As she reached the entrance to the hall, Baron Taleon, the head guard, looked at Elliope with a displeased expression and called out. She paused for a moment before entering the hall. Contrary to her expectation that there would be almost no one at the welcome banquet, there were surprisingly quite a few people present.

“You’ve just arrived?” 

“……” 

“Is it because you’re such a grand and expensive bride?”

It was none other than Theodor who was standing at his post. Elliophe’s expression stiffened for a moment before relaxing. Unlike her past life, his presence was unexpected, but the rest of his actions were not at all surprising.

“Oh my, Your Grace the Duke.” 

“How mischievous of you.” 

He had indeed brought his mistresses to the new bride’s welcome banquet. It was clear from his attitude that he had no intention of hiding his infidelity. 

“Ahem.”

Although the northern vassals were wary of the Imperial Princess’ gaze, none of them pointed out the Duke’s behaviour. Instead, they watched eagerly to see how the princess would react, or secretly enjoyed the insult she was suffering. Only the most timid and observant of them looked at the Duke and the Princess alternately with pale faces.

One of the Duke’s mistresses poured wine for Theodor. He raised his glass and looked at Elliope with an expression of displeasure. 

“I was wondering why it took you so long to get ready.” 

Elliope, who had been carefully dressed by Emma in one of her few gowns and jewels, looked rather plain for someone from the royal family. Eyes flew from every direction, judging her appearance.

As if sensing this, Kallian looked down at her quietly. Strangely, he seemed worried about her.

‘What an absurd thought.’

Could Theodor, who hates her and is trying to make her his wife, possibly have the capacity to consider her feelings?

Perhaps she would understand if she were still Theodor’s wife, enjoying the humiliation of his possession. But as Kallian subtly turned his body to block half of the others’ gazes, Elliope managed to hold back the sensation that rose in her throat. Theodor, watching, curled his lips into a smirk.

“Exactly. I suppose that style is in fashion in the capital these days.”

The mocking words came right back. Theodor finished his sentence with a short, tongue-twisting laugh. His mistresses standing beside him laughed too. Some of the women beside him were faces Elliope recognised.

“Oh, that’s not true.”

“It is true. You shouldn’t judge the whole by just one part.”

“The current trend is closer to the outfits we wear.”

Even the maids Elliope had brought along were positioned as if they were trying to seduce the Duke. As daughters of noble families, they could easily have attended the welcome banquet if Elliophe had allowed them to, but…

I don’t recall them asking my permission.

Nevertheless, the flirtatious voices continued.

“Does Her Highness the Princess really need to wear such an expensive and exquisite dress?”

“After all, she is a precious jewel of the royal family.”

“Exactly. A dirty expensive jewel. How much does she look down on her future husband?”

“I don’t think that was her intention.”

Elliope almost burst out laughing, like a sneeze, at the maid’s flattery of Theodor.

I would have preferred all of you to be Duchess instead of me.

She had never imagined that they would cast her aside to compete for the position of the Duke’s mistress.

As they continued to gossip about her, Theodor caught her eye, smiled mischievously and raised his glass. Then he deliberately held out his hand to the servants.

“Oh my, His Grace the Duke!”

Even Elliope’s maids, including Rayla, giggled as they subtly pressed their bodies against Theodor’s hand wrapped around their waists. Theodor smiled and replied.

“Are the young ladies from the capital enjoying themselves?”

“Your Grace’s favour is as wide as the sea.”

At this, Elliope felt no particular emotion. Of course, Duke Ilmos was a powerful frontier lord who could now rival the Imperial family in influence, so it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible that the maids would try to win his favour in the hope of securing their own futures.

It may be that they saw more advantage in aligning themselves with him than in serving a useless, sidelined princess.

Though openly flirting like that isn’t exactly the smartest move.

Her husband, the man who had once been hers, never devoted himself for long to any of his mistresses. Even if these servants were to become his, it’s easy to see how this would end.

At that moment, Rayla laughed and pressed even closer to Theodor. He seemed to enjoy the sensation, glancing down at the maids clinging to him before shifting his gaze to Elliope, studying her face intently.

“……”

Elliope knew that look all too well. It was the look he wore when he wanted to catch the moment she would break, when he wanted to savour that fleeting moment. A smile escaped her lips. Whether it was a smile born of disgust or amusement, she couldn’t tell, but if she had to choose, it was probably the latter.

Elliope tightened her grip on Kallian’s arm. He flinched for a moment, but then returned to his indifference. She fought the impulse to pull him into an embrace and kiss him. Theodor’s gaze no longer had the power to hurt her.

‘You are no longer my concern.’

Frankly, even if Theodor were to undress her maidservants and his mistresses and indulge in debauchery right here, she was prepared to watch with amusement, unlike before. After all, he had died doing such things in the past, so it would be even better if he met the same fate here and now.

And so she smiled.

“……”

Once again, a strange light emanated from her. The atmosphere that surrounded her like a radiant halo was so overwhelming that it made those who saw it not only awestruck, but also feel as if they were in the presence of divinity. Everyone who saw her smile at that moment froze.

Seizing the moment, Elliope decided to tell him right then and there: 

‘I will not marry you.’ 

It was not yet true that her virginity had been taken, but whether it was true or not was no longer important.

A strange light emanated from her once more, enveloping her in an aura so radiant that it left onlookers in awe, even giving them a sense of divinity. Everyone who saw her smile at that moment froze.

Emboldened, Elliope decided to tell him right then and there: 

I will never be your wife. 

Even if the claim that her purity had been stolen wasn’t true yet, it didn’t matter whether it was true or false.

In the end, it was far more important that Kallian had agreed with her. Even if he didn’t love her, the fact that he was attracted to her body and agreed to her proposal was enough. 

What more does a marriage need? 

Given her miserable previous marriage, she really didn’t care about anything else. 

“His Grace the Duke.”

Elliope began to speak. 

“You’ve ruined my drink.” 

Crash! 

A sharp, violent sound ripped through the room. Theodor had suddenly thrown the glass he was holding. 

For a moment it felt as if cold water had been poured over the room. Silence fell and the strong smell of alcohol filled the air. Even his merrily chatting mistresses and Elliope’s servants froze. 

“It seems I must be a laughing stock to you.” 

Apparently, the mere fact that Elliope had smiled and begun to speak was enough to wound Theodor’s inflated pride. He stormed off in a huff. 

“Your Grace, the Duke?” 

“Your Grace!” 

His long cloak flared dramatically as he turned, sweeping through the spilled wine on the floor. The force of his movement sent shards of broken glass flying in all directions, causing those nearby to recoil in alarm and scramble to avoid them. 

Everyone’s eyes turned to Kallian, as if looking for guidance or resolution. It was well known that Kallian was the only one who could calm or advise Theodor when he acted like this. 

Elliope had once believed the same. She had thought that without Kallian there would be no one to keep Theodor in line. 

And so, out of habit, she stepped back, released Kallian and retreated. 

“……” 

In the end, the fact that Kallian had agreed was far more significant. Even if he did not love her, the fact that he was physically attracted to her and had accepted her proposal was enough. 

‘What more does it take to become a married couple?’ 

Considering her miserable previous marriage, to be honest, nothing else really mattered. 

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke.” 

It was the moment Elliope opened her mouth to speak. 

“The wine has lost its flavour.” 

Crash! 

A sharp, explosive sound tore through the room. Theodor had suddenly thrown the glass he was holding. 

In an instant, it felt as if cold water had been poured over everyone, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. The pungent smell of alcohol permeated the air. Even his mistresses, who had been chatting merrily, and Elliope’s maids froze.

“It seems I must look like a complete fool.” 

Apparently, the mere act of Elliope smiling and opening her mouth had been enough to deeply offend Theodor’s delicate pride. He stormed off in a rage. 

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke?” 

“Your Grace!” 

His long cloak swirled dramatically as he moved, sweeping up the spilled wine on the floor. The shards of broken glass scattered in all directions with his powerful gesture, causing those nearby to flinch and step back in alarm. 

All eyes turned to Kallian, who was visibly shaken. It was common knowledge among those present that Kallian was the only person capable of calming or reasoning with Theodor when he acted like this. 

Elliope herself had once believed the same – that no one but Kallian could control Theodor. And so, out of habit, she stepped aside and made way for Kallian, withdrawing from the scene. 

“…” 

In the next moment, she realised that she didn’t really need to worry about Theodor, since she didn’t like him. Still, she didn’t reach for his arm again. 

Kallian, who was walking at a leisurely pace as if he did not want to move at all, looked at her briefly before finally following Theodor. 

“Ahem, ahem!” 

“Well, this dish is especially excellent!” 

The remaining guests, sensing the awkwardness, began laughing and chatting amongst themselves, trying to change the mood. Even Rayla and Elliope’s maids, pale from the earlier tension, whispered to each other as they discreetly left the room. 

Elliope walked out of the hall without a second thought. The looks that followed her didn’t bother her – if they weren’t Kallian’s, they didn’t mean anything. 

She already knew the way, so it wasn’t difficult to find her way back to the bedroom in the annex alone, without an escort.

“Your Highness?” 

Emma was surprised to see Elliope return so quickly, as if she had just left. Elliope looked at her calmly and said.

“You went through all the trouble of dressing me up, but it was all for nothing. What a shame.”

“Please don’t say that. But…” 

Emma’s expression revealed her curiosity, for she clearly wanted to ask what had happened in the hall, having not been there herself. But when Elliope remained silent, Emma refrained from prying any further. That was something Elliope appreciated in her. 

Finally, Elliope let her guard down and sat down in the hard chair by the window, her posture slumped and her clothes slightly dishevelled. Only then did the mental exhaustion and tension that had been relentlessly haunting her begin to take its toll, dragging her into a haze of fatigue. 

‘I won’t marry someone like you.’ 

The words she couldn’t bring herself to say lingered in her throat, stuck and unspoken. Even as she dozed off, Elliope absentmindedly rubbed the ring finger of her left hand, the spot where Kallian had once touched it. 

* * * 

Without even lying down properly, she drifted off into a hazy dream. 

The Duke’s great bedchamber, where Theodor often pampered his mistresses, was now eerily empty. Elliope was the only one there, standing against the wall in nothing but her flimsy underwear. The chill in the air was biting. Somewhere nearby, a sound like the hissing of a snake echoed softly. 

Snake. 

The door opened. Elliope lifted her head, her gaze suggesting she already knew who was about to enter. 

Bang! 

Before she could see the figure clearly, a loud noise ripped her out of the dream and dragged her violently back to reality, as if pulled out of the water. 

“It’s time, Your Highness.” 

The door to the annex opened without the slightest courtesy. 

Led by Rayla, her maids entered with heads held high and stepped briskly into the room.