Episode 7
On the night of their wedding day, even though it was already past 11 o’clock, Lankea was still quietly seated in his office inside the imperial palace.
“Your Grace, the Grand Duke.”
Miller, who had personally escorted Eos to the bridal chamber, soon came looking for him — fully aware of what Lankea was doing.
“It’s 11 o’clock. No, it’s already past that.”
“……”
Lankea was already dressed in sleeping robes, so he could have gone straight there with just a few steps.
But instead of following Miller’s words, he slowly turned his black eyes from his aide to the window.
“I’ll go late.”
“…Pardon?”
“The fact that His Majesty went as far as to prepare an extra room just for the bridal night, even though it wasn’t in the schedule, makes his intentions obvious.”
An implicit yet unmistakable coercive order — to finish the wedding properly in his own territory.
“So… will you disobey?”
Miller cautiously studied his master’s expression.
“Of course not. How could I dare to disobey an order from His Majesty himself?”
“Then…”
“I told you already. I have no intention of laying a finger on her. This is a marriage without love.”
“……”
His firm, unwavering voice echoed in the still room, leaving Miller without any way to persuade him further.
“You can leave now. I’ll find my way to the room on my own.”
As Miller stood there wordless again, Lankea gave a slight nod, dismissing him.
When the surroundings finally grew quiet, Lankea stared at the space Miller had just vacated, then took a sip of the whiskey with ice that had been sitting on his desk for some time.
He had been up since dawn today, getting dressed and adorned, and spent the entire day wearing the heavy ceremonial garments laden with ornaments — more exhausting than hunting a monster.
Marriage… definitely not something I’d do twice.
Princess Eos was, as the rumors claimed, beautiful enough for anyone to praise — a delicate and pure face shaped by graceful curves.
Her flowing blue hair matched attractively with her golden eyes, and the sparkle embedded in her white dress reflected the lights, drawing the eye immediately.
But her beauty was not what caught his interest.
“To think she’d say ‘I look forward to your care’ when I was offering to send her somewhere safe and far away… what was she thinking?”
He let out a faint, incredulous laugh, recalling the earlier scene.
The “women” he knew were the sort who would wear fine dresses and jewelry, sip tea in leisurely places while gentle music played — far removed from danger.
Yet the Eos he met today did not seem like one of those ordinary noble ladies. She appeared to be a woman firmly resolved to throw herself into danger.
Moreover, in person she seemed different from the personality he had read in reports.
“How peculiar.”
That was the single-line evaluation Lankea gave her. Then, as he recalled how she had belatedly noticed the Crown Prince and greeted him, a soft chuckle escaped him.
Perhaps now, he thought, he had a little more inclination to go to the room where Princess Eos was waiting.
“Ugh.”
It wasn’t until the morning sunlight stung my eyes that I could clutch my throbbing head and barely open them.
The bed was unbelievably soft — the mattress felt like it was made of fluffy clouds, perfectly snug.
So beds were a marvel of science even in this era, huh.
As I enjoyed the comfort with a clearer head, I tried to recall last night.
Seeing that I was alone in the bed, Lankea must have only stopped by briefly before leaving.
Wait… didn’t he say something really… strange?
I remembered him coming into the bedroom, but the rest of our conversation was hazy, as though shrouded in mist.
It was unsettling not to recall it properly, but my throat was parched, so I set aside the thought and forced myself to sit up.
“…Huh?”
That’s when I spotted a familiar figure in front of the bed.
Broad shoulders. Neat black hair.
Whether I roll forward or backward, that’s Lankea.
He was sitting on the chair by the bed, resting his head against the bedpost.
“Ha…”
The first thing that came out of me was a sigh.
Maybe because the sight reminded me of my grim future.
When I had first read the letter about his personal details in the princess’s room, I’d thought there was no way I’d ever see him in person — let alone like this.
“This plot is ridiculous.”
If I had been in the protagonist’s shoes from the start, maybe I could accept it… but I was born as a beggar, and now I was in the same room as a man who might be the male lead of this novel?
I watched him quietly for a while, then decided to sneak back to my room before he woke up.
Ribed was probably waiting outside since dawn.
“Mmm…”
The floor was carpeted, so my footsteps made no sound, and I was just one step away from the door when I heard a groan behind me.
Was Lankea awake? Or was it just sleep-talking?
Either way, it didn’t matter. I only needed one more step to freedom!
But then… somewhere deep inside, my conscience — usually easy to ignore — started waving at me.
Lankea seemed to still be asleep, but in his thin sleeping robes, he had his arms crossed and was shivering.
It didn’t match the image of his towering build and icy expression from yesterday. Strangely, the contrast made me chuckle a little.
“Well, I can’t have the grand duke die of hypothermia. Obviously. Naturally.”
I turned back toward him, treading softly, and picked up the blanket.
After a deep breath to steady myself, I stepped closer to the sleeping Lankea.
They say a person is most defenseless while asleep… looks like that’s true.
Even unconscious, his long lashes and faintly red lips seemed eager to flaunt their owner’s beauty.
Just put it on and leave, no more thinking.
Holding my breath, I tried to move quickly — but the blanket was winter-weight, heavy and long, so it took a while to adjust it.
Finally, I laid it gently over him.
And just as I was about to step away—
His eyes snapped open. In an instant, his arms uncrossed and his hand shot out to grip my wrist tightly — too fast for my eyes to follow.
“Ah!”
“P–Princess?”
Startled by his own reflexes, Lankea looked as surprised as I did.
“What on earth…?”
We were so close that our eyes reflected each other; in his black irises, I could see my own wide-eyed face.
“T–That is…!”
“Yes?”
“The blanket! You were shivering so much, I was just trying to cover you with it!”
“…Ah.”
Only then did Lankea glance down to confirm the blanket on him, and his grip loosened.
Ow, that really hurt.
He had squeezed so hard that a bright red mark was left on my wrist.
“……”
See, conscience? This is what happens when I listen to you. Go back inside. Stay there. Never come out again without permission.
“Well then, I’ll go… get ready.”
So what if he’s handsome — he’s still a jerk who can’t even apologize.
Pursing my lips like a duck’s bill, I turned away, opened the door, and slipped out.
As expected, Ribed was waiting anxiously outside. I didn’t look back once as I shut the door and went straight toward him.
“Take me to my room. Right now.”
After a quick and rough preparation in my room, I headed out to the front of the imperial palace at the appointed morning time.
Today was finally the day we would depart for Lankea’s territory.
I thought I was on time, but it seemed Lankea had come out earlier and was speaking with his aide, Miller, while organizing luggage.
“You’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
Miller was the first to greet me with a bow, and I returned it with a slight nod.
Lankea also gave me a subtle nod in acknowledgment, and I answered in kind — our reunion complete in minimal words.
“Well then, since you’re here, we should get going.”
A moment of awkward silence was averted by Lankea taking the lead.
The others nodded as if they’d been waiting for his cue, and everyone began to move.
“That should do it.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Lankea handed the documents he’d been reviewing to Miller and took a few steps closer to me.
“Take my hand and step into the carriage. It’ll be a long journey.”
His hand, proportionate to his large frame, was big and steady.
I stared at it for a moment, swallowed dryly, and placed my hand in his.
“…Alright.”
This was truly the first step onto the stage where I would have to play the perfect Princess Eos once more — with no room to retreat, as though heading toward the edge of a cliff.
I calmed my pounding heart with a deep breath and set my foot on the carriage step.
