Edric had only ever seen two women in his life: his mother, the former Duchess of Descartes, and Hailey, the Emperor’s fiancée. To him, she appeared small and fragile.

He let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

The King of Darec had certainly been deliberate in his choice. What exactly did he hope to gain by offering her hand in marriage?

After letting his gaze roam over her features, Edric met her violet eyes once again. She seemed slightly startled, but quickly regained her composure and greeted him elegantly in a soft, pleasant voice.

There was no trace of disdain in her expression. Her fingertips trembled with nervousness, probably unbeknownst to her, but she showed no fear towards him.

Yuis Johannes, the woman who would become his wife, was beautiful. Suppressing another bitter chuckle, Edric slowly lowered his gaze.

Even on tiptoes, her head didn’t quite reach his shoulder. Although her curves and the faint scent of roses clinging to her body were alluring, it was the sight of her slender, pale neck that briefly made him imagine kissing her and taking her clothes off.

Edric let out another quiet laugh at his reaction and cursed himself for being unable to tear his eyes away from her body, even though he had never intended to touch her.

He turned away and extinguished the light.

He refused to fall for Darec’s vulgar scheme.

After a while, he noticed the petite woman beside him shifting her gaze restlessly. Opening his eyes slightly, he watched her for a few moments until her violet eyes finally met his.

The moment their eyes met, her eyelashes trembled and she shut her eyes tightly, as though bracing herself for being hunted.

How amusing. She had come here of her own accord.

As Edric’s thoughts lingered on his wife, Noah quietly withdrew after finishing his report.

Once he had gone, Edric closed the documents and sank into deeper thought.

‘Did the woman truly come here under Darec’s king’s orders?’

Although Noah’s suspicions were reasonable, Edric couldn’t bring himself to agree.

The way the woman stiffened and struggled to breathe under his gaze, unable to sleep peacefully, suggested that she was acting — so convincingly that he would be fooled and applaud her performance.

Her dark hair, pale skin and small stature clearly displayed the typical features of Darec’s people.

Though he could not trust her, she posed no threat.

She was merely a trophy handed to him — nothing more, nothing less.

In fact, she might even be preferable to Princess Johannes or Hetar’s princess.

All Edric desired from his wife was a beautiful woman who would fulfil the role of Duchess of Descartes quietly and without question.

As long as she did so, he was willing to treat her with the dignity of a duchess.

Having reached this conclusion, Edric was finally able to stop thinking about her.

A cool, refreshing breeze blew in through the open window. The light purple curtains in the study billowed and fell in time with it, creating a quiet rhythm.

After watching them for a while, Edric returned to his documents and opened them once again.

***

Although he had said they would talk again after a night’s rest, Edric had left by the time Yuis woke up.

Glancing at the empty space beside her, she felt a strange sense of emptiness.

“My lady, may I come in?”

“Come in.”

Madam Gion, the head housekeeper of the estate, entered.

She approached quietly, straightening Yuis attire before lowering her head.

“Though Your Grace has yet to officially hold the wedding ceremony, everything has already been arranged. From now on, may I address you as ‘Madam’?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Having received Yuis’s reply, Madame Gion nodded and bowed politely.

“Then, Madam, I will prepare your bath.”

As Yuis immersed herself in the warm water, the tension from the previous night seemed to melt away. She kept her eyes closed throughout her bath, lost in thought.

Kalang had long reigned as a mighty power in the north. As her marriage to him had been arranged so quickly, she hadn’t had time to study him properly, so she decided to start by reading the nobility almanac.

Each noble house was listed alongside its head, crest, motto, and the marital status of each child.

There was only one ducal house: Descartes.

Edric had inherited the title at an early age and grown up as the emperor’s companion, accompanying him to many battlefields.

While Richard Ellenhower governed after succeeding the late emperor, Edric remained on the front lines, securing victory after victory.

As Laura carefully went over the information, tea and light refreshments were silently placed on the table. Yuis smiled warmly at Laura, who quietly placed them on the table and brought the teacup to her lips.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and a tall man entered.

He was the only person permitted to enter without her permission. Her husband, Edric Descartes.

He was impeccably dressed: his shirt was buttoned up to the collar, his tie was tied neatly, and he wore a brown vest over a jacket that fitted him perfectly.

Even his hair was slicked back neatly with pomade.

He stood there silently, gazing at her.

Once Laura had left, leaving the two of them alone, Edric began walking towards Yuis at a leisurely pace.

Yuis stared at him blankly until he tilted his head slightly and smiled faintly. At that moment, she snapped out of it.

“Ah…”

How foolish she must have looked!

Should she call his name?

But she hadn’t yet been given permission to do so.

Still, he was her husband — wasn’t it only natural to call him by his name?

Her thoughts were in disarray once again.

“My lady,”
he called softly, his deep voice reaching her.

“There’s something we didn’t finish discussing last night.”

The breeze from the open window carried his voice gently through the air — cool, soft and smooth.

“Yes—yes, of course.”

He unfastened the button on his jacket and stepped a little closer, extending his hand to her.

“Shall we take a walk?”

Yuis closed the noble almanac she had been reading, rose, and placed her hand in his.

His hand was large enough to completely engulf hers.

Edric gazed quietly at her small, pale hand resting in his before gently closing his fingers around it.

Then, like a steady stream, he led her forward.

The breeze was refreshing.

The well-tended garden, the rustling leaves and the soft murmur of the fountain all felt peaceful.

Everything except Yuis herself.

The sound of her heartbeat seemed to blend with the rustling leaves carried on the breeze.

The faint scent of him lingered on the breeze, the same scent that had teased her nostrils that night.

Unable to stop her thoughts returning to that night, her ears grew warm.

After walking at a slow, relaxed pace, Edric gradually stopped.

He led her towards a bench facing the fountain and finally spoke.

“Madam Gion will handle the wedding preparations.”

They say the wedding day belongs to the bride.

Glancing down at Yuis, who was fidgeting slightly in his grasp, Edric asked.

“Is there anything you would like?”

Yuis shook her head.

“Then I’ll proceed as I see fit.”

“What would you like me to do?”

Her innocent, violet eyes shimmered as she looked up at him.

Her moist, faintly red gaze sparkled like a gemstone.

Edric stared into her eyes for a long time.

Eventually, Yuis was the first to look away.

Only then did he answer.

“You need only exist as a symbol of peace between Kalang and Darec.”

It was the same answer as the night before.

‘I’m nothing more than a beautiful piece of trash.’

What was the difference between ‘existing’ and ‘doing nothing’?

That had been her purpose from the very beginning.

Suppressing her hollow sigh, she skilfully turned it into a graceful smile.

Seemingly satisfied, Edric also curved his lips into a faint smile.

***

Yuis and Edric’s marriage was unlike any ordinary marriage.

Fearing that Edric might change his mind, the King of Darec sent Yuis to accompany him on his return journey. Consequently, she arrived in Descartes before the wedding preparations were complete.

Although she was worried that people would mock the rushed nature of the marriage, Edric publicly acknowledged her as his duchess.

He allowed her to live in the ducal estate and ordered the servants to treat her as their mistress. Thus, Yuis was granted her place as Duchess of Descartes.

Every day, without fail, letters and gifts arrived from the nobles of Kalang.

She spent her mornings studying the nobility almanac and her afternoons drinking tea and writing replies to the many letters she had received.

In between, she attended dress fittings for her wedding gown, selected jewellery and wrote invitations for guests carefully chosen by Madame Gion.

Her days were filled with endless tasks.

Laura quietly brought the day’s letters, Yuis’ favourite tea and refreshments into her study before silently stepping away.

As Yuis sorted through the letters, her hand suddenly paused.

A familiar name had caught her eye.