“Marry me.”
Fifteen-year-old Eoret, having just shared her very first kiss, blinked in surprise at the sudden proposal.
“Hmm? Marry me,” Caleb urged, his face flushed a deep crimson.
To Eoret, Caleb was her only friend. When she was younger, she had spent years in recovery after suffering from a mysterious fever. While her peers began their social lives at an early age, Eoret had no time to make friends. Taking pity on her, the King introduced her to his son, and the two became inseparable. As they entered adolescence, they fell for each other uncontrollably.
“Marry me and become my wife.”
“……But.”
Unlike Caleb, who had lost sleep for nights before proposing, Eoret was quite rational. She knew exactly what it meant to marry the sole heir to the throne.
“If I marry you, I’ll become the Queen.”
That was her greatest worry. After recovering from her illness, she had been strictly educated as a noblewoman and the future mistress of a house, learning how to manage an estate and care for people.
“Yes! You’ll be the Queen. Isn’t that great?”
But being the mistress of a noble house and being the mistress of the Royal Palace were vastly different. In the palace, no action was small, and every command could determine life or death. Eoret, who was passive and quiet, still carried a thin, sickly appearance. In contrast, Caleb was outgoing, sturdy, and always stood out with his constant laughter. She worried if someone as weak and plain as herself could handle such a role.
“If not you, who else would be Queen?” Caleb cried out as she hesitated.
“I don’t want anyone but you to be my Queen.”
“Speak to me, Io. Don’t you want to marry me?”
It would be a lie to say she hadn’t dreamed of it. Immersed in her first love, she had often imagined scenarios straight out of fairy tales. Eoret was still young, and she was head over heels for the excitement the boy gave her. Having grown up under strict parents, she had never been able to act spoiled, even before the servants. To her, love from someone other than her parents felt like stepping into a world of dazzling, heart-pounding light.
“Hurry and tell me.”
Eoretrealised that her answer would change her life forever.
“I want to.”
As soon as she managed to answer, Caleb couldn’t contain himself and pulled her into an embrace.
“What if someone sees?”
“Why be ashamed of a mere servant seeing us?”
It was useless for her to push him away weakly.
“Io. Then it’s a promise, right? You’re marrying me.”
“Fine. I understand, so stop pestering me.”
“It’s just because I can’t believe it. To think you’ll be my wife.”
The Escutere family was highly prestigious, having produced generations of Chancellors and earning respect regardless of status.
“Eoret, we welcome you as Caleb‘s dependable support.”
The King and Queen welcomed her warmly. Eoret had been taught that nothing is enjoyed without effort; thus, after the engagement, she worked like mad to become a person worthy of Caleb.
However, it was harder than she expected. Countless eyes followed her every move. People treated her not as a fifteen-year-old girl, but as the next Queen. This meant that if she made a mistake, they chose mockery and ridicule over understanding. After the Queen passed away the previous month, the pressure on Eoret became even more suffocating. She felt nauseous every day from the burden.
Still, she endured. She studied constantly, believing that ignorance of a ruler ruins the lives of the people.
“Why haven’t you been playing with me lately?” Caleb asked with a pouting face.
Caleb was naturally mischievous; he preferred playing over studying and went on “inspections” outside the palace three or four times a week.
“This isn’t the time for playing.”
Three years into the engagement, the relationship began to creak. Caleb had grown tall and broad-shouldered, a full-grown young man. However, his behaviour became increasingly childish.
“You’re being really boring.”
Caleb would often stare at her with a grumpy face. He frequently interrupted her while she was working and picked unnecessary fights. Eoret was already recognised as the de facto mistress of the palace. Some even praised her, saying she was truly a lady of the Escutere house.
But it was too early to relax. The King’s health was failing. While their nation weakened, the northern power of Haiderk was growing. Caleb was too unstable to inherit the throne, and many looked down on him for preferring pleasure over state affairs. As his fiancée, Eoret had to fill that void.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what? I didn’t even say anything.” Caleb sneered.
She avoided his eyes, not wanting to fight. She felt that if she continued the conversation, a useless argument would break out.
“Tell me, Io. Did you approach me from the start just to become Queen?”
“What?” Eoret snapped her head up at the ridiculous accusation.
“Did you become my friend because you craved the glory of Escutere, or the seat of the Queen?”
Caleb was a prankster, but he was never the type to pour out such cruel words. The sight of him mocking her with a twisted smirk took her breath away.
“Well? Isn’t that right?” Caleb hounded her, harassing her for an answer.
They weren’t alone in the office. Since their coming-of-age ceremony, the heat between them had changed from the days of their shy first kiss. Caleb seemed possessed by a certain fever; whenever he saw her, he would pounce. He didn’t care about the presence of others, even trying to kiss her while the servants watched. He would kiss her shoulders or touch her body as if marking his territory.
But Eoret hated being fondled by Caleb in front of other people.
“Why can’t you deny it?”
“Don’t do this here.”
Ignoring her, Caleb grabbed her shoulder. His rough fingers brushed her earlobe. Sitting on the desk, he used his foot to lift her skirt, staring at her exposed calf.
“Everything I said is nonsense, right?” he muttered in a low, husky voice while looking at her white skin as if intoxicated.
She didn’t want to be seen like this in public.
“You’re mine anyway.”
Caleb often acted anxious, as if he felt she was someone who might leave or wasn’t truly by his side. Why, even after an engagement ceremony?
The servants in the office turned their eyes away in embarrassment. It was deeply humiliating to be subjected to such a spectacle in front of others. Finally, Eoret threw off his hand.
“……Don’t.”
At the cold rejection, Caleb‘s hand froze. He snorted and stood up from the desk.
“You can’t deny it to the end.”
He laughed coldly and walked out of the office.
From then on, Caleb was blatantly sarcastic. Rather than ignoring her, he would glare at her as if he wanted to devour her. He tracked every person she met and every word she spoke. Eventually, Eoret ordered the capture of whoever was leaking information to him.
“It’s this girl! The one spreading stories about Lady Eoret.”
Soon, they caught a maid who had been leaking info to Caleb. The red-haired girl looked a mess, crying piteously as if she had been treated harshly before being brought in. Her lip was torn, and her nose was bleeding.
“What is your name?”
“……It’s Sina,” she sobbed.
It was a face EEoretrecognised because she was quite striking, many admired Caleb, and Sina was one of them. Eoret had seen her get scolded by the senior maids a few times for stealing glances at the Prince. She was a maid who handled minor chores like cleaning or pouring tea.
“I’m so sorry! Since the Prince is your fiancé… I thought it was okay to tell him.”
Sina was a gentle-looking maid around Eoret‘s age. Even covered in dirt, her red hair was as fresh as a rose, and her eyes were clear of any malice.
“How dare you make excuses!” a maid barked. Sina burst into loud wails.
“It’s not an excuse! It’s true! I didn’t receive anything from the Prince!”
Sina prostrated herself at Eoret‘s feet.
“Please save me! Save me, Lady Eoret! I’ll do whatever you tell me. I’ll do anything to live!”
She cried out desperately, throwing away her pride. Seeing her cry so much, Eoret felt pity despite knowing she had to maintain discipline. Had she taken even a single silver coin, the punishment would have been different. But if there was no reward, perhaps Caleb had threatened her for the information. After an investigation proved Sina had received nothing, Eoret decided to forgive her.
Never dreaming that Sina had approached Caleb first to offer her services as a spy, Eoret showed her mercy.
Then, a few days later.
“Greetings, Lady Eoret. My name is Sina.”
Seeing Sina standing right next to Caleb, Eoret‘s mind went blank. This was the reason she hadn’t taken any money.
Sina hadn’t taken money; instead, she had spent the night with Caleb. Gone was the dirt-covered girl from before; she was now wearing a fine, light-pink dress. She lookedlovelye. Sina greeted her brightly while linking arms with Caleb.
The maid who had served her had become Caleb‘s mistress.
