~Chapter 5~
Suddenly hearing a voice, Alex narrowed his eyes and looked at the people of House Lycaeon.
They hadn’t eaten Delfina’s cooking. For some reason, she hadn’t served them her food.
Alex felt both puzzled and understanding.
The people of House Lycaeon had treated Delfina very rudely.
‘Especially that maid… her gaze is impure.’
Alex didn’t know the internal affairs of House Lycaeon well. But from just this brief journey, he could see how rude Sophia was towards Delfina.
Alex’s gaze towards Sophia grew cold.
‘For Lady Delfina to tolerate such a maid… she truly is incredible.’
His eyes sparkled as he looked at Delfina.
She was amazing.
Not just her cooking skills – she was humble and kind.
Despite her noble status, she always prepared meals for them, mere knights.
Even with limited ingredients, Delfina always created fantastic flavours.
Now, Alex couldn’t imagine living without her cooking.
He unconsciously slapped his own cheek.
‘Get a hold of yourself, Alex!’
He recalled what the Knight Commander told him before leaving.
“Sir Alex, do not neglect your duty to keep watch over Lady Delfina of House Lycaeon. Our Grand Duke’s family and House Lycaeon are sworn enemies. It is unfortunate, but you must remain vigilant around her. There is no other way.”
“Understood, Knight Commander!”
“Good. We’re counting on you, Sir Alex.”
Yes, he had to focus.
The Knight Commander trusted him.
To protect the North, he had to remain vigilant of Lady Delfina…
At that moment, Delfina, who had been busy moving around, called out to him.
“Alex, please drink this. It’s tea made from Raka berries. It will help prevent the cold.”
He should refuse.
If he kept consuming her cooking, he would lose his rationality…
The tea smelled sweet. Steam rose invitingly, promising to warm his stomach.
The green tea leaves seduced him, whispering to be tasted and to feel their warmth.
‘The Grand Duke and Knight Commander are counting on me…’
Unfortunately, Alex was weak against the temptation of food.
“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”
His reason could not overcome his instincts. Without realising it, he accepted the tea from Delfina. The moment he drank it…
Warmth spread through his cold-shivering body.
‘As expected, Lady Delfina is incredible…’
The Knight Commander’s words about being wary of her had long vanished from his mind.
The road to the North was harsh.
But thanks to Delfina’s food and the knights’ efforts, they reached the Grand Duke’s castle faster than expected.
Delfina shivered from the cold.
Unlike the always-warm South of House Lycaeon, the North was so cold it felt like her skin would freeze.
But Delfina welcomed the chill – it reminded her she had truly left House Lycaeon behind.
Upon entering the castle gates, they were greeted by rows of the Grand Duke’s knights. Yet Delfina could sense their wariness.
‘It’s only natural. Relations between the houses were never good, and after my uncle became Duke, things worsened. The North suffered greatly because of him.’
The people of the Grand Duke’s house had no choice but to dislike House Lycaeon.
Rohaim Grand Duke’s military might was enough to threaten the Emperor.
The Grand Duke never harboured treasonous intent, but the Emperor feared the North.
House Lycaeon used this fear to corner the Grand Duke’s family.
‘After Elkaian regained his title from the previous Grand Duke, the conflict worsened.’
The previous Grand Duke was deemed incompetent. But Elkaian was a brilliant swordsman, deeply supported by his people.
Right after his investiture, he opened the frozen storerooms to feed his starving citizens.
With Elkaian’s rise, the Emperor feared the North more and relied heavily on House Lycaeon and the capital nobles.
The biggest conflict was food support for the North.
Due to barren lands, the North never had enough food.
Even if crops were planted, the cold killed them before harvest.
The North’s survival depended on aid from other regions.
But House Lycaeon petitioned the Emperor to reduce food support to the North.
‘People become most sensitive about matters of survival…’
Anyone in the North would naturally hate House Lycaeon.
And as their Duke’s niece, Delfina too was destined to be hated.
‘Even if I say I want to help revive the North, they wouldn’t believe me. But I’ll show them… that I am different from House Lycaeon.’
Thinking this, Delfina smiled at the people.
Elkaian watched the arriving carriage through the window.
His clothes were soaked in blood, and the mask covering his face was grotesque.
If a child saw him, they would burst into tears in fear.
His retainers looked at him with worry.
“It is House Lycaeon’s niece. If she resembles the Duke, she must be cruel by nature.”
“Shouldn’t we send her back? Even if it is the Emperor’s order, this is unjust!”
“Look at that shabby carriage. Surely they are mocking us.”
Elkaian shook his head.
“If we reject this engagement, House Lycaeon will petition to cut off food support to the North.”
His blue eyes gleamed beneath the mask.
“Your Grace…”
“It’s fine. This is something I must endure.”
After his father’s death, Elkaian drove out his incompetent uncle and safely inherited the Grand Duchy, but to protect the North, there was still much to do.
Now House Lycaeon was the problem.
“We are already struggling with reduced food support. If they cut it completely, many of our people will starve to death. Unless the fundamental problem is resolved.”
Those living safely in the capital could never understand how close death always loomed for the people of the North.
At that moment, a woman with soft pink hair and captivating golden eyes alighted from the carriage.
Elkaian instantly knew it was Delfina Lycaeon.
He had seen her a few times before because their fathers were acquainted.
They never spoke properly; Delfina never even realised he was from the Grand Duke’s house.
‘Father always wanted to improve relations with House Lycaeon…’
But that was long ago. After his father’s death, relations turned to the worst.
Delfina had been under her uncle’s thumb ever since her parents died.
Their brief childhood meetings were mere memories.
‘She probably doesn’t even remember me.’
Elkaian too had forgotten her.
‘She was always overly loyal to House Lycaeon… I wonder if she still lives like that.’
When First Prince Johannes tried to visit her upon hearing of her situation, Delfina apparently told him she was content with her life and rejected his help.
She even got angry, accusing him of slandering her uncle.
Elkaian turned away coldly.
‘This is an engagement forced by the Emperor and House Lycaeon’s schemes.’
There would be no wedding anyway. Whatever House Lycaeon planned, it would end in annulment.
‘I’ll just treat her with minimal courtesy and send her back to House Lycaeon. She probably doesn’t want to marry me either.’
Delfina loved her fiancé, Kasen. She would surely wish to return to House Lycaeon.
At least, that’s what Elkaian thought… at that time.
