Chapter 44

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 44

Chapter Title: Look Closely at the Eyes

-----------------------------------------------------------------

“The day Vermonte sets foot in my castle is drawing near.”

Kaiyan’s eyes brimmed with undisguisable loathing.

“And as my guest, no less.”

Seeing that, Clodel felt a chill creep down her spine.

She had seen that look before.

‘Whether you can become Clodel Queen Temneth depends on your efforts tonight. Give it your all.’

On their wedding night.

It was the exact expression on Kaiyan’s face she’d glimpsed right before the candlelight flickered out.

Lately, she’d thought their relationship was improving.

He no longer terrified her like before, and even when he wore that icy expression, she believed the emotions in his heart toward her weren’t all bad.

But now, watching Kaiyan bare his fangs at Irena like a predator facing its natural enemy, Clodel didn’t know what to do.

The hope that she might win his heart felt futile, as if it were Irena being rejected rather than her.

His words dredged up memories of her first days in Rowen Castle, replaying them one by one.

“Ah……”

Irena, her red hair disheveled, golden eyes fluttering aimlessly as she let out a faint sound, her face pale—it must have mirrored Clodel’s own past self perfectly.

Clodel was angry.

‘If it was going to be like this, I told you not to come.’

No matter that she was her sister—if he couldn’t hide his resentment this blatantly, they should have refused the visit from the start.

‘You said nothing then, but now you have to make it obvious and shock Irena?’

Clodel resented Kaiyan.

In the two days since Irena’s arrival, whenever she casually dismissed Rowen Castle or slighted House Temneth, the atmosphere in the castle grew tense.

Whispers of “Vermonte” that she hadn’t heard in a while now brushed faintly against her ears.

Irena, raised in pampered luxury at Valmond Castle, had never held back her words or actions or minded others’ opinions, so she paid no heed to the servants’ reactions.

The unwelcome responses from those around her seemed to pass her by entirely.

Clodel, the lady of the castle from Vermonte, was the only one left anxiously worrying that the servants who had finally started treating her and Hanna kindly might revert to their old attitudes because of Irena’s visit.

It was a delicate balancing act: soothing the loyal Temneth retainers’ discontent while caring well for Irena, without tipping to either side.

Thanks to the butler’s meticulous hospitality, she’d thought Irena was being well-treated.

But her husband, returning earlier than expected, was now pouring oil on the fire.

Kaiyan casually handed his cloak and gloves, worn on the ride back, to the butler.

“Still, to avoid discourtesy to a guest who’s come a long way, I’ll dine with her this evening.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Clodel was dumbfounded by Kaiyan’s words.

‘The discourtesy’s already done.’

He ascended the stairs to the upper floor without a care, and once he was out of sight, Irena staggered. Clodel rushed to support her in alarm.

“Sister, are you okay?”

“Ugh… Ha… I think I’m just… a bit shocked.”

Irena’s hand felt ice-cold in her grasp.

Clodel led her to the drawing room.

After pouring cool water into a glass and handing it over, color returned to Irena’s face once she took a sip and breathed deeply.

“My goodness! I’ve never met a man so frightening and rude!”

As soon as she regained her composure, Irena’s eyes widened, and she gave Kaiyan a scathing review.

“I didn’t come here to fight with the duke. I came to see you, now the duchess. How can he be so shameless?”

After all, the Duke of Temneth held a position comparable to the Duke of Vermonte in Valmond.

‘Uncle says and does things just as bad as Kaiyan. Maybe even worse. Sister.’

In the midst of it, Clodel unwittingly found herself defending Kaiyan in her heart.

It was common knowledge that while House Temneth swung swords without finesse, House Vermonte could kill with words alone.

If rudeness through eloquence was the measure, Vermonte would surely claim victory.

But right now, calming her shaken sister came first.

“I’m sorry, Sister.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

Irena pulled Clodel into a pitying embrace and stroked her back.

“How do you live with such a scary man? Oh, my poor little sister.”

“I’m fine.”

“Everyone was just rejoicing that your marriage to Temneth solved the food shortage. And here you are, suffering like this.”

Tears welled in Irena’s eyes.

“I’ll go back and tell Father everything.”

“Please don’t.”

“How can I pretend I didn’t see you living with such a rude, senseless husband?”

“This marriage was by royal decree. We can’t divorce without the king’s permission anyway.”

Political marriages were binding even beyond death, but this one was sealed by the king’s command.

“That’s true.”

“Please don’t let Uncle hold more grudges against Temneth. I beg you.”

“Alright.”

Irena sighed.

“Staring at me like that and acting so cold.”

She shuddered as if she’d seen something she shouldn’t have.

The dining hall of Rowen Castle blazed with light.

Chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, crystals dangling like clusters of grapes, sparkling brilliantly.

Five such chandeliers hovered over the long table that could seat at least thirty people.

At the head sat the master of the house, Kaiyan, with Clodel to his left and Irena seated as the guest in front of her.

“Is the food to your liking?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

As Irena replied, Kaiyan raised his glass with a sneer.

“Compared to Valmond’s withered fare, it must be heaven and earth apart. Enjoy Rowen’s bounty, nurtured by heaven’s blessings, before you return.”

Clodel nearly choked on her food and chewed far more slowly than usual. Forcing down the bite in her mouth, she reached for water.

‘Why turn “eat more if you like it” into something like that?’

She couldn’t translate Kaiyan’s words for Irena.

Clodel sighed inwardly.

But Clodel had overlooked something: Irena, raised with noble pride, had no reason to tolerate Kaiyan’s attitude.

“You truly are remarkable, Your Grace.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you received quite strict etiquette training. But it seems you’re weak in practice.”

“Practice?”

Irena haughtily lowered her gaze and squared her shoulders.

“You don’t seem to mind words and actions offensive to a lady.”

“Offensive words and actions.”

As Kaiyan furrowed his brow in his signature angry expression and arched an eyebrow, Irena’s bravado deflated, revealing her fear.

‘Sister, that means he’s interested.’

If you looked closely at his eyes.

He wasn’t angry.

Until now, he’d been mildly irritated by the unwelcome guest, but Irena’s retort had piqued his interest.

She’d called him a frightening man earlier—‘How do you live with such a scary man? Oh, my poor little sister’—so she probably wouldn’t understand even if told.

“Etiquette is for those worth the courtesy. Me, planning to burn all of Valmond to the ground this year, showing manners to Vermonte? It’d be forced.”

As Irena fell silent at his words, Kaiyan added coldly.

“But if a lady’s words make me resume the territorial war now, that suits me fine.”

“N-no, don’t joke like that, Your Grace.”

Clodel forced an awkward laugh to defuse the tension.

The territorial war remark was surely a joke from Kaiyan, but judging by Irena frozen with fork and knife hovering, she wasn’t taking it lightly.

“It’s a joke, right?”

“Just a joke. Smile, Lady Irena.”

Judging by the sisters’ wide-eyed stares, she hadn’t grasped Kaiyan’s humor at all.

“Why aren’t you eating more?”

Kaiyan’s attention shifted to Clodel beside him.

‘Yes, talk to anyone but my sister.’

Clodel glanced at her plate—more than half the food remained.

“Is the meal not to your taste?”

“No, I’m just eating slowly while talking.”

“Hm.”

Kaiyan had already finished one plate near him.

“Here.”

He speared food with his fork and held it to her lips. Clodel reflexively took the bite.

Kaiyan narrowed his eyes, gazing fondly at her as she ate what he offered—though only with his eyes, of course.

“You need to be fed, troublesome as it is.”

Worried a hair might slip into her mouth, he carefully tucked the strands near her ear behind it.

“I can feed myself.”

“Why?”

Why act like this with Irena watching?

As Clodel grew flustered,

the clink of silverware being set down rang out, and Irena rose from her seat.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Oh no. Disaster.

Clodel felt at a loss watching her sister flee the table.

Kaiyan was in a foul mood.

The reasons were multifaceted, starting with Valquiter.

He’d grudgingly gone to the unwanted summit,

only for Valquiter to be absent.

The king had summoned him by royal decree and then stood him up.

‘Where is His Majesty?’

‘W-we don’t know either, Your Grace.’

Ridiculously, Valquiter had ditched his aides and guard knights who’d accompanied him.

‘The king of Oberon Kingdom, His Majesty, vanishes—what were you doing? Incompetents.’

‘Our apologies.’

‘If anything ill befalls His Majesty, none of you will survive. Be prepared.’

The palace guard knights, all frail, looked as if they’d already been gutted by his blade as Kaiyan raged.

He wasn’t truly worried about Valquiter— the man matched him in swordsmanship.

Having raced a full day only to turn back empty-handed infuriated him.

Returning to Rowen Castle with irritation boiling over, yet another aggravation awaited.

‘Y-Your Grace, this is my sister, Irena.’

Your Grace?

An outdated title dragged out from who-knows-when.

‘You know I can’t sleep without you. Don’t go.’

His wife, who’d sweetly clung to him on the day he left for the hunt, now trembled as she greeted him.

And seeing the red-haired Vermonte woman stirred an instinctive revulsion, like facing an enemy.

‘Her daughter looks just like that old fox.’

Clodel’s beauty must come from not sharing blood with the fox-like Duke of Vermonte.

“You’re too much.”

“Too much how?”

Clodel glared at him reproachfully.

“She came all this way. Did you have to say it like that?”

“Acting like I did something wrong.”

“Do you think that was fine? What about my position? If word reaches Duke Vermonte’s ears.”

He smirked crookedly in disbelief.

“Your position? Who’s the one misunderstanding here?”

“What?”

Kaiyan gripped her chin firmly with one hand, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“Listen well. The only one you need to care about is me.”

Her golden eyes, ever flickering in his mind, now shimmered beautifully, reflecting the chandelier’s light.

“Is that how you greet a husband after two days apart? Your Grace?”

As he mockingly savored the words, she seemed about to speak but closed her mouth.

“I missed you, Clodel.”

Kaiyan silenced her unfinished words, pressing his lips deeply between hers.