“Retina? What brings you here all the way to my office?”
Even with the sound of someone entering, Duke Deneuve continued to work on his documents, wearing his glasses. The lenses of his glasses shifted surprisingly as his gaze fixed on Retina.
“Well, you mentioned that you visited the estate after a few weeks.”
“That’s right. I was away in the territory for a while.” Putting down his papers, the Duke looked intently at Retina as she awkwardly moved forward into the room.
“Seems like you’re becoming more and more like your mother.”
The Duke remarked as Retina took a seat on the chair beside the desk. His gaze towards his daughter was filled with a longing. While Retina felt uneasy under her father’s gaze, reminiscent of her mother, she continued to fidget. “You still haven’t forgotten about Mom, have you?”
“I won’t forget her until I go to where she is.” When the Duchess passed away due to illness, it was a well-known story among the people of the domain that the Duke, who never shed a tear, spent several days in sorrow, holding the cold remains of his lover.
People whispered that the Duke had been cursed as they watched him clutch the uncorrupted corpse until just before it was buried. It took a month after the funeral for the Duke to regain his strength, and he returned to his usual self. However, he seemed to have lost the ability to feel joy, sadness, or happiness, focusing solely on his work as if his heart had disappeared along with the person he loved.
People understood how much the Duke loved his wife, and Retina comprehended how much he cared for her. However, there was a lingering resentment that if he had looked a little closer, protected her a bit more, her mother might not have died.
“It was just the impulsive emotions of childhood.” Now, she didn’t harbor resentment because she understood that her father had no other choice. Her mother’s wounds had festered for a long time, and their marriage was her mother’s choice.
She knew her father had done his best. Yet…
Retina raised her head, meeting the Duke’s gaze for a few seconds before looking back down at the floor. Her father remained a difficult person for her.
“I understand why you came.”
The Duke’s gentle gaze with wrinkles around his eyes enveloped her. Without a word, he shared a glance with Retina, then leaned back, crossing his arms on the armrest.
“Is it about the marriage proposal with Raglaras?”
Retina nodded, clasping her hands together.
“I’d like to grant most of your requests, but that’s something I cannot yield.”
The Duke slowly closed and opened his eyelids. It seemed whatever brought her here wasn’t far from his expectations.
“The alliance with Raglaras isn’t a simple political marriage. It’s a position created solely for you, Retina. Even if the prince didn’t choose you, that position was meant for you. Do you understand? If it weren’t you, the alliance with Raglaras would never have happened.”
Retina, who sought freedom, was expected to resist. However, for Retina to truly live freely, she had to live in Raglaras, not Rudenheim.
If Cecilica were still alive, she would have done whatever it took to send Retina to Raglaras.
“But Father, I want to marry someone I love when I choose.”
For the first time, Retina rebelled against her father’s will. Even if it meant throwing a tantrum or making a fuss, Retina had always obediently followed the Duke’s words.
Because he was her father. He had supported her to live without her mother, sparing no effort to provide assistance. So, she had diligently followed his instructions, whether it was etiquette education, academy studies, or debutante balls. But marriage? Not only did she have no intention of marrying, but the idea of a strategic marriage also caused her discomfort, even if the other party was not objectionable.
“Someone you love. I heard it from His Imperial Majesty. You caused the Crown Prince to stop the selection, didn’t you?”
The Crown Prince… Retina thought of her seldom-seen lover. He, too, was making every effort to be with her.
“Tell me when you started such a relationship with the Crown Prince. Was his stay at the Duke’s residence because of you? Did you meet in secret, avoiding the eyes of the people at the mansion?”
“No, Father, it’s not like that.”
“He is not suitable.”
“Father!”
“No to the Crown Prince!”
The Duke raised his voice, slamming his fist on the desk. Startled by the sudden loud noise, Retina trembled involuntarily.
“Becoming the Crown Prince’s wife! Do you think I’ll let you sit in that position where there could be an unknown threat looming?”
“It would be the same as becoming the Crown Princess of Raglaras.”
“No, it’s different. In Raglaras, no matter how you appear, you won’t be persecuted. In Rudenheim, everyone sees you as an enemy.”
The Duke’s fist shook visibly. Having spent his whole life entwined in Rudenheim’s political web, he understood. Those who seemed regretful might transform into something else in an instant.
Even if Retina was currently under the Duke’s influence, he knew that if the smallest vulnerability were exposed, hungry predators would rush in like starved animals.
If Retina became the Crown Princess? The nobles of the Imperial faction would not leave her in peace.
“I apologize for shouting. I’m not angry with you. Well… Norden, Crown Prince Raglaras, and your freedom were promised. While outwardly you’ll be the Crown Princess, once you go to the North, you can live without any obligations.”
Looking at the frightened Retina, the Duke apologized, catching his breath. Becoming the Crown Princess meant becoming the future Queen, but living without obligations sounded tempting.
“If you’re unwell from traveling to other countries, you can use it as an excuse. If the palace feels stifling, I even promised to provide a quiet country estate. Isn’t that the life you wanted?”
‘Norden made such a promise with my father?’
Retina’s expression turned pale. If her father’s words were true, the royal marriage would be nothing more than a facade. Being a queen without any responsibilities—what a pretext. Norden’s sole intention was to accompany her to the North, safeguarding her secrets.
‘Fool… Then, what about the vacant queen’s position?’
In Raglaras’s matrilineal society, women played a significant role in leading families and the country. Consequently, women often took on more responsibilities than men. Norden’s statement implied that, as the reigning king, he would personally handle the duties of the queen.
It was a truly Norden-like idea, but Retina couldn’t accept it. She made her intentions clear to the Duke.
“If that’s the case, I cannot go further. I don’t want to live comfortably at the expense of others’ sacrifices.”
“Retina, why are you being so stubborn?”
“How can a queen from a political marriage not do anything? And the life I want is one where I choose and live on my own terms. Even if you see it as stubbornness, I cannot help it.”
“That choice of yours may be an incorrect one.”
“You won’t know that until you experience it.”
“Do you think your mother knew it would end up like this when she married me?”
The Duke lashed out at Retina, who remained unyielding. Even though she heard the harsh words, Retina’s face twisted in agony, as if she had been insulted.
“Life doesn’t always go as you wish. Haven’t you reached an age where you should know you can’t always do what you want? There are times when you need to listen to the advice of adults.”
The Duke, surprised by his own outburst, spoke softly to the stunned Retina. He didn’t want Retina to make the same mistakes as Cecilia, ending up in misery.
“At that time, we thought that as long as we didn’t lose our love for each other, we could overcome anything. I believed that Cecilica would be able to live well with me. But what happened in the end? Cecilia couldn’t survive life at the duke’s residence, and the heartache festered in her.”
“I’m worried that you won’t be able to endure by the side of the Crown Prince. If you enter the Imperial Palace with the Crown Prince, Retina, your secret will be exposed soon. The Imperial Palace always had unseen eyes, ears, and mouths; they could be allies or enemies. If the Empress finds out that Retina has been hiding her silver hair all this time, will the Imperial Faction remain silent?”
Even knowing such a future, where would parents be who would willingly send their own child into a pit? It’s like trying to persuade the Grand Duchess, who lost her daughter.
“I don’t want to lose you like I lost your mother.”
The Duke wanted to protect Cecelia and his daughter Retina at all costs, safeguarding the only trace of Cecelia left in this world.
