Her body, which had been leaning against the door, gradually slid down. As the strength left her legs, she fell onto the floor. At that moment, neither the dull pain nor the cold chill mattered.

“How on earth…”

She hadn’t hoped for a magnificent hero. She hadn’t expected him to defeat villains like the protagonist in a play.

She had wanted to see a man who would ask if she was alright, worried about her well-being. She had hoped he would examine Natasha thoroughly, asking if she was hurt anywhere, and gently kiss her, apologizing for not protecting her.

The previous Sieghart would have done that. He was the kind of person who would become frantic if he even cut his finger with a knife while peeling fruit.

Perhaps Natasha had tried to grasp the man’s love through her own misfortune. Thinking that even that man, who was now so indifferent, might show concern if his beloved woman was threatened…

‘Even if you face threats from the imperial family in the future, I will do my utmost to protect you.’

The man, Sieghart Asthart, knows well what the imperial family means to her.

Having seen Natasha suffering from fever due to nightmares, and mourning on the anniversary of her parents’ deaths, he should know.

“How could you, even though you’re busy, until today, to me…”

Yet he pushed her away with the excuse of being busy. This situation can only be explained by one reason.

The question was finally resolved. Natasha was now certain.

The man does not love her.

Having realized the truth, Natasha no longer sought out her husband.

Even though she should have been curious about the reason, Sieghart showed no interest in Natasha’s behavior.

In the mansion, people gradually began to suspect the relationship between the two.

Rumors spread, saying that His Excellency found his wife disappointing once he actually embraced her, that he had married her based on appearances alone and now even that had grown tiresome. Malicious gossip followed Natasha, who had become isolated.

Perhaps as a result, the maids and servants who had attended to her gradually began to neglect the Duchess. The indifference she had consistently received from the man now started coming from them as well.

It was lonely to lose the sweet voices that used to recite the latest gossip of the empire to her. It was isolating to lose the gentle hands that used to braid her hair from both sides and add decorations.

But there was nothing Natasha could do. A roar of protest amidst indifference would only invite ridicule. Any resistance from the princess of a fallen country would only earn mockery, not sympathy.

After about ten days, her mind was exhausted. The woman picked up and put down the divorce papers several times a day.

One day, when Cayena saw the divorce papers on the desk, she was startled and admonished Natasha for her worries.

“If you divorce, how will the imperial family and the duchy react? They will try to attack the princess of Charliee who has no protection. You can’t, Princess.”

Cayena was right. Now that Natasha’s whereabouts were known, she needed to be protected under the roof of the duchy.

The duchy would find the remnants of the royal family quite troublesome. It was uncertain when they might commit treason and swallow up the duchy to establish a kingdom. The same went for the imperial family, who had wished for the fall of the kingdom.

Moreover, for the sake of Cayena, who worked at the duchy, and Sir Dante, who stayed in the annex, she had to endure. Realistically, Natasha couldn’t take responsibility for them, so leaving together was also impossible.

“Please endure a little longer, My Lady. His Excellency will soon change his mind. He was a man who loved you more than anyone else.”

Natasha was sorry for Cayena, but she no longer found hope in this relationship.

It was impossible to mend a cracking glass. Touching it would only shatter it into pieces, reaching a point of no return. Leaving it alone made it useless, unable to be used.

But there was something she had done, blinded by love. It was impossible to clean up alone. As Cayena said, the moment the two divorced, the lone seed of Charliee would be exposed to danger.

She couldn’t divorce until she found a way.

It was one day. For the first time, her husband, who had never faced her despite living in the same mansion, came to see her.

It was strange that the man who had been holed up in his office, not even glancing at his wife, was now seeking her out. When Natasha first encountered him, she thought she was seeing an illusion.

Seeing her standing there blankly without greeting, the man raised his amber-colored eyebrow. Only then did she realize that the person before her was not an illusion but real.

“In three days, there will be a knighting ceremony for the Knight of Honor at the temple. You are expected to attend.”

Natasha had already heard the news that Sieghart was to be appointed as the Empire’s Sword Master. It seemed that his knighting ceremony would be held directly at the temple, befitting such an honorable position.

“You only need to attend, so unnecessary preparations are not needed. Don’t cause a commotion by putting forward cumbersome pretexts like dressing up.”

It was an oppressive tone that showed no consideration. Natasha couldn’t even show her disappointment towards the man who was ordering her so harshly. She had to show a fake smile and nod in agreement, even though she didn’t mean it.

“I understand.”

“Then I’ll see you in three days.”

The man who had reunited with her after several days left abruptly after saying just three sentences. It was a one-sided notification that seemed to make no effort to hide his indifferent feelings.

“…Yes, I’ll see you in three days then.”

Even so, Natasha couldn’t protest.

Natasha did as the man said and remained quiet. Although it was her first official appearance as the Duchess, she refrained even from worrying about what to wear that day, as the man had cautioned against doing anything too conspicuous.

And so, the promised three days later arrived.

The sacred temple specially allowed outsiders to enter for the Knight of Honor knighting ceremony. Many people attended this rare event that only took place once every hundred years.

Among the formidable candidates, Duke Asthart had clearly gained the upper hand. As the Knight of Honor had always been claimed by the Letius Imperial Family or other powerful nations, the Duke’s selection came as a shock to the Empire.

To think that someone who had become independent from the imperial family would boldly snatch away a privilege that had been enjoyed only by the imperial family until now. Of course, considering his outstanding abilities and accumulated achievements, it was a well-deserved reward. The temple was also likely acknowledging his efforts in defeating demons and assisting in purification all at once.

The nobles were busy discussing among themselves. There were debates about whether they should change their stance now, as the duchy, which they thought would fall after declaring independence, had instead risen powerfully.

The whispers that were spreading like waves faded away with the sweet sound of a harp.

It was the sound announcing that the ceremony had finally begun.

Long, extended fingers moved slowly, playing the harp. Even the movements seemed to be a kind of cantus, so precise. From string to string, from octave to octave, the fingers that closed and plucked created beautiful sounds.

Not long after the harp performance began, today’s protagonist appeared.

By chance, the performer’s hand movements, weaving like threads, overlapped with the man’s steps. The noble demeanor was occasionally visible as the white skirt fluttered with each step.

He finally stopped in front of the Pope after descending the stairs. He knelt on one knee to receive God’s blessing from the Pope.

The Pope, with a pleased expression, placed a tiara on top of his black hair. The brilliant diamonds and crystals looked like stars shining in the night sky.

“Sieghart Asthart, your efforts have brought peace to the world. The value of the lives you have saved is beyond measure. Respecting the light and beauty you have illuminated, I hereby name you the Empire’s fourteenth Knight of Honor.”

The tiara adorned with eternal flames, the legendary sword that never dulls, the aura imbued with divine power.

These things, allowed only to the Knight of Honor, took their place beside Sieghart.

“I beseech your reverence to bestow Asthart’s blessing. Grant them unending happiness and prosperity.”

With the Pope’s benediction, the Knight of Honor knighting ceremony came to an end. Afterwards, a banquet followed to celebrate Sieghart’s ascension to this honorable position.

Cheers welcoming today’s protagonist surrounded him.

Natasha was no exception. She, who had been desperately searching for the man, found herself standing right next to him, much to her surprise. The large hand around her shoulder felt unfamiliar.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Excellency.”

As others seemed to perceive no change in the relationship between the two, congratulatory words on their marriage poured in.

Natasha, standing next to Sieghart, suddenly found herself in the role of his representative. She became like a decorative shield, greeting with a smiling face and responding to those who threw empty words and questions at them.

“To have someone as perfect as His Excellency as your partner, you must be very happy.”

The words expressing envy for having such a perfect man as a husband were sarcasm disguised as flattery. Those sharp-eyed individuals couldn’t have missed the misaligned relationship between the two.

A husband who abandons his wife at her first official appearance after marriage – the situation was clear without digging deeper.

Thereafter, the nobles of the Empire continued to shower her with contemptuous questions under the guise of curiosity. As if determined not to let her go easily, they didn’t allow her to leave her seat.

It was only much later that Natasha was able to escape from the crowd. Responding to all sorts of rude questions had taken a significant mental toll. She walked weakly, like a wet, limp piece of paper, and took a seat behind a pillar. Here, she would be out of their sight.

The woman, resting with her body leaning against the pillar, soon looked ahead. The final stage of the knighting ceremony was taking place.

It was the step of drinking the holy water, God’s mercy, which only the Knight of Honor could consume.

Sieghart raised high the chalice he had received from the Pope. The chalice that had been emitting radiance then overlapped with the man’s lips.

Soon after, his thick Adam’s apple bobbed and…

“Aaah!”

Red blood spurted from his mouth.

A scream that seemed to tear through the air shattered the silence.

There was no time to rebuke the one who had ruined the sacred ceremony. Before one person’s scream died down, another followed. The layered sounds of single cries created confusion.

Natasha, who had been watching the situation, also let out a silent scream. She was too shocked to even make a sound.

“Ah, Duke Asthart is…!”

Sieghart had collapsed, bleeding.