Aris’s hand, which had been writing the document, stopped. She turned her head to look out the window.

It was snowing.

The season when she married Kalaian was in early spring when the cold was fading, so it was already almost a year since she had married him.

‘… During that time, His Majesty has not visited my bedroom even once.’

Aris smiled sadly. Not aroused, he said.

She didn’t feel like forcing someone who refused to share a bed for such a reason. More precisely, she didn’t have the courage to do so.

Aris looked at the snow settling on the window frame and thought.

‘It must not be the first snow in the East yet.’

There were too many differences between the East, Aris’s hometown, and here, the West. Not just the environment, but from people’s way of thinking to their values.

There were so many differences that it was jokingly said that they couldn’t understand each other despite being in one country.

The West, where the imperial palace was located, had suffered from large-scale conflicts with monsters. However, as long as the current imperial family, the Etenbarkes, existed, the country was safe.

Thanks to that, the East, which is far from the West, was so safe that there was almost no sense of crisis about monsters, and this solidified the difference between the West and the East.

The two sides, with many differences, naturally opposed each other, and the conflict escalated into disputes. At the center of this opposition were the Western Imperialist faction, centered around the imperial family and gathered nobles, and the Eastern Noble faction, composed of prominent families from the East.

For nearly 10 years, the fight between the two forces had been incessant, and the internal strife left enormous losses. As a result, the two forces inevitably led a reconciliation.

What was put forward as a guarantee for this was the marriage between Kalaian, who was the crown prince, and Aristena, the daughter of Marquis Eldeiz from the Eastern Noble faction.

‘The reason His Majesty doesn’t favor me is probably because I’m a person from the East.’

However, despite this, Aristena admired the Emperor of Belvaiden.

For a long time. No, perhaps from the moment she first saw him when she was young.

‘Even if I’m different from His Majesty in many ways, I want to understand him. I want to… keep being by his side.’

Aris always did her best, even with her weak body, for the duties of an Empress for internal affairs, hoping that one day he would look at her.

‘If I visit for work matters, I can see His Majesty for a short while. Cheer up, Aristena.’

Although it was just brief encounters, Aris was fine with just that. Because she understood that he was keeping his distance from her.

And, because she wanted to approach him slowly so that he wouldn’t feel burdened.

But…

“Did you hear that story? They say His Majesty is going to take Lady Serena as his Empress.”

Aris, who had gone out for a walk to clear her mind, stopped her steps behind a pillar. Ahead, the palace maids were chattering away.

“Oh my, really? That’s great! Have they been somewhat affectionate for a long time?”

“That’s right. There’s even a story that Lady Serena and His Majesty are each other’s first loves. I tell you, couples who are meant to be together will end up together!”

“Maybe we won’t have to worry about the imperial heir anymore.”

The maids walked away, giggling.

Aris blankly stared at their retreating figures. Their voices, gradually fading away, seemed distant as if they were flying to the edge of consciousness.

‘Serena Frencia…?’

Aris knew that name well too. The only daughter of Count Frencia, a founding contributor to the nation, and a woman who had been with Kalaian since childhood.

Also, if not for the reconciliation between the Imperialist faction and the Noble faction… she might have become the Empress instead of her.

Aris clenched her hands together so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She suddenly became curious. Did the attendants behind her, who had stopped with her, know about this story? If they did, what would they think about her?

Aris bit her lip slightly. It felt like lukewarm water was suffocatingly filling up inside her heart.

She grasped the hem of her dress and turned around. Some attendants who had been secretly smirking quickly wiped the smiles off their faces.

Although she noticed this, Aris asked in a voice that strived to maintain composure.

“Is His Majesty in his office?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Let’s go to His Majesty’s office.”

It was a place she usually didn’t visit without official reasons. Because he terribly disliked being sought out for personal reasons.

‘When I had just become Empress, I visited him several times without knowing any better.’

Ironically, at that time, she knew so little about him that she had expectations that he would welcome her. In the end, those feelings were soon crushed.

‘It’s okay. This is a valid reason for a visit as his wife.’

Aris looked at his office, which she had already reached, repeating the validity of this justification several times in her mind. She took a short deep breath inwardly, then nodded to the attendant beside her.

“Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress has come to see you.”

“Enter.”

A dry voice was heard, and Aris entered his office.

As always, he looked up at Aris with his silver hair neatly combed up without a strand out of place. Thin gold-rimmed glasses sat in front of his purple eyes, which showed clear signs of fatigue.

“What business do you have, Empress?”

He always maintained a consistently polite appearance. This time too, he wore his usual smile that conveyed a sense of ceremonial kindness with a hint of dryness.

“There’s something I’d like to confirm the truth of.”

“The truth?”

Kalaian’s head tilted slightly. Aris observed his expression once before speaking.

“Well, I happened to hear something. That Your Majesty is going to take Count Frencia’s daughter as your Empress…”

“Ah.”

A short sigh interrupted Aris’s words. At that sound, which could never be a denial, Aris’s heart pounded, frightened.

Eventually, Kalaian let out a quiet sigh. Then, he looked at Aris with eyes that seemed to find her pathetic. A faint hint of irritation could be felt in them.

“You came to see me for something like that? To ask about the truth of a rumor?”

“But still, that’s…”

For us who maintain a marriage at least on the surface, isn’t it okay to ask about something like that?

Such words came to Aris’s mind, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them out loud. It felt like if she uttered such words, her own heart would be torn along with them.

Kalaian was always difficult to approach. Was it because he often showed a cold side?

Whenever Aris stood before Kalaian, her heart would pound as if on fire, and she felt like she was suffocating. It was somewhat different from ordinary excitement.

Kalaian, who had been silent, put down the pen he was holding. Aris flinched at the sound.

“I was about to tell you anyway.”

He got up from his seat and approached Aris.

“If you had waited a little longer, I would have told you directly, but it seems you’ve already heard it as a rumor rather than from me. I will be taking an Empress.”

“…What?”

“Has your question been answered now?”

He approached with such force that it seemed he would swallow even Aris’s shadow, then stopped and placed his hand on her shoulder. The look in his eyes as he gazed down at her was strange.

Was it indeed a consolation for her, who would soon have another family member?

No, it was slightly different. His hand seemed to apply a light pressure, and soon he frowned slightly as if displeased.

While Aris was at a loss to understand the reason for this action, he removed his hand and walked past her.

“I’m sorry, but it’s almost time for my meeting with the ministers, so I’ll go ahead. I hope there won’t be any more visits like this in the future.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Until next time, Empress.”

Kalaian left the office first. Aris, who was unfortunately left alone in his space, placed her hand on her shoulder where he had briefly held.

“……”

A dejected smile flowed out in bewilderment. After hearing that he would take another wife. After being rebuked as if I didn’t even have the right to interfere in such matters…

‘…To think my heart would tremble over something like this.’

Aris bit her cold lips.