~Chapter 92~
“Oh, come to think of it, I heard His Highness the Crown Prince said that the magic stones harvested this time can be sold outside?”
“Since they were collected personally by the people participating in the festival, there’s a chance some might secretly take them. It’s unusual, but he must have thought it better to allow distribution.”
“Right. We already send all the good things to the Imperial Palace, and even low-grade magic stones were restricted from circulation.”
Normally, magic stones of a decent size stayed in the north, while higher grades were sent to the royal family. Allowing them to remain in private hands, even as a festival-only measure, was an exceptional decision.
Handled this way, the festival’s scale would inevitably grow in the future.
“Thanks to that, even the areas I thought would run at a loss ended up in the black. Once money started moving, everything became more lively.”
“I see. That’s really fortunate.”
This would bring great profit to the territory in the future as well—so the Crown Prince’s intentions were suspicious.
But no matter how she tried to think about it, Ancia realized she knew too little about him to figure anything out. Just as she began to worry, the gentle warmth of fingers intertwining with hers calmed her heart.
“Hmm… I guess this must have raised the royal family’s popularity quite a bit?”
“He must have temporarily allowed the distribution of magic stones for that calculation.”
Annoying as he was, the Crown Prince’s decision was a good card for holding another festival.
Ancia decided to stop thinking about it. She still felt uneasy about his motives, but she wanted to relax and savor this well-finished moment.
When she turned her head toward Rishar, who had been lying beside her staring at the ceiling, she saw that he was already looking at her.
Just meeting eyes made her let out a small laugh.
“Duke, you’ve worked hard.”
“You too. I was worried you might have pushed yourself too much, with your weak body.”
“Honestly, I worried I might collapse too. But fortunately, I’ve gotten much healthier than before. Maybe…”
When Ancia turned toward Rishar, his arm naturally wrapped around her back and pulled her close.
Being held against his solid arm and chest felt warm and reassuring.
“Bianca kept giving me herbal tea and medicine, saying they were good for me. I think it really worked.”
She glanced at him before mentioning Bianca, but he didn’t show any negative reaction. Instead, he nodded, as if he had already noticed her health improving.
“You definitely look healthier than when you first came here.”
“Right? Before, I might have fainted, but now just lying down to rest makes me feel better.”
“I see.”
Rishar’s fingers gently brushed her cheek and under her eyes.
Following the line of her lips and nose, his soft blue eyes traced her features, making her swallow dryly without meaning to.
His fingers lingered on her lips for a long time.
‘I want to kiss him.’
Did he sense her feelings? Or was it that her emotions mirrored his?
Either way, warm breath softly touched hers.
A gentle kiss began, growing warmer bit by bit. His strong arms held her firmly, but without hurting her.
Swept up in Rishar’s heat, Ancia wanted to let herself go completely—but then a memory from before returning to the mansion crept into her mind.
She had seen children running to her, calling her “princess,” and quickly gathered them into her arms, worried the Crown Prince might use it against her. She couldn’t cover their mouths, so she had just pulled them close. But to the onlookers, she looked like a Duchess who loved children.
Some even encouraged her to “hurry and give us a lovely baby.” Everyone’s gazes were warm and gentle.
Among them was Rishar.
Did he know how gentle his eyes looked as he watched her hold a small child?
It was a smile so warm that no one could call him a bloodthirsty duke.
But it was a smile toward someone she could never give him—and it stayed on her mind.
If he truly wanted her, she needed certainty.
It was the same reason she had left the Count’s household, even though she loved the people there—because in the end, she couldn’t give them what they wanted.
“Duke, I have something to tell you.”
She tried to say it lightly, but Rishar’s reaction was anything but light.
“When you say you have something to tell me, I don’t know why my heart sinks like this. Not even the Emperor’s summons startles me this much.”
His tone was filled with affection.
“Duke, as you probably already know, I likely can’t have children.”
Rishar silently confirmed this.
“But I don’t want to let go of your love.”
At these unexpected words, his blue eyes wavered strongly.
“I know, I’m greedy.
That’s why I wanted to act badly from the start, so everyone would hate me—”
“Who exactly did you want to hate you?”
“Everyone.”
At her calm reply, Rishar smiled as if at a child’s stubbornness.
“That plan was doomed to fail from the start.”
“No, it wasn’t. I worked really hard at it.”
“You’re far too lovable—any normal effort wouldn’t be enough.”
That, she had to admit.
Even she had surrendered to her own fatal loveliness.
After a bath, she had worried her appearance might be too sensual and tried moving in front of a mirror—but even that looked more charming than seductive.
It was a good moment between them, but Ancia decided to continue speaking about the fear she had already voiced.
“If you stay with me, you’ll never have an heir. It must have been written in the reports too.”
“I know.”
“And I’ve grown to… like you a lot, Duke. So I don’t want to share you with anyone else.”
“I see.”
She couldn’t give him children—but she also wouldn’t share him with another woman.
Yet his gaze remained gentle.
His kindness reminded her of the Count and Countess, and Nathan—who had been endlessly kind to her. But even their great love couldn’t overcome the wall of not having children. That was why she had long given up on noble marriages where heirs mattered.
“But if you say it’s fine, I’ll have courage too.”
She didn’t speak in riddles.
“Yes, I know how important an heir is to the Duke’s House.
But I still don’t want to share you with a mistress or lover.”
“I understand.”
Clear joy appeared on Rishar’s face.
‘This isn’t the time to look so pleased, like someone blinded by love—you’re giving up your bloodline.’
When she lived with the Count’s family, she had dressed up to be loved, but could never fully trust their love.
But you accept me as I am.
Even after showing him her true self many times, Rishar never changed. In front of him, she could be honest and even throw small tantrums.
Looking into his affectionate eyes, she no longer felt like warning him.
She just wanted to boldly demand something from his solid, unwavering love.
“Promise me you’ll only love me.”
“I swear it.”
“A promise is enough.”
Even if things changed someday, she needed certainty about his feelings now.
A promise was enough.
Rishar’s blue eyes were utterly serious.
He sat up, pulling her with him, and held her hands as they faced each other on the bed.
“My wife and the lady of the Duke’s House, Ancia Gwinted—I promise you will be my only wife and lover.”
Holding both her hands, he kissed each fingertip, confessing again and again.
“I love you.”
The warmth of his lips pressing to her hands felt burning hot.
“I want to have you.”
The passion in his blue eyes made Ancia shiver.
“Ancia.”
Just from his heated gaze, her heart pounded faster. As if waiting for permission, he kissed her hands and wrists repeatedly, calling her name with longing.
She wanted to answer his love.
There was no reason to hesitate.
She reached out and pulled him toward her.
“I want to have you too.”
Her feelings were so strong they made her forget all her worries.
While the duke and duchess shared their true feelings—
In the Gwinted mansion, still full of joy from the successfully finished festival, only the underground prison was sunk in silence.
To infiltrate the mansion at all, one had to evade numerous alarms and the eyes of the knights, so it was rare for an outsider to reach the prison. Only four soldiers and the torturer were stationed there. Taking advantage of the torturer stepping out, a shadow subdued the guards and calmly opened the prison door.
The only prisoner inside, Rosamile, hadn’t noticed their presence and kept her eyes closed.
Curled up to keep warm, Rosa was thinking about her master, the Duke.
The torturer had only asked a few obligatory questions, and the torture hadn’t been harsh. She believed this was her master’s secret consideration for her.
But that was just Rosa’s self-delusion.
Gradually, no one spoke to her at all.
Could the Duke really be abandoning her? After all she had done for the House since Rishar was a child?
No—that couldn’t be. He wouldn’t cast her aside.
She held on to that last hope.
“Get up.”
Startled by a voice filled with authority, Rosa scrambled to her feet.
Her face was scabbed in places, but for someone supposedly tortured, she looked relatively fine.
called it!!