Chapter 25
Again, Marriage (5)
After the embarrassing—and somehow strangely intimate—first night, Kaella opened her eyes to the brilliantly sharp morning sunlight and quickly tried to regain her composure.
What had happened with Peon yesterday was entirely new to her, but in the long, exhausting, painfully one-sided relationship she had shared with him, wasting emotions on every little thing would only hurt her in the end.
Don’t forget. He was always someone with a good reputation. Since Father is still alive and my title is still secure, he’s merely being considerate because I still have value…
As she tried to steady herself with those thoughts, Kaella suddenly paused.
Had the Grand Duke of Lusenford ever been the type to change his attitude depending on who he was dealing with?
While she was lost in thought, people gathered to send off the newlyweds departing for Lusenford. Peon greeted the Emperor first.
“Thank you for taking such care of us, Your Majesty.”
“What care have I taken?”
Then again, Peon had never been someone who bothered much with formal pleasantries toward the Emperor.
Thump. Thump.
Anxiety made Kaella’s heartbeat quicken.
“Kaella.”
She turned toward her father. Adeo gently embraced his daughter, who would soon depart for Lusenford.
“You’ve been terribly busy these past few days, haven’t you? Are you feeling all right?”
Between the endless banquets, receptions, the official ceremony, and even the citizens’ celebration, the wedding schedule alone had lasted four days and three nights. Though the scale had supposedly been reduced because the Empress was bedridden, the Emperor had insisted that since the daughter of House Ostein and the Grand Duke of Lusenford were members of the imperial family, the ceremonies had to be conducted on an imperial scale.
For someone as physically frail as Kaella, it had been exhausting.
“I’m fine.”
The crowd had drifted far enough away, and Peon was occupied speaking with the Emperor, giving Adeo a brief chance to speak privately with his daughter.
“Kaella. I never had the chance to say this before, but honestly… I’m glad you married the Grand Duke of Lusenford.”
She looked up at her father carefully.
“To tell the truth, I wanted you to marry someone you truly loved, like your mother and I did. But in times like these, that’s difficult.”
Adeo lowered his voice further. During the marriage arrangements, the Emperor had acted like a dignified ruler of the imperial family, but everyone believed there was no telling how unstable he might become once the wedding was over.
“I’m not saying the Grand Duke is a perfect groom. But he’s certainly the best option we could find right now. I never dreamed he would write a marriage contract that favored you to such an excessive degree.”
“I’m glad you approve of him, Father.”
“He seems cautious and dependable. And above all…”
Adeo glanced around before lowering his voice enough that only Kaella could hear.
“He’s strong.”
That single word said everything.
Lusenford possessed military power that Ostein lacked. Even the Emperor, despite viewing the Grand Duke as a thorn in his side, kept him as the empire’s strongest shield against the evil dragon Quasalante.
“But as I’ve always told you, my opinion alone means nothing. What matters is whether you are happy. I hope you’ll find happiness there.”
Kaella had barely spoken these past few days because she knew what awaited her after all the tedious ceremonies and formalities: the freezing cold of Lusenford.
And Peon acting slightly—no, extremely—strange only made her more uneasy.
The fear would swell until she thought of death as an escape, and then it would vanish again.
I’m going to die anyway, so why worry?
“Yes, Father. Thank you for blessing us.”
“I worried terribly about what would happen to you if I were gone.”
That fear had only worsened after the Emperor pointed a gun at Adeo. What would become of his only daughter? The Emperor—who could barely even be called his brother—would surely never leave her alone.
“I hope you become very happy.”
Every word was filled with concern and love. The gaze watching her overflowed with affection.
Kaella knew very well that the love her father once promised—saying he would fill even the empty place left by her mother—still remained unchanged.
Unlike many nobles who remarried immediately, he had never remarried and had raised Kaella himself.
She regretted that she could not show her father a happier version of herself.
For Kaella, who constantly wondered when she would die—and when she should die to avoid harming House Ostein—her father was the one person who made her hesitate, even slightly, about dying.
“In Lusenford, live as yourself. You’re wise and intelligent, so have confidence. You’ll do well. Write often. Come visit during the summer.”
“Yes. I will.”
Kaella made promises she knew she could never keep as she noticed Peon approaching.
It must be time to leave.
“Father. You’ll return directly to Ostein, right?”
“Of course. Naturally.”
Adeo knew very well why his daughter was so sensitive about where he stayed.
“You must stay healthy. Ride horses, and please… avoid anything dangerous.”
Before Adeo could even answer, Kaella quickly stepped back from him.
Peon approached immediately afterward.
“I’ll stay in frequent contact. Please remain healthy.”
“I’m fine, but this child gets sick often, so I worry.”
At those words, Peon’s cool eyes shifted toward Kaella.
Does he think I’m troublesome?
Well, it no longer mattered.
Lusenford was a place where the weak could not survive. Someone as frail as Kaella would surely die quickly in its merciless cold and relentless snowstorms.
Before, she had stubbornly endured with sheer willpower. She believed that if she fulfilled her duties as Grand Duchess without losing her dignity or honor, someone would eventually acknowledge her efforts.
But not only had nobody acknowledged her, Kaella no longer had the strength to endure the road leading back to Lusenford.
Perhaps she had exhausted it all when she awoke again and ran desperately to save her father.
“I’ll take even greater care and pay constant attention to her.”
“Good. Thank you.”
Peon looked between the approaching Emperor and Adeo.
“Your Majesty, Your Grace—you both must stay healthy as well.”
“Don’t worry about us. We’re still full of energy.”
“If you permit it, I’ll visit often.”
“What permission is needed for that? Come often. Fill the empty seats around here. Once you leave, the imperial palace will feel lonely again. Adeo is returning to Ostein as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As soon as the wedding ended, the son-in-law would return north, while the father-in-law would head south.
Kaella, who had repeatedly confirmed that fact, felt relieved that her father would not remain in Krain.
“Tsk, tsk. Father and daughter will be even farther apart now. Write each other often, and visit Ostein from time to time.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Go on now. The sun will set soon.”
Acting until the very end like the father of the groom, the Emperor waved them off.
After offering their final respectful farewells, the newlyweds boarded the carriage.
Kaella smiled sincerely only while waving to her father.
But once the carriage departed and he disappeared from sight, the smile vanished from her face.
The journey to Lusenford was long and tedious.
The Krania Empire was vast, requiring days upon days of travel by carriage.
Kaella had expected another grueling—or outright insane—journey that would cross the entire distance within a single week. Last time, she had nearly collapsed and needed assistance just to step out of the carriage.
The carriage sped away from Krain at tremendous speed. Near the capital, the roads were decent enough.
But the farther north they traveled, the more absurd such speed became.
“Aren’t you cold?”
No matter how warm spring was in the capital, temperatures dropped steadily the farther north one went.
Peon looked at the silent Kaella.
“I’m fine.”
Words she would repeat endlessly from now on.
What did a little cold matter? She would die soon enough.
“We’ll stop and rest frequently. Even so, we’ll still arrive early, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
Kaella quietly listened before looking up at him.
“I’m not worried.”
“You seem tense.”
“I’m fine.”
Again, I’m fine.
Since leaving Krain, Kaella’s expression had noticeably dried up, and she repeated only those same words.
Mother is fine.
I’m fine, Your Grace.
The Empress—his mother—and Kaella before regression had both said exactly the same thing.
The ones who claimed they weren’t fine had been Beatrice, the Emperor, and the traitors in the north. They cried, complained, caused chaos, and pressured him endlessly.
In the end, the ones who said they were fine died.
The ones who said they were not fine survived.
Peon himself had also insisted he was fine while enduring everything alone.
So naturally, he died too.
That was why those words sounded ominous to him.
When someone said they were fine, he could not simply believe it anymore.
Usually, it meant they no longer cared. Or were too exhausted to explain. Or simply had nothing left to say.
Besides, no one saying “I’m fine” with such a lifeless expression could possibly mean it sincerely.
“Are you carsick?”
He had intentionally ordered the carriage prepared with soft cushions and comfortable pillows for her to lean against, but someone as delicate as Kaella was surely still struggling.
“No.”
Kaella shook her pale head.
“I’m really fine.”
If she simply answered obediently, things became less tiring and troublesome.
Since Peon was naturally taciturn, he did not press her further.
Still, Kaella noticed that once they traveled a certain distance away from the capital, the carriage slowed considerably.
Whenever the sun set, the enormous Lusenford entourage arrived—as if planned in advance—at luxurious accommodations worthy of hosting a Grand Duchess.
It was something the Grand Duke, known for relentlessly saving every possible coin to increase military funds, would never normally do.
And they departed late each morning as well.
“You’re not traveling through the night?”
On the fourth day at an inn, Kaella finally asked him.
Since she spoke so little that he could not tell whether she was comfortable or unhappy, Peon was honestly dumbfounded by the question.
That did not sound like something a carefully raised noble lady should say.
“Where did you hear something like that?”
“I heard it was normal for northern knights.”
Which bastard had been saying such nonsense to the future Grand Duchess?
Peon, who already intended to root out traitors immediately upon returning to Lusenford, calmly narrowed his eyes.
“Which northern knight said something like that to Her Grace the Grand Duchess?”
Though it sounded almost joking, the coolness beneath the question made Kaella blink in surprise.
“I just… heard it somewhere.”
She could hardly say she had heard it in Lusenford despite never supposedly having been there.
“Marching through the night only happens during emergencies. The road for the new Grand Duchess should be comfortable. Speed is not what matters.”
Who exactly had filled her head with such nonsense?
Peon forced the tension from his brow.
This time, he was determined that Kaella would be treated properly as Grand Duchess.
A true Grand Duchess had no reason to know about brutal forced marches that continued day and night.
“But how did you even think of traveling at night, Kaella?”
Most noble ladies would never imagine such a thing. Beatrice, for instance, would have hated the very thought.
Yet Kaella had assumed it would happen?
And despite her frail health?
“Just… I just did.”
Peon silently watched Kaella as she avoided his gaze and muttered quietly.
Something felt disturbingly off.
A tiny inconsistency tugged at his nerves.
“No matter how heavily northern knights train, or how elite they are, they would never do something like that while escorting the new Grand Duchess. They’re no different from any other knights.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No, I wasn’t asking for an apology.”
Did she think he was criticizing her?
Beatrice had often told him, You’re too blunt.
Peon rubbed his mouth and shook his head.
“There’s no situation where the Grand Duchess should suffer. Don’t worry about things like that.”
Kaella blinked slowly before looking at him with slightly widened eyes.
“Yes.”
Peon looked down at her for a moment before suddenly smiling.
Kaella stared at him, confused, but he merely grinned and turned away.
“Get some rest.”
“Yes.”
Why was he smiling?
Every action Peon took confused her.
Had he always smiled this often?
Did he find her answers ridiculous?
Kaella touched her face briefly before lowering her hand.
No—she was going to die anyway. Why bother worrying about it?
Death was the refuge she fled toward, and it was already drawing close.
One morning, wrapped in the cloak Peon had firmly insisted she wear because the weather had become colder, Kaella gazed out the carriage window at the familiar scenery of Lusenford.
The people waving at the returning Grand Duke on horseback, the curious citizens staring at the new Grand Duchess riding in the carriage—it was all familiar.
The city streets still buried beneath melting snow.
The northern architecture, with its sharp rooftops and thick columns built to endure heavy snowfall.
Lusenford Castle itself, surrounded by a deep moat and walls so high they looked almost threatening.
All of it was familiar.
So her first day returning to Lusenford felt strangely unsurprising.
“Welcome home. We welcome Your Grace.”
Northern nobles and castle officials had gathered to greet the Grand Duke and his new wife.
Kaella briefly glanced toward the northern land where she had once been imprisoned and died before stepping out of the carriage.
“Watch your step. Keep your cloak wrapped tightly.”
Since this was their first appearance before the nobles together, Peon intentionally changed his tone and quietly offered her his hand.
She accepted it and stepped down, coming face to face with people she already knew.
“Welcome to Lusenford, Your Grace the Grand Duchess. Congratulations on your marriage.”
Faces she knew all too well.
For a moment, breathing became difficult.
Still, this much was manageable.
Yes.
She was fine.
“Allow me to introduce—”
“Out here in this cold?”
Just as the tedious struggle of introductions began—with fur-clad nobles lining up one by one to greet the new Grand Duchess while forcing her to stand in the freezing wind—Peon abruptly cut the process short.
“Stop this foolishness and let’s go inside first. We’ve traveled a long way, and I’m tired. Come. It’ll be warmer indoors.”
Speaking coolly, he pulled the heavy Grand Duke’s cloak more securely around Kaella’s shoulders before walking inside with her.
