Since the tea party, Edric had not mentioned Terian once. Nor had Yuis, despite having seen the two of them together in the conservatory.

“I see.”

After the tea party, during which she had made the mistake of leaving with Edric first, Terian had never sought her out again.

Only now did Yuis realise that Terian should have called for her as usual, trampling her pride and tormenting her.

However, she had been so preoccupied with the conversation in the conservatory and the reason why the two of them had needed to share tea alone that she had forgotten about the tea party itself entirely.

“Before Lady Terian returns to Darec, I should at least offer her some tea.”

“In the conservatory you love so much, my lady?”

At the mention of the conservatory, Yuis eyes widened as she looked up at Terian again.

Until now, Yuis Descartes had never made any demands of Edric, believing that she needed his permission for everything.

She spent her days eating, drinking tea, going for walks with her maid, and studying Kalang.

Aside from that one absurd request—

“May I have tea in the conservatory from time to time?”

— she had never asked him for anything else.

It was only after hearing a report from Isaac, one of the men Edric had assigned to guard her, that he understood the reason behind it.

“My lady saw you and Lady Terian Johannes having tea together in the conservatory.”

If it had bothered her that much, she could have just asked him. Edric considered explaining it to her for a moment, but ultimately chose not to.

What could he have said?

‘I know you’re Yuis Everett.’

‘I threatened Terian Johannes that I would kill her if she ever used that secret to torment you?’

Or that, as the master of the house, he simply wished to serve Lady Terian himself?

Neither of those answers would have made sense.

So Edric let Yuis continue to misunderstand. She didn’t seem too bothered by it anyway.

When he met her violet gaze, Edric found it surprisingly easy to erase Terian Johannes from his mind altogether.

“Yes, in the conservatory that I love so much.”

For a moment, Yuis saw Edric and Terian smiling together in the same spot.

But she quickly pushed the thought away and smiled.

The beautiful smiles of the Duke and Duchess Descartes captivated the entire banquet hall, setting the atmosphere alight.

***

As the banquet drew to a close, Yuis cheeks were flushed from the champagne she had drunk. She pressed the back of her hand against her heated cheeks in an attempt to cool them down, but her face still burned.

Some guests had already left. Perhaps it was safe for her to slip away now.

Doing her best to walk straight, Yuis made her way back towards the mansion. But her unsteady steps betrayed her efforts.

Silently, Edric followed her. She walked a few steps, clutching her small handbag tightly, then stopped to gaze up at the sky before continuing on again — an amusing sight that made Edric laugh softly.

After pausing several times, Yuis stumbled badly just as she tried to move again.

In an instant, Edric reached out and caught her by the waist.

“Hm?”
“Huh…?”

Her violet eyes were unfocused and glazed over as they wandered aimlessly across Edric’s face.

Clearly, she hadn’t realised who had caught her.

“If you can’t handle alcohol, you should at least know your limits.”

Taking her handbag, he guided her forward, his other arm firmly around her waist.

With every breath she took, her sweet scent mingled with the faint fragrance of alcohol, dangerously teasing his senses.

“Your Grace, my feet hurt…”

Her flushed cheeks, dazed eyes, and deep-blushed neckline betrayed her state. Letting out a quiet sigh, Edric bent down and lifted her into his arms.

Had she been sober, she would have panicked, but now she simply burrowed deeper into his embrace.

Effortlessly holding her light, delicate frame, Edric resumed walking. Each time her warm breath brushed against his neck, his body flinched involuntarily.

Cursing himself under his breath, he quickened his pace.

Upon seeing Edric carrying Yuis, the butler immediately led them to their bridal chambers.

Unlike their first night, which had been rushed due to the pressure of the King of Darec, the bedroom was far more beautifully decorated this time.

There was strawberry wine and amber-coloured brandy, as well as carefully selected appetisers to suit Yuis tastes. Not to mention the subtle scent of lilies that filled the room. Everything had been prepared to the liking of the mistress of the estate.

After laying her down on the bed, Edric poured himself a glass of brandy and drank it in one go.

Soon, he could hear her soft breathing as she fell asleep.

Letting out a faint chuckle, Edric stepped out onto the balcony and lit a cigarette.

He thought about the unexpectedly long kiss earlier, the woman who had fallen so easily into his arms, and how completely captivated he was by her.

As he stood there smoking, the cool breeze brushing against him, he lingered in thought for quite some time before returning to the room.

Yuis was now sitting up at the edge of the bed.

“Yuis.”

Yuis looked up at Edric when he called her over softly. He sat down beside her.

She hesitated for a moment, avoiding his gaze. This drew a silent sigh from Edric, who finally spoke.

“Speak, Yuis.”

Even then, Yuis remained quiet. It was only when he was almost at the end of his patience that she finally whispered softly.

“You didn’t want to marry me. I thought you would eventually cast me aside.”

The words she uttered were ones he hadn’t expected. A faint smile tugged at Edric’s lips as he looked her up and down.

“That’s why I’m both grateful and sorry.”

She was supposed to be the pawn discarded by the King of Darec and the House of Johannes — a girl far too gentle to take part in the schemes and deceptions they had planned.

Yuis Descartes lacked the courage and audacity to betray anyone.

Looking at the small woman, who had gathered every ounce of courage — fuelled by alcohol, perhaps — just to say those few words, Edric couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Reaching out, he pulled her face towards him and kissed her. When their brief kiss ended and his lips pulled away, Yuis’s long lashes fluttered open to reveal her violet eyes.

Her flushed eyes, reddened lips, and rosy cheeks made her look even more breathtaking.

Seeing her so disheveled, Edric’s gaze narrowed.

The King of Darec wanted to form a political alliance with Kalang.

However, the Duke of Johannes had no intention of sending his daughter to Kalang, and Lady Terian hated Yuis Everett so much that she would rather have been caught and executed than go herself.

It remained uncertain whether this woman would end up as a pawn of the House of Johannes or truly become the king’s wife.

However, judging by the desperate hostility that Terian Johannes displayed towards her, severing their connection wouldn’t be too difficult.

As various thoughts ran through his mind, Edric let out a quiet laugh, unable to hide his self-mockery.

Ultimately, all of this was just an excuse — a pretext for claiming the woman who had fallen into his arms while he was drunk.

The political marriage that had secured peace between their nations had already taken place. Edric had never lost anything that had fallen into his grasp.

Spies sent by enemy nations never left his camp without his permission — not so much as a strand of hair. This woman was no different.

Even if she was a pawn planted by House Johannes, she could never escape him. Not now. Ever.

And if she was already his, why should he hold himself back?

Yuis Descartes was now his wife. She belonged to him, so there was no reason not to claim her.

Edric smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Each time her wide eyes blinked, her long lashes cast delicate shadows across her cheeks — a beautiful sight.

He saw his reflection in her violet eyes and liked what he saw. Without hesitation, Edric leaned down and kissed her again.

Startled, Yuis stiffened instinctively, but as his tongue gently traced her lips, they parted slightly, giving him access.