Lately, I’ve been the most furious. I paced back and forth, seething with anger. Hadel, who was directly involved in the incident, tried to calm me down.

“Marian? Calm down.”

However, seeing Hadel so composed only fueled my frustration. I poured out my feelings with an aggravated tone.

“You not only sent my son to the north, but now you’re arbitrarily choosing a fiancée and sending her off! Does that make any sense? You should consult me about your intentions!”

“The north has already expressed refusal. Orsini Yeongae will be sent back.”

Hadel calmly explained his response.

“I’m an adult from the start. It doesn’t make sense for the marriage of an adult to be decided solely by the parents, unlike with a minor.”

“But still…”

The continued occurrence of this unreasonable situation was what angered me.

Unaware of my speed, Hadel comforted me.

“Don’t worry, Marian. You’re the only one I love.”

“I’m not worried. It’s your actions of moving freely that are unpleasant.”

“Marian.”

Hadel smiled gently and embraced me.

“I’m glad that even in this unpleasant situation, you express your anger for my sake. Is there something wrong with my head?”

Maybe because you’re too kind to people.

Wanting to retort like that, I bit my lips and remained silent.

The next day, I found myself sitting across from Nella during lunch.

To be honest, everything was annoying. As if a rival suddenly appeared, the castle people were upset because they couldn’t decorate me.

‘Why is it so difficult to just kick her out from the start?’

I had such thoughts for a moment, but when I heard the maids whispering, it seemed like Nella had pushed her way in quite boldly.

‘Yeah! It wouldn’t be bad to kick her out bluntly.’

So, wearing uncomfortably matched clothes and even neatly applying makeup, I went to the lunch table.

At least, Hadel complimented me for looking pretty.

As irritated as Hadel, he spoke with a chilling tone as he sat down.

“I already have a fiancée, Orsini Yeongae. So, please return to the capital.”

Whether she had mentally prepared for it or not, Nella, who would have made most people flinch, didn’t react to the cold reception. She smiled mischievously and spoke in a sweet tone.

“Feel free to call me Nella, Your Highness.”

“Orsini Yeongae.”

She subtly pointed at me with her eyes while holding her fist, suggesting, “Let’s see how far you can go,” so the ensuing words were just an opening.

“Even in a noble house, it’s not a flaw to have one or two government officials. Why would I take issue with that when addressing Your Highness, who is a royal? Please don’t worry.”

Oh, please. Let’s see how far this goes, was the meaning behind her words as she clenched her fist, so the following words were just a prologue.

“Moreover, the young lady doesn’t even know where she came from, let alone her parents or siblings… If she has a conscience, she probably didn’t think she could become a duchess.”
Did I ever expect to hear such words in my lifetime?

“I, too, wasn’t recognized by bloodline! …Well, a hundred years ago.”

I briefly lost consciousness and woke up, only to find that the world had changed. Who could have known?

Thanks to that, I was experiencing something I would never have experienced in my entire life. It felt more awkward than unpleasant.

Hadel issued a stern warning.

“If you insult my precious person further, I’ll kick you out of the castle.”

Nella smiled as if to say, “If you dare, go ahead and try.” Hadel added in a cold tone.

“I didn’t let you into the castle to comply with some absurd engagement, but because I didn’t want to hear the news of Yeongae’s death when I didn’t open the castle gate.”

I thought she might have stubbornly barged in, but did she stage a protest as extreme as freezing to death? It was an incredible determination.

Hadel chuckled and added. His eyes didn’t show any signs of amusement, making it even colder.

“But seeing you continue with rude remarks, I’d rather leave you to freeze to death.”

Among the deaths I considered, freezing to death was the cruelest!

I was left speechless at the dreadful words.

‘No, even if you hate the other person, it’s not like that. In the north, you could really freeze to death!’

During the winter, I crawled into a hollow tree to escape the cold and cried so much.

Whether Nella also felt the intense cold or not, her face turned pale as she faced Hadel.

‘They seem surprised by the cold in the north too.’

I frowned. I couldn’t understand at all. I didn’t have a hobby of prying into other people’s affairs, so I asked straightforwardly.

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“What do you mean?”

I shrugged reflexively.

“Freezing to death is quite painful. Even if you don’t die, if frostbite sets in, you might have to cut off your limbs. Why are you insisting on the engagement to the point of doing something so extreme?”

Nella stood tall with a proud demeanor and replied confidently. It seemed like she anticipated such a question.