Chapter 18

“Step away right now.”

“My lord! A refreshing morning! Did you sleep we- mmph! Mmph!”

Pel, who had opened every muscle in his face like an excited puppy seeing its master, tried to rush to Killian.

Of course, Killian’s hand was faster in pushing away his face.

“Who are you to be holding my wife’s hand?”

“What? I just caught her because she was about to fall.”

Pel released Letricia’s hand, cowed by his master’s menacing aura.

Killian tilted his head askew as Pel raised both arms high as if to prove his innocence.

“The title.”

“Pardon?”

Pel’s playful eyes rolled like a ball.

According to what he’d heard last night, since Killian and Letricia had held a wedding ceremony, albeit a simple one, calling her ‘Lady’ wasn’t quite right.

“Ah! I mean not Lady but Grand Duchess! I only caught the Grand Duchess. Really!”

Pel’s eyes sparkled as if asking if he’d done well after correcting the title. But Killian was just brushing off Letricia’s hand where Pel had grabbed it.

“Hmm.”

After finishing his task, Killian tapped the stone floor a couple times with his scabbard.

It was about ten steps away from Letricia.

“Pel. Don’t come inside here anymore.”

“What? But my lord! …Yes. I understand.”

Pel, who was about to protest Killian’s words, pursed his lips.

Looking at those blue eyes that seemed like they wouldn’t bleed even if stabbed, he felt that if he argued about the unfairness, he’d immediately be ordered to run a hundred laps around the training grounds.

‘Usually you don’t care about anything around you.’

Pel looked at Killian showing sudden possessiveness as if he were a stranger.

Still, he obediently stepped back ten paces.

Once Pel had moved far enough away, Killian looked down at Letricia with a much softer expression.

“What brings you here? Instead of resting longer.”

“Ah.”

At Killian’s voice addressing her, Letricia’s eyes traced his blurry form.

“I had something to tell Your Highness. And something to give you… Your Highness?”

Letricia, who was about to return the notebook first though she had many things to ask and say, opened her eyes wide.

It was because Killian had suddenly cupped her cheek with his hand.

“You still seem to have trouble seeing. Coming to a place like this in that condition could be dangerous. Don’t you know how dangerous the training grounds are?”

“I’m… sorry…?”

For a moment, though she knew this wasn’t the situation for it, Letricia found herself apologizing without thinking.

Somehow, Killian’s gruff voice seemed to be scolding her out of concern.

Though it might be her imagination alone, Letricia, who had never experienced such worry before, didn’t know how to react.

If he would just get angry like Isis, saying how dare she enter without permission, she could handle it smoothly.

What should she say at a time like this?

So she just showed a mechanical smile silently, like she would to Isis.

This expression had at least kept Isis and Count Esta from getting angry, so it was an expression that came out naturally like breathing in awkward situations when she didn’t know how to respond.

“…Did you like the gifts?”

Perhaps this was the right answer for Killian too, as he took the notebook from Letricia without saying anything else.

“Actually, I wanted to talk about those gifts too.”

“What about them?”

“I don’t know why you’re giving me such precious things, but I can’t accept them. And I have no reason to receive them from Your Highness.”

“Why not just accept them? We’re married, after all.”

Killian continued speaking casually as he stuffed the notebook into his pocket.

“Did you ask why I’m giving gifts? What’s so special about it? I’m trying to win your favor.”

A husband to his wife.

“But we’re not really a married couple. Actually, I wanted to discuss this matter…”

“From your reaction, it seems you don’t like the gifts much. Then throw them away.”

“What? Throw away all those things?”

Just as Letricia was trying to have a proper conversation, Killian turned away at what seemed like a perfectly timed moment.

“Wait, Your Highness!”

“Ugh!”

Letricia unconsciously grabbed the turning Killian but let go when she heard him groan.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Frustrated by the image splitting into several pieces like astigmatism on her retina, Letricia frowned deeply as she looked at Killian.

That’s when she finally noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm.

“This arm…! You got hurt like this because of me yesterday! Are you badly hurt?”

“It’s…”

Killian, who was about to say this was nothing, narrowed his eyes.

Seeing Letricia looking up at him with eyes full of worry, he hunched over like someone unable to bear the pain.

“Urgh, it’s not fine. At this rate, I’ll have trouble even getting back to my room.”

Ignoring Pel in the distance who wore an incredulous expression as if saying ‘You were swinging your sword just fine earlier!’

Killian lowered his tall frame and rested his head on Letricia’s shoulder.

“So, would you mind supporting me?”

* * *

“Why are you standing there blankly? Sit down.”

“Your Highness, is your arm alright now? Earlier you said it hurt…”

Letricia’s eyelashes fluttered busily after finding herself supporting Killian to his room.

Though he had been leaning on her like he was about to die just moments ago.

Even from his blurry silhouette, Killian seemed far too fine after entering the room.

“Ah, yes. It hurts. It hurts like I’m dying.”

But Killian said this without changing his tone at all as he leaned against his desk.

Judging by his movements, he seemed to be trying to take off his clothes but was having trouble with his arm.

Letricia approached him and placed her hands where the buttons should be.

“I’ll help you.”

“Hmm. Quite forward, aren’t you, my wife.”

Letricia blushed as she pressed her face close to Killian’s shirt to undo the buttons.

Thinking about it, this position did seem quite embarrassing.

“I don’t mean anything strange by it. Just, since you got hurt because of me… Thank you for saving me yesterday. I’ve become indebted to Your Highness in many ways.”

“Never mind the thanks. More importantly, House Esta’s physician who visited yesterday said your eyes would recover soon since it’s temporary.”

As Letricia fumbled with the buttons, Killian caught her hands and helped her find the right spots.

“How much can you see now?”

“Um… I can make out shapes roughly.”

After giving a casual answer, Letricia focused on the buttons again.

“Are you naturally dull? You’re too calm for someone who suddenly couldn’t see.”

“By that logic, Your Highness seems quite dull too. You weren’t surprised at all seeing my condition yesterday.”

Pop. After undoing the last button, Letricia looked up.

“You knew about my condition, didn’t you?”

“…”

“I see you won’t answer again. That knight called Pel said that Your Highness being in Lotus Forest yesterday wasn’t a coincidence.”

After thinking it through, Letricia had reached the conclusion that Killian already knew about her condition.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and it seems that wasn’t the only thing that wasn’t coincidental. For example…”

Taking a breath, Letricia slowly relaxed her eyes. Her blurry vision was gradually becoming clearer.

“Your choosing me as your fake bride.”

“…Haa. That Pel. I told him so many times to watch his words.”

Seeing Killian running his hand through his hair with a frown, Letricia felt certain.

Killian choosing her as Grand Duchess instead of Lady Lotus was definitely not a spontaneous decision.

“Why? Did you choose me because of House Esta’s business too?”

There would be no reason for Killian to choose her as his card to overturn the imperial marriage arrangement otherwise.

His reputation wasn’t good to begin with, and having Letricia, an adopted daughter who caused the death of a countess, by his side would only backfire.

But looking at the family, it was a different story.

First, House Esta was almost the only influential family that didn’t side with the Empress Dowager.

And House Esta’s shipping business, coupled with the northern region’s proximity to the sea, would be perfect for pioneering new supply routes.

If that’s why he chose her as a bride…

“If that’s the case, you chose wrong.”

Stepping back from Killian, Letricia removed the ring from her finger.

Offering it to Killian, she smiled faintly.

“I might seem like a good card on the surface, but I’m a worthless one. Besides, though you might not know, I don’t have much time left to live.”

Since Killian wouldn’t take the ring, Letricia placed it on the desk.

“I’m not a good bride in many ways. So let’s pretend this marriage never happened…”

“This is quite unpleasant. Are you putting me on the same level as your former fiancé?”

“Of course not, Your Highness. I just… Ah…!”

Letricia’s body swayed as Killian suddenly grabbed her waist.

Finding herself half-embraced, Letricia tried to pull away.

But due to Killian’s strong arms, she only ended up burrowing deeper into his embrace.

“Cancellation is not possible. Didn’t I tell you clearly that taking it back is impossible?”

“But you won’t gain anything by marrying me.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’ve already gained what I needed to gain.”

Letricia felt Killian’s hand leave her back.

At the same time, her gradually clearing vision became completely bright, and just as her eyes met Killian’s firm chest right in front of her.

The ring that had been removed was slipped back onto Letricia’s finger. Like a trap she could never escape from.

“I’ll say it again – there’s no going back. You are what I need.”