《Peony – I Saw the Future with the Killer Grand Duke》 Chapter 1 CHAPTER I. If we have a next life It happened at early spring when heavy rain was pouring out. What is the end of ¡°The villainess, Gabriella?¡± The wreckage of the broken carriage weighed on me. My legs under the wheels are already numb. ¡®Ah, I¡¯m going to die in the end.¡¯ Shaaaah The cold rainwater flowing along the dirt road soaked my whole body. I hated the rain, so I looked up at the dark clouds with resentful eyes. Why is it today? I wish I had died on a sunny day. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, wife?¡± If that were the case, the man standing here wouldn¡¯t have looked so sad. ¡°Live. Live, even if you¡¯re far from me. I pretended not to know and let you go¡­ Why are you here? Like this?¡± He was a man of strong build despite the rain. Ernst Cassel Equez, with his dark hair that is darker than shadows and his cold blue eyes. A leader whom all those who belonged to the forces of the night and whose mighty navy of Eames followed with all their hearts. He was called by many names. The hero of the naval warfare, the murderer of the sea, and the demon of death. A graceful beast that roams through the night¡­ ¡®And my husband.¡¯ A person who loved deeply, but couldn¡¯t easily confess that he loved her even when he was drunk because he thought he might lose her. I was so foolish. Ernst looked at me in a vague way, and soon clenched his teeth. His appearance of anger and despair was truly like the devil of the North Sea. Maybe that face is his true face that I don¡¯t know. ¡®But he never spoke harshly to me. Even though I couldn¡¯t share my love, I was happy in my own way. We were married.¡¯ Gabrielle, the illegitimate daughter of Count Nashert, the duke of the country, and a false saint. Ernst, admiral of the mighty Northern Navy. Our marriage, which seemed to have no connection at all, was a contract from beginning to end. ¡®It seems that the ending of the wicked woman cannot be changed.¡¯ After I learned that I possessed the villain with the mask of a saint in the original novel, I struggled to prevent my imminent death. According to the original, she had to act innocent, act nice, and act pitiful, and be jealous, frame, and torment the female lead, who was the real saint. I should have put the female lead to the test, saying, ¡°I¡¯m the real saint, not you.¡± But I didn¡¯t want to do that. I wanted to be happy, too. So I offered this man a contract marriage. The male protagonist of the next work of the author of the original novel. I dared to steal him. To find happiness that is not worthy of the role of the villainess. ¡°Sir! I have caught the runaway coachman!¡± ¡°He admitted tampering the wheel of the carriage. He is the culprit!¡± ¡°There is evidence found from this man. The first prince must have done this!¡± Officers appeared with the pounding of horseshoes stepping hard on the ground. They pulled the coachman, the main culprit who caused the carriage to fall down the cliff. ¡°Break off his arm. Then find out who¡¯s behind it. Next, cut off both legs so that he can¡¯t walk.¡± The low voice was mixed with a murmur of iron. I looked helplessly at the man who carefully supported my broken doll-like body. His jaw stiffened with miserable anger and his straight closed mouth represent his feelings. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to show you myself looking like this for last time¡­.¡¯ I¡¯m sorry to have leave you with such a bad memory. But I¡¯m glad you came to find me. For keeping me from dying alone¡­ Thank you. Three years. Our contract marriage ended in the worst possible scenario in just three years. First, the contract period is three years. Pretend to love each other on the outside. Second, never fall in love. Third, don¡¯t hold onto each other when you get divorced. Our contractual marriage terms were nothing special. I couldn¡¯t help it. A review from the author of the original work that I read before becoming ¡®Gabriela, the villainess¡¯. It was clearly written there that the author¡¯s next work was ¡®a contract marriage centered on the cold man of the North Sea¡¯. I thought I could get the role of the female lead since it wasn¡¯t made yet. That¡¯s all a mistake. It was just a vain expectation. ¡°Uh-uh-uh-uh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I wish I had trusted you more. What if I had been more honest with you before the end? Kak Every word she takes, blood spurts out. I felt my life slipping away slowly. ¡®I wanted to get ¡®it¡¯ before the end of the contract¡­¡¯ If the efficacy of ¡°It¡± is real, Ernst has no reason to bow to the royal family anymore. But I never thought I¡¯d die on my way to rescue him. My heart ached because I thought I had only hurt him, but I was not given more time to apologize. ¡°But¡­ at least this. The family heirloom you gave me as a wedding present. I kept it.¡± After the wagon fell down the cliff, it broke into pieces. The coachman slipped down the safe path and tried to find the heirloom in my arms with a rough hand. A token that symbolizes all the rights of being the Grand Duchess of Eques. It was a very small ring. An antique ring with clock hands embedded in the shiny black jewel, that is as dark as the night sky. At the same time, I felt my body breaking and that death was coming, so I acted quickly. I twisted the ring out of my finger and swallowed it. ¡°With this, I did my duty as your wife for once, haven¡¯t I?¡± The first prince, who showed greed everywhere, will never have the heirloom of Eques. I thought this might happen to Ernst, so I wrote him a letter in advance. I also asked him to cremate me and take out the heirloom if I die. This heirloom will neither burn nor melt. ¡®If there is a next life.¡¯ May we be reunited. A thin wrist fell with the pouring rain. Before my fleeting breath stopped, I whispered in my last gasp. ¡°Burn me.¡± Ernst¡¯s eyes twitched with pain. After that, I died. The moment I died with my eyes open like that. A strange miracle occurred. Everything around me lost its color and was crushed. It was like a mixture of paint, and then the next moment. The whole place was filled and brightened with warm sunlight. When I lifted my eyelids, my eyes glistened like those of dawn. Knock. That¡¯s¡­ The second hand of the clock moved. At the same time, I came to my senses. ¡°Are you listening, Your Highness?¡± I¡¯m sure I¡¯m dead, but what¡¯s going on here? I blinked for a while because my sight was out of focus, and soon I noticed. Where is this place? ¡®No way. Is this the Great Hall of Fame?¡¯ Balaeres, the god of the sun who is sacred to those belonging to the families of day. Dinuate, the goddess of the moon that the families of the night consider sacred. It was a magnificent space full of sacred paintings of the two. I look up at one of the long, huge tables and looked at the sides where I sat. The appearance of those sitting on the right, centering on me at the top, was splendid. Wearing colorful white, gold, and silver robes, men and women wear accessories. On the other hand, on the left, they were all dressed in the same deep red navy uniform. They were smiling at each other, but it turned out that they were actually checking each other. ¡®What is this? Why are the forces of day and the forces of night in one place?¡¯ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here. I couldn¡¯t hide my embarrassment. Why would I be here when I¡¯m dead? It was then. ¡°Then, after writing of the official marriage vows today, I understand that the princess will go with me after three days.¡± A low, husky voice that was pleasing to the ear. A magnificent aristocratic accent. A man more aristocratic than all the other nobles who took this position. The moment I heard the voice, tears filled my eyes, and I had to bite the soft flesh inside my cheeks. Oh, I don¡¯t even have to look back to know who it is. It¡¯s him. It must be him. My heart ached as if I had been cut by a sharp blade. Like a splash, my heart was about to burst as I turn to Ernst in longing. ¡®Ouch!¡¯ I had to stop because of a terrible headache, grabbing my head. ¡®This! What is this!¡¯ A great amount of information swarmed to me like bees and rushed into my head. When the throbbing pain stopped, my awkward body felt as natural as mine. At the same time, I realized what state I am in. ¡®A disgrace to the imperial family. A stain on the blood of the noble sun. The princess that was kicked out of the battle for succession.¡¯ ¡®Peony Hualen Isodeim!¡¯ I possessed this body. I was Gabriella Nashert and became Peony at the same time. ¡®The one who killed me is from the imperial family. But¡­ But why did I become the princess?¡¯ Chapter 2.1 I became the half-sister of the first prince, his enemy. I clenched my lips to deny it. Her lower lip hurt as if it would burst, but I never woke up from my dream. Reality. This is reality. And I am sitting down, discussing a political marriage with Ernst, the one and only Grand Duke of the country, as Peony, who was rumored to be an idiotic princess. Then Ernst wouldn¡¯t know that I was the one in this body. This feeling and my drenched heart are all my own. Maybe, just maybe, he hates this body. ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± It was a polite but strangely intimidating question that seemed to look down on the other person. It was the Ernst I knew, but the voice was a little thicker than I remembered. His sharp tone sounded dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, and I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and looked back at him. And the very moment her eyes met with indifferent eyes as if she was captured by the deep blue North Sea. I was taken aback. ¡®This man, is Ernst?¡¯ No way. In her last memory, he was 25. I was 23 when I died as Gabriella. Although he got older during the war than when they first got married, he still had a youthful freshness¡­ but the Ernst before me, was a man of his own accord. ¡®You look so grown-up and quiet.¡¯ He¡¯s probably about thirty years old. It was like watching a low, deep sea that sank coldly and darkly. It¡¯s chilling that I can¡¯t read any emotion. ¡°Seven days by carriage from the Imperial City to the Port of Dolton. We will then use the ship to reach Horn Harbor in Equez.¡± Looking at Ernst as if enchanted, I pressed against my chest. ¡®So you were a man who knew how to make this kind of face.¡¯ A face without warmth that was so unfamiliar. It¡¯s because he always showed me a slight smile and I got used to it. But the Ernst I see now shows only strong hatred. I¡¯m trying my best to pretend I¡¯m okay, but I know. I was the only one who could recognize it. The dim hatred in his eyes. ¡®It¡¯s me. I¡¯m Gabriella.¡¯ I prayed to see you again before I died, and I wanted to let you know that I came back like this without crossing the river of the dead. But the words didn¡¯t come out as if it were stuck to her mouth. ¡®Why! Why can¡¯t I speak? I¡¯m Gabriella!¡¯ Throughout the meeting, I tried to tell Ernst the truth. However, the moment I tried to express myself as ¡°I am Gabriela¡± in some way, my tongue becomes stiff. I can¡¯t even write a letter on a piece of paper in front of me even if I hold a pen. An unusually strong constraint. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m in front of you, but I can¡¯t tell you.¡¯ This miracle. I felt a burning pain in my heart. In the end, their eyes only met once. Ernst, who drew back a dull stare, never looked back at me again. No matter how hard she looks at him, it¡¯s no use. He¡¯s ignoring my eyes right now. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to sign your marriage vows.¡± Shortly afterwards, the Minister placed two sheets of parchment in front of Ernst. Ernst moved his large hand that the quill looked small as he quickly wrote his name. Devoid of any excitement. ¡®April 9th, 826.¡¯ After confirming the year of the vow that is in front of me, I completely started to accept everything. That Gabriella Nashert died six years ago. I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯m Peony. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning in three days. Then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Looking back and forth at the cold departure of my husband and his officers, I clasped my hands and twisted them. The reality is like pouring cold water. It was painful. Today, I married my husband for the second time. ¡­as the daughter of the imperial family he hates. ¡®It¡¯s a hostile relationship. What should I do from now on?¡¯ After the meeting was over, I was taken by the maids and was locked in my room. In the bedroom, which was as cool as a grave because it was not properly lit, my dress to be worn three days later was hung on a sculpture of a torso. I was lost in thought as I smoothed my dazzling white and useless dress. ¡®As soon as I woke up, I¡¯m still confused after discussing my political marriage. Let¡¯s get this straight for a moment.¡¯ The Empire of Isodeim has been divided into two forces since the beginning of its founding. The Forces of Day centered on the capital and the affluent southern part of the country. They are only loyal to the emperor and the imperial family and place absolute values on art, culture, and individuality. Swordsmanship was also focused on techniques that could show splendid movements rather than actual swordsmanship, so there was a tendency to prefer a jeweled wedding sword rather than a sword to cut people. On the other hand, the Force of Night is centered on the barren North Sea. They were thoroughly united around the Grand Duke Equez, their admiral and commander. A naval-oriented society that values pure force and hierarchical order. In fact, as he had to deal with pirates, therefore he put importance on fast and practical swordsmanship. These two factions have different gods and completely different cultures and lifestyles, therefore there¡¯s no reason to get married beyond their sphere of influence. In their own lands, opposition forces are often rejected. ¡®But now I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s a peaceful marriage.¡¯ Upon understanding the contents of the meeting earlier, the emperor suddenly insisted on reconciliation and integration between the two forces. I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯re up to something. Instead, the North will receive various benefits in return for this marriage. It was a very suspiciously good deal. Once the deal is accepted, that¡¯s when the intentions of the emperor will be revealed. I suddenly noticed, as I was lost in thought as I smoothed the pearls between the fluttering honeymoon clothes. I know I¡¯m looking forward to something from the way he treats me coldly now. ¡®By any chance, your ex-wife, Gabriela, who had died, do you still remember her?¡¯ When I raised my head at the thought, my heart skipped a beat. I felt death as if it had happened yesterday, and my legs were still tingling. Peony¡¯s legs are fine, so it must be a psychological problem. But¡­ it¡¯s been six years for Ernst. There was nothing strange about forgetting and making a fresh start. ¡®But¡­ his attitude throughout the meeting is just a deal. There was nothing more or less.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the face of a man who found a new love. It doesn¡¯t feel like a new relationship. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t expect anything. Just because he treats Princess Peony coldly doesn¡¯t mean he remembers me.¡¯ He hated the imperial family and the Forces of Day since he was a child. Chapter 2.2 Ernst¡¯s face turned rough and thinner than I had subtly remembered. I hope it¡¯s not because of me. Because if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be so sorry. But if it¡¯s because of me, I thought I would be happy again. Selfishly ¡®He should eat his meals, at least. He didn¡¯t even eat properly throughout the wedding ceremony. It¡¯s obvious.¡¯ Ernst often skipped meals when he concentrated on his work. And if anything was bothering him, he wouldn¡¯t speak. I¡¯m glad he¡¯s with his loyal subordinates, because they¡¯ll put in cold soup even if they hold his arms. Even without me, the officers would have taken care of him. Even though those who were sitting at the conference table earlier looked unfamiliar¡­. ¡®I miss you all so much.¡¯ After the shock subsided, I missed the dark blue sea of the North Sea. When the weather was bad, I hated the waves that caused motion sickness when it¡¯s hitting the ship, but now I want to get back on board. It¡¯s funny. During my marriage with him as Gabriella, I became very close to his officers. Together, we are at the height of the night (from autumn to winter). We went through a period when the sun didn¡¯t rise, and we talked in the long, long darkness, and erased our loneliness. How easy can the three years of enduring the cold, darkness, earthquakes and tsunamis could be? No matter how much of a contractual marriage has a fixed deadline, I didn¡¯t want to be an incompetent Grand Duchess, so I did what I had to do to the best of my abilities. Even if she was seasick, she showed herself getting on the boat and proved herself that she was not a fragile woman who needs to be protected. I was so happy. I felt warm when I was with Ernst, who took care of me as if it was natural. But now I will have to bury all those memories and approach him again as a new person. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve already reincarnated once, but it¡¯s a relief that I can pick up quickly and move forward rather than panic at this ridiculous situation. As I rolled the little pearl in my hand, I immediately paused. ¡®But why is it this body?¡¯ Peony Hualen Isodeim. Thanks to the memories that passed on to me, I could see the situation of this body. Since birth, she is a pitiful princess who has been teased by calling her a ¡°clown¡± and an ¡°idiot.¡± Her illness is not so severe, so she can talk and walk in her own, but she has been scorned, saying that her intelligence is as good as an infant. For Peony¡¯s part, there was a reason for that. Peony has not been able to distinguish between dreams and reality since she was very young. In particular, she had a dream that began when she went to bed at night and continued for a week to 15 days, separating her from reality. While her consciousness is wandering in a dream, her body moves, but she cannot speak, and cannot show any will. That¡¯s how the stigma of her being an idiot came about. Perhaps the rumor was further spread by one of her brothers, the heir to the throne. ¡®They¡¯re a bunch of heartless people.¡¯ As I remember, I clicked my tongue. Anyway, they¡¯re bad people. ¡®But paradoxically, Peony survived because she was an idiot.¡¯ There is only one way to become the emperor in Isodeim. Kill or subdue all the other heirs to the throne. Peony was out of the question in the first place. ¡®They must have thought that they could just always cut her throat.¡¯ The problem is that I have to continue to imitate being an idiot¡­. It was then. Bang! Suddenly, there was a sound of the outer door opening, and soon someone knocked on the middle door. ¡°I¡¯m coming in, Princess!¡± My eyebrows went up in spite of the rude behavior. Chapter 3.1 It was a maid who appeared shortly afterwards. She seems to be in her early twenties. Seeing that there was a green band around the arm of the maid¡¯s uniform, she will never be able to leave the palace until she died. She is a maid for life who will live in the palace forever. I think she¡¯s here to repair my dress, considering that she brought in all kinds of sewing tools. ¡®You didn¡¯t knock properly, and you even opened the door before I gave you permission?¡¯ She even slammed the basket down. ¡°Come on, stand up straight. You¡¯ve lost so much weight that I have to adjust your waistline again.¡± The maid beckoned to me, and was annoyed. She didn¡¯t look at me properly, and she didn¡¯t even greet me. It¡¯s such a rude attitude that I can¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®But she seems to be used to it.¡¯ Does this mean you¡¯ve been treating Peony like this, all this time? How dare you, the princess is someone you¡¯re supposed to take care of. ¡®I¡¯ll be leaving in three days anyway.¡¯ Nevertheless, I don¡¯t want to be treated rudely for days. While the putting on the white dress, I thought for a moment about what to do, and then I smiled. ¡°Are you the one taking care of this dress, not the chamber maid?¡± ¡°Yes, what about it?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the chamber maid?¡± ¡°Oh, dear. What¡¯s the matter with Princess today? Where¡¯s the chamber maid? I¡¯m the one who does it all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The maid, who answered curtly as she bit the thread in her teeth, flinched and then looked back at me. The moment our eyes met, the maid instinctively stepped back. Smiling again at the maid, I stepped towards her more than the insolent step back that she did. Then I whispered, clasping her shoulders tightly. ¡°You know, you¡¯ll be dead in about an hour.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± ¡°How dare you replace the foyer pearls from the bride¡¯s dress with fake pearls? You deserve to die.¡± With an innocent face that had been made up to the fullest, I uttered a scary word, then I smiled again. As if I had no idea what I had just said. If Peony were known to be, in fact, sane, her brothers would never stand still. It is the law of the first emperor that the right of succession to the throne is maintained even after marriage. The only way to survive is to pretend to be an idiot until I leave the capital completely and enter the territory of the Forces of Night. ¡°I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s fake, Princess!¡± ¡°Well, but here it is. It¡¯s all fake. I know. Because foyer pearls are bigger and shinier.¡± The maid¡¯s face turned dark as I rolled around the hem of my dress. I guess she didn¡¯t expect the idiotic princess to recognize the shine of pearls. ¡°Well, my lady. Have you told that to anyone else?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll tell the other maid. No! Should I go tell the prime minister? The foyer pearls disappeared like magic!¡± I touched my cheek and tilted my head. It was a little awkward at first, but as time went by, I got used to this act. All I have to do is imitate the Peony from my memory. This was really nothing compared to the manners, speech and foreign languages I had to learn and master in my life as Gabriella. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! It¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°Then did the other maid steal it? Oh, my!¡± Pretending to be surprised, even her shoulders moved and her eyes opened wide, and the maid could not say anything more. Even if her tongue was pulled out, this maid wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it alone. ¡®I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an accomplice.¡¯ No matter how much her liver comes out of her stomach, was she like that from the beginning? It happens when the maid of honor who serves the princess turns a blind eye. ¡®It¡¯s common sense. In the families from the Forces of Day, pearls must be worn on the dress to pray for the future of the new bride.¡¯ However, only the foyer pearl from the Kingdom of Shrak was valuable. It costs a Perone per pearl (about 490,000 won), and I¡¯m sure she wanted it because there¡¯s a lot of it in this dress. She might have thought I wouldn¡¯t know that she was sneaking around. ¡®The princess is insane, and she¡¯s going to wear her bridal gown only once. Even if what she¡¯s done is revealed, she might have thought, what are you going to do now that you have already left for Eques?¡¯ They must have been assigned to the Imperial Palace because they had lost their rope in the first place. The road to success was blocked, but now that the princess has left the palace, it was obvious that the remaining courtiers here were in a tight situation. They will be assigned to the kitchen or laundry, which are the most difficult tasks in the palace. ¡®In the case of this child, she would rather live a full life than live like this, even for a while.¡¯ But you should have done it in moderation. One or two people must have touched it, and now there was no real foyer pearl left at the hem of the dress. ¡®How many people are involved in this embezzlement?¡¯ I clicked my tongue inside, and I clapped my hands cheerfully to attract attention. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right. I should ask my eldest brother if I look pretty today! I¡¯m sure I¡¯m a pretty bride even without the foyer pearls, right?¡± ¡°P-Princess! Wait a minute!¡± As soon as she approached the door, clutching her skirt as if she¡¯s running out at once, the maid stopped her with a cold sweat. I immediately changed my expression to a cold look. ¡°Get out of my way. Who are you to block my way right now?¡± ¡°I will! I¡¯ll put it back. There¡¯s still time. I¡¯ll quickly replace it with the Foyer pearl.¡± ¡°How? Everything must have been sold.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ what I mean is¡­¡± Her sneaky eyes moved back and forth. Seeing that she didn¡¯t even notice that my tone had changed drastically for a while now, she didn¡¯t seem to be very good at responding to the situation or making judgments. ¡®This kind of child is useless.¡¯ Either way, I need a maid on the ship and on the way to the port. I¡¯d rather have a someone like this since I don¡¯t intend trust anyone until I get to Eques anyway. ¡°I can get it. No, just write me a permit to go out and I¡¯ll get it back!¡± You¡¯re going to run away after doing this? After reading the rough calculation, I grinned and tilted my head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it, because it¡¯s old, isn¡¯t it? Would you want to get married in old clothes?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± The maid¡¯s head, who has received my gaze, was gradually lowering downwards. But that¡¯s not enough. ¡°Kneel.¡± I kindly told her what to do. ¡°Help me, I¡¯m begging you. Like this, don¡¯t you like it?¡± The maid¡¯s eyes widened as if she had never expected me to come out like this. But she still pouted and hesitated. I whispered sweetly, acting with pure cruel eyes. ¡°As expected, I should tell my brother that I don¡¯t need Foyer pearls. I left my maids to take it, aren¡¯t I such a good person?¡± ¡°Oh, no! Help me, Princess. Please!¡± Then I looked down at the maid lying at my feet and pointed out affectionately. ¡°Your head is still high.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was blinded by my greed for money for a while. Please show me mercy!¡± Thud! Chapter 3.2 Only then did the maid bend her head properly, hit her forehead on the floor, and asked for an apology. I squatted in front of her, imitating Peony¡¯s usual flower pose and remained silent. Then the maid, lifted her eyes slowly, then struck her forehead again. When it happened about three times¡­ ¡°Well, stealing is a bad thing. I¡¯ll keep it a secret this once, but there will be no second time.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you, Princess!¡± Poverty could be the reason. However, not everyone steals just because they are poor. I reached out and stroked the maid¡¯s fluffy head without telling her to stand up. ¡°Instead, you must follow me to Eques.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I like you too. If you run away, I¡¯ll tell my second brother to come and get you. It¡¯s my brother¡¯s wish to get me married, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll grant it!¡± The maid, who had only been trying to get out her face, was frozen as if she had only realized that this was not a joke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all the other ones who embezzled will go to jail except for you. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll put you in jail. I¡¯ll take another child to Eques. What do you say?¡± Make your choice. Will you pay with your loyalty, or will you rot in prison for the rest of your life for the charge of contempt against the royal family? Looking at the situation roughly, it seemed that the fight for the throne was on the verge of intensifying. The first prince, who is said to be calm and intelligent, and the second prince, who is actually tricky and insidious, and the third prince, who is violent and cruel, confront each other. At this time, if you stand out because of a bad incident, you will be punished more severely. ¡°I, I¡­!¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°I can take care of you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Sonia, yes.¡± Unlike before, I like how your answering very carefully. ¡°Yes, Sonia,¡± I¡¯ll make you suffer as much as you stole from Peony. I¡¯ll make sure all the other ones get their punishment. This is a thank-you message from me to Peony for taking over this body. It was a bouquet of flowers named revenge. ¡®Hah.¡¯ I had Sonia become my personal maid, and made her run an errand for me. Then I went to the sofa and lay down. There was no reason to be drunk with a sense of triumph and nothing to be rejoice about just disciplining a young maid. ¡®Is it because Gabriela Nashert was originally a villain?¡¯ The lively and innocent acting was so easy that I felt a little embarassed. ¡®How can I be so natural?¡¯ Chapter 4.1 Confused, I looked at a full-length mirror that I had dragged across the side of the sofa to rearrange my dress. ¡®I used to have purple hair.¡¯ Now it has a deep, pink color. The corners of her eyes are slightly raised, but the overall mild impression may be due to her arched eyebrows. Without a single blemish, her skin was as smooth as white jade and the blush flushing on her cheeks were as fresh as a 23-year-old. Whether you hate Peony or ignore her, you will have to admit this one thing. ¡®She¡¯s as beautiful as spring in May.¡¯ Dreamy pale green eyes were like sprouts in the warmest sun. Her lips were like a peony about to bloom. She was certainly lovely with a petite body and a slender neck. ¡®Where did you disappear to?¡¯ I was muttering softly while looking in the mirror, and soon I returned to my realistic thoughts. I thought about it while I was putting my dress back together. ¡®First of all, I have two questions.¡¯ The first is, who killed me? Ernst probably finished investigating this. I¡¯m not sure, but given the circumstances it¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s the first prince. The second prince was not as clever or insidious enough to use such tricks, and above all, it was widely believed that the first prince was very interested in ancient treasures and gods to win the battle for the throne. It was a known fact. Next question. How did I end up in the future, not the past? ¡®Usually, don¡¯t you go back and get to know information about the future and get to know your husband again?¡¯ But why did I come to the future, six years in advance? ¡°Is it because I swallowed the heirloom?¡± I don¡¯t know, but it may have been the cause. ¡®Once I go to Eques, I¡¯ll have to learn more about the family heirloom.¡¯ In the past, since it was an object I will have to return anyway, I didn¡¯t think of the legend related to the family heirloom very importantly. Because I thought it wasn¡¯t mine. ¡®But I must be careful, for I will make a very bad impression as Peony if I go around digging around his family heirloom.¡¯ Tock tock I was tapping on the armrest of the sofa and sighed. ¡®Anyway, there¡¯s only one thing that matters.¡¯ That I became Ernst¡¯s wife again. And this time, I will never die and live happily with him. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to save for Ernst this time.¡¯ Listening to what was said at the meeting earlier, Ernst clearly was not able find . Or if he was able to get it, it didn¡¯t work. So, there is a glimmer of hope in terms of this political marriage. If I could, I would like to run and talk to him right now, but that is impossible. The strange constraint she has is one reason, but¡ª ¡®There¡¯s too much surveillance.¡¯ When Sonia came in, she had to wear a dress and take it off repeatedly, so there were no guards around her. It was etiquette, and I couldn¡¯t hear the sound of military boots either. ¡®But as soon as Sonia left, I heard a guard came and stand outside the door.¡¯ I guess they¡¯re just watching me to see if I would run away. ¡®I¡¯m not going to run away even if I can.¡¯ Where will I go, leaving Ernst behind? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s happily remarrying another woman and giving birth to children and living a good life¡­. A cool spring breeze blew from the window that I ordered Sonia leave open earlier. It was a wind that reminded me of the days Ernst carried me on his back as we walk on the sandy beach at night. He didn¡¯t say anything and I didn¡¯t want to break the silence, so there was only the sound of us breathing. The gentle waves crashing in and out, as his footprints remained every step he took. That was the decisive day we got closer. ¡®I remember drinking poison instead of Ernst with my eyes closed like this.¡¯ In the first place, the walk itself took place on the day when I was barely able to recover and walk outside after a month of being sick. Smiling at the sudden memory, I burst into laughter at the question I thought of. ¡®But how can I let him know that I¡¯m in this body?¡¯ How? ¡®Restrictions. Strong constraints. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve heard it somewhere¡­Eh?¡¯ Is that it? A scene popped up in my mind. Biting my lips, I quickly continued my thoughts. ¡®Maybe that really is the case. I¡¯ve often forgotten that this is in the novel, but it¡¯s written in the novel anyway. It¡¯s where the rules are.¡¯ When I think about it alone after getting out of the chaotic situation, I remembered what I have forgotten. It was a scene from the original . ¡°There is a restriction on roles in this world, my dear.¡± ¡°Restrictions?¡± ¡°Yes, your role is set by God. There¡¯s something you must do, just like the character you¡¯re in. If you do your role for more than a certain amount, the restrictions will be lifted.¡± ¡°Tell me what it is.¡± ¡°Well, well, it¡¯s not difficult. If you want, I¡¯ll read it for you.¡± Ingrid frowned at the suspicious book that suddenly appeared in the hands of the young man. ¡°Character picture book?¡± The title was written like that, but it was in Korean. It seems that the ancient language of this world was also Korean. ¡®Well, it must have been difficult for the writer to set up another language as an ancient language.¡¯ Ingrid nodded and waited for a while. ¡°Oh, here it is! A two-grid wavelet. You¡¯re under a curse right now. If you want to lift it, you have to trample on everyone who is picking a fight with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When I saw it, I called it Salpuri¡­ In any case, there is only one thing that¡¯s certain. If you don¡¯t do it properly, the restrictions will continue?¡± Ingrid laughed in vain, sweeping through her hair as red as a lion¡¯s mane. Dante¡¯s eyes, staring at her like this, were strange. Like a man in love. ¡°So, how and when will God release the restrictions?¡± But when Ingrid looked back at him, Dante averted his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°No one knows. But it won¡¯t take long. Why don¡¯t you hang out with me until then? I¡¯d like to have a nice tour.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Ingrid snapped at Dante. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it!¡¯ Bang! Having remembered that, I struck the armrests and my eyes lit up. ¡°Restrictions. I have to act according to my character in order to break the restrictions. For a certain period of time.¡± What I was given before was the character of, ¡°An evil woman who pretended to be a saint¡±. ¡®Maybe this has something to do with why I came into Peony¡¯s body.¡¯ Peony was the most suitable person to play the characteristic given to ¡®Gabriela Nashert¡¯. Smile and say everything you have to say! She sometimes smile as if she doesn¡¯t know! Pretending to be frail, weak, and tearful. Pretending to be innocent, kind, and na?ve! ¡®Well, I¡¯ll do it all for you.¡¯ It¡¯s rather good. Chapter 4.2 I was going to act like an idiot until I was in the territory of the Forces of the Night anyway. In that case, I¡¯ll solve the constraints for the meantime. I don¡¯t have a bell, but I¡¯ll try holding a lace fan in both hands. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth quietly. ¡®You¡¯ll see, my husband, I¡¯ll get back for you soon.¡¯ All my friends, all my subordinates, and all the people I miss who are still in Eques Castle. And this time I will give proper love to Ernst. To that end, there was nothing I couldn¡¯t do, even if it¡¯s acting like an idiot as this book wants from me. ?+.?¡î?:;?+? ¡î*?¡§???*:..? A few days later, a fine day. A long procession to Eques lined up in front of the Imperial Palace. The emperor did not appear separately, but the first prince Ludwig himself came out to see his sister off. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a send-off or a threat. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry to hear that my dear sister is getting married and leaving.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my knight will escort you on the way to Dolton Harbor.¡± Ludwig Freycan Isodeim. Platinum blonde hair resembling the emperor with pale pink eyes. People say he¡¯s beautiful, but in my eyes, I just think he looks greedy. ¡®You can have everything in the world, but you¡¯re trying to take the family heirloom of another man¡¯s.¡¯ You¡¯re greedy, too. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t be with my precious sister till the end, but after that, I¡¯ll be the protector of the third prince, so do not worry. Above all, don¡¯t you both have the same mother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid Peony will be lonely because your husband is quiet. No matter what you say, his words doesn¡¯t last more than a word.¡± I stood by Ernst¡¯s side, smiling, during the useless conversation. It wasn¡¯t easy to act in front of the prince who might have ordered for my murder, but there was nothing I couldn¡¯t do. Don¡¯t be emotional. Always look for the bigger prey. Because the attitude of life I learned while living as the Grand Duchess of Eques is still alive inside of me. ¡®Is that man the third prince?¡¯ I¡¯ve never seen the third prince before. The young man, standing a step or two behind the first prince Ludwig, turned his head with a disgusted look as soon as his eyes met mine. It¡¯s an attitude that seemed to show how much he had always thought of Peony as a burden. ¡®It¡¯s said that his role is to make sure that all the goods have arrived properly in Eques.¡¯ No one doesn¡¯t know that it was a job given to him because he didn¡¯t get a proper position in the Imperial Palace. Johannes, the third prince, is nothing but a man struggling to survive, so how could I be afraid? ¡®It¡¯s a pity. I wonder how long that pink cotton candy cat will last among the Northern Navy.¡¯ Johannes has light pink hair and light pink eyes. Peony and Johannes were only a year apart, and he wasn¡¯t that tall. There¡¯s nothing to say about his physique. Even if I washed my eyes and looked for it, I couldn¡¯t find any feeling of intimidation. ¡®Cheer up, cotton candy cat.¡¯ Inside, my tongue twitched, and I looked elsewhere. ¡®But the good thing is that the second prince isn¡¯t here.¡¯ In her memory, Peony stood in front of the second prince, shivering like a mouse thrown inside a snake cave. I¡¯ve never met him before, but just thinking about him gives me goosebumps. It was the fear that the body remembered, not the mind, so I didn¡¯t know how I would react if I encountered him. ¡°I don¡¯t care, but I don¡¯t know what Peony¡¯s body is like.¡± It was then. ¡°You must live well. Don¡¯t forget to write.¡± Ludwig turned his arrow at me, as he had finished talking to Ernst. Being prepared, I was able to smile casually. ¡°Yes! Peony won¡¯t forget her first brother.¡± ¡°Good kid.¡± It¡¯s unbelievable, but Peony used to refer to herself in the third person. And it was because of the brainwashing done by no one else, but Ludwig. ¡®Peony would be cuter if you called your own name yourself.¡¯ Seeing that she still has that memory, it must have been the first prince that spread the rumor that she is an idiot. I shivered up my spine, but I struggled to put up with it. I think it would be much better to slide in the esophagus of a giant sea monster than to say my name in front of so many people, but I have to endure it. I have something to do next. ¡°You know what? Peony would like to thank you.¡± ¡°Thank me?¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you for letting me marry such a wonderful husband.¡± As I continued, I opened my skirt slightly. ¡°Look at this. My dress is pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± I deliberately showed the fake pearls. It was also intended to punish the embezzlers, but more so than that¡ª ¡®Shame on you.¡¯ As I stepped out to the sun, I turned around with the center of gravity on my heels. The wind made the hem of my skirt float. I waited for the reaction of the nobles, as I clearly demonstrated the pearl¡¯s luster in front of everyone. ¡°Oh, my God. That¡¯s not Foyer¡¯s pearl. When the sun shines, it should shine like a rainbow¡­ It¡¯s not like that, right?¡± ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you say that the first prince spent a fortune on that dress?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not Foyer pearls! It also means celebrating a happy marriage, but¡­ It¡¯s also a personal asset that the bride can take with her.¡± ¡°I wonder if Your Highness has saved money for the Fourth Princess? Well, they don¡¯t have the same mother.¡± It¡¯s probably the second prince faction who¡¯ll rejoice at this. All I had to do was stand with a tilt as if I didn¡¯t understand. Like a cute little lark. ¡®Well.¡¯ But as I looked around pretending to be innocent, Ernst caught my eye. To be exact, his slight frown. ¡®No way. Did he notice I was acting?¡¯ Chapter 5.1 But it passed so quickly that I wasn¡¯t sure if it really did. His expression quickly turned blank. Instead of Ernst, Ludwig was the one who spoke. ¡°Aide, I must have told you to use only Foyer pearls.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked it over and over again. Perhaps the pearls have been replaced when it entered the Imperial Palace. As you know, the Princess¡­.¡± Tsk. It was only me and Ernest who heard him click his tongue. I clapped my hands with an innocent expression, as if I could not read the atmosphere at all. ¡°Well, there you go, brother. Can I take her as my maid? ¡°Can I do that as my sister¡¯s wedding present?¡± ¡°Wow, how exciting!¡± That¡¯s how I snatched Sonia away. Standing very awkwardly among the blue-eyed maids, Sonia leaned deeply, and quickly moved into the rest of the procession. Now the rest of the Imperial Palace should be punished, except for her. The first prince hates it when his image is damaged. ¡°I want you to live happily. If your husband makes you upset, make sure to write a letter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Whoosh! Ludwig grasped my shoulder. ¡°Ah, it hurts.¡± I shrank and did not lower the corners of my mouth despite the strong grip that could easily leave a mark on my skin. This is a play. The stage is not over yet. ¡°My wife.¡± But it was then. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you from now on. Your Highness, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Ernst, who was quietly staring at me, as I was smiling like a fool, took a step forward. Tuk. With his hands covered in black leather gloves, he struck out the prince¡¯s hand, and he stood proudly even after committing such an undignified act. In addition, he went as far as to look down on the first prince¡¯s other hand. As if asking, ¡®What are you going to do about it?¡¯ ¡°Oh, my! What kind of man is that?¡± ¡°How dare he put his hand on His Majesty¡¯s precious body!¡± The nobles on the first prince¡¯s faction, who were watching, raised their voices with a serious look. When the officers in red jackets rolled their boots all at once, they shut their mouths like shells. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a long way to go. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ernst wrapped my shoulders held by the prince earlier in his arms. It is so warm that my lips tremble. ¡°Hand.¡± In front of the carriage Ernst reached out quietly. At first glance, he seemed to say, ¡®Take it or not¡¯, but I knew it. He was being considerate. In fact, he¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t care at all about the etiquette used by the Forces of Day. He keeps his manners aristocratic more than anyone else in this place. Now this was an attitude stating that he would respect me in the future. ¡®Oh, my heart aches.¡¯ Thump As soon as I held his hand, my heart rate went up to the point where my chest hurt. For a short moment, I felt suffocated. I thought I would never see him again. For the past few days, I¡¯ve been worried that this might be all a dream. However, when she confirmed reality like this, tears began to form in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± When I got into the carriage, Ernst sat across from me. This was also consideration. There would be no reason for him to go in the same carriage, but it was clear that he was trying to be a shield for her as there was trouble with the first prince. ¡®I can¡¯t help but love him.¡¯ Although the system of knights has long disappeared, he continued to live with chivalry that protects the weak. ¡°Hah.¡± As the door closed, the first prince disappeared from sight and the carriage¡¯s wheels began to roll vigorously, I was relieved at last. I finally got out of here. At last, we are going back to the land of the Forces of Night. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be uncomfortable for a few days, since we¡¯ll have to camp.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°When we arrive to the castle of Eques, I¡¯ll give you the eastern annex. You can live there with the maids.¡± It¡¯s been about ten minutes since we left. A low husky voice echoed in my ears, awakening me from my thoughts. Unlike when he was protecting me from the first prince earlier, he was quite indifferent, but I was not hurt. There¡¯s no reason for that. It¡¯s a miracle that we¡¯re together like this. It was also a pleasure to take my eyes off the window and look at him quietly to see how much he had changed. The twenty-five-year-old Ernst and thirty-one-year-old Ernst were distinctly different. He¡¯s grown up, mature, and deep. Both his eyes and voice. What made him so deep over the years? It is unfair that she missed those moments. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Your eyes.¡± He seem to be bothered. Contemplating what to say, I answered with sincerity. Chapter 5.2 ¡°Well, because my husband is so handsome?¡± A serious look came back, as if telling not to joke around. You¡¯re a man who can¡¯t make jokes like this. But it was true that he was handsome. I can¡¯t get enough of it. But Ernst doesn¡¯t like words that praise his appearance very much. I had no choice but to answer him with an acceptable reply. ¡°The truth is, I¡¯m not comfortable with my clothes.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of that. Is your corset too tight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll stop the carriage for a while. I¡¯ll call the maid.¡± ¡°No.¡± I deliberately interrupted Ernst. I knew how he would act, so I took the lead. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it. Can¡¯t Ernst just release it?¡± Ernst remained silent for a long time at my request. Deep blue eyes are directed at me. His eyes were cold as if he was going to break through all the secrets I had hidden. I¡¯m excited for nothing. ¡®My heart is trembling.¡¯ Don¡¯t look at me like you¡¯d recognize me as Gabriella, not Peony. You¡¯re making me look forward to it. ¡°A while ago.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you do it on purpose?¡± It¡¯s a sentence without a subject. But she understood it by reading between the lines. I smiled as if I didn¡¯t understand what he was saying. ¡®Yes, of course.¡¯ No matter how Ernst has a good sense, how can he know that this body has changed completely? In addition, it has not been just a year or two since I passed away. It has been six years. The curtain of hatred that covers his eyes and the rumor that she is an idiot lingers around me. And that is the common sense that exists in this world. As long as these three things exists, no one in the world will know that I am in the body of the princess. ¡®I don¡¯t think I should expect anything.¡¯ I¡¯m such a fool, again. But what can I do? I¡¯m a fool. ¡®Nothing happens at first sight. It¡¯s already a miracle to stand by his side again. I shouldn¡¯t expect more.¡¯ I bit the inside of the mouth and let it go, turning my hand back to loosen my corset myself. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll release it if I wait. There was a clear rejection that he would keep his manners in public but to not approach him in private. Getting closer from here will only cause negative reactions. But as I was able to breathe a little, and even when I leaned on the cushion, he said nothing. ¡°Husband?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure you were looking forward to the wedding, but I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I just want to hurry up and go somewhere new.¡± As soon as she responded bravely, Ernst shut his mouth. Those thoughtful eyes were probably measuring whether I was a real idiot or just acting. I yawned on purpose and hugged a purple cushion in my arms, showing a childlike behavior. ¡®It¡¯s not the time yet.¡¯ My first goal is to make Ernst recognize me ¡°naturally.¡± But to do so, Ernst¡¯s guard must be lowered. Because he is still suspicious and wary. ¡®Knowing him, he must have accepted this marriage because Peony isn¡¯t that clever.¡¯ If she¡¯s a little bit smarter, it could harm the North, so he would¡¯ve refused. No, he would have already been advised against it by Sebastian Sun, a better strategist than Ernst. ¡®Even if I¡¯m frustrated, I can¡¯t reveal that I¡¯m sane now.¡¯ That will just raise his wall. If she takes a wrong step, it¡¯s over. In such a sensitive time as now, it may have been misunderstood whether the relationship between his deceased wife and Ernst was examined and imitated. ¡®Now I must remember that I am from the Forces of Day, and that I am a princess. ¡® Don¡¯t forget how much the people from the North, hate those from the Forces of Day. ¡®Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡¯ Until he and I become friends. Until we have faith in each other. Until the slaughter is over. ¡®But the eastern annex is a little too much.¡¯ It was built for a so-called annoying guest, since it was very far from the main building. If we put our mind into it, we won¡¯t see each other until we get old and die. He declared that he had made a reconciliation marriage for the North, but he also had no intention of loving each other or being like a real couple. Perhaps he had intended to do so from the beginning, but I, not Peony, could not go to that detached house. I must stay close to Ernst while maintaining my idiotic facade. That¡¯s how I¡¯ll get him to recognize me someday. ¡®Please don¡¯t be too late.¡¯ I closed my eyes, clasping my hand that is hidden from him. It was more painful than I thought to be right in front of him and not be able to reach him. Chapter 6.1 That evening. The procession, which moved at speed since the beginning, easily left the capital and its vicinity and entered the mountain road. ¡°We¡¯re resting here. Get ready to camp.¡± ¡°Prepare for camping!¡± Although it is a mountain, it is at the top and there were no dangerous animals because it was a road that soldiers always used. Rather, there are places where the ground has been flattened for camping. If you pass by here, you will have to spend a full day to find another place to rest, so it was good to end today¡¯s schedule at this point. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Ernst, who was looking at the unfinished documents in the commander¡¯s barracks that was set up first, looked up at the call. The barracks used in spring and autumn have a thin fabric, so silhouettes of people were reflected in various lights. Noticing who it was, Ernst put the documents down. ¡°Come in. Don¡¯t stand there.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Immediately after obtaining permission, a man with light brown hair appeared. Silver-rimmed glasses are added to the sharp face, so it is the look of a strategist no matter how you look at it. Seeing the bright olive-colored eyes twinkle with joy, Ernst opened his mouth with a frown. ¡°Looks good.¡± ¡°Okay! Very! Well done.¡± ¡°Sit down, Sebastian.¡± Neither of them spokes of ¡®what¡¯ went well. From the moment I received the official document asking for a peaceful marriage, I have a plan. To that end, Ernst set aside Sebastian and his loyal elite soldiers and entrusted them with his duties. Instead, he entered the Imperial Palace with his successor officers, even if they were still children. Originally, we were planning to meet after moving a little bit more than here, but it seems that things worked out more easily than expected. ¡°The harvest was quite large. This ¡®cargo¡¯ was entrusted to other guys and sent directly to the ship.¡± ¡°Good job. Good job.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I asked him to sit down, but Sebastian made tea clattering sounds instead. He¡¯s competent in both literature and martial arts. If there¡¯s one thing the perfect assistant can¡¯t do, it¡¯s to make tea. Nevertheless, Sebastian persevered and made two cups of tasteless tea. ¡°This time, I will be able to do it, for sure.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t waste the food.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t burn it.¡± In some ways, it sounds like just a conversation about food, but the truth is different. Ernst has been looking for it ever since that terrible day, six years ago. He was the one who took his wife from him. The way to destroy the First Prince. Although he is the first prince who is good at cutting off his tail and likes to blame others, he must have done a lot. Most of the ¡®cargo¡¯ Sebastian captured were people who would be the witnesses to overthrow the first prince, and some were also objects. ¡°It¡¯s Madame¡¯s anniversary soon. She would like the present for the altar this year.¡± ¡°¡­. Sebastian, be careful here.¡± ¡°Oops, my mistake.¡± Sebastian put down the teacup and shuddered. But could he be wrong? Of course it was on purpose. Although the marriage was made as necessary, no one, including Sebastian, intended to treat the princess as their master. Ernst sighed briefly and comforted his men. ¡°I told you so many times. The Imperial Princess did nothing wrong. Rather, you should thank her for helping us.¡± ¡°It is true, but¡­ my mind does not work that way.¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes suddenly became serious. ¡°Do you know how much we all respect our deceased madam?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Of course, I have completed the investigation of the princess completely, and I know that she is not a person who can cause harm.¡± Ernst recalled a report written about Peony before his marriage. [She has a good personality. She likes flowers.] [Has child-level intelligence and communication skills. Therefore, there is no imperial dignity.] [She did not have the level of learning required for the imperial family.] [The sociability is bad. Strong impulsiveness. She has a temperament for being selfish from time to time] [She was frequently assaulted by the second prince since childhood.] [Note: She has suffered from sleepwalking since childhood. The sleepwalking appears to last from night to day.] Ernst had no intention of bringing any ¡®woman¡¯ with him other than his widowed wife. He accepted Peony because he does not see her as her woman or rational. Peony, who is said to be at the level of a child, is probably the same. If the princess was to help him avenge his revenge by her very existence, he would make her live in a safe place completely out of reach of the Second Prince, and treat her like her lifelong comrade and take good care of her. She will be able to live in an environment where she wouldn¡¯t be scared, sick, or bother anyone. ¡®But really, is she at the level of a child?¡¯ Ernst tapped the table lightly, remembering what had happened as he left. If Sebastian had seen the scene together, we could discuss it. It¡¯s unfortunate, but for now, it seemed like it would be better to leave it alone as a suspicion. Until he¡¯s sure. ¡°Well, but as expected, I am not used to calling someone Madame now.¡± ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Well, I understand. However, after arriving at Eques, I will be able to call her Madame without any awkwardness. It is true that the Fourth Princess has been of great help.¡± ¡°As long as you know. Don¡¯t forget that she has to be honored¡­¡± Chapter 6.2 ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Then, someone outside called Sebastian. ¡°Major Desen! There¡¯s a fight over there!¡± As the two different forces moved together, they already expected a fight. Sebastian sighed deeply and finished nagging at him. ¡°I¡¯ll go and make sure you get some rest, sir. Stop looking at the papers. Even though you¡¯ll spend it alone, it¡¯s still your first night.¡± Only because Sebastian is his subordinate for ten years so he can speak so insolently to him. And it¡¯s because we share pain that is similar to each other. Gabriella¡¯s death was also a shock to Sebastian. I guess they¡¯ve been close to each other. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ After Sebastian left. Somehow very tired, Ernst pressed down on his eyes. When I checked the time roughly, it was 11 o¡¯clock deep at night. I¡¯ll have to go to bed now so I can finish the next day¡¯s schedule. ¡®So I need to close my eyes.¡¯ The reason why I couldn¡¯t sleep was because Gabriella kept showing in front of me. ¡®Even if you accepted this marriage not for the benefit of the North, but for revenge, I am still disappointed.¡¯ The candle flutters. Ernst clenched his teeth, knowing that it was just the wind, that no answer could be given. ¡®I needed a reason to go all in the Daytime territory. That¡¯s why I accepted the marriage. It¡¯s easier to dig up the back of the first prince if I use the fourth emperor as an excuse.¡¯ I try to make excuses, but it just falls to nothing. I can¡¯t reach her. It¡¯s a long time. And yet why doesn¡¯t she fall off his eyes like a stigma. Ernst could still paint her clearly now even when he closed his eyes. How Gabriella rolls up the corners of her mouth when she smiles. How Gabriella turns blue when she¡¯s cold. How soft her body is¡­ It¡¯s warm. She was most attractive when her thin eyebrows were raised. As the hostess of Eques, his spine would shudder when she showed dignity as an the hostess and the Grand Duchess. It¡¯s so fascinating. I can¡¯t see you anymore. ¡®I only make you feel sad.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t protect you the day you died. For a long time, I let you be hit by the cold rain all alone. As soon as I read the letter she left, I immediately ran out, but it was Gabriella, who was waiting for him, who was helplessly dead. Ernst found it extremely distressing. That¡¯s why he goes to the place where she died alone on a rainy day. If I didn¡¯t do that, I¡¯d forget a piece about Gabriella. So he remembered her death longer than anyone else. How the rain sounded that day, how tough the soil was that day. How red was the blood that was only spreading under the broken wagon. How cold was the body that was dying every second. He regretted bitterly. At the same time, white rage. The ones who killed her. I will cut off the head with this hand, even those who are involved. I can¡¯t rest without it. Fortunately, all his closest aides were of the same mind. Gabriella was indeed a venerated Grand Duchess. She didn¡¯t laugh often, but when she smiled at him from time to time, I was drawn to the alluring smile. There¡¯s no way love would suit me, I thought it was arrogance. At some point he was chasing Gabriella with his eyes. They broke the second contract to not love each other. The love was like a fever. Ernst was not alone and thought of her silky skin. There were many times when I blamed myself because my eyes stayed on her lips while talking. Since he was in his prime of life, there were countless nights when he couldn¡¯t sleep because he couldn¡¯t hold her hand even though her body was sweet. And the day I finally embraced her. He felt like the whole world was mine. No, I thought I didn¡¯t need anything in the world but her. It was love alone, but I dared to be happy. That¡¯s why it was taken away. I wanted happiness that wasn¡¯t even an option. ¡°Hey, Ernst. Are you there?¡± It was then. A larky voice called him. Chapter 7.1 At night, the barracks unfolded and camp began. A clatter, a ladle-wielding cook¡¯s cry, a blazing of a bonfire. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve heard such a fuss. ¡®There¡¯s no such thing as a romantic first night in this marriage.¡¯ It¡¯s only natural that we¡¯re camping. ¡®Of course, the road to Dalton Harbor is faster this way.¡¯ Frankly, the Northern Navy could have moved through the city. But Ernst chose to camp in the mountains. Maybe if they moved to the city, they would have to stay at a hotel, and it would be hard to avoid sharing a room with her, so it was clear that he avoided it on purpose. There will be no eyes to watch them in Eques, so it doesn¡¯t matter if they use their own room, but the First Prince¡¯s guards are currently on the way, so it would have been vague to sleep separately. It¡¯s not a good idea to have a separate room when it¡¯s a marriage in the name of peace. ¡®It¡¯s an understandable choice in many ways.¡¯ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like the way you reject other women. Not really¡­ I don¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. Sitting in the carriage and looking outside, I gestured to Sonya, who was eating potatoes nearby. ¡°Lady, did you call me?¡± ¡°Where is your barracks?¡± ¡°Well, if I finish eating this and find out. . ..¡± ¡°Well, shall I repay you for saving your life?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Sonya ran with the leftover potatoes stuffed in her mouth. She knew I saved her life. ¡°In the original palace, two maids and ten maids were supposed to follow them to Equus.¡± It¡¯s a lot, too. But I pulled out Sonya when I caused the Foyer Pearl incident. My carriage started first, but Sonya and other soldiers followed behind the procession, so I think she probably saw the maids of the Imperial Palace being taken away by the guards except herself. Now, she accepted that she would never be able to return to the capital again if she went to Eques, but her attitude suddenly became very warm. It was rather cute because I could clearly see her intention to stick to me, who the Grand Duchess, and live well. She needs to be more disciplined though. ¡®It¡¯s better to have a Sonya than to keep on sticking out and grabbing people by the back of their neck.¡¯ I don¡¯t want much loyalty. It¡¯s enough to be obedient and do what you¡¯re told to do. ¡°Well, I found it. It¡¯s a big barracks with a blue flag. It¡¯s nearby.¡± Sonya returned shortly afterwards. It¡¯s no wonder that the huge carriage given by the palace is much more comfortable than the camp¡¯s cot. I was going to stay in the carriage throughout the days of camping, and Ernst seemed to be sleeping in a barracks. I thought so, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry. We¡¯ll get closer if we see each other often. Now the distance between us is as far from the North Sea as the South Sea. ¡°Major Desen! There¡¯s a fight over there!¡± Then, as the familiar name passed by the wind, I flashed my head up. ¡°Where are you going, princess?¡± ¡°You need to rest here.¡± Sonia was also separated and approached while stepping on the shadow of the barracks, and there was a barracks with a blue flag. What came out of there¡­ It¡¯s definitely Sebastian. He looked older than I remembered, but she was sure. Sebastian was briefed by his subordinates and hurried somewhere with a frown. Watching Sebastian until he left, I suddenly noticed that there was no one around the barracks. It was like they went to watch ¡®the fight¡¯. ¡®Then is Ernst alone right now?¡¯ He likes to have a cup of warm tea before he goes to bed, but did he drink tea? ¡®But Sebastian¡¯s tea is the worst.¡¯ We¡¯re not on the same wavelength right now. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t know. But making tea throughout my three-year marriage was quite important to me. It was one of the few opportunities to naturally share time with him. Thinking hard, I sneaked up in front of his barracks. If you tell me to go away, I¡¯ll go back. ¡°Hey, Ernst. Are you there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Can I come in for a moment?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for a moment, it¡¯s fine.¡± The first answer was slow. The second was fast, but I felt a solid wall. Entering the barracks entrance, I could find Ernst. A face stained with pain somehow, a rough impression created by accumulated fatigue. At the various signs of not taking good care of himself at all, I took a deep breath and then shouted cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯ll make you tea!¡± ¡°¡­..you don¡¯t have to do such a thing.¡± But Ernst immediately turned down my offer. Seeing a cold tea cup lying on his table, I tilted my head and moved my mouth pretending not to know. ¡°But I think you like to drink tea!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Well, then can I just make a drink?¡± ¡°Please ask the maid.¡± ¡°Everyone hates me. I think I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach outside.¡± Ernst¡¯s embarrassment and slight realization spread as he stuck out his lips and grumbled. Chapter 7.2 ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed that yet. Then just drink your tea and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as I got permission, I picked up the tea set on the side of the barracks. There is still water left by the soldiers. ¡®That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll just have a cup of tea¡­ I¡¯m going to bed.¡¯ You have to ride it slowly. But I didn¡¯t notice Ernst¡¯s eyes deepened because I was so focused on making the tea. ¡°You¡¯re skilled.¡± Ernst¡¯s eyes narrowed as he watched Peony softly, making little clattering noise. ¡®But how does the princess know how to make tea?¡¯ That¡¯s not the job of the royal family. It was also not something the royal family learned. Even if you¡¯re a noble woman aiming to be a maid. The hand of measuring tea leaves with tongs was elegant. As if she knew everything in which order to do it, the imperial princess did not wander at all. And the Foyer Pearl. I didn¡¯t know¡­ Was she so neglected that she even had to make her own tea? While the thoughts continued, the white fingers, which should never have been lifted heavier than the silver spoon, moved smoothly. Slurping. Tea cups used in camping were only very common pots. It is natural that it should not be a waste if it is broken. However, when the imperial princess holds a tea pot and pours light green tea water that resembles the color of her eyes, the barracks suddenly feels like a fancy court tea party. In addition, it was completely different from Sebastian¡¯s tea earlier as he saw that the water was boiled at the right temperature. The scent of fragrant leaf tea filled the barracks. ¡®As it is known, if the princess is only five or six years old in mental age, how can she make such a delicate tea?¡± Besides, something was wrong. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why do I feel nostalgic after seeing the princess making tea? Ernst stuck to his expressionless face, but he was in a complicated state of mind. ¡°Well, it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to drink.¡± ¡°I made enough for two glasses because there was a lot of water. If you don¡¯t drink, I¡¯ll drink alone.¡± The princess picked up the tea cup in her hands and blew it away. It was not polite at all, nor was it ladylike. It¡¯s only a playful kid to blow a car like that. ¡®I¡¯m confused.¡¯ Ernst, who was silently looking at the light green tea water in front of him, sighed briefly. I can tell from my own eyes that the imperial princess is not playing tricks on this tea. In front of me, she didn¡¯t turn her back make the tea so that everyone could see her. This is. If I have to say so, it¡¯s a favor. Something like a positive sign for someone who will be living with you in the future. It was clear that there would be no more meaning. ¡°Oh, will you have a drink?¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°It should have cooled down just in time.¡± The princess was delighted when she picked up the cup. Looking at her sparkling eyes, Ernst took a sip because he felt uncomfortable for no reason. And the next moment. He had no choice but to clench the teacup with a sense of being hit in the back of his head. ¡®The taste.¡¯ It¡¯s the same. The taste of tea he remembers and misses for a long time¡­ It was the same. ¡°How is it? Is it too bitter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s delicious. Actually, honey tea is better than tea.¡± Honey tea. A word that popped out of his mind. Ernest had to try his best not to break the cup. ¡®Gabriella loved tea with honey.¡¯ Is that the taste of ordinary women? Is he overreacting or is the princess playing tricks on him? Ernst couldn¡¯t tell why she was acting and talking in a way that reminded him of her, or whether it was all a coincidence and just his overreaction. The mere mention of Gabriella easily made him lose his sense. So he was uncomfortable with Peony. Half of his thought is of keeping her close and monitoring her, but the other half is the thought of dropping her into the eastern annex as soon as they arrive in Eques and not seeing her unless it is necessary. Ernst, who saw my hand turning white in the tea cup, forced his strength from his stiff chin. But I still didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Sure, good night!¡± Ten more minutes went by with silence. As soon as Sebastian, who had stepped up to solve the case, returned, Peony put down the tea cup and slipped away. ¡°Sir, what happened?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± ¡°Did the princess made tea for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, how could the princess¡­? Isn¡¯t that what a maid does?¡± The place where she left. Ernst, who exchanged a few words with Sebastian, couldn¡¯t throw away what was left in the tea cup, but washed his face dry without drinking it all. And a word thrown with a low laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± This was Ernst¡¯s true thoughts now. To be honest, I felt possessed by a ghost. Chapter 8 TL: Jaemicy Chapter 8 Once they were on the mountain path, it was inevitable to camp the next day. After eating alone in the carriage while the barracks were almost cleaned up, I came down from where I sat stretching. Soldiers huddled at the entrance across the forest for a late dinner. They all glanced towards me, and their eyes were disrespectful. The funny thing is that the first prince¡¯s knights are not near her carriage even though they know that the Northern Navy is hostile to me. They settled in an area a little far away, as if they didn¡¯t even want to mingle with the Northern Navy. The third prince, Johannes, was also with them and did not show his face. ¡®Well, it¡¯s easier to move, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ I¡¯ve read the atmosphere roughly and I know how the camping site is organized, so let¡¯s move on. ¡°Sonya, I want to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± ¡°There will be food from the royal family as a condition of this friendly marriage. Go get plenty of honey and cinnamon.¡± The spring night was still chilly. All I¡¯m going to do is sit back and watch while the soldiers are getting ready to camp. Then I noticed that more soldiers had a mild cold than I thought. They were coughing all over the place. Maybe it¡¯s because of the change of seasons, so it¡¯ll be helpful to give them a tea full of honey and cinnamon. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll drink what the Daytime Forces, the imperial princess, gave them. ¡°If they say they can¡¯t give it to you, give this to them. And also bring water.¡± Sonya moved quickly when I took out the jewelry pin that was placed on my head and grabbed it. While I was waiting, I sat down in front of the bonfire where the soldiers had left after eating. The flames driving out the darkness are fascinating. I liked it because it felt like I was seeing myself now. ¡®When I lived as Gabriella, I was so timid.¡¯ It took me a lot of time to get close to Ernst. Maybe he doesn¡¯t like it, maybe it looks like she loves him, maybe she¡¯ll be greedy and lose him. I thought about that every day. And the same was true of the Northern Navy. ¡®Take care of them kindly. I should have cared for them a little more as the Grand Duke of Eques. I had that kind of regret.¡¯ I decided not to think about it anymore. It was a waste of time to hesitate. Life was shorter than I thought. ¡°Heuk. I brought it. Kku, honey is expensive. They can¡¯t give you a lot. I also asked for a lemon¡­¡± ¡°Good job.¡± I praised Sonya for the ingredients she brought in the iron pot. There was spring water nearby, so it was not difficult to walk in the water. Soon, the scent of honey, lemon, and cinnamon in boiling water melted the surrounding area. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Right?¡± Sonya had to stir the pot until her arms fell out, so her expression gradually hardened, but as soon as she tasted a sip, she turned bright. It¡¯s sweet and warm, so it tastes like a cold is going to go away. I¡¯ve never seen anyone hate this. ¡°Your Highness the Imperial Princess.¡± ¡°The Imperial Princess.¡± After a while, as I walked between the barracks spread out here and there with Sonya, the soldiers who recognized me hurriedly greeted me. I smiled at them and tried to dispel the awkward and sordid atmosphere. ¡°How was the meal?¡± ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Is there anywhere uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Lie. I saw you coughing.¡± There was confusion and annoyance in the sudden gaze toward the imperial princess. To put it more harshly, it looks like, ¡°Why did you come here?¡± or ¡°It¡¯s not good enough.¡± Even so, I acted like I didn¡¯t know the atmosphere at all. ¡°Come on, Sonya, hand it out.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Unlike me, Sonya, who was shrinking, forced her shoulders out and put down the iron pot. Taking over the center of the square-shaped barracks, I raised my voice and shouted softly. ¡°It¡¯s getting cold. If you drink this, you¡¯ll get better soon¡± I didn¡¯t know the excuse of being an idiot would be this convenient. The soldiers who gathered were uncomfortable with me, but they couldn¡¯t even drive me away. It is a well-known fact that the imperial princess is like a child. Even if you are very cold and sharp to adults, you can¡¯t help but be less wary of a child. In addition, she gave something out of concern for the health of the soldiers, but can they tell her to go away because they don¡¯t want to see her? ¡°My name is Sergeant James Winn, the second captain of the Northern Navy. What is it?¡± Then, an old soldier raised his hand and asked a question. He seems to have stepped up to overcome this situation. Thank you very much, and I answered with a smile. ¡°Yes, I saw you coughing here and there. I always drink this when I catch a cold. So I wanted to share it with everyone.¡± But no one is willing to drink. It¡¯s just a buzz. Just when I thought I should just leave and drink it on my own. Sonya put her hand on her waist and put a double wick in her eyes and screamed. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s frustrating. This is honey tea. Honey tea! I had a hard time cooking this!¡± ¡°Well, no. I¡¯m not doubting you.¡± ¡°I put cinnamon and lemon in this precious honey! Oh, if you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t drink it!¡± Sonya, did your temper burst because you drank a bit of it? When she shouted so softly, some of the soldiers who were flinching soon came unsteadily. To be honest, the senior soldiers come out comfortably on time and move in either a carriage or horse, but the soldiers¡¯ situation is different. Whether all the equipment is properly equipped, there¡¯s no problem with the saddle, everything loaded, and so on board. Most of them woke up from dawn because they had to take care of everything. In addition, it¡¯s the change of seasons, so wouldn¡¯t dawn and night be still cold? The only people who sleep in the barracks are officers. The rest of them walked all day and were camping, so it was time for a cup of sweet and delicious tea. That¡¯s why I made them honey tea. ¡°If it¡¯s honey¡­¡± ¡°Hey, are you really going to drink?¡± ¡°What would the princess do to please us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It was not easily accepted from the perspective of ordinary soldiers that the imperial princess was good at something. But doubt is doubt and few can beat the sweet smell that stimulates the sense of smell. There was no order from the superiors not to drink or to reject the imperial princess. In addition, honey was a very precious thing that was hard to find in the Northern territory. It¡¯s a land where flowers are hard to bloom, so is it called honey? Commoners had no connection with these sweets unless they were nobles. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°I feel like my whole body is melting.¡± Soon after the ecstatic evaluation of the soldiers who bravely tasted it first, there was a long line in front of Sonya. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean everyone came to me with an open mind, so one iron pot was just right. By the time there was a warm atmosphere due to the honey tea, Sonya grabbed the ladle and stomped. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you say thank you? You should be thankful if you drank it!¡± I had to bite my lip gently because I thought I was going to burst into laughter when I listened to the cry that was so annoying. ¡°Thank you, princess.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, my body has warmed up.¡± The soldiers, who turned around with awkward faces, bowed down. I was still careless, but I liked the atmosphere much more relaxed than before. ¡°I¡¯ll give it out again tomorrow. I won¡¯t be able to make a lot.¡± I¡¯ll get a honey jar for the number of jewel pins in my head. ¡°Well done, Sonya. You rest now, too.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± Scared of what else I would order, Sonya hurried to the spring with an empty iron brush. I didn¡¯t want to go back to the stuffy carriage, so I wandered around, and then I stepped into the officers¡¯ quarters. ¡°What?¡± At the next moment. ¡°God, that¡¯s Christian, isn¡¯t it?¡± I stopped when I found a young man sitting in front of a half-out bonfire eating a stew. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯re much bigger and taller than I remember, but I¡¯m sure.¡± Blue-haired and grayish-blue eyes. Overall, he looks like a cat. It must be Christian Belmer. ¡®At the last moment, how can I not recognize you, who dragged the culprit, the coachman?¡¯ I feel a lump in my throat. ¡®The first time I saw him was when he was 17 years old. You¡¯ve already become a senior officer. I¡¯m proud of you.¡¯ Everyone I knew in the Northern Navy was special, but there are five people who were more special. Balkan Tortes, vice admiral of the Northern Navy and always supported Ernst the closest. Sebastian Dessen, Ernst¡¯s trusted subordinate and a friend for ten years, who was also a good friend to me. Christian Belmer, from a family that was loyal to Eques. Gyan Aegis, a playful guy who always kept a smile on his face even during the unbearable night. Brunhilde Annatto, more courageous than any other man, loyal and chivalrous. I missed them so much. Would the size of my heart understand if I said that I missed Ernst that much? So no matter how much Christian stared at me, it was okay to show his whole body that he didn¡¯t like it. As I approached Christian for no reason, I sat down gently on the log, not caring about the dirt getting on my dress. I know you don¡¯t like me now, but I wanted to say hello. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Your Highness the Imperial Princess.¡± Oh, my God. Christian is older than me now. I can¡¯t believe that young boy grew up to be an adult. Looking at his face, six years felt long again. ¡°Stop spying and get back to the carriage.¡± Like this. But I¡¯m touched for a second. Christian, who had finished eating, put down the bowl to make a noise. Rather than getting angry because I can see that he¡¯s doing it on purpose, to be honest¡­ It was cute. ¡®You were rude even when you were young, but you¡¯re rude even when you¡¯re now an adult.¡¯ It looks good because it¡¯s consistent. I smiled at the thought. ¡°Major Belmer.¡± Chapter 9 TL: Jaemicy Chapter 9 ¡°¡­..¡­?¡± Christian shuddered and looked back at me in disbelief. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never told you my last name, so how did you know my last name?¡± ¡°I know. I hope we can greet each other properly next time.¡± After answering back like that, I left my seat and stood up. But the next moment, a thought flashed through my mind. ¡®Maybe Christian would recognize me easily.¡¯ Christian was like my younger brother who followed me very well. When I felt too depressed, I used to pretend to be a cat and lie down on my stomach. He was a guy who recognized me like a ghost even if I changed my face a little. Having made the decision, I looked back at the startled Christian and whispered very quietly. ¡°And don¡¯t be so obvious just because you have someone you don¡¯t like in front of you. You¡¯re a major now. You have to let your subordinates see and learn.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± It hasn¡¯t changed how fun reactions come out when you poke at him. The only thing that has changed is our relationship. Christian, as I know him, will certainly dwell on what he has just heard for a long time. Hearing such a thing, it wasn¡¯t in his personality to run and tell Sebastian or Ernst. ¡®You¡¯d rather keep an eye on me with your determination not to bother them.¡¯ Until he¡¯s sure that I¡¯m a threat. That¡¯s what I needed now. Christian¡¯s persistent gaze. ¡®Well, I thought it¡¯d be okay.¡¯ Is he feeling sick too? Soon out of Christian¡¯s sight, I tilted my head and swept my chest. I just felt like all sorts of emotions were clinging together in here. I can¡¯t express everything in words, so I just pat myself and tell myself it¡¯s okay. ¡®It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s a miracle to be back.¡¯ I repeated it like that. We can pile it up little by little. Even if no one ever recognizes me as Gabriella. ¡®So don¡¯t be upset.¡¯ You already knew it wasn¡¯t going to be easy on the first day of becoming Peony. Although I didn¡¯t even see Ernst¡¯s face today, it is not futile. Even if she¡¯s a Grand Duchess that no one recognizes, I took care of the Northern Navy as much as I could. Even if no one really recognizes me and Ernst and we can¡¯t be a loving couple¡­. ¡®I¡¯m still the Grand Duchess of Eques.¡¯ That¡¯ll do. Everyone in the Northern Navy has their own sea. It¡¯s my job to light up that sea. My sea is still dark, but footprints are clearly left on the sandy beach where I walked with a lantern. When I look back, I think, ¡®Oh, I walked this much.¡¯ That¡¯s enough for now. *** On the fourth day of the trip, I was quite tired and dozed off in the carriage. To be honest, when would an imperial daughter, who grew up only in the castle, have ever traveled like this? A few days of camping with the slender body of Peony was almost like a forced march. ¡°Princess! Princess, please come out!¡± Bang! Just as I was dozing off, just as I was about to fall into a shallow sleep, someone knocked very roughly on the door of the carriage. The moment I came to my senses, I had a hunch. ¡®It¡¯s started.¡¯ The two forces that have been hostile to each other for a long time are going a long way together. If there¡¯s no noise in between, it¡¯ll be even stranger. I woke up with a sigh and opened the window. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°My name is Gehan, I am responsible for the transportation of food that His Majesty has bestowed with his infinite grace. To, well, these ignorant Northern Navy soldiers!¡± ¡°Ignorant?¡± ¡°They¡¯re asking to divide the food in half right now and give it to them first. They say they¡¯ll get to the port faster and will put it on board, but how do I believe that?¡± My tone of voice became cold for a moment, but the person who called me rudely didn¡¯t seem to notice. I coughed loudly and summoned the acting skills within me, who had been asleep for a while. ¡°Then can¡¯t you just give it to me?¡± ¡°What do you mean just give it to you?¡± When I asked again innocently, the person who asked, named Gehan, jumped up. Then why don¡¯t you just hit your chest and only talk about what you have to say? ¡°This is clearly an act of ignoring me and further ignoring the Emperor. Food¡­ I¡¯m supposed to lead it to the harbor safely, but how dare they give me only half of it!¡± So the reason why Gehan was angry was simple. ¡®The Northern Navy should come begging for something to eat. That¡¯s why you tried to enjoy a sense of superiority over your position, but you can¡¯t do it if they take half of it off first.¡¯ There¡¯s also the third prince, but the reason why he came to me would mean that Johannes didn¡¯t even deal with them at all. That¡¯s why he¡¯s betting on the easy Peony to be able to do whatever he wants. My mouth twisted automatically, but I hid my expression and smiled in a docile manner. There are countless people on the emperor¡¯s side who are watching. Now was the time for acting. ¡°Please come down and say something. I mean, they¡¯re not going to listen to what I¡¯m saying!¡± It was such a loud voice that people buzzed around my carriage. I smiled with satisfaction when I found Christian with a look of trouble and a group of soldiers standing behind Gehan. ¡®It turned out for the better.¡¯ That food transport commander is a shameless fellow who gets a jeweled hairpin for every jar of honey. I thought I could take this opportunity to clean it up. ¡°Your Highness, so what happened was¡­¡­.¡± Christian, who came close to the carriage through the crowd, tried to say what he had to say without being rude again. As I jumped out of the carriage, listening to Christian¡¯s words, I unfolded my wrinkled skirt. Then she put her fingertips on her lips and tilted her head slightly. The movement was cute and lovely like movements of a little bird that drew attention¨C ¡°Yes, I see. But I don¡¯t know because it¡¯s such a difficult story.¡± ¡°What?¡± This is hard? Gehan looked dazed, doubting his ears. The situation was simple. It was a simple request. All she had to do was come out and say ¡®Ahem¡¯ and give him power by putting up the status of the imperial princess. But what¡¯s so hard about that? ¡°Excuse me, Princess.¡± Gehan was frustrated, but he tried to tell this stupid girl his demands again. Gehan was actually the nephew of a relative of the son of the emperor¡¯s cousin¡¯s sister. He is related to his precious blood, so he even took such a great position. He¡¯s in charge of food transport! The 36-year-old Gehan, who had been eating and playing at home all the time, was very excited about his first mission. ¡®If I give the Northern Navy guys a hard time, I might be able to take on more similar jobs.¡¯ Gehan, who wanted to solidify his position in the future, raised his wild boar-like voice and made a loud noise. Most women get scared when he comes out like this. ¡°You may not know much, but according to Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°But I do? I know this. Who are you to insult my husband¡¯s army?¡± But I was one step ahead of Gehan. I pouted my lips and whined. ¡°And how dare you speak of His Majesty, the Great Emperor in your own right? If you don¡¯t honor and respect His Majesty, then I don¡¯t respect you. ¡°What? When did I do that¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a brute as you. I¡¯m disappointed.¡± ¡°?!¡± ¡°Just looking at your face will make me hate you. I don¡¯t want to take you home. Pack your bags and go back to the palace right now!¡± As every word I said continued, the expression of the knights sent by the first prince hardened. In fact, this is not wrong. If you take a closer look at what Gehan just said, it¡¯s true that he borrowed the emperor¡¯s power. Gehan, whose face turned red, came forward breathing hard as he sensed that the atmosphere around him was unusual. ¡°What do you mean, princess? What a ridiculous setup!¡± ¡°No way, are you talking back to me?¡± I clutched my heart pitifully as if I were genuinely shocked. Then, she gasped for a short time and performed with her whole body as if she had a seizure. ¡°I, I don¡¯t even want to see the people you work with. Everybody go back! Or¡­ or I¡¯ll write to my brother and tell him that you ignored the imperial family!¡± With a loud sound. Everyone who saw me opened their mouths wide. Among them, Christian¡¯s expression was the best. ¡°Two-faced¡­¡± Christian, who was muttering like that, closed his mouth with a start when I looked. ¡®Yeah, you should be quiet.¡¯ I walked somewhere, raising a cold wind, huffing like an angry crow. I saw someone who¡¯s dressed similar to Gehan in white and fine silk gloves and pointed at him. ¡°You, you can take charge of the food transportation instead.¡± ¡°Do you mean me?¡± ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Oh, my God, I will not disappoint! I can do it well! I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯m much better than that crab, man!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It seemed like that at first sight. Then you take it.¡± ¡°I see. You¡¯re so smart, princess!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know your name, but you¡¯re responsible for making that ugly fellow disappear.¡± I gave a cool command until the end, and my eyes glared as if to fulfill my order quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I am! Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Hey, Gehan! Didn¡¯t you hear her Highness, the Imperial Princess? She told me I look better in charge!¡± The two, who were quarreling, eventually grabbed each other by the collar. ¡®All right, it¡¯s going as planned.¡¯ It¡¯s sad to think that I¡¯ve been wandering around for the past few days and just handed out honey tea. I observed the relationship between people. Who doesn¡¯t like who, which two are rivals, etc. One of my few personal belongings, a jewel pin¡­ The top priority was to analyze the surrounding relationship. I mean, this is the result. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something interesting going on here.¡± It was then. ¡°How dare you act like that!¡± Chapter 10 Sebastian stood next to me when he arrived. When he opened his eyes wide, Sebastian bowed mischievously. ¡°Good morning, Princess. My name is Major General Sebastian Dessen, a senior Northern Navy officer. You can think of me as a distribution manager.¡± ¡°Oh, nice to meet you.¡± ¡°May I clean up this mess for you?¡± There was a clear interest in the olive-colored eyes that asked that. ¡®It¡¯s time to wrap things up, so I¡¯d be happy if Sebastian gave it to me. Nice to meet you, Sevi. Long time no see.¡¯ As soon as she nodded her head, greeting only inwardly, Sebastian intervened in the brawl. Then, he immediately grabs the back of the men and throws them on the floor. Judging from the fact that there are quite a few deputies, it seems that it was Sebastian¡¯s order to send half of the food in advance and load it. I was having fun watching it, then there was a deep shadow over my head. As always, there¡¯s no need to even look back. Because I knew who the man behind me was. ¡°It¡¯s not a sight for the Imperial Princess.¡± Northern Navy soldiers, who were watching it as well around them, were surprised and saluted with calm voices. Ernst¡¯s glance towards them seemed to be in the mood for a big scolding, so I quickly stepped in. ¡°The soldiers protected me, so I wasn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not, it¡¯s real. As soon as I confronted Gehan, some soldiers crept up on me. So if Gehan tried to harm me, they were in a place where they could block him. Judging by the fact that Sgt. James Wynn was among them, they all seem to have had a cup of honey tea from me. ¡®The knights sent by the first prince are still standing there.¡¯ That was a striking difference. If you had eyes and sense, you would have noticed. The first prince¡¯s knights had no intention of protecting the imperial princess. ¡°Nevertheless, it was wrong to have the Imperial Princess be in the middle of the disturbance instead of taking her right away. I¡¯d like to serve you.¡± Narrowing his brow, he looked at my condition and spoke clearly so that everyone could hear me. ¡®So the fuss, I¡¯m the one who caused it, so it¡¯s awkward.¡¯ I didn¡¯t move as if my legs were rooted despite Ernst¡¯s move to guide me. ¡°Princess?¡± Come to think of it, Ernst called her Princess from beginning to end. They don¡¯t even call me by my name. At least we have to be sure we¡¯re on the same side to bridge this gap. ¡°No, I won¡¯t move a step until the culprit is in front of me!¡± As I insisted, all the eyes at the table went to Gehan and caught him. Disgust, irritation, anger. And then there¡¯s a little ridicule. In an instant, Gehan, who became funny, still couldn¡¯t close his open mouth. ¡°Well, the princess is very slender, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s been very shocked by this man¡¯s voice rising.¡± Then Sebastian, who was pressing down on Gehan, took my side. ¡°Right? How dare you yell at the Princess without knowing what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m going to have to punish you by beatings.¡± When he said beatings, his face turned red. Yeah, you don¡¯t want to be hurt. ¡°Your Highness, there is a misunderstanding! How could you do that to my cousin? Instead of me, my cousin!¡± It was Ernst who stopped Gehan, who was crawling desperately to me. Holding the sword on his waist, he pressed it on the back of the hand of Gehan, who was trying to hold my ankle with it. ¡°Argh!¡± Gehan rolled around, Ernst completely cut him off with his broad back and ordered him coldly. ¡°Follow the instructions of Her Majesty the Imperial Princess. The head of food transportation will be changed and the former head as well as all the servants who have followed the management of current supplies will be dissolved.¡± ¡°No way!¡± He dreamed of a bright future, but in a moment, Gehan, who was taken away, cried. A roughly satisfactory ending¡­It was. ¡°Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Oh, get out of my way! I¡¯m the maid of honor, Your Highness!¡± Sonya emerged through a crowd of soldiers. It wasn¡¯t an action that was told beforehand. ¡°Gasp, gasp, I managed to get out. No, you¡¯re just letting that shameless guy go?! No way!¡± Sonya, whose face was red like an apple, took off the towel on her head with a huff. Then she walked proudly like a beast¡­ I think she¡¯s going to beat up Gehan with that. ¡°Give me my princess¡¯ hairpin! There¡¯s no one in the world who eats a honey jar with an emerald hairpin!¡± Ah, how can you be so amazing? I quickly covered my mouth with both hands to block the rising corners of my mouth. The hairpin, if you get it back, I¡¯ll give it to you, Sonya. ¡°What do you mean a hairpin?¡± ¡°Tell me more about it. What hairpin? When I thought one was solved, Ernst and Sebastian asked at the same time in a new situation. Although she came running with her eyes turned upside down, Sonya slipped her shoulders as she felt pressured when two people of too high status noticed her. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it. Her Majesty asked me to make honey tea because the night air was chilly.¡± ¡°For whom?¡± ¡°To the¡­ soldiers. There! That person drank it, that person had it, too! Oh man, all the regulars are here.¡± Sonya, who was looking around, pointed to Sergeant James with her eyes shining. Sergeant James immediately saluted the eyes that meant whether it was true. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Your Highness has been gracious to me. The maid made honey tea every time and gave it to me.¡± ¡°I drank, too.¡± ¡°I also did¡­ So I got over my cold a little bit.¡± As testimony continued, Sebastian¡¯s smile became thicker. ¡°But the only way to get that honey was to ask the food transport officer to give it to you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But he won¡¯t give it to me by just asking! The princess gave me a pin with emerald on it. Every day.¡± As soon as Sonya¡¯s words were over, silence prevailed, and not excitement. ¡®I¡¯m sure everyone has a lot on their mind.¡¯ The story of a princess who takes her personal fortune and distributes honey tea to the soldiers? It can¡¯t exist in the world. If the sane princess had done it, everyone would have thought it was a trick to win favor. But it¡¯s Peony, you know? ¡°What we drank was so expensive¡­.¡± ¡°Ah! Jewels are jewels, but the Princess¡¯ heart is¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, she doesn¡¯t know the world, so she¡¯s not going to cheat¡­¡± In an instant, I became a person who was kind-hearted but soft and innocent and was perfect for being eaten. I smiled happily. Of course, with my face covered. ¡°Fact-checking comes first. Major Belmer.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Bring this man¡¯s luggage with one of the Prince¡¯s knights. Let¡¯s search in front of everyone.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± After a while. Gehan was sentenced on various charges. ¡°Even though the food provided by the Emperor is now owned by the Northern Navy, he is guilty of extorting unfair profits by claiming to be in charge of the food¡¯s transportation, so we hereby sentence you to walk home by foot!¡± With Sebastian¡¯s lively cry, the case for the head of food transportation was concluded. Of course, I was half forced into the carriage by Ernst before the beatings were carried out. ¡°Did you know that? Or you know nothing, and it¡¯s all just a coincidence.¡± Holding the carriage¡¯s doorway, Ernst quietly spoke. It was so low, it was a horrifying voice. ¡°It was a pretty good tactic to put someone who was competing with the person in the same position.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± A perfect line Don¡¯t do anything. Because you want someone who does nothing. I know, it is not difficult to understand. ¡®But ¡­.¡¯ I wanted to tell him I¡¯m not an idiot. She held that temptation, but as soon as she made eye contact with Ernst, cold reason stopped her. Not yet. See. That hatred for me, like thick smog, is deeply rooted due to his hatred of the Forces of Day. No matter what she says at this point, it¡¯s futile. ¡°Wow, were you worried about me losing money? I¡¯m happy.¡± Ernst frowned as he responded tactfully. ¡°I don¡¯t really like it, but this is the expression that comes out of my face when I don¡¯t have anything to say.¡± For example, when I was still Gabriela, I brought about ten crates of wine to test how much I could drink. When Ernst wasn¡¯t there, I called Sebastian, Br¨¹hilde, and even Guyon and told them to pour some wine and drink¡­ The expression on his face when he returned was just like this. It seemed like he was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Relax.¡± Ernst turned around, leaving me alone. I stared intently at his back as he was about to leave, wanting to see him for a little longer, but when Ernst stopped, I flinched and shifted my gaze elsewhere. ¡°¡­Still, thank you for taking care of the soldiers who were suffering from a cold.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°But if you need something next time, please tell me first. It could be dangerous.¡± The truth is, if I want to do anything in the barracks, it¡¯s right to first get permission from him as an admiral. The problem is that he wouldn¡¯t have listened to me. ¡°But my husband hates me, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Chapter 11 TL: Jaemicy Chapter 11 You don¡¯t know how I feel about spitting these words. I dared to call him ¡®husband¡¯ instead of his name, just because he had a complicated and subtle mind. Why don¡¯t you look into me? ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Ernst, who hesitated, replied like that and walked away completely from me. ¡®I¡¯m Gabriella.¡¯ I¡¯ve shouted it hundreds of times, but only my mouth stung. I grabbed my neck because my voice didn¡¯t come out. Trying to be as bright, positive, and optimistic as possible¡­. It was a little hard to be hated, too. *** We arrived at Dolton Harbor after another few days. Peony¡¯s achievements were substantial. First, she dropped the emperor¡¯s watch by a third. ¡°Yikes! What is this, you ruined my pretty dress! You¡¯re fired!¡± Deliberately bumping into the pool manager, and then letting him spill what he¡¯s holding. ¡°Did you just kick my favorite horse?¡± Or watch a horse that no one cares about, and then catch the scene and kick it out. Peony¡¯s childish atrocities were indescribable, and from one point on the Imperial Palace people whispered about her as brutal. Ernst and his closest aides thought that this situation was quite interesting. After being ready to load the ship waiting at the port, Sebastian sneaked up on Ernst, looking at the wide sea. It was to report the poll for today. ¡°Well, the princess is a little unique. We can¡¯t deny that this is a situation that has benefited us.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that the princess only picks out those who come from the emperor¡¯s side. Thanks to her, we¡¯ve halved the number of people from the previous 300.¡± At this point, it is fortunate enough for those who were kicked out at the beginning of the journey. Those who look like they¡¯re going back now will have to go through the long road without a penny for travel expenses. Therefore, there was a favorable atmosphere for the imperial princess among the Northern Navy. Penoy did not openly side with the Northern Navy, but as a result, it was, and it was also because the people from the Forces of Day were red and blue and could not answer and were driven out. That didn¡¯t mean that the imperial princess was neglecting all the people from the royal family. Rather, it was as good as picking and filling people who would be loyal to her, but the current situation was free from the worst number that everyone in the Northern Navy imagined. Bright pink hair like peony, white skin. Peony, who always smiles with her interlocutory face, had a special feeling that her presence cheered others up. In addition, she treated everyone with gentle words and a cautious attitude, and public opinion didn¡¯t worsen. Rather, it was said that she was sincere even to one soldier. ¡°It¡¯s because the superiors are rolling over writers who they can¡¯t handle¡­ It¡¯s like drinking a cold beer in one gulp, right?¡± What¡¯s surprising is that even Sebastian has turned to favor Peony. Ernst still laughed at the men walking around Peony¡¯s carriage. ¡°Well, is she well?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s frustrated in a small place.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel uncomfortable?¡± It¡¯s a sight to see the big guys flatter. I ordered a break while they were loading the ship, but they couldn¡¯t wait to be near Peony¡¯s carriage. They often visited, and now the maid of the Imperial Princess has even kicked out the soldiers. ¡°Oh, go away! Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Well, then. You need to rest well. If you need anything, please let me know!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! It¡¯s done!¡± Peony remained motionless in the carriage while the maid made a shoo-shoo gesture. Ernst narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± If I had known about the Imperial Princess for a few days, it was that she was able to hang out with ordinary soldiers without any qualms. That is frankly nonsense. All the way to the port of Dalton, he saw the third prince. HE took care of all his meals and slept separately to the point where I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s alive. It was like that for most of the royal family. Those who do not want to mingle with the lower nobility, let alone the soldiers. Those who consider themselves to be standing in the sky. Isn¡¯t it the basic idea of the royal family to think that those who live on the ground are close? But Peony was an idiot, so she¡¯s able to talk to anyone well. Laughing a lot, being friendly. I heard a voice calling in front of the carriage like that, but it was not enough not to open a window. ¡°Do you care?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s sick. Check her condition by giving her some flowers.¡± ¡°Where did all the people who said they didn¡¯t like this marriage go?¡± To be honest, Ernst didn¡¯t know Peony would melt the boundaries of the North Sea this far. This was completely out of the question. Something I never thought of. Sebastian nudged Ernst in the back. ¡°No, well, more than anything else, it¡¯s time to meet with the Extreme Night Disease Research team sent by the imperial family. Her Highness must leave then.¡± A research group on extreme night disease. It can be said to be the most important part of the conditions of this harmonious marriage. Originally, the imperial family and the Grand Duke of Eques have continued to coexist by providing what is not on the other side, apart from their appreciation for each other. In the territory of Day, the land is rich and sunny therefore there are produce such as grains, fruits, flowers, and herbs. On the other hand, there is little food for survival in the land of Night, but fortunately, there was something called mana stone. It is a necessary material for the study of the special and rare people called wizards, and the seabed of Eques has it buried in abundance, enough for the next 1,000 years. If exchanging the two was enough, there would be no reason for the situation to be complicated, but unfortunately, food was not the only thing missing in Eques. ¡°The military doctor had asked me to send a specialist in good faith, but¡­ Now that¡¯s come true.¡± Sebastian, who was staring at Peony¡¯s carriage that was closed and wouldn¡¯t open, murmured softly. In a tacit affirmation, Ernst recalled the existing deal clause between the two camps. It was a total of six clauses. [Article 1. Exchange 1 box of mana stone with 50 bags of wheat or other equivalent grain or fruit] [Article 2. A military doctor must be appointed only among specialists who voluntarily request service. In the case of general goodwill, it is agreed that 50 trainees who have graduated from the Imperial College of Medicine will be sent every five years. The training doctor will work at Eques for three years.] [Article 3, the Imperial Trade Ship to the Kingdom of Shulak will be protected by the Eques fleet, and if it returns safely, we will provide the same amount of light grass depending on trade gains] It¡¯s all unfair trade that¡¯s in the interests of the imperial family. Eques also needed a doctor, of course. The problem was that specialists who went through a hard training process did not want to come to the barren Northern Sea. No matter how good the conditions are, no one responds. In the end, they had to rely on the training that the royal family sent every five years, and they returned to the land of the day without fail at the end of their working period. It was safe to assume that there was no one left. ¡®However, the situation has changed due to the arranged marriage with the imperial princess.¡¯ Ernst was able to recall the conditions of the marriage without a single mistake by closing his eyes. The things that were so desperate were solved at once to a suspicious degree. [Article 1, 1 box of mana stone and 100 units of wheat or other equivalent grain or fruit shall be exchanged.] They provided more food per box of mana stone. [Article 2. A military doctor must be appointed only among specialists who voluntarily request service. However, in the case of general goodwill, it is agreed to send 10 specialists every five years.] However, the second article was shocking enough. The difference between a trainee and a specialist is enormous. A trainee is not qualified to teach anyone, but a specialist could have a pupil. There is hope that if they do well, they may be able to open a medical school in Eques. But that wasn¡¯t the end. [Article 3, if you do not divorce for the next five years, 10 tons of light grass will be provided every year regardless of trade gains.] The Imperial Princess will not know what this means to the North Sea. Therefore, it was possible to overlook the 4th and 5th article that the imperial family strongly insisted on. [Article 4. If a child is born between the two and Hwacheon bears fruit, 500 tons of light grass will be provided to celebrate.] [Article 5. You must join at least once a week.] That¡¯s good. Since she, Gabriella left. He hasn¡¯t had anything to do with any woman. It will continue to be the case. I had no intention of sanctioning the imperial princess for having a separate lover. She could fill the eastern annex with expensive things so that she can enjoy the luxury of the palace. It doesn¡¯t matter if she buys new furniture every year and completely changes the interior decoration. He won¡¯t be able to be her husband. I tried to make amends for her. When they join, they will simply share a room for just one day. Even if the princess hears something from somewhere and asks for a marital relationship, ¡®Just say it can¡¯t function.¡¯ Of course, there was no serious medical ¡®problem¡¯ with his function.