DTEYH 10

chapter 10

“Please Break Off the Engagement Because I Don’t Want to Die, Duke”

Because my father had agreed so casually, I hadn’t thought deeply about it. But seeing Eden’s clearly displeased expression made me feel like I had caused a great deal of trouble.

‘I’m sorry to the Lindberg family, but I can’t take it back. I want to live.’

I swallowed hard and lowered my gaze.

For now, I should just humble myself.

“Sorry…”

But then—

“It seems Romanov did something improper to you?”

“Huh?”

Once again, it was a question similar to what my father had asked. At this point, I almost felt sorry for Duke Romanov, who was actually a perfectly decent young man.

“If you’re talking about breaking off an engagement, then he must have been disrespectful. What did he do?”

‘Why is he like this?’

Eden’s expression was even harsher than my father’s as he questioned me relentlessly. I genuinely didn’t understand.

‘Is he trying to find Duke Romanov’s weakness?’

Both my father and Eden.

‘The Lindberg and Romanov families shouldn’t even be on bad terms…’

It was strange how intensely they seemed to demand what wrongdoing Duke Romanov had committed.

“What could Duke Romanov possibly have done to me? It’s just that I don’t want it.”

“You don’t want it?”

Eden’s expression turned questioning, as if my words were completely incomprehensible—like I had spoken a foreign language.

“It might sound ridiculous, but I don’t want to marry someone I don’t like. Father has already agreed.”

Since I wasn’t confident I could withstand any further pressure from him, I reinforced my words with my father’s approval. No matter how much Eden insisted, if the head of the family had already agreed, he could not push me further.

As expected, he stopped questioning me about the engagement.

However—

“That’s even stranger.”

“What is?”

“Your talk about leaving.”

“……”

I hadn’t intended to secretly leave the Lindberg estate. Eventually, I would have to explain it to everyone. But not now, when I hadn’t even made concrete plans.

‘Besides, Eden and Harry, who always treat me properly…’

It was hard to tell them that I was preparing to leave because they would feel uncomfortable with me here.

‘They would definitely say that’s not true.’

So instead of emotional reasons, I needed something more rational.

‘I’ll have to think about how to explain it.’

I just needed a reasonable excuse. If I gave a reason that fit within their sense of duty and etiquette, they would likely send me off willingly.

For now, I had to let it go.

“When I find someone I want to marry someday, I’ll leave the family. That’s what I meant.”

“…Is that what you meant?”

“Yes.”

A brief silence fell.

I subtly lifted my gaze to observe Eden’s expression. He didn’t seem angry, but he looked deep in thought.

‘If you have something to think about, I wish you’d do it somewhere else.’

Was I the only one uncomfortable with this silence?

Restlessly, I pressed my shoulder and opened my lips.

“Harry said we should all have tea together.”

Only then did Eden seem to remember why he had come to my room. His expression relaxed.

“Oh, right. I came to get you for that. Let’s go.”

‘Get me? Why would he—’

Eden, though usually cold toward me, occasionally did unfamiliar things like this.

‘Though if I think about it, it’s not that unfamiliar.’

When I was younger, it wasn’t rare for him to personally come find me no matter where I was in the mansion. That had stopped after my mother’s death five years ago, when I began avoiding him.

‘It’s been a while, so it feels strange.’

Soon, we walked side by side down the second-floor hallway of the estate.

“Are we going to the reception room?”

There was a specific room used whenever the siblings gathered for tea. It was called a reception room, but it was more like a private space for them, not open to guests.

‘There are so many reception rooms anyway.’

I glanced up at Eden.

‘Wow, he’s really tall.’

Eden, Harry, and Lucian all took after their father and were tall, but Eden was especially towering.

“We’re not going to the reception room. We’re meeting in Father’s bedroom for a moment.”

His words snapped me out of my thoughts.

“You haven’t visited Father yet.”

“Ah…”

I flinched. Lucian must have really reported it.

“I was planning to go in the evening.”

I glanced at Eden, slightly self-conscious, but he didn’t respond.

‘Is he angry?’

Is he going to scold me?

Anxiously, I followed him.

But until we reached the door of Father’s bedroom, Eden said nothing.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

I stepped inside through the door he opened.

The first thing I saw was my father, half-reclined against the headboard of a large bed. Harry and Lucian were seated at a table nearby.

“Look at her—she finally shows her face!”

Lucian shouted the moment he saw me.

“Lucian, stop.”

Father scolded him, tilting his head back with an exhausted expression.

“Father, don’t excuse him. You should be disciplining him properly. You spoil him too much, so he doesn’t know his place.”

“……”

The words “doesn’t know his place” pierced straight into my chest.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Lucian.

‘No matter how much I try to understand his temper… his choice of words is too harsh.’

As if hearing my thoughts, Lucian grumbled again.

“Look at her glaring. What are you going to do about it? Acting like she’s someone important when she’s the youngest…”

As he continued complaining, Eden finally spoke.

“Quiet. My head hurts.”

Then Harry gently intervened.

“Lucian, stop it. Father isn’t well, so why are you acting like this? Hazel, come sit.”

I quietly stopped glaring at Lucian and hesitantly walked toward the empty seat.

‘Whenever I join them, the atmosphere always becomes awkward. It’s uncomfortable.’

Still, tea time began. It had been a very long time since we all gathered together like this.

‘Back when Mother was alive, we always sat together.’

Now, I felt like I was an out-of-place pale figure among four shining blond men.

‘It wasn’t awkward before.’

With Mother gone, the distance between us had clearly grown. It was a bit sad, but unavoidable.

I lowered my gaze and sipped my tea.

Aside from Lucian, everyone was quiet, so the atmosphere remained calm. Even Lucian stayed silent after being scolded.

It was hard to tell whether this was a tea gathering or a serious meeting.

“You know the Founding Festival is coming soon, right?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Since we’re in the capital, I think it would be best if you all stay here until the festival instead of returning to your territories.”

Everyone nodded at his words.

‘Founding Festival…?’

My thoughts began to spin.

The Bryant Empire held seasonal festivals—spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

‘Founding Festival, Music Festival, Harvest Festival, and Prayer Festival…’

The Emperor was famously devoted to festivals. It was rumored that, in addition to seasonal events, he often organized celebrations for both nobles and commoners.

The Bryant Empire itself was relatively young, but if you counted its history as the former Lavit Kingdom, it had a long legacy and immense power. Once it became an empire, festivals naturally became a major cultural tradition.

‘The Founding Festival is one of the biggest events.’

Harry’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Hazel, how about you participate in this festival too?”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

I had always stayed hidden away.

‘The only time I officially appeared in public was my debutante years ago.’

I was the only princess of the empire. By all rights, I should have been a shining jewel of high society.

But I had done nothing and stayed locked in my room.

And yet, no one in the Lindberg family had ever cared for my public life. They simply left me alone.

‘Did Father and my brothers actually want me to avoid going outside?’