Chapter 32

So, she did exactly as they wished and remained silent. That much wasn’t difficult for her.

But the Grand Duke stepped firmly in front of her, shielding her from view. Only then did he lower his head. Despite his courteous demeanor, his tone was cold and warning as he spoke.

“Your Highness. If you have something to say, you may say it to me.”

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

At Diego’s words, Peder scoffed.

“Are you trying to play the doting husband? It doesn’t suit you.”

The Crown Prince’s words were sharp and dismissive, but Diego raised his head, his blood-red eyes locking onto the man in front of him.

As their eyes met, Peder’s bright red gaze flashed. Unlike Diego’s, his eyes resembled the deep, cloying hue of red wine. He let out a laugh, as if amused. Diego had always been the one to bow his head, the one who was only ever deprived of what he possessed…

‘Utterly insufferable.’

In an instant, the smile vanished from Peder’s face. He glared at Anais, standing behind Diego, with a look that could devour her whole.

Ever since she’d lifted her bridal veil, something about her had been quietly getting under his skin.

Diego stood his ground before her, as if to shield her, refusing to back down. Peder shifted his gaze to the insolent man, then spoke loudly, clearly intending Anais to hear every word.

“If she wishes to repay His Majesty’s favor, the Grand Duchess should fulfill her duties. And that’s—”

His chin jerked upward, and his voice came down like a blow, meant to crush Diego beneath its weight.

“—That’s your responsibility, as the ruler of a grand duchy under the empire, you should be the one to teach her. From the looks of it, she still needs to learn how to behave in the presence of the imperial family.”

It was a blatant slight against the grand duchess.

Diego, who had been silent all this time, furrowed his brow in displeasure, then tilted his head slightly to the side. The shift in his gaze, no longer meeting the man in front of him straight on, gave off a strange sense of intimidation.

“….”

He said nothing.

Instead, his eyes slid past Peder’s shoulder to the distance, where the empress was watching them intently. Catching sight of her, a cold, subtle smile flickered at the corner of Diego’s lips. The empress’s face was stony, and she seemed to be urgently whispering something to an attendant.

Having taken stock of the situation, Diego straightened his posture, though his gaze toward Peder remained as cold as ever.

‘Handling a crown prince who still hides behind his mother’s skirts? That’s hardly difficult.’

He was just about to speak when he suddenly froze. It was because Anais’s hand had come to rest on his forearm.

“….!”

Her hand, which had reached out to him so gently, now gripped his arm, silently urging him to stop. Instinctively, Diego’s gaze flickered to her.

Meanwhile, Anais stepped to his side and opened her mouth in a calm, composed voice.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

Anais had been watching the Grand Duke closely for some time, so she easily sensed his rising agitation. Before his self-control could snap, she acted first, taking hold of his arm and stepping forward to stand at his side.

Fortunately, his strong arm remained steady at his side. Seeing this, she bowed her head and began to speak.

“…Your Highness.”

Having witnessed scenes like this many times, both inside and outside the Viscount Orelcian’s estate, she was quick to pick up on the subtle tension between the crown prince and the grand duke.

In moments like these, it was best to simply lower her head and keep the peace, rather than risk provoking further trouble. After all, if things escalated, it would be the Grand Duke who ended up shouldering the blame, and nothing good would come of that for her, either.

With a faint, polite smile, she addressed him graciously.

“I’m well aware that I was able to rise to the position of grand duchess only thanks to His Majesty’s gracious favor. I’ll do my utmost to ensure I never bring dishonor to his name.”

But irritation flickered across Peder’s face. It was clear that her poised response clearly displeased him.

With a mocking lilt, he fired another question.

“But is the viscount truly your father? You hardly seem to take after him at all.”

His scarlet eyes swept over her from head to toe. The sharp remark made her flinch, but she quickly bowed her head and answered.

“I may not fully grasp the depths of Your Highness’s meaning, but the only father I have ever known is Viscount Nectar Orelcian.”

Anais felt a wave of anxiety. She couldn’t tell if he had discovered the secret of her illegitimate birth.

She held her breath.

While she held her breath, the crown prince finally spoke.