“There’s no misunderstanding, so let’s part ways here.”

The moonlight filtering through the tall trees mingled with the darkness, illuminating their path.

The sound of rustling leaves and their footsteps echoed back and forth. In the meantime, Ariel was able to calm her trembling heart.

Is this excessive kindness a positive sign?

Please, Kaius. Don’t keep me in suspense and accept my proposal.

Changing her hair and eye color had been a good move. Had he ever been this kind before? Thinking back, she couldn’t recall a single instance.

Even though quite some time had passed since they started walking, he hadn’t asked any questions. If she waited for him to speak first at this rate, it seemed unlikely they’d have a conversation today.

“Um… Why aren’t you asking anything?”

About her healing ability, why she proposed a contract marriage, what her relationship with Ludvian was. Of course, he would have investigated beforehand, but wouldn’t he normally want to confirm directly with the person involved?

Kaius, who had been walking slightly ahead, turned to face Ariel at her question. A cool scent carried by the wind tickled her nose.

“I was waiting for you to speak first.”

His voice was low and gentle.

Kaius crossed his arms and stared into Ariel’s eyes, as if daring her to speak.

“…You might not believe it, but Ludvian isn’t my lover. I thought you might have heard the nobles gossiping that he was my lover at the banquet.”

Despite her cautious and quiet tone, Ariel’s gaze was confident.

Kaius scrutinized her as if trying to find traces of a lie. Rumors aside, there were several things he had confirmed with his own eyes. The festival, the escort, the dance, and on top of that, that man’s behavior seemed like he was dealing with his own woman to anyone who saw.

Yet she says he’s not her lover?

“I can see in your eyes that you don’t believe me. But that’s the truth.”

Kaius chuckled at Ariel’s bold attitude. When everyone says a man is her lover, should he believe her alone when she says he’s not? Even for a loveless marriage, he couldn’t tolerate a woman with a lover.

If they married.

She would become the Duchess of Elbartan. The weight of that name was by no means light. He also had no intention of maintaining a marriage in name only.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s your lover. As long as you can end it before the marriage.”

Ending things with Ludvian was what Ariel wanted more than anyone else in the world. The problem was that she couldn’t.

“He really isn’t my lover, but I can’t end it. For the next year, I have to see him at least once a month. If possible, I’ll try to see if someone else can substitute, but I’m not sure if Ludvian will accept that.”

Kaius chuckled at the absurdity of her words. She said many things, but the result was that she couldn’t end things with Duke Beloas. That was her answer.

“In that case, it seems we have no reason to continue this conversation. I’ll pretend I never heard the princess’s proposal.”

Kaius infused his quiet voice with mockery. As he took a step to leave, Ariel blocked his path.

“Wait a moment!”

Kaius raised an eyebrow.

“Ludvian is a prophet. He came to me a year ago with the contents of a prophecy. Our relationship started then, and there’s something I have to do according to his prophecy, so I have no choice but to meet him.”

Ariel told him in a small but clear voice. It wasn’t something to hide, and most people in the palace knew about it. However, Ludvian had said it would be troublesome if this information spread widely and reached the ears of the demon race, so they had kept it from leaking outside the palace. That’s why nobles who didn’t know the detailed circumstances thought Ludvian was her lover.

“Tell me more.”

“He said the safety of the Mazeras continent depends on me. Funny, right?”

Ariel shrugged once and continued.

“Besides healing abilities, I can also accelerate plant growth. Ludvian told me to grow a flower that will save the continent from crisis with my ability. The reason he visits is to receive the oil made from the flower.”

Although he chuckled at the idea of salvation through mere flowers, it was different if it involved a prophet. If problems arose from not listening to a prophet’s words, all arrows would point to Ariel.

“Going to the festival together or dancing were all firsts. I suspect the reason Ludvian is suddenly acting this way is because of you, Duke. And the reason I can’t refuse is because if I don’t listen to his insistence, a curse falls on those around me.”

Ariel’s chest heaved rapidly as she paused, seemingly out of breath. After gradually calming her breathing, she spoke again.

“It’s been like this for the past year. And I have to do it for another year.”

Having said everything she thought he would be curious about, Ariel quietly watched for Kaius’s reaction.

“What exactly is this curse you mention?”

“People around me die or get hurt.”

Kaius looked at her deeply. It seemed that extraordinary things were happening to this small woman, not unlike himself.

“Um… If you don’t have any more questions, I’d like to hear your answer to my proposal.”

Ariel’s somewhat impatient heart manifested in words urging him. Kaius, who had been gazing at her sparkling brown eyes, soon lifted his head to look at the night sky.

Those eyes would be filled with disappointment, but it wasn’t time yet. All matters had to be concluded only through thorough investigation. As he had lived until now. Information gathered through palace personnel should arrive around today. He just needed to check if it matched her words.

“As for the answer to that… Let’s put it off for now.”

Ariel, who seemed to have something to say as she looked at him, her lips quivering, nodded quietly with a soft sigh.

“…I guess you haven’t decided yet. I understand.”

The atmosphere of the woman who had been chattering incessantly just moments ago suddenly became heavy. After staring at the ground in silence for a while, Ariel took off his jacket and handed it back.

“Please go back to the banquet hall. I won’t be returning.”

“I’ll escort you back.”

Kaius’s polite behavior was not at all welcome.

“No, I want to walk alone. I’ll go ahead then.”

Ariel greeted him with a barely raised smile and turned away. Kaius watched her retreating figure for a long time.

“Haah…”

A deep sigh escaped Ariel’s lips as she turned onto the path leading to the North Palace.

She had misunderstood completely.

During the unfamiliar moment of dancing with him and the warmth of him draping his jacket over her, she had felt that way.

That he might accept her proposal right away.

Although he hadn’t refused, she couldn’t hide her disappointing expression at his answer. Unable to face him further in that state, she fled.

What more could she do to change his mind? The future that had seemed bright when she started walking with him now felt a bit bleak.

“Your Excellency, I have a report.”

Late at night, Lemon, the aide, and Carsen, the captain of the Elbartan Knights, sat around the table in Kaius’s bedroom. Carsen had been carrying out special instructions from Kaius along with a few knights since arriving at the Letiana Palace.

“It seems the relationship between Princess Ariel and Duke Beloas is somewhat different from what is known.”

White cigarette smoke rose from between Kaius’s lips as he looked at Carsen, as if telling him to continue.

“What’s different? From what I saw, it was just as the rumors said. She was even torn between Your Excellency and Duke Beloas just earlier. She shouldn’t even be considering it, should she?”

Lemon was quite displeased. To him, Kaius was a god, the sky. He was the one who had led them to victory in the five-year war that no one else could accomplish. It was already infuriating that such a person would have a political marriage with a princess from a poor country. And she even had a man already.

“Lemon.”

At Kaius’s quiet voice, Lemon had no choice but to close his mouth. If he did it one more time, he would be thrown out of this room right away.

Before coming to Letiana, Kaius had found out most of the information that could be obtained externally. However, matters inside the palace were not as easy to discover as he thought, so he had ordered a separate investigation.

“From what I’ve learned, when Duke Beloas first appeared, the princess didn’t follow his words. Then people in the palace started dying, and people believed it was a curse falling because the princess didn’t follow the prophecy. It happened occasionally after that too.”

Kaius’s eyes gradually narrowed as he listened to the explanation for a long time. Ludvian Beloas. Whether the deaths were due to a curse or not, the cause would be Ludvian himself. Ariel’s claim that she was being made to listen to his demands through threats was true.

“So what does Sir Carsen think?”

Kaius asked what Carsen, who had investigated directly, thought.

“I believe what was investigated inside the palace is closer to the truth.”

Kaius, who had been touching his chin with his finger, nodded and took a deep drag of his cigar.

To her, Ludvian Beloas was not a man, and to him, Ariel was absolutely necessary. Potions were not easy to obtain and could not be used except in very urgent situations. That alone was reason enough to take her, but no matter how urgent, one couldn’t drink poison, could they?

First, he needed to find out why she proposed marriage.

“And about the prophesied flower…”

“That’s enough about the flower.”

The flower was not of interest to Kaius. After all, it was just a flower.

“Is that the end of the report?”

At Kaius’s question, Carsen pulled out a rolled-up paper from his chest.

“Please take a look at this.”

The unfolded paper showed a woman who looked very similar to Ariel von Letiana.

“This is the princess’s former appearance.”

Carsen added an explanation to Kaius’s puzzled look.

Lemon, who had checked the drawing, couldn’t take his eyes off the woman in it, marveling. The woman in the portrait had the silver hair and golden eyes that he had dismissed as a misconception.