The head of the household stiffened at once, head to toe.

“Um, I was told to prepare at my own discretion, and… A-Autumn Palace is still not fully in order, you see.”

The old gentleman trailed off, then hurriedly tacked on an excuse. The sharp gaze that inspected Riella was long gone. His frightened face was ghastly white.

The sl*ughter-maniac of the battlefield seemed to be a brutal tyrant in his own country. Since this was their first meeting, and since he wanted the peace treaty to go smoothly, he was apparently putting on an act in front of the Holy Kingdom people.

I mustn’t be bewitched.

His true colors must be those of a man like that.

‘Anyway, so the place I was originally supposed to go is the Autumn Palace.’

But it was not yet in order, so they meant to guide her to another palace.

It was the same trick as holding the state council despite knowing the delegation was arriving. It was a blatant display that not a single Saranthumian welcomed their political marriage partner.

Their king, though, seemed to think a little differently, so should she call that fortunate? Or would she be dragged into internal strife and end up even more uncomfortable…?

After an awkward lull of silence…

“Then I shall escort her to the Autumn Palace.”

“…Pardon?”

The courtiers’ faces turned ashen at Itanas’s indifferent words.

“As for the guests, guiding them to the Summer Palace is only natural.”

The man’s firm jaw jerked toward the delegation.

“But I cannot carelessly leave the one who will be my consort outside, can I? Since we are about to be bound as husband and wife, staying in the same building would hardly be a blemish either.”

“Um, ahem! Actually, the main bedroom of the Autumn Palace is still being arranged as the bridal chamber, so it is not yet finished…. The basic decoration of the palace is complete, so if the second bedroom is acceptable, we can finish preparing it this evening!”

“I suppose that will do.”

At the head of the household’s hasty addition, Itanas curled up one corner of his mouth. The crooked line of his lips became a gentle smile the moment his head turned toward Riella.

“Now then.”

The man, still gripping the cloak tightly near her neck, wriggled his clasped hands a little. A crunch rang out, a sound like something bursting and tearing, and the front of the cloak stayed joined without his holding it. Using the clasp that loosely joined the collar, he pierced both sides of the cloak and cinched them tight.

A piece of metal safely finished as decoration, and strength enough to tear through fabric lined even with thin leather for warmth….

I-I could be torn apart like that.

I must never be bewitched.

“Allow me to escort you.”

With a gentleness that contrasted with that brutish strength, Itanas held out his hand to Riella like he was requesting to escort her. Just then.

“…S-Saranuman’s protector!”

A hurried voice called out to the man. It was a suppressed voice, straining to ring out like one who had barely found it.

It was Valencio, ignored all along.

He was thoroughly flustered. He was the head of the delegation, yet he was treated as completely nonexistent by the other nation’s ruler. This was no different from looking down on the Holy Kingdom. Of course, seeing how respectfully the man treated Riella, it was hard to lump it all together as rudeness toward the Holy Kingdom, but in any case it was unpleasant for Valencio. The true representative of the Holy Kingdom was, in reality, himself.

Perhaps it was Itanas’s build and beauty, or perhaps it was knowing his infamy from the battlefield. Overwhelmed by his aura since the man appeared, Valencio still clung doggedly to his pride, enough to draw his attention.

“The peace of Rem upon the ruler of Saranthum. I am Valencio, the Holy Kingdom’s sixth high priest. I have come as head of the delegation to represent His Holiness the Holy Emperor.”

“Ah.”

An unfamiliar air drifted into Itanas’s golden eyes as he confirmed who had stopped him. If one had to name it, it was closer to being sick of it all.

“Pleased to meet you.”

With a face utterly far from pleased, the heathen king said so. The golden eyes looking down on Valencio gleamed ferociously, like those of the evil dragon from the salvation myth that ruled the continent with terror.

Fitting for the chieftain of barbarians said to serve that dragon.

“I should greet the Holy Kingdom’s envoy separately.”

Even though he did not press down on the word “separately,” it rang meaningfully. It sounded like a request that was not quite a demand, saying they must talk somewhere no one else could see.

Valencio put that ominous interpretation out of his mind and answered.

“Yes. His Holiness the Holy Emperor entrusted everything to me, from this betrothal to the peace negotiations, so please look upon me favorably.”

Weariness crossed Itanas’s face again as he nodded very slightly. No, perhaps it was contempt?

Then, when he turned back toward Riella.

“It would be a betrothed’s duty to first escort Miss Riella to her lodgings, and then speak with the head of the delegation.”

On the man’s face, drawn into a smile, even a trace of the boredom from a moment ago had vanished.

Everyone’s attention suddenly turned to her again, and Riella flinched. Itanas’s attitude, which seemed to ask her opinion, looked like treating her as the delegation’s decision-maker. In truth, she believed Valencio was the Holy Kingdom’s real representative.

The man’s hand stretched out before Riella’s eyes once more.

“May I please escort you?”

His hand, as large and thick as his build, surprisingly had long fingers, giving it a delicately molded feel. No, given his beautiful appearance, was that only natural?

‘Uh, get a grip.’

Perhaps it was because he had no horns and showed no sign of disdain for her. Scolding herself inwardly for sinking into foolish thoughts again and again, Riella parted the front of the heavy fabric he draped over her and held out her hand.

“…Yes, please do.”

The moment Riella’s narrow, slender hand, in a satin glove with an elegant sheen, barely rested its tip on the man’s four hard, knuckled fingers…

“Ah.”

The man’s thick thumb seemed to bind her four fingers all at once, and he tugged her hand up. At the same time, his face drew near. Then a soft, warm sensation settled on the back of Riella’s hand.

It was a kiss. A courteous, gentle greeting, like the one a man pays to a woman he reveres.

Perhaps because Itanas’s golden eyes never wavered from her the whole time, the fleeting contact seared in hot like a brand.

It happened about midway between the two of their eye levels.

“Let us go.”

The man smiled deeply, his golden eyes shining like the sun, and gently drew Riella’s hand to lead her. Bold yet unhurried, his touch made her feet follow him without her meaning to. Her steps were clumsy with the hesitancy in her heart, but Itanas’s cloak, covering her all the way to her feet, shielded her from the high priest’s harsh gaze.

“A-At once, we will escort you.”

Realizing the situation a beat late, the head of the household swiftly overtook Itanas to clear the way and urged several courtiers to go in a step ahead. They ran to quickly put the Autumn Palace’s reception room, not yet fully prepared, in order. Next came the knights, and the courtiers who gestured with their eyes for the delegation to follow last guarded the very rear of the procession.

Meanwhile, once the king of Saranthum, having crossed the short bridge leading deeper into the palace, was out of sight…

“Phew….”

“A heathen, and so arrogant….”

“His bloodlust was truly intense.”

“All he knows is flaunting brute strength. How can anyone be that barbaric?”

Only then did sighs flow among the delegation. Those who could not even breathe properly under his overwhelming presence since Itanas appeared forced their throats open with insults and comforted themselves.

Only the eyes of Valencio, never properly honored to the end, blazed fiercely.