So Enoch opened his mouth even more firmly.

“I will announce the engagement news next week.”

Then sure enough, Luciella’s complexion darkened rapidly. Watching her expression change drastically, Enoch twisted the corner of his mouth.

“And I will begin preparing for the wedding in earnest.”

Luciella’s eyes began moving busily. She was clearly racking her brain frantically.

“Bu, but……”

Watching Luciella, Enoch nodded his head like telling her to go ahead and speak. He was curious what excuse those small lips would spout.

“If they find out I’m alive…… the new leader of Bert Kingdom will surely……”

“Do you think they’ll come and point a sword at you?”

Enoch asked back mockingly. To think the excuse she came up with was only that pathetic thing. It was absurd.

In the heart of the Empire, would some newly appointed king of a small nation dare?

n*ked ridicule sharply targeted her. Luciella also seemed to realize how ridiculous her own statement was, despite having said it herself.

Luciella began racking her brain to find another excuse. Enoch quietly watched her and asked like he was genuinely curious.

“I’m curious what Your Highness finds so disagreeable about this marriage.”

“……”

“Isn’t it just a matter of living peacefully in the estate enjoying luxury, no different from your previous life.”

Then Luciella’s head dropped down. Enoch pondered briefly.

‘Or is she suspicious of me?’

In case I might hold her responsible for something else through marriage?

Enoch, who had been pondering, added words once more.

“The only thing Your Highness needs to do through this marriage is conceive and bear a child.”

Right, that thing all other women do. He thought this much would allow Luciella to feel the weight of responsibility somewhat less.

But contrary to Enoch’s thoughts, Luciella’s complexion darkened even more. She even furrowed her brow unbecomingly.

“There’s nothing else Your Highness needs to do besides that. I won’t demand anything else either.”

Watching Luciella, Enoch added words again like soothing her. But this time too, Luciella’s expression didn’t brighten. Rather, she only shook her head like she was troubled.

Enoch was frustrated beyond measure. He couldn’t understand at all what the problem was that made her so stubborn.

‘She was looking for a marriage partner even before the coup happened……’

Why can’t she do it with me?

When he felt stifled because he couldn’t guess her inner thoughts at all, Luciella’s tightly closed lips finally parted.

“……What if I can’t do even that?”

“Is there a reason?”

But she closed them again immediately. Heavy silence circled the room.

Enoch sat quietly and observed Luciella’s face. Whatever thoughts she was deeply lost in, she seemed to have many worries.

He felt like opening that small head to look inside. Obviously she must be looking for a new excuse again. Enoch tilted his head sideways and asked.

“Can’t you do it, or don’t you want to do it?”

Whether it was a question that hit the mark, Luciella sighed briefly. She still gave no answer, but clearer intention showed than any words.

‘She doesn’t want to do it.’

From Luciella’s troubled face and the lengthening silence, Enoch finally found the answer. He let out a brief hollow laugh.

‘Right, because I’m of common birth.’

No matter how fallen, a woman born royal wouldn’t want to carry a commoner’s seed.

Unable to say that directly, she was clearly just rolling her head around trying to express it indirectly.

Even while finishing such thoughts, Enoch continued waiting for Luciella’s excuse. Wondering if there might be another reason. No, desperately hoping there would be another reason. Hoping what he guessed wasn’t the correct answer.

Tick- tock- tick- tock-.

The clock’s second hand echoed particularly loudly in the room. How much time passed like that?

Luciella said nothing, like shattering Enoch’s desperate hope that her lips would part and his thoughts were misunderstandings.

Enoch suppressed his bitter feelings and rose from his seat.

“The marriage will proceed as scheduled.”

Disappointment. Upset feelings. Shame.

All kinds of emotions covered Enoch.

“Don’t put up useless pride when you have nowhere else to return to.”

With those words as the last, the huge door closed with a bang.

* * *

The moment Enoch returned to his office, he placed orders with famous salons.

It was to quickly get married to Luciella. Even if she was reluctant, there were no other options. For her sake right now, proceeding with the marriage was right.

Famous designers already had tons of advance reservations, so he could barely call them to the estate only after adding several times the premium.

‘Even if she’s reluctant, she’ll pick out a dress herself.’

Thinking so, Enoch sent the designers who came to the estate to Luciella’s room.

He paced around the lobby for no reason the entire time the designer was inside Luciella’s room. Even knowing he didn’t have time to worry about every little thing like this, he couldn’t turn away. He was also curious what dress she had chosen.

But contrary to expecting it would take quite a long time, the designers all came out of the room not long after entering.

Each with bewildered faces.

Enoch, who sensed unease, strode toward them like he had been waiting.

“What’s wrong? Does the work usually end this quickly?”

“Yo, Your Grace…… that is……”

The designers had troubled faces at Enoch’s question. This expression, it was a familiar expression.

The day he returned from deployment. The day he returned to the estate full of expectation and excitement. It was the expression Zek had made toward him.

Enoch sneered like he understood without hearing more. Then he sent out the hesitating designers.

He irritably burst open Luciella’s door. Then Luciella, who had been sitting on the sofa, looked at him with slightly startled eyes.

“Not surprising at all.”

Enoch leaned against the doorframe and stood crookedly while staring at Luciella. It was his desperate attempt to calm his anger even a little.

But it wouldn’t subside easily at all. Resentment toward Luciella kept bubbling up sneakily.

‘Who am I doing all this for……’

He even hated her for not understanding his feelings.

“What exactly are you so dissatisfied with?”

Finally Enoch couldn’t hold back his more agitated voice than usual and spat it out. Then Luciella’s shoulders flinched and trembled. Her already emaciated and frail body trembled like she was terrified, making Enoch belatedly think ‘oh no.’

“Th, there’s nothing like that.”

“Then please at least tell me why you’re acting this way.”

Watching trembling Luciella, Enoch turned his gaze elsewhere. It was to swallow his irritation.

He suppressed his emotions while only running his hands through his innocent hair. He slowly inhaled and exhaled several times. Then Luciella also seemed somewhat better and opened her mouth in a somewhat clearer tone.

“I’m the one who wants to ask. Why exactly are you trying to do this much for me?”

“Ha, is that important right now?”

But the irritation he had barely calmed surged up again. He was frustrated with her for asking back about such trivial things.

“……It’s important to me.”

He couldn’t understand this situation at all. So even knowing his words would sound sharp to Luciella, he couldn’t hold back.

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this now when you could have been sold to other perverted noble bastards.”

“……”

“Can’t you just sit quietly and accept what’s given? All other women dream of such a life.”

Luciella still had no answer.

What exactly was she dissatisfied with? Why was she being so stubborn like protesting? She didn’t seem to intend to tell him the reason.

She only repeatedly chewed her innocent lips. Then she obsessively avoided Enoch’s gaze like someone who had committed a crime.

From Luciella’s appearance, Enoch again arbitrarily concluded the answer.

“I understand Your Highness’s intention very well.”

The cracked low voice rang through the room with blatant sarcasm.

It was the moment his upset feelings were nakedly revealed. In that brief instant, slight expectation appeared on Luciella’s expression.

Unfortunately, Enoch analyzed that expression exactly.

‘This time too.’

This time too, Luciella was only waiting for him to withdraw the marriage because he was upset.

Enoch twisted up one corner of his mouth and announced.

“I will take care of all remaining marriage preparations myself.”

He intended to give her no more choices whatsoever.

“If you have no interest in even choosing dresses or rings, just continue staying cooped up in your room like now.”

“……”

“I’ll call for you on the wedding day.”

* * *

Carrying only sticky and unpleasant emotions, Enoch returned to his office.

Forcibly reading documents that wouldn’t register, Enoch sat at his office desk holding his head. He couldn’t concentrate at all. His mind was completely filled with Luciella.

‘Damn……’

Unable to bear the frustration, he opened the window for ventilation. Even so, he didn’t feel well.

Finally, unlike his usual self, Enoch went out for a brief walk in the estate. It was unprecedented for him to leave his seat during work.

Passing through the well-maintained garden, Enoch tried to barely organize his confused mind. But from somewhere came the sound of servants chattering.

“Ah, really, I’m so angry I could die.”

“Exactly. She’s doing that just because our Marquis is of common birth. That princess is really detestable.”

“Don’t even call her princess, girl. What princess when she’s already fallen?”

“Ugh, it’s upsetting. With such a situation, why does she look down on our Marquis?”

Glancing at the faces beyond the wall, they seemed to be kitchen maids. Their clothing indicated so.