In the Empire, it was common to have a coming-of-age ceremony at eighteen, spend the social season finding an engagement partner, and get married by the early twenties at the latest.
However, the Grand Duke had spent the time when he should have been looking for a marriage partner on the battlefield. Even when he occasionally participated in social events, he merely made brief appearances. As a result, even now in his mid-twenties, he had neither a marriage nor an engagement partner.
There were always women captivated by his stunning beauty, but the problem was the Grand Duke’s attitude towards them.
Declan Monferrato was an excellent gentleman, but he never crossed that line. One might have expected him to show interest in women at some point, but it never happened.
While his peers were finding suitable partners, having heirs, and raising them, he never even glanced at women and only moved from one battlefield to another.
As a result, he gained high honors, but that was all.
By that point, the Count began to grow anxious. For nobles, having an heir to inherit titles and wealth was as important as success in life. This was especially true for the Grand Duke’s family, where successors were scarce.
“While nobles of the same age are beginning to have their children receive successor training one by one, Your Grace keeps rejecting marriage proposals. Your vassals are greatly worried. If you at least had someone in mind, we wouldn’t be this anxious.”
The Count seized the opportunity, as if the war had finally ended. Declan, who had been silently ignoring his words, rested his chin on the map and responded indifferently.
“There might be someone I can’t forget.”
At those words, the Count’s voice stopped abruptly. Even after hearing it with his own ears, he stared blankly at the Grand Duke, his face gradually turning to shock as he failed to comprehend immediately.
“W-what did you just say…”
The Count, forgetting his dignity, gaped open-mouthed and couldn’t continue speaking. In place of his brother who could only move his lips without properly forming words, Theodore asked with a surprised face.
“Someone you can’t forget? You, Your Grace?”
“Is that really important right now?”
Despite Declan’s cold response, the Count was too shocked to do more than open and close his mouth, while Theodore at least nodded in agreement.
Come to think of it, it’s more unbelievable for someone with that face to be uninterested in women.
Theodore nodded to himself, satisfied with the conclusion he had reached on his own. He could somewhat understand why the Grand Duke didn’t say a word about the woman’s identity.
The moment this fact became known, that woman would become the most notable woman in high society while simultaneously becoming the target of other nobles’ resentment.
While he could understand it rationally, there was no helping the curiosity that was slowly blooming.
Glancing to the side, the Count seemed no different. He appeared to have completely lost interest in Theodore’s return to the capital.
With a face still not recovered from the shock, he was diligently answering his superior’s questions while examining the map, but his occasional sidelong glances at the Grand Duke were full of the same curiosity as Theodore’s. It was clear to anyone that he wasn’t fully focused on the meeting.
‘Whoever she is, she’ll certainly be envied when this becomes known.’
As Theodore sat beside them, observing the two, he unconsciously turned his head at the sound of rain pattering on the window above. It had started raining at some point.
“…Rain, of all things.”
Theodore muttered to himself.
As time passed, the raindrops hitting the window grew increasingly fierce.
It was the beginning of an unexpected downpour.
****
When Sienna returned to her room, she was soaked from the unexpected downpour. Her face, originally as white as a blank sheet of paper, now had a bluish tinge, indicating her poor condition.
Even after barely entering the room with staggering steps, Sienna didn’t even take off her soaked clothes, but only stared blankly out the window at the pouring rain. The water droplets falling from her pooled on the floor.
[There might be someone I can’t forget.]
The eyes gazing out the window blinked slowly. A raindrop clinging to her long eyelashes rolled down her pale cheek. Her expressionless, wan face broke into a bitter smile.
Why hadn’t she realized it until now? How foolish.
He had another woman.
It wasn’t really surprising. There had always been many women who admired him, and among them were some renowned beauties of the Empire. In such a situation, it would have been stranger for him to be indifferent to women.
While her mind rationally understood this, her fingers trembled uncontrollably as she removed her robe.
Why had he never mentioned it? Well, since there was a child, he might have thought it was a done deal and kept it to himself. That would be just like him.
It was a problem without an answer no matter how much she pondered alone, and there was no longer anyone to confront about it.
She didn’t know what he had been thinking to maintain their marriage, but one thing became clear today: Sienna had never truly possessed him for even a moment.
They had always been strangers to each other. Even in their briefest moments of closeness, there had been no sincerity. Even the fleeting belief that she had won someone’s heart was merely her delusion.
Her body, standing still, trembled finely. Whether from simple chills or another reason, it was impossible to tell.
The rain that had started late at night soon turned into a downpour. The rain that poured madly only stopped by morning, but the gloomy weather continued throughout the morning.
Was it because of the unexpected rain she had been caught in last night? Sienna fell ill for several days straight after that.
****
As all the healers in the monastery were focused on treating the soldiers, Theodore temporarily brought in a priest well-versed in medicine.
The priest, who examined Sienna’s condition and made medicine to reduce her fever, seemed quite accustomed to such tasks. However, the princess repeatedly regained consciousness only to quickly lose it again.
“It might be better to bring in a healer. This seems more serious than a simple cold.”
The priest examining the princess concluded. Theodore silently nodded in agreement. Though he was ignorant of medicine, even he could tell from her feverish state and inability to stay conscious that the princess’s condition was not trivial.
“It’s not a serious illness, is it?”
“Probably not.”
As the priest responded indifferently, he gestured with his chin towards something. Turning around with a puzzled look, Theodore saw clothes still dripping with water hanging by the window.
“She was sleeping in those.”
Theodore frowned in incomprehension, looking back and forth between the princess and the wet clothes.
“What does that mean…”
“It seems she was caught in last night’s rain. Given how chilly the night air has been lately, it’s no wonder she’s running a fever after falling asleep soaked like that.”
As the priest continued speaking, Theodore’s face grew increasingly confused.
The rain had started late at night. It was strange enough that the princess had gone out alone at such a late hour, but falling asleep in soaked clothes was even more incomprehensible.
If nothing else, the princess wasn’t the type to sleep in drenched clothes like that. When it came to sensitivity, no one in the Empire could match her.
“I’ll stay by Her Highness’s side, so perhaps you should go, Sir. You’re acquainted with His Grace the Grand Duke, so it might be easier for you to bring a healer.”
The priest’s voice broke through his thoughts. Theodore finally came to his senses and nodded.
“I’ll do that.”
****
It was a peaceful afternoon.
Sienna was sitting in front of the massive artificial lake at the Grand Duke’s residence. With every breeze, the scent of lilacs planted densely around the estate wafted heavily.
A child, small enough to barely reach her waist, came running towards her from afar, yellow dress fluttering. As she opened her arms, the child leapt into her embrace as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The tiny body exuded a sweet scent of sugar confections.
–’Mama. Papa caught a butterfly for me? It’s a blue butterfly, exactly the same color as Mama’s eyes.’
The child, squirming in her arms, carefully cupped her hands and held them up to Sienna’s face. As she slowly opened her hands, the insect moved its brilliant wings and flew into the air.
Though it was just a common butterfly seen often in spring, the child was inexplicably fascinated. As the insect fluttered its wings and escaped her hands, the child’s violet eyes sparkled as she let out an exclamation of wonder.
Finding this adorable, Sienna hugged the child tightly and repeatedly kissed her soft cheeks. Despite the slight tickling sensation, the child’s laughter was unrestrained.
As Sienna nuzzled her cheek, the child’s laughter echoed throughout the Grand Duke’s residence.
Sienna loved everything about the child.
Holding the child in her arms, she repeated to herself countless times. She vowed again and again that she would ensure this child never experienced the sorrow and grief she had endured in her lifetime.
As Soliet nestled in her arms, acting coy, she suddenly looked in a particular direction and smiled brightly.
–’Papa!’
Sienna shifted her gaze in the direction the child was pointing. In the distance, golden hair fluttered in the wind. Soon, violet eyes the same color as the child’s found her and smiled warmly.
–’Sienna.’
The moment that sweet voice, like a whisper, called her name, Sienna opened her eyes.
Instead of the dazzling scenery of the Grand Duke’s residence, what greeted her was a dark room. She closed her mouth, having been about to call her daughter’s name out of habit.
It was because she had belatedly distinguished between dream and reality.
Thanks for the chapter, when Will the chapter be unlokeed?