Ah, it wasn’t because of his mood.

“As a token of gratitude to the protector of life in the North… I offer it…to Irovel. Since you saved my life in… I now belong to you.”

I heard that in my dream. The owner of that voice was Reinhardt.

‘What’s going on? My dream has become real again. Is it possible to experience this in life? Although lately I seem to be having prophetic dreams…’

“Even though you are my wife, there are things that can and cannot be said.”

“Lucia is cute. There is nothing cuter than my wife in this world.”

Suddenly, I remembered the dream I had when I first came to Erestein. Could it be… that was also a prophetic dream?

‘No way. Reinhart couldn’t possibly find me cuter than his own partner Lucia.’

I have a tendency to fall in love easily.

I was always trying to create romantic scenarios. Ugh, I have to snap out of it! Still, giving himself… wasn’t that too much as a token of gratitude? It wasn’t like he was just a mere servant. He was the Northern Grand Duke, Reinhardt Erestein!

“If what you said is true, then you also saved my life through our marriage. Should I also offer myself to Reinhart?”

“You’re not from the North, so it’s okay.”

“There is no such a rule!”

“If you don’t like it, you can give yourself to me as well.”

“Who said I didn’t like it? It’s not that… I—”

I stumbled over my words, unsure of how to express myself.

“I-I’m just worried that my heart might start beating for you! We’re not lovers who care about each other, and it’s so unnecessarily romantic!”

“Then, let’s just say I’m the only one who belongs to you.”

“Ugh! That’s not what I meant!”

The more I spoke, the more I felt my face heating up. In contrast, Reinhardt’s expression remained calm.

‘Did I react too much to it?’

This was the struggle of someone who fell in love easily. They assign meaning to someone’s actions and babble on alone.

‘Let’s not get carried away. Other people are different from me.’

Even if Reinhardt were to become ‘mine,’ I have to remember that it wasn’t as romantic as it seemed.

* * *

Meanwhile, the servants of the Erestein family who were watching this scene unfold from a distance thought to themselves.

“My parents also said they had me because of that.”

* * *

Sigh…

The Emperor let out a long sigh.

“Why are you sighing? Are you thinking about the Grand Duchess Erestein again?”

The Empress Roxanne asked with a smile, glancing at the Emperor who was looking at her.

“You have no jealousy at all. You can still smile while talking about another woman.”

“I don’t love Your Majesty, so why would I be jealous?”

“Was it not out of jealousy that you persuaded me to punish Anji?”

At her words, a gentle smile spread across the face of Empress Roxanne.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

As always, she gave an ambiguous answer.

The Emperor, who had been engaged to her since childhood, always thought of her as a woman who was hard to read. Why didn’t she oppose him even when he brought in consorts? Why didn’t she stop him when he drank and played around?

Even if he asked, the answer was always the same as now.

“Do you want the Grand Duchess?”

“Of course.”

“Shall I help you?”

“Why would you?”

“Don’t you already know my answer?”

“‘I’m not sure.’ That’s what you’ll say, right?”

“You know it well.”

Even though it was suspicious, the Emperor had never suffered any losses by listening to Roxanne’s words. So, without any hesitation, he nodded his head.

“Then, let me help you. How should I do it?”

“Make it so that the Grand Duke Erestein cannot help but divorce the Grand Duchess Erestein.”

How could he make him divorce her?

Roxanne continued.

“Don’t the Erestein family hate infidelity? So—”

“Do you want to make her fall for someone else?”

“Yes. Though it would be difficult for Your Majesty to fulfill that role, as she has already shown her dislike towards you.”

“Do you want me to bring someone else?”

He didn’t really like that. As he frowned silently, Roxanne spoke to him gently.

“Is there any other way?”

“Well, if the Northern Barrier is released, he’ll have no choice but to leave quickly, right?”

And a few days passed like that.

* * *

“Madam! Look at this! You’ve been featured in the newspaper!”

“Oh my, is that true!”

Jade brought a newspaper, and I was featured in it with a bright smile on stage.

‘I guess the person who took the picture was a journalist.’

Jade read the article with an excited voice.

“Grand Duchess Erestein sang a congratulatory song at the birthday party of Madam Ella Candia held at the palace. Her smile was more dazzling than diamonds, and her voice was like an angel’s whisper…!”

“Is it okay for the journalist to write so subjectively?”

“Looks like the journalist has fallen hard for you, Madam.”

“Well, it’s possible.”

Even when I was an idol, this was the case when a fan journalist wrote an article. Jade’s reaction was like that, as he didn’t know about it.

“Oh, um… yes.”

It was a familiar thing for me, but there really was nothing I could do!

“Madam, something big has happened!”

During the awkward silence between Jade and me, my personal maid, Catherine, broke the silence. Shocking news came from her mouth when she ran up in a hurry.

“The person we sent down from the North has arrived… well, the barrier in the North has been lifted!!”

“The barrier has been lifted?!”

The barrier served to prevent the Tartars from invading the city where humans lived. Most Tartars with strong magical powers couldn’t break through this barrier, so as long as they killed Tartars who could break through it, they could maintain peace.

However, what would happen if the barrier were released?

All the Tartars who couldn’t access it before would come rushing in. They would engulf the entire northern region. They would gradually come inside.

“What on earth?”

“His Majesty has sent an urgent decree.”

“His Majesty? What is it? Has he finally gone mad? If he does something like this, he won’t be safe either.”

The northern barrier was such an important matter that it could be used as evidence against the Emperor. Even if he were the Emperor, he wouldn’t be stupid enough not to know that.

“That… The person in charge clearly saw the contents of the decree, but when they looked at it again after releasing the barrier, the contents were gone.”

The proof was gone…

‘I’ve heard this somewhere before.’

In the original story, Empress Roxanne told the Emperor about a plan to get rid of Reinhardt — send a decree to release the barrier in the northern region, but use ink with a magic stone in it to write the decree. Then, the writing on the decree would disappear without a trace after thirty minutes.

‘But I know how to recover that writing.’

“Where is Reinhardt?”

“He’s getting ready to leave for the northern region. He’s the only one who can activate the barrier again.”

That was when it happened.

“Irovel!”

Just when I thought I heard a loud noise outside, a man in a military uniform broke down the door and came in. It was Reinhardt.

“Reinhardt?”

“Your Excellency! Aren’t you supposed to be busy? You should hurry and get ready to leave for the northern region with me.”

Jade was impatient and urged Reinhardt.

“Reinhardt. What Jade said is right. You should get ready quickly.”

“I’m getting ready now.”

“What are you doing here then?”

“It’s the most important preparation for me.”

Reinhardt, who said it with a serious face, suddenly kneeled on one knee on the floor.

“Please allow me to leave your side for a moment to protect my land and the powerless people.”

“I have no say in a matter I’ve told you many times about. Please leave quickly.”

“I’m preparing for this now.”

“You’re preparing by talking to me?”

“For me, this is the most important preparation.”

With a serious look on his face, Reinhardt stood up and was about to open the door again, though he stopped and stood in front of me again.

“Can you promise me one thing?”

“What is it?”

Reinhardt opened his mouth with an infinitely serious expression at my question.

“Promise me that you won’t cheat on me while I’m away.”

What?

Did he stop his steps in a hurry to say that?

“Okay. I promise I won’t cheat on you.”

“Just so you know, not only becoming lovers with another man but also giving your heart to someone else, I consider that as cheating.”

…What should I do? I wasn’t confident about that.

“Why are your pupils shaking? Make a promise.”

“As you know, I’m the type to fall in love quickly… It’s hard for me to make a promise.”

“You’ve been able to hold it in until now, but why are you looking at another man?”

His voice suddenly turned fierce with his eyes wide open.

—