcome guest arrived for Dana. It was Noah, the bald monk who had been visiting Eluan Castle regularly since Dana had come to Khalid. Noah still sported her characteristically short-cropped hair and wore her worn monk’s robe.

“I heard you got married. Congratulations. May you enjoy a blessed marriage with Vican’s blessings.”

“Thank you. I wish I could have invited you to the wedding; it’s a pity.”

“I didn’t even get to properly congratulate you on becoming an adult. Time flies, doesn’t it?”

Noah, who was on a silent pilgrimage and couldn’t stay in one place for long, would reside at Eluan Castle to study ancient materials before moving on to other locations. She repeated this cycle, visiting nearby monasteries and then returning to Eluan Castle.

By now, she was familiar with this routine, unpacking in the room prepared for her at Eluan Castle and heading straight to the library. It was Dana who came to see Noah directly.

Standing in front of the tall bookshelves in the library, Noah spoke.

“As I mentioned before, I’m reading this diary.”

The thick book in Noah’s gloved hand was presumed to be one of the diaries of Daischultz. Although there were many diaries left by Daischultz, most had already been studied. Through them, knowledge about ancient times and the Divine Beasts was known.

However, a few books had different handwriting and resembled notebooks more than diaries, so it was uncertain if Daischultz was the author, and they had merely been preserved. Noah had postponed interpreting these notebooks for some time. Yet, with little progress made, she finally decided to examine these records.

Of course, there hadn’t been a complete lack of results over the past three years. There were some unexpected findings, but they weren’t immediately necessary.

“Is there anything useful in it?”

In response to Dana’s question, Noah flipped through the pages of the notebook and replied.

“The beginning of this book is a jumble about the types of Divine Beasts. The Rowen Kingdom already has a summary of the types and characteristics of Divine Beasts, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. There’s a record of the names and traits of Divine Beasts, and it’s updated whenever the Rowen royals make a new contract with one.”

Keeping her gaze on the book, Noah said, “This book classifies the Divine Beasts a bit differently. For example, the Divine Beast Bazesus, which the first king Daischultz contracted with, is described here as ‘Attacker Bazesus.’ It seems like they tried to categorize the beasts according to their abilities and roles.”

With a rustle, the pages turned. Noah pointed out a section to Dana with her finger.

“Here. This is ‘Recorder Pirite.’ Pirite is the Divine Beast that records history, isn’t it?”

Dana nodded, thinking, ‘What about Yentamien?’

Yentamien was a Divine Beast whose abilities and characteristics were unknown according to the remaining materials in the Rowen Kingdom. However, in Daischultz’s diary, its name was listed among the very first of the Divine Beasts. Alongside it was Bazesus, the Divine Beast contracted by Daischultz, indicating it was a top-tier Divine Beast comparable to the king’s own.

“Is there any mention of a Divine Beast named Yentamien?”

“I haven’t seen it yet. If it comes up, I’ll let you know. I’ll also organize the decipherable parts for you. So far, there’s nothing particularly new.”

“Alright.”

Dana nodded. Noah closed the book with a thud and asked, “So, how’s married life? Should a new bride be spending such a fine day in this gloomy library?”

Dana laughed at Noah’s question. “The new groom is busy.”

Noah chuckled and said, “He’s a knight, right? Summer must be tough. Wearing that armor and helmet isn’t easy in the heat.”

Dana Rowen gazed out the window. Though it was early summer and the weather felt cool compared to the south, the sun shone brightly, casting a white sheen over the leaves of the plants. As Noah had mentioned, it might already feel hot for the knights clad in heavy, stifling armor and she could imagine how uncomfortable it must be.

Dana turned back to Noah, who was still holding the thick diary. “It’s true. The knights have been training hard, even in this weather. I suppose it’s part of their duty.”

Noah nodded, understanding the dedication required. “Indeed, duty often demands much from us, regardless of the conditions.”

Dana smiled, appreciating Noah’s insight. “And how about you? Will you be staying long this time?”

“I plan to stay for a while,” Noah replied. “There’s still much to learn from these texts, and I find the atmosphere here quite conducive to study.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Your visits always bring a sense of peace to Eluan Castle.”

Noah gave a small, appreciative nod. “Thank you, Dana. It’s always a pleasure to be here.”

With that, they continued their discussion, exchanging thoughts on the ancient texts and the mysteries they hoped to uncover, while the sun continued to cast its warm glow over Eluan Castle.

She had something to discuss with Kaiden, and it seemed like the right opportunity had arrived.

That morning, Dana had learned from Mrs. Moyer, the head maid, about the servants’ curiosity regarding the Duke and Duchess’s chilly relationship, which went beyond merely sleeping in separate rooms. Even though the servants tried to be discreet, it was impossible to completely suppress their curiosity.

The newlywed Duke and Duchess, who should have been enjoying their honeymoon, not only refrained from sharing a bedroom at night but also avoided seeing each other during the day.

In fact, when Dana asked for her opinion, Mrs. Moyer, the head maid, agreed that the Duke and Duchess’s cold newlywed life seemed excessively strange.

This marriage had come about because Dana had passionately wanted it. Yet, it was understandable that people found it odd that they were living separately and not even facing each other after getting married.

‘Honestly, even I didn’t expect it to be this extreme.’

Not only did they not share a bed, but Dana truly hadn’t anticipated that they would have no chance to even see each other.

It made sense, though, because Kaiden, with his ingrained habits as a knight, left early in the morning, and Dana got up later than him. Naturally, their meal times didn’t align. As a married couple, if they at least shared a bedroom at night, they would have some time to see each other, but even that was impossible for them.

As a result, from an outsider’s perspective, the two of them seemed to be living in this large castle, sharing only the surname Khalid, and otherwise living completely separate lives like strangers.

‘I don’t think this is right.’

Even if they couldn’t become a true couple, Dana thought they should at least spend time together, see each other, and engage in friendly conversations.

Just like other ordinary noble couples who came together out of necessity and conditions, they should at least show that they were maintaining a relationship where they interacted appropriately and observed the courtesies of being a married couple. Discussions and communication would be necessary for governing Khalid in the future, making this even more important.

‘Political partners, or perhaps friends. That kind of relationship.’

Above all, if things continued like this, no matter how much they tried to keep the servants and knights quiet, word about their frozen relationship would likely reach Taras. Taras wouldn’t fail to find it strange that Dana had insisted on the marriage only for it to turn out like this. Dana felt the need to discuss this issue with Kaiden.

‘Might as well, since it’s come to this.’

Today, she decided to go and talk to him. With that thought, Dana stood up from her seat.