“Indeed. After all, I was forced into an arranged marriage under duress.”

Icarus had already set a date for the upcoming wedding at the chapel next week. He had even sent out invitations to the same nobles and guests who had been invited the first time.

“Ertel, since our little charade is over, let’s not be hypocritical about this.”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. All you have to do is live and die as a beautiful doll. In return, your father and your family will enjoy prosperity for the rest of their lives.”

So, nothing had changed.

His plan for her to die remained intact.

“I have a question for you, Ertel.”

Icarus asked as he cut into his meat with a knife.

“Why don’t you resent your father?”

If she hated her father, she wouldn’t have needed to fall into his hands like this.

“How can you still have affection for someone who neither protected you nor lived with you?”

“…….”

“Is it simply because of blood ties?”

“It’s not just that.”

“Then what is it?”

At his question, Ertel lowered her head briefly.

In her previous life, the vision of her parents shown by the god Kaiya had deeply moved her.

She had seen how deeply her father had loved her mother, and she had been swept up in that emotion.

The image of her parents was tender and beautiful.

‘After I was born, my parents’ lives were shattered.’

Her mother, who had died because of her, and her father, who had wept in anguish—those memories were etched deeply into Ertel’s heart.

Just thinking about it made her eyes well up with tears.

‘No, don’t cry in front of this man.’

Ertel composed herself and suppressed her emotions. Soon, her eyes regained their sharpness.

“I don’t see why I need to explain that to you.”

“…….”

“I have a question for you, too.”

Icarus crossed his arms and gestured with his chin, a thoroughly arrogant gesture, as if daring her to ask.

“Why are you insisting on holding another wedding? You could just keep me here and do as you please. Why go through the trouble of treating me as the Duchess?”

“…….”

“Is it because your pride was hurt when I ruined your honorable wedding?”

“It’s not just that.”

“Then why?”

Looking at Icarus’s cold smile sent chills down her spine.

“I’ll keep that to myself.”

“Ha….”

“You kept your secrets, so I’ll keep mine.”

A brief silence fell between them. In truth, Icarus had a different question he wanted to ask her.

“When did you know?”

“…….”

“When did you realize the truth?”

When had she become aware of her tragic fate?

Ertel’s eyes wavered slightly.

A storm of emotions swirled in her chest, filling the room with tension.

She wanted to deliver a psychological blow to him.

Taking her time, she slowly opened her mouth.

“In the Yukai Forest….”

“……!”

At the unexpected mention of that place, Icarus’s eyebrows twitched noticeably.

“Before I even met you.”

Ertel enunciated each word deliberately, staring directly into Icarus’s eyes.

Though he showed no outward reaction, the knife in his hand trembled slightly.

Underneath his slowly blinking eyelids, countless emotions churned.

It was supposed to have been a beautiful memory of their first meeting.

‘She knew my schemes from the start?’

That meant she had known everything and had still pretended to fall for him.

“…Is that true?”

To Icarus, that day in the Yukai Forest had been a meticulously planned seduction.

[Are you gathering firewood here, my lady?]

He had approached her carefully, hiding his claws like a predator. He had visited her lonely cabin every day, showing her kindness to win her over.

[Would you like to come live in my mansion?]

When she followed him willingly, he had never doubted her. He had believed that she had fully accepted the love he had showered on her.

Now, her unexpected confession felt like betrayal.

Even though he had no right to feel betrayed, he couldn’t suppress the emotions surging within him.

‘Damn it.’

He had thought her smiles, so bright and radiant, were genuine. He had believed she had completely fallen for him.

It was devastating.

From the beginning, she had been holding a knife behind her back.

She had known he would come for her.

‘Could she…?’

He began to suspect that she might even know he had killed her adopted mother, Anna Leslie.

Only now did he understand why she had pointed a knife at his throat during the wedding.

It explained why she could forgive her father.

Because she knew everything, the hatred that should have been directed at Adin had ultimately turned toward Icarus himself.

The puzzle pieces finally fit together, and Icarus felt a sharp pain in his head.

‘This won’t be easy.’

She might act obediently on the surface, but she would undoubtedly try to kill him again.

It was clear.

Her resolute gaze told him as much.

‘Ertel has no intention of dying quietly for me.’

For a moment, a flicker of turmoil crossed Icarus’s face.

It felt as though countless invisible hands were tightening around his throat.

Despite the suffocating pressure, one thing remained unyielding—his determination to proceed with this marriage.

Even in this situation, he couldn’t quite understand his own desire to push forward with the wedding.

Perhaps it was because marriage was the best means to achieve his goals while avoiding public scrutiny.

Before the atmosphere could grow more hostile, Icarus raised his wine glass.

“Let’s stop with the heavy talk and have some wine.”

“Fine.”

They clinked their glasses in a toast.

Ertel, feeling the heat of her frustration, downed her glass in one go and wiped her lips.

She had one more thing to clarify with Icarus.

“There’s no need for us to share a bedroom, is there? Not after all this.”

“……?”

“I have no desire to sleep beside a husband who will eventually kill me.”

Before the wedding, they had shared a bed as if it were natural.

Even if it had been purely for appearances, Ertel had spent many nights in his arms. Icarus had unconsciously held her shoulder as they slept.

Even though she had known his love was a lie, those moments had felt warm and comforting.

But now, she didn’t want to feel that comfort anymore.

“Hmm. Ertel, if we sleep in separate rooms, the household staff might grow suspicious. Are you okay with that?”

“We can come up with an excuse.”

“An excuse…?”

“Something like, you snore too loudly, or I have terrible sleep habits. There are plenty of explanations.”

“That’s not impossible.”

Icarus’s shaken gaze regained some clarity.

For some reason, he felt a lingering sense of regret.

Even though everything seemed to be going in his favor, a strange ache lingered in his chest.

The faint trace of a smile disappeared from Icarus’s face, replaced by a heavy gloom.

With only one year and eight months left until the unification of the empire, he should have been excited and elated.

Instead, he felt strangely desolate.

“Fine. Let’s do that. I’ll grant you that much freedom.”

‘The freedom not to share a bed with you.’

>><<

The second wedding between Ertel and Icarus proceeded smoothly.

The decorations, which had been elaborate before, were now even more extravagant, and more guests attended this time.

Amidst everyone’s congratulations, Ertel and Icarus completed their wedding without incident.

The news came as a surprise to the people at the royal palace.

Rumors that the woman had abandoned the Duke of Juan or that it was a loveless marriage disappeared entirely.

The nobles who had mocked Icarus for being abandoned right after marriage began watching him cautiously again.

Even the king attended their wedding once more, only to be struck by the sight of Ertel’s radiant smile.

‘That’s not a fake smile.’

Back in his chambers, Pedro couldn’t hide his trembling legs.

The captain of the knights quickly stepped in to support him.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“It doesn’t make sense. She actually became the Duchess.”

“Well, I never trusted her completely, so I’m not that surprised. Please, compose yourself.”

“Did you see her? Ertel looked like nothing had happened. She even wore a wedding dress identical to the one from before and gazed at Icarus with such loving eyes.”

“Perhaps it was all just an act. We can’t know for sure.”

“She didn’t even draw a knife this time. What on earth is going on…?”

Pedro felt utterly lost.

He had assumed Icarus must have coerced her into returning.

But if that were true, Ertel seemed far too calm.

Watching them publicly kiss again had been an excruciating ordeal.

“Your Majesty, you must regain your composure.”

“I was certain Ertel had no intention of going back to Icarus….”

The more he thought about it, the more he denied reality.

Seeing her become another man’s wife in front of the world was deeply painful.

‘She’s now truly and officially the Duchess.’