We left the mountain lodge, got into the car parked in the corner of the forest, and headed out of the outskirts and toward the city center.
I sat in the passenger seat, wrapped in the relatively clean blanket I'd found at the lodge, staring out the window. He'd said there was only one blanket, but there were three more. He truly was a pitiful man. Meanwhile, Mastiff's earnest face and eyes kept coming back to me, and the words I'd been holding in my mouth murmured in silence.
I feel a sense of crisis at the thought that I have a competitor who is a murderer and a madman.
"I'm sorry I kept it a secret, Diana. It was all for this."
As he said this, I shuddered at the thought of Mastiff and Noah leaving, holding hands in a friendly manner.
"No."
“What’s wrong?”
Noah, who was driving, looked at me with a smile on his face as I muttered without realizing it.
“You and the Mastiff... no.”
There was no need to talk about the anxious thoughts in my mind. I cleared my throat and pretended nothing was wrong.
“Diana, please keep Mastiff a secret.”
"Why?"
I felt a strange sensation of being surrounded by Mastiff, and I glanced at Noah's side with a questioning gaze.
“As I said yesterday, he's still useful.”
What good is he? He's a worthless man to me. Are you protecting another man in front of me right now?
"Yes..."
I quickly dismissed the obsessive thoughts, thinking it might be a bit odd to be so judgmental. I just felt a little jealous inside. Noah said everything he said and did was for my own good, so I guess I should believe him.
We headed toward the city center and to a nearby hotel. After checking in and entering my room, I quickly headed to the bathroom, and I heard Noah's voice behind me.
“I’m going to buy some new clothes, so I’m going to wash up.”
"All right."
I filled the bathtub with hot water, dissolved the bath salts on the bathroom shelf, and soaked my body. I felt all the fatigue accumulated in every corner of my body melt away.
Now, I pulled back my hair that had grown to my collarbone and leaned back leisurely, closing my eyes as I listened to the sound of the water lapping.
I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again, and before I knew it, the water had cooled to lukewarm.
“I dozed off for a bit.”
After muttering to myself and finishing my body wash, I left the bathroom wearing a robe. Noah, who had been sitting on the sofa, put down the newspaper, stood up, and handed me the new clothes he'd bought.
“I was worried because he didn’t come out for so long. I thought he drowned.”
“Don’t say anything ominous... I fell asleep in the bathtub.”
“Yeah. I’ll go wash up too.”
I sat on the bed, unbuttoning my shirt, and secretly watched Noah as he headed toward the bathroom. How could someone be so ascetic, yet so sultry and decadent? It was a paradoxical yet strangely captivating.
I was dozing off under my soft and cozy goose down blanket when I heard the bathroom door open, and my slumped expression widened.
Noah asked, rubbing his wet hair while wearing a black polar fleece t-shirt that looked like it had been bought nearby.
“Will it get better?”
"No..."
“You can sleep more. The Princess is not in good health.”
This body was never weak. It was just that the mind of the person who entered it was wrong.
“Shall we go out for a meal? I’m hungry.”
He nodded in agreement with my suggestion and finished drying his hair. I opened the box to get some new clothes, and I was startled.
The design is not much different from the clothes Mastiff bought. The dress is a tight-fitting, wine-colored dress with a skirt that opens up to the side.
“Should I wear this?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t help it since they only sell clothes like this.”
Even the racy pajamas and clothes weren't Mastiff's style. This was the local fashion. Noah chuckled at my squinting, scanning the clothes.
"This port city has a thriving entertainment culture. There's even a casino."
“Yes, thank you for buying it for me.”
Fortunately, the long coat I was wearing concealed any hint of my risqué attire. He was wearing a black, waxed, waterproof trench coat that suited him quite well, so I observed Noah's outfit closely and asked.
“It’s just on the opposite side of Logan Field, but the doubles are a bit different.”
"This was in my car. It's from a famous costume shop that received the Medea Royal Award. I ordered it and waited two months..."
I cut off Noah's words while he was boasting about his fine clothes and asked him urgently.
“Wait a minute, are my clothes in that car too?”
Noah turned his head without answering and spoke at the same time.
“What is the famous food here?”
I followed Noah, my eyes tinged with disgust. "This guy is real! Why won't he just tell me honestly that this is his style? Then I'll only wear things like this from now on." I grinned sinisterly.
We left the hotel together and went into a nearby restaurant on the street to order food. Noah, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands, delivered the sudden news.
“Jace said your sister is getting married.”
"It's time. What kind of crazy man would marry someone like that?"
“Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal.”
I almost spit out the water I was drinking. I put the glass down and stared at him in disbelief. Noah's mouth curved with a strange meaning.
“That’s true. I think they even had an engagement ceremony.”
“That... what kind of combination is that?”
“It’s closer to an alliance.”
What is this guy saying?
I was lost in thought, my heart in turmoil. Will they end up together like in the original? Something so absurd?
The lieutenant colonel was actually on Celine's sidéwe! That doesn't seem to be the case. It's more unlikely that Celine repented and reformed. It seems they were bound by shared goals and interests, not love. That kind of thing is common.
"Anyway, I've cut ties with that family, so it doesn't concern me. They won't send me any wedding invitations."
“Yeah. That’s great, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“What’s so great about it?”
“I don’t think I can do it because I’m marrying a woman I don’t even like for a purpose.”
“What is your purpose?”
Noah looked at me like a question mark killer. The unfriendly man, who seemed to dislike being asked repeated questions, sighed and asked back.
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
"Yes."
"For you. If you had done anything else, I would have killed you, but I like the idea of marriage. I think I made a promise to the lieutenant colonel's mother."
"The Colonel's mother" might sound like a neighborhood lady, but it's actually a Duchess. This man tends to keep things to himself, so I can't quite figure out why the Colonel would marry Celine for me.
“I don’t know, is it for me?”
Noah changed the subject, cutting the steak he was served into bite-sized pieces and handing it to me.
“You'll find out later. Are you still tired?”
“That’s a little bit true.”
“Then shall we sleep at the hotel today?”
It was probably a meaningless remark since it was obvious that nothing would happen, but my back felt numb for no reason, and I curled my toes.
Was it the alluring voice or the luscious face brimming with passion? I was lost in thought. At this point, wouldn't it be okay to seriously question the stalled relationship?
I took a moment to gather my thoughts and come to a conclusion. I decided to address the lack of progress or development since the kiss.
Two officers, who saw a woman in a white dress enter the command building where the lieutenant colonel worked, looked at her with admiration.
As the woman with dazzling platinum hair and a graceful, elegant demeanor approached, her beauty became more apparent. In her right hand, she carried a finely woven willow basket.
“It’s breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Isn’t that the lieutenant colonel’s fiancée?”
“That’s right. The Admiral’s Princess.”
They were close enough to hear the conversation, so they immediately fell silent. Celine smiled brightly at the two officers.
"Hello."
The two men looked at each other with blank expressions and then quickly saluted.
“Hello. What brings you here?”
“I thought you all might be hungry, so I made some snacks. You two should eat some, too.”
With her delicate, white hands, she opened the lid of the basket and handed them something. One officer bowed slightly and accepted it.
“Is it a sandwich? I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yes. Enjoy your meal.”
Two men holding sandwiches gaped at the sight of the charming woman's smile, then quickly straightened their slouched postures, put their legs together, and saluted.
"Thank you!"
After she left, one officer hugged the sandwich to his chest as if it were precious, and his face looked touched.
“If it were a lady like that... I would go to the front and give my life.”
“The war is over.”
"Strictly speaking, it's a ceasefire, not the end, right? Anyway, a fiancée like that. I'm jealous."
Another officer took a big bite of a sandwich filled with vegetables and ham, then placed a hand on his bulging cheek.
“It’s delicious. She's a good cook, too.”
“Would she have done it? The maids would have done it.”
Celine stood in front of the lieutenant colonel's office, waiting for him, tapping the toes of her shoes on the floor. Even though they had promised to marry and even had an engagement ceremony, the lieutenant colonel's warning against seeking love still held true.
Despite Celine's best efforts, the lieutenant colonel's attitude toward her remained unchanged. Despite Celine's countless efforts, he refused to even call her by name, consistently treating her like a stranger.
But wouldn't things change once she got married and had children? That was her vague hope.
When she told the Admiral that she was getting married to a lieutenant colonel and asked him to stop what he was planning, he asked her.
Wouldn't you regret marrying a man who doesn't love you?
She thought that if she continued to express her feelings, maybe someday he would love her back. People's hearts change, so if she kept expressing her sincerity, someday, he would.
It's a girlish fantasy at that age. When you fall in love, your reasoning becomes clouded, and you tend to forget reality.
"Celine. Even if I don't step forward, the war will continue."
It was her father's advice. She hoped it wouldn't interfere with her marriage, so she responded.
"Just please, don't harm Diana. That's the condition of our marriage. If you want me to be happy, then please do so."
She was going to marry this man, so what did the war have to do with it? She figured it would all be a war between Medea and Frogen.
She also knew very well that she was far removed from the war and not directly affected by it.
The long war had left everyone except the upper class in poverty and destitution, but it hadn't affected her much. Marrying the second son of a Duke would only further distance her from such misery.
Even if war breaks out again, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendael, the son of the Prime Minister and the son-in-law of the Admiral, will be safely deployed to the rear.
As long as the empire does not completely collapse, the privileged class will still be able to maintain a lifestyle of eating and drinking in abundance and buying luxuries such as jewelry and dresses.
If the empire were to completely collapse, which is unlikely, then you could just leave for another country and start over with your existing capital.
As she was leaning against the wall and thinking only about her married life with him, the lieutenant colonel looked down silently at her and Celine, who was carrying a basket.
"Colonel, I made some sandwiches. I thought it would be nice for everyone to share."
“You don’t have to go through the trouble of doing this.”
"Trouble? It wasn't hard at all. I did this much for you..."
“Is that really for me?”
The sharp words pierced deep into her heart. A chilling silence fell between them as they stood side by side in the hallway. Celine, who had been quivering, quickly closed her lips and bit her lower lip.
“Oh my, our pretty Miss Claire is here.”
An elderly colonel approached and smiled at Celine.
“Hello, Colonel.”
“I hope you’ve been well. What’s that in your basket?”
“Oh. I brought a sandwich. Colonel, try some.”
The colonel stroked his brown mustache and patted the lieutenant colonel on the back.
"What a wonderful husband-to-be. To marry such a beautiful, supportive, and perfect woman. Enjoy your meal, Miss Celine. Please give His Excellency my regards."
The colonel, who had received two sandwiches, left with a satisfied look on his face and a hearty laugh, and Celine quickly wiped away the artificial smile she had created.
“If you don’t like sandwiches, I’ll bring something different next time.”
"It's okay."
“Tell me what you like, and I’ll try it.”
Even with Celine's heartbreaking words, his cold blue eyes didn't feel even a shred of warmth.
“No need.”
The lieutenant colonel, speaking firmly, came face to face with her. At the cold tone that followed, Celine felt her heart sink.
"Because it's useless. No matter what you do, I have no intention of loving you."
I sat in the passenger seat, wrapped in the relatively clean blanket I'd found at the lodge, staring out the window. He'd said there was only one blanket, but there were three more. He truly was a pitiful man. Meanwhile, Mastiff's earnest face and eyes kept coming back to me, and the words I'd been holding in my mouth murmured in silence.
I feel a sense of crisis at the thought that I have a competitor who is a murderer and a madman.
"I'm sorry I kept it a secret, Diana. It was all for this."
As he said this, I shuddered at the thought of Mastiff and Noah leaving, holding hands in a friendly manner.
"No."
“What’s wrong?”
Noah, who was driving, looked at me with a smile on his face as I muttered without realizing it.
“You and the Mastiff... no.”
There was no need to talk about the anxious thoughts in my mind. I cleared my throat and pretended nothing was wrong.
“Diana, please keep Mastiff a secret.”
"Why?"
I felt a strange sensation of being surrounded by Mastiff, and I glanced at Noah's side with a questioning gaze.
“As I said yesterday, he's still useful.”
What good is he? He's a worthless man to me. Are you protecting another man in front of me right now?
"Yes..."
I quickly dismissed the obsessive thoughts, thinking it might be a bit odd to be so judgmental. I just felt a little jealous inside. Noah said everything he said and did was for my own good, so I guess I should believe him.
We headed toward the city center and to a nearby hotel. After checking in and entering my room, I quickly headed to the bathroom, and I heard Noah's voice behind me.
“I’m going to buy some new clothes, so I’m going to wash up.”
"All right."
I filled the bathtub with hot water, dissolved the bath salts on the bathroom shelf, and soaked my body. I felt all the fatigue accumulated in every corner of my body melt away.
Now, I pulled back my hair that had grown to my collarbone and leaned back leisurely, closing my eyes as I listened to the sound of the water lapping.
I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again, and before I knew it, the water had cooled to lukewarm.
“I dozed off for a bit.”
After muttering to myself and finishing my body wash, I left the bathroom wearing a robe. Noah, who had been sitting on the sofa, put down the newspaper, stood up, and handed me the new clothes he'd bought.
“I was worried because he didn’t come out for so long. I thought he drowned.”
“Don’t say anything ominous... I fell asleep in the bathtub.”
“Yeah. I’ll go wash up too.”
I sat on the bed, unbuttoning my shirt, and secretly watched Noah as he headed toward the bathroom. How could someone be so ascetic, yet so sultry and decadent? It was a paradoxical yet strangely captivating.
I was dozing off under my soft and cozy goose down blanket when I heard the bathroom door open, and my slumped expression widened.
Noah asked, rubbing his wet hair while wearing a black polar fleece t-shirt that looked like it had been bought nearby.
“Will it get better?”
"No..."
“You can sleep more. The Princess is not in good health.”
This body was never weak. It was just that the mind of the person who entered it was wrong.
“Shall we go out for a meal? I’m hungry.”
He nodded in agreement with my suggestion and finished drying his hair. I opened the box to get some new clothes, and I was startled.
The design is not much different from the clothes Mastiff bought. The dress is a tight-fitting, wine-colored dress with a skirt that opens up to the side.
“Should I wear this?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t help it since they only sell clothes like this.”
Even the racy pajamas and clothes weren't Mastiff's style. This was the local fashion. Noah chuckled at my squinting, scanning the clothes.
"This port city has a thriving entertainment culture. There's even a casino."
“Yes, thank you for buying it for me.”
Fortunately, the long coat I was wearing concealed any hint of my risqué attire. He was wearing a black, waxed, waterproof trench coat that suited him quite well, so I observed Noah's outfit closely and asked.
“It’s just on the opposite side of Logan Field, but the doubles are a bit different.”
"This was in my car. It's from a famous costume shop that received the Medea Royal Award. I ordered it and waited two months..."
I cut off Noah's words while he was boasting about his fine clothes and asked him urgently.
“Wait a minute, are my clothes in that car too?”
Noah turned his head without answering and spoke at the same time.
“What is the famous food here?”
I followed Noah, my eyes tinged with disgust. "This guy is real! Why won't he just tell me honestly that this is his style? Then I'll only wear things like this from now on." I grinned sinisterly.
We left the hotel together and went into a nearby restaurant on the street to order food. Noah, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands, delivered the sudden news.
“Jace said your sister is getting married.”
"It's time. What kind of crazy man would marry someone like that?"
“Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal.”
I almost spit out the water I was drinking. I put the glass down and stared at him in disbelief. Noah's mouth curved with a strange meaning.
“That’s true. I think they even had an engagement ceremony.”
“That... what kind of combination is that?”
“It’s closer to an alliance.”
What is this guy saying?
I was lost in thought, my heart in turmoil. Will they end up together like in the original? Something so absurd?
The lieutenant colonel was actually on Celine's sidéwe! That doesn't seem to be the case. It's more unlikely that Celine repented and reformed. It seems they were bound by shared goals and interests, not love. That kind of thing is common.
"Anyway, I've cut ties with that family, so it doesn't concern me. They won't send me any wedding invitations."
“Yeah. That’s great, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“What’s so great about it?”
“I don’t think I can do it because I’m marrying a woman I don’t even like for a purpose.”
“What is your purpose?”
Noah looked at me like a question mark killer. The unfriendly man, who seemed to dislike being asked repeated questions, sighed and asked back.
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
"Yes."
"For you. If you had done anything else, I would have killed you, but I like the idea of marriage. I think I made a promise to the lieutenant colonel's mother."
"The Colonel's mother" might sound like a neighborhood lady, but it's actually a Duchess. This man tends to keep things to himself, so I can't quite figure out why the Colonel would marry Celine for me.
“I don’t know, is it for me?”
Noah changed the subject, cutting the steak he was served into bite-sized pieces and handing it to me.
“You'll find out later. Are you still tired?”
“That’s a little bit true.”
“Then shall we sleep at the hotel today?”
It was probably a meaningless remark since it was obvious that nothing would happen, but my back felt numb for no reason, and I curled my toes.
Was it the alluring voice or the luscious face brimming with passion? I was lost in thought. At this point, wouldn't it be okay to seriously question the stalled relationship?
I took a moment to gather my thoughts and come to a conclusion. I decided to address the lack of progress or development since the kiss.
***
Two officers, who saw a woman in a white dress enter the command building where the lieutenant colonel worked, looked at her with admiration.
As the woman with dazzling platinum hair and a graceful, elegant demeanor approached, her beauty became more apparent. In her right hand, she carried a finely woven willow basket.
“It’s breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Isn’t that the lieutenant colonel’s fiancée?”
“That’s right. The Admiral’s Princess.”
They were close enough to hear the conversation, so they immediately fell silent. Celine smiled brightly at the two officers.
"Hello."
The two men looked at each other with blank expressions and then quickly saluted.
“Hello. What brings you here?”
“I thought you all might be hungry, so I made some snacks. You two should eat some, too.”
With her delicate, white hands, she opened the lid of the basket and handed them something. One officer bowed slightly and accepted it.
“Is it a sandwich? I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yes. Enjoy your meal.”
Two men holding sandwiches gaped at the sight of the charming woman's smile, then quickly straightened their slouched postures, put their legs together, and saluted.
"Thank you!"
After she left, one officer hugged the sandwich to his chest as if it were precious, and his face looked touched.
“If it were a lady like that... I would go to the front and give my life.”
“The war is over.”
"Strictly speaking, it's a ceasefire, not the end, right? Anyway, a fiancée like that. I'm jealous."
Another officer took a big bite of a sandwich filled with vegetables and ham, then placed a hand on his bulging cheek.
“It’s delicious. She's a good cook, too.”
“Would she have done it? The maids would have done it.”
Celine stood in front of the lieutenant colonel's office, waiting for him, tapping the toes of her shoes on the floor. Even though they had promised to marry and even had an engagement ceremony, the lieutenant colonel's warning against seeking love still held true.
Despite Celine's best efforts, the lieutenant colonel's attitude toward her remained unchanged. Despite Celine's countless efforts, he refused to even call her by name, consistently treating her like a stranger.
But wouldn't things change once she got married and had children? That was her vague hope.
When she told the Admiral that she was getting married to a lieutenant colonel and asked him to stop what he was planning, he asked her.
Wouldn't you regret marrying a man who doesn't love you?
She thought that if she continued to express her feelings, maybe someday he would love her back. People's hearts change, so if she kept expressing her sincerity, someday, he would.
It's a girlish fantasy at that age. When you fall in love, your reasoning becomes clouded, and you tend to forget reality.
"Celine. Even if I don't step forward, the war will continue."
It was her father's advice. She hoped it wouldn't interfere with her marriage, so she responded.
"Just please, don't harm Diana. That's the condition of our marriage. If you want me to be happy, then please do so."
She was going to marry this man, so what did the war have to do with it? She figured it would all be a war between Medea and Frogen.
She also knew very well that she was far removed from the war and not directly affected by it.
The long war had left everyone except the upper class in poverty and destitution, but it hadn't affected her much. Marrying the second son of a Duke would only further distance her from such misery.
Even if war breaks out again, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendael, the son of the Prime Minister and the son-in-law of the Admiral, will be safely deployed to the rear.
As long as the empire does not completely collapse, the privileged class will still be able to maintain a lifestyle of eating and drinking in abundance and buying luxuries such as jewelry and dresses.
If the empire were to completely collapse, which is unlikely, then you could just leave for another country and start over with your existing capital.
As she was leaning against the wall and thinking only about her married life with him, the lieutenant colonel looked down silently at her and Celine, who was carrying a basket.
"Colonel, I made some sandwiches. I thought it would be nice for everyone to share."
“You don’t have to go through the trouble of doing this.”
"Trouble? It wasn't hard at all. I did this much for you..."
“Is that really for me?”
The sharp words pierced deep into her heart. A chilling silence fell between them as they stood side by side in the hallway. Celine, who had been quivering, quickly closed her lips and bit her lower lip.
“Oh my, our pretty Miss Claire is here.”
An elderly colonel approached and smiled at Celine.
“Hello, Colonel.”
“I hope you’ve been well. What’s that in your basket?”
“Oh. I brought a sandwich. Colonel, try some.”
The colonel stroked his brown mustache and patted the lieutenant colonel on the back.
"What a wonderful husband-to-be. To marry such a beautiful, supportive, and perfect woman. Enjoy your meal, Miss Celine. Please give His Excellency my regards."
The colonel, who had received two sandwiches, left with a satisfied look on his face and a hearty laugh, and Celine quickly wiped away the artificial smile she had created.
“If you don’t like sandwiches, I’ll bring something different next time.”
"It's okay."
“Tell me what you like, and I’ll try it.”
Even with Celine's heartbreaking words, his cold blue eyes didn't feel even a shred of warmth.
“No need.”
The lieutenant colonel, speaking firmly, came face to face with her. At the cold tone that followed, Celine felt her heart sink.
"Because it's useless. No matter what you do, I have no intention of loving you."
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