***

On the last day of their honeymoon, the sound of raindrops tapping against the window grew louder. Leaning against the bed’s headboard, Yuis gazed outside, her violet eyes dimming slightly.

After lingering on the empty space beside her on the bed for a moment, she slowly rose and stepped out onto the balcony.

The fierce roar of the rain filled her ears as soon as she opened the tightly shut door.

‘I hadn’t expected it to rain this hard…’

She stood there, staring blankly at the sheets of rain pouring down like a mad torrent.

Just then, a shawl was gently draped over her shoulders.

“The rain’s made it quite cold.”

A familiar, low, and cool voice reached her at the same time.

Turning around, she saw Edric standing there. The damp hems of his trousers and the ends of his hair spoke of the harsh weather outside.

His brows furrowed slightly as his gaze fell upon Yuis, standing there in a thin, sleeveless negligee.

“It seems we’ll have to postpone the trip to the cliff.”

Today was the day Yuis had looked forward to most during their honeymoon. It was the only day Edric had completely cleared his schedule for her.

‘Would it be selfish to hope for more?’

Despite her cautious hesitation, the unpolished desire slipped out softly from between her lips.

“…Even from afar—would that not be possible?”

Tilting his head slightly, Edric met her violet eyes.

Dr. Hans had advised him to ensure that Yuis’s body and mind were not strained.

In this torrential rain, taking her to the cliff would be too much. Besides which, a Kalang man would never put his woman in danger.

After gazing deeply into her jewel-like eyes, Edric finally spoke.

“Next time.’”

Yuis looked at him pleadingly at his firm refusal.

After a moment of silent consideration, Edric offered a compromise:

“If you wish, we can stay here a few more days.”

Yuis tilted her head slightly, not quite understanding what he meant. Without offering any further explanation, he motioned towards the inside of the suite.

Following him, she stepped into the dining area, where a pot of warm tea had been placed on the table.

It was the same tea she had often enjoyed at the estate.

She sat down opposite him, added two cubes of sugar and a splash of milk to her tea and took a few sips to warm her throat. It was only then that she realised she had been trembling slightly.

“If you’d like, you can stay a few extra days. You could visit the cliffs with your maid while you’re here.”

Once he was sure that she had settled into her seat and started drinking her tea, Edric spoke again.

‘So that’s what he meant.’

Setting down her teacup, Yuis gave him a small nod.

Trying not to reveal her disappointment, Yuis cautiously lifted her gaze towards Edric. Her eyes fell on his suitcase, which was already packed and ready to go, just beyond where he was sitting, sipping his dark, unsweetened coffee.

She didn’t want to be left behind on their honeymoon, becoming a wife whose husband had already returned home.

She had wanted to visit the cliffs in the first place because Edric had once told her with confidence that she would love them.

Of course, the thought of bumping into someone who knew her still made her uneasy, but being with Edric made her feel as though everything would be fine.

As the last day of their honeymoon approached, she felt a mixture of quiet anxiety and growing anticipation.

Lowering her gaze to the teacup she was holding, Yuis finally responded to Edric’s suggestion in a soft, careful voice.

“No… I’ll come back with you.”

As expected, this honeymoon had meant little to him.

In truth, it had only been slotted into his schedule amid post-war negotiations with Hetar.

She had known that from the beginning, yet his words continued to echo in her ears: how he had chosen Hetar for their honeymoon because he thought she would like the cliffs there.

‘He must have only said it to please me…’

And yet, those words wouldn’t stop lingering in her mind.

Edric quietly studied Yuis as she answered in a small, hesitant voice.

‘She would’ve surely loved the cliffs.’

Although he felt some regret, there was no time to delay the schedule any further. He had already sent word that he would stop by Darec to discuss business.

His gaze followed the soft shadows cast by her eyelashes whenever her violet eyes flickered beneath her pale, translucent complexion.

‘It might be a good idea to go back to Hetar once things have settled down. Then we can visit the cliffs together when she has nowhere else to go, she can’t say no and she fully understands where she belongs.’

Once Edric had paid the bill, Yuis finally looked up and met his gaze. Her small, pink lips parted as though she had made up her mind.

“How should we let everyone know that the Duke and Duchess of Descartes enjoyed a lovely honeymoon?”

In response to her daring question, Edric let out a soft, uncontrollable chuckle.

“There’s no need to worry about that. I imagine photos of the Duke of Kalang carrying his fallen duchess back to the hotel are already filling the tabloids in Kalang, Hetar and Darec.”

Despite her earlier resolve, Yuis’s gaze quickly dropped to her teacup.

‘So that’s what it was.’

Images of the Duke carefully carrying his injured wife through the rain and spending time with her, despite his busy schedule, would probably create a favourable public image.

To Darec, she was a symbol of peace, representing the hope that war could be avoided.

To Kalang, however, she was just someone expected to fulfil the role of duchess.

His words were a harsh reminder that she could not reveal that she was not actually a member of the Johannes bloodline.

Yuis held the teacup to her lips and took a small sip, but the sweet, soothing taste of the tea barely registered on her tongue.

“I see. I’m glad, then, that it’s one less thing you need to worry about.”

She managed to force out a smooth response, but immediately afterwards, she lowered the cup and her gaze fell, her expression hardening.

Preparations for their return to Haneder Estate were completed quickly. Since Edric had already finished packing, they promptly boarded the waiting carriage outside the hotel.

They soon arrived at the station in Hetar’s capital and crossed the platform swiftly. As the train sounded its whistle and began to depart, Yuis gazed out at the passing scenery, her violet eyes tinged with deep regret.

***

After their brief honeymoon, Edric told Yuis over dinner that he would soon have to leave the estate.

Yuis nodded and looked at him silently. Edric let out a faint sigh and spoke again.

“There’s something I need to take care of in Darec.”

What followed was not so easily received, however.

Yuis carefully set down her cutlery, her fingers trembling slightly. She reached for her water glass and took a sip to steady herself.

“Is it all right if I don’t come with you?”

What she truly wished for was for him to say, ‘Come with me.’

She had no way of knowing who Edric might meet in Darec, or what conversations might take place.

If she let him go alone, she knew she would spend every moment until his return consumed by anxiety.

‘What if he runs into Princess Johannes, who still has feelings for him? What if he meets Jérôme Remy when I’m not there?’

Countless unwanted images spun through her mind, growing darker with each passing moment. Her face, already pale, turned even more ashen.

Noticing her ghostly complexion, Edric also set down his cutlery and tried to soothe her.

“There’s no need for you to come. I’ll be back soon, so just rest while I’m gone.”

Yuis could only nod in response to his gentle yet firm refusal. She raised a faint smile in response to his raised eyebrow, then quietly picked up her cutlery again.

From then on, only the soft clinking of cutlery could be heard, breaking the heavy silence in the dining hall.