Luckily, Aidan didn’t turn red with embarrassment but felt a headache.

He strongly felt that he shouldn’t get entangled in this conversation.

“I have nothing more to say to you. I don’t even want to know that you enjoy distasteful jokes…”

“But!”

Maira interrupted Aidan’s words.

Her voice dropped an octave and spit out sharp words.

“Why did she run away to the south?”

Each word from the princess pierced Aidan’s heart like a dagger.

Brody does not want the north.

“Why did she run away without looking back, despite all the sweet promises?”

And… she does not want me either.

Unknowingly, Aidan raised his gaze that was about to fall.

His eyes were sharply focused once more.

He spoke.

“She chose the north. At least it’s clear she doesn’t want to return to the empire.”

The princess didn’t give up.

“Can she really be happy in the north?”

“…That’s for me to worry about, not you.”

With that, Aidan brandished his sword.

Whoosh.

The tip of the sword narrowly missed the princess.

Then, a bluish energy began to slice between them.

Aidan lit the path to the fortress, freezing the flames.

The cold wind tangled with the flames, screeching painfully.

Just as he was about to turn the horse’s head, the princess’s shout split through the air.

“Do you intend to repeat the mistake of 800 years ago?”

Aidan’s eyes widened.

‘800 years ago’s mistake?’

The lore of the North rejoining the empire flashed through his mind. The story of the ice spirit freezing his deer spirit lover to death.

“Such cold energy will freeze your wife’s entire body.”

Why did that prophecy come to mind now? Aidan gripped the reins tightly to steady himself.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Aidan’s thoughts were interrupted by an arrow flying through the air.

A sky full of arrows rained down, bypassing Aidan and targeting the princess.

“Your Highness, are you alright!”

Thud.

“Ugh!”
An arrow pierced through the flames and struck the princess’s shoulder.

Immediately, the fire visibly wavered and began to diminish.

“Protect the lord and goddess of the North!”

From the fortress, about a hundred armed soldiers burst through the gates, shouting as they advanced at a terrifying speed.

On the ramparts too, around a hundred archers were seen nocking their next arrows.

‘Teddy made it in safely.’

In truth, Aidan hadn’t expected support from the North even as he sent Teddy in.

No, given that he, the Duke of the North, was here, the odds were about fifty-fifty.

However, he had left his ducal position vacant and deserted the grand alliance after the war.

Everything was his responsibility, but the North probably didn’t look favorably on Brody, the cause of it all.

So, he couldn’t have any expectations of being welcomed.

Shielded by the rain of arrows, Aidan ran towards the approaching Northern army.

For some reason, the North was determined to protect their Duke and his lover, Brody.

‘Is it River?’

Narrowing his eyes, Aidan assessed the situation.

River, the chief of staff of the North.

He must have done something.

“Thus, protected as we entered the fortress, the princess and her party had no choice but to turn back.”

He hadn’t conveyed his entire conversation with the princess, but the main points had been sufficiently communicated.

Upon hearing the explanation, Brody tilted her head in confusion.

“The people of the North welcomed me?”

“……Yes.”

Feeling Brody’s hair brush against him annoyingly as she leaned on him, Aidan bit his lip.

He had thought she would settle down quickly, but strangely she seemed unwilling to leave his embrace.

With a mix of puzzlement, confusion, and an unsettling thrill, Aidan tried hard to divert his senses away from her touch.

Is it because it’s been a while since we were this close? Her familiar scent seemed to stir the depths of his lungs.

‘I’ve been holding back. I can’t crumble like this. Focus on the conversation, the conversation.’

Fortunately, Brody continued speaking.

“Isn’t it a good thing? I’ve been worrying about how to win the trust of those who disapprove of me.”

“Why are you worrying about that?”

“No, isn’t it obvious? If I am to work for the North, I have to start by getting along with its people.”

“……”

Unwilling to agree or disagree, Aidan maintained a thoughtful silence.

Knock, knock. Just as Brody was about to ask something, there came a knock on the door.

“……!!”

Ah! She had forgotten, engrossed in Aidan’s warmth.

That Mrs. Murphy was going to bring dinner.

The door creaked open.

Ah! Brody screamed inwardly, desperately pulling away from Aidan.

This was too embarrassing to be seen by others…!

‘Especially by someone I know!’

Whew. Fortunately, Brody succeeded in pulling away from Aidan.

But unfortunately, another problem arose.

When Brody moved aside, she accidentally pushed Aidan, leaving him awkwardly positioned at the edge of the bed. She was huddled beside him, her back turned.

“…….”

It looked as if Aidan had attempted a romantic gesture on Brody and been rejected.

The glance Mrs. Murphy cast confirmed this misunderstanding.

‘Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer after getting up?’ the look seemed to say.

Frozen in the awkward posture, Aidan soon stood up awkwardly from the bed.