Chapter 66

Elise’s words were rather curt. “Whether it’s the customs of the Northern tribes or the society of Van Yela… it fascinated me due to its stark contrast with the South in many aspects. Besides, it marked my initial encounter with peers my age. I wish for Lady Irrien to stay a few more days.”

Rezette chimed in, dismissing her interests, “You needn’t concern yourself with those matters; they hold no relevance to your future.”

Elise persisted, “But I’m genuinely curious…”

“If you truly are, I can enlighten you,” Rezette offered.

Elise hesitated, “I’d rather not discuss such matters with you.” She clenched her lips, defiantly raised her head, and steadfastly avoided making eye contact as Rezette probed further.

“Are you implying you prefer conversing with Lady Irrien over me?”

“I don’t wish to make comparisons…”

“Then why did you send that letter? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be alone?”

Elise hesitated, then confessed, “Well…”

“Was that a lie?”

“No!” Elise retorted angrily, and Rezette regarded her with a cold raised eyebrow.

He pointed out, “Elise, you haven’t provided a single straightforward answer to any of my questions. If you can’t explain your desire to have Lady Irrien by your side, I’ll have to handle things my own way.”

Today, Elise found him to be an even more impenetrable barrier. Signs of weariness had at last begun to show on her face.

In reality, this was all a consequence of Rezette’s actions. He had not laid a hand on her, let alone embraced her. This was precisely why Elise couldn’t openly confront Genovia Irrien. She couldn’t bring herself to articulate how much the absence of a swelling belly tormented her, filling her with anxiety, misery, and fear. She had never contemplated what lay beyond childbirth, not even in Genovia’s words.

Elise sealed her lips and instead fixed her gaze on him intently. The man, whose countenance had been so frigid, began to crumble, and eventually, his expression peeled away like a shell, revealing the words he had kept suppressed.

“Elise.”

Silence hung between them.

“My lady.”

Rezette chewed on his inner lip, as if it were the only way to contain the turmoil within. Whenever he saw her image reflected in his pure golden eyes, he felt like a transgressor. As her small coral-colored lips remained sealed, his restlessness grew.

“I understand. Please, spare me that look.” Rezette fought to restrain his rising frustration. “Rest completely for at least a day, then… come see me tomorrow. I won’t send Lady Irrien away.”

“Today is fine,” Elise insisted.

“Elise, please.”

However, he could no longer hold back. Rezette spoke with a sigh.

“Give me some time to ease my mind… I don’t want to keep you confined here. Even now…”

Even now, he was striving to endure. He had no desire to press someone in pain for the sake of one solitary reason.

The purpose of the numerous hidden magic circles sketched on sheets beneath the table, the evident extension of magical power on the paper, and the method behind it all remained shrouded in mystery. Even though Elise had explicitly stated that she couldn’t wield magic directly, Rezette couldn’t help but wonder if that statement was a deception. He struggled to restrain his longing for answers, even if he had to push it out of her, no matter the potential shock. Witnessing her fainting before his eyes so many times had grown wearisome; he wished not to witness it again.

“…Alright,” this time, Elise reluctantly relented, and Rezette appeared resolute not to push her any further.

Taking a small step forward, Elise peered beyond the man’s shoulder towards Genovia. With clenched fists, the woman who had been observing the scene cheerfully extended her hand, as if she had been eagerly awaiting the moment.

“See you tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that, Your Highness!”

Rezette forcefully closed the door, causing it to resound with a loud rattle. He took a step forward. Naturally, Elise took a step back. And then another. And another.

Only after Elise cautiously retreated into the bedroom did Rezette finally relax his gaze.

“Rest. Food will be brought up soon. I won’t ask any more…”

“No, it’s not that. I was just about to say I’m hungry,” Elise hastily interrupted his words but immediately regretted it as Rezette narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you saying it now?”

“What? You didn’t give me a chance to say…”

“Rebecca!”

Elise’s indignant protest was met with a sigh. He swiftly ordered the head chef to be summoned, and before long, the bedroom was adorned with a lavish dinner spread that could overwhelm the dining table.

Elise managed to elude her husband’s persistent insistence only after she sampled each dish at least once. 

***

The psychological standoff between Rezette and Genovia didn’t conclude on that day. The following day, Genovia persistently returned, and Rezette forbade Elise from leaving the room. Bundled up in blankets, she spent the entire day there, receiving a steady stream of patient’s meals.

During this time, Rezette occupied himself with document review in the bedroom. He deftly skimmed through reports replete with words and numbers, searching for irregularities in the tributes sent to the capital during that period and identifying the stewards of that era. Nevertheless, each time Elise made even the slightest movement, he immediately glanced up.

“What do you need?” he inquired.

“Just a pen or paper,” Elise murmured.

Rezette arched an eyebrow. “Why do you need a pen?”

“It’s just… I think I left it somewhere on the desk,” Elise replied nonchalantly but swiftly bit her lip. She suspected the pen and paper were probably in the table drawer before Rezette. Had she concealed those documents? Elise inwardly gasped.

Due to Genovia Irrien’s ten-day stay, she had completely forgotten to study the magic circles etched onto her body for several days. Her last recollection was hurriedly stashing the stack of papers in the drawer to evade Lady Petisson’s scrutiny.

Surely, no one has seen it…

“Please finish your meal first.”

Elise snapped back to attention at the calm voice. Rezette, who had redirected his focus to the documents, remained as untroubled and composed as ever.

Well, if he had seen it, he wouldn’t be reacting so calmly.

Once Rezette vacated his seat, she would have to clear out the drawer. She also contemplated resuming her practice of the magic circles; Elise needed a means to safeguard herself. However, her designs didn’t come to fruition easily, as Rezette exhibited no signs of leaving his seat, regardless of how long she waited.

Just then, Lady Petisson entered, an irritated expression etched on her face as she conveyed the message. “She’s here again. The lady. She wishes to have tea with Her Highness after lunch.”

“Here? She’s out of her mind,” Rezette retorted sharply. “Tell her to wait in the reception room on the first floor. She’s still having her meal.”

Elise, who had just set down her fork after taking a nibble of apple pie, awkwardly sat back on the bed. She needed to keep the fact that Genovia had barged into the living room a secret. It appeared she wouldn’t be able to leave the room until this evening.

“He really is just like Andrei,” she muttered inadvertently to herself. Even her younger brother used to frequently lay down the law in a similar fashion, insisting that no one could leave until they finished their meal.

Unfortunately, Rezette happened to overhear her quiet mutter. He paused his quill on the parchment at the bottom of the paper. Slowly, he raised his gaze from the documents he had been immersed in.

“It seems even the Emperor of Argan did the same for you.”

Elise failed to detect the fleeting glimmer of vulnerability that passed through his eyes as she got off the bed and responded, draping a shawl over her shoulders. “That’s how it was my entire life.”

“Your entire life, huh?”

“The longest period I was restricted from going outside was one month. Surely, you wouldn’t do the same?”

Elise picked up the pen placed on the side table next to the bed. Since she couldn’t meet Genovia Irrien in person, she had considered writing a brief note at the very least. However, before she could bring the pen tip to the paper, it was snatched from her grasp. Suddenly, the man had come up behind her.

Rezette let the pen he had taken from Elise fall onto the side table, and it rolled awkwardly across the surface. Startled, Elise turned around and found his icy blue eyes fixed intently on her.

For a brief moment, she held her breath, sensing an unspoken warning.

“In my presence,” Rezette spoke in a hushed tone, pausing for emphasis, “please refrain from mentioning that person’s name.”

“Ah…”

“It’s… unpleasant. To say the least.”

Elise promptly sealed her lips. It was only natural. What was as precious as life to Elise was probably no more or less than a foreign enemy leader to him. She kept forgetting that this was not the South but the North.