Chapter 30
“……”
Unbelievable.
I let out a slow breath, trying to calm my burning chest.
“I don’t want either of those things. I just want you to visit Princess Berieta…”
“You want to visit her? What are you, the imperial dog? Or do you want to die at the Crown Prince’s hands? I told you to stay in my sight. Do I really need to kill your siblings before you’ll shut up and listen? What is he to you, anyway?!”
This bastard!
I clenched my fists and jumped to my feet.
“Not me! I’m telling you to go visit her, Duke!”
Tessarion’s eyebrows twitched.
“If facing the Crown Prince is uncomfortable, then at least send someone to check if she’s feeling any better. Is that so hard?”
“……”
“Before she’s your fiancée, she’s a princess. She’s also a guest of Claremont Castle. Even if it were just a horse that a guest rode here, the lord should check on its health. But you—ow!”
Suddenly, books and papers clattered to the floor as my feet left the ground. I tried to brace myself against the desk, but his grip only tightened around my throat. I grabbed his wrist, gasping and choking.
Tessarion ground his teeth, glaring at me so fiercely it felt like he could burn a hole through my face.
“Steward.”
The steward waiting outside stepped in. If Tessarion was going to kill me here, so be it—just as long as he visited Berieta first. I wanted to hear she was getting better.
But instead, his next words shocked me.
“What is Lady Mores doing right now?”
I stared up at him in disbelief.
“Tell her to bring Roy’s arranged marriage candidate here as soon as possible.”
“Y-yes… understood.”
Even the steward cast me a confused glance before leaving silently.
What…? An arranged marriage…? My chest twisted so badly it hurt.
Tessarion smirked darkly, still holding me by the collar.
“This is what you’re trying to do to me.”
His golden eyes gleamed inches from mine. His sharp canines looked like they could rip out my throat at any moment.
“So it’s better if you stop before I decide to do something worse.”
He threw me down onto the desk.
Shit.
I swallowed my curses and sniffled, forcing myself to organize the scattered papers and books. It was an ingrained habit—seeing a mess only made my already chaotic mind worse.
Tessarion stood silently, his gaze fixed elsewhere as if trying to calm himself.
I twisted my lips into a thin line. If he was waiting for me to bow my head and say ‘Yes, I understand,’ he was dreaming.
“I’m not giving up.”
I spoke softly but firmly.
Tessarion turned to look at me. I gathered my books and documents and stood tall beside him, raising my chin defiantly.
“I will make sure you and Princess Berieta are happy. You’re perfect for each other.”
“……”
Ding, ding.
The noon bells rang out.
Morning work was over; it was time for the afternoon schedule. And in the afternoons, Tessarion gave me groom training.
“……Fine. Do your best.”
He looked down at me with a mocking smile.
“Because I will, too.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Heliote draped himself in a thick fur cloak that reached his feet as he leaned against the window. The North was as desolate, dreary, cold, and gloomy as ever.
Except for one thing.
As soon as noon passed, he appeared. That annoying little puppy, always arguing, always nagging, his expressions changing every second, stomped down the corridor after Tessarion today as well.
“This is too much! Do you know how different our weight classes are?!”
“Didn’t you say there’d be a war soon? I think so, too.”
“You just want to beat me up, don’t you?!”
“That, too. But Ted Murray’s training style is close to real combat. It’s dangerous.”
“What the hell… of course training should be like real combat!”
“What if you get hurt? Am I supposed to take care of you again?”
“Arghhh! That’s not what I meant!”
Roy Dover ruffled his hair, face red with fury, glaring up at Tessarion and swearing under his breath.
Tessarion remained as calm and expressionless as ever.
Huh?
Heliote frowned.
Tessarion hadn’t shown up even once during Berieta’s three days of illness, yet he’s tending to that annoying squire like this?
Something was off about Tessarion.
Ever since Shinnevan, he hadn’t let that audacious squire out of his sight, practically wrapping him up in his arms. This wasn’t just strange anymore—it was bizarre.
“Has he gone mad?”
Heliote smacked his lips and stood up. He knew exactly where those two were heading. Their routine was predictable.
“Where are you going?”
Berieta’s weak voice stopped him. He thought she was asleep from the medicine, but she grabbed his collar, pulling him close.
“Don’t cause trouble… stay here…”
Heliote smiled bitterly, brushing her hair back.
“You only call for me when you’re sick.”
“……When have I ever—”
“If you’d called for me when you weren’t, I wouldn’t feel so bitter right now.”
He lightly tapped her cheek with his fingers, teasing her.
“Get some more sleep, Beriete. Because if you don’t at least pretend to sleep right now, I might really take you.”
“……!”
Red electricity flickered in his eyes. Berieta flinched, letting go of his collar. Where his fingertips touched burned with a sharp, tingling heat.
Heliote left the room without another word. Berieta gasped for breath and tried to rise.
“Damn it. Your Highness… wait, ugh, wait…!”
She called after him desperately, but Heliote only smirked, locking the bedroom door behind him.
“The Princess’s condition isn’t good. Don’t let anyone in.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The holy water from the capital is useless these days. Order some from the temple here. Pay whatever they ask – as much as they can spare.”
“Understood.”
Heliote walked down the corridor lined with imperial knights.
So many royal troops had infiltrated Claremont Castle, yet Tessarion remained silent. No, he hadn’t even shown his face. It felt eerie.
On the first day, he’d been too busy tending to the feverish Berieta to think straight. After spending the past week watching Tessarion and Roy Dover hover around her like hawks, it had felt oddly satisfying to see them avoid her.
But on the second day, neither Tessarion nor Roy had appeared. No formal greetings, no invitations to meals.
Something felt wrong. He was deep in enemy territory now, so every nerve stood on edge. Was Tessarion planning to take him hostage and usurp the throne?
Heliote ordered the First Imperial Knights to check every defense and attack position in the castle. He stayed up all night monitoring Tessarion and the Black Wolf Knights. But not even an ant appeared.
And today, the third day—
Heliote received a baffling report.
“No attack preparations. The soldiers who marched here rested for two days and returned today. The knights only train at dawn and handle paperwork in the morning, then leave early.”
“The Duke trains at dawn, works through the morning, and spends his afternoons with the squire. After dinner, he patrols the castle at 8pm, receives reports, and goes to his quarters at 10pm.”
His unease erupted into fury.
“Ha! They can’t even throw me a proper welcoming banquet, and now they’re ignoring me?!”
