MPRA 15

Chapter 15

“It’s a huge relief that His Grace came to visit the territory thanks to marrying the Princess.”

As a territory resident who had just drank water distributed by the Duchy spoke with deep emotion, the person beside him clicked their tongue.

“Relief thanks to some half-baked princess? Nonsense. She ought to at least atone for failing to receive divine power, something that could actually help the Empire.”

He glared with burning eyes toward the spot where the carriage of the ducal couple was parked.

“What are you going to do if you get dragged away for the crime of insulting royalty?”

“She’s the Duchess now, what royalty?”

When his companion nervously glanced toward where the knights were stationed and tried to stop him, the man sneered, asking who on earth would care about a powerless princess.

“Other royals are serving as the strength of the Empire through their divine power—what kind of royal fails to receive any divine power at all?”

The man, tearing down Ivanna with his words, seemed immensely proud of the imperial family’s divine powers.

“Couldn’t there be some reason for it? Be careful not to let others overhear you. His Grace is visiting right now, after all.”

“What good is divine power anyway? It’s not like it’s making rain fall on our fields right this second.”

Another man who had been listening in silence grumbled.

“Hey, watch your mouth!”

Unwilling to get entangled with them, the villager who had been trying to stop him grabbed his distributed water and hurried home.

She couldn’t even receive divine power—what a joke calling her royalty.

Spitting on the ground, the man who had been slandering the Princess turned on his heel.

“If you command it, I shall summarily punish him for insulting royalty.”

As expected, public sentiment toward the Princess isn’t very good.

Ivanna, who had stepped out of the carriage under the pretext of taking a walk, shook her head at Ethan’s cold voice.

They probably needed someone to vent their frustrations onto as well.

“Even His Majesty the Emperor can be cursed behind closed doors, you know. You can’t punish commoners just for a few words.”

Ethan quietly stared at the Princess as she offered a wry, awkward smile.

It was a blessing that she had been standing behind the baggage wagon because she wanted to get a closer look at the sorted supplies.

Her previous remark about wanting to witness the daily lives of the villagers firsthand had backfired completely, leading her straight into this.

“Let’s head back.”

Seeing the Princess turn away with a subdued expression, Ethan clenched his fists tight.

I’ll need to be much more careful about exposing her to crowds in the future.

Ivanna thought to herself as she walked back to the makeshift tent under Ethan’s escort.

She already knew there were plenty of people who disliked her for failing to receive divine power.

With the drought compounding the situation, people naturally shifted the sharp blade of their resentment onto the powerless Princess.

“These are merely the words of uneducated folk, so please do not take them to heart.”

As they arrived at the temporary tent set up near the carriages, Ethan spoke cautiously.

“I’m not paying them any mind.”

Believing that Cedric had assigned her a decent person as an escort, Ivanna stepped inside the tent.

Because the small village lacked even proper lodging for them to stay in, they had no choice but to pitch standard military-grade tents.

“What is it that you are not paying mind to?”

“Oh…”

She had assumed the Duke wouldn’t be inside.

When Cedric, who was in the middle of taking off his shirt, asked the question, words failed her. So it really was true that when a person gets flustered enough, they lose all speech.

Ivanna immediately spun around on her heel.

Rustle.

She heard the sound of Cedric quietly changing his clothes.

There’s a privacy screen right there—why is he changing out in the open!

Ivanna struggled to calm her rapidly heating face.

Swear to God, this was the very first time she had ever seen a man’s bare upper body.

Even though she had squeezed her eyes shut the moment she laid eyes on Cedric, skin smooth as fine-grained clay, broad shoulders, and firmly packed muscles vividly flashed across her mind.

It felt as though someone was beating a giant war drum right inside her ears.

“My apologies. I had no idea you would return this early.”

Having apparently finished changing his clothes already, his voice came from right behind her.

“So, what is it that you were not paying mind to?”

At the touch of fingers gently tapping her shoulder as if to say we’re done here, Ivanna turned back around.

His massive frame was once again covered by clothing.

She whipped her gaze upward, dragging it away from his chest just in time.

Feigning composure with all her might, Ivanna opened her mouth.

“I went to take a look at the relief supplies. I’ve been feeling uneasy because the drought is so severe.”

There was no need to bring up the fact that the villagers had insulted her. Ever since the drought began, everyone had cursed the Princess instead of the Imperial Family.

Considering it the price for receiving divine power yet refusing to use it, her heart didn’t even hurt that much.

Though a prickle of guilt stung her conscience, she had never intended to pretend not to notice forever, either.

Even before her marriage, she had occasionally slipped out of the Imperial Castle to secretly fill up nearby reservoirs or make a light drizzle fall over the surrounding regions.

The divine power bestowed by God was formidable. She often wondered if her other siblings could achieve even this much.

While reaching extremely distant regions was impossible, she could make rain fall within a radius of about a day’s travel on foot from wherever she stood.

“It is a problem occurring not just in the Empire, but across the entire continent, so it cannot be helped.”

The Duke nodded, as if he understood.

“I sincerely hope it rains today.”

Rain was going to fall unconditionally. Because she was going to use her divine power.

Even so, Ivanna put a tone of earnest desperation into her voice.

She desperately hoped he wouldn’t connect the rainfall with her presence.

“We can only pray earnestly for that.”

Seeing the Princess’s subdued face, Cedric had a lingering feeling that she was once again keeping something important from him.

He debated whether he should mention that she mustn’t hide anything from him for the sake of her safety.

The contract.

It was the most powerful means of binding him and the Princess together.

Using the benefits provided by the Imperial Family as a condition, it had been drafted to be as advantageous to the Princess as possible.

It seemed the Imperial Family wasn’t too fond of the rumors circulating that they had essentially sold the Princess off, either.

“If any problems arise, tell me. Just as you uphold the contract, I must also shoulder my responsibilities as a husband.”

“Yes.”

Her face looked as though she hadn’t understood a single word.

Her gentle gaze and small frame made it seem as though she wouldn’t even dare call him out or question him, even if he failed to fulfill his end of the contract.

“Do not forget that our relationship is forged upon a contract.”

“I know.”

I really need to stop going outside.

The moment Cedric finished speaking, Ivanna turned her body away instantly.

Judging by how he brought up the contract again, he must still be displeased that she had been wandering around outside.

Ugh.

Does he expect me to not even breathe fresh air?

Suppressing her urge to grumble, Ivanna stepped behind the privacy screen.

“I shall summon a maid.”

At Cedric’s words, Ivanna shook her head.

Changing clothes was something she could easily do on her own.

Whenever Anthony was busy, Ivanna had always bathed and eaten entirely by herself.

Besides, with the Duke right there, she didn’t want to awkwardly summon Anthony.

Even though Anthony would be careful, she didn’t want to give anyone any room to pick faults with her.

Since she had worn a comfortable dress suitable for traveling, Ivanna quickly changed into her nightwear.

The small tent even came equipped with a makeshift washing area, so Ivanna picked up a towel and stepped into the bathing space.

She tried her best not to make a sound so as not to disturb the Duke.

After all, having nothing more to say, he had sat down at his desk and started reviewing documents.

Splash.

Water for washing, of all things.

While the villagers lacked even drinking water and struggled just to scoop up enough to survive, a bathtub filled to the brim awaited them.

Excuse me. Could you please make it rain tonight?

Ideally as far and wide as possible, please. And I’d prefer it if it fell while I’m sleeping.

Ivanna muttered inwardly.

In truth, all she needed to do was snap her fingers. Or rather, just picturing rain in her mind alone was enough to make it fall.

Yet whenever she exerted her divine power on a large scale, Ivanna always spoke out loud like someone begging God for a necessity.

After all, the lack of rain was God’s fault.

Just like how He had given her divine power late, she was merely waking up a God who seemed to have forgotten the continental rain.

So that God wouldn’t forget His basic duties.

“It’s warm.”

If she didn’t use the prepared water, it would undoubtedly arouse suspicion. Stepping into the warm bathtub, Ivanna let out a low breath.

Fatigue had piled up from riding in the carriage for days on end. The Duke occasionally glanced her way to check on her, but not once had he ever asked if she was tired.

Well, imperial bloodlines are naturally hardy.

Lacking divine power didn’t change the fact that they possessed bloodlines blessed by God.

People would surely be happy if it rained tomorrow. Lollygagging as long as possible, Ivanna took her time washing up.

She wanted to delay the moment she had to crawl under the same covers as Cedric.

Having shared the same bed for a week now, she wasn’t as tense as she had been at first.

Even so, the awkwardness was a undeniable fact.

Whenever he lay down beside her, the slight shifting of the bed bothered her, and she hadn’t realized his body was built quite that well.

Flash.

The image of the Duke’s body, which she had temporarily forgotten while talking, resurfaced in her mind.

Do all knights have bodies built like that?

Having never paid attention to anyone else’s physique, she had nothing to compare it to.

Why on earth do I keep thinking about the Duke’s body?

Ivanna violently shook her head to scatter the thoughts away.

Let’s just wash up quickly and get out of here.

The moment she stepped back out into the bedroom, Ivanna ran straight into Cedric, who was sitting on the bed.

Gasp—why is he stripped to the waist?!