Adel opened her round mint-colored eyes. Love him? The words were so unexpected that at first she had difficulty understanding their meaning. She was so surprised that she didn’t even notice that Valentin had spoken perfectly without stammering.

Adel just blinked her eyes and barely managed to ask.

“So, you’re asking if I love my husband?”

“Adel.”

He called her name soothingly and smiled beautifully. But unlike usual, he gave off an inexplicably chilly impression.

“The, only one you can call hus, band… is… me.”

Even his intonation was unlike him and stiff. So, just hearing those words, as if someone mad with jealousy…

The moment that thought occurred to her, Adel lowered her eyes in embarrassment. No way, could it really be jealousy?

‘Why?’

Adel tried to answer calmly, but once she became conscious of it, her voice came out trembling.

“It’s, it’s not love or anything like that.”

Valentin seemed relieved at Adel’s answer and softened his expression. Yet like a hunter checking two or three times if his prey’s breath has stopped, he probed again.

“Then?”

“I asked for him to be returned because in the human world, if a leader disappears without a proper successor, the damage to the people of the domain is severe.”

“…”

The ‘Shadow’ will leave Valentin’s body as soon as it fulfills the first contract completely. No one can be attached to the leash binding them. The problem was that when that happens, Ansgar would lose both its leader and spiritual pillar at once.

‘Then it will become chaos in an instant.’

The rumors about the revived Valentin were growing more and more favorable as they spread beyond the region. Adel thought that by the time these rumors reached the capital, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if Valentin had become the incarnation of Morrigue. If she were to bet, she could even stake her life on it.

The emperor openly called Valentin his most beloved nephew, and he was desperate to bestow more power and wealth upon him. If he hadn’t been afraid of the empress and her family, Ansgar would probably have been hundreds of times more prosperous than it was now.

Such an emperor wouldn’t miss this opportunity. And where money flows, there are always various dregs aiming for the crumbs.

“Sir Oscar is there, but he is often away from the domain. If His Highness were to pass away suddenly at such times, all sorts of places would come running coveting Ansgar. They might even risk war. Even if that doesn’t happen…”

Adel hesitated a little. She wanted to prevent Oscar from inheriting the Grand Duke title at all costs. That man would still not have given up his ambition to take her, his former sister-in-law, as his wife.

But this was too personal a reason to voice out loud. Adel barely managed to find another excuse.

“The Grand Duke has stably managed the Ansgar domain for a long time. He would manage the domain better than anyone, so I’m at ease even after Valentin… leaves.”

“…”

“If that happens, I’ll be free too… Then, someday I’d like to go to the Ivory Tower. I want to study herbal medicine more in-depth.”

Perhaps, while pursuing truth at the Ivory Tower, she might find a way to revoke the contract with the demon. After all, all kinds of knowledge flowed into the Ivory Tower.

“Hmm.”

Valentin didn’t seem very satisfied with her answer, but he didn’t press further. When he closed his mouth, the room was filled with an awkward silence. That’s when it happened.

Knock knock.

There was a heavy knock on the door.

“Your two Highnesses. Did you cough?”

It was Margaret’s voice. Valentin glanced at the door, then picked up the dagger that had fallen on the floor. It was an object that hadn’t been visible when Adel had been trying to find it just before.

Surprisingly, the green medicine that had been smeared all over it was now completely gone.

He walked to the front of the bed and cut his palm with the dagger. Then he let a few drops of blood fall onto the clean bed sheet. Just as Adel was about to widen her eyes in surprise, the wound on his palm healed instantly. No matter how astonished she was, all of this seemed insignificant to Valentin.

“Come, in.”

He answered nonchalantly as he wiped the blood off the blade and placed it on the table. He handled the blade made of silver, said to be fatal to demons, as casually as if he were holding a pebble.

Eventually, Margaret opened the door and entered, bowing politely to both of them. Adel hurriedly picked up the gown that had fallen to the floor and covered her chest.

“Margaret. What’s the matter?”

“I apologize, but Father Padre requests to see Your Highness.”

“Now?”

“Yes. An urgent message has arrived, and he says he will leave for the capital again this afternoon. He has already prepared for departure, and is waiting insistently to see Your Highness before leaving, even though I told him it was still nap time…”

“Good heavens. What time is it now? How long has he been waiting?”

“It’s one o’clock in the afternoon, and he’s been waiting for about an hour now.”

“Tell him I’ll be there right away.”

Adel hurriedly gathered the clothes she had taken off yesterday. But the maids seemed determined not to let her wear the same clothes as yesterday. They entered in an orderly fashion, set up a screen, and brought out clean underwear and a new dress.

They skillfully braided Adel’s disheveled hair and helped her put on the new clothes. In just a few minutes, she was wearing a new dress with a gold waist ornament hanging down. A fox fur cape was draped over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Valentin declined the servants’ assistance and leisurely dressed himself. He was wearing light leather armor, perhaps intending to take a look around the domain.

“I’ll, come… with you. Adel.”

He grabbed Adel’s chin and lightly kissed her forehead. Then, as if reluctant to let go, he looked at her with lingering eyes before leaving the room.

Adel gently touched her forehead where his lips had touched. By then, all preparations were complete.

When Adel went down to the back garden, everything was ready for departure, just as Margaret had said. The horses were all saddled, ready to leave at any moment, and a few items were being loaded onto the wagons that would follow the priests.

She passed through the densely packed priests and horses, heading towards the High Priest’s carriage. Father Padre was stroking a horse’s mane when he saw Adel and made the sign of the cross.

“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess.”

“Father Padre. I didn’t know you were leaving so suddenly. I thought you said you’d stay for a week…”

“An urgent message arrived from the imperial palace yesterday. Judging by the timing, it seems to have been sent around the time I arrived in Schleicher. Please forgive my earlier than planned departure.”

“If it’s from the imperial palace, it must be His Majesty’s summons. How could I be greedy?”

“Let’s continue our conversation after we get in the carriage. I have something important to tell you, but it won’t take long.”

Adel took Father Padre’s hand and climbed into the carriage. As soon as she sat down, the carriage door closed. Father Padre, sitting across from her, opened his mouth with a serious face.

“How did it go?”

This question was, of course, within the expected range. Adel tried to answer calmly.

“Nothing happened. Perhaps because the effect of the holy oil wasn’t strong, His Highness didn’t fall asleep.”

“…Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Can you swear before the name of Morrigue?”

Adel blinked for a moment, at a loss for words. Adel had been registered as a follower of the god Morrigue since birth, and according to strict guidelines, she had done her best in her religious life, offering even small sacrifices at the castle’s altar when she couldn’t attend the diocesan prayer meetings.

For such an Adel, to ask her to swear by Morrigue’s name was no different from a clear guarantee that her words were not false.

Adel lowered her eyes and opened her mouth not too late.

“I swear.”

Father Padre’s face, which had been looking at Adel with sharp eyes, eventually showed a somewhat softer expression.

“Well. They say it’s been over a decade since the dragon of Bitzleben disappeared. If it were to reveal itself, it wouldn’t choose a time when attention is focused like now.”

“…”

“The priests and I also stayed for a few days and looked around various parts of the domain, but there were no particularly suspicious traces. Although there were clear traces of demons passing near the castle, there were no signs of infiltration inside the castle.”

“That’s really good.”

“Although I still have a few doubts… seeing that the Grand Duke is fine even at the point when Morrigue’s veil has been restored, it seems it was just needless worry.”

Adel nodded, trying to appear calm.

If Father Padre were to catch even the slightest hint of her unease, he would try to reveal Valentin’s identity by any means necessary. And the priest would be killed.

‘That must not happen.’

Adel clasped her hands together as if to strengthen her resolve. Father Padre, as if he hadn’t noticed anything, gently added a few more reminders.

“Although we were lucky this time, you must never forget to always observe your surroundings and stay vigilant. If you notice anything suspicious, you must contact us immediately. Do you understand, Adel?”

“Yes. I’ll do that.”

“Then… I’ll see you next at the imperial palace.”

Adel’s eyes widened at Father Padre’s casual words.

“Did you say the imperial palace?”

“Yes. Ah, haven’t you heard yet?”