“Lord Escalion Diete? What’s the matter? When I saw him today, he looked more like royalty than a war hero who had accomplished incredible feats in battle.”

“His appearance is certainly…! I haven’t seen such an eye-catching handsome man in a very long time.”

Behind the women’s voices, a male noble’s voice continued.

“With his large build and statuesque appearance, standing next to the Holy Maiden, they looked like a painting.”

“I also think they match well externally. However…”

The nobles’ voices suddenly died down.

“…He’s of common birth.”

Hearing their conversation, Hazel gritted his teeth and was about to burst through the wall. But Escalion extended his arm faster, stopping him.

The nobles continued their conversation, completely unaware that the subjects of their talk were standing behind the wall.

“I heard he doesn’t even have parents? That’s why he received the duke title right away.”

“No parents? How can someone of unknown origins be with the Holy Maiden…”

Hazel looked up at Escalion with a tense face, swallowing dryly.

He clearly thought Escalion would be upset, but unexpectedly, Escalion was scratching his chin with an interested expression.

“Isn’t it all because of the Pope’s vast generosity?”

“What do you mean?”

As they listened from behind the wall, the nobles’ voices continued.

“The Papal State doesn’t discriminate based on origins. By marrying the Holy Maiden to a commoner war hero, they’re once again showing the Papal State’s intention to treat all imperial citizens equally regardless of position or status, and to love everyone.”

“Oh my… Was that it? If that’s the case, it’s certainly something to celebrate, isn’t it? How joyous.”

Hearing the woman’s words, the man snickered and asked.

“Joyous? Do you really think so?”

After a small deflating laugh, the woman spoke in a cold voice.

“Of course not. How could I be purely happy when the confessional, my only purpose for coming to the Papal State, is disappearing? The Holy Maiden is probably the only reason nobles consistently visit and donate to the declining Papal State. I find it a bit surprising that the Pope would so easily let go of the Holy Maiden card…”

“Indeed. Now who will listen to my secrets? It’s quite regrettable.”

“How can we common folk dare to fathom the Pope’s mind? Let’s go.”

The sound of the nobles’ footsteps leaving in a group was heard.

Hazel, standing still as if frozen, opened his mouth while watching Escalion’s reaction as he listened to their conversation.

“C-Captain…”

Escalion swept his hair back with an expressionless face.

“…So that’s what my wife was for to the nobles. I thought all imperial citizens loved her with pure hearts, but I guess that wasn’t the case?”

“Captain, that’s not important right now! Those people behind your back are…!”

“They didn’t say anything wrong. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve seen the nobles’ dirty side.”

He tilted his head, fidgeting with his eyebrow as if annoyed.

He recalled the old emperor who had summoned him from Griblata to the capital a few weeks ago and abruptly told him to marry the Pope’s daughter. The emperor, constantly rolling his cloudy gray eyes, looked somewhat uncomfortable and dissatisfied.

He knew that the emperor was displeased with how he, of humble origins, had suddenly gained absolute support from the imperial citizens, and thus presented the Holy Maiden, with only outwardly impressive credentials, as a marriage partner instead of a precious daughter from any powerful family.

At the time, not wanting to argue over various things in an uncomfortable situation, he had simply answered that he understood, but…

Escalion recalled when he visited the Papal State later, intending to express his refusal of the marriage proposal.

The intensely trembling blue eyes that seemed terrified, the transparent gaze that even made him feel dizzy, and his own intention that had been reversed without him realizing…

Escalion, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth.

“Hazel, we’re leaving right now.”

“What?”

“I’ve changed my mind. Let’s depart for Griblata right now.”

To Hazel, who asked again in surprise, Escalion pulled the corners of his mouth into a playful smile.

Clunk, clatter.

The carriage shook with irregular movements.

Belladonna exhaled a low breath, feeling a slight dizziness and nausea.

“Are you dizzy?”

Escalion, sitting across from her with his arms folded, looking out the window, asked as he glanced at her.

Belladonna slowly shook her head.

As soon as the wedding ceremony ended, without even a moment’s rest, they had boarded the carriage and set off for his domain. She looked up at him with resentful eyes.

What on earth was so urgent that he insisted on leaving right away!

“What do you mean you’re not? Your already pale face has turned even whiter.”

After looking at her and clicking his tongue once, he abruptly stuck his hand out the window and stopped the carriage.

As it was solely his decision to force the journey to Griblata after the wedding ceremony, he was feeling a bit apologetic.

“Let’s take a short break here.”

As the carriage stopped, her throbbing headache seemed to subside a little.

Escalion, who had risen first, opened the carriage door, leapt out, and extended his hand to her.

“Come out and get some fresh air.”

Belladonna nodded and took his hand.

As she stepped out of the carriage, a cool breeze blew, ruffling her bangs.

Ah, the cool air makes me feel better…

As Belladonna, now more clearheaded, looked around, she noticed numerous knights and servants watching her with worried faces.

The sight of the already thin and pale Holy Maiden stepping out of the carriage even paler had given them quite a shock.

They were much more accustomed to their tall, sturdy master who was now holding her small hand.

The knights and servants blankly stared at their master and mistress, who were strikingly contrasting at a glance.

At that moment, a maid who had disembarked from the servants’ carriage approached her and carefully asked.

“Are you alright, Madam…?”

Madam? Me, me?

Belladonna blinked her eyes.

Facing her bewildered expression, the maid quickly bowed her head.

“Ah, I’m Cindy, who will be serving Madam from now on! I was originally going to greet you formally when we arrived at the master’s castle, but I ended up introducing myself early like this.”

The maid who introduced herself was a cute girl with a calm but bubbly atmosphere.

Belladonna mustered what little strength she had and gave her the kindest smile she could manage.

“Ah…”

Cindy blushed, delighted to be serving such a beautiful mistress.

Escalion, who had been holding her hand until then, blurted out gruffly.

“That’s enough greetings for now, at least lay out some cloth for my wife. She should sit down and rest.”

Ah, no, I’m fine…

Belladonna quickly reached out to stop her, but Cindy’s movements were faster.

Without hesitation, she turned around and brought several thick blankets from inside the servants’ carriage, then spread them out widely under a nearby tree.

“Madam, please rest in the shade.”

Belladonna gave Cindy a grateful smile before sitting down on the blankets she had neatly laid out.

“…”

Umm…

Excuse me, but if everyone keeps staring at me like that, won’t it make me… very uncomfortable…?

Belladonna looked up with an awkward gaze at Escalion, the knights, and the servants who were all just staring at her.

Noticing the plea for help in her eyes, Escalion placed his hands on his hips and turned to them.

“If you’re done gawking, go rest on your own.”

“Ah! Y-Yes…”

“Understood!”

As the knights and servants creaked away from sight, Belladonna finally stretched out her legs and leaned her back against the tree trunk. Phew…

“Is this your first long-distance journey?”

Escalion asked as he plopped down beside her.

Belladonna nodded.

Neither in her previous life nor after becoming Belladonna the Holy Maiden had she experienced traveling long distances by carriage. In her previous life, she was confined to a narrow farmland, and after becoming Belladonna, she was trapped in the Papal State…

“It’ll be tough, but bear with it a little longer. The damn domain is located at the northernmost border, farthest from Astanya.”

“…”

“If he was going to grant a domain, he could have given a better one, but like a greedy old man, he gave the worst one out of the numerous domains he’s tightly holding onto.”

Huh?

Belladonna turned to look at him with wide eyes.

T-That statement just now about His Majesty the Emperor…!

But Escalion looked down at her with a very nonchalant face and shrugged his shoulders.

“What does it matter? Apparently, others tell you all sorts of things they can and can’t say anyway.”

That may be true, but…

“From now on, you’ll stop that too and only listen to me for the rest of your life.”

At Escalion’s casually uttered words, Belladonna felt her heart tighten as if it were being squeezed.

The fact that their married life would last only about three months was known only to her and the Pope. He clearly had no idea that his marriage would end so quickly.

“What are you thinking about that made you so serious again?”

Escalion’s hot, large finger touched Belladonna’s forehead.

Belladonna blinked her eyes and slid back against the tree trunk as he applied pressure.

He lowered the hand he had placed on her forehead, spread it out, and covered her eyes.

“If you’re very tired, sleep a little.”

I’m not sleepy though…

Belladonna shook her head and removed his hand that was covering her eyes.

“…Are you more stubborn than I thought?”

Escalion rubbed his chin and looked at her closely.

Ah, that’s not it…

Belladonna avoided his intense gaze and looked at the distant sky. T-The sky is pretty…

“If you’re not sleepy, I’ll sleep then.”

Escalion moved his large body and flopped down, using her lap as a pillow.

Belladonna looked down at him lying on her lap, inwardly shocked. What is this!

“You’re so skinny, there’s no softness at all.”

Escalion grumbled.

Am I a pillow?!

“I’ll sleep for a bit. Marriage, it’s more tiring than I thought. There’s so much to worry about.”

Escalion mumbled in a low voice, then closed his mouth and started breathing evenly.

H-He’s really going to sleep like this? It’s heavy!

Belladonna looked down at the man who did as he pleased with a dumbfounded expression, then shook her head helplessly.

It seemed much better for him to fall asleep like this and keep his mouth shut quietly, rather than constantly saying things that startled her while awake.

Whoosh…

A timely breeze shook the slender branches of the tree she was leaning against up and down.

A leaf that couldn’t withstand the wind fell into her field of vision. The delicate green leaf fluttered, tracing a gentle parabola before slowly settling on the ground.

‘Freedom.’

At that moment, Belladonna ridiculously felt a sense of freedom.

Was it because she wasn’t in the narrow, dirty, sweat-smelling farmland?

Was it because she had escaped the suffocating Papal State that kept oppressing her, who held a secret no one knew?

Belladonna quietly exhaled.