“The day has come when Vermonte will set foot in my castle.”

Kaian’s eyes were full of undisguised disgust.

“As my guest, no less.”

Seeing that, Claudel felt chills run down her spine.

She had seen that look before.

‘Whether you can become Claudel Queen Temnes depends on your efforts tonight. I hope you try hard.’

On the night of consummation.

That was exactly the expression she had last seen on Kaian’s face just before the candles lighting the room went out.

She thought their relationship had been gradually improving lately.

She was no longer afraid or scared of him like before, and even when he had a cold expression, she believed the feelings in the man’s heart towards her weren’t that bad.

But at this moment, seeing Kaian bare his fangs at Irena as if he had encountered a natural enemy, Claudel didn’t know what to do.

It felt like she was being rejected, not Irena, to the point where her hopes of winning his heart seemed futile.

Everything he said seemed to stir up and replay Claudel’s memories of when she first came to Rowen Castle one by one.

“Ah…”

Irena, with her red hair flowing down and golden eyes wavering aimlessly, only making small sounds and turning pale, must have looked exactly like herself back then.

Claudel was angry.

‘If you were going to be like this, you could have just told her not to come.’

Even if she was her sister, if he was going to show such undisguised antipathy, he could have refused the visit from the beginning.

‘You didn’t say anything then, but now you have to show such displeasure and shock Irena?’

Claudel resented Kaian.

In the two days, whenever Irena casually said something that seemed to disregard or look down on Rowen Castle, or Temnes, the atmosphere in the castle became strange.

The whispers of “Vermonte” that she hadn’t heard in a while faintly brushed her ears.

Irena, who had grown up being revered in Valmont Castle, had never had to hold back her words and actions or be mindful of others, so she didn’t seem to pay attention to the servants’ reactions.

The unfavorable reactions around her didn’t seem to reach or be heard by her.

In between, Claudel alone was anxious, worrying that the servants who had just started treating her and Hannah favorably might change their attitude back to how it was before because of Irena’s visit.

A challenge where she couldn’t lean to one side – she had to quell the discontent of Temnes’ loyal ones and also take good care of Irena.

She had thought she was doing a good job of entertaining Irena with the butler’s diligent and meticulous hospitality.

But her husband, who had returned earlier than expected, was properly sprinkling ashes.

Kaian nonchalantly handed over his cloak and gloves to the butler.

“Still, so as not to be rude to a guest who has come from afar, we shall have dinner together.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Claudel was dumbfounded at Kaian’s words.

‘After already being so rude.’

He went up to the second floor as if nothing had happened, and as soon as Kaian was out of sight, Irena staggered, so Claudel was startled and supported her.

“Sister. Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Haa. I think… I’m a bit shocked.”

Irena’s hand that she grasped was cold.

Claudel led her to the reception room.

She poured cool water into a glass and handed it over. After taking a sip and taking a deep breath, color returned to Irena’s face.

“My goodness! I’ve never met a man so scary and rude before!”

As soon as she came to her senses, Irena opened her eyes wide and gave Kaian a harsh evaluation.

“I didn’t come here to fight with the duke. I came to see you who became the duchess. How can he be so inconsiderate.”

Well, here the Duke of Temnes is in a position comparable to the Duke of Vermonte in Valmont.

‘Uncle’s words and actions are no less than Kaian’s. Maybe the Duke of Vermonte could be even worse than him, sister.’

Meanwhile, Claudel unknowingly defended Kaian in her heart.

If it came to insults between enemy families that couldn’t be distinguished between male and female, it was widely known that while Temnes were said to be brutes who only wielded swords, Vermonte were said to be those who could kill with their tongues.

If one could be rude with words, Vermonte would probably win hands down.

But now, calming the shocked Irena was the priority.

“I’m sorry, sister.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

Irena hugged Claudel with a pitiful expression and stroked her back.

“How do you live with such a scary man? Oh, my poor sister. I don’t know what to do, it’s so pitiful.”

“I’m fine.”

“Everyone was so happy that the food problem was solved because you married into Temnes. But to make you suffer like this.”

Irena’s eyes became moist.

“I’m going to tell father everything when I go back.”

“Don’t do that.”

“How can I ignore you living with such a rude and senseless husband?”

“This marriage is by royal command, isn’t it? We can’t divorce unless the king allows it anyway.”

It is said that a political marriage doesn’t end even in death because it’s out of necessity, but above that was a marriage by royal command.

“That’s true.”

“Please don’t make Uncle harbor more resentment towards Temnes. I’m begging you.”

“Alright.”

Irena sighed.

“To glare at me and act so coldly.”

She shuddered as if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

The dining hall of Rowen Castle was brightly lit.

The chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling were adorned with crystals like grapes, shining brilliantly.

Five such chandeliers were stretched out over a long table where easily thirty people could sit.

At the head of the table sat the master of the house, Kaian, in the middle, with Claudel to his left, and across from Claudel sat Irena in the guest seat.

“Is the food to your liking?”

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

As Irena answered, Kaian raised his glass and sneered.

“It must be heaven and earth compared to the withered cuisine of Valmont. Enjoy the abundance of Rowen, nurtured by heaven’s blessings, before you return.”

Unlike usual, Claudel chewed her food much more slowly, feeling like what she was eating might get stuck. After forcibly swallowing what was in her mouth, she reached for water.

‘Why does he have to say it like that when he means to eat more if it suits your taste.’

She couldn’t translate Kaian’s words for Irena either.

She lamented inwardly.

However, there was something Claudel had overlooked – the fact that Irena, raised nobly, had no reason to tolerate Kaian’s attitude.

“You are quite remarkable, Duke.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you received quite strict etiquette education, but it seems you’re weak in practice.”

“Practice?”

Irena lowered her eyes haughtily and squared her shoulders.

“It seems you don’t really refrain from words and actions that are rude to a lady.”

“Words and actions that are rude.”

As Kaian frowned with his characteristic angry face and raised his eyebrows, Irena’s earlier momentum visibly died down, and it was clear she was afraid of him.

‘Sister. That means he’s interested.’

If you look closely at his pupils.

He wasn’t angry.

Until now, he had been slightly annoyed at entertaining an unwelcome guest, but his reaction to Irena’s words seemed to show interest.

Irena, who had harshly criticized Kaian saying, ‘How do you live with such a scary man? Oh, my poor sister. I don’t know what to do, it’s so pitiful,’ wouldn’t understand even if told.

“Manners are only observed when both parties are worth it. Me, who was planning to burn down the entire land of Valmont within this year, showing courtesy to Vermonte. It seems rather forced, doesn’t it?”

When Irena closed her mouth at Kaian’s words, he added coldly.

“Well, if one word from a lady makes me resume the territorial war now, I’d be happy.”

“No, how can you joke like that, Duke.”

Claudel laughed awkwardly to defuse the atmosphere.

The territorial war talk was surely a joke from Kaian, but judging by Irena’s state with her fork and knife suspended in mid-air, it was clear she couldn’t take it as a joke.

“It’s a joke, right?”

“It was said in jest. Laugh, Princess Irena.”

Judging by the round-eyed expressions of the sisters, she didn’t seem to understand Kaian’s joke at all.

“By the way, why aren’t you eating?”

Kaian’s attention turned to Claudel sitting next to him.

‘Right. Better not to talk to sister at all.’

When Claudel looked down at the plate in front of her, more than half of the food remained.

“Is the meal not to your liking?”

“No, it’s not that. I was trying to eat while conversing, so I’m slow.”

“Hmm.”

Kaian had already cleared one of the plates that had been placed near him.

“Here.”

As he brought food to her mouth with his fork, Claudel reflexively ate it.

Kaian narrowed his eyes and looked fondly at her for accepting what he gave. Ah, of course, only with his eyes.

“I have to feed you, it seems. How troublesome.”

As he said this, he even carefully tucked Claudel’s hair behind her ear, meticulously, as if worried hair might get into her mouth.

“I’ll eat on my own.”

“Why?”

Why is this person acting like this in front of Irena.

Claudel was in an awkward situation.

With the sound of silverware being set down on the plate, Irena stood up from her seat.

“I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

Ah. It’s ruined.

Claudel felt dismayed as she watched her leave the table.

Kaian was in a very bad mood.

The reasons were complex, and it started with Valkyuter.

He had gone to Promhunt against his will, and then.

Valkyuter wasn’t there.

He had been called by royal command, only to be stood up.

‘Where is His Majesty?’

‘We, we’re not sure about that either, Duke.’

Ridiculously, only the adjutant and guard knights who had accompanied Valkyuter were left behind, while the man himself had disappeared.

‘He is the King of the Oberon Kingdom. What were you doing to let the King disappear, you incompetent fools.’

‘We apologize.’

‘If anything untoward happens to His Majesty, none of you will survive, so be prepared.’

The royal palace guard knights who received Kaian’s raging anger all looked as if they had already been stabbed in the belly by his sword.

While he was putting on such a stern face, he wasn’t really worried that something had happened to Valkyuter.

Because Valkyuter also possessed swordsmanship skills no less than Kaian’s.

To have ridden a day’s distance only to return so futilely.

Returning to Rowen Castle with irritation filling him to the top of his head, there was another thing to anger him.

‘Du, Duke. This is my older sister, Irena.’

Duke?

When on earth had she picked up that way of addressing him.

‘You know I can’t sleep without you. Don’t go.’

Surely on the day he was leaving for the hunting grounds, his wife had clung to him sweetly, pleasing him, but now she greeted him trembling.

And seeing the red-haired Vermonte woman, an instinctive revulsion of facing an enemy welled up.

‘They said she was a daughter, but she looks exactly like that old fox.’

It seemed that Claudel’s prettiness was due to not sharing blood with the fox-like Duke of Vermonte.

“You’re too much.”

“What’s too much?”

Claudel looked at him reproachfully.

“My sister came from so far away. Did you have to speak like that?”

“You’re acting as if I did something wrong.”

“So you think you did well just now? What about my position? If this reaches the ears of the Duke of Vermonte.”

He raised one corner of his lips crookedly, incredulous.

“Your position? Who’s the one misunderstanding now.”

“Pardon?”

Kaian firmly grasped Claudel’s chin with one hand, making her look at him.

“Listen well. The only one you need to care about is me.”

The golden eyes that had been lingering all along shone beautifully, reflecting the chandelier light.

“Is that how you greet your husband after two days, Duchess?”

As he repeated mockingly, she seemed about to say something but then closed her mouth.

“I missed you, Claudel.”

Kaian deeply pushed his own between Claudel’s lips, searching for the words she was about to say.