"......!"

"It's been so long since a Stern's wedding—the vow should be held sacred."

Come to think of it, it was like this in the original too. Lesche Berke, with that cold appearance, was conservatively strict about the sanctity of marriage vows to an extreme degree.

Now the bedroom fell silent as a tomb. Except for Lina's wheezing. I couldn't even see what expression Lina wore right now.

Lesche looked at the speechless Kallis and tilted his chin crookedly.

"Then I'll leave the saint in your care. Marquess Kallis Haneton, priests."

The priests actually welcomed this frigid atmosphere breaking.

"Understood, Your Grace."

Now, when Lesche leaves, what expression should I face Kallis with?

Honestly, I don't know. What he'll say to me is obvious. He didn't mean it that way. The saint was sick.

Then what I'll say—

"Lady Seria."

Then, a voice suddenly reached me. Lesche looked down at me and extended his arm.

"......?"

"Let's leave together. The saint needs stability."

"Ser...!"

Kallis called me, so I turned back. Our eyes met. Kallis's eyes were filled with strange anger. But that's all. That's the situation.

Even if I decided to stay here considering Kallis, I'd have to leave soon anyway.

Because Lina is still sick. Because Kallis needs to be by her side.

Still, if Kallis had called my name to the end, I would have chosen to remain by my fiancé's side. When Lina moaned lowly, Kallis turned back, murmuring Lina's name as he checked her condition.

I took my eyes off Kallis and turned to Lesche. I placed my hand on his arm.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

I left without looking back. I don't know how I came to my room. I bowed to Lesche, then collapsed onto the bed. Thump. I dismissed the maids who carefully asked "Shall I bring tea?" and buried my face deep in the pillow.

The demonic crystal bracelet I hadn't managed to take out, that I'd tucked in my bosom and rushed here with, made a rattling sound.

I felt like tears might come somehow, but Seria's mask was solid.

I thought it was fortunate—that thought occurred to me.

2. Temporary Marriage

"You didn't sleep well. Lady Seria."

"Ah, Sir Elliot."

The next day.

Elliot (angel) had a strangely pitying expression.

Judging by his expression, the rumor had already spread throughout the castle. The Haneton noblewomen were friendly toward me, but nobles from other territories weren't all like that toward me. I couldn't even guess what they were chattering about, so in times like these, I needed to act unfazed even more.

I had no desire to be torn apart by nobles just days before the wedding.

"Where are you going now? I'll go instead."

"No, Sir. I have to bring silver laurel branches anyway."

"Then I'll go ahead to the stables."

"Thank you."

"You say the strangest things."

I entered the storehouse called the 'Treasure Vault of the Green Fields.' A vast storehouse with a faint dusty smell, with no one but the guarding servant.

It was a place where only silver laurel branches and various expensive, precious items necessary for glacier inspection were selectively stored, so only permitted individuals could enter, making it extremely deserted.

My heart felt somewhat relieved.

I gathered silver laurel branches as usual, practiced and familiar.

"Lady Seria Stern."

A voice reached me then.

I turned around and was startled.

"Your Grace."

It was Lesche. Who had escorted me to the corridor yesterday. I'd been too flustered to greet him properly and fled to my room.

I bowed deeply, then raised my head. I gazed at his red eyes, then gasped and lowered my gaze. Because Lesche's eyes were too murderous.

"After what happened yesterday, can you even conduct a proper inspection?"

"......"

"If you're going to the glacier to escape, why not just hide in the annex instead?"

Strength entered my hand holding the silver laurel branch weakly.

"I'll check the glacier thoroughly as usual, so don't worry. I absolutely won't be negligent."

"......"

Lesche's expression, which had been clearly mocking, changed slightly. When he was about to open his mouth to say something—

A familiar voice came from behind.

"...Seria. Were you here?"

My expression twisted instantly. A voice I could recognize without seeing the face. Kallis. Honestly speaking, I didn't particularly want to see his face right now.

Before I turned to look at Kallis, Lesche spoke first.

"Marquess Kallis Haneton, I suppose I'm invisible to you."

"I apologize, Your Grace."

Thud thud thud. Walking sounds. Kallis grabbed my wrist. I had no choice but to turn around.

Here, my pattern recognition radar for important original story characters—developed for survival—activated again.

Kallis was currently in an angry state.

What? Why? Why is he angry?

"I looked everywhere for my fiancée."

Kallis was smiling, but only his mouth corners were raised.

"But I didn't know she'd be here with Your Grace. In such a deserted place."

As Kallis said, only Lesche and I were here. The problem was...

"Marquess Haneton. Who gave you permission to enter here?"

Lesche's voice sank threateningly.

"I never gave you access to the treasury."

That was right. Unlike Lesche, the castle's master, or me, a Stern, Kallis had never received permission to enter this Treasure Vault of the Green Fields. Even among ordinary nobles this was an extremely sensitive issue—let alone in Berke Castle, the main castle of a Grand Duchy.

"I apologize, Your Grace. I momentarily lost reason and committed a discourtesy."

Kallis apologized in a stiff voice.

"When I return, I'll immediately pay the customary compensation. If Your Grace desires a different amount, please name it. I'll gladly pay."

"Gladly? Such bravado."

"It's not bravado."

"You're mistaken."

Lesche gazed at Kallis with a cold look.

"Punishment isn't something the likes of you can determine. We simply follow the castle's tradition."

"Tradition?"

"Cutting off one wrist. Can you do it?"

"......"

Kallis glared at Lesche.

"I didn't know Your Grace wanted my wrist. Do you desire war between territories?"

"It seems you're the one who wants war, not me."

The atmosphere between them grew menacing enough to cross dangerous levels. It felt like war might truly break out. War in midwinter—looks like everyone's determined to freeze to death together. I weakly grabbed Kallis's shirt sleeve with two fingers. Both pairs of eyes simultaneously turned toward my hand, making me shrink instinctively.

Both so like knights.

"Your Grace, though my fiancé committed great rudeness, if we wage war over this, wouldn't it be too harsh on the knights who must watch over the winter glacier? I beseech you to extend the generosity you show Sterns and overlook this just once."

Lesche raised an eyebrow slightly.

"My fiancé will also swear never to commit such rudeness again. He'll apologize courteously too. Right?"

"......"

"Right? Kallis."

Kallis, who'd been staring at me blankly, slowly bowed his head to Lesche.

"I was very discourteous. Your Grace."

Fortunately, Kallis's subsequent apology was impeccably courteous. Otherwise I'd planned to stomp on his foot.

Lesche's expression was unreadable. However, throughout the apology, he watched not Kallis but me, then—

"You have quite a fiancée."

He said briefly with his usual expressionless face, then turned and left immediately. Whoosh. It was instant. In the vast, calm Treasure Vault of the Green Fields, only Kallis and I remained alone.

"Seria."

"I have nothing to say."

I tried to twist my still-captured wrist free. But Kallis didn't let go. Normally, yes. I would have told Kallis—who came all the way here unable to think straight from anger—that it was okay.

But I couldn't now. I couldn't understand at all. The image of Kallis looking at Lina with such pity kept circling before my eyes. His reflexive turn toward her at Lina's single sound left sticky traces on one side of my heart.

When had the emotions I tried to ignore accumulated this much?

"If we annul the engagement by midnight tonight, we won't have to hold that sacred wedding either. Kallis."

"...Annul?"

Kallis's eyes widened.

"Annulment at a Stern's wedding. Does that make sense? Seria!"

"Why doesn't it make sense?"

"You're... speaking carelessly because you're angry."

"I'm speaking carelessly?"

"Yes. Please calm down. Seria, you're bringing up annulment over nursing a sick saint? Over something so trivial?"

"Trivial?"

"She's sick. Someone with no one to rely on but me, a divine representative from a completely different world. Can't you understand that much?"

"I am understanding."

"This is understanding? Getting angry, holding another man's arm and leaving, not even looking at me?"

"You did all that with the saint first."

"Lina was sick! How is this the same as that!"

My head felt like it was steaming.

"You're right, it is different. At least I don't lower my guard and call His Grace by name."

"......"

Kallis made an expression like he'd realized his mistake. I bit down hard.

"Let go."

"Seria."

I tried to twist my hand forcefully to escape Kallis's grip, but it was useless. F*ck, really, this bastard.

Anger finally surged to my head. I clenched my other free hand and struck it hard against the wooden shelf beside me.

Bang! With the painful sound, Kallis's eyes widened.

"Seria!"