Yulania was determined to have a serious talk with her husband today.
Tok. Todok.
The rain that had been pouring heavily until just now seemed to have stopped suddenly. Raindrops fell from the corridor windows as she walked by briskly.
Looking at the darkened sky, she was reminded of her husband’s eyes, which had recently taken on an even deeper ashen hue. She had always thought his gaze was gloomy, but lately it had gotten worse.
When he stared at her intently like a soulless person, it made her sick.
His eyes, like hazy storm clouds, were impossible to read. Judging by their gloomy color, it was clear his thoughts were not pleasant ones.
‘When did he start being like this?’
Yulania remembered the look of satisfaction in his eyes on their wedding day. Though the day had passed in a flash, surrounded by countless people, the memory was still vivid even two years later.
Santia Makari, newly appointed as Duke, had a broad smile on his face. In the lavishly decorated banquet hall, the tall man with his hair neatly styled and dressed in formal attire stood out conspicuously.
Standing tall with perfect posture and greeting the nobles with a relaxed attitude, there was no trace of his humble origins in Santia. As the hero of the Kingdom of Tinley, he had finally obtained a title and married a noble princess.
Today, officially becoming husband and wife with Yulania, was truly a blessed day for Santia. The man who had become more perfect than anyone else enjoyed the banquet, looking down on those who had once despised him.
Yulania stayed by his side throughout, adding to his confidence. Santia proudly put his arm around her shoulder, showing off his wife.
Throughout the banquet, her father and younger brother’s gazes followed them, but her husband’s body effectively shielded her. Santia’s large build acted like a solid wall between the royal family and Yulania.
This was exactly what she wanted. She liked her husband’s size most of all.
After the banquet, the newlywed Makari couple was to spend their wedding night in the bridal chamber prepared in the Princess Palace. It was time arranged in consideration of Yulania, who would be leaving the palace where she had lived her entire life. Neither Yulania nor Santia wanted this – it was the king’s unilateral consideration.
Rose petals were scattered on the spacious bed and curtains were drawn, as if expecting something. Sweet-scented candles lit everywhere ripened the atmosphere of the bridal chamber. And the owners of this chamber sat facing each other with expressions contrary to the mood.
While Yulania inwardly sighed as she looked over the decorations, she had put so much effort into, Santia spoke first.
“Princess.”
“Yes.”
“May I call you by your name now?”
“Go ahead.”
It was a simple request. Yulania nodded readily. After all, it was necessary to properly pretend to be a couple.
“Yulania.”
But there was no need to call each other’s names affectionately when alone.
Hearing her name pronounced in that slow, deep voice, Yulania felt her heart strangely flutter. Only her father, the king, called her by name. Even his call had a different resonance than Santia’s.
Somehow, her name spoken by this strange man who had become her husband today seemed to carry emotion. As she narrowed her eyes, unsure what expression to make, Santia spoke again.
“Call my name too.”
“……”
When Yulania didn’t readily comply, Santia continued to persuade her.
“We should get used to it in private so it comes naturally in front of others. Will you call me ‘Duke’ as husband and wife?”
It was logical reasoning that couldn’t be refuted. Yulania moved her lips a couple times before awkwardly forming his name.
“……Santia.”
“That sounds nice.”
Praise came immediately. He seemed to be in a good mood all day. Yulania asked, feeling unnecessarily concerned.
“You remember the terms of our contract well, right?”
Before the official wedding ceremony, they had a secret meeting. Yulania wanted to escape from her oppressive father’s hand as soon as possible, and Santia wanted to fill the only thing he lacked – status.
When her father’s order to marry him came down, Yulania saw it as an opportunity. Pretending to obey her father, she sought him out and made a secret contract.
The main points of the contract were:
First, maintain an impeccable image as the Duke and Duchess of Makari.
Second, respect each other’s privacy and refrain from unnecessary displays of affection.
It deviated somewhat from the king’s purpose of wanting Yulania to become close to Santia and be his weakness, but that didn’t matter. The couple agreed, and the contract was sealed.
“Of course. We will be an excellent ducal couple. Let’s do well together from now on.”
Santia grinned as if to say leave it to him.
And so, in accordance with the contract, their wedding night passed safely without any displays of affection.
At that time, their marriage was a satisfactory decision for both Yulania and Santia.
The gray eyes that had shone so proudly had now transformed into their current dark hue. He still maintained a dignified appearance in front of others, but he didn’t bother hiding it in front of Yulania.
Yulania didn’t know exactly when or why this had happened. It seemed as if he was showing this side only to her, as if making some kind of demonstration.
Even thinking back carefully, she couldn’t find anything she had done wrong in their married life.
Yulania had faithfully followed the contract for the past two years. Their hastily arranged marriage had been refined into something solid over time. Now, while some might envy the position of Duke Makari, no one looked down on him.
It was all thanks to Yulania steadily building her position as both princess and Duchess Makari.
As she reminisced about the past, Santia’s room drew near.
The atmosphere grew increasingly gloomy as she approached his domain. The number of lit candles decreased, and even those flickered precariously in the wind seeping in from somewhere.
Whenever he spent nights alone like this, he forbade the servants from coming anywhere nearby. In the corridor devoid of any presence, only her determined footsteps echoed.
No matter how estranged they were, she could no longer stand by and watch his increasingly gloomy state. She was determined to firmly address his attitude and correct it.
‘It’s not like I’ve forbidden him from doing anything.’
She felt wronged. If the hero of the Kingdom of Tinley fell apart, the king would blame it on her.
To the king, her role was to monitor and keep the powerful Santia in check. The king also wanted him to remain as a suitably presentable hero of the kingdom.
In a role that was loyal to the king, loved the princess, and dared not aspire to anything more.
So, if he deviated from the image the king desired, it became dangerous. The duke’s position could be threatened, and Yulania could be reprimanded. Some action was needed before his condition became outwardly noticeable.
Could a person suddenly deteriorate this much? Or perhaps there were signals she had missed all along.
But even so, it wasn’t Yulania’s responsibility.
“Haah.”
Stifling a sigh that escaped involuntarily, she brought her mind back to the present.
As she neared his bedroom, a dark blue energy could be seen swirling through the cracks in the door. Again, he was like this again. Today too, he was suffering for unknown reasons, having discarded even the minimum rationality needed to control his energy.
She couldn’t understand what a man who had money, honor, and status could be lacking.
There’s only one thing left.
Yulania quickened her steps to deliver the conclusion she had drawn with her small mind. There was no need to knock on the door. After all, she was the only one who would visit him at this hour, and the door wasn’t closed.
She waved her hand, parting the mana flowing out like acrid smoke. Gently pushing the door, she saw the room filled with dark blue energy.
As expected, the scene she had witnessed every other day recently unfolded before her eyes. No, to be precise, it was the content she had been receiving from the maids every day. This was the… she couldn’t even count how many times she had seen it directly. Perhaps it was about the tenth time.
The man with a bear-like build was half-slumped over the tea table, swirling a glass. Judging by the golden liquid at the bottom of the glass and the bottles rolling on the floor, it was easy to tell what he had been doing.
“Santia.”
