The Grand Duchess's room in the Grand Duke's mansion.
'I'm finally back!'
After receiving a doctor's examination, Karina was allowed to go alone under the pretext of needing absolute rest. Jeremiah also left for a while to report to the imperial family.
"Phew."
She let out a long sigh and only after returning to her room could she finally feel safe.
'Is this how I feel after only using this room for a few days?'
She thought it was a little funny herself. By the way.
'Jeremiah really came to save me?'
Karina didn't understand. Especially when she thought about the day they last broke up.
'After showing such shameful behavior, you came to the Cursed Forest to find me as soon as you heard the news.'
Jeremiah's gaze, which had been staring straight at her in the Cursed Forest, came back to her mind. Just now, he had been angry at the doctor outside, demanding that she be examined first... He was worried. Very worried.
'But why? How come?'
Karina's agony continued for a while. As the night progressed, the endless questions continued, and Karina made a decision.
'That won't work. Let's ask him directly.'
There was no way she could come up with an answer even if she spent a hundred days alone in her room. Karina decided to go to Jeremiah and ask him what he was thinking.
'He should be back by now!'
It was when Karina opened the door to go into the office where he was.
“Ah!”
"...!"
Karina was startled when she saw the person she saw as soon as she opened the door.
"You have a quick temper. You opened the door before I even knocked. I didn't know you would welcome me like this."
The person standing in front of her door was none other than David.
"...Your Highness the Crown Prince?"
As soon as Karina saw him still in the mansion, she asked him without thinking.
"You didn't go back to the palace?"
Even if the Imperial Search Party stayed here, she thought the Crown Prince himself would take a short break to see the Imperial Physician and then return to the palace right away...?? She guess not.
"It makes me sad to hear that. Do you wish I could go to the palace quickly?"
David looked extremely sorry. Looking at his expression, Karina felt as if she had done something wrong.
"No, that's not it, but..."
She hesitated and denied it.
"But why is Your Highness in my room...?"
To change the subject, Karina subtly asked him the reason for his visit.
"I came to check on the Grand Duchess's condition."
"Huh? How am I?"
"Yes. Haven't we been through the same hardships together?"
David naturally showed his kinship with her by tying himself to her.
"I couldn't sleep at all because I was worried about the Grand Duchess."
Karina was a little impressed. No matter how much the Crown Prince cared for the people of the empire, she never thought he would care about her safety until the end.
"Ah. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Thanks to you, I am safe."
She had been thinking that she should express her gratitude to David separately.
She didn't know if she could properly repay the help of the Crown Prince who had everything she needed, but she was sincere in her gratitude. However as if Karina's thoughts were a little off, David added something strange.
"To be honest, I am personally interested in the Grand Duchess."
"Yes? Personal interest?"
Karina looked puzzled. There was no reason for him, the Crown Prince, to be interested in her. David read her expression, snickered, and opened his mouth.
"Oh. I thought we had become quite close in the Cursed Forest."
David asked Karina in a voice full of regret.
"Wasn't it?"
"Uh, um..."
Karina couldn't possibly say no in front of his sorrowful face.
"I see."
Karina eventually chose to evade the question instead of answering.
'Well, that's not wrong...!'
It was true that she felt closer to him than before since she had also confided her feelings to him in the cave. But...
'Is it my imagination that it feels like there's something else going on?'
David smiled brightly and took a step closer to Karina.
"Do you remember what the Grand Duchess said when we were alone in the cave?"
"In a cave?"
Karina thought back carefully to what she had said to him in the cave.
'I don't think we said much.'
She tilted her head as she recalled the memory. David, who had been watching Karina with an amused expression, raised the corners of his lips and said.
"You told me you were going to divorce the Grand Duke of Colesberg."
"Oh, yes."
"I want to help."
"Your Highness, do you wish to my divorce?"
Karina seemed a little taken aback by the sudden suggestion.
"I will help you divorce the Grand Duke of Colesberg without having to force a marriage. What do you think?"
"...!"
Karina's eyes opened wide.
'You're allowing divorce without having to remarry!'
It was a very tempting offer.
'Well, he is the Crown Prince.'
She thought it might be of some help.
"If you could do that, I would appreciate it..."
Karina was about to answer right away without thinking twice, but then she stopped. She had no idea why he would want to help her with her divorce.
"I appreciate it, but... why would you help me with my divorce?"
My divorce wouldn't be of any benefit to the empire or to the Crown Prince, would it?
He whispered softly to Karina, who was wondering, with the corners of his lips slightly raised.
"Didn't I tell you? I'm personally interested in you."
David's eyes sparkled brightly as he spoke.
Even in the dark hallway, his bright blond hair and sea-blue eyes were evident. At that time.
"It seems like you are not comfortable in the room you were assigned."
A familiar voice suddenly cut in between the two of them. It was Jeremiah. When Karina turned her head to look, he was looking at David with cold eyes, wondering when he had come.
"You say the room is uncomfortable?"
David asked what he meant.
"You are wandering around in the middle of the night."
"Oh, that's what it was."
David chuckled.
"I will guide you back to your room."
"No. There's no need to do that..."
“Butler.”
Jeremiah cut off David's refusal and called the butler.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"You will politely escort His Highness the Crown Prince to his room. It seems His Highness the Crown Prince has mistaken where he should be."
Jeremiah's voice was as cold as frost.
"Okay. It's late tonight, so let's go now."
David smiled leisurely even under Jeremiah's fierce gaze.
"Let's talk again tomorrow, Grand Duchess. You must be very tired, so it would be best for you to get some rest today."
David greeted Karina. However, Jeremiah, who heard his words, did not let David leave as he tried to leave.
"What does His Highness the Crown Prince have to discuss with my wife?"
"Hmm..."
David paused for a moment and then opened his mouth again.
"Because this is a secret between the two of us."
David smiled at Karina, throwing out meaningful words.
"Right?"
Jeremiah's expression suddenly distorted.
"..."
Karina was a little embarrassed.
'No, why are you doing this? Why are you saying it like this?'
Depending on how you hear it, it might sound like something that could lead to a strange misunderstanding.
'Look at that expression! There was a misunderstanding!
As proof, she had to endure Jeremiah's thorny glare from the side. Karina wanted to jump up and shout, "No, don't misunderstand." But she couldn't just tell Jeremiah that David had said he would help with the divorce.
"Uh, that's..."
Karina quickly chose her words.
"You don't have to worry about it."
Please don't pay attention and don't care. That was the best thing to say. No, she thought it was the best thing to say. Until she saw the sparks flying in Jeremiah's eyes. Meanwhile, David's sly smile grew even deeper.
"..."
"..."
An eerily quiet silence hung between the three of them.
"Then I guess I'll be going now."
David broke the silence, smiled contentedly, and walked into the room.
"Have sweet dreams."
He didn't forget to be friendly to Karina until the end.
'No, what if you create a situation like this and just leave?'
Karina grumbled inwardly, but it was more urgent to get out of this place quickly.
"Then I should go to sleep too..."
She had forgotten that she had originally intended to go to Jeremiah first and was trying to quickly enter her room.
"Wait."
A heavy voice stopped Karina in her tracks.
"..."
Karina hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her head and looked at Jeremiah.
"What did you just talk about with the Crown Prince?"
Jeremiah, his face set hard, approached Karina. His shadow fell over her.
"Ah..."
It was not an atmosphere that could just pass by. Jeremiah's expression and demeanor were quite fierce.
"He said he just came to check if I was okay."
Karina was looking around diligently.
"Why the Crown Prince?"
"That..."
Then suddenly.
'Why am I explaining this to this person?'
Was there any need to explain this? When Karina thought about it, there was absolutely no reason to do so. Rather, if she took advantage of his misunderstanding, it might make the divorce easier. After thinking quickly, Karina decided to tell the truth in a slightly more plausible way.
"His Highness the Crown Prince said he had a personal interest in me."
"What...?"
"We were captured by demons and almost died together. Every time I was in danger, His Highness the Crown Prince protected me."
Karina swallowed hard and continued speaking in a whisper.
"I guess because we were together in such an urgent situation, I was able to open up and have an honest conversation because I thought it might be the last time. When we talked, we were able to communicate well. And then..."
"Stop!"
Jeremiah shouted as if he couldn't hear anymore.
"So."
Jeremiah's jaw was set firmly.
"You? Surely you too..."
Jeremiah couldn't bring himself to continue speaking and just moved his lips.
"..."
Karina deliberately did not answer, even though she knew exactly what he wanted to ask. As if he was right. When she did not deny it and remained silent, Jeremiah's face darkened even more and became filled with shock. A cold anger seeped into his eyes.
"You are my wife. You are the one who married me."
"I'm going to break up with you soon. Have you forgotten that we decided to get a divorce?"
Karina said calmly.
"Divorce?"
Suddenly, a fierce, gnashing of teeth was heard.
"No way. I would never let my person be taken away from me."
Jeremiah's eyes flickered with a dangerous obsession as he looked at her.
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