Chapter 21
Greta, who had been holding Elliana’s shoulders, Mia, who had spent so much time with her, and even Kaylen—all widened their eyes at Elliana’s words.
Elliana stormed out of the room, not caring whether people were staring at her.
As she crossed the doorway, she thought she faintly heard someone mutter “crazy bastard,” but she wasn’t sure.
Once she disappeared, a short silence followed.
Mia was sweating nervously because of the sudden situation and the swear word her lady had just thrown out.
“Keep quiet about everything that happened today. And make sure the other servants keep their mouths shut too.”
The butler standing behind them bowed deeply.
Leaving only that instruction, Kaylen stepped out of the couple’s bedroom.
There was only one person who would do something like this. He thought that after reaching adulthood, that person might at least stop with childish tricks—if nothing else, he might send assassins instead… but this?
The black eagle was a symbol of the Empire, a bird strictly protected by the imperial family. It was so precious that owning one without imperial permission was forbidden by law. And this one was a wedding gift from the Empress—yet the Crown Prince had done something so disgraceful…
Annoyance surged up inside him. Kaylen ran a rough hand through his hair and headed to the bathroom.
The water in the tub had already cooled. When he turned the faucet for hot water irritably, steaming water began pouring out.
Watching the warm steam rise, he unbuttoned his clothes one by one.
When the temperature felt right, Kaylen slowly lowered himself into the tub.
He should’ve just sent assassins. This was turning into a much bigger inconvenience.
Kaylen leaned his head back with a sigh.
He had already warned Caspian to increase security when Ferdinand’s “gift” had clearly declared war. He had assumed it would be something like assassins being sent. He hadn’t expected something so childish.
Ironically, tricks like this were even more troublesome.
Servants had to be silenced, apologies and expensive gifts needed to be sent to the Empress, and they still had to prepare to leave for the new territory tomorrow. Now he had one more mess to deal with.
On the rippling surface, Kaylen’s green eyes twisted in anger.
He took a deep breath and submerged himself fully under the water. From beneath the surface, the world looked like a different place.
As a child, the water had felt safe. He couldn’t hear the Empress’s sharp, cutting words or see Ferdinand’s cold, disgusted eyes when he was underwater.
He had spent a long time submerged back then, holding his breath until his jaw hurt.
“Puh—”
Kaylen finally came up for air, breathing roughly. He pushed back his wet hair.
Now he knew. He couldn’t keep running away forever.
This unexpected marriage—he decided to think of it as an opportunity.
A chance to make the Empress and his half-brother, who were desperate to kill him, drop their guard. A chance to stab them in the back when the time came.
He had been busier than ever, planning quietly outside the capital.
Thinking of the woman who had brought him this opportunity, Kaylen let out a small, empty laugh without meaning to.
He had thought the scream he heard earlier was Elliana’s. He had expected trembling and crying, saying she regretted the marriage.
But instead—
“Thanks for the wedding gift, you XX.”
He hadn’t expected that.
From the moment he first met her until now, Elliana was a woman unlike anyone he’d ever encountered. She always acted outside the range of what he expected.
She had even put on his wedding shoe herself, then knelt and asked him to trust her, swearing with a kiss—plus that ridiculous wink.
People across the Empire knew exactly what Kaylen’s position within the imperial family was, so she must have known too. But hearing it through rumors and facing it in person were completely different things.
Compared to the things Kaylen had endured, today’s disgusting “gift” from Ferdinand was almost cute.
And yet… he felt that maybe she would be fine.
She clenched her fists to endure the Empress’s rudeness. She saw the bloody bridal chamber and cursed boldly.
Maybe… she could handle it.
Knock, knock.
At the sound, all the thoughts wrapped around Kaylen vanished instantly.
“My lord.”
“Come in.”
With permission, the butler carefully stepped inside.
“As you ordered, we silenced the servants and removed the black eagle’s body.”
Kaylen nodded and rose from the tub. The butler, who had served him for many years, helped him into the robe hanging on the partition.
As Kaylen tied the sash, he asked:
“And the Grand Duchess?”
“They are cleaning the bedroom, but it would be impossible to use it tonight. So I guided her to the biggest and nicest guest room. I will guide you there as well.”
Kaylen nodded and dried his hair with a towel.
After changing into sleepwear, he followed the butler toward the guest room. Fatigue was finally hitting him.
Facing the Emperor, Empress, and Ferdinand all at once had been exhausting. He wanted nothing more than to sleep—but he still had work left.
The first night.
Kaylen sighed without realizing it. The butler stopped walking.
“Well then, have a good night.”
Standing before the guest room, the butler bowed politely and smiled kindly, like watching a child he’d known since young finally become an adult.
If Kaylen didn’t enter first, the butler would keep standing there. Letting out another sigh, Kaylen grabbed the doorknob and turned it.
The room flickered with a warm orange light. The torphaz lanterns were turned off; only candles lit the room with a faint floral scent.
It was obvious the decorations had been done in a hurry. Compared to the couple’s original bedroom, this guest room was smaller and plainer. Even the bed was small.
Kaylen cleared his throat when he saw a small figure curled up under the blankets on that small bed.
She must have heard the door. He even made noise on purpose. But Elliana didn’t move at all.
No way…
Kaylen approached cautiously, scanning the room. That’s when he noticed an empty wine glass on the table—and the sound of soft breathing.
“…Ha.”
He let out a short laugh and walked toward the bed.
Elliana’s face was sticking out from the blankets. She was fast asleep, the red candlelight flickering gently across her features.
Kaylen hadn’t planned to consummate the marriage. Clearly, she hadn’t either.
If she had, she wouldn’t be sleeping so deeply she wouldn’t notice someone carrying her away. He felt ridiculous for hesitating to enter the room a moment ago.
He poured himself a drink from the bottle on the table.
After taking a sip, he glanced at her again.
“…Seriously.”
Even men found this drink too strong.
Shaking his head lightly, he downed the rest of the glass in one go and took off his robe. Walking around the bed, he lay down on the opposite side. Another quiet puff of laughter slipped from him.
Her sleeping face looked almost silly. And without her usual variety of expressions, she looked different—much younger, much more fragile.
Only Elliana’s soft, purring breaths filled the silent room. So Kaylen’s laugh sounded too loud.
Startled by his own sound, he touched his lips awkwardly and turned away.
Her chest rose and fell steadily. Hearing her calm breathing, Kaylen finally closed his eyes.
For the first time in a long while, he fell into a deep sleep.
On the fourth day after the wedding, the Lampert Grand Duchy was busy from early morning.
Today was the day they would leave for the territory granted by the Emperor. Ten hours by train, then several more hours by carriage without rest.
They were originally supposed to depart the day after the ceremony, but thanks to Ferdinand’s outrageous “wedding gift,” the schedule was delayed. Only now could they finally set out for the new duchy.
It seemed Dillon had suffered the most while cleaning up the Crown Prince’s mess.
Mia said that late at night, she almost cried when she saw Dillon in the dark kitchen trying to fill his empty stomach, while the cook complained, rubbing his round belly.
Of course, the cook was a man, so no one was actually going to have a baby.
The schedule was long and there was much to prepare, but since this was Kaylen’s first visit to the territory as the new Grand Duke, they would need to stay there for quite a while. That meant fewer servants could go with them, making everyone even busier.
“Everything is loaded, my lady.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I tucked the book I’d been reading under my arm and stood up. From today onward, the operation to “turn the male lead into an emperor” would officially begin.
With a determined heart, I stepped out of the mansion.
