To exist as the Duchess of Descartes.

A marriage that probably brought him no joy, either.

Although she was well aware of this, her chest still tightened unpleasantly for some reason.

Yuis turned her head slightly and lowered her gaze to her feet.

The strong wine must have taken effect quickly, as her cheeks suddenly flushed.

Her mind grew hazy and her thoughts became confused.

When she fell silent, Edric spoke once more.

“I’m simply promising not to expect anything from you. All King Darec wanted was the marriage itself — the union that would bind our two nations.”

Duke Descartes was the epitome of a gentleman.

Although he must have disliked the arranged marriage as much as she did, he still showed her consideration.

She would now have to live with him for the rest of her life.

She was already deceiving him simply by being there, but she did not want to add another layer of deceit.

Since he believed her to be a princess, she felt that she should correct him.

The warmth she had received from the servants, the unease she had felt among Kalang’s fearful and scornful subjects, and her constant anxiety about being exposed all swirled together in her chest.

Lifting her gaze from her feet, she met his eyes.

But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to confess. She didn’t have the right.

Edric did not press her for an answer.

As if accepting her silence, he calmly poured himself another glass of wine and took a sip. Then he took another sip before setting the glass down.

“Our marriage is proof of peace between our two nations. I trust you understand that, my lady. I believe you will fulfil your role as Duchess of Descartes.”

He was right.

The important thing was that a woman from one of Darec’s most noble families had married Kalang’s sole duke — the emperor’s closest friend and most favoured subject.

“What exactly do you mean when you say I need only exist?”

She needed to know where the boundaries were, so she knew how to live without crossing them.

“It means you simply have to hold your place with dignity as the Duchess of Descartes.”

It was a difficult answer to digest.

Meanwhile, the alcohol was starting to take effect, heating Yuis face until it flushed.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she slowly closed her eyes.

“This is quite strong. Let’s stop here for tonight. We can talk again tomorrow.”

“But…”

The king’s aide would demand proof of blood-stained sheets from their wedding night the following day.

Knowing this, Yuis couldn’t help but try to stop him.

As she reached for him, Edric lowered his head towards hers.

He leaned in so close that his breath brushed her lips and his nose nearly grazed hers.

Startled, Yuis froze.

When Edric let out a quiet chuckle, she gripped the bedsheets tightly out of instinct.

“Everything required for this marriage, and everything that must be done, will proceed as expected. You need not worry.”

Sensing her continued unease, Edric calmly added.

“I mean that I’ll take care of it. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Yuis lowered her gaze and nodded slowly.

Edric walked around to the other side of the bed, got into bed and switched off the light.

Once he had closed his eyes, Yuis carefully slipped off her shawl and lay down beside him.

Click.

The light was off, and she shut her eyes, too.

‘If only falling asleep were as easy as turning off the light…’

The heat of his breath on her forehead had made her mind far too clear.

The echo of her pounding heartbeat still reverberated in her ears.

As she quietly inhaled and exhaled, she could hear the steady rhythm of breathing beside her.

Slowly opening her eyes, she found that she could now make out every corner of the familiar room; she had grown accustomed to the darkness over the past few days.

The large fireplace, the table with the gramophone, the small sculptures and the framed paintings scattered across the walls — everything in the bedroom clearly reflected the meticulous care that had gone into preparing it.

Her gaze, which had been moving around the room, finally landed on her husband, Edric Descartes.

Before she could react, their eyes met once again.

Yuis instantly shut her eyes.

‘One, two, three.’

As she counted silently to herself, she heard a faint, breathy chuckle.

She felt her eyelids tremble slightly, but kept her eyes tightly closed.

After a moment, she heard him shift and turn his back to her.

Only then did Yuis exhale quietly, allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

***

“You seem to be adjusting well, my lord.”

Noah’s voice remained steady as he delivered his report on the post-war negotiations with the Kingdom of Hetar and the ice-free port recently acquired by Kalang.

However, the final subject he raised was Edric’s wife, Yuis Johannes.

“Nevertheless, I believe it would be wise to conduct a more thorough investigation into the duchess.”

At this, Edric’s blue eyes, which had been fixed on the documents in front of him, narrowed slightly.

A faint line creased his brow.

Seeing his master’s response in his expression alone, Noah quietly lowered his head and continued.

“There is a possibility that the duchess may have no connection to House Johannes at all, Your Grace.”

The princess of Johannes was considered the noblest woman in Darec, a kingdom without a royal princess.

Naturally, Edric was well aware of Terian Johannes by name.

He already knew that Darec would never send her.

After all, hadn’t he killed the prince of Hetar, to whom she had once been betrothed?

When Edric addressed Yuis as ‘Princess’, it was simply to see how she would react.

She had clearly faltered at the word. It seemed that King Darec had chosen his bride solely for her appearance.

His ploy was laughably transparent.

But now, it seemed that the woman standing before him might not be remotely related to House Johannes.

For Darec’s foolish king, such a deception was entirely plausible.

No noble family would willingly offer their daughter in marriage to him.

This marriage was desperately needed for Darec.

“Shall we investigate her?”

At Noah’s cautious question, Edric shook his head. He couldn’t trust her completely, but to investigate one small woman? There was no need.

Watching his master furrow his brow in silence, Noah continued.

“I believe an investigation is necessary, Your Grace. You know well how much the southern kingdoms despise Kalang. She could be a spy. This marriage may simply be a means to keep someone close to you within the estate.”

The woman was nothing more than a tribute that Darec’s king had offered to Kalang.

“Even if she isn’t of House Johannes, nothing changes.”

The proof of consummation had already been sent. Nothing would change now. This should be enough to satisfy Darec’s king.

Kalang had no desire to continue the war any longer. Emperor Richard Ellenhower, who could rightfully be called the leader of Kalang’s golden age, now wished to focus on strengthening the empire from within—and Edric Descartes felt the same.

He no longer wished for slaughter and war.

The king of Darec, who had long aligned himself with Hetar and mocked Kalang, was now desperate to forge ties with them. Offering up a duchess and establishing peace under the guise of diplomacy wasn’t difficult for Kalang.

As his thoughts wandered, his mind briefly returned to the woman who had become his wife. And to that night.

Edric hadn’t given her any real thought until the moment she stepped into their shared bedroom. A woman from Darec had become his wife, and since Darec had demanded proof of the consummation, he assumed she would comply.
If she hadn’t wanted to, he wouldn’t have forced her. After all, it wouldn’t have been difficult to prepare a bloodstained sheet regardless.

While he waited to see how she would approach, he heard the faint rustling of thin fabric and soft footsteps drawing near.

Waves of black hair cascaded over her slender shoulders, and her graceful steps were fluid and light. Almost as if entranced, Edric greeted the woman as she cautiously approached.

“Welcome, my lady.”

As she stepped closer, the soft light illuminated her face in full.

Her hair was as black as the night sky, creating a striking contrast with her almost porcelain-white skin. Her soft violet eyes shimmered like gemstones, glistening with moisture.

Her cheeks were delicately pink and her lips were flushed a deeper red.

She exuded the uniquely pure and lovely aura typical of Darec women. Yet there was something oddly sorrowful about her that made her impossible to look away from.