Unlike Etia’s monotonous days, Derek’s were anything but.

After their walk together, the two shared meals a few times and toured the castle grounds, but those peaceful moments passed all too briefly.

Cracks began forming in what should have been a quiet winter.

“What’s the damage situation in the village?”

“Fortunately, word spread quickly, so there were no casualties. We evacuated all residents from areas closest to the Land of Fire and strengthened security around the perimeter.”

“However, restaurants and butcher shops were destroyed, and we’re still cleaning up. It definitely seems like an attack targeting food.”

In the meeting room next to the training grounds, knights gathered for a heated discussion about last night’s attack. Among them sat Derek, his expression grave.

“If they’re after food anyway, wouldn’t it be better to prepare and deliver it ourselves? Before more damage occurs?”

“They’re beasts. Highly intelligent monsters don’t leave the Land of Fire, and the rest, even if they have some intelligence, aren’t capable of negotiating with humans. They might realize there’s food in human villages and attack even more.”

Monsters that should have been hibernating through winter had unexpectedly awakened and were causing havoc.

With temperatures already dropping, grass and trees withered, and other monsters either hibernating or less active from the cold, the awakened monsters couldn’t find prey. Naturally starving, they targeted human villages to survive.

Fortunately, Sylvester Territory always maintained vigilance toward the Land of Fire, so the situation was quickly contained. However, everyone struggled to understand the situation itself. 

Monsters suddenly waking from hibernation en masse was unprecedented.

The Land of Fire was a mysterious space inhabited only by monsters, but after Derek inherited the territory, the damage they caused had significantly decreased. That didn’t mean it disappeared entirely. This incident was quite large-scale.

People praised Derek seeing the more livable Sylvester Territory, but Derek found it unwelcome. It just added more burdens to his shoulders.

Moreover, the state of monsters living in the Land of Fire was concerning. Unexpected incidents kept increasing.

“After scaring them once, they don’t seem to be coming down anymore. Watching and waiting seems best.”

“Still, we can’t let our guard down. We’ve been monitoring the Land of Fire continuously, but haven’t all our predictions these past few years been wrong?”

“Obviously I’m not planning to be complacent. Even if we pay more, station soldiers densely. Report anything even slightly suspicious—don’t just let it pass. Keep the ground from freezing.”

“Yes. Understood.”

The hastily begun meeting ended just as hastily. As soon as it concluded, Derek watched the knights clean up and return to their positions like second nature, then strode toward the main castle himself.

After requesting servants prepare bath water, he entered his room, removed his armor, and changed into lighter clothes. 

Since he’d bathe quickly and leave again anyway, he organized things near the bathroom, then sat down holding his longsword to maintain it. Just then, he encountered Etia entering the room.

“Are you just getting back?”

“I’ll bathe and leave again immediately.”

“Without eating?”

“I grabbed something. Thanks for thinking of it.”

Etia, returning after reading in the library, paused briefly seeing Derek in the room, then entered. Simultaneously, she felt somewhat puzzled. It was still shortly after lunch—much earlier than Derek usually returned.

When she asked out of curiosity, Derek answered half-heartedly, like his mind was elsewhere. 

Seeing him, Etia felt certain he’d returned briefly during a busy period. She just hesitated whether to ask why.

Etia reluctantly moved to sit carefully on the sofa near the fireplace, observing him. Watching him maintain a greatsword that seemed taller than herself, she thought this must be no ordinary matter.

“Did something major happen in the territory?”

After deliberating, Etia finally asked carefully. Then he, having sheathed his sword again, looked back at Etia with a slight frown.

“It’s nothing serious.”

“…”

“I might be late tonight, so sleep first.”

However, as Etia expected, the answer returned was disappointingly hollow. Moreover, his words to sleep first made Etia laugh bitterly. They’d never shared the same bed since he returned from the campaign, yet he told her to sleep first. Too absurd.

Etia nodded, struggling to hide her disappointment. Then he headed straight for the bathroom. 

Etia stared blankly at the door opening and closing, then turned her head back to watch the burning logs. The crackling flames seemed particularly alien today.

For a few days after returning from their walk together, they’d truly seemed like an ordinary couple. All they did was eat together and talk, but each small thing felt new to Etia. She’d thought if they continued like this, she could live decently even in this harsh North.

But that time was truly short. Derek grew busy again and became cold like before. He didn’t share his work with Etia, simply hoping she’d enjoy a comfortable, peaceful life.

Etia was grateful at first, but dissatisfaction accumulated over time. Even if she couldn’t help him, couldn’t they at least share what he was doing? But Derek, unaware of Etia’s thoughts, always kept her at arm’s length.

No matter how much she buried herself in the library reading every book with determination, she gained nothing. 

Books in Sylvester’s and Valere’s libraries were mostly similar with unchanged content. The only difference was slightly more material about monsters since this place was closer to the Land of Fire.

Etia’s expectation that this winter might differ slightly from the past two years was completely wrong. Rather, this winter was even more torturous than the previous two years.

Derek, who hadn’t promised a future, still hadn’t mentioned divorce afterward. Not expecting him to get this busy, Etia felt so frustrated and angry she regretted not asking him about divorce before. 

She tried conversing with him several times, but he had even less time than when the Crown Prince was present.

Around then, Etia thought Derek was deliberately tormenting her. He couldn’t be unaware that women faced greater losses initiating divorce. Moreover, keeping divorce in mind without demanding it made no sense unless he intended to torment her.

So Etia kept seeking him out, but seeing his face proved difficult. Then today she finally encountered him by chance, only to hear he’d leave again after bathing. Etia was flabbergasted.

Now she needed to find a wizard, not a lawyer. She wanted to look inside that man’s head somehow. She wanted to shout in his ear asking what he was thinking, whether he planned to torment her to death.

“My lady. Aren’t you cold?”

Staring blankly at the burning logs, Etia encountered Derek again, now in thin clothes after bathing. Looking up at his voice calling her, steam rose from his body where cold air met heat.

Derek was slightly surprised seeing Etia awake, having thought she’d be sleeping. He needlessly adjusted his clothes again. Though thin material, the dark-colored tunic gave him strange relief.

However, lost in thought, Etia didn’t care what Derek worried about. And instead of answering, a sudden thought occurred.

“Can you take me too?”

If this man was busy, she should follow him instead.

“Where do you mean?”

“Where you’re going. I want to go together.”

She had no intention of interfering with his work, but surely being nearby would create even brief moments. Better to properly ask the man then, Etia thought. 

She found this stagnant situation unbearable. Whether divorce or not, reaching some conclusion would be more comfortable.

“I’m going to the border now. It’s not somewhere you should accompany me.”

“Am I in the way? If so, I won’t be noticeable. I’ll really stay quiet.”

“That’s not the problem. The border faces the Land of Fire directly. It’s too dangerous.”

However, him going to the border now was completely unexpected. Though flustered, Etia tried not to show it while repeatedly requesting to go along. But Derek seemed unwilling to yield on this, firmly opposing with quite a frightening expression.

Etia quickly closed her mouth, thinking further words wouldn’t get what she wanted. A silent standoff of mutual staring continued, and Etia’s mood grew somewhat gloomy.

Then when exactly could they have a proper conversation? 

Belated regret washed over her for not asking in detail that day they walked together. Along with anger toward this man who made her bring up “divorce” with her own mouth.

“Then at least tell me what’s happening. Is there a problem at the border?”

Ultimately, Etia was the one who backed down. An outsider knowing nothing about this land couldn’t possibly win against Derek, who governed this territory. Though Etia disliked that fact, she lacked the strength to push further.

But this time too, Derek didn’t give her a detailed explanation.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about. Please rest comfortably.”

When another formulaic answer returned, Etia just turned her head away. As the deadlock continued, she could only choose familiar resignation.

Derek seemed unaware. That drawing lines like that appeared to mean he was considering divorce. That the more he did so, the more powerless she became, unwilling to make any effort. 

Derek didn’t know Etia didn’t want at all to just sit quietly and rest comfortably in the castle.

Just like Etia couldn’t grasp whether she wanted divorce or not, she couldn’t grasp Derek’s attitude either. What he wanted from her, what he was thinking—Etia truly wanted to know now.

‘Should I really find a mage?’

The gap between them only deepened, knowing nothing about each other.