Nathan was willing to let me stay in his room.
It seemed he was worried about me after witnessing Luke’s violent behavior earlier.
“But… won’t it feel cramped because of me?”
“It won’t. Not at all.”
As I nodded, he immediately led me to his room.
Looking around his sanctuary, I thought to myself,
‘This place feels so comforting…’
Even though it was just the room next door, stepping into his space made me feel safe.
No one, not even Luke, would dare enter a prince’s room so easily.
“Is it too plain for you to stay in? I thought I’d be the only one using it, so I didn’t bother getting a vanity or anything.”
“No, I like it. I want to stay here.”
His expression brightened instantly.
I smiled along with him.
“And I don’t mind not having a vanity or extra furniture. After all, when I’m with you, I mostly just stay in bed.”
“That sounds… very suggestive.”
It was meant to sound suggestive.
After all, what else could staying in bed imply?
Yet he still seemed conflicted.
“You confuse me so much. I can’t tell if you want the same thing I do right now.”
“I think I do. At least, at this moment.”
I desired him.
At least at this moment, I was certain that desire was genuine—even if our marriage was a sham.
Understanding my intention, he lifted me in one swift motion and laid me on the bed.
He gently removed the jeweled hairpin that had been bothering me at the back of my head.
My cream-colored hair cascaded across the pillow like waves.
* * *
Luke approached Naila, who was curled up in a corner of the storage room.
He set a small bundle of belongings in front of her.
“Just hang in there. I’ll try to find a room, even if I have to bribe the sailors.”
“…”
“Or, if you really hate waiting, you could stay with Claudia for a bit until we find a room…”
“No. I don’t want that.”
For the first time, Naila, who had been silently holding her breath, spoke.
She made her stance perfectly clear.
“I’d rather stay here—even if there are rats.”
Luke sighed as he watched Naila huddle deeper into herself.
He felt an urge to gently pat her small back, offering comfort to his exhausted sister.
But before he could sit beside her, Naila’s cold voice stopped him.
“I want to be alone right now.”
“…Alright. Call me if you need anything.”
Hearing her dark and unsettling tone, Luke stepped aside without further question.
Left alone, Naila reached for her back—more precisely, the area below her neck, just above her shoulder blades.
“…”
As her fingers traced the spot, it was as if the pain from that day still lingered.
Though years had passed, and only a faint scar remained, the memory burned vividly.
* * *
It had rained the day that scar was inflicted.
Naila’s mood had been as gray as the sky all day long.
The rising humidity caused her meticulously curled hair to sag.
She stared at herself in the mirror, gnawing on her nails.
[No, I can’t show up looking like this—everyone will judge me.]
Naila had originally been adopted as a stand-in for Claudia.
Now that Claudia had recovered her health, Naila’s position within the duke’s household was steadily shrinking.
The uncertainty gnawed at her nerves.
[I need to look perfect. If I don’t…]
The duke might send me back into poverty…
In her anxiety, she ordered the maids to redo her hair repeatedly.
They spent the entire day heating metal rollers in the fireplace, only to fail every time.
No matter how often the maids curled it, the result never satisfied Naila.
Frustrated, she needed someone to vent her anger on, and the maid became her unfortunate target.
[What’s wrong with your hands? Is this the best you can do?]
That’s when it happened.
[Aagh!]
A searing pain spread across her back, as if her skin was burning.
Terrified, Naila rushed to check her reflection in the mirror, only to let out a scream.
[No!!]
A burn mark marred her once flawless back.
Whether it had been a mistake or deliberate, the maid had pressed the heated roller against her bare skin.
The worst part was that the burn was in a spot that would be exposed when wearing a backless dress.
It meant she would never be able to wear revealing gowns without someone noticing—and it might even harm her prospects for marriage.
[I-I’m so sorry! Truly, I am!]
Though the maid knelt and begged for forgiveness, Naila could not contain her fury.
Before anyone could stop her, she slapped the maid across the face.
In her blind rage, she kept swinging her arms until the maid fainted.
Panting from exertion, Naila’s thoughts turned dark.
‘Was this really just an accident?’
Once the seed of suspicion was planted, it wouldn’t leave her mind.
It spiraled, one thought leading to another.
‘What if someone planned this? Someone like… Claudia.’
That suspicion soon hardened into a conclusion.
She was convinced Claudia had ordered the maid to burn her.
Despite the maid insisting it had been her own mistake, Naila didn’t believe a word.
After all, Claudia must have made her lie, too.
Naila waited, hoping the duke would uncover Claudia’s scheme.
But no matter how long she waited, the duke did nothing.
Even when Naila confronted him directly, revealing Claudia’s wrongdoing, he only scolded her.
[How foolish! You nearly caused a scandal in society by beating a maid unconscious! Do you know how much I had to spend to cover up the rumors? And now you bring up these baseless accusations?]
[B-but I swear, it was Claudia…]
[Enough! Don’t utter such nonsense again!]
Her desperate plea had been crushed.
From that moment on, Naila shut her heart.
She vowed never to open it to anyone in that household again.
Not even to Luke.
For now, she only pretended to let him in, using him to achieve her goals.
“One day… I’ll take it all.”
She ran her hand over the scar, whispering those words bitterly.
Then, in a venomous tone, she spoke Claudia’s name—
the name of the person responsible for making her wear high-collared dresses for the rest of her life.
* * *
Naila slept deeply after that.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking roused her, and she got up to open the door.
Standing there, holding a dress, was the person she hated most—Claudia.
“…Sister?”
Naila barely managed to conceal the hatred on her face.
She couldn’t let her true feelings show—not until she had taken everything from Claudia.
She planned to silently mock her sister’s despair when she failed to find whatever spirit she was searching for.
“What brings you here?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about what you said yesterday. What exactly did you mean I’ve forgotten? Tell me clearly, so I can apologize properly.”
Claudia’s feigned concern disgusted Naila.
‘Pretending not to know anything… How shameless.’
Suppressing her scowl, Naila shook her head.
“I think I was just mistaken. It’s nothing, really.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it.”
Claudia exhaled a relieved sigh and handed Naila the dress she was holding.
This time, it wasn’t a dress that exposed her back or shoulders.
“I thought you might prefer something that doesn’t show much skin. Consider it an apology gift if I upset you.”
“Hm…”
“Even if you’re not upset, it’s yours. Also, don’t sleep here—go back to your room. I’ll be sharing one with His Highness.”
With that, Claudia left, leaving the dress in Naila’s hands.
The moment she was alone, Naila wiped the smile off her face.
She took the dress inside and hung it on the wall.
Then, from her belongings, she pulled out the dagger she always carried for protection.
