The Emperor left.

Along with the Emperor’s departure, the imperial troops that had been deployed in advance to the main routes leading to the north returned to their respective positions.

And the young Duke became more energetic than ever after Duchess Yuriella woke up.

After His Grace the Duke said he would go on a honeymoon, the head butler Alexis and head maid Rosalinne were excited and completely overhauled the room Frost had used as a baby.

Rosalinne insisted on making curtains and a baby crib in white and blue hues.

“I dreamed of a blue dragon as big as a castle flying towards our young Duke! The first baby will be a young Duke.”

Alexis stubbornly maintained they should make curtains and a baby crib in light pink and rose tones.

“I dreamed of His Grace smiling brightly while holding a beautiful young Duchess who looks just like you. The first baby will surely be a young Duchess.”

“There’s no such thing as that kind of conception dream, Lex. For a girl, you dream of a full moon, pretty jewels, flowers, pomegranates or a beautiful white horse. Lex just had that dream because you’re so eager for the baby. A remarkable and great young Duke who will bring glory to the ducal family will surely be born.”

“Then let’s prepare two baby rooms. In case my conception dream is correct.”

“But what if it’s twins? I heard twin young Dukes were born in the previous generation.”

“Then I’ll prepare four rooms for the babies. There’s no harm in being thoroughly prepared. If my dream is right, we can turn the other rooms into playrooms.”

While the head butler and head maid were making noise about uncorking wine bottles in a vineyard where no seeds had been planted,

In the Duke’s study, Frost and Yuriella were choosing a honeymoon destination.

“I don’t like it. I’m not going.”

Yuriella shook her head as she sat perched on the wide open windowsill, swinging her legs.

A refreshing breeze gently puffed up and tickled Yuriella’s lush strawberry blonde hair.

Though it was cool for summer weather, Frost was sweating profusely as he wrestled with the pile of travel destination candidates on the table.

Yuriella had just rejected the 11th place Frost recommended with two simple words: “I don’t like it. I’m not going.”

The first place Frost recommended was Regina Castello, famous for its nickname “Ice Castle”. It was a mysterious place where the white marble castle, bathed in the chilly dawn light, looked like an intricately carved ice sculpture.

It was a northern attraction that Frost really wanted to take Yuriella to at least once.

There were hot springs behind the castle, which he recommended thinking it would be good for restoring Yuriella’s strength that may have weakened while her soul was away from her body.

[I don’t like it. I’m not going. Do you think soaking an unsightly weak body in hot springs will make it better? Take Shavell, who’s worried about being beautiful but having weak muscles.]

Frost gritted his teeth, vowing to never use the two words “weak” and “unsightly” again for the rest of his life.

“Then…”

Frost picked up the next travel destination prepared by the head butler and aides who had stayed up all night.

“How about this? On the beach-”

“I don’t like it. I’m not going.”

Yuriella flatly refused without even listening, then turned her body while holding onto the windowsill and looked at the yellow parrot sitting at the top of the garden tree, busy catching bugs.

“Ren.”

The small head flinched, but the yellow parrot coldly ignored its heartless owner who wouldn’t give a reward no matter how much it called out the magic spell for snacks, “Solas! You’re the best!”

A gentle smile spread across Yuriella’s red lips as she watched the parrot satisfying its hunger with the small pine caterpillar it had caught with its clumsy hunting skills.

The corners of Frost’s mouth also curved up gently as he watched Yuriella.

“You don’t like it without even hearing what kind of place it is?”

“I don’t think I’ll like it even if I hear about it.”

Yuriella answered halfheartedly without even looking back.

Frost sighed shallowly and looked at the next candidate.

“Then the next candidate is-”

“I don’t like that one either. I’m not going.”

“Yuriella.”

Yuriella didn’t look back, turning away with a sulky face.

“What?”

“If you don’t like any of them, shall we just stay home? I don’t mind. Let’s do whatever you want.”

Yuriella turned to look at Frost with a surprised expression and puffed out her cheeks.

“No! You said the Duke would be criticized and suffer losses if we don’t go on a honeymoon!”

“If they criticize, I’ll shut their mouths. I can just cut out all the troublesome ones who have been annoying-”

“Are you stupid, Duke? A master of battle doesn’t show their claws! You have to lower the enemy’s guard and make them let their guard down to capture the high ground! A honeymoon is a very useful tactic that can be used on the Emperor as well as the northern nobles. Is violence your only alternative?”

The corners of Frost’s mouth trembled slightly as he fiddled with the candidate report with his large hand.

How could even her anger be so cute and earnest?

Since entering the study, the only words she had uttered were:

[Hmph!] [I don’t know!] [I don’t like it!] [I’m not going!] [Are you stupid?]

She had only said mean things, making him restless.

Frost found it difficult to wipe away the smile on his lips, finding Yuriella pretty even as she worried about him while getting angry.

He thought Yuriella would be pretty even if she chose to do something meaner.

Just breathing, speaking, and moving in front of him. He had painfully realized how grateful he was just for her existence like this while guarding Yuriella’s empty body for the past few days when her soul was gone.

When had he given his heart away like this?

Strangely, Frost chuckled to himself at the absurd thought that he may have given his heart to her long before meeting Yuriella.

‘I must have really become a fool.’

Frost brushed back the hair that had fallen on his forehead and picked up the report for another honeymoon candidate.

“How about the Thousand Islands in Bella Donna? The villa isn’t very large, but the path to the forest following the reindeer trail is quite picturesque. It’s a place I used to visit every year before my parents passed away.”

Frost handed the report to Yuriella.

It was a carefully prepared report with the aides even enlisting a painter to include pictures of the villa and surrounding scenery.

This time too, Yuriella was about to immediately blurt out ‘I don’t like it! I’m not going!’ with a nasty expression.

But she missed a beat at the mention of it being a place the Duke had gone with his parents.

And she missed the next breath too, wondering what kind of place it was where the Duke had played as a child.

‘I want to go. I really want to go. All the places you showed me earlier were really amazing too, but I really want to go here…’

Like a child looking at a house made of chocolate cake and macarons,

Yuriella’s clear eyes rippled finely as she looked at the picture of the villa in the report.

A faint smile appeared in the corners of Frost’s eyes, who had not taken his eyes off Yuriella.

Will she allow it this time?

As he waited for the beautiful bride’s answer with anticipation,

A strong wind blew towards Yuriella sitting on the windowsill and snatched away the villa picture she couldn’t take her eyes off.

[I hate it! I’m not going! I really hate it!]

Aery flapped her wings and crumpled up the villa picture tightly, then rubbed it vigorously with her small hands.

Yuriella sighed shallowly as she blankly watched the pulverized report scatter in the strong wind and fly out the window.

“Aery. This is the Duke’s private study. From now on, knock politely and come in.”

“You don’t have to knock. Aery, you’re banned from entering from now on.”

[I don’t want to! I’ll do as I please! I’m the wind, so I can go anywhere!]

“Didn’t you say you slept for 500 years in the aurora? Shall I put you to sleep for another 500 years in an ice shard that not even a wisp of wind can pass through?”

Blue aura rippled on Frost’s index finger as it twitched, as if it wasn’t an empty threat.

[Go ahead! Try it! If you want to get divorced by Yuriella, go ahead and try!]

Aery glared fiercely with her tiny eyes as she doubled the size of her fluffy head.

“My wife is not as frivolous as you. She wouldn’t carelessly mention divorce.”

Frost scolded the wind spirit proudly and arrogantly, but.

“If you put Aery in an ice box, I’ll divorce you right away.”

Yuriella took Aery’s side.

“I’m sorry, Duke. Not only am I an unsightly weakling, but it turns out I’m also a frivolous and careless wife.”

Frost was silent.

The words ‘I don’t think you’re a frivolous and careless person’ came to the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them. He had learned clearly from their last fight that adding unnecessary words at times like this only worsens the situation.

But.

“What’s with this silence? Do you really think I’m a frivolous and careless person, Duke?”

Huh? Frost messed up his neatly arranged hair in confusion. What went wrong?

“No, I… With unnecessary words, I was afraid I might anger you instead…”

“You should have said no at a time like this. Silence means agreement, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right. No. Absolutely not-”

“Forget it! It’s too late!”

Frost stared blankly at Yuriella who turned her head away abruptly, desperately thinking of a breakthrough.

Even if the castle walls crumble and the inner citadel falls to the enemy, there is always a final breakthrough.

‘That’s right. Reinforcements!’

Frost’s desperate gaze turned to Aery, who had landed on Yuriella’s palm and was stroking her fluffy hair with her small hand.

“Aery. I take it back. Whether you knock or rudely barge in through the window like earlier. I always welcome you.”

[Really? For real?]

Aery tilted her head to the side and looked at Frost, as if suspicious of his intentions.

“Yes. I was just having a very important conversation with my wife. About choosing a honeymoon destination. I’ll give you a chance too, so make a recommendation.”

Frost told Aery as if doing her a favor.

“Of course, it won’t be an easy task. Choosing a honeymoon destination is extremely tricky.”

[Yuriella will definitely like wherever I recommend.]

“Your spirit is admirable, but it’s not such an easy task.”

[Aery can succeed in one try.]

Aery bragged with her arms crossed.

Frost crossed his arms back and smiled. As if I haven’t tried 11 times and failed 11 times.

“Show me your skills. If you succeed in one try, I’ll give you a reward.”

[I don’t need a reward. If Yuriella heals all your wounds, leave cleanly as you first promised without clinging pathetically. That’s enough for me.]

Though his face looked emotionless and numb, Frost’s clenched fist emitted a chill.

Should I just put her in an ice box now? It doesn’t seem like she’ll do a good job as reinforcements.

[I already have a place in mind. Aery’s recommended honeymoon destination is. Tadah. Right here!]

Aery flew up from Yuriella’s palm and fluttered about making a big circle.

[Right here. The place I recommend is. Right here!]

Frost and Yuriella tilted their heads up to look at Aery circling in the air as if teasing.

They’re getting tense over this.

[Colina Rosa!]

Frost and Yuriella’s expressions froze simultaneously.

[Also known as the Red Hill! I recommend Colina Rosa~!]

Aery stopped abruptly in mid-air with an exaggerated voice and hand gestures like a traveling circus ringmaster.

Yuriella glared at Aery with cold eyes.

‘What on earth are you thinking?’

Aery fluttered over and landed on Yuriella’s shoulder. Then she gently parted the fallen strawberry blonde hair and whispered softly in her ear.

[Yuriella. If you have to go somewhere with the Duke anyway, it should be ‘Colina Rosa’. That place is both the end and beginning for you and the Duke. It’s a place you must see.]

“…”

Colina Rosa. Also known as the Red Hill.

The place where the Northern Subjugation Army Commander-in-Chief Solas Moretti suffered the most casualties.

The place where Frost Ielheim was cut by the demonic sword of fire, Flama, and became terminally ill.

The last battlefield where the owner of the holy sword who was beheaded for insubordination and treason participated…

Frost, who had momentarily lost his words at the unexpected mention of the place, examined Yuriella’s stiffly frozen expression.

“Ah… I don’t really want to recommend that place to you. It’s not even a travel destination… and they’re still rebuilding from the damage suffered during the subjugation…”

He thought she would say she didn’t like it this time too.

Colina Rosa could never be a honeymoon destination.

That place was… still a painful land where tears and sighs flowed.

But.

“Okay… I’ll go…”

For the first time, Yuriella said she liked it. She said she would go.

But for some reason, her expression looked so precarious as if it would collapse at any moment.

Frost unknowingly placed his hand on his tingling chest.