Chapter 67
“Don’t worry about it. I’m always on your side, no matter what. It’s not something dangerous, right?”
Despite her words, Tinya glanced over at Evelyn playfully, as if trying to read her expression.
“Yeah. It’s something I have to do. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.”
“It’s okay. I believe that when the time comes, you’ll tell me.”
“Thank you, Tinya.”
Evelyn felt reassured by the certainty in Tinya’s eyes. She trusted her maid completely—but she had promised not to tell anyone. There could be no exceptions.
Still, Evelyn soothed her guilt with the thought that, once she could reveal the truth, she’d make it up to Tinya.
To change the awkward atmosphere, she shifted the topic to Seril.
“Let Seril know I’ll visit her after morning training tomorrow.”
“Yes! She’ll be so happy to hear that.”
Tinya’s bright smile returned as she helped Evelyn change clothes.
“You’ve only just returned from the subjugation mission, and it feels like you’re already buried in work.”
“I’ve got to catch up on everything that piled up—and prepare for the party too.”
The party!
Winter in the North was brutal. Thanks to holding the wedding in the capital, Evelyn had at least been able to identify the Northern nobles. But it was still necessary to host a party at the duchy’s castle.
“Do you think I’ll do well? Have you heard any rumors about Northern society gatherings?”
It would’ve been nice if she could just focus on destroying the evil god. But reality didn’t work that way.
The evil god was, of course, a serious and terrifying issue, but it wasn’t an immediate crisis. And problems that seemed distant always gnawed away at people’s nerves, tempting them to escape from the here and now.
They distracted from what was urgent—by overwhelming the mind with what was large and looming.
‘I’d rather hole up in the ruins and focus solely on swordsmanship.’
“They say they even host duels during the party—there’s a designated space for it!”
Tinya’s eyes widened. She had heard this from others while helping prepare the event and had been just as shocked.
Duels during a party?!
“Isn’t that wild?!”
Tinya, now clearly excited, spoke in a quickened voice, all traces of melancholy gone.
“They said it’s similar to the capital in other ways. But when the duels go on for a while, it becomes like a coliseum—people drink and even place bets on who’ll win.”
Bets?
Evelyn’s eyes widened in surprise.
Was that really okay? There were dueling arenas in the capital too, but those were usually used during sword tournaments.
She had heard that commoners made bets on the outcomes, but for nobles to openly do so as well?
“So that’s why they installed a defensive magic circle under the ballroom.”
While decorating the ballroom, Sophia had called a large square formation the most important area and checked it carefully.
Evelyn had assumed it was meant for some major artwork on display. But it turned out to be the duel arena.
‘Hmm. I wonder if I can participate too?’
Not a sparring match, but a duel.
In the capital, she had never been allowed to compete in tournaments. Anytime she showed up, the other participants would withdraw or request replacements.
“Do you think I could join the duel?”
“The duel?”
Tinya gave a faint smile at her curious lady’s question.
“You’re going to make your Northern high society debut with a duel?”
“Yeah, maybe that’s a bit much.”
Seeing Tinya nod in agreement, Evelyn swallowed her disappointment.
She had wanted to see just how strong the Northern lords were.
“You must showcase your dignity and beauty as the Grand Duchess!”
Tinya’s eyes blazed with passion. She knew well that the Northern nobles hadn’t been particularly welcoming at the wedding.
Even though Evelyn had made her choice for the good of the North, some nobles still wore open expressions of caution and suspicion.
“My dignity and beauty?”
“No one is more beautiful than you, Lady Evelyn!”
“You’re probably the only one who thinks that.”
Evelyn recalled how people in the capital always frowned when they saw her.
If she were truly beautiful, they wouldn’t have looked at her that way.
Elliot, now—he was the handsome one.
She figured she’d at least look decent standing next to him. If her dress was flashy enough, maybe no one would even look at her face.
Madame Moria had recently begged her to wear her new line of dresses, sending a whole collection made with heavy fabrics.
Anna had later explained that Madame Moria was trying to break into the Northern market but was having trouble due to established local ateliers.
So the woman likely saw Evelyn, a newcomer from the capital, as her best shot at leading the Northern fashion trends.
‘Elliot looked really handsome in that outfit.’
It had just been a standard black suit—something everyone owned—but to Evelyn, he looked like a divine messenger sent to punish the wicked.
“Lady Evelyn?”
“Huh?!”
“This time, I’ll make sure you shine even more than the Grand Duke. I’ll dress you up to be absolutely stunning!”
Tinya chattered cheerfully while Evelyn bathed.
Only then did Evelyn realize she’d been lost in thoughts of Elliot again during their conversation.
“You’re right! Madame Moria did go a little overboard.”
“But I never expected the sky-blue dress to suit you so perfectly.”
Evelyn thought back to the moment she’d frantically tried on dresses upon returning from the subjugation.
That flowing sky-blue gown had reminded her of a snow-covered mountain. With hundreds of diamonds embedded in it, it sparkled like a snowy field under sunlight.
“At the party, I’m sure everyone will be too dazzled by you to notice anything else.”
‘Not me—they’ll all be looking at Elliot, surely.’
Even at the wedding, it felt like more people had been focused on him.
“Yeah.”
Not wanting to disappoint Tinya, Evelyn simply nodded and finished getting ready.
The day had felt so long.
Elliot had surely been busy as well. He’d probably come to bed late.
Click.
But when Evelyn entered their shared chamber, Elliot was already sitting inside.
“Huh? Elliot?”
Evelyn let out a surprised sound without thinking. She had expected to fall asleep alone tonight.
“Didn’t you say you had a lot of work to do?”
“I thought seeing you came before overworking myself.”
“Seeing me?”
Her luscious purple hair swayed slightly as she tilted her head.
Elliot reached out and gently grasped the ends of her hair as she stepped closer.
“Aren’t you neglecting me too much just because your dear friend is here?”
He said this seriously, still playing with her hair.
“I’m pretty sure you two spent most of the time training together.”
Evelyn’s voice was sincere—she really believed that.
Elliot, on the other hand, felt a sudden anxiety.
Evelyn was getting too used to him.
He had given her everything good that he could offer, and yet he still feared she might drift away.
He knew that a hero would inevitably attract others. But still—he wanted her to keep looking only at him.
He deliberately made himself sound a little hurt.
“Didn’t you run off to the garden every afternoon, saying you were too busy?”
“I had to. If I don’t check, he slacks off!”
Evelyn pouted, and Elliot’s eyes traced along her jawline.
“So you go out just to supervise him?”
“Exactly. He always tries to sneak off, even though he could do much better—”
Thump.
Elliot suddenly pulled Evelyn by the wrist. She nearly toppled onto the bed but caught herself with her arms, bracing just above him.
“You know, talking about another man this cheerfully in our bedroom makes me jealous.”
Blip. Blip.
Evelyn’s mouth moved silently, eyes wide in disbelief. Elliot’s eyebrow arched beneath her.
Who was doing what now?
“Clearly, we’re married. Of course I’m going to be jealous.”
“But you don’t see me that way—wait, no! I mean, it’s not like that with him!”
Evelyn had hesitated for a moment at Elliot’s words but then quickly tried to clarify. Just imagining anything between her and Raven made her dizzy.
“Raven and I are just friends!”
“I know. Friends with a promise for the future.”
And her mind ground to a halt again.
“What promise? Who promised what?”
“I heard you agreed to marry Sir Hendrick someday.”
That had been a promise from when she was ten!
“That damned Raven Hendrick!! That was something we said when we were kids! Okay, yes—until I married you, I did intend to keep that promise.”
Honestly, if she hadn’t found anyone else to marry, she would’ve gone through with marrying Raven, just to continue the family line.
“So it was real.”
Elliot’s gaze darkened noticeably.
It wasn’t a formal engagement, but if he hadn’t stepped in, would it have come true?
“But I married you. And until we divorce, I have no intention of doing anything with Raven.”
“Until we divorce, huh?”
“Uh, well…”
Elliot’s reaction confused Evelyn. The divorce wasn’t about her—it was for his sake.
She wanted him to meet someone better than her.
