6

"Duke?" My voice wavered as I stared at him, utterly confused. Why is he here? What about the party inside? What about the dance? And... why are his hands on my waist?

"Hmm? This is quite a shock. I don't think I've ever seen you react like this before, Duke Henrick." Emperor Darius's amused voice cut through my thoughts. "Don't worry, Duchess Veronica and I were merely catching up. I'll leave you two to... whatever this is." He gave me a playful smirk before sauntering away, leaving me alone with Henrick.

What the hell was that?

We both watched as the emperor walked off, neither saying a word until he disappeared from view. Only then did I realize Henrick's hand was still firmly on my waist. My body stiffened before I abruptly stepped back, creating some much-needed space.

"W-What are you doing here, Your Grace?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Why did you leave?" he countered, completely ignoring my question and throwing one of his own.

"I— I needed some air," I replied, though the words felt flimsy. Okay, technically true... but I'm not about to tell him the real reason. Not in a million years.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "What were you and the emperor talking about?"

"The emperor was simply informing me about the Empress's current condition," I said truthfully.

"And since when did the two of you get so close?" His tone sharpened, his expression unreadable.

"Pardon?" I blinked, utterly taken aback. What is this? A surprise Q&A session?

"Me and the emperor? Ew— I mean," I corrected myself hastily, "I am not in any kind of close relationship with the emperor. Far from it, Your Grace."

His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, as though he was trying to decide whether or not to believe me.

The Duke continued to scrutinize me, his eyes sharp and calculating, as if trying to determine if I was lying. Am I really going to lie now? I asked myself. There's nothing to gain from lying, especially when we're talking about the emperor—the ruler of this entire country. I'm not ambitious enough to want anything from that good-for-nothing. Honestly, I think he just sees me as a joke. Every time he looks at me, he laughs, even when nothing is funny.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the air, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself.

"Ah... Duke, you don't have to," I protested, seeing him begin to remove his coat.

"You might catch a cold, Veronica," he said, and before I could stop him, he draped the coat over my shoulders.

"T-thank you, Your Grace," I stammered, my voice faltering. I don't even need the coat, but why is it so hard to speak right now? The warmth of the coat only seemed to make my face heat up, especially when he said my name. This was the first time he had called me by my name, and I couldn't stop the flush that spread across my cheeks.

I quickly turned my face away, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Slap!

In an attempt to shake myself out of my thoughts, I slapped my own face. Duke Henrick looked at me in surprise. "Why did you slap yourself?"

"Ah, it's n-nothing," I muttered, trying to laugh it off. Just needed to snap myself out of it.

No more lingering feelings. You've moved on. You don't have feelings for this man anymore, Veronica.

I repeated those words in my head, over and over. This mantra had been my lifeline for the past three years.

So what if he called my name? It's not a big deal. And for the second time, the Duke gave me a weird look. I know, it might seem strange, but I'm actually normal.

"Let's head back inside," he said, his voice calm.

"Actually, Your Grace..." I raised my right hand to speak, but then immediately lowered it as I realized what I was doing. Is this some kind of recitation?

"What is it?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"I was going to ask if I could go home now since I'm not feeling well," I replied. It's probably fine for me to leave early. This party isn't really for me anyway. Whether I'm here or not doesn't matter.

The Duke paused for a moment, as if thinking about it. What's there to think about? "Fine," he agreed, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of victory. Yes! I'm finally going home.

"Aah!" Suddenly, the Duke scooped me up into his arms. "What are you doing? Wait, Your Grace?" I said, my heart racing as he began walking without hesitation.

"We're going home, just like you said," he replied, but I quickly realized I was the only one going home.

"But—" Wait! Why are you going back into the banquet hall? "Your Grace, could you please put me down?" I asked, feeling panic rise as we entered the hall, and all eyes turned to us.

I just know they'll think I'm making a scene, trying to draw attention. More importantly, this is so embarrassing. "Your Grace?" I pleaded again. "Please, put me down."

"Stay still. You're not feeling well," he said, as though his previous words were an excuse. All I could do was bury my face in my hands, hoping no one would notice how red it was from the humiliation.

What's wrong with you? Why are you like this?!

He carried me all the way to the carriage. I had planned to go back on my own, but what happened? I could only scratch my head and turn my eyes to the window. But to be honest, I had no more energy left. I leaned my head against the side of the carriage and closed my eyes. This is going to be a long ride again.

---

"... Congratulations on winning the war, Your Grace. Blah...blah...blah," Duke Henrick, already growing irritated as people continued to approach him.

Nosy people, he thought, his patience thinning. He ignored the conversations around him and scanned the crowd, searching for the Duchess. After a moment, he spotted her in a corner, sitting alone. He started moving toward her, but as he took a step, some of the war participants greeted him.

It wasn't until the priestess from the church arrived that he was finally unable to reach the Duchess.

"Good evening, Your Grace, The Duke of Audovera," Irene greeted him, her voice sweet and serene.

"Good evening, Priestess," he replied, keeping the exchange short and casual. It wasn't anything special, but to the onlookers, it seemed significant.

As the music started, people began whispering, their expectations rising. They wanted to see the Duke and the Priestess dance. Though reluctant, the Duke asked Irene for a dance, reasoning that it was just part of his duties as a war hero.

While they danced, the Duke's eyes drifted to the Duchess, who was watching them from the corner. He was a bit surprised to see her smiling, though it seemed like a distant, almost melancholic smile compared to her usual sharp reactions. Their eyes met for a moment, and the Duke noticed a subtle shift in her expression—a mixture of emotions he couldn't quite read—before she turned and left the banquet hall.

It left him feeling unsettled.

"Follow her, Your Grace," Irene's voice broke through the Duke's thoughts. He turned to her, confused, and she repeated, "Follow the Duchess, Your Grace."

Without hesitating, Duke Henrick immediately turned and headed for the door, intent on finding Veronica. His steps were quick, his mind preoccupied.

It took him longer than he expected to find her, weaving through the crowds, but when he finally spotted her, he was surprised by the sight that greeted him. Veronica wasn't alone—she was with the emperor. A knot twisted in his stomach at the sight of the two of them together, an uncomfortable feeling creeping over him.

His instincts kicked in, and without thinking, he approached them. The moment he was close enough, he reached out, pulling Veronica away from the emperor with an authoritative grip.

As he did, a surge of something unfamiliar washed over him. He could feel the change within himself. Something had shifted. The Duke couldn't explain it, but the sight of Veronica with the emperor stirred something in him—a realization, or perhaps a change he couldn't yet fully comprehend.

Duke Henrick noticed that Veronica had fallen asleep during the ride in the carriage. Without making a sound, he shifted closer and gently leaned her head onto his shoulder. As he watched her sleep, a soft expression crossed his face. There was something about her peaceful slumber that made her seem even more beautiful than usual.

The carriage finally arrived at the Audovera estate, but the Duke didn't have the heart to wake her. She was sleeping so soundly, so he decided to carry her. With careful steps, he lifted Veronica from the carriage and carried her inside, not wanting to disturb her rest.

The servants stared at them in shock, their eyes wide with surprise. Even Evander stood frozen, gaping at the scene before him. The Duke paid no attention to their gazes as he carefully walked through the estate and into her room. He gently lowered Veronica onto her bed, making sure she was comfortable, then tucked her in with a soft blanket.

As he stood beside her, watching her sleep, the Duke couldn't help but whisper, "Good night, Veronica." With the lightest of touches, he kissed her forehead, a tender gesture that spoke of emotions he hadn't yet fully realized.

---

The next morning, I woke up in my room, confused. I was just in the carriage, so how did I end up here? Tsk. I don't want to think about what happened last night. It'll only stress me out.

knock-knock

"Are you awake, Duchess?" Lucy's voice came from outside my room.

"Yes, come in," I replied, and Lucy, my maid, entered, holding a basin of warm water for me.

"Good morning, Duchess. I've brought warm water," she said, setting the basin down for me to wash up. I got up and started my usual morning routine. Hmm? At least there's something for my skincare here.

After getting ready and having breakfast, I decided to take a walk outside. I chose to walk far from my room, the office, or anywhere the Duke might be.

I need to come up with a plan. I've been here for too long. Everything is set up for my divorce, except the divorce itself. Plus, I should have a letter from my father by now. I think I'll check with the butler.

As I was deep in thought, I realized I had wandered into the training grounds. That's why I could hear the clanking of swords. I should head back now. The knights are still annoyed with me. They'll probably get annoyed if they see me.

I quickly turned to leave, but just as I did, they came out. Terrible timing! Looks like they were finishing up their training. I was even more surprised when they greeted me.

"Greetings, Duchess of Audovera," they all bowed. This is so awkward. I noticed how tired they looked from the sweat dripping down their faces.

"You may rise. You've been working hard even after the war," I said, though I wondered if they had any plans to rest or take a break. They should have at least a small celebration. They were the ones who went to war and risked their lives. The nobles who only participated in the banquet had nothing to do with the war. Ugh! Now that I'm thinking about it, the banquet lost its real purpose.

"Lucy?" I called for my maid.

"Yes, Duchess?"

"Tell the head maid in the kitchen to prepare refreshments for the knights... immediately," I said, and that should be enough. I just wanted to get out of here.

"Right away, Duchess," she nodded. I was about to leave when I heard the knights thanking me. Anyway, I need to get out of here.

"Thank you, Duchess."

"As expected of the Angel of War..."

I furrowed my brows at that, but I kept walking until I was far enough away. What the heck is the Angel of War?

---

"Your Grace, here are the letters that need your immediate attention," Butler David said as he handed a stack of letters to Duke Henrick, who immediately accepted them.

The Duke's eyes fell on one particular letter still in the butler's hand. "What about that letter?"

"Ah! This is a letter from Marquis Cosimo addressed to the Duchess," David explained, momentarily pausing in his task.

"The Duchess and her father have been exchanging letters frequently for the past three years," Butler David added.

"Oh? What are they scheming now?" Evander asked, leaning forward.

"Read the letter, David," Duke Henrick ordered.

"Are you sure, Your Grace? You might be invading the Duchess's privacy. She may be upset about it," David hesitated.

"Don't make me repeat myself, David. Read the contents of the letter," Duke Henrick commanded firmly.

Reluctantly, the butler opened the letter and read it in silence. For the past three years, he'd been keeping a close watch on the Duchess, already having some suspicions about her intentions. But as he read the letter from Cosimo, his suspicions were confirmed.

"What is it, David?" Evander asked, noticing the butler's change in expression.

"It seems the Duchess is preparing for a divorce."