11.
“Is that what you want? Is that enough for you? Becoming my wife?”
“Yes.”
“You might come to regret it.”
Just like I’ve regretted every moment.
You might regret this decision, this very moment. You will regret it.
Argent hoped she would take back her words. That’s why he asked again and again.
“I never will.”
“Certainty is dangerous.”
“I believe in the power of words.”
“The power of words…”
“You brought me here for a reason, didn’t you? You’re not some philanthropist who gave me freedom out of kindness. I know there’s a purpose. I might not be of much use, but I’ll do what you want. So just make this a fair deal.”
A deal.
He liked her audacity.
But flowers placed prettily in a vase eventually wilt. This time, he didn’t want that to happen—so he stared at her intently.
Now, there was no way to stop her.
If anything, if he kept hiding his intentions and continued to be kind without reason, someone with her personality would only grow suspicious.
No—though he tried to make excuses, his true nature, the one that didn’t want to lose her, finally pushed him to speak.
“So be it.”
“Good. Then tell me—what is it that you want from me? What was your real reason for bringing me here?”
My goal is for you to live. That’s all that matters, Free.
That’s enough.
“Well, if I had to say… I’m in a rather annoying position right now.”
“Annoying?”
“A healthy ruler, an emperor no less, refusing to marry or even get engaged—of course, the bureaucrats are pestering me. So I was going to make you my wife. Honestly, it didn’t matter which princess it was.”
“Then why—if you brought me here to be your wife—did you say you wouldn’t do anything about it?”
“Because that sounded annoying too. I figured if I just brought in a woman of appropriate age to the palace, even without naming her empress, the bureaucrats would stop nagging me. So I gave up on marriage. But if you want it that much, I’ll do it.”
Despite his absurd reasoning, Free didn’t argue back.
‘Something feels off… but right now, surviving is my priority. If I can be acknowledged as his wife—’
The people here were kind.
They’d only met a day ago, but they already seemed far better than those of the Ezan Kingdom.
More than that, compared to becoming the concubine of some old man, being his wife wasn’t a bad deal at all.
“Alright. Then is there anything you want from me?”
“Hmm. I haven’t really thought about it. So, nothing at the moment.”
“I see…”
Seeing her downcast expression, Argent looked up for a moment.
He didn’t want to see her face like that. He wanted it to always be filled with bright smiles.
“As my wife, you should act like one. From now on, we’ll eat together at this time every day. And since it’s what you want, I’ll make it official. I hate unnecessary fuss, so there won’t be a wedding.”
“Sounds good.”
He had wanted to give her the most splendid wedding imaginable—but this, too, was for her.
He was afraid someone might recognize her. That the title of his wife might trap her even after she escaped him.
Everything required caution, everything was a source of worry.
Just like how her personality had changed, the situation could always shift dramatically.
“If you understand, let’s end the meal here.”
Like always, as if perpetually annoyed, Argent left those words behind and abruptly walked out.
Left alone in the dining room, Free tapped the pudding in front of her with a spoon.
“I got what I wanted, but… it doesn’t feel right.”
Maybe because things went too smoothly.
Maybe because he said he wanted nothing in return.
Free didn’t feel at ease.
Just then—
“Good morning, Lady Free.”
Ian entered, smiling warmly, as if he’d been waiting for Argent to leave.
Seeing a familiar face, Free’s expression relaxed a bit.
“Ian.”
“I thought you might feel lonely drinking tea by yourself, so I came.”
“Perfect timing—I was just about to feel that way.”
Free stretched forward, yawning a little, and met his gaze.
“I’m always happy to keep you company. If you don’t mind, would you like a tour of the castle today? The courtyard is truly beautiful.”
At his words, Free put down her spoon and rose from her seat.
“That sounds nice. Would you lead the way?”
“Of course.”
The atmosphere had changed completely.
If Argent was like a dry desert or a cold block of ice, Ian was like spring.
Being with him felt like a refreshing rain after a hard, dry life. A gentle smile bloomed on Free’s face like spring rain.
“Then let’s go.”
As he offered his hand to help her up, he smiled kindly.
If Free were a free woman—if she were still a princess of the Ezan Kingdom—she could confidently say she would have fallen for Ian in an instant.
He was the only man who had ever shown her such genuine kindness.
But everything had changed. Free was no longer in a position to give her heart freely. What she felt for Ian now was closer to friendship. Her heart, strangely enough, leaned toward Argent.
‘I hate that man. But… I can’t stop thinking about him. Even his efforts to push me away… they get under my skin and drive me crazy.’
If only she could ignore him.
But somehow, he always stirred something inside her.
“Are you tired?”
“Huh? Oh, no. I was just… thinking.”
“I see… Lady Free.”
“Yes?”
“While you’re here, I hope you can just enjoy yourself without overthinking anything.”
Free quietly listened to his words and brushed her platinum hair back, tying it up.
Almost as if to show the frustrating nature of their relationship, she tied her hair tightly and swayed it from side to side as she walked with him.
“Enjoying life… is that even possible?”
“I’d like to make it possible for you. So even if it’s hard, please hang in there.”
“It’s not hard. I’ve never felt as at ease as I do right now.”
Free said what was in her heart—and after that, walked in silence for quite a while.
The clicking of her heels echoed down the hallway.
Unlike the Ezan Kingdom, the castle in Intellia didn’t seem to have many servants. Though the building itself was larger, the atmosphere gave the impression that only essential people were placed where needed.
Free followed Ian as he guided her through it for some time.
Worried she might be getting tired, he adjusted his pace to match hers and led her to places that made her wonder if it was really necessary.
After quite a while, just as she began to feel fatigued, a strong floral scent wafted through the air.
Despite being indoors, the smell was distinct and refreshing, clearing Free’s mind.
“This is the Spring Garden, made for you to hold tea parties if you’d like.”
“Indoors?”
The moment they reached the source of the fragrance, a gentle smile—like the scent of flowers—spread across Free’s face.
“Yes! It’s an indoor garden.”
Contrary to her expectation that “Spring Garden” would be outside, the room was filled with vibrant flowers. There was a balcony, but even that was sealed with a curved glass dome.
“His Majesty ordered it, saying you might catch a cold having tea outdoors.”
“Him?”
“Yes! There’s even a chaise lounge where you can read comfortably.”
Even as Ian spoke brightly, Free felt a twinge of discomfort.
He spoke with such pride, as if all this had been prepared specifically for her—but it didn’t make sense. Unless someone had come from the future, how could they have known she was coming? Ian had even said it was made for her.
“This wasn’t here before?”
“Not at all. It was created just before your arrival.”
That made it even stranger.
Why didn’t even Ian find it odd?
Free stared at him, eyes narrowed.
“For me… and no one else?”
“Yes!”
He seemed so proud—but Free only grew more suspicious.
‘It can’t be for me. Most likely it was meant for the woman who was supposed to come here… probably my sister Gaia.’
The uneasiness lingered, and Free began idly tapping around her with her hand.
“This must’ve taken a long time to build.”
“That’s right!”
“It’s almost like they knew I’d be coming.”
At that, Ian’s cheerful expression darkened slightly.
“Oh, that’s…”
“Am I the only one who finds this strange?”
Ian quickly turned around, dodging her gaze.
“Ah, I see! Haha… S-so, shall we go see another room?”
He was clearly trying to avoid the question.
In the past, Free would’ve pressed him for answers—but now, she let it go.
‘It’s not like being curious will get me answers anyway. Better not be annoying. I don’t want to be disliked.’
Even if the promise of becoming empress had offered her a bit of comfort, this was different.
People’s hearts were like reeds—always swaying. Whether by command or choice, she didn’t want to ruin things with those who were kind to her.
She just wanted to get along.
So Free kept all her questions buried and quietly followed behind him.
