“So you’ve finally invited me for tea! That’s quite unexpected. I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about me.”

The day after her wedding night, Yuis was in so much pain that she could barely walk. It wasn’t until the day Terian was due to leave that she was finally able to invite her over.

As Terian’s barbed words rang out, Yuis calmly lifted her teacup, hiding her unease behind a composed smile.

Until now, the Duke had demanded only one thing of her:

That she conduct herself with the grace and dignity befitting a duchess.

Yuis desperately wanted to fulfil that role. She wanted to protect the position she now held.

Facing Terian’s sharp gaze, she sat up straight and responded with a gentle, beautiful smile.

“I’ve been rather busy. I apologise if I seemed neglectful, especially after you made the long journey to Kalang, Lady Terian.”

She met Terian’s eyes directly, her back perfectly straight. Unlike the rumours spread among the noble daughters of Darec, Edric was not the type of man to mock or hit his wife in bed.

Instead, he had a far more insistent and patient intensity, which gave Yuis a strange sense of stability.

It was a secret comfort that she could never share with anyone. However, maintaining her composure in front of Terian was an entirely different challenge.

Still, Yuis forced herself to summon a calm, confident smile, picturing Edric himself — the perfect, composed predator.

“Ha… Yuis. You—”

“Lady Terian.”

Yuis cut her off, her voice calm but firm.

“Please be mindful of your words. I am the Duchess of Descartes.”

“What? Ha!”

Terian no longer bothered to hide her fury. Her face twisted with anger, as though she might lunge at Yuis at any moment. Yuis could hear her own heart pounding, but she quietly steadied her breathing.

‘It’s all right, Yuis.’

She silently comforted herself.

“I am now the only duchess in the Kalang Empire.”

The daughter of a noble family from the small Darec Kingdom could never reach her level again. Although this wasn’t the life she had wished for, Yuis knew she had to become someone worthy of her new position.

“How dare you…”

With no one else present, Terian unleashed her full rage, rising to her feet and charging towards Yuis.

But she didn’t get far.

Before she could take a step closer, she froze. A man had stepped between them, blocking her path.

She hadn’t seen where he had come from. When she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with Edric’s  aide— the same man who had travelled with her to Kalang.

He stood tall and proud in his smart, dignified uniform.

At the sight of him, Terian quickly masked her anger and forced a smile.

“How rude to barge in on our tea time! Do you have a reason for interrupting us?”

The handsome man with jet-black hair and cool grey eyes finally opened his mouth.

“Good afternoon, my lady. I am Major Isaac Lennox, aide to His Grace, the Duke of Descartes.”

‘A major at such a young age…’

As the Duke’s aide, he was clearly of noble birth and had probably earned his rank through his bravery in battle.

Still smiling, Terian gave a small nod.

“His Grace has also entrusted me with serving as the Duchess’s personal guard.”

Yuis eyes widened in surprise. If he was Edric’s aide, he must be very important to him.

“And you believe that gives you the right to intrude on our tea, Major?”

At Terian’s sharp words, Isaac only smiled and took a step back. After watching him for a moment, Terian shifted her gaze back to Yuis and stepped closer, whispering softly into her ear.

“Shall I tell him? Shall I tell him who you really are?”

Yuis remained silent. As if anticipating this, Terian smiled again and continued.

“Dismiss him. Immediately.”

Terian took a step back, her cold gaze locking onto Isaac. Her voice grew sharper as she snapped at him.

“Apologize to me, Major Lennox.”

Isaac remained silent, standing his ground between them. His refusal to move only fueled Terian’s irritation. She turned back to Yuis, her expression twisting with anger.

“Yuis, your husband’s aide, Major Isaac Lennox, has clearly shown me disrespect by barging into our private tea. Don’t you agree that he owes me an apology?”

Terian tilted her head and widened her eyes, looking genuinely curious, although her intentions were far from it.

Yuis lowered her gaze briefly before looking up again calmly.

“No, it is you who should apologise, Lady Terian.”

At this quiet defiance, Terian’s eyes flared with rage once more.

How dare she!

She couldn’t believe that Yuis Everett would dare to challenge her like this.

“What did you say?”

“You have insulted me — the Duchess of Descartes — and now you dare to insult a Kalang knight as well.”

For a moment, Terian let out a soft laugh, as though amused. But then her smile vanished, and she stepped closer to Yuis once again.

“Yes, don’t be delusional. Don’t you understand what it means for a woman from a small kingdom like Darec to become Kalang’s only duke’s wife?”

Yuis clenched her hands tightly. It was clear that Terian had no intention of leaving without delivering one final insult.

She had been quiet for some time, but ultimately she was determined to humiliate Yuis. But Yuis was no longer the woman she once was.

She was now the Duchess of Descartes. She had stood beside Edric at their wedding, which had been attended by many.

They had shared their wedding night, and now the wedding ring he had given her gleamed on her finger.

Although her marriage to Edric had been arranged by House Johannes, that did not mean she belonged to them. She was not bound to submit to their will.

She recalled Edric’s quiet words of encouragement to stand tall and be proud.

A spark lit up Yuis’s violet eyes.

“It seems you have no intention of apologising, Lady Terian. Then I shall take my leave. Major, let’s go.”

As Yuis turned to leave with Isaac, Terian quickly reached out to stop her.

“Fine. I’ll apologise. But only if we can speak privately.”

“That is not permitted. Without His Grace’s permission, I cannot leave Her Grace’s side.”

Isaac replied firmly. Terian shot him an irritated glare, making no attempt to hide her growing frustration. She stepped closer to Yuis and lowered her voice to a whisper beside her ear.

“Does that knight even know who you really are? That you’re nothing more than Everett — a mere maid pretending to be a noble?”

Terian was now trying to toy with both Yuis and Edric’s loyal aide.

Yuis could endure the insults thrown at her. But she could not allow Terian to mock the man who had stepped forward to protect her.

If Terian wanted to play this game, Yuis would see it through.

Isaac’s cool grey eyes remained focused solely on Yuis.

Meeting his gaze, Yuis softly spoke.

“Major, could you give us a moment?”

“My lady… Only for a short while.”

When Yuis turned her attention back to Terian, the latter smiled as if she had anticipated this outcome.

She then glanced at Isaac and offered him what seemed to be a polite apology.

“Major Isaac Lennox, I apologise. I was out of line.”

After bowing to Yuis, Isaac left the room.

The moment he had disappeared, Terian’s smile vanished, replaced by her usual venom.

“Impressive. I thought your talents were limited to scrubbing floors.”

Yuis remained calm in the face of provocation, saying nothing.

“But don’t pretend with me, Yuis. You may act like a duchess now, but I can drag you down whenever I choose.”

Terian watched Yuis standing there in silence, not answering, and smiled again.

Reaching out, she lightly touched Yuis’s cheek with her fingers and continued speaking.

“You understand, don’t you? Don’t forget that this place was originally mine….”

Fiddling with her cooled teacup, Terian offered Yuis a sweet, graceful smile.

Resting her chin on one hand, she watched as the lace and jewels decorating her hat swayed gently in the sunlight, shimmering softly.

Yuis quietly observed her, saying nothing.