Chapter 45
***
Harvich had tried to resolve all of these situations, but his father’s act of choosing suicide while shirking responsibility was always on his mind, weighing heavily on him with guilt.
Even though it was not his fault.
He had to be the perfect head of the house.
He could not be swayed by trivial emotions.
Well, before becoming the perfectly controlled head of the house, he had already been ruined by a season called Lincia, yet he did not show it at all.
As long as relations with the royal family remained strained, a woman from Durand could not survive in this land.
Even if the principality successfully achieved independence, it would be the same.
No, achieving independence without improving relations would be poison for her.
The reason he did not stop this poisonous act was that, after preparing the rebellion, he intended to send Lincia away from the Grand Duchy.
So it was a clearly defined relationship.
And Harvich thought he could be fine without Lincia.
He realized now, as the woman disappeared, that he had been wrong.
Among humans who do not follow control, was there any reason for him alone to take responsibility?
Harvich looked at the woman asleep in front of him.
Slowly, he lifted himself and, with his fingertips, gently traced the corner of Lincia’s eyes.
She often shed tears even while sleeping like this.
He wished he could wipe away those tears comfortably, kiss her, and love her.
He wished he could hold her close, smell her sweet scent, and spend every night together.
If only they could live like that, it would be perfect.
It would feel as if everything was okay.
Riding hard to get here had left him exhausted, and his eyes were weary from facing the decisions pouring from the sky.
The desire to sleep rose, yet…
Even with her in front of him, he could not fall asleep.
If he closed his eyes and opened them, he feared the woman would be gone again.
Since it was the season when snow began to fall heavily, if he ran away now, he could lose Lincia forever.
Moreover, it was certain she would flee without any guards.
Then she would inevitably…
Harvich squeezed his eyes shut.
Thinking of the hundreds of ways she could leave, he could not sleep out of anxiety.
***
Lincia saw the carriage that would take her back to the Grand Ducal Castle arrive.
She had expected the man to leave immediately for the castle, but he lingered longer than she thought in this poorly soundproofed house.
Since this place felt much more comfortable than the Grand Ducal Castle, leaving it today felt a little regretful.
She had not been told the schedule, but seeing people organizing their belongings, she vaguely thought they would depart today.
The cozy two-story house had likely been empty for a long time, yet it felt more lived-in than the Grand Ducal Castle with so many people.
The first floor had a warm kitchen, a wooden dining table nearby, and a guest bedroom with a bathroom.
Lincia quietly admired the bathroom connected to the place where firewood was burned.
This would make it convenient to use hot water.
Having lived only in the palace or the Grand Ducal Castle, Lincia had never seen such a layout.
Additionally, the second floor had a warm room suitable for a child, the master bedroom with good lighting, and a bathroom larger than on the first floor with a bathtub.
Seeing the second floor, Lincia liked the house even more.
She thought it would be wonderful to give birth here and live with Anna.
Even if the snow outside fell harshly, the small house would warm up quickly if they lit the fireplace.
“Since it’s festival season, the streets might be crowded.
And with snow falling, it may take some time to return to the castle.
Conserve your strength so you can endure the carriage ride.”
Perhaps anticipating snowfall during her escape, he had driven without much rest, even though the distance from the Grand Ducal Castle to here was considerable.
Thinking of returning along the road they had rushed down made her feel a little dizzy.
“….”
Lincia stood on the second-floor balcony, taking in the view she would never see again.
The vast forests of Cassius Territory stretched before her.
“It’s cold.”
Harvich, who had appeared beside her, draped his coat over her shoulders.
“We will depart soon.”
***
Since appearing before her three days ago, Harvich had not slept a single moment.
At first, he did not believe Lincia’s claim that she would not run away and thought he needed to watch over her.
He watched her sleep all night, and when she woke, he would go to the living room to attend to tasks.
However, on the second day, he still did not sleep, which made Lincia gradually worry.
His red eyes looked pitifully exhausted.
On the third day, she finally urged him.
“…I will not run away.
I won’t make you anxious, so please, sleep now.
Shall we sleep together?”
The fundamental problem of this relationship was that Lincia loved Harvich and was far too soft toward him.
Although she found it extreme that Harvich watched over even her sleeping form, she was driven nearly mad with worry for him.
“That is impossible.
If warmth is needed, sleep with Anna.”
She knew from countless experiences that he would not heed her pleas…
In the end, he had not slept a single moment until the day they returned.
That was not to say Harvich had eaten well either.
He had barely eaten, subsisting on scraps that Lincia would not touch, like dried jerky.
She had urged him to eat proper meals, but he claimed he had no appetite.
Moreover, he was remarkably picky about what Lincia ate.
“When we return to the Grand Ducal Castle, I will ensure you never experience discomfort again.
Everyone will regard you as the Grand Duchess.
We will ensure no one can ever plot such a scheme again.”
“….”
“And…”
Harvich exhaled slowly.
“I have prepared a separate marital bedroom.
From now on, live there.”
For Lincia, who mostly spent her life in her room, this was shocking news.
He was moving her room without her consent?
“…What?
What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what it says.”
Harvich pressed his tired eyes lightly.
“How can you move my room without discussing it with me…?
I don’t want it!”
Was this to mean she would continue to be watched even in the Grand Ducal Castle?
Thinking she would be monitored every single day left her feeling suffocated.
“All of your belongings have already been moved to the marital bedroom.”
“…The plan you devised over three sleepless nights was just that?”
“That was secondary.
Didn’t you hear me preparing for the festival and other matters?”
Lincia was angered that moving her living space was being treated as a minor, secondary matter.
She turned away, leaving the exhausted man on the balcony, tossing off the coat he had draped over her shoulders.
“When we return to the castle, I will have something to say to you.”
“….”
Lincia did not respond.
Whether she listened or not, everything would go according to his will.
Do as you please.
