"Quinn."
The moment he heard the answer, Valquiterre felt as if he'd received some kind of revelation.
*Queen.*
The position of Queen was still vacant. He'd promised himself he'd marry a woman superior to Kaian's bride, and had forced himself to postpone his own marriage. As a King, it was customary to marry early with succession in mind, but due to his perverse rivalry with Kaian, he'd remained alone.
The reason for this was—at this very moment—he'd found the answer. Because he'd never met a woman worthy of sitting beside him.
It was all right now. Now that he'd met her, he felt he could escape the complicated agony that plagued him whenever the topic of marriage arose—rushing from the King's duties to compare his prospects against Kaian's bride.
A destined partner. Valquiterre hadn't believed in such things—because he'd never experienced it. Destiny was something you created and forged through your own efforts. He'd believed nothing would happen automatically if you simply went with the flow.
Now that conviction was completely forgotten. The woman who would become his Queen had descended like a goddess on this unexpected morning. She was a warm splash of color against the bluish early morning lake where the sun had not yet fully risen.
As if bewitched, Valquiterre's gaze followed the water that flowed down her red hair and pooled in the hollow of her collarbone.
The fairy spoke to him in a clear voice.
"I need to leave here."
"As you wish."
Her face took on a troubled expression, as if that wasn't the answer she'd wanted.
"I can't leave because you're standing there."
Frustrated that he didn't seem to understand, she pointed to the ground with her finger.
"My clothes are there."
"Ah, I apologize. I'll give you space."
"The Lord has forbidden anyone from entering this garden. The gardener will arrive soon, and if you're caught, you'll be reprimanded."
"Yes, thank you for the warning."
Valquiterre answered foolishly, unable to hide his smile.
"I need to leave quickly too."
"If the gardener catches us, we'll both be in trouble."
He departed reluctantly.
"I hope to see you again."
He didn't hear an answer, but seeing the woman glance anxiously toward the garden entrance as if worried someone might come, he felt that lingering any longer would cost him favor.
After leaving the woman, Valquiterre looked back.
"It was a Valmonde-style dress."
The dress folded by the water was made of velvet—it would never be worn in the hot south, only in the north.
*"What's your impression?"*
*"Princess Irena is said to be exceptionally accomplished and dazzlingly beautiful."*
*"Really? I think I've heard something about that."*
Vermont's daughter didn't debut in the capital. She hadn't attended the capital's social scene at all. Princess Irena, reputed to be beautiful, had never been seen by anyone—even society's elite.
"A beauty that defies such descriptions."
Vermont was the power that had built a massive, mountain-like castle three times the size of Rowan Castle at the northern end of the continent and maintained the firm attitude of "anyone with regrets will come to us."
If not for their food problems, they would have become an independent country long ago. Even though they remained within the framework of Oberon's kingdom, Vermont acted as if they weren't bound by it.
This was because Vermont didn't pay land taxes to the kingdom. Vermont kept all tax revenue from their territory—a frozen land hiding treasures like various rare precious metals, iron, and copper used in weaponmaking.
There were rumors that the wealth accumulated by Vermont, which even received estate tax exemptions, exceeded that of the royal family—though they'd been suffering from drought for several years now.
Instead, if goods transported by horse from the south to the capital along the Shen River and from the capital northward were exported via the northern route, port taxes could be waived for royal-approved exports.
Valquiterre was deeply dissatisfied with this arrangement. He'd always wondered if there was a way to collect taxes and use Valmonde's port freely, but there'd been no solution.
But the goddess he'd just met offered him a new answer.
*"Is Princess Irena truly that beautiful?"*
*"The ladies once said it was unfortunate she had only a Northern Debutante. If Princess Irena had come to the capital's debutante season, no one else could have married into their families."*
*"To that degree?"*
*"Women have such pride that they rarely compliment other women so lavishly. It must mean she's worthy of anyone's recognition."*
If he married the daughter of the Duke of Vermont—cunning as an old fox—since there was no male heir to the estate, he'd have to become the son-in-law. Naturally, the taxes and the estate's port—the cherry on top—would all come along with the arrangement.
"For some reason, I wanted to visit Rowan Castle when Kaian wasn't there."
Princess Irena might not have met Kaian yet—because he'd summoned Kaian to Fromhunt.
"He can't disobey the King's command."
There was no way Kaian could be with Irena, even if he'd lost his heart to her and neglected his wife's illness. The obstinate Kaian must be dutifully clinging to the marriage assigned by the King.
Valquiterre grew anxious.
"I must return to the castle quickly."
However, the image of the woman he'd seen moments before remained in his eyes like an afterimage, refusing to fade.
He knew the Lord had been summoned by the King to hunt at Fromhunt, so he couldn't yet enter Rowan Castle. Feeling disappointed, Valquiterre took a room at an inn near the marketplace, rested, and ate.
If he went to Rowan Castle, she would be there. Even knowing the certain answer, the circling made him even more anxious. It was the first time he'd felt this way.
From the time he was born, Valquiterre had been someone for whom everything in the world came easily.
"This is the first time I've felt this restless. No—is it the second?"
He was walking aimlessly through the marketplace when—turning a corner—he saw the woman sitting in the spacious rose garden.
*Queen!*
He was so elated to see her that Valquiterre nearly called out loud.
Among those who displayed their shoulders brightly in the midday sun, a woman wearing a high-necked velvet dress neatly buttoned to the collar caught his attention.
He couldn't see clearly the face of the woman sitting across from Quinn due to the angle, but she appeared quite lovely based on her bearing.
*But she's wearing a Rowan-style dress.*
It was then that a maid approached the two red-haired ladies at the table and addressed one of them as if returning from an errand.
"Lady Irena, I brought the hat you requested."
The woman in the Valmondian dress smiled and accepted it.
"Thank you, Hannah."
Valquiterre, who'd obtained the answer he'd been seeking, felt a shiver run through his body.
*Princess Irena.*
He had business to attend to. Valquiterre mounted his horse tethered in the forest near the castle and began riding swiftly northward, toward the royal castle.
---
Irena marveled at the roses in full bloom.
"They're truly so beautiful! This is what they look like—so much larger and more gorgeous than in paintings."
"Hehe, do you like them?"
She looked genuinely happy, wearing my borrowed dress and sitting surrounded by roses.
"I'm grateful to have such a wonderful younger sister. I thought I'd never see roses in my lifetime."
"Why not?"
"Well, roses bloom most abundantly in Rowan, but we're enemies with Temnes. I wondered if I'd ever travel from Valmonde to Rowan in my life."
I felt bitter watching Irena's pure happiness. The Duke of Vermont was an exceptionally good father to his biological daughter—a kind father who poured out genuine love.
Though it was only Irena's second day at Rowan Castle, I could sense she'd truly come to see the flowers without knowing anything else. My uncle was that sort of person. He would never let Irena—whom he cherished and loved—discover his underhanded schemes.
If Irena returned to Valmonde and told the Duke of Vermont, *"I envied Claudel"*—if she said even once, *"I want to stay in Rowan forever"*—he would do whatever it took to place his daughter in the position of Duchess of Temnes.
If there were a hundred portions of happiness in the world, Irena possessed nearly all of them. I felt like I'd finally retrieved a tiny piece of gold from a crevice in white sand after many misfortunes had washed over me like waves.
That's what thinking about Kaian now meant to me. However, even though I wanted to show Irena—who loved flowers—these lovely roses, I worried she might want to stay here because of them. I felt truly conflicted.
Now I had a small hope I might be happy. Of course, my husband—who harbored burning resentment toward Vermont—represented only hope, not complete happiness.
"So wonderful! We're having a picnic in the garden tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, I told the butler to prepare it."
"I'm so looking forward to it!"
As I laughed with Irena, whom I loved like a sister, I recalled what had happened early this morning.
*He was a truly strange person.*
Since Kaian—who was obsessed with privacy—had given strict orders that no one was allowed in the garden, no one except the gardener had been permitted to enter. Even though I'd been sneaking in and out for morning swims, I'd never encountered anyone.
Not long ago, I'd lightly kissed Kaian who was sitting in the tree shade reading a book. He'd bitten my lip and whispered as if casting a spell, *"There's truly no one here."*
*What will we do if no one comes?*
I, who'd given him my heart, was helplessly led around by Kaian beneath the tree shade. I'd let my guard down because no one ever came—but when I'd made eye contact with a strange man wearing a wide-brimmed brown hat and brown cloak, I'd been so startled I'd nearly fainted.
But what was even more absurd was that the man had asked my name.
*Is there anyone here who doesn't know I'm the Duchess?*
I'd thought he might be mentally unstable and worried I might provoke him, so I'd answered with my middle name, "Quinn," and he'd seemed delighted.
*Ugh, I was truly frightened.*
I decided that no matter what, I couldn't go to the garden alone anymore. I should ask permission to go with Hannah.
"Are you feeling better now that you're wearing a hat?"
"Yes."
I, who'd lent Irena a Rowan-style dress, was actually wearing a Valmonde-style dress myself. I'd been feeling chilly and cold lately, so I'd thought it would be fine without Kaian's warmth, and today I'd worn a Valmonde-style dress.
Still, the sun was shining brightly as we sat outside, so Irena had asked Hannah to fetch me a hat.
*Sigh. If I continue feeling unwell, I should consult the doctor.*
Sometimes my back felt cold, my stomach tingled oddly, and my ankles felt tired and sore—it bothered me.
"Try this—it's delicious."
Irena enjoyed the treats I recommended.
"I'm looking forward to the picnic too."
I worked diligently to welcome my guest that evening. I encountered Kaian, who'd returned to the castle quickly and unscheduled.
Perhaps because he'd been at a hunting ground, the man wore a sharp expression. I noticed because it felt somehow unfamiliar.
"Oh, Duke—this is my older sister, Irena."
Irena also greeted Kaian awkwardly, probably startled by his intensity.
"Hello. I'm Irena of Vermont."
He spoke coldly, furrowing his brow.
"The day has come when Vermont sets foot in my castle."
---