The sun had already set, dyeing the sky with a yellow hue.

It was time to return to the duke’s residence.

The two of them boarded the Duke’s carriage, which had arrived just in time.

Adeline felt fatigue wash over her, having been out for quite a long time.

“Yawn.”

It seemed that the two had become quite comfortable with each other.

Adeline let out a soft yawn.

Casius, sitting across from her, moved closer to Adeline at the sound.

Pressed against her, Casius soon pulled Adeline’s waist. His large hand securely embraced her.

Adeline looked up at Casius in response to his physical gesture.

Casius smiled tenderly at her gazing eyes.

He pulled Adeline closer, creating a posture where she leaned more against him.

“You must have slept uncomfortably yesterday. Try to get some rest, even if just a little.”

Casius’s large hand rested on Adeline’s eyes.

Having dozed off earlier and woken up unusually early this morning, Adeline unknowingly fell asleep under Casius’s warm touch.

Unaware of the situation that would unfold before her.

Clunk, clatter.

The sound of carriage wheels clattering reached Adeline’s ears, and soon she lifted her eyelids.

Opening her eyes, Adeline looked at Casius, who was holding her tightly.

“How long did I sleep?”

“Just a little. It would be good for you to sleep more.”

Though Adeline wasn’t sure how long she had been sleeping against Casius, a numbness was creeping up from below.

The pain in her legs seemed to indicate that they had not been in the carriage for just a short time.

Adeline, who had been sleeping in one position, felt uncomfortable and reached for the carriage curtain, moving away from Casius.

“Adeline.”

Casius tried to stop Adeline’s action, but with his call, her hand was already reaching for the curtain.

The curtain was already fully drawn back by her hand.

“Huh?”

Adeline’s eyes clouded with confusion at the scenery visible beyond the window.

There couldn’t be a view of the sea horizon on the way to the duke’s castle.

The duke’s territory was mostly mountainous with many mines.

The vast sea spread out before Adeline’s eyes showed that the carriage was certainly not heading to the duke’s castle.

“Where are we going now?”

“We’re going home.”

‘Home?’

Adeline asked Casius with a puzzled expression, but the answer came back nonchalantly.

She questioned again.

“I can see the sea. How is this the way to the duke’s castle?”

Unless one was a fool, it was obvious that this wasn’t the way to the duke’s castle.

Adeline was utterly bewildered by Casius’s continued insistence.

“We are indeed going home, Adeline.”

At her suspicious gaze, he added:

“However, not to the duke’s castle, but to the Torpeo Duke’s town house.”

He meant they were going to the capital.

If it’s the Torpeo Duke’s town house…..

Isn’t that where the craziest man in the Soltarius Empire, Crown Prince Trashi, who doesn’t hesitate to kill even his fiancées, is?

Adeline exclaimed in disbelief.

“You know better than anyone that I can’t go to the capital!”

“It’s alright, Adeline. I have my reasons for going.”

Her eyes were filled with fear.

Despite her reaction, Casius simply continued to answer calmly.

Casius knew the reason for her fear. That’s why he had been uncomfortable throughout the harvest festival.

But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her, who was reacting so strongly just to going to the capital, that they were not only going to the capital but also planning to have an audience with the Crown Prince.

“What exactly is that reason?”

He had boasted that he alone could hide her from the eyes of the Crown Prince and the Marquis.

She had grasped his hand at his promise to conceal her.

Yet before the ink on their marriage certificate had even dried, he was about to throw Adeline into the beast’s den.

She shouted again at him, who remained silent.

Her eyes flickered with a mixture of fear and betrayal.

“How could you do this to me? I’ll die if I go to the capital!”

Adeline felt resentful towards the fast-moving carriage even as she was angry.

She let out a scream tinged with exasperation.

Despite the ongoing argument, the horizon continued to be visible outside the carriage.

They had clearly left the duke’s territory far behind.

No matter how much she cried to turn back, he wouldn’t listen.

If he were that kind of person, he would have at least asked for her opinion from the start.

Everything was absurd and infuriating.

Why did she keep getting pushed around?

Adeline’s anger was enough to make her lose her reason.

If she opened the carriage door right now, they would have to stop.

Adeline stood up abruptly, despite the rattling carriage, and grabbed the handle.

Click.

As soon as she grabbed it, the door opened.

A small gap opened for a moment. Even with this small gap, the carriage quickly tried to throw Adeline out.

The door flung wide open, unable to withstand the carriage’s speed.

Casius’s mind went blank at her sudden action.

His body reacted quickly first. He swiftly embraced her to prevent her from being thrown out. He threw himself towards the opposite side of the opened door.

He fell, barely saving Adeline in the narrow carriage.

Casius’s shoulder was crushed against the floor with a loud thud.

A stinging pain rose from his shoulder.

But he checked on her well-being without even feeling the pain.

Meanwhile, outside the carriage, they couldn’t hide their bewilderment at the sudden situation.

The carriage came to a stop at the suddenly opened door and the loud noise.

His startled knights approached, but he only ordered them to depart again.

He locked all the locks on the carriage that were usually left unlocked.

The carriage quickly set off again.

Casius sat up Adeline, who couldn’t control her body.

Even so, to do such a reckless thing.

He was furious to the tips of his hair.

“Are you trying to die? What were you thinking!”

Adeline was also quite shocked.

She had acted thinking that if she just opened the door, the carriage would stop.

She hadn’t anticipated this situation.

Adeline felt a surge of sorrow as his tone and actions mixed together.

Who’s fault is it,

“Isn’t it the same as dying if I go to the capital?”

Unlike the duke’s territory, the capital was too dangerous.

She would have to constantly tremble in anxiety, as if carrying a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

“Are you planning to bleed me dry in the capital?”

“Adeline.”

He called her name, suppressing the anger that was boiling up immediately.

But she didn’t know how to turn her head. She only uttered cold words. Without even looking at him.

“Don’t call me.”

“Do you think I would let you die?”

His low voice resonated again.

At his voice resonating with stability, she too slowly regained her senses.

Adeline turned her head to look at Casius.

It was obvious that arguing with him wouldn’t resolve anything.

As she had to avoid the capital at all costs, Adeline decided to plead.

“The Crown Prince is bound to recognize me. Let’s just go back, okay?”

“Adeline. We must go to the capital.”

Because an audience with the Crown Prince was scheduled. Casius couldn’t bring himself to continue.

She was already reacting so strongly just to going to the capital.

If she knew that she had to meet the Crown Prince she was so desperately trying to avoid, she would try to jump out of the carriage again right away.

Casius couldn’t grant any of her requests.

His attitude made her even more upset.

“At least try to persuade me with some reason!”

Even at Adeline’s cry, he didn’t continue speaking.

The carriage interior, which had been full of heat from the highly boiled anger, quickly cooled down.

The atmosphere that had cooled to the point of being chilly dominated the carriage.

Between the two, only the rattling of the carriage filled the air. Only silence prevailed on the way to the town house.

Once again, life seemed to be flowing in a very bad direction for Adeline.

It seems that nothing can go well for her in this world.

No matter how hard she tried to avoid the situation given to her. Isn’t she heading back to the capital again?

It was impossible to turn back the carriage that had already come a long way towards the capital.

Even if she escaped from him again in the capital, she wasn’t confident in protecting herself.

Adeline gave up on everything. She buried herself in the cushions. To be as far away from him as possible.

Even though escaping in the narrow carriage would only be a span away. Adeline wanted to avoid even that.

The carriage ran without rest and finally stopped in front of the Duke’s town house.

Even with the Duke’s escort, Adeline did not grasp his hand.

Inside the Imperial Palace.

“Your Highness. It is said that the Duke has entered the capital with the Duchess.”

At the servant’s words, the corners of Crown Prince Trashi’s mouth began to twitch.

“So he finally made a commoner his Duchess?”

To think they would come up to the town house without even having a wedding ceremony.

A marriage with a commoner no different from livestock. For the Crown Prince, who shuddered even at the thought of marriage to a humble family, it was unthinkable.

Isn’t it a marriage that truly suits the Duke’s status?

The Crown Prince thought that the Duke’s failure to hold a wedding ceremony was due to the unwanted marriage forced by the imperial family.

“Hahahahahahaha.”

As if unable to control his twitching mouth, Trashi burst into laughter.

This whole situation was truly satisfying.

With the imperial family pushing so actively for the marriage. Well.

How could he refuse?

The Crown Prince couldn’t contain this feeling.

“Tell them to come to the imperial palace as soon as possible.”

I must personally congratulate them on their future.

I wonder what expression the Duke will have, having taken an insignificant woman as his Duchess.

I must see his distorted expression in person as soon as possible.

The corners of his mouth showed no sign of lowering.

His sinister eyes flashed, filled with anticipation.