About a month and a half had passed since the banquet day when Mercedes fainted. Mercedes’ husband, Crown Prince Richard, finally summoned her.

Late at night.

‘… Is he trying to consummate the marriage now?’

Mercedes felt a little anxious.

Richard’s torment included not only inflicting humiliation but also refusing consummation for two years. Because of this, Mercedes had become a laughingstock among nobles, from counts to various aristocrats.

‘What could it be?’

Since there was no mention of consummation, Mercedes headed to Richard’s room wearing a modest dress. The maids didn’t show much interest in her, so they didn’t urge her to make any particular preparations.

Standing in front of Richard’s room, Mercedes took a deep breath before entering through the open door.

“… You called for me, Your Highness.”

In Richard’s room, numerous women were seated. They were playing instruments, dancing, and fawning over Richard.

They were low-status dancers. Mercedes observed the scene with an expressionless face.

Richard, sprawled on a long sofa, beckoned with his hand.

“Come here.”

Mercedes walked through the center of the room. The strong scent of perfume and alcohol might have been overwhelming, but as always, her face remained impassive and pale.

No change in expression, like a doll.

Richard clicked his tongue.

“I was about to have such a pleasant time, it would be a shame to leave my wife out.”

“… Yes.”

“It’s a joyous night, why don’t you pour some drinks? Start from that dancer at the end, one by one, carefully. Ah, and be extra careful with those next to me, they’re my favorite concubines.”

Richard’s lips curled up in a sneer.

He seemed to enjoy handing the wine bottle to the noble Crown Princess.

Mercedes took the bottle without even looking at him.

“Yes.”

Mercedes calmly stood up at Richard’s command and really approached the dancer at the very end.

“… Is this… really…”

“Is this okay…?”

The dancers were surprised by the scene and whispered among themselves, lowering their voices amidst the music.

It was unthinkable for the Crown Princess to pour drinks for such lowly individuals.

However, Mercedes continued to pour drinks for the dancers lined up. Her movements appeared graceful and elegant.

Richard couldn’t take his eyes off Mercedes. What on earth was she? Despite being in a situation where she should be angry, she was pouring drinks for these lowly people as if it were nothing.

“… Hmm. You seem to be enjoying this time too. Then how about livening up the mood with a solo dance? Didn’t they teach you such things in the Count’s family?”

Richard asked in a seemingly cheerful voice, while biting his lip anxiously. His intention was to inflict even more humiliation on Mercedes.

“I apologize, but noble ladies are forbidden from learning dances for entertainment. If Your Highness would dance with me, I could perform a social dance.”

Mercedes replied calmly.

“A cliché answer.”

“I apologize.”

That was true. Richard knew it too. He had only asked the question hoping to see even the slightest change in her expression or demeanor. But it was the same.

“You’re like a corpse today too. I wonder if you can even breathe.”

“I’m sorry.”

Mercedes, who had apologized consecutively, poured drinks even more carefully for Richard’s favorite concubines.

Then she stood still, as if waiting for Richard’s next command.

Suddenly, tension filled the room. Richard’s expression had crumpled.

“Hah… How will you take responsibility? You truly have neither the tact nor the talent to please your husband. You act so stupidly that you’ve ruined my pleasant time.”

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

Mercedes bowed her head in apology. It was perfect etiquette and decorum.

“Haha. That’s right. Is it that you only like my older brother?”

“… Your Highness. That’s not it.”

“No, no. Mercedes. I know well. How good you looked with my brother. Is that why?”

“That’s not—”

“Even though I saved you when you might have grown old and died alone, instead of treating me as your benefactor, it seems you see me as a complete fool. Right? Is that why you act so stiffly?”

Richard pressed Mercedes, laughing like a madman.

That’s right. Richard wasn’t originally Mercedes’ fiancé.

When she was fourteen, she had been engaged to the former Crown Prince, Elmond, who died in an accident two years ago.

He had slipped off a cliff while hunting, they said.

With her fiancé dead, the engagement was naturally broken off, and Mercedes once again had to endure severe beatings from the members of the Count’s family.

Even Elmond’s accidental death was blamed on Mercedes.

This was when she was eighteen years old.

But suddenly, what was this?

Elmond’s younger brother, Richard, who had succeeded to the position of Crown Prince, expressed his desire to be engaged to her.

“You think a Crown Prince who became a substitute for my brother, like me, is not good enough, don’t you?”

Richard had always been compared to Elmond. He was a prince who fell far short of his brother in ability.

He had been compared since childhood.

It was already unsatisfactory that such an inadequate prince was ascending to the position of Crown Prince, and now he coveted his dead brother’s woman?

Public opinion was negative.

But Richard pretended to be righteous. He said that since it would be difficult for a woman who had been engaged to receive another proposal, he was taking responsibility for Mercedes.

At that time, the evaluation of Richard rose sharply. He became the new Crown Prince with a kind heart, taking care of a pitiful woman.

Eighteen. It was the perfect age for a royal marriage, so the wedding took place immediately.

However, from the first night, Richard found her unsatisfactory.

‘She’s like a corpse. Was she like this with my brother too? Ah, they said she maintained her chastity. It’s fortunate, I don’t want to embrace a dirty body.’

‘She must be barren.’

‘Those eyes! Those arrogant eyes! You… Hah, is it because I’m not my brother? Hm? Am I so unsatisfactory to you?’

There was a scene always etched in Richard’s mind. A scene where his brother and Mercedes looked beautiful like a painting.

Whenever they appeared in social circles, Elmond was affectionate and Mercedes looked shy.

But now, Mercedes showed no shyness. She just seemed dismissive.

In fact, Mercedes had treated both brothers the same way. But both Richard and Elmond had been angered looking at her, as if possessed by something. They were so alike, it made one wonder if this was what it meant for blood to be connected.

Was it a family tradition to summon one’s companion and make them pour drinks for dancers?

“You misunderstand. I—”

“Enough. Recently, there’s been a commotion because of you.”

“…”

Richard brought up the rumors. He shamelessly blamed Mercedes again, even though he himself had created and encouraged those rumors.

“When you should be pretending that we’re on good terms to quell the noise, you ruin the mood?”

“I’m sorry.”

In truth, Mercedes had no idea why Richard had married her, his brother’s former fiancée, or what he wanted.

Therefore, Mercedes gave the most rational answer she knew.

Richard’s brow furrowed even more.

He felt ridiculous, always trying to elicit a reaction from that woman like this. Why was it that he was the one hurling insults, yet he was also the one feeling insulted?

‘Damn it.’

Richard was always struggling alone.

“Leave. Get out of my sight right now. I can’t stand the sight of a woman like you.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Finally, Richard couldn’t contain his anger and lashed out. Mercedes retreated as if it were only natural and left the room.

Crash!

As soon as Mercedes left the room, the sound of breaking glass rang out. It was Richard venting his frustration.

At first, he thought she was prettier than any woman he had seen in social circles. So he coveted her. He intended to seat her beside him as the Crown Princess.

But his brother had set his eyes on her first.

As if living a life of constant comparison wasn’t enough, even a woman was taken by his brother.

Richard’s heart boiled endlessly.

In the midst of this, fortune smiled upon him. His brother died in an accident, and he ascended to the position he desired.

Four years of unrequited love didn’t fade easily.

Of course, he took Mercedes. But what fell into his hands was a defective product.

Always the same expression, a haughty woman with lifeless eyes.

Was she like this next to his brother too? No, she wasn’t.

“Damned woman.”

Mercedes didn’t cling to him and left with the same face as usual.

“Again, with that face as if it’s nothing…”

She was supposed to become the possession of the man who would soon ascend to the throne, yet she always acted coldly as if she didn’t know this. Every time, every time!

It was that woman’s fault that he was doing all these troublesome things.

The dancers watched his mood carefully. The favorite concubines hurriedly clung to Richard, trying to flatter him.

“Oh, Your Highness. Please enjoy yourself with us today. It’s a good night, isn’t it?”

“Get away!”

As the concubines clung to him, Richard exploded in anger even more. He couldn’t be satisfied with them. He felt thirsty.

That woman should be like this. Why does she ignore me? Why is she like that…

His anger kept rising. When she collapsed at the royal wedding ceremony, he thought it was just right. It was quite easy to pressure her after such an incident happened.

He thought if he pressured her like this, she would come to him first, flatter him, and apologize with tears.

But a month and a half. She didn’t even come until he called her first, and she even looked too calm.

‘Is it still not enough?’

The atmosphere turned cold due to Richard, who was lost in thought with intensifying anger, and the dancers stopped playing and kept their mouths shut, only watching his mood.

Meanwhile, servants came in to hurriedly clean up the glass fragments, and Richard drank again.