CH 77

12. An Undelivered Gift

“Did they leave? Already?”

“Yes. His Majesty, before sunrise, he left as if he was running away, so Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince had no choice but to go with him.”

“Why did His Majesty run away…?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know the details, but maybe it’s because there’s a person living in the castle who’s very scary and annoying to His Majesty?”

“I see… Do you know who it is, Roana?”

—How can you not know? Canaren, it’s someone you see every day.

Roana wanted to answer like that, but she held back and smiled, saying, “I don’t know anything.” Canaren blinked and sighed softly.

Canaren was looking forward to talking to Lucian after a long time because he came with the emperor. It might be very difficult, but she wanted to treat the young crown prince to a delicious tea if the opportunity arose. She wanted to praise the drawing Lucian made of herself and say thank you.

If she had known that they would return to the Imperial Palace so quickly, she would have sneaked out last night and seen his face.

Canaren had an unrealizable regret. She hated the her of yesterday, who fell asleep as if fainting without knowing this.

Yesterday, as soon as Yulif came down from the bell tower and took her to her room, she fell asleep. She suddenly lost consciousness as if her mind had been cut with scissors. The reason was probably exhaustion, because a lot happened yesterday.

She got up from dawn to dress up, went to the village with Yulif to meet her mother and the villagers, jumped off the bell tower and fought with Yulif. In particular, she was very exhausted mentally because of the last incident.

In the end, Canaren, who fell asleep as if fainting, only woke up the morning after her wedding day. At the bedside was Roana, who gazed at her with her worried expression.

After exchanging brief morning greetings, she asked if there was any way to meet Lucian, and she heard the news that the emperor had already left.

The face of Yulif, who was very angry when he saw her jumping from the bell tower according to the custom of the Hwira, came to mind again. Just before the thorny words he had uttered surfaced, Canaren shook her head.

‘It’s in the past. The more I think about it, the more it’ll hurt me.’

At least she had a good night’s sleep, so her energy came back and her mind was clear. She felt that she had to push herself vigorously to live in the present, not yesterday.

Canaren sat down in front of the dressing table as Roana led. Roana hummed as she combed through her long hair.

“From today, it’s better to eat in the dining hall, if possible. Especially in the morning.”

“Why?”

“Canaren is now a full-fledged duchess, so you have to eat breakfast and discipline the employees!”

Duchess. The echo and excitement of that short word passed by, tapping and tickling Canaren’s chest.

A number of things happened, but the wedding was over anyway, and she became Yulif’s wife. But she hadn’t realized it yet. Because nothing had really changed for her.

“Discipline… How will I do that?”

“Are you not the madam of this castle?”

Suddenly, the topic jumped to Yulif. Canaren nodded her head, puzzled. As this castle belonged to Yulif.

“And Canaren is now the lord’s wife. Husband and wife are destined to be together! So half of this castle belongs to Madam Canaren. So, discipline to the employees who work in the castle…”

“No! What are you talking about, Roana?”

“Yes? What?”

“This castle is what Yulif earned with his hard work. I’ve never helped Yulif when he was working. So this castle can’t be mine. Even if we’re married.”

“No, but the law…”

“I don’t know much about laws. However, I don’t want to take away what Yulif got through hard work so easily. Don’t ever say that again. I will not forgive even Roana no matter what.”

‘It’s not like that.’

Roana was perplexed. She brought up the story of disciplining the staff for Canaren because she wanted to play a shallow trick with Canaren’s authority instead of going through Yulif to get permission or approval. If Canaren said yes, it would have been obvious that Yulif would just let things slide.

And she emphasized the need to discipline because she was worried that the good duchess might be looked down on by the employees. But she didn’t think she had to worry at all.

‘Discipline… You asked me how to do it, but it seems you’re really good at doing it.’

“Roana! Are you thinking of something else?”

“Yes? Oh no! How could I ever think differently in front of Madam Canaren? Absolutely not!”

“I made a mistake. I will never say that again.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t say that again.”

“Are you really regretting it? Why are you laughing like that when you say you did something wrong?”

“It’s because I’m always smiling kindly like this.”

If Derek had heard it, he would’ve fallen to the ground while holding the back of his neck. But the naive Canaren lowered the corners of her eyes, which had been raised sharply.

“If anyone thinks I married Yulif for his fortune, it’s all Roana’s fault.”

“Ouch, yes. That’s right. If anyone thinks that way, it’s all my fault, so bring them to me. Got it?”

‘I’ll twist that person’s head.’ Innocent Canaren could never have guessed what Roana didn’t say. Before she knew it, her mind was filled with only one thought.

A couple shares their destiny. The duchess must show her dignity. So, if she doesn’t show dignity, will Yulif be in trouble?

Then it would be difficult. Already, this marriage was not suitable for Yulif, a member of the imperial family. Canaren’s complexion darkened for a moment. She soon spoke bitterly, as if she had made up her mind to do something.

“Roana, make me look dignified.”

“Heheheh…! Oh, Yes! Riiiiiight! I will make you look dignified.”

Roana adorned Canaren well, holding back her burst of laughter.

*******

The castle’s kitchen was very noisy and bustling. The news that the emperor, empress, and crown prince had left was a brief moment of joy, and news broke that the duchess would come down to the dining room to have breakfast.

The chef pounded the pot with a ladle and polished the kitchen utensils. Fortunately, there were a lot of high-quality ingredients around that were meant to be served to the emperor.

Canaren, the new duchess, was a woman full of rumors among the employees. It was natural to be curious because the lord, who had lived without a woman all his life, suddenly brought her out of the palace himself, the very woman the emperor was so fond of that he said he would give up the throne.

However, there were few employees who witnessed Canaren with their own eyes. Canaren’s range of behavior was narrow, but it was because Yulif thoroughly controlled all contact. Thanks to this, they had no choice but to access information about Canaren only through the mouths of the closest employees, Roana or Derek.

This was how Derek and Roana answered every time someone asked about Canaren.

“She is an angel. She is an angel from heaven.”

“She was sent by God to prevent the lord with a bad personality from dying alone. She is such a lovely person, so even the lord fell in love. Ah. We understand the lord’s feelings a hundred times a thousand times. He has already fallen in love with Canaren.”

Even the maids who occasionally went to help Canaren dress up were flustered for half a day after one visit. Employees’ curiosity and expectations grew. In this situation, since it was the duchess’s first breakfast, it was natural that the kitchen staff wanted to make a good impression.

However, another piece of news came to the kitchen, where preparations were almost finished.

“Emergency! Emergency! A huge emergency!”

“What now?”

“He… He is coming! He is coming!”

“Ahhh! Just kill me now!”

‘He’, who made the kitchen staff’s teeth tremble, raised his hand several times in front of the dining hall door and released it.

It had been a long time since Derek announced that Canaren had arrived at the dining hall. He felt that he shouldn’t make her wait any longer, but he also thought that it would be better not to meet her at all.

‘Don’t say anything too harsh. Today is… Today is our wedding.’

He would rather not hurt her face to face. Wouldn’t it be better for each other not to see and hurt each other?

Yulif hesitated, and finally turned around.

Let’s not see her for a while. Yesterday, he put a dagger in the form of painful words, so let’s leave her alone for a few days.

As usual, he was making his own conclusions and wasting time to return to the office, but the door opened.

“I came out because you didn’t want to…”

Canaren’s voice caught his feet. Yulif didn’t look back, neither could he move forward, and he froze on the spot.

Tak, tak. The sound of shoes was getting closer, and the bright yellow color that popped out filled his field of vision with loveliness.

Canaren, who wore a small tiara, smiled brightly like a spring flower, with her braided hair curled up into a circle and decorated with a net studded with pearls.

“Yulif, are you running away?”

It was a breath-stopping question. Canaren stared at Yulif, who didn’t say anything, and then lifted her heel.

In a moment, her face came so close that their lips could touch. Yulif quickly retreated back.

“You promised me. After we get married, you promise to show your face at least once a day.”

“…Now, I’m showing it.”

“No. I caught Yulif who was trying to run away. So what you are saying is now invalid.”

She was right, and there was no reason to refute it. As Yulif shut his mouth once more, Canaren squinted and licked her lips.

“Okay. I don’t have to see you in the dining hall. I can see you in bed. When will I see you next?”

“Keuk, heh! Uhhh. Sorry. Sorry!”

Roana covered her mouth with her hand and sprinted past the two of them. Breaking news! Breaking news! Yulif watched Roana’s disappearing back as she turned around the corner, roaring loudly so that the whole hallway rang, and covered his face with a large hand.

“…Let’s just go eat together today.”

A low whispering voice sounded like a moan.