Even with Yulania’s arrival, Santia remained rooted to the spot. He stared blankly at the shimmering liquid, as if heartbroken. Was he trying to drown himself in alcohol and die as soon as possible?
She couldn’t understand what he was thinking.
This was Santia, who had risen from the outskirts to become a duke through his own efforts. She had always thought of him as an ambitious man. A hero with a bright future was acting like a dimwit with no future at all. Even though he was more established than before, this was still a time when he needed to be careful. With the king watching him closely, Santia needed to keep his wits about him to maintain his firm position as a duke.
Yulania frowned slightly and approached the table. He was a mess, but the scent of expensive whiskey that filled the air was intoxicatingly fragrant. At least he wasn’t drinking cheap stuff.
“Santia.”
Only when she was within arm’s reach did he finally roll his eyes. The swaying liquid stilled. Santia, still leaning crookedly on his elbow, looked at her with hazy eyes.
“Ah, who do we have here? If it isn’t our precious princess.”
Recognizing her, Santia sneered mockingly. What on earth had twisted him so much? He didn’t even know who was struggling to survive without anything. But she had no intention of offering him counseling.
Her only concern was to prevent his precarious escapades from breaking their contract. If he kept acting like someone with no tomorrow every night, rumors would spread, or he might actually get into trouble.
Yulania secretly sighed and conveyed what she wanted to say.
“You, instead of moping around like this, go out and date someone.”
She didn’t bother asking why. He was the perfect man, envied by all the kingdom’s people, young and old. The only thing he didn’t have, despite having the whole world, was a woman. He must be lonely. Yulania generously offered her opinion for her husband’s sake.
“…What did you just say?”
“I said, you should date someone and live a little.”
He raised his upper body slightly and asked again. The black couch rippled with his movement, as if it were a part of him.
“With whom, may I ask?”
How was she supposed to know? Hiding her absurdity, she continued calmly.
“Anyone. You’re popular, aren’t you?”
Dozens of letters were delivered to the Duke’s mansion every day. The price of the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor was skyrocketing. Having a wife was no flaw at all.
“Is that something a wife should say to her husband?”
What was the problem? Yulania couldn’t understand her disgruntled husband. Had she not explained it well enough? She calmly faced him.
“…Because you’re my husband. I’m genuinely worried.”
“Ha! You came all the way here just to say that?”
But all she got in return was ridicule.
“Yes, just be careful about acting like this, before word gets out of the Duke’s mansion.”
She barely suppressed her words from twisting and spoke slowly, one word at a time. She had come all this way, thinking of him, only to be met with contemptuous disregard. She felt pathetic for having worried about his health in the corner of her heart.
“I’m so sorry to have shown my wife such an unsightly sight.”
“It’s good that you’re aware.”
Santia retorted, still with a sarcastic tone. She couldn’t understand why he was being so emotional. Yulania barely swallowed a sigh that was about to burst out, but she couldn’t hide her displeased expression.
“Are you satisfied with your life right now? With the way we’re living?”
“…That’s irrelevant. It’s not like it’s something I can decide anyway.”
The conversation suddenly took a strange turn. She was living her life by finding her own rules. She hoped he would do the same.
This was her way, and she was satisfied.
“If you don’t care, then who does?”
She knew he was somewhat dissatisfied, but it was beyond her control. She wasn’t responsible for his happiness. Conversely, he wasn’t going to give her happiness either.
“Are you saying it’s my fault that you’re like this?”
“You have a share in it, don’t you?”
For the past two years, they had been doing well without any problems. She felt wronged to hear him blaming her now. Surely, they had agreed on everything at the beginning. Even after thinking about, it again, Yulania couldn’t recall her fault. They had clearly given and received what they wanted from each other. Rather, it was she who hadn’t completely escaped from her royal father.
“Is there something wrong with our relationship? What do I want from you?”
The king’s most cherished gift to his most beloved knight, his only princess. Yulania had married Santia and quietly followed her father’s words, living for her husband’s honor. She attended various banquets as his partner, making him shine, and controlled rumors by wielding influence in society.
She didn’t ask for a single trivial jewel, nor did she cling to him, pathetically begging for affection. She simply fulfilled her role as a gift, giving him a wife of noble status. People looked up to the impossibly perfect Duke and Duchess.
“That’s right. You don’t.”
“So, what’s the problem? Just take it easy and take care of your health.”
So, it would be a problem if he, who had received that gift and enjoyed all the honor, fell apart now, two years later. Her life would only have meaning, if he remained steadfast as the hero of the nation.
“Health, you say. I don’t know what to do with myself, with my wife worrying about me so much.”
“Don’t be sarcastic for no reason. It’s a bad habit.”
She couldn’t stand his sarcastic attitude and said a word. He wasn’t like this before. She didn’t know what change of heart he had, but it was an attitude that had hardened since some time ago. When they got married, he spoke in a normal tone.
He had already fully risen and was leaning deeply into the couch, staring intently at her. Two pairs of eyes, filled with different emotions, searched each other.
The passion swirling in his gray eyes seemed to become tangible, creating a gust of wind. Unwanted, hot emotions poured out towards her.
Soon, it was Santia who broke the deafening silence.
“I’ll refrain from being an eyesore to you, so don’t meddle in other people’s dating lives.”
“How are we other people?”
“Ah, I misspoke. I meant my husband’s dating life.”
“……”
This was why she didn’t like having long conversations with her husband.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, but she felt like she had.
