Chapter 52
“Someone from the North will be arriving soon. You heard about it before, didn’t you? I have a cousin.”
Ah… a name she had once heard in passing drifted through her hazy mind. Adelaide nodded faintly, her unfocused gaze dull.
“He couldn’t attend the wedding, so now that he’s come to the capital, he’ll stop by to meet you.”
The refined, formal tone of the imperial court signaled that the time of being treated like a beast in heat had come to an end.
“…Am I allowed to meet him?”
A month had passed since the wedding and in that time, Adelaide hadn’t seen a single soul. Not Roem, not Elise, not even the Count and Countess Eport. She hadn’t heard a word from them since the wedding day.
Everyone in the Crown Prince’s palace belonged to Killian. They treated Adelaide with respect as their superior, but none of them would ever defy his orders for her sake.
This place was a prison without bars. Eyes watched her constantly, and every night, the relentless routine in his bed wore down what little will she had left.
A sudden change in a life that had seemed like it would never end didn’t bring relief, it only stirred anxiety.
Seeing her tense, Killian smiled in satisfaction and gently traced her swollen lips with his fingers.
“Of course. We can’t go on like this forever. Once you’ve adjusted to life in the palace, I’ll arrange a meeting with the Count and Countess as well.”
Again. Another lie. And yet, to Adelaide, it was a sweet temptation she couldn’t help but cling to.
She nodded. As long as her family was safe, nothing else mattered. What frightened her most was not her current situation—but the possibility that, just like before, she was being deceived by Killian again… without even realizing it.
What if something had already happened to her family—and she alone remained ignorant, spending her days trying to please him like a fool…?
No. Stop. Adelaide forced herself to push the thought away.
“When will you come again?”
Even as she wished he would never return, she spoke the words he wanted to hear—like a sign of obedience, as if she would wait quietly for him.
Killian smiled softly.
“I’ll be back soon. As soon as I finish my work.”
I hope you die on the way. She smiled as though she were pleased, nodding obediently.
After that, she was made to eat in front of him. Bread, soup, and milk—she forced each bite down her throat.
The moment he left the room, Adelaide rushed to the bathroom. Gripping the toilet, she retched violently until nothing but pale stomach acid came up. What she expelled was the same color as what had dripped from Killian and stained her undergarments.
* * *
“Your Highness, Grand Lord Deard has arrived.”
At the maid’s announcement, Adelaide rose stiffly, tension written across her face. She wore a cream dress embroidered with golden thread.
Soon, the doors opened, and Fabian stepped into the audience chamber.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
Fabian’s hair was the same shade as the gold woven into her dress. He was strikingly handsome—enough to steal one’s gaze at first glance—but perhaps because they were cousins, there was something about him that faintly resembled Killian.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Adelaide.”
By etiquette, as Crown Princess, Adelaide had no need to show such formality to a mere Grand Duke. But had circumstances been different, this man might have been the rightful master of this palace.
Besides, Adelaide, once dismissed as nothing more than a half-blooded count’s daughter, found it difficult to treat him lightly.
“Please, be at ease, Your Highness.”
His blue eyes curved gently, filled with warmth. Adelaide gave a small nod. But Fabian’s gaze lingered on her.
Feeling the weight of his stare, she looked away first. Only then did Fabian seem to realize his rudeness, hastily flustered.
“Ah—my apologies. I hadn’t expected you to be so beautiful.”
“It’s quite alright.”
“Please don’t misunderstand—I, too, am already promised to someone.”
It was a lighthearted joke meant to ease the tension.
But something about his gentle tone reminded her of her brother, and for a fleeting moment, she missed him deeply.
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