Left alone, I carefully cleared the dessert.

Leaving food would incur punishment.

A quick glance at Hertian’s seat revealed an untouched fruit dessert.

“Should I eat that as well?”

Today, I was drawn to sweets.

I’d consumed a full meal, but strangely, I still felt empty. Why? Is today the day?

Without finding a clear reason, my eyes quietly followed the dessert.

I thought about asking for more but felt pathetic eating dessert alone, so I gave up.

Then, my gaze shifted to the dessert Hertian had left.

‘Is there a need to ask for a new one? I might as well eat this one that’s going to be thrown away.’

I confirmed no one was watching and stood to take his plate. Midway back to my seat, I spotted something on Elenor’s table.

It was a ruggedlooking, long bracelet. It seemed she had removed it during the meal, perhaps finding it inconvenient.

“Should I take it to her?”

Usually, I would have run right over. But now, I was torn.

Hertian said he had matters to discuss with Elenor, and considering recent events, I sensed a wall between us.

Should I not hear their conversation?

Seeing them separately talk, it felt wrong to interrupt their time.

“Uhm. Still, I don’t want to sulk.”

Regardless of their relationship, there was no need for me to withdraw. I was just returning a forgotten bracelet, after all.

I grabbed the bracelet and left the dining room.

“Do you know where the knight accompanying the Duke went?”

Upon asking a passing servant, he kindly pointed outside.

“He said he would greet the other knights and went to the training ground.”

“Thank you.”

Without hesitation, I followed them. Although I’d never been to the training ground, I did momentarily lose my way. Just before arriving, I saw the two stopped, talking. Hertian even showed her his pinky finger. Were they making a promise?

Seeing them enjoying their private time, I found my feet wouldn’t move.

Quickly, I hid behind a tree to watch them.

‘Why am I hiding?’

Was it uncomfortable to see my contractual husband with another woman?

Then, as a knight passed, I squatted low behind the tree.

Suddenly, a past memory surfaced. I had done this before.

As a child, during a snowstorm, after watching Lian play outside through the window, when our eyes met, I’d closed the curtains and hid. Back then, I thought I despised Lian, but that wasn’t it.

‘I was jealous.’

I thought Hertian, whom I considered the same as me, looked happy and that made me jealous. Here I was, suffering in this cold, while someone was happily giggling with their crush!

My emptiness was undeniably from jealousy.

“I don’t want to confuse you,” Hertian’s voice resounded.

I didn’t understand the meaning; I hadn’t heard the prior conversation.

‘Surely he’s not confessing now?’

But that doubt was shortlived. When I heard Elenor’s next words, my thoughts froze.

“You’ve been ordered to go to war.”

I wanted to believe I’d misheard, but couldn’t.

The white envelope she took from her bosom confirmed it.

The commander of the Royal Guards who had come from far away had done so to announce this. My heart sank.

This was the one concern I had when marrying Hertian.

Containing the power of the Queen’s side.

While other nobles secretly held power, the Emperor was not so free. Because the Queen, with her strong family background, didn’t want her beloved son caught in political strife. But the Emperor was different.
He wished to choose a wise successor among his many sons rather than elevate an incompetent man to the throne to act as a puppet emperor. Thus, Hertian was born.

But for Hertian, who had no power, being the son of the emperor was a lone struggle. It was a game of perpetual escape that would last until his death.

And even now, as a married man, the game continued.

“What are you talking about?”

Forgetting that I had been hiding, I approached them hastily. Both of them exchanged glances as they looked at me.

“Your Highness, when did you start listening to our conversation?”

Eleanor was the first to speak. She seemed nervous, perhaps worrying that I had discovered a secret arrangement with Hertian.

She looked anxious, as if caught discussing an arrangement rather than preparing for battle.

“I only caught the part about going to battle.”

She seemed to sigh in relief. Seeing her reaction, Hertian continued speaking.

“I have no plans to heed the call to battle.”

“Do you intend to defy the command?”

“No, I had already informed them before our marriage that it would be difficult to obey such commands.”

He recounted his conversation with the emperor. He had said that he wouldn’t join the battle until he had settled into his duchy and found stability. However, the issuance of the battle command made him think it was not the emperor’s doing.

Suddenly, I recalled that Serdis had recently come to the duchy. Our eyes met; it seemed Hertian had the same thought.

“Which area are you ordered to join the battle in?”

“Turán.”

“Turán isn’t largescale.”

“How do you know that, Your Highness?”