Chapter 8
Ian could feel someone’s gaze fixed on the hand he was holding.
One… two.
Not just one—two people were staring.
Normally he would have easily ignored such disrespectful looks from people who didn’t know their place. But this time, the target of those looks wasn’t him.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
Elena had been concentrating on walking carefully so she wouldn’t step on the hem of her dress when Ian’s gentle voice reached her ears.
At the warm tone, she unconsciously looked up and met his eyes.
At that exact moment, the hand holding hers suddenly tightened with strong force.
“Your Grace?”
“…Ah, I’m sorry. Please sit.”
Ignoring the servant who was about to pull out the chair, Ian did it himself.
He carefully helped the slightly dazed Elena sit down, then took the seat beside her.
“It makes me very happy to see how much our Grand Duke cherishes his wife.”
“She is my only wife. Of course I should cherish her.”
“I heard many noble ladies in the Empire desired the Grand Duke. I can see why.”
“You flatter me. I also heard that when the Grand Duchess was a princess, many young men admired her.”
At the conversation between the king and Ian, goosebumps ran down Elena’s back.
She wasn’t sure why, but Ian’s voice seemed cold.
What made him angry? What was wrong?
“Come to think of it, one of those young men is here today. When the Grand Duchess was still a princess, her former fiancé loved her very much. Isn’t that right, Count Müller?”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Ian turned his head toward the voice.
Tall, handsome.
Black hair and bright blue eyes.
Compared to Ian, he looked gentle and refined.
Under the table, Ian quietly clenched his fist.
“How long did you like our princess, Count?”
“Your Highness, how could I speak carelessly when the Grand Duke is present? Please forgive me for not answering.”
“The Grand Duke is generous. I’m sure he won’t mind. Isn’t that right, Grand Duke?”
Elena glanced between Ian, the king, and Count Müller, who stood stiffly.
Lucas Müller.
They had been friends since attending the Royal Academy together. His father had died early, so he had inherited the title before even having a proper ceremony.
And they had almost been married.
If the king hadn’t offered Elena as a tribute to the Grand Duke.
“Of course I don’t mind. I would like to hear the story slowly another time. But right now, I believe the Grand Duchess must be hungry, so I’d prefer to begin the meal.”
“Ah, I see. Our princess—no, the Grand Duchess must be hungry. Let’s eat first.”
“…”
“Bring in the dinner!”
Thanks to Ian smoothly using Elena as an excuse, the tense atmosphere eased.
“Th-thank you, Your Grace.”
“…”
Elena thanked him quietly, but Ian didn’t respond.
Confused, she looked at him.
But he wasn’t looking at her.
“…?”
She followed his gaze.
Lucas.
Lucas was staring right back at Ian without looking away.
The banquet hall was cheerful, but around those two men, the air felt cold.
***
Why?
What made him angry this time?
Elena couldn’t understand.
The soup she swallowed felt like hot lava going down her throat.
She wondered how she could calm Ian down, but she couldn’t think of anything.
“…Ha…”
Of course.
There was no way she could understand Ian’s heart.
She probably never had the ability to calm his anger.
After all, she was the one who ruined his life.
Maybe Helena could calm him.
But not her.
The food she forced herself to swallow made her feel sick.
She wanted to throw up, but she couldn’t.
So she just kept slowly eating spoonfuls of soup.
Soon the soup was finished, and the main dish arrived.
It was a steak made from female reindeer—something Elena had never even eaten when she lived in Wales.
“I’ll cut it for you.”
As Elena stared blankly at the steaming dish, Ian took her plate.
At that moment, everyone’s attention turned toward them.
Feeling all those eyes suddenly on her, Elena began to tremble.
It felt like everyone was judging her.
That seat isn’t yours.
You don’t belong beside him.
You’re not fit to be the Grand Duchess.
It felt like everyone was accusing her.
Elena bit the inside of her mouth hard.
Soon she tasted blood, but she didn’t stop.
When she was extremely anxious as a child, she had developed this habit.
She tried to stop. She tried to calm herself.
But it didn’t work.
“Elena?”
Clink.
The plate was set back in front of her.
The steak had been cut into small pieces.
But seeing the bloody meat made her nausea unbearable.
Elena suddenly stood up and bowed her head.
“I-I’ll step away for a moment.”
“Elena.”
Ignoring Ian calling her, she quickly left the banquet hall.
She almost ran down the stairs until she reached a dark empty hallway.
Only then could she breathe.
Haa… haa…
Her heavy breathing echoed through the empty corridor.
“Elena.”
“!”
Startled, Elena turned around.
Lucas was standing there.
Not Ian.
She felt both relieved and disappointed.
But the comfort of seeing someone familiar was stronger.
“Are you okay? Can you breathe?”
“Yeah… I’m okay, Lucas.”
“Have you been well? Your… husband, the Grand Duke… does he treat you well?”
“Mm… I’m fine. Why did you come out? Don’t worry about me. Go back inside.”
“How could I not come after seeing you leave like that?”
Then what about Ian, who hadn’t come?
Did he really think of her as his wife?
Lost in thought, Elena gave Lucas a small smile.
“Have you been well? I’m sorry our engagement ended like that.”
“That wasn’t your fault. The king decided it, not you.”
“Still…”
“Elena.”
Lucas stepped closer.
Although they had once been engaged, she hadn’t seen him for a long time.
Now his presence felt overwhelming.
Standing under the moonlight, walking slowly toward her, Lucas was no longer the boy she had parted with.
He was a grown man.
“…”
Why was she only realizing this now?
Lucas was a man too.
The unfamiliar feeling made Elena tense.
The person in front of her felt like a stranger.
“Lucas?”
“Elena.”
His voice was deeper than she remembered.
His body bigger.
Even the hand reaching toward her felt unfamiliar.
It felt like the childhood friend she knew had disappeared.
“…”
“If being with Grand Duke Leonid is hard…”
Hearing his low voice so close to her ear made chills run down Elena’s spine.
She looked up at him.
“Elena.”
Suddenly—
“Elena.”
Ian’s voice came from behind them.
Elena flinched.
Seeing that reaction, Lucas clicked his tongue and placed his hand on Elena’s shoulder.
His lips were still near her ear.
“If you want to escape the Grand Duke… contact me.”
“…”
“No matter what it takes.”
After saying everything he wanted, Lucas stepped back and looked straight at the approaching Grand Duke.
You may have her now… but she was originally mine.
She was my woman.
He forced himself not to say it out loud.
“My wife. The king is looking for you.”
“…You could have sent a servant…”
“She’s my wife. I should come myself. It didn’t take long anyway.”
“…”
“Please go to the king. It seems you have things to discuss as father and daughter.”
“Yes.”
Elena hurried away down the hallway, lifting her dress as she went.
Soon she disappeared.
The dark hallway remained.
Only a few candles flickered in the breeze.
“…”
“…”
The two men stared at each other silently for a long time.
Lucas finally spoke first.
“I was simply greeting the princess after a long time. Please don’t worry.”
“You suggested the Grand Duchess run away. That’s quite bold of you, Count.”
“…I wasn’t speaking to the Grand Duchess. I was speaking to my old friend and former fiancée—Princess Elena.”
“That Princess Elena who was your old friend and former fiancée is now my wife.”
“…”
“Your foolish feelings should end there.”
Ian’s icy words made Lucas stiffen.
He couldn’t give up.
When he heard that the cruel and useless king had dragged the princess to the commander’s camp, he rushed there—but it was already too late.
Just a few days later he had planned to send a marriage proposal to the king.
He was going to ask for the king’s precious daughter and promise to love and cherish her forever.
But that hope shattered.
Servants said Elena had been dragged away by the king, her face pale, unable to say anything.
“Elena! Please, Elena…!”
That night the moon was hidden behind thick clouds.
Lucas rode his horse desperately toward the commander’s camp.
But at the border, the king’s soldiers stopped him.
Even though Elena—crying in despair—was just nearby, he couldn’t reach her.
“The king is returning!”
Soldiers shouted.
The king appeared before Lucas.
But Elena was nowhere beside him.
“Your Majesty! How could you—how could you do this?!”
“That bastard princess has lived far above her place for long enough. She should be grateful it only cost her this much.”
“Your Majesty!”
“One body is a cheap price to preserve a country.”
“Your Majesty, please! We must bring the princess back!”
“Count Müller.”
“Your Majesty… please… the princess…”
Kneeling in the mud, begging desperately, Lucas looked up.
The king simply smiled widely.
He looked relieved—as if he had finally gotten rid of a thorn in his side.
It made Lucas sick.
The king was treating his own daughter like this.
“Count Müller. My condolences for losing your fiancée.”
“…”
“Forget that illegitimate princess. Why not become the husband of our First Princess instead?”
