By threatening Cayena, he was able to find out the princess’s whereabouts. She had been exchanging letters with a knight of the kingdom, and her well-being was reported through them.

Sieghart searched all the regions and villages mentioned in those letters.

And finally, he found the princess.

‘I have no intention of marrying you.’

Unexpectedly, what he heard from the woman was a refusal.

Maybe he should have threatened her instead. Sieghart felt tired of the unnecessarily prolonged affair. He should have just dragged her like luggage and sat her down at the wedding ceremony back then.

No, that’s not right. If the woman ran away, it would be troublesome. For Sieghart, who needed to get away from Kyle as soon as possible, even finding her again would be a burdensome task.

“How did things go with the princess?”

Cayena, who had been waiting silently in the office, asked cautiously. Thanks to her, the forgotten subject invaded his thoughts.

The woman’s rejection deviated from all possible scenarios. He had thought the worst case would be her hesitation, but the princess didn’t even hesitate and flatly refused.

“Maid, what does the princess like?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking what I need to win over the princess. Tell me things she might like.”

Unable to withstand the pressure, the maid eventually spilled the information.

Flowers and jewels, books and dresses, desserts and chirping birds. Fragrant oils with sweet scents and soft-scented candles that help with sleep.

He brought all the mentioned items to their next meeting.

For some reason, the house was empty at first, making him fear she had finally run away. After waiting for about two days, the princess made an appearance.

Surprised by the man’s appearance, Natasha looked around. There were no knights or horses accompanying him. Even his sword was gone.

The woman seemed to relax then. But when she saw the pile of gifts in front of the house, her brow furrowed deeply.

Natasha let out a low sigh and said,

“…I have no intention of marrying you, Your Grace. I am grateful that you did not kill me, so please go back.”

A forceful rejection that made his efforts futile.

“Maid, tell me something else. Something other than material things.”

Sieghart, having returned to the duke’s residence, urged the other party with an irritated voice.

“The princess dreamed of love, love. A beautiful future with someone she loves.”

He would need to use another method to persuade the woman.

This time, what the wench suggested was love.

“I’ll take note of that.”

Sieghart couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

To love the princess of Charliee.

It was an assumption that made him want to vomit, but if it was the only way, Sieghart decided to accept it willingly. If marriage to the woman would bring liberation, what did instincts matter?

The next day, Sieghart visited her house again.

Natasha looked as if she no longer had the energy to speak. He took the opportunity when she raised her hand as a signal of rejection and brought it towards himself.

“Your hands are very cold. And full of wounds and splinters.”

Sieghart enveloped the white hand and softened his voice, as if with a careful touch. Then he forcibly raised the stiffened hand in surprise and settled it near his mouth.

“As I said before, I can protect you, Princess. I hope you will be safe and happy within the fence I have been protecting.”

“…”

“So come with me, Princess.”

The hand trapped in his grasp twitched. Her eyes, confused and unable to read his intentions, followed suit and wavered.

“…Why, why are you doing this?”

“Well, why do you think I’m doing this?”

“…”

“What do you think could be the reason I so desperately want a marriage with nothing to gain, Princess?”

The man decided to put an end to it. So that she could no longer refuse, and so that she would reconsider marriage to him.

“What people commonly call self-interest.”

“…”

“A man’s desire, wouldn’t you say?”

While whispering about the love she supposedly wanted.

“Love, you say…”

The woman’s voice crumbled like a leaf fluttering in the wind. By the end, it had degenerated into a sigh and disappeared.

Had he succeeded?

Sieghart scrutinized the woman discreetly.

It was when their gazes locked soon after. Natasha noticeably changed color and pulled her hand away. She continued speaking with sharper eyes and voice than usual.

“The imperial family is my enemy. If you thought I would welcome the love of someone who was once close to my enemy, you are mistaken. I don’t believe your love is real, and even if it were, I cannot accept it. Never.”

Sieghart discovered the problem far too late.

Of course, a woman who knows he is a person of the imperial family would not readily believe in his love.

“I understand the princess’s feelings and concerns completely. I know what my affection means to you. However, the tragedy you experienced was solely the imperial family’s unilateral action, it has nothing to do with the Asthart ducal family.”

“…Are you saying you have nothing to do with that day’s tragedy?”

“Yes, I swear that day’s tragedy has nothing to do with me.”

Instead of getting angry, Sieghart slowly comforted her. He began to nibble at her flesh and heart with gentle words.

“…”

“I know why you’re rejecting me, Princess. But the Asthart ducal family has long cut ties with them. Even if you face threats from the imperial family in the future, I will protect you with all my heart.”

For a moment, the woman’s red eyes wavered.

His waning patience was rekindled by the other party’s response to his words. Furthermore, it seemed the woman’s guarded face might softly relax. He suddenly became curious about such an amusing sight.

“Please believe in my sincerity.”

As he gently applied more pressure to the bound hand, the woman’s free hand clenched and unclenched in response. As if wandering aimlessly in confusion, unable to find its bearings.

Sieghart decided to conquer that hand as well.

His hand, extended towards the outer hand, grasped hers and pulled it into his own. Then, closing his fingers one by one, he ensnared his prey. He forcefully gripped the interlocked hands, as if to imprison her within himself.

“It’s terribly heartbreaking for my sincerity to be condemned due to misunderstanding.”

From that day on, Sieghart attended the woman’s house as regularly as if it were his own mansion. If Natasha didn’t open the door, he would wait in front until he got a chance.

“…I clearly told you I don’t want this.”

The woman’s heart remained firm. She coldly rejected the man’s feelings every time.

She even threatened to move her residence if he kept coming. However, knowing that Sieghart would find her wherever she was on the continent, she didn’t seem to have put the threat into actual plans.

Being forced to spend time with Sieghart for half a year, his attendance gradually became the start of her day. His traces began to appear one by one in the village and inside her house.

The more effort Sieghart put into his relationship with her, and as time passed, Natasha seemed to slowly open her heart.

“The wind is cold today…”

As a result, the woman who had been so cold that one might question if she had any consideration at all, now knew how to worry about the other person.

She quickly ushered Sieghart, who had come through the blizzard, into the house.

While speaking calmly, her body was busy boiling the kettle. Bringing dry towels and a thin blanket were all actions stemming from concern.

Sieghart, looking at the teacup placed in front of him, suddenly asked.

“Are you not going to ask today?”

“Ask what?”

“What I brought for you. You’ve been asking first these days.”

Instead of answering, Natasha looked around. Come to think of it, Sieghart always used to bring something large. Even if it wasn’t as huge as his body, it was always obvious that he had brought a tribute.

But today, it seemed he had really come empty-handed, as the surroundings were uncluttered.

“It seems you came without anything.”

“Without giving you anything, alone?”

“It appears so…”

“Just to see you, braving this blizzard.”

Sieghart’s insistence on clarifying made her feel strange. Hearing it put that way, it really did seem like the man had braved this blizzard just for her.

“It’s not entirely wrong.”

Sieghart answered for her, seeing her hesitation. Agreeing in a dry voice, Sieghart maintained his usual affectionate tone.

“I wanted to see the princess today too. As fondly as ever.”

Rising from his seat, he knelt on one knee in front of Natasha.

“So I rushed through this blizzard.”

His large hand came to rest on top of Natasha’s. Feeling something unfamiliar on the other’s pinky finger, she looked for the cause.

Something was slightly protruding over the white glove.

“Come with me, Princess.”

He took off his glove and removed the ring that had been on his pinky finger. The ring cut through the air, crossed the distance between them, and finally settled on the woman’s ring finger.

“…Your Grace?”

“Now you really must marry me.”

A ruby, exactly matching Natasha and Sieghart’s eyes, was sparkling.

‘Really?’

The first proposal had been absurdly ridiculous.

The second wasn’t much different. The sudden confession of love for her wasn’t credible either.

And then a gap of half a year. A proposal that came out again just when she thought she’d been forgotten.

‘Now His Grace really…’

Natasha reflected on the past days.

Her very first meeting with him. She thought there was no way she would accept such an absurd proposal. She believed that after a day, a week, a month, even that arrogant man would give up his plan and leave her side.

Contrary to expectations, Sieghart came to see Natasha every day. He didn’t repeat the rejected proposal either. He just hovered around her all day, as if satisfied just being by her side.

That man who welcomed her happiness as if it were his own. That man who helped her overcome her long-standing sorrow. That man who appeared at crucial moments whenever she needed help, rescuing her like a hero.

Unlike in the past, now his feelings seemed sincere. The actions he had shown over the past days were not things one could do without genuine feelings.

“Do you really love me?”

Natasha found herself asking before she knew it. Even while aware that the situation couldn’t be reversed after hearing the answer, her instincts overruled her reason.

“Of course.”

“…”

“Enough to gladly offer the imperial family as prey for the princess’s sake, that deeply.”

In the end, she was conquered.

Just as Sieghart had wanted.