“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?”

“…… It’s important to me.”

He let out a short hollow laugh at Luciella’s answer, seeming absurd.

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

“……”

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

Enoch’s words felt like they were stabbing in sharply like a knife.

‘But if I meekly accept what’s given?’

If it became known that she couldn’t bear children and was of no help, she knew what kind of disaster she would face then…….

Even women of high status couldn’t find proper marriage prospects once it became known they were infertile. They would be completely eliminated from the marriage market like defective goods.

But Luciella now didn’t even have status to back her up. The royal family had fallen and she had been sold for ten billion gold.

That’s why Luciella was even more afraid of future troubles.

‘Men who would never be in such a position could never understand.’

Luciella forcibly swallowed her words and only chewed her lips. Enoch frowned looking at her who gave no answer.

He seemed to have drawn his own conclusion from Luciella’s silence.

“I understand Your Highness the Princess’s intentions very well.”

His low voice settled in Luciella’s ears along with blatant sarcasm.

Luciella hoped for that instant moment that the offended Enoch would withdraw his marriage proposal. But unfortunately, such a thing didn’t happen.

“I will handle the remaining marriage preparations myself from now on.”

This time too, it was a notification.

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

“……”

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

The last words were definitely mockery. With those words spat out sarcastically, Enoch roughly closed Luciella’s door and disappeared.

It was a scene that had become all too familiar now.

* * *

His words about preparing the marriage unilaterally weren’t a lie. Enoch began preparing the wedding at a rapid pace upon returning to the mansion.

Without reflecting Luciella’s opinion even a little.

“You will attend a simple social gathering this weekend.”

Enoch appeared before Luciella unannounced and spoke one-sidedly.

Of course, she knew well that even this was excessive treatment for her position.

“Surely you’re not going to refuse saying you can’t even do this.”

“……”

“You just need to stand quietly beside me without causing any unnecessary commotion. I’ll prepare and send appropriate clothes for you to wear then.”

It was the moment when Enoch, having finished his business, was about to leave the room that Luciella, who had been pondering, carefully called out to stop him.

“Um…… Marquis.”

Then Enoch’s striding steps stopped. A slightly surprised expression appeared on his face, seeming not to have expected Luciella to call him.

“I’m sorry, but could I possibly…… know news about Bert?”

But he let out a hollow laugh, seeming disappointed by Luciella’s following words.

“Are you curious about such things now?”

“…… I want to know even general news.”

Enoch’s eyes persistently stared at Luciella. He only looked at her for a long time instead of answering. Feeling burdened by that gaze, Luciella naturally lowered her head.

How much time had passed like that?

“The one who was the royal knight commander has ascended as the new leader.”

Enoch opened his mouth.

“All other royals except Your Highness the Princess were executed.”

“Ah……”

“My condolences.”

Enoch’s voice was dry and indifferent. His gaze toward Luciella was the same.

Soon finishing his words, he turned his back again and left the room. The moment Enoch disappeared from the room, Luciella sank powerlessly to the floor.

It was a strange feeling. Her mind turned completely white. She stared into space with unfocused eyes. Transparent tears formed in the corners of Luciella’s eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

‘Just what I expected……’

She had guessed they would be executed, but vaguely expecting something and having the facts confirmed were very different things.

Luciella indifferently wiped away the flowing tears. She couldn’t describe what kind of feeling it was.

“Haah……”

It wasn’t simply sadness over her brother and mother’s deaths.

Her heart felt empty. More than when she was kidnapped by strangers. More than when she was sold at the auction house.

Strangely, now felt the most powerless.

Luciella sat on the floor crying for a long time like that. She wanted to cry out loud but the tears wouldn’t burst forth like that.

It was truly an unpleasant emotion.

* * *

In the blink of an eye, the day of the social gathering Enoch had mentioned dawned.

She had heard it was a simple social gathering, but the clothes he prepared were quite splendid. Luciella obediently entrusted her body to the maids’ grooming.

‘Right, there’s no choice but this for now.’

A dress and necklace densely studded with jewels were draped over Luciella’s body. Each additional accessory made her body heavier too.

When she was young, she had quite liked such splendid dresses…… but now she felt no excitement. Rather, it felt like shackles choking her neck.

The Luciella in the mirror was extremely splendid. Transparent and clear skin and shining silver hair. The diamond-decorated dress that matched her made her stand out even more.

“Are you ready?”

Enoch appeared like he had been waiting, right when the grooming finished.

“Ah, Marquis……”

Enoch glanced once at Luciella in her dress and soon turned his back quickly, seeming uninterested.

“Since you seem finished, let’s depart.”

He even urged her to come out quickly. Luciella had to chase after Enoch who strode ahead without even receiving proper escort.

Fortunately, the dress wasn’t too frilly so walking wasn’t very uncomfortable.

A splendid carriage stamped with the marquis house’s seal was waiting in front of the mansion.

Throughout the carriage ride, Enoch didn’t open his mouth. Only silence continued endlessly.

How long had they traveled like that without properly knowing where they were heading?

The ceaselessly running carriage stopped in front of some mansion.

“We have arrived.”

The door opened with the coachman’s shout. It seemed to be another noble family’s mansion.

Upon getting out of the carriage, Enoch extended his arm telling her to link arms. After pondering briefly, Luciella carefully placed her hand on his arm.

“I’ll guide you inside.”

Following the servant inside, quite a splendid banquet hall appeared. It was so splendid it was dazzling. Gold painted everywhere and chandeliers and famous paintings with jewels hanging in clusters.

It wasn’t the scale Luciella had thought when she heard simple social gathering.

‘Is this considered a simple level in the Empire……’

She had memories of attending banquets held at the imperial palace a few times in childhood. But those were events hosted by the imperial palace so them being splendid was natural…… now this was a noble family’s mansion yet it was equally large and magnificent.

Luciella was quite surprised but didn’t show it outwardly and naturally headed inside with Enoch. Then people’s gazes began focusing on the two of them.

“Have you arrived, Your Grace?”

“It’s been a while, Count Rescent.”

Someone who seemed to be the host hurriedly approached Enoch and greeted him.

“I heard rumors you were busy with marriage preparations…… so it was true.”

The Count also bowed his head respectfully toward Luciella. Luciella likewise offered a polite greeting.

“Yes, it somehow turned out that way.”

Most people here didn’t seem hostile toward Enoch. But that didn’t extend to Luciella as well.

Several people were scanning her with blatant gazes while whispering something. They didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it.

“Looks right, doesn’t it? The Bert Princess……”

“I heard she was put up for auction and sold, but how……”

“A fallen royal who managed to survive……”

“Oh my, how unsightly.”

The conversation sounds reached Luciella’s ears sporadically too. It wasn’t particularly surprising content.

Luciella didn’t even blink at the whispering voices. She just stood quietly like a doll beside Enoch with an indifferent face, seeming not to care.

But then.

“…… Luciella?”

Someone’s mouth uttered her name. An unfamiliar strange mid-low voice.

Luciella was also surprised for a moment and turned her head toward the source of the sound. But before she could confirm the owner of the voice, her vision was blocked.

“It is you, Luciella!”

An unidentified man had suddenly embraced Luciella tightly. The strange man’s body scent overwhelmed her.

“Wh-who are……”

The flustered her opening her mouth was brief. Enoch beside her pushed him away faster than Luciella.

“What rudeness is this all of a sudden?”

Enoch shouted irritably. The man pushed by him showed both hands raised with a calm face. An attitude trying to prove his harmlessness to calm Enoch. Though it had the opposite effect.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, she is to be my fiancée. Please show courtesy!”

Hearing Enoch’s words, Luciella snapped to attention and confirmed the face of the man who had suddenly embraced her.

Golden hair and golden eyes shining brilliantly like gold. Gentle-looking eyes and a kind smile.

He was also someone Luciella knew well.

“Brother…… Sejef?”

When the name was uttered from Luciella’s mouth, he showed a very pleased face, not hiding his joy.

“You do remember!”

He was Sejef Winston, the only son of the Winston grand ducal family, who had briefly stayed at the Bert royal palace long ago when Luciella’s father was alive.

But that was only a story from the distant past.

They hadn’t met even once since becoming adults.

“What’s going on, Luciella? I heard the general news. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Nevertheless, Sejef spoke to Luciella without reservation. Even though it was so long ago that he could barely remember when they last met.

“Ah, ahh……”

Was it relief from meeting someone familiar in a strange land? Luciella momentarily lost strength in her legs and staggered. Sejef immediately embraced Luciella’s waist and supported her, seeming to have expected this.