“How could this…! Does it hurt a lot?”

Frost ran from the Golden Hall terrace, through the long corridor and stairs, to the private lounge prepared for the Grand Duke and Duchess, carrying Yuriella in his arms while alternately groaning and sighing, not knowing what to do.

The banquet attendees who had rushed in, thinking that a major accident had occurred, were astonished to learn that it was just a scratch from a stray cat’s claws.

The Emperor, who had seen the Grand Duchess being carried out of the hall by the Grand Duke, summoned the imperial palace healing mage and gave a stern order that if even a small scar remained on the Grand Duchess, he would cut off the mage’s limbs and feed them to the crows, surprising people once again.

Yuriella, trembling all over, glanced at the healing mage struggling with the treatment and let out a shallow sigh.

“Hey, mage! Are you treating her or not?!”

As Frost coldly shouted, frost slightly formed in the already chilly lounge.

“G-Grand Duke, Your Highness. D-do not worry… I-I will h-heal it c-completely, without a s-single scar…”

“Instead of stammering, fix the lady’s wound properly! How long have you been here, and the wound is still the same?!”

The elderly mage, with frost on his mustache, felt wronged, his mouth jutting out.

He had just arrived at the lounge a moment ago. And with His Highness exuding such murderous energy, his legs were numb and he couldn’t properly use his mana.

“It’s just a scratch from claws. It’s not an injury where limbs have been torn off, so don’t make a fuss.”

“Just a scratch. It’s quite a deep cut. It was dripping blood.”

Yuriella swallowed a sigh inwardly as she saw the Grand Duke’s gaze busily hovering over her wound.

She could heal it right away by using healing energy. But since she was in the imperial palace, she couldn’t use her abilities freely, which was frustrating.

Every time the Grand Duke’s gaze moved to Yuriella’s shoulders, near her collarbone, and the upper part of her chest exposed above the dress where the distinct cat claw marks were, the sound of him gritting his teeth could be heard.

“Damn that creature.”

Frost glared fiercely at the black cat trembling and nestling tightly in Yuriella’s arms.

“My lady. Wouldn’t it be better to put down that filthy cat at least while receiving treatment?”

− Meow…

Nero pressed Yuriella with his front paws, rubbing his small head against Yuriella’s chest to mark her as his, further inciting the Grand Duke’s anger.

“I think Nero was very startled. His heart is still pounding.”

As Yuriella gently stroked near Nero’s chest with a worried expression, Nero purred and licked the back of Yuriella’s hand.

Frost abruptly got up from the sofa and knelt on one knee in front of Yuriella. Then he pushed the cat’s head away and brought his wife’s hand to his chest.

“My heart is pounding more than the cat’s. Can you feel it?”

“Compare what’s comparable.”

As if to clearly draw the line, even if it was too late.

While melting people’s hearts with her pretty dimples on her flushed cheeks, her small hand heartlessly slipped out of Frost’s large hand and slapped it away with a smack.

Frost stared blankly at his hand swaying in the air, then fiercely glared at the cat purring in his wife’s skirt.

How dare a lowly stray cat inflict a wound on my precious wife!

Not only that, but it shamelessly stole his place and held its head high!

Of all the small creatures his wife was uniquely lenient with. Moreover, it was just an abandoned stray cat, so Frost could only clench and unclench his fists helplessly, trying to quell his rising anger.

“Please leave. Two mages are not needed in this room.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Yuriella coldly ordered Frost to leave, pointing to the exit.

“Two mages, you say?”

“You’re exuding so much murderous energy that the mage is trembling like a leaf in this windless room.”

“Stop trembling, mage.”

The magic of telling him to stop trembling didn’t work. Rather, the mage, startled by the cold gaze, fell on his bottom with a thud and quickly crawled back to the wall.

“Your Highness, please stop as well. It’s bad enough that you’re not helping, but you’re turning the lounge into a freezer.”

Frost’s shoulders slumped as he cleared the frost filling the room and trudged towards the door.

He looked back three times with a look of reluctance, hoping that the order to leave would be retracted. But Yuriella turned her head away, ignoring him.

With a more shocked expression than when Nero had screamed at the terrace to leave after seeing the queen’s wound, the Grand Duke opened the lounge door and left with heavy steps.

Not forgetting to close the door quietly in case his wife misunderstood that he was upset.

The imperial palace mage just stared at the Grand Duchess with his mouth wide open.

It was Her Highness the Duchess, lovely and beautiful like a fairy who had popped out of the forest, who was the true mage who could turn a monster into a gentle lamb.

“What are you so dazed about? Hurry up, now that I’ve barely managed to make His Highness leave. Otherwise, you’ll be the one startled. His Highness won’t be able to wait long.”

Even without looking, Yuriella could clearly picture the Grand Duke fidgeting impatiently beyond the wall, so she sighed softly while looking towards the door.

As if disliking that his master’s attention was being taken away, Nero lightly bit Yuriella’s finger.

“Nero…!”

Yuriella checked the bitten finger to see if it was injured, and after being relieved, she scolded Nero sternly.

“Don’t ever playfully bite me in front of His Highness again. Did you see his expression earlier? He let it slide this time, but next time he might really freeze you, you know?”

− Meow.

Nero just burrowed into Yuriella’s arms and purred contentedly.

Yuriella’s brow smoothed out. Hugging the curled-up cat tightly, Yuriella buried her face in its small back and smiled.

“How strange. Why do I feel so reassured and why does my heart ache so much when I see you?”

− Meow. Meow.

“It’s alright, Nero. Whether you bite or scratch me, it doesn’t matter. I’ll protect you. So that you won’t get hurt anymore. So that you won’t be in pain anymore. I’ll protect you.”

Frost’s eyes, peeking through the slightly open door out of worry, narrowed.

“Why are you out here, Grand Duke?”

Hearing a voice as smooth as silk from behind, Frost frowned.

Frost slowly turned around, his eyes as cold as the ice of the northern sea.

“Your Majesty, why are you not at your place either?”

He even gave a blatant nod for the Emperor to get lost.

But the Emperor just smiled prettily and took a step closer.

“You have an expression that makes me want to kick you a few more times.”

“Your brain may be rotten, but your eyes are still intact.”

“Not just my eyes are intact. I also have a remarkable heart that can discern precious things the eyes cannot see.”

Justin tried to take a step towards the door. But he was blocked by Frost before he could take a single step.

Justin looked at the lounge door over the Grand Duke’s shoulder. Thinking of the woman beyond it, his jewel-like blue eyes softened with moisture.

“Do you know the feeling of cherishing something so much that you can’t even touch it with your fingertips?”

The Emperor murmured softly without taking his gaze off the door.

“The desperation of having to wait and wait, unable to do anything about the overflowing feelings that fill up no matter how much you empty them?”

It didn’t seem like he was expecting an answer as Justin simply continued.

“I gave away all the precious things. But do you know the frustration of not knowing what more to do for someone who doesn’t desire any of it?”

A vein bulged on Frost’s thick neck.

“Please leave now. While I’m still asking nicely.”

Justin put on a fake smile over his softened expression and turned around. Then he took Frost’s hands and slowly raised them up.

“You may think you hold many things in these hands. Having received the blessing of the holy sword Iel from birth, you may be confident that you can protect what’s yours.”

Frost frowned and looked down at the Emperor’s hands.

His silver eyebrows twitched at the rough sensation of the calluses formed from long sword training, in contrast to his pretty face.

“The guardian of the North. The owner of the holy sword and the protector of the continent. That’s who you are. You are someone who fights to protect what’s precious. That makes you strong. But that’s also why you can only be weak.”

The Emperor released the Grand Duke’s hands and tilted his head slightly.

“I’m different. The golden lion, the master of the empire, fights to seize and kill. That was the power that united small kingdoms into a mighty empire, and the key to determining the final victor.”

“How long do I have to listen to Your Majesty’s nonsense?”

Justin approached with a faint smile on his red lips.

“Brother. I know more than you think and am quite thoroughly prepared.”

A low whisper reached Frost’s ear.

“Whatever you’re preparing behind my back like a rat, it’s useless. Because you’ll end up having your throat torn out by the fangs I’m secretly preparing. Consider this my last courtesy to you, brother.”

Justin took a step back, letting out a light laugh, and briefly glanced towards the lounge before turning to walk towards the ballroom.

Frost’s eyes narrowed as he watched the Emperor walk away.

Although they exchanged sharp words whenever they met, the Emperor’s words today clearly had a different nuance.

When Frost’s foot had smashed the Emperor’s head at the War Memorial, the Emperor seemed to clearly understand that it was a declaration of war against him.

‘The fangs he’s secretly preparing.’

What scheme was the Emperor plotting behind his back again?

With what confidence was he blabbing that he had his own secret plan?

When the lounge door opened, Frost was going over the various reports sent by the spies he had planted in the palace.

“Your Highness.”

The voice that was always pleasant and sweet to hear called his name.

His face, which had been as cold as ice, bloomed like a flower in full blossom as he turned to his lovely wife.

His eyes busily traced over Yuriella’s snow-white skin as she held the cat. Fortunately, the wound was cleanly healed without a trace.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

Without even sparing a glance at the mage who had truly gone through a lot, Frost put his arm around his wife’s smooth shoulders.

As his footsteps headed towards the building entrance instead of the ballroom, Yuriella’s eyes widened.

“There are still many nobles you haven’t greeted yet. Earlier, Duke Greco also wanted to speak with you separately.”

“Something more urgent came up.”

“What is it?”

“The Emperor said something rather concerning.”

He had a strong premonition that the fangs the Emperor mentioned he was secretly preparing couldn’t be dismissed as mere tricks and would become a dangerous factor.

What it was, he couldn’t gauge with the information gathered so far. It bothered him. He thought he should discuss it with Leo and gather more information.

Yuriella’s expression also darkened.

Frost stopped walking and gently stroked Yuriella’s cheek.

“Don’t worry. Whatever it is, you will be safe. I will protect you.”

“I can protect myself. And I will also protect you, Your Highness.”

Strong determination burst out from her small body.

Unable to resist the urge, Frost tightly pulled the waist of his pretty wife who had declared herself his bodyguard and hugged her so closely that there was no gap.

With his wife’s warm body temperature spreading throughout his body, his heart that had been agitated from meeting the Emperor found stability.

‘I will protect.’

As the Emperor said, those who seek to protect can suffer fatal wounds from those who seek to seize.

He had already experienced it with Solas. He clearly remembered how the Emperor had dealt with the person he cherished so much that he couldn’t even say a word to her.

“This time, for sure.”

The vow made in his heart unintentionally slipped out of his mouth.

“Pardon?”

Yuriella looked up at Frost with puzzled eyes.

“No. It’s nothing.”

Frost smiled and shook his head. Then he pressed his lips to the top of Yuriella’s head. Frost’s blue eyes, closed and then opened, shimmered deeply.

This time, I will surely protect you.

Back then, I was too far away and couldn’t run to you.

I could only hear the news that you had died alone and brutally.

But this time, for sure.

“Yuriella Ielheim.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

That’s right. Yuriella Ielheim. My wife.

The lost soul who wandered the imperial city and came to my land in the far north, to my side, I will definitely protect you this time.