FTMR 17

Chapter 17

Surprisingly Serious About Married Life

“Ugh…”

Anette groaned softly, clutching her head with both hands as she recalled Kardin’s earnest request.

‘Do whatever I want, without asking permission…’

For Anette, who had been confined to a separate palace from the moment she was born and lived a life of strict restriction under the king’s orders, this was an almost impossible notion.

The only rebellion she had ever attempted was the time she boldly went to the king to plead to join a monster hunt.

Yet, looking back, she wasn’t even certain that she had truly wanted to do it.

Had it been because of the wet nurse’s words echoing in her mind, that she would one day accomplish something great?

Or perhaps she had hoped that earning recognition through such daring acts might improve her situation, or at least change the way she was treated.

‘No, that’s not it.’

She had merely seen it as the only way to escape the stifling palace.

‘Yes… what I truly wanted…’

She wanted to step boldly outside the palace.

Yet, even if it meant fighting monsters, Anette had never thought of going outside alone.

Her red hair and red eyes were far too distinctive—anywhere she went, someone would surely recognize her. And she believed that, just as the maids who came and went from the palace feared and despised her, the entire world would react the same way.

So Anette had never even dreamed of living a normal life.

And that remained true even now.

If she had thought a normal life was possible, she would never have come to the Alkan Empire.

She had always thought that merely having warm food and a safe place to sleep was enough. She never expected to have a family.

‘But now, all of a sudden…’

Pressing her palm to her forehead, Anette felt one small relief.

Fortunately, the Grand Duke had set a condition.

She must remain by his side as his wife.

〈Princess, you may spend as you wish, waste the Grand Duchy’s wealth, lounge in bed all day if you like. But… I ask that you respect me, as your husband. I will, of course, do the same.〉

The condition of mutual respect as a married couple connected directly to their earlier conversation about being devoted to their married life.

Moreover…

‘He reacted so sensitively when talking about mistresses…’

Anette nodded, a little dazed, at Kardin’s words that he didn’t want to see her too close to other men.

She had never expected that the topics he mentioned about mistresses or illegitimate children would apply to her.

After all, she had never been close to anyone in her life, let alone a man.

In any case, contrary to her expectations, the Grand Duke seemed genuinely serious about married life.

She slightly regretted having shown that she had no expectations for the marriage, but it was truly a relief to know, at least, something clear about what he wanted.

Had there been no such limitation, she would have felt like a prisoner suddenly set free—lost and overwhelmed by the situation.

Then it happened.

“Your Highness, may I come in?”

A knock at the door, and a voice outside made Anette spring from her seat.

“Your Majesty, Empress, welcome!”

She ran to open the door, surprised that the time she had promised the Empress had already arrived.

After parting from Kardin that morning, she had returned to her room.

She had barely had a moment alone to reflect on her first encounter with the Grand Duke, following lunch peppered with Serina’s subtle questioning, and yet so much time had passed.

In retrospect, she had talked a lot with Kardin during that time.

Yet the moment had passed so quickly that it hadn’t felt long at all.

Even though it was her first extended conversation with someone, she hadn’t found it uncomfortable.

Not even when speaking with the kind Empress had she felt this way.

‘Well, at least that’s a relief.’

According to the Grand Duke… if she were to spend her life with him, it shouldn’t be uncomfortable to be in his presence.

Of course, she wasn’t completely relaxed, but despite discussing difficult topics, it hadn’t been painful or exhausting—a fact that fascinated Anette.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, for making you eat alone.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. I’m hardly a child, and Serina was with me anyway.”

Anette smiled at Charlotte, who apologized as soon as she saw her. She didn’t bother mentioning that, having lived without attendants, she was more accustomed to eating alone.

“Did Your Majesty enjoy your meal?”

“Well, I heard many interesting stories, but the meal itself… I honestly don’t remember whether it went down my mouth or my nose,” Charlotte said, exhausted from conveying the latest news from the capital at lunch with noble ladies. Anette looked at her sympathetically.

Charlotte soon led Anette to the Empress’s palace for afternoon tea. Serina was the only maid following them.

“By the way, Your Highness, you seem to have become quite close to Serina. You even call her by name,” Charlotte said, a faint note of teasing in her voice, which made Anette flinch.

Clearing her throat, Anette replied:

“Your Majesty, I still find it difficult to call you by your name. But if you wish, you may call me by mine.”

It was the first time she had ever offered someone to call her by name.

Her hands fidgeted nervously. The Empress, surprised, asked:

“Oh? Really?”

“Yes. If it’s uncomfortable, you don’t have to….”

“Nonsense, Anette!”

Charlotte laughed, delighted at Anette’s hesitant expression.

“Of course I didn’t expect you’d allow me to use your name.”

Anette felt embarrassed at Charlotte’s teasing smile and rolled her eyes.

As they walked to the Empress’s palace for tea, no palace staff appeared—a familiar emptiness that always made her feel out of place.

“Even being called ‘Your Highness’ by you feels strange in this body,” Anette said a little bitterly.

Once she returned to her original form, she would be called Grand Duchess, and the title would no longer feel awkward.

“Really? I was fine with it. Though I do prefer calling you by name,” Charlotte said cheerfully, oblivious to Anette’s strange feelings.

There was joy in being called by name, but something else piqued her curiosity more.

“And did you have a good conversation with the Grand Duke? I was surprised that you ate alone, thinking you’d dine with him.”

Serina, quietly trailing behind, perked up at the direct question. She had tried subtly to learn Anette’s first impression of Kardin, but Anette, shy, pretended not to hear.

“Well… His Highness went to the temple,” Anette said, looking away awkwardly.

“To the temple?”

“Yes. To notarize the engagement papers.”

“Ah.”

So all that rushing to the capital, worrying over Anette’s health, and skipping lunch had been for something truly important.

“Then by now, the engagement must be finalized!”

Anette clapped along with Charlotte’s joy, cheeks warming slightly, and casually said:

“Yes. I even gave my hair, so probably…”

“My hair?”

“Yes. He thought it might be needed at the temple.”

Normally, the engaged parties were required to attend the temple themselves for notarization.

But since Anette couldn’t attend in her condition, Kardin went alone to get it notarized.

He explained that the Heyworth delegation, en route to the empire, had been attacked, making her attendance impossible.

He had requested a strand of her hair to show the cleric, as her fiery red hair was rare and could prove her identity.

〈Princess, could I take just one… no, two strands of your hair?〉

Anette recalled Kardin’s polite, shy request and nodded once more.

“My goodness…”

Charlotte gasped in astonishment.

While it was standard for the engaged parties to attend the temple, noble families often sent representatives.

The family head’s seal carried more authority than the signatures of the engaged parties themselves, making it sufficient.

The absence of the Heyworth delegation would normally be an issue, but they were dealing with royalty.

The Alkan Empire’s royal family were blessed with divine powers. Their very existence was proof of divine favor, making the temple extraordinarily favorable—almost reverent—toward them. No further proof would be required.

Seeing Charlotte and Serina flustered, Anette tilted her head, sensing something unusual.

“Is something wrong?”

“No… it’s nothing,” Charlotte said.

To Charlotte, the Grand Duke of Harzent was like a younger brother, almost literally her youngest sibling. She had been the first to notice the teenage Kardin’s infatuation during his first love with Lucius.

Curious about who the impulsive, unpredictable Kardin had fallen for, Charlotte had become Anette’s follower. Though her curiosity tempted her, she smiled awkwardly and stayed silent.

Here, she could not expose Kardin’s true intentions.

Of course, she found Anette’s naïve trust in him pitiable, and Kardin exploiting it slightly ridiculous…

But she did not want Anette to be shocked by the truth.

After holding a sword for the empire her whole life, and now agreeing to a political marriage, he had to be responsible.

Knowing Kardin’s true nature wouldn’t make her run away, but it was best she learned it as late as possible.

‘At the very least, marry… hmm, maybe have a child too…’