Chapter 16

“Did you tell him that I’m here? Did you clearly say that Hayes Quartz is here?”

“Lady Hayes… please calm down…”  

The imperial steward tried to soothe Hayes Quartz, who was stamping her feet in frustration. For three days, she had come to see Villish only to be turned away at the door each time. Villish had simply acted as though he was too preoccupied to meet her. Although she hadn’t yet become his lover, she was confident that she was almost there.

Ever since that foolish Asterope Lunette had disappeared to Serpiewood, Villish had given her a chance. He had even invited her on outings, appreciating the Quartz family’s strong ties with Babel, the magical region.

They had strolled together through the vast, beautiful imperial gardens. Though unofficial, he sought her out more frequently. In private, he had even hinted that once Serpiewood was ruined, there would be no better candidate for Empress than someone from the Quartz family.

It was clear that the Crown Prince found her attractive. Yet, his attitude had suddenly changed a few days ago, with no apparent reason. After causing quite a scene, Hayes finally turned to leave, though she had not given up entirely. She made her way to the vicinity of the Mage Tower, where an informant from her family was stationed.

Upon arriving at the agreed location, she pulled a gold nugget from her small handbag and tossed it onto the ground. The nugget, which looked like a small pebble, rolled across the floor. A long shadow appeared before her.

“What’s going on?” 

She demanded in a sharp voice. The shadow opened its mouth and replied,

“It seems communication with Asterope Lunette has been cut off.”  

“Has that fool been discovered by Kallieon Onyx?”  

“No. Quite the opposite. After the Grand Duchess recovered from her fever, her relationship with the Grand Duke has improved drastically.”

“What? That can’t be…!”

Hayes struggled to lower her raised voice, though she quickly grasped the situation. The improved relationship between the Grand Duke and Duchess was precisely what Villish had intended. His plan was to lure the ruthless northern Grand Duke into ruin. Of course, the Lunette family would also be destroyed in the process. In that sense, things were progressing as planned.

“What is His Highness the Crown Prince worried about?”

“Asterope Lunette’s defection.”

“That’s an unnecessary concern.”

Hayes said this with relief and turned away. As she moved, the shadow disappeared.

Her steps became lighter. Crown Prince Villish still did not know about Asterope. There was no way Asterope Lunette would betray him. Hayes knew how arrogant she was. Asterope was a woman who wouldn’t settle for anything less than the position of Empress.

Her extravagance and vanity were boundless. She had even bragged openly in social circles about Villish’s interest in her, acting as though she were already Empress. Hayes vividly remembered her haughty face. Though she hadn’t gone out of her way to ostracize or bully others, she would make her displeasure known if someone offended her, often humiliating them publicly. Her arrogance was so infamous that there wasn’t a single young lady in Sodel’s social circles who hadn’t been stung by it.

‘Of course, that all came crashing down when her marriage to the Northern Grand Duke was decided.’  

Hayes still felt excited just thinking about her wedding. At the wedding held at the imperial palace, she looked like someone going to her death. She was pale as a ghost, having lost half her weight, and did not smile even once. Her eyes were swollen from crying; it was clear how much she had suffered. Even during the first month of her marriage, she had attempted suicide and had made her way from the Lunette family to Serpiewood.  

It had been Villish who persuaded her to stay, though it was all part of his scheme. Asterope was the type of woman who would do anything to return to Sodel.

‘His Highness the Crown Prince is too timid. Getting so worked up over just a few days of silence. Well, considering he plans to use that woman to deal with the terrifying Kallieon Onyx, I suppose it’s understandable.’

Hayes believed that Villish’s indecision and timidity were issues she could help resolve. After all, that was the role of an Empress. Smiling brightly, she strolled leisurely through the imperial palace, her steps becoming slower. The road, the flower-filled trees, and the splendid palace all seemed to whisper sweet dreams of becoming hers.

* * *  

Asterope stood in her nightgown, gazing out the window. The Grand Duchess’s chamber was empty, save for her. For the past few days, Kallieon, who had filled this space, had been staying at the knights’ quarters.

“The body is indeed treacherous. How can I not sleep just because he is not here…”

She murmured. After sleeping in Kallieon’s large embrace last night, she could no longer fall asleep alone. It seemed she had become accustomed to it. With him gone, Serpiewood felt even colder for some reason.  

She gazed out the window at the incessant snowfall. In just a few days, Asterope had become busy. She selected the finest among dozens of types of black velvet and even chose the thread herself. This would be used for the banner to be hung on the castle walls as well as for the drapes.  

The work for the banquet hall had become a bit complicated. When she held the dark fabric up to the window and draped it over herself, it looked too dull. She pondered various options with Tama.  

Some might think it ridiculous for Asterope to be so preoccupied with a single curtain, but within the castle, the Grand Duchess’s bustling efforts to decorate the banquet hall were generally viewed positively. Among the retainers and the nobles, there were voices expressing anticipation for the social party hosted by the Grand Duke and Duchess after a long time.  

“The color of the new dress I received today is quite pretty.”  

Asterope fell into deep contemplation. The color of the dress she received today was a bright green. She would have to ask Kallieon and Tama what they thought of the color tomorrow. Curtains, unlike structural elements, could be replaced frequently, so it shouldn’t be a problem to convince them.

The banquet would be an excellent opportunity to officially invite members of the Lunette family to Serpiewood. She especially hoped her two brothers would attend. The more time they spent with Kallieon, the more they would see what a good person he was. Even a brief visit of two or three days would be enough for everyone to realize how deeply he loved her.

In the past, that might have been evident, but now Asterope had changed. She, too, looked at him with a similar gaze. The emotions flowing between them were genuine, as fresh and tender as the budding leaves of spring.

‘I miss him.’  

Asterope marveled at the emotions growing within her. They were different from what she had felt for Villish. That had been about elevating her status and boosting her self-esteem. But this—this was pure happiness. It was the feeling of being loved for who she truly was.

She absentmindedly brushed her arms, feeling a sudden chill. Just then, she heard the sound of the door opening. As Asterope slowly turned her head, Kallieon, dressed comfortably, smiled at her.  

“Weren’t you supposed to leave early tomorrow morning? I thought you were staying with the knights tonight…”

When Asterope asked, Kallieon slowly approached her and continued speaking.  

“I can’t sleep with those guys because their foot odor is too terrible. They snore loudly, too. I felt like I would be up all night, so I ran away.”  

Kallieon had learned to joke now. Asterope looked at him as he came closer. He cared deeply for the knights. Moreover, having been on the battlefield for so long, he was somewhat dulled to everything. Especially odors and noise didn’t bother him at all. However, Asterope didn’t want to tell him it was a lie and send him back. She brushed her arms down and said,  

“It’s cold.”  

At her words, Kallieon wrapped his arms tightly around her slender waist. Being held in his broad embrace felt warm. Just his presence seemed to change the temperature in the room completely. It felt warm and cozy.  

“How about now?”  

“It’s warm.”  

“Aren’t you sleepy? It’s past your bedtime.”  

“Well…”  

Asterope hesitated, unable to say that she couldn’t sleep without him. Kallieon seemed to worry that she had some other troubles. Leaning her head against his broad chest, she spoke in a small voice,  

“The bed has become too wide.”  

“Hmm?”  

“Because you aren’t here…”  

At Asterope’s words, Kallieon immediately smiled brightly. Then, he effortlessly lifted her like a princess and headed toward the bed.  

“Who taught you to say such lovely things? It can’t be Tama, can it? Or is it the new maid?”  

“It would be terrible to learn that from Tama.”  

Asterope replied as she sank into the bed. A smile lingered on her lips. Kallieon laughed along with her and rubbed his nose against hers. This was something he did before their lips met. Asterope’s small lips naturally parted at his ticklish action. When Kallieon saw her slightly parted lips, he slowly pressed his lips against hers. Then, Asterope raised her thin arms and wrapped them around Kallieon’s neck.

These days, the two of them burrow into each other whenever they have a moment. It wasn’t because they had any particular thoughts; they simply couldn’t help it because they enjoyed the contact. It felt as if the formal marital relationship and physical intimacy that had existed between them for the past year were all a lie.  

Asterope giggled like a child at his hand lifting her nightgown and hugged him tighter. The bed no longer felt wide, nor did the room feel cold.