Chapter 4

When two wars occur in one country, they generally don’t divide their forces but abandon one side.

The war with the Merbenia Kingdom that Demian had gone to fight wasn’t that significant to begin with. Merbenia was a kingdom, and compared to the Cropus Empire, it was just a small nation.

From the start, it was essentially trampling them with the certainty of victory.

Most ministers had invested their knights in the battle against Merbenia where Demian had been dispatched.

Therefore.

The war against the Biaten Empire, where Crown Prince Callisten Ethan Cropus had been sent, was a battle meant to be sacrificed.

The Biaten Empire shared a border with them, and there had always been large and small battles. This time too, they thought it would just be a few exemplary fights.

So it hadn’t received proper support.

But how?

How had he managed to bring down the Biaten Empire with just those few knights?

Moreover, this was something that hadn’t even been mentioned in the original story.

“Callisten?”

“Yes! He’s at the city gates right now!”

The Emperor glared at the aide who had interrupted his congratulatory speech. The aide automatically lowered his head at that gaze. The ballroom naturally fell silent as a mouse.

Everyone knew that the Emperor didn’t think favorably of his son, Crown Prince Callisten.

After his mother, the late Empress, died, Callisten had completely fallen out of favor. There were even rumors that the Emperor might have hoped he would lose this battle and be removed from the position of Crown Prince.

“We’re still celebrating the Grand Duke of Mays, so tell him the victory ceremony will be held next month.”

“What? But right now……”

He was saying that he wouldn’t let the knights already near the capital enter the city and would make them camp outside. For a whole month. People who had just achieved a great victory.

“Ah. I expected this, but you really are doing it, Your Majesty.”

My head turned automatically at the voice I hadn’t heard in a long time.

There stood Callisten. With his pitch-black hair and blood-red eyes.

Covered in blood from head to toe.

The dull sound of his armor could be heard with every movement. As his heavy footsteps trampled across the carpet of the banquet hall, people’s gazes followed him.

“Father.”

“…Callisten.”

“My subordinates and I have brought the head of the Biaten Emperor solely for Your Majesty.”

“…Is it true? You really have the Biaten Emperor’s head……”

“Yes.”

Callisten apparently hadn’t come alone, as a knight standing behind him bowed his head. The knight was holding a small box.

At Callisten’s gesture, the knight went outside, then quickly ran to the interior balcony on the second floor and went behind the Emperor.

Then he handed over what he was holding.

“Ha!”

The Cropus Emperor received the head of the Biaten Emperor, his longtime nemesis, and exclaimed as if cheering:

“Truly. This demon-like bastard…!”

He checked again what was in the box with an excited expression. Then with an ecstatic smile, he said:

“I’ll hold a victory ceremony for you tomorrow.”

“I’m honored, Your Majesty.”

“Relieve all your pent-up feelings today!”

The Emperor spoke as if bestowing mercy, seemingly forgetting that he had hated his son upon seeing the head of his longtime enemy.

The current Emperor hated Crown Prince Callisten.

Because Callisten was extraordinary compared to the ordinary Emperor.

“Rather than that, I’d like to receive what was promised to me.”

“Th-that will be at your victory ball! This is Grand Duke Demian’s victory ball right now!”

“…Yes.”

Callisten looked full of discontent, but then he looked in my direction and smiled.

“Just make sure to give me what you promised, Your Majesty.”

Callisten was my childhood friend, but.

I didn’t particularly like him either.

Because he was truly a madman.

One reason I rushed into marriage was because of this madman. If Demian had gone to war and I had remained unmarried, this madman would never have left me alone.

⁕⁕⁕

The banquet continued tediously.

Demian, myself, Delilah, and Sir Baron—the four of us had to stay together.

“Grand Duke Mays! Come here!”

The Emperor, perhaps driven mad with happiness today, had drunk heavily in that short time and was now drunkenly saying whatever came to mind.

“I knew the Grand Duke of Mays would do it. Offering the Merbenia Kingdom to the Cropus Empire!”

“You flatter me. Just being of help to this empire is an honor my family will cherish for generations.”

“Ho. Being modest again, are you?”

The Emperor would normally have maintained his dignity, but now he seemed unable to distinguish things properly due to intoxication.

Well, he had received the head of his eternal enemy, so it was understandable.

He would have also brought documents regarding the Biaten Empire.

That meant the territory would double in size. The Emperor’s joy was clearly due to such dark intentions.

I forced a smile and pretended to focus on what the Emperor was saying. If it weren’t for Callisten, who was glaring at me from beside the door leading to the terrace, still in his armor without having changed, I wouldn’t have needed to put on such an act.

In reality, I had considered returning to the mansion while he went to change. But as if knowing my intentions, he stood there ignoring anyone who tried to speak to him, continuously staring at me.

“Miss Delilah.”

“You remember my name! What an honor, Your Majesty!”

Delilah bowed her head as if deeply moved. The Emperor smiled pleasantly and said:

“I’ve heard much about your exploits. The strategy at Ruden Bridge was your idea, wasn’t it?”

“Ah… that was all because the Grand Duke commanded so well……”

“Hahaha. I’ve heard from the Grand Duke of Mays that you’re modestly feminine. You’re a wise woman.”

“You flatter me. I feel I could die without regrets now!”

“You mustn’t die! So young and pretty!”

At the Emperor’s words, Delilah smiled with reddened eyes as if expressing her gratitude.

In the original story, the reason why the secondary male lead Callisten and Delilah didn’t end up together was because they were actually half-siblings.

This was only revealed near the end, but until then, Callisten had followed Delilah around like a madman.

“I once had an imperial princess like you.”

The Emperor was reminiscing about the daughter he had lost, who was actually Delilah.

“If you ever have any difficulties, feel free to ask me. I will help you anytime.”

“Ah…! What an honor, Your Majesty!”

Delilah kept bowing her head so low it seemed like she would bury it in the ground.

And I continued to smile, pretending to be the protagonist’s wife at this uncomfortable ball.

We hadn’t even consummated our marriage yet. If that was the case, it wouldn’t be difficult to annul the marriage under imperial law. If I returned to the Philia Marquis household, I might be sold off in another marriage transaction.

I wanted to avoid that at all costs.

So it would be best to divorce Demian but also arrange my next marriage.

“Now, tell me about the battlefield, Grand Duke.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

And so the tedious war stories continued.

Perhaps, if I hadn’t been disappointed in Demian.

The hardships and events he experienced on the battlefield might have seemed meaningful to me.

Yet what was truly pathetic about myself was that even though I thought his words were meaningless, I couldn’t ignore them either.

If sorting out my feelings had been that easy, I might have left the house the day I saw him kissing Delilah.

“So then I… did… and… did it.”

Seeing Demian check Delilah’s expression rather than mine whenever he laughed made my chest ache again.

Perhaps I still hoped that he would apologize to me, send Delilah away, and return to me.

‘My love will never change.’

‘I was told not to make promises I can’t keep.’

‘There’s nothing I can’t keep, Bri. Not when it’s for you.’

Remembering what he had said to me before he left made me feel even more miserable.

Suddenly, I realized that Callisten had disappeared from beside the door leading to the terrace.

Perhaps he too had grown tired of waiting and left. If tomorrow was his victory ceremony, he would need to go back and inform his subordinates, and after being on the battlefield for so long, he would need proper rest.

So he must have left because he was tired.

“Bri.”

“I’m sorry. I feel very dizzy.”

“My, I heard the Grand Duchess of Mays hasn’t been feeling well lately. Could she be pregnant?”

The Emperor, drunk and unable to distinguish right from wrong, was pretending to be concerned while asking what shouldn’t be asked.

“Thank you for asking, Your Majesty.”

“Not at all. You look unwell, so I’ll arrange a place for you to stay in the imperial palace.”

“No, Your Majesty. I’m deeply moved by your grace to someone as humble as me. However, I think it would be better for me to return to the Grand Duke’s residence first.”

Somehow feeling an ominous premonition that he might send Demian with me, I quickly added:

“So even if my body is absent, my heart remains here with you all, and I hope you will look after my husband with your generous and brave insight, Your Majesty.”

“Hohoho. The Grand Duchess is still eloquent as ever. Very well, let it be so.”

After receiving the Emperor’s permission, I immediately went to the carriage.

⁕⁕⁕

“Haa.”

Upon reaching the carriage, I said to the coachman:

“To the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Just as the carriage was about to move.

—The door burst open.

“Long time no see, Bri.”

The person who opened the carriage door and intruded was Callisten.

Still glaring at me with those madness-filled blood-red eyes.

“Didn’t you miss me?”