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Chapter : 10
“Yes? Whose memorial day is it?”
For a moment, Demian recalled Gael’s memorial day—July 7. Around this time last year, it had been right after he left for the battlefield. When Briseis heard of Gael’s death, she had cried so painfully.
‘It’s because of me. I’m a useless older sister…’
‘It’s not Briseis’ fault.’
At that time, he had briefly returned from the war for Briseis. That was why he remembered how she had collapsed into him in tears.
“Let go of that hand.”
Kalisten’s commanding voice made Demian obey without thinking. The crown prince’s eyes, deep and red like drops of blood, were somehow threatening.
Perhaps because of memories from the battlefield, Demian’s body instinctively tensed whenever Kalisten looked at him like that.
“After the ceremony, I wondered where you went… so you visited the grave?”
“Yes.”
Hearing this, Demian felt a small relief. He could guess who his wife had gone to see.
If it was Gael’s memorial day, those who had been especially close to him since childhood would certainly go. Even if the Filia Marquises had considered Gael’s death a disgrace, it hadn’t mattered to them.
Demian knew from experience that Briseis had repeatedly rejected him, so he understood how close Kalisten, Gael, and Briseis were. He had watched them all to try to win her heart.
Realizing that the person she had met was Kalisten, Demian truly felt relieved.
A man who didn’t know her would remain unmoved, even if Briseis tried to seduce him naked.
The crown prince was the type to twist the necks of women who jumped into the bedroom to seduce him.
Moreover, the crown prince had other scandals attached to him.
In truth, Demian didn’t know at all how Kalisten looked at Briseis.
“Did you hit Briseis?”
“I never did.”
“Then why does Briseis have so many bruises on her arm?”
Demian wondered how Kalisten knew about his wife’s bruises. He felt irritated, imagining if she had rolled up her sleeve to show him, but then again, what harm was there in rolling up a sleeve?
“She fell down the stairs.”
“Falling down the stairs causes bruises like that?”
Kalisten still looked at Demian suspiciously.
“Do you see me as a shameless man who would hit his wife?”
“I don’t know you well. All I know is that Briseis would never lie about something like this.”
Kalisten spoke in a low voice, looking at Briseis as if to say she should tell the truth now.
“It’s true, Your Highness!”
Ella, appearing suddenly, spoke up. The loyal maid had served Briseis since she was at the Filia Marquises. She had been Briseis’ playmate maid as a child and treated Kalisten respectfully as well.
“I see. That’s right.”
Hearing the maid, Kalisten finally acknowledged that the injuries were from falling down the stairs.
If Demian had really hit her, this would have been the moment to confess everything. Ella was not the type to stay silent if Briseis were abused.
“Apologize, Your Highness. You doubted me.”
Demian, still avoiding eye contact, said this. Kalisten looked down at him with mild amusement.
“Apologies are not for me to give—you should apologize. Briseis is like family to me. You can’t just treat her carelessly.”
Seeing Briseis clutch her own arm, Kalisten sighed.
“Don’t interfere in the couple’s matters. Briseis is being scolded by her husband because she did something wrong.”
“Scolding is done by someone of higher rank. Briseis is your wife. Do you think scolding makes sense?”
“Your Highness…”
“Ah, this is making me feel awful.”
The more Demian tried to talk to Kalisten, the worse he felt. And since the crown prince had accomplished so much, he didn’t want to offend him.
“I will apologize, Your Highness.”
“The apology is for Briseis, not me.”
“We will do that in private.”
“Good. Don’t worry—I won’t do anything petty like say I’ll apologize and then not. You can trust me.”
Kalisten sighed and spoke with a mocking tone.
“By the way, what brings you here?”
Demian tried to change the topic. Kalisten, with a calm expression, forced a smile.
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll attend the academy. I wanted to see your notes if you had any.”
Briseis recalled that Kalisten had a habit of pressing his thumb and forefinger together when lying, like now.
“Ah, I see. Today might be difficult…”
“I’ll lend them to you!”
Delilah smiled brightly, touching the ring on her necklace as she looked at Kalisten.
“I have what I wrote today in my room! I’ll lend it to you.”
“Now that I think about it, studying in advance might be too early.”
Kalisten said, glancing once at Briseis.
“Then see you tomorrow.”
“Please take care, Your Highness.”
Kalisten left.
Demian, feeling drained, spoke to Briseis.
“The crown prince came back and got full of himself, didn’t he, my lady?”
Briseis thought that, as challenging as Kalisten was, Demian was even worse right now.
“Apologize, Demian.”
“Do you think I will?”
Demian looked at her mockingly.
“Demian, can we go to our room now?”
Delilah looked at Demian with a worried expression. Ella, the maid, tensed as she looked at Delilah, thinking her mistress was going through this trouble because of her.
“Delly, you always say such pretty words.”
Briseis wanted to retreat to avoid hearing more.
“If you keep acting like a thorn, I won’t hold back, Briseis.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that you’re married, you must bear my child. A duchess who can’t have children will eventually be abandoned.”
“…….”
“So when I offer, accept it quietly. Stop resisting.”
Demian said this, stepping away from Briseis with a calmer expression than before. He glanced at the door, checking if the “mad crown prince” was really gone, and when he confirmed it, he held Delilah’s hand with relief.
“Then sleep well in your room, my lady.”
Demian said mockingly and passed by Briseis. Delilah looked at them with a distant expression, then sneered at Ella.
“Ha…”
“Mistress!”
Once everyone left, Briseis almost collapsed from exhaustion.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Help me a little, Ella.”
“Yes.”
Ella quickly supported Briseis and took her to her room.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Don’t go to school today.”
Demian got up first, blocking Briseis from leaving her room.
“Move.”
“I said don’t go.”
“Ugh…”
He grabbed Briseis’ wrist firmly as she tried to pass and turned her around.
“How dare you leave before your husband says so?”
“Have you forgotten I said I want a divorce?”
Briseis’ words made Demian grip her wrist harder. She instinctively recoiled in pain.
“Let go!”
When he released her roughly, Briseis wobbled.
“I am your husband. So you cannot go to the academy without my permission.”
Briseis realized provoking him more wouldn’t help and glared at him silently.
“Hand over your dowry and all records of the trading guild. Everything managed while I was away.”
“That’s my property from before marriage.”
“You are my wife, so everything you have belongs to me. Even you.”
Her wrist still throbbed from his grip, and her eyes burned with pain.
“If you hand it over, I’ll let you go to the academy.”
“…….”
“What use is education for a woman? Once married, just help manage the estate.”
‘I liked seeing you study the most.’
Briseis recalled Demian’s words before marriage, which made her feel even more miserable.
“Just bear children like other women and stay in the mansion. When I get tired of Delly, I’ll come back to you.”
Hearing this, Briseis realized the man she had loved never really existed.
If she kept letting herself be foolish, she would lose everything.
She didn’t want to lose even herself to him.
She decided it was finally time to set her heart free.
“If I don’t go to the academy today, Your Highness will come.”
She didn’t want to use this method, but since Demian was the only one he was uncomfortable with, she thought it was necessary.
