And if that was true, Derek intended to give her what she wanted. It wouldn’t be difficult.

“So are you happy?”

“I didn’t marry to be happy.”

“I want you to be happy.”

Derek didn’t know about others, but that’s what marriage meant to him. He hadn’t married to be happy. If not for the terms and benefits that came with marriage, Derek wouldn’t have married anyone. 

To him, marriage was merely the beginning of unhappiness.

So Derek was willing to grant Etia’s wish if she wanted a divorce. And he thought that would surely be a better life for her.

“Don’t talk so naively. Your Highness should be thinking about your own position, not my happiness.”

“If you’re happy, my position will improve.”

“They’re completely unrelated.”

“I don’t know about headache-inducing political battles. But I know one thing for certain. I need people I can trust.”

“…”

“Like you said, my position is terrible. His Majesty probably knew that when he ordered this inspection and deliberately made me tour the entire country. Even though it’s not the right season for it. He must hope I’ll somehow make the nobles my allies.”

“You say that knowing all this?”

“But I think differently from His Majesty. I don’t want the majority of nobles on my side.”

“…”

“Even if only a few are my people, that’s fine. I want trustworthy people by my side. Then no matter what hardships arise, there’ll be a path forward.”

“…”

“That’s why I want you to be happy. Only then can I trust you, right?”

“…”

“I suppose this sounds like a child’s romantic fantasy to you.”

Derek, who’d been lost in thought for a moment, simply listened silently to the Crown Prince’s words. The innocent child’s appearance had long been erased.

Derek understood what he was saying but suspected achieving his desired goal would be difficult. A child’s romantic fantasy.

Even without dismissing it that way, it seemed too idealistic. But as someone who’d only wielded a sword his whole life, no helpful words came to mind. Derek simply let out a low sigh.

He thought perhaps he should divorce her even if Etia didn’t want it. That way, if not himself, at least Etia could be happy. Everyone hated this barren land, and he should do it to avoid getting caught up in political battles.

“I’d better be happy then.”

“Haha—please try.”

Though Derek didn’t know about his own happiness.

* * *

Time flew quickly, and a week had already passed since the inspection party arrived. 

Meanwhile, the North grew colder, and every corner of the castle bustled with preparations for the coming winter.

Etia was just as busy. She had to check daily whether the guests were doing well and also prepare for winter, so she spent her days busy once again.

Before, even combining all the knights and servants in the castle, there were so few that preparations didn’t require much effort, but this time the inspection party’s arrival made things two—no, three times busier. 

Etia spent her time so busy she didn’t even know how the days passed.

And during all that time, Derek hadn’t come to the couple’s bedroom even once.

“Mary.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“What did they say the lord is doing now?”

“Ah, I’m not sure right now, but I heard earlier he’s at the training grounds with His Highness the Crown Prince and the knights.”

“…I see.”

“Should I go find out where he is again?”

“No. I’d just be bothering him.”

Only after getting some free time did Etia, who’d been continuously busy, realize she hadn’t seen Derek. She’d been so busy lately that after eating dinner and bathing, she fell asleep almost immediately, so Etia hadn’t even thought to find out where he was sleeping.

Once she realized she hadn’t seen him, Etia fell into contemplation about what to do going forward. Derek was clearly angry about that incident. 

Though she didn’t know why, Etia felt she’d moved one step closer to divorce. It seemed she’d need to meet with the lawyer right away once the inspection party left.

When her thoughts reached that point, she felt strangely regretful about having to leave this North of all places. 

To feel regret about leaving this place everyone avoided, this place she herself had been reluctant about before marriage. Etia realized without knowing it that she’d grown quite attached to this cold land.

“Um… my lady.”

“Hm?”

“May I say something?”

“What is it? It’s fine, speak comfortably.”

“Well… some precious wine arrived recently. We brought it in to offer His Highness the Crown Prince, but I thought it would be nice if you and the lord enjoyed it together too.”

“Ah…”

“I apologize if I’ve overstepped.”

“No. It’s not that…”

Etia, who’d been lost in thought in the hard-won quietness, found her head growing complicated again due to Mary’s words—Mary, the maid closest to her.

She was usually someone with a tight lip who didn’t comment on marital matters, but seeing even her offer advice, things must look quite serious. Should she eliminate this gossip before the divorce, or just leave it alone? 

Etia’s head began to throb.

Originally, the lawyer had advised her to leave evidence that she’d fulfilled her “duties as a duchess.” 

If the man raised succession issues, divorce would be unavoidable, but without such evidence, she’d be kicked out without gaining anything.

But Etia didn’t like that advice. What more should she do here? 

She’d already spent two years adapting alone to this place with no one to lean on, and even when suddenly told the Crown Prince was coming, she’d completed preparations without a hitch. If there were more duties beyond this, Etia felt somewhat wronged.

That “duty” the lawyer mentioned probably included producing an heir too.

‘I don’t want to do that again.’

But whenever Etia recalled the wedding night that had only been unpleasant, the thought of never wanting to experience it again followed. She couldn’t understand how others endured it. 

She tried imagining a night with a man once more, but still only wanted to avoid that situation. A sigh escaped naturally.

Lost in thought, Etia silently pressed her forehead. No matter how much she thought about it, the distance between what she wanted and that “duty” didn’t seem likely to narrow. Finding a way to sell her jewelry expensively seemed better.

But seeing Mary grow noticeably anxious when she remained silent, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. Swallowing her frustration inwardly, Etia made a somewhat impulsive decision.

“Then after dinner today, prepare some simple food to go with the wine.”

“Yes! I’ll prepare diligently.”

“Thank you.”

Even if she couldn’t drag that man to bed as the lawyer advised, it seemed better to create a similar appearance. Right now, anyone could see she was someone in danger of being divorced due to her own inadequacy. The servants in this castle were witnesses to that.

Even aside from that purpose, she thought she should sound out the man at least once. For what reason did he want a divorce, and when was he thinking of divorcing? She needed to know such things to prepare for after the divorce.

When her thoughts reached that point, Etia felt somehow lonely. She already missed this cold land.

* * *

As time passed and the sun set, Etia increasingly regretted her decision. Throughout the maids’ preparations, Etia kept glancing anxiously at the sunset outside the window.

Though he was a husband in name only, she felt excessively nervous and worried about merely drinking wine with her husband. 

Etia felt anxious—would she make a verbal mistake, would she offend him again and have him visit the priest tomorrow?

So all day she couldn’t eat properly and just let time pass. But whether unaware of Etia’s feelings or not, the maids dressed her up carefully with excited faces.

When the maids finally finished preparing her, Etia sighed looking at herself in the mirror. She looked exactly like a woman determined to seduce her husband. 

Moreover, though she’d clearly asked them to prepare thick nightwear, the outfit they’d put her in had such a plunging neckline that the fabric’s thickness was meaningless. She even questioned whether this could function as nightwear.

‘Does that man like this sort of thing?’

Etia was about to say she’d change clothes but quickly closed her mouth again. Since she didn’t know what tastes he had, it might be better to stay as the maids had prepared her. 

Though she didn’t want to lure that man to bed, if it could soften his heart enough to sound him out about divorce, Etia thought she’d be fine with it.

Of course, those thoughts completely changed after facing Derek.

“I’ll have to just taste it because of tomorrow’s schedule. Please enjoy it plenty in my stead, my lady.”

“Ah… yes. I was short-sighted. With His Highness the Crown Prince still here…”

“Not at all. I’m rather glad to have time to rest. Thank you.”

Derek, whom she met after dinner, wore comfortable clothes like that day. Though the days were growing colder, he didn’t seem to feel it—even the tunic he wore was still thin material.

But Etia was so preoccupied with her own outfit that she couldn’t even see what Derek was wearing—it was t*rture. 

Though she’d definitely spent the wedding night with this man somehow, she felt embarrassed by this appearance like she’d returned to being a young girl and didn’t know what to do.

Moreover, the result of braving this embarrassment was dismal. Derek showed absolutely no interest in Etia’s appearance. 

Derek looked exactly like usual—to the point where she thought he’d have shown more interest if she’d worn a nun’s habit. 

If she’d known this would happen, she should have asked for a shawl at least. Etia felt belated regret. She worried whether she could achieve today’s purpose.

The bigger problem was Derek’s expression. Derek had a stiff face from the moment he entered the room, seemingly displeased that she’d suggested drinking wine. 

Though his mouth said “thank you,” he didn’t look grateful at all. The thought that she’d needlessly created this situation grew larger and larger in Etia’s mind.

“Do you like wine?”

“No. I don’t drink much alcohol.”

“Then it would have been nice to have tea together during the day.”

“Some good wine happened to arrive…”

Worrying about various things, Etia finally squeezed her eyes shut at the man’s words. Even to her own thinking, it was a terrible answer. He doesn’t like alcohol, yet she suggested drinking? 

Asking outright when he planned to divorce would probably be better than this.