Should We Continue This Marriage?

After Derek left, the capital remained unchanged. People returned to their daily lives as though nothing had happened, and watching them, Etia felt a strange sense of disconnect.

Perhaps that was why it took her so long to get out of bed, her mind still clouded and sluggish.

Later, knights from the Duke’s manor came by to escort her to Sylvester, but Etia declined. She used the excuse that she wasn’t feeling well.

After sending the troubled knights away, she wasn’t sure if she had made the right decision. All she knew was that she wanted to do nothing but rest.

For a while, she lived as she had during Derek’s previous campaigns—sleeping, eating, and reading books to pass the time. The dull and monotonous routine did little to pull her out of her feelings of emptiness and gloom.

“Madam, today’s newspaper.”

“Thank you.”

Etia began reading the newspaper daily, something she hadn’t done much before. Of course, her purpose was singular: to look for news about the events in the Land of Fire.

But whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, there was hardly any coverage of the war. Etia guessed that the Imperial Palace was pre-screening articles and restricting what could be published.

She tried not to let her imagination run wild with worst-case scenarios. Sometimes, she even thought that not knowing might be better. Still, she never skipped checking the paper each day.

The newspaper also contained stories about the capital that Etia had previously been unaware of. Among them were lingering rumors about her and the Crown Prince.

However, the public’s interest in the matter had noticeably waned since she and Dahlia had been seen together at the café.

Whether it was because they had successfully presented themselves as affectionate sisters or because there were no new incidents to fuel the gossip, Etia didn’t know. Either way, it was a relief.

“A temple event…”

After skimming through the articles she was interested in, Etia noticed a prominent piece about the temple.

It announced that the Archbishop would be leading a “Night of Prayer,” which would be open to commoners as well. The article encouraged anyone with time to attend.

Usually, the temple only held major events at the beginning and end of the year. Unless there was a special occasion, it was rare for the temple to organize large gatherings. Such events were typically prompted by two circumstances: famine or war.

During times of famine, the palace would distribute grain and relief supplies, and the temple would undertake similar efforts, often organizing volunteer work. One of their most notable acts was conducting funerals for victims.

However, those were actions taken after the fact. For soldiers heading to war, high-ranking priests would perform prayers and blessings during the deployment ceremony, but those were specifically for the soldiers.

This event, where the temple invited the public to gather for a night of prayer, was unusual. It signaled that the temple viewed the current war as no trivial matter. Etia suspected it was a performative gesture aimed at reassuring the anxious commoners.

“I should go… shouldn’t I?”

But the reasons behind the event didn’t matter to Etia. She wasn’t interested in the political or financial motivations behind it. She simply wanted to attend. Even if all she could do was pray, she wanted to do something for Derek.

Her only concern was whether the Crown Prince would be there. It seemed unlikely that he wouldn’t attend such a significant event. That thought alone made her hesitate.

“Maybe I should ask Dahlia to come with me. Father would probably approve. He’s always wanted us to act like loving sisters.”

The idea of reaching out to her family, whom she had avoided for so long, crossed her mind.

The thought of using them, after they had so often tried to use her and Derek, pricked her conscience. And after her recent argument with Dahlia, it felt even more awkward.

But those thoughts quickly faded. What mattered most to Etia was doing something that might help Derek, even if it was just praying.

Fortunately, Etia didn’t have to worry about running into the Crown Prince at the temple.

The royal family seemed to be treating the war with great importance, and the Crown Prince was busy participating in the ceremony from a distance. She could only catch glimpses of him from afar.

Etia was relieved. But when she encountered Dahlia, her relief was short-lived.

“You’re here, too.”

“Well, I didn’t really have a choice. Father said it’s important to set an example during times like this.”

“…He hasn’t changed, has he?”

For some reason, Etia found it difficult to meet Dahlia’s gaze. No matter how much she tried to act normal, their last conversation had left a lasting impact on her.

But seeing Dahlia unchanged, as if nothing had happened, Etia tried to push her feelings aside. Just as she hadn’t meant any harm, she knew Dahlia hadn’t either.

“So why are you alone? Shouldn’t you be with the Crown Prince?”

During a break in the long ceremony, people began gathering in small groups to chat. It was strange to see nobles and commoners mingling together. What puzzled Etia more was that Dahlia was with her instead of the Crown Prince.

She had only brought it up to make conversation, but Dahlia’s reaction suggested it wasn’t a pleasant topic.

“Ugh, don’t even ask. It’s driving me crazy.”

“What’s going on?”

Dahlia was always careful not to reveal her true feelings in public, but when it was just the two of them, she was different. Especially when it came to the Crown Prince, her frustration was hard to hide.

She sighed deeply, her expression anxious and irritated.

“I think we’re going to break off the engagement.”

“What? Is it still because of that scandal…?”

“No, it’s not that. Which makes it even more infuriating.”

“Then why…?”

Dahlia led Etia to a quieter spot, lowering her voice as she spoke. Her face was filled with worry, a look Etia had never seen before.

“The Crown Prince has been acting strange lately. He won’t even meet with me.”

“Why all of a sudden…?”

“I have no idea. When that scandal happened, he was the one who comforted me. He told me not to worry, that it was all baseless rumors. He said he didn’t want such a trivial matter to create a rift between us, especially since we were about to become family. Honestly, I did have some doubts about you back then, but his words reassured me. I feel bad mentioning it now.”

“It’s fine. But what does that have to do with this?”

“Apparently, he’s been threatening Father behind the scenes. He told him that if the issue wasn’t resolved, the engagement would have to be called off. Father hasn’t said anything to me, but I overheard it.”

“The Crown Prince threatened him?”

“Yes. I was shocked when I found out. Father must have confronted you because of that. The Crown Prince isn’t the type to stir up trouble, especially when he’s already under so much scrutiny from the other nobles.”

“That’s true…”

“At the time, I thought it was just politics. I figured he was kind to me in person but acted differently behind my back because he couldn’t say it outright. I assumed the rumors would die down eventually, and they did. Or rather, there was nothing left to fuel them. I thought everything would go back to normal, but now he’s avoiding me even more. He won’t see me, and he didn’t even invite me to stand by his side at this huge event. Does that make any sense?”

“…No, it doesn’t.”

The faint sound of hymns signaled the resumption of the ceremony. The strange atmosphere sent a chill down Etia’s spine.

“If he’s thinking about breaking off the engagement, what else could it be?”

Dahlia’s voice broke as tears filled her eyes. Despite her sharp words and frustrated tone, she was still just a young woman.

Seeing her cry, Etia couldn’t help but feel her heart ache, even though things had been tense between them.

As she held Dahlia and tried to comfort her, Etia’s thoughts grew more tangled. She had parted with Derek on bad terms, and he was now in a dangerous war. Meanwhile, the capital was rife with its own problems. She had no idea where to begin or how to fix anything.

When the ceremony resumed, the two sisters returned to their places, pretending nothing had happened.

Following the Archbishop’s lead, Etia prayed fervently for Derek’s safety, blaming herself for not being more devout in the past.

Yet the unresolved tension inside her made her feel as though her entire body ached.

When she returned to the Duke’s manor, she collapsed into bed after washing up and fell into a deep sleep. That night, she dreamed of Derek battling a dragon alone—a terrifying and vivid dream.

* * *

“What’s the current situation?”

“They say there’s continued internal division. If it gets worse, they might hold a meeting to appoint a new commander.”

“Hmm. Perhaps that would be for the best. What’s your opinion?”

Even as dawn approached, Alburn remained awake. In the dimly lit study, illuminated by only a few candles, he was accompanied by his ever-loyal steward.

“If I may be so bold, I believe it’s best to simply observe for now.”

“And why is that?”

“War is unpredictable. No matter how strong his reputation, no one can foresee where things might go wrong. With his leadership already being questioned internally, there’s no need for Your Highness to intervene directly. That’s my humble opinion.”

“You’re right. That does make sense.”

“Is there something troubling you, Your Highness…?”

The steward couldn’t help but feel pity for the Crown Prince, who confided in no one but him.

Politics was a strange and complex world, where allies could become enemies and vice versa.

It wasn’t unusual for Alburn to waver between wanting Derek as an ally and discarding him as a threat. It was simply how the game was played. As the Crown Prince, such decisions were expected of him.

But the fact that Alburn only shared these thoughts with his steward revealed a deeper issue.

It showed that even after years as Crown Prince, he had failed to build a circle of trusted confidants. This lack of growth was painfully evident to the aging steward.

“I don’t just want him to lose power. I want him gone.”

“…”

“There are plenty of people who could manage Sylvester just as well as he does. So why should I let someone with his level of influence and power live? Especially when he might end up serving someone else instead of me?”

Alburn’s words were cold, his gaze fixed on the window as he spoke. The steward realized that the Crown Prince’s sense of betrayal ran deeper than he had thought. No matter how much he tried to advise forgiveness or reconciliation, Alburn wouldn’t listen.

The Crown Prince had not grown at all since he first arrived at the Imperial Palace as a naïve boy. He was still stuck in the same place, unable to move forward.