Chapter 12

“Your Highness…!”

Letricia pulled at Killian’s arm at his sudden declaration.

Clearly, Killian’s first request had only been to act as a fake bride for a brief moment. Somehow, things seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.

In truth, since the moment she had asked Piril for time to think, Letricia had been vaguely making plans for her future.

The reactions of people around her upon hearing that Letricia was terminally ill were predictable.

The Count’s family would probably complain, saying “Now you want us to take care of your illness too?” It was a future she could clearly envision without having to experience it.

Therefore, she thought it would be better for everyone if she left the mansion before her condition worsened.

However, it was rare for an unmarried daughter, even an adopted one, to be sent outside the domain unless for medical treatment, and Count Esta wouldn’t allow Letricia such a luxurious lifestyle as recuperation.

That’s why Letricia chose to break off her engagement with Petrick.

Fortunately, though she wasn’t sure if “fortunately” was the right word to use. Anyway.

In the Empire, a noblewoman’s broken engagement was considered a family disgrace, and thus most women who broke off engagements were sent to convents.

Of course, if another marriage prospect arose, there would be no need to go to a convent, but such cases were rare.

And it wouldn’t be any different for Letricia. She had planned to quietly end her remaining days at the convent after being sent there following her broken engagement with Petrick.

Though it wouldn’t be a luxurious environment, at least her mind would be more at peace than spending time at the Count’s mansion. She thought that would be quite a decent ending.

But from the moment she became entangled with Killian, her future plans were going awry in real-time without even a chance to gather her thoughts.

“You clearly said it would only be for a moment. But now a wedding…!”

“Ah.”

At Letricia’s small protest, Killian traced his lips with his fingertip thoughtfully.

Then he drew very close.

“Then I’ll make a second request. Instead of temporarily, please become my bride officially.”

“But!”

“I’ll say it again, but you don’t have the option to refuse, my lady.”

After silently meeting her gaze for a moment, Killian moved away, muttering quietly, “See. That’s why they say to be careful with promises.”

It all happened in an instant before Letricia could do anything.

“Hmm… you’ll hold the ceremony right away? Here, you mean?”

“Yes. If a simple ceremony would suffice. Fortunately, His Majesty is here to witness it.”

The Emperor, stroking his navy hair that looked just like the Empress Dowager’s, rounded his docile eyes as if agreeing with Killian’s words.

“I don’t mind, but is it alright to have such a casual ceremony for your only wedding?”

“What choice do we have? Since Her Majesty desires it so.”

Killian responded dryly and pulled out a cord from around his neck outside his shirt. On it hung a pair of rings, as if he had prepared for such a situation.

Clink. When Killian broke the cord, the two rings created a clear sound as they clinked together. Killian slipped one ring onto Letricia’s ring finger.

Though he hesitated briefly, he pushed the ring all the way on calmly and pressed his lips firmly above it.

Then, while putting the other ring on his own finger, he made a brief vow.

After completing the simple procedure that was closer to a pledging ceremony than a wedding as stated, Killian looked at the Empress Dowager expressionlessly.

“How is it? Are you satisfied now, Your Majesty?”

“…”

“If it’s still not enough, shall I show you the kiss of covenant?”

To provoke the Empress Dowager whose eyes had reddened with anger, Killian half-turned his head.

This caused his and Letricia’s lips to come almost touchingly close.

And just as that precarious distance was about to disappear…

“Killian Adel Heberus! I shouldn’t have let you set foot in this capital again in the first place! If only you hadn’t won that war…!”

The Empress Dowager, grinding her teeth in fury, jumped up from her seat.

“Your Majesty. I apologize, but this mother must return to rest as I’m not feeling well! I can’t stay here any longer!”

Then she whirled around and left the reception room.

But even after the Empress Dowager’s footsteps had completely faded away, Killian showed no sign of moving away from Letricia.

“Your Highness. You can stop now.”

Unable to bear the awkwardness of their still too-close lips, Letricia finally pushed at Killian’s shoulder.

But for some reason, Killian’s body didn’t budge at all.

He just kept staring at Letricia’s lips with an unreadable expression, his long eyelashes lowered.

“…Your Highness. Please move aside. It’s over now.”

“…”

“Your Highness?”

Due to Killian’s continued silence, Letricia tried to step back half a step.

But even that wasn’t possible because of Killian’s hand firmly wrapped around her waist.

Fortunately, not long after, the Emperor’s congratulatory words and permission to leave came, allowing Letricia to escape Killian’s embrace before the awkwardness could choke her.

Of course, even until then, Letricia couldn’t understand why Killian had held her and wouldn’t let go. Even until the moment she crossed the threshold alone, leaving Killian detained by the Emperor in the reception room.

* * *

“I wondered why you requested all the lords and ladies to attend today’s banquet… So this was your intention.”

“Your Majesty, if you don’t have anything important to say, may I take my leave now? My bride is waiting.”

“Haha.”

The Emperor, who had stopped Killian as he was about to leave the reception room with Letricia, laughed awkwardly at his half-brother’s cold voice.

At the end of his weak laughter lay old guilt and regret.

“Though it’s been over a decade since we sat face to face like this… my cold-hearted brother never once called me ‘elder brother.'”

“I don’t think we’re close enough to be exchanging warm greetings as brothers.”

“…Yes. That’s true.”

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Ah, wait a moment!”

After barely making eye contact throughout their conversation, the Emperor rose unsteadily from his seat as Killian tried to leave.

“I… I’m sorry.”

The Emperor mumbled with his head hanging low.

“What for, Your Majesty?”

“…For everything my mother has done and tried to do to you.”

The Emperor closed his eyes tightly, feeling quite shameless even to himself.

Unlike Empress Dowager Astara, Emperor Antonio didn’t see Killian as someone to be monitored and kept in check.

Rather, he only felt great remorse toward Killian, who had been driven from the palace because of his mother.

But no matter how much he disapproved of Astara’s behavior, Antonio lacked the courage to go against her.

Therefore, all Antonio could do was warn Killian of danger beforehand like this.

“I thought things would gradually improve as I ruled, but I still have no power at all.”

Too ashamed to face his brother, Antonio covered half his face with his palm.

“But why did you choose Lady Esta? There were many other ladies at the banquet. Surely that talk about love at first sight couldn’t be true.”

Antonio fiddled with the crooked end of his crown while giving a dejected laugh.

“Perhaps there’s another reason?”

“Hmm.”

Killian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he turned his head toward the door Letricia had left through.

“She’s a good card to play.”

“A good card… I see.”

It was clearly an answer from someone who had no intention of explaining further.

Feeling it would be tactless to probe further, Antonio just repeated Killian’s words bitterly.

“Whatever the reason, I’m not comfortable with this. After all, it’s forming a lifelong bond with someone you’ll spend your life with, yet it’s being done so hastily.”

When Antonio suggested they hold a proper ceremony again soon, a sneer escaped Killian’s lips.

“Lifelong… I’ll handle the ceremony myself, Your Majesty need not concern yourself. Now I really must go.”

“Kill…! No, never mind. Yes. Take… care. If you have time later, perhaps we could…”

“Your Majesty and I will never meet face to face like this again.”

“Ah…”

Killian drew a sharp line against Antonio’s attempt at friendliness and truly moved to leave.

Though barely two minutes had passed, he was concerned about Letricia who had left first.

Vertical lines formed between Killian’s brows as he recalled her small face, pale white yet stubbornly enduring.

‘Hah. I should send her back before she actually faints. The extra medicine…’

Just as Killian was crossing the reception room threshold while searching through his clothes for something.

A commotion that would irritate Killian’s nerves came from the stairway far around the corner.

“What, broken engagement? Hey, Letricia! Have you lost your mind?!”

* * *

Bang!

Letricia gritted her teeth at the pain shooting through her shoulder as it hit the stair railing.

“Ugh. That hurts, Brother.”

Isis, who had been released from the western tower and come running, had grabbed and pushed Letricia as she was walking after leaving the reception room ahead of Killian.

“Hey, it’s not true, right? They were saying strange things about Petrick Godwin breaking off the engagement with you. Is it true?”

How efficient. They’d barely had time to meet, yet he’d already heard such things from Petrick.

Letricia mentally applauded Petrick’s swift action while trying to remove Isis’s hand that was roughly gripping her arm.

“Yes, it’s true. So please let go of this.”

He was gripping so forcefully that her already pale skin turned even whiter from lack of blood flow.

Regardless, Isis continued to press Letricia.

“Damn it! Are you really in your right mind? Don’t you know our family’s business is tied up with House Godwin?”

“…Is that all you have to say, Brother? You’re not even asking why I broke off the engagement. The only thing you’re curious about…”

“Would there be such things? And is that important right now? If Duke Godwin finds another way to transport spices instead of ships because of this incident, do you know how much we’ll lose!”

Now Isis grabbed both of Letricia’s shoulders and roughly shook her small frame.

The force caused Letricia’s feet to teeter precariously on the edge of the stairs.

One small slip and she would tumble down the stairs.

“Ah, never mind that. Let’s fix this broken engagement first. We’ll say it was a momentary mistake… Wait. What’s this?”

Isis, who had been glaring with narrowed eyes, rubbed his eyes as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

He had discovered the ring on Letricia’s finger.

“This isn’t the ring you matched with Petrick Godwin? Then whose is this?”

“Oh, now you have something you’re curious about regarding me.”

“What- I’m not here to play word games with you, just answer. Whose is it?”

“The Grand Duke’s.”

“What?”

Isis, who had forgotten his angry outburst while closely examining the ring, wrinkled his nose.

His reaction suggested the name made no sense in this context.

“What nonsense are you… Why do you have his ring?”

“Because I married him.”

“…?”

Who? You?

Isis, who had briefly fallen silent in disbelief, soon blurted out:

“Crazy. Impossible.”