Chapter 56: A Wise Wife

“…..”

The ground beneath her feet was firm, yet she felt as if it were swaying.

Damian had clearly said this when he agreed to the marriage:

He didn’t want love. He only wanted a wife in name—like a doll, nothing more.

‘Is it just possessiveness?’

That’s why she was confused.

Edelweiss clutched the area over her heart, where it throbbed violently.

If she let herself be dragged along like this, she would only end up at his mercy.

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

She deliberately feigned ignorance.

She was certain that if she responded to those words and asked what he meant, things would become dangerous.

If this continued, she felt their relationship would cross a point of no return.

Moreover, she didn’t want to waste her emotions by getting caught up in love.

What Edelweiss needed to focus on now was taking revenge on Rosemary and living up to the expectations of the Marquis and Marchioness of Blossomweaver—prospering the family.

‘I can’t stop my heart from racing, and I can’t help but lean on him without realizing it…’

But Damian was by no means an easy man. He was difficult.

And that made him even more frightening and intimidating.

She had once given her heart fully to Adolf, only to be discarded in an instant.

All because she had become infertile—deemed useless.

‘I know that Adolf and Damian are different people. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be abandoned again.’

There was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again.

The blue hue in Damian’s eyes was endlessly calm.

Yet it also looked dangerous—like a sea that could erupt into a violent storm at any moment.

“Are you going to run away again? Like last time.”

“…Your Highness.”

Edelweiss struggled to keep her face calm.

She felt her fingertips stiffen slightly, but quietly clenched and released them with her other hand.

So that this agitation wouldn’t be noticed by Damian—if by no one else, then at least not by him.

Not even the slightest movement should give it away.

“Please, keep your promise.”

“What promise?”

“You said not to expect a husband’s duties. That I didn’t need to assist you politically or try to become a real wife.”

For a moment, she thought she saw a fierce wave ripple through the depths of his blue eyes.

“To think you remember that word for word. Looks like I’ve got myself a very wise wife.”

“……”

Then, Damian laughed lowly, as if amused.

The sound of his voice, scratching at his throat, lingered for a while.

“Whether you understand or not doesn’t matter.”

A low voice burrowed deep into her ear.

“You know what? A snare tightens harder the more you struggle.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

From a sea just starting to stir, the hidden waves slowly began to rise.

“…Lady Shasha must be waiting, so I’ll go on ahead.”

Edelweiss turned to leave, deciding it was best not to engage with him any further.

If she kept facing Damian, she felt she’d be swallowed by his rising tide.

Damian didn’t follow her.

Rather, he moved more leisurely than before, as if deliberately giving her time to run.

Like a hunter who took perverse pleasure in toying with his prey before the hunt.

Damian was indeed both a hunter and a son of a b*tch.

Edelweiss picked up her pace toward Calliope Palace, exhaling in short, rapid breaths.

***

“Sis!”

Princess Charlotte, lying belly-down on the carpet playing with a baby parrot, quickly jumped up and hugged her.

“Sis, where did you leave my brother?”

“…Huh? Leave him?”

“He said he was going to bring you.”

“H-He’s on his way. He had something to take care of, so I came ahead.”

“Tch, you should’ve come together!”

Princess Charlotte puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms.

Edelweiss knelt down and gently fixed the disheveled hair atop her head.

The erratic pounding in her chest slowly began to calm with the soft scent of the princess.

“More importantly, what were you doing?”

“I was training Elba. I’m gonna make him a parrot that can do somersaults.”

Edelweiss was taken aback by Charlotte’s words.

‘No matter how much she trains it, parrots can’t do somersaults.’

But she couldn’t bring herself to crush Charlotte’s spirit as she locked eyes with the bird and kept chanting, “Turn! Please turn! I said turn!”

The baby parrot, seemingly annoyed, just pecked at its feed with quick little steps.

“Take this parrot back already. My head’s been pounding all day from hearing it being told to turn.”

Damian, who had leaned casually against the door at some point, spoke with a tone of displeasure.

“If your head hurts, go see the palace physician.”

“You really don’t care that I’m suffering from a headache because of you?”

“Too bad. What can I do? I can’t be sick for you, and I can’t fix it either! Elba!”

As Charlotte called its name, the baby parrot flapped its wings and flew over.

“See? A genius parrot for a genius owner.”

Looking very proud, she patted the seat next to her on the sofa.

“Sis, here! Sit next to me!”

Edelweiss smiled and sat to the left of Princess Charlotte.

The princess immediately grabbed her hand, as if to make sure she wouldn’t move.

At the same time, she tilted her chin toward the right—at Damian.

He simply stared at them for a moment, then quietly took a seat on Charlotte’s right.

“…Lady Shasha, is there a reason we have to sit like this?”

“Of course, I have my reasons.”

“Pfft…”

A mischievous giggle escaped.

Princess Charlotte covered her mouth, her shoulders bouncing with delight.

‘What is she planning…?’

Whatever it was, an uneasy feeling crept over her—

And just then, Princess Charlotte pulled Edelweiss’s hand.

At the same time, she grabbed Damian’s cravat with her other small hand and tugged him too.

Princess Charlotte slipped down beneath them in one swift motion.

“!”

In an instant, Edelweiss’s balance was lost.

Her body had nowhere to lean.

Before she could even think to back away or react—

A cool scent brushed past.

It was like a gentle sea breeze, yet also like a blade of cold air.

The moment she inhaled, the lingering scent soaked deep inside her.

“……!”

Their lips met at close distance.

A soft sensation brushed in the fleeting contact, and her body heated up.

Edelweiss forgot how to breathe.

It felt as if time in the room had frozen. Her entire body locked up.

Her mind went blank.

Even with her eyes wide open, her frozen body wouldn’t move.

No matter how she screamed inside to pull away, her body wouldn’t respond.

In the gaze that met hers, Damian’s blue eyes did not waver.

Only his brows lifted slightly.

Even that passed by lightly.

He seemed completely at ease.

Worse—he didn’t even pull away.

Edelweiss quickly recoiled and covered her lips with her hand.

Her heart felt like it was going to explode.

Damian still wore a calm expression.

As if nothing had happened, he casually wiped the red mark left on his lip with a finger.

…Ha.

The sight left Edelweiss completely speechless.

“Oops, sorry! It was an accident!”

Princess Charlotte winked with a voice full of laughter.

“Lady Shasha…”

Anyone could tell it was intentional, but with the princess laughing it off as a mistake, Edelweiss couldn’t say anything.

‘…I’m so hot.’

Her whole body was burning, as if her temperature had spiked.

She didn’t need a mirror to know her face was blazing red.

She was too embarrassed to even glance at Damian.

“Sis, if you’re hot, want to go for a walk with me?”

Princess Charlotte, who had caused this whole situation, acted as if nothing had happened.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your snack. The chef made tart with oranges today,” the head maid said, rolling in a tray.

The head maid glanced once between Edelweiss and Damian, biting her lip.