But now things were a bit different. Somehow, she couldn’t escape the stories servants told about her—and about her and the lord together.

“What if he suddenly demands a divorce?”

And so Etia, who originally hadn’t wanted to maintain this marriage, began worrying that Derek might demand a divorce first. 

Belatedly, she grew afraid of how her family would react after a divorce. Even without testing the waters, it was obvious she’d face severe criticism from not only her father but her siblings as well.

Etia suddenly recalled the day she’d first officially met Derek.

“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Valère. I’m Derek Sylvester.”

Though the meeting had been arranged without any input from her, Etia had tried her best to smile and make a good impression to avoid disgracing her family. 

But in contrast, Derek’s expression had been as cold as the northern chill itself. The first impression couldn’t have been good.

“Is the tea not to your liking?”

“Not at all. The fragrance is lovely.”

“Ah… yes.”

Even during their few subsequent meetings, Derek’s attitude never changed. Still cold, sharp, and indifferent. That was all Etia could discern about Derek’s personality.

Which only reinforced her belief that he’d been forced into this marriage. 

If Sylvester Territory hadn’t been so barren, if there were no monsters, if there hadn’t been food shortages because of them—would he have accepted this marriage? 

Etia didn’t think so. 

Both Derek and Count Neiden had agreed to this marriage because everyone benefited from it. 

The only reason Count Neiden, who looked down on Sylvester, took the lord of the North as his son-in-law was purely for profit.

Sylvester Territory, close to the Land of Fire, faced monster battles more frequently than the interior regions. From the monsters they killed, they could obtain hides, bones, and magic stones, which Sylvester traded to fund the territory.

However, unlike magic stones, the bulky monster hides and bones cost more to transport than they were worth. 

Because trading within Sylvester Territory was difficult due to its proximity to the Land of Fire, they had no choice but to dispose of everything except the magic stones. 

Count Neiden had agreed to shoulder that burden and broker trade with other nations in exchange for a share of the profits.

But Etia didn’t think her father had been satisfied with just that. Compared to the income from Valère Territory, buying and selling monster bones and hides was pocket change.

So Etia figured that gaining military power was more beneficial to Count Neiden than money. 

If battles with monsters ever broke out in the interior, Sylvester would dispatch troops to help Valère Territory. 

Beyond that, Sylvester had also promised to act as an ally in any armed conflicts arising from trade with other nations.

Etia guessed this marriage had been arranged because of those terms. Since Count Neiden had proudly discussed this despite essentially selling his daughter, Etia thought her guess was correct.

But even that was coming to an end now. Thanks to Derek’s achievements, monsters were now rare within the Empire. Surely within a few years, Sylvester would be able to trade freely like other territories. The food problem would slowly resolve itself too. 

Which meant Derek no longer had any reason to maintain this marriage. A father-in-law who looked down on Sylvester would surely be distasteful from Derek’s perspective as well.

That’s why Etia felt anxious. She had no assets of her own, so if she suddenly got divorced and her family refused to take her back, she might end up on the streets.

Even if their mutual interests had ended, Etia couldn’t tell whether her father, who valued noble honor above all else, would accept a divorce graciously. 

Based on everything she’d observed about her father from birth until now, the evidence only strengthened her belief that he wouldn’t. So if Derek demanded a divorce tomorrow, Etia herself would suffer the greater damage.

The country where Etia was born and raised made divorce easy for men. They could demand divorce anytime over a woman’s chastity or succession issues, and women had no right to refuse. 

But not for women. 

Women could only have their divorce requests accepted and finalized if they had clear justification and evidence that priests could understand and accept.

Even then, many cases weren’t even filed with the temple due to insufficient evidence. Even when women lived through violence. So Etia’s anxiety was perhaps natural.

“I need to look into ways to get alimony.”

But even that anxiety didn’t last long. If the man demanded divorce, she had no choice but to accept it. In that case, finding a way to live after divorce was the most realistic option for now. 

So rather than pointless worry, Etia kept busy—no less than Derek—searching through law books and secretly meeting with lawyers.

But during all that time, Derek never demanded a divorce. Two months had already passed since he returned from the campaign.

“You asked for me?”

And after two months, he summoned Etia.

“People will be coming from the Imperial Palace. They’re coming to inspect the territory, so I’d like you to prepare to receive them.”

“…Pardon?”

“I imagine it’ll be difficult since it’s your first time. I’ve informed the head steward and head maid, so please prepare with them.”

Etia had naturally assumed he would demand a divorce. They’d barely exchanged any conversation beyond greetings during this time, making them no different from strangers, so she’d thought that was all that remained to discuss.

It wouldn’t have been strange. 

The terms exchanged between the two families had been fully given and received over two years, and since Derek hadn’t wanted this marriage either, there was no reason to maintain it without benefit. 

Providing military support to Valère was actually a loss for Sylvester.

So Etia had expected him to bring up divorce, citing succession issues like the servants had been saying. The succession issue was practically a lie since the two didn’t share a bedroom, but that wasn’t what mattered. If the goal was divorce anyway, the means didn’t matter.

But he was talking about something completely different from what she’d expected. Etia even stayed in the study instead of leaving, wondering if that was really all, but Derek said nothing more. 

After delivering that announcement—which was closer to a notification—Derek refocused on his work. Only after some time passed and he realized she hadn’t left did he belatedly look up at Etia and ask.

“Do you have questions?”

His expression suggested he was the one who found this odd.

“Ah… well…”

“…”

“…When is the visit scheduled for?”

“They’ll arrive in three weeks.”

“Yes. Then I’ll prepare accordingly.”

Etia was briefly flustered by his expression but quickly regained her composure, asked about the timeline and number of visitors, then left the study. It didn’t seem like he was going to bring up divorce.

But her puzzlement hadn’t completely disappeared. Even after returning to her room and calling the head steward to discuss things, Etia couldn’t stop replaying their conversation in her mind. 

It was embarrassing to even call it a conversation, but she couldn’t understand how that was really all there was.

“Maybe he’s planning to talk after the palace people leave. That makes sense. He can’t mess up with something important coming up.”

Eventually, after mulling over their conversation, Etia reached that conclusion. He couldn’t insert the complication of divorce into an important situation with people coming from the Imperial Palace. 

As a lord, he would think that way.

It was a reason even Etia could accept. If anything, it was good for her since it gave her more time to prepare for divorce.

Having reached that conclusion, Etia stopped dwelling on the conversation. Like always, she devoted herself sincerely only to the tasks at hand.

And change always arrived from small things.

* * *

For three weeks, the castle was busier than she’d ever seen. Since the visitors were coming from the Imperial Palace itself, they couldn’t overlook even small details.

While preparing to receive the inspection party, Etia was painfully realizing she’d been a duchess in name only. 

Though she’d become a duchess through marriage to Derek, the castle’s affairs had always been handled by Derek’s aide, the head steward, and the head maid. 

So until now, Etia had barely touched anything, but through this task she was shocked once by how large this castle was, shocked twice by how much needed preparing. And she was discovering new things about it almost daily.

With each day passing in a whirlwind, Etia spent her time without even thinking about the word “divorce.” She’d postponed all her scheduled meetings with lawyers.

Meanwhile, three weeks passed and people arrived at the castle.

“The castle is quite magnificent. I must have been too caught up in prejudice.”

“You’re too kind, Your Highness.”

Though the inspection party was kept to a minimal staff, since it was the Crown Prince’s schedule, even the minimum was enough to fill the castle.

Etia didn’t show it, but she was a bit surprised by the endless stream of people entering the castle. 

She’d thought she’d prepared thoroughly, but now that the Crown Prince and his party had arrived, she wished she’d checked everything one more time.

But when she saw the Crown Prince entering the castle, Etia straightened her posture and greeted him properly like nothing had happened. Only after the Crown Prince’s laughter fell from above her head did Etia slowly raise her head. He still had that good-natured impression.

“Seeing how beautiful the castle is makes me want to tour it right away. It seems the Duchess has worked very hard.”

“Thank you. But please, speak more formally. Many eyes are watching.”

“Ah… I’m still not used to it. Haha, cut me some slack. I was already so nervous.”

“What do you have to be nervous about? You’re a proper Crown Prince, Your Highness.”

“That’s exactly why I’m more nervous.”

After guiding the attendants and knights to their lodgings, the three of them headed to the Crown Prince’s bedroom. They exchanged brief conversations along the way, and Etia could feel just how nervous he was. His trembling hands and twitching lips were too obvious.

But Etia didn’t pay much attention and returned to her room after guiding him. Political matters were her husband’s domain, not hers, anyway. 

Besides, she had no time to look after others’ affairs. She wasn’t nosy enough to worry about someone else’s political standing when she didn’t know when she’d be getting divorced.

Etia simply returned to her room, reviewing only the tasks she needed to do going forward.