Tap. Tap. Tap.

My wife leaves the main entrance and rushes down the stairs.

Yuriella, with no time to wipe her tear-stained face, was just gripping her dress hem and walking quickly as if running.

Frost followed Yuriella at a constant distance, clenching his fist.

Is her hand alright now? It must have hurt a lot.

When Frost saw blood flowing from Yuriella’s hand, he thought he wouldn’t have felt such a dizzying vertigo even if all the blood drained from his body.

He was dying to run and hold her, but Frost just erased his presence and adjusted his steps to match her stride.

The small feet hurrying towards the back of the annex seemed only anxious to escape from something. They didn’t seem to have a destination in mind, just busy moving forward.

“Haa, haa…”

Yuriella stopped abruptly and exhaled a long-held breath.

Frost also stopped walking and gazed at her blankly.

Yuriella looked around with a bewildered face like a lost child.

As if confirming his guess, Yuriella’s expression showed she just realized she had stopped in front of the personal training ground Frost had gifted her.

Yuriella, staring blankly at the unfinished training ground, let out a big sigh like a lament.

“Ah…!”

The sound of Yuriella sighing again, sitting down heavily in her dress and burying her face in her hands, could be heard.

With her face buried in the dress hem, Frost felt his heart burning.

Is she crying?

“Ah…!”

Once more. As a sigh like tears was exhaled, Frost’s patience ran out.

In a few long strides, Frost approached Yuriella, knelt on one knee, and gently placed his hand on her bowed head.

Yuriella’s body flinched and stiffened like stone.

“Yuriella.”

Instead of answering, Yuriella buried her face even deeper in her skirt.

Frost watched quietly for a moment, then began to stroke her head.

Gently. Slowly. Tenderly.

As his touch continued, Yuriella’s shoulders began to shake.

The silent crying sharply scraped at Frost’s heart.

What could it be?

What could have made this woman cry and become so shaken?

“I’m sorry.”

Yuriella’s shaking shoulders stopped at his words.

“I did wrong. I’m sorry.”

As if soothing, as if pleading, Frost’s voice lingered in Yuriella’s ears.

“Haa…”

Yuriella, curled up tightly, let out a deep sigh.

“I’m truly sorry, Yuriella.”

As if unable to bear it any longer, Yuriella suddenly raised her head and wiped her wet face roughly with the back of her hand.

“What are you sorry for? Why are you apologizing to me without even knowing the reason?”

“Because you’re crying.”

Yuriella stretched out her arms and pushed against Frost’s chest.

“Hurry back to the banquet hall. How can the host be out here after inviting guests? They’re important people to the Grand Duke, aren’t they?”

Seeing Yuriella still diligently worrying about him even in this situation, Frost wanted to smile in gratitude, and also wanted to get angry and ask why she didn’t take care of herself like that.

“You are important to me.”

“Those people are your political companions and elders who have protected you with their lives since you were young.”

“But you are my one and only wife.”

“You don’t know anything about me−”

“I think I know everything I need to know.”

“No. You don’t know anything, Your Grace.”

“What I don’t know, we can take time to learn slowly.”

For the first time, Frost thought there was a good side to being afflicted by the demon sword.

If he hadn’t become terminally ill, his vassals wouldn’t have been so desperate to find him a bride, and the urgent Duke Grande wouldn’t have searched for the illegitimate child he had abandoned before birth.

Then he wouldn’t have met this woman either.

The probability of the lord of the North who roams battlefields and a wandering medicine peddler’s dancer forming a marital bond would have been lower than the probability of strawberries growing on an apple tree.

“Get up. Let’s go have a warm cup of tea and rest with me. I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep.”

Frost helped Yuriella stand up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her crumpled dress.

“Please talk sense. What will the vassals who are waiting eagerly say?”

“They’ll praise us. They’re all eagerly waiting for the fruit of our love, the Grand Duke’s heir, so they’d rather we not return all night.”

“Don’t let them have false hopes. I’m someone who will leave without a trace once my treatment is over.”

As if bothered by Yuriella’s words, one of Frost’s eyebrows quirked up. But his gaze looking at her was still gentle.

“Isn’t life like an alley where you never know what’s waiting around the corner? Who knows if you’ll leave after your treatment is over or if you’ll stay by my side?”

“Your Grace.”

“Frost.”

“Why is the name so important?”

“I didn’t know, but I realized. When you call my name, I finally feel like myself.”

Frost’s blue eyes gazed steadily at Yuriella.

“Not the Guardian of the North, Grand Duke Ielheim. Not the master of the Ice Sword Iello. Just purely myself.”

“…No matter what I call you, you’re still the Guardian of the North, Grand Duke Ielheim, and the master of the holy sword Iello. Nothing changes. You can’t escape it.”

Can’t escape.

Nothing changes.

Even if she wore Yuriella Grande’s body and the Grand Duchess’s crown.

Even if she could deceive people’s eyes and even Frost’s eyes.

Just one person, herself, she could not deceive.

She was still Solas Moretti. And a sinner who had inflicted an indelible wound on Grand Duke Frost Ielheim and the North he protected.

Nothing changes. She shouldn’t want it to change.

The large hand that had been stroking Yuriella’s head as she bit her lip and was lost in her own thoughts came down to her reddened, swollen eyes.

Like handling a soap bubble that would burst if touched, the hand carefully wiped her wet eyes, carrying a warm temperature.

“Just a name. My wife is so unkind.”

“Your Grace.”

“And so stubborn too.”

“Stop it, Your Grace.”

“Are you done crying? Then let’s go now.”

Frost lifted Yuriella up and began walking in long strides.

“Pu-put me down…!”

When Frost pretended not to hear, Yuriella reluctantly called his name.

“Put me down, Frost.”

Frost let out a small laugh. But he didn’t seem to have any intention of putting Yuriella down.

Yuriella’s sparkling hair flowed with Frost’s wide strides. It seemed like a shallow sigh brushed past the crown of her head.

Yuriella turned her head away to avoid Frost’s gaze that was quietly looking at her.

The Grand Duke never asked why she had been crying so sadly until the end.

Frost, who had entered the main building of the mansion, stepped in the opposite direction of the banquet hall.

“…? Where are we going? It’s rude to keep the vassals waiting any longer.”

“Some welcome faces are here. They’ve been waiting for you since earlier.”

“…?”

“I hope you’ll be happy.”

Frost’s blue eyes twinkled gently with an excited expression, like a child expecting praise after preparing a surprise gift.

Meeting those warm eyes, Yuriella couldn’t help but ask.

A question that had to be addressed.

An answer she had to hear.

“…Can you forgive Solas Moretti?”

As if it was an unexpected question, Frost stopped walking. In her position cradled in his arms, she couldn’t see his expression.

“You spoke as if you understood him. Even though he committed such a cruel act, you seemed to sympathize with him.”

After thinking for a moment, Frost began to step forward again. His steps were slower and heavier than before. Like the words he was about to utter.

“I understand him. I sympathize that he met such an end… because he didn’t meet a good master. Also… as a knight, I respected and revered him.”

Yuriella’s heart swelled at his words, each one imbued with sincerity. It felt like her past was being comforted.

“But forgiveness… is not my place, Yuriella. My injury and pain are more than covered by the honor of being able to cross swords with him, but… Colina Rosa shed too much blood that shouldn’t have been spilled.”

Even though it was an answer she had already anticipated, Yuriella closed her eyes tightly at the falling sensation of being pushed down to a distant place deep underground.

Her past would never be forgiven.

Yes. This is enough.

Yuriella gathered her tumultuous emotions and opened her eyes to look straight up at Frost.

“Yes, I understand, Frost.”

At the name called without being asked, the corners of Frost’s mouth twitched.

“What did I do well? I prepared the gift, but why do I feel like I’m the one receiving a gift?”

When Yuriella just smiled quietly, Frost urged for an answer.

“Tell me. So I can keep doing well next time too.”

“Frost does very well just by being Frost.”

“I do well just by being myself?”

Frost tilted his head with an expression of not understanding.

Yuriella nodded her head while trying hard to smile brightly.

“That’s enough.”

Yes. That’s enough.

You just need to move forward from where you should stand.

Now that I’ve heard the answer I needed to hear before taking more steps with you, I can now walk the steps I should walk from where I should stand.

So now, I can call your name. I can smile at you. I can approach this contract marriage without any feelings.

“Yes. That’s enough, Frost.”

*

“Yuriellaaaa~”

As Yuriella entered the kitchen cradled in Frost’s arms, her stepfather Thomas ran towards her with open arms.

“Father!”

Yuriella jumped out of Frost’s arms and nestled into Thomas’s embrace.

Frost approached Thomas with a regretful expression. To his second recruited ally after Aerie.

“Was the carriage comfortable? I instructed to send ‘the largest and most comfortable carriage’ from our Grand Duke’s residence.”

He had shown the utmost sincerity and affection with such formal speech that he didn’t even use for his real father-in-law, Duke Grande.

But Yuriella’s stepfather didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of becoming his ally.

“Oh my, my baby! Your face is half its size. Someone else’s face looks bright and in perfect condition!”

Instead, he clicked his tongue and glared at Frost with narrowed eyes.

“Father, what brings you here?”

When Yuriella asked, Frost quickly answered first.

“I asked Father to prepare medicine to boost your energy. I thought it would be of great help since he knows your constitution better than anyone.”

Before Yuriella could express her gratitude, Thomas interjected.

“Yuriella. Would you believe it, Lord Ricardo even ordered tonics for the servants of this Grand Duke’s residence. Your dedicated physician has such a generous heart.”

Thomas pointed to a young man with wheat-colored hair who was brewing medicinal herbs in a large pot.

Ricardo, or rather the Magic Tower Lord, who was newly hired as the Grand Duchess’s dedicated physician, felt the gaze and turned around. Upon seeing Yuriella, he flashed a bright smile and waved.

“I’m grateful enough for helping to clear out the troublesome inventory, but he pushed this old man aside saying I’d be tired and is working hard like that. Someone else just asked for one thing for you and hasn’t shown his face.”

Zap, his eyes looking at the Grand Duke were filled with fierce axes.

“Wait a little. Let’s have a late-night snack after I finish. Lord Ricardo even prepared the late-night snack. His thoughtfulness is extraordinary.”

Sigh. I wanted to gain just such a kind son-in-law. Tsk tsk. How nice it would be if your husband was a doctor, you’d understand each other so well. Tsk tsk.

Grumbling as if talking to himself but loud enough for the Grand Duke to hear, Thomas returned to the pot. He patted the Magic Tower Lord’s shoulder, suggesting they switch, his eyes dripping with honey.

“Have you arrived, Your Highness?”

The Magic Tower Lord approached Yuriella with a kind smile, brushing back his sweaty bangs.

“My wife’s physician seems to have two eyes but can only see one person. I wonder if I can trust my wife to someone with such poor eyesight.”

The corner of the Grand Duke’s mouth twitched as he glared at the Magic Tower Lord with murderous intent.

He had specially invited his father-in-law and the medicine peddler group to make his wife, who had been looking depressed lately, smile. It was very annoying that one insignificant magician was ruining the beautiful scene.

“Frost. You shouldn’t be so rude. He was being considerate for my father and family members.”

Falling in love again with his diligent and kind wife who was scolding him, Frost renewed his efforts and smiled a statue-like smile, concentrating once more on captivating his wife’s heart.

But what came back was a bolt from the blue that Yuriella unleashed.

“Magic Tower Lord. I actually had something to ask you, and it’s good we met. Could you accompany us on our honeymoon this time? Please, you must come with us.”

Frost’s blue eyes shook greatly like an iceberg experiencing an earthquake, as if struck by lightning from a clear sky.