Chapter 18

That very afternoon, the marriage of the two was proclaimed on such a grand scale that the entire country seemed to tremble with the news. In its wake, articles began to pour out as if by prior arrangement, all praising how the once-unstable public sentiment of the past year was finally finding its stability once more.

“Your Highness, the photograph turned out beautifully. Everywhere people gather, they say the two of you suit each other so well.”

Even as Britta’s cheerful chatter filled the room beside her, Adeline set the newspaper down without expression.

The image of herself smiling brightly in the photograph felt strangely foreign. She knew better than anyone that she hadn’t exchanged a single word with him until the paperwork was complete, and that the happiness captured before the photographer had been nothing more than a performance.

There was no reason she should feel pleased by it.

“It can’t be anything good.”

At her bitter murmur, Britta hurried to add.

“It’s not all bad talk. It’s the nobles and the more radical remnants of the revolution spreading ugly rumors. The common people genuinely welcome this marriage. Those who felt their lives had finally become bearable thanks to the Allied nations but couldn’t say so openly, now they have a pretext, thanks to you, Your Highness.”

As she said, the ordinary people of Velasque were largely well disposed toward the Allied nations.

After all, it had been the royal house that provoked the war, squeezing the populace dry under the weight of excessive taxation, while the revolutionary faction that claimed to champion civic rights had devolved into a violent mob, assassinating the king without so much as a trial.

Faced with such extremes, it was difficult for the people to lend their support wholeheartedly to either side.

Amid that chaos, the Allied nations had indeed wielded military force, but unlike in the past, they neither reduced the country to a colony nor exploited its people.

From the standpoint of the powerless, they appeared as saviors.

“This photograph caused such a stir as well. If you step out into the streets of Leiden, it’s printed in every newspaper. There are so many people saying how perfectly the two of you suit each other.”

Adeline studied the photograph with indifferent eyes, then looked away.

“I suppose so. Now that I see it, he could have made a convincing actor.”

“If that’s praise for my looks, I’ll accept it gladly.”

Adeline flinched and turned her head. Leon stood in the doorway, shoulders lifting in a casual shrug, as though he had been there all along. A faint tremor passed through her gaze. She hadn’t heard the door open or sensed his presence at all.

Startled, Britta sprang to her feet, bowed hastily in a show of respect, and withdrew.

Leon, elegantly extending his long legs to close the distance, took a seat opposite Adeline.

“Better than being pitied as a poor princess caught by a heartless commander without blood or tears, wouldn’t you say?”

Realizing she had, albeit unintentionally, spoken ill of him in private, Adeline felt a flicker of embarrassment. She parted her dry lips and spoke.

“…What brings you to my chambers?”

“Isn’t it a husband’s duty to visit his wife’s bedchamber on their first night?”

At his sly retort, her eyes widened.

“We’re to consummate the marriage tonight?”

“Then why else do you suppose I would come to your room at this hour?”

Adeline’s lips parted slightly.

Even though she knew it was coming, the thought of spending her first night with a man she had seen only a handful of times left her vision swimming. Especially since her heart still felt bruised by the man’s rudeness after he had stolen her first kiss and acted as if nothing had happened.

An awkward, stifling tension hung between them. Only belatedly did her heart begin to pound at the words first night.

“Even so, we… hardly know one another at all…”

The words spilled out in a disordered rush, born of sheer fluster.

The man, who had been watching her in silence, leaned forward, resting both forearms on his thighs as he drew his upper body closer. As his handsome face drew closer, Adeline flinched and straightened her back.

He curved his lips into a faint, easy smile.

“The fact that the princess, who only plotted escape, is still here, doesn’t that mean you’ve already made up your mind?”

“The fact that you, a princess who only plotted escape, are still here means you’re prepared, doesn’t it?”

The amusement threaded through his voice sounded unmistakably like mockery.

“I won’t try to run away, so don’t worry. But instead…”

Swallowing hard, she lifted her head to face the man whose thoughts she couldn’t read.

“I’ll say this plainly. Just because I’ve become your wife doesn’t mean I will tolerate any behavior that demeans my dignity.”

She spoke with what seriousness she could muster, but Leon, as though only now noticing it, casually picked up the newspaper lying on the table.

“My, now that I look at it, the photograph is a bit disappointing. I look far better from the front than in profile.”

At his blatant disregard for her words, a faint crease formed between Adeline’s delicate brows.

“Did you even hear what I said? What I mean is, I have no intention of spending our first night together tonight—”

Thud!

The sharp sound of the newspaper being slapped down cut straight through Adeline’s voice.