Political Marriage (2)
"I need to pull myself together." Irene scolded herself harshly in her mind. She had always watched Hyunwoo from afar, but suddenly facing him up close felt like a surprise attack that left her heart defenseless. She clenched her teeth and steadied her resolve. "This man will never love me sincerely."
To Irene, Hyunwoo was nothing more than a vile man trying to steal her virginity to satisfy his own ambitions. His handsome face seemed like a weapon he used to torment others, and standing before him filled her with fear and disgust.
While Irene was gathering her thoughts, Hyunwoo turned to the maids and said, "I have something to discuss with the princess alone. All of you, leave."
"Yes, my lord."
The three maids bowed their heads and quickly exited the room. Once the door closed, Hyunwoo smiled at Irene. "What do you think of my plan to take you today? Angel? Or devil?"
Irene flinched. The blunt question caught her off guard, yet her chest tightened with emotion. She wanted to grab his pant leg and beg, "I'm terrified of you! I don't want to sleep with you! Please send me back to the capital!" But the words that left her mouth were different from her true feelings.
"Neither angel nor devil. From today onward, you will be my husband."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Do you truly wish for me to become your husband?"
"Yes……"
Hyunwoo burst into laughter at her reply. The sound felt as though he could see straight through her lies.
"Truly?"
"……"
Irene's lips quivered before she finally managed to speak. "I want to bear your child."
"Hahaha." Hyunwoo clapped his hands while laughing. "Even someone who looks as kind and pure as you is quite skilled at lying. I'm impressed."
Irene's face flushed red. She had lied out of fear, to avoid offending him, but it seemed to have backfired, leaving her anxious.
"If you ask to be sent back to the palace, I could return you without any conditions. So answer carefully."
Irene doubted her ears for a moment. "You would send me back?"
"I know you don't want to stay here. And I know you don't wish to become my concubine."
"That's not true……" Irene averted her gaze and replied in a dejected voice. "I will remain by your side for the rest of my life, as my father commanded."
"Unfortunately, I don't want you either."
"……?!"
Irene stared at Hyunwoo in shock. His words were startling, and her mind spun in confusion. She couldn't tell if he was being sincere or testing her.
"…Are you testing me?"
"I have no interest in cruelly tormenting a lady."
He continued, "You want to leave Lanchester Castle, don't you? Then go. I won't stop you. I'll even assign reliable escorts to ensure you return safely to the capital."
Irene was so stunned she clutched her chest with both hands. Her heart pounded wildly.
"Why are you doing this to me? I want to stay here. I won't leave, no matter what."
Of course, it was a lie. She was terrified that an honest answer would bring her harm.
Hyunwoo gave a faint smile and studied her for a moment before speaking again with a serious expression. "I love only Dana. She is my entire life."
"What about me? Can you not love me?"
"I don't want to make her sad through this marriage. I won't stop you, so please leave as you are."
'He says he'll only love his wife? Is this man telling the truth?' Though it seemed like a lie, his face showed unwavering determination.
"Why the sudden change? Just yesterday you sent me a dress and asked me to go hunting with you."
"I thought that as a lord, I could do whatever I pleased. But a ruler with my temperament naturally has to consider his subordinates' opinions. In trying to become a wise king rather than a tyrant, I can't ignore the voices around me."
Hyunwoo gazed out the window as he continued. "If you remain here, my vassals will constantly urge me to take you as a concubine. Rather than endure their tiresome nagging every day, I decided it would be better to make you disappear altogether."
"Do you have no interest in an heir who carries royal blood?"
"As I said, I love Dana to death. If it makes her happy, I'm willing to abandon any ambition for the throne. Living quietly with her and our children in Lanchester Castle, eating well and living modestly for generations—that alone would make me happy."
Irene trembled at his answer. 'This man is real. He's speaking from the heart.' At the same time, she felt envious of Dana, who received so much love from him. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would be like if she were Dana, but the thought quickly faded.
"It's really all right if I leave?"
Now that she understood Hyunwoo's sincerity, Irene decided to reveal her own true feelings. "Do your vassals know I'm leaving?"
"Only Mateus, the captain of the guard, knows. This afternoon, while I take the vassals hunting, Mateus will guide you. Leave with him."
The realization that she could finally escape this place made Irene's chest swell with emotion. For the first time, a bright smile appeared on her face in front of Hyunwoo.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I'll never forget you for the rest of my life. You're truly a good person."
"Don't mention it."
Hyunwoo smiled faintly. After he left, Irene hurriedly removed the dress she was wearing and began preparing for her journey. She ordered Ristein to ready the horses and instructed the maids to pack their bags.
'I can see my dogs and my sisters and brothers again!' With a joyful smile, she busily packed her belongings until she suddenly stopped. 'Is it really right to return like this?'
A wave of doubt and anxiety surged through her mind. She had longed desperately to return to the capital and resume her old life, but now that the opportunity was here, she hesitated.
'When I came of age and began menstruating, Father gave me an important role for the sake of our family. If I return to the palace without fulfilling that duty, like some foolish child……'
Irene muttered weakly, "No one will welcome me back."
In truth, what she had feared was sleeping with Hyunwoo and being used like a tool for his pleasure. She had never truly wanted to leave Lanchester Castle in the first place. As long as her virginity was protected, she could have stayed here. But now that Hyunwoo had so readily told her to return to the capital, she felt as though she were being cast out.
Irene abandoned her packing and climbed onto the bed, curling up on her side. The maids who had been helping her pack asked if she was tired, but she gave no reply, lost in deep thought.
'If I return to the capital like this, they'll treat me like a divorced woman abandoned by her husband.'
Feeling sorry for herself, Irene wrapped her arms around her body. She desperately pondered which choice would bring her the best life. The more she thought about it, the more she became convinced that returning to the palace would only lead to disappointment and despair.
'I'm an adult now. If I don't become independent, everyone in the royal family will despise and mock me. It's better to seize this opportunity and settle down with a good husband.'
In the end, Irene decided not to run from her fate but to accept it willingly. What swayed her most was the fact that Hyunwoo had no interest in the throne and didn't see her merely as a tool for bearing children. She slowly replayed his face in her mind.
'He's very handsome. And kind. Seeing how well he treats his wife, he'll treat me well too. I want to receive his passionate love as well. That's reason enough to stay. I'll bear his child. When I have a grandchild, Father will be pleased and might even invite me to the capital. Then I'll walk into the palace proudly, holding my baby in my arms.'
Having made up her mind, she sprang up from the bed. The room was a complete mess, with belongings scattered everywhere. Irene looked at the three maids who were still busy packing and said, "Unpack everything."
***
The hunting dogs tied to their leashes barked noisily. Everyone had gathered in front of Sky Chamber for the hunt. Soldiers carrying the family banner were present, along with Kelly and Epibia, whom Hyunwoo favored most. Olmati, the newly arrived priest Grace, Tristan—the son of Luzen Langdal, lord of Langdal—and Flavio, Kelly's younger brother, were also there. Haida and Evynee stood waiting with picnic baskets, their faces full of excitement.
"Hmm. Princess Irene is nowhere to be seen. I'll go fetch her right away."
When Olmati said this after looking around, Hyunwoo called him back from his saddle. "She's not feeling well and can't join us. We'll leave the princess behind and go without her."
"She's unwell?" Olmati clicked his tongue in displeasure. "It's obvious she's making excuses because she doesn't want to go. How dare she feign illness in front of the lord? How insolent!"
"It's rather convenient that we don't have to look after the princess. We can focus entirely on the hunt."
"Today's main purpose isn't the hunt, my lord. This gathering was arranged to foster harmony between you and the princess. Using illness as an excuse to skip it makes me, Olmati, very angry."
Flavio, who had been watching from the side, chimed in with a grin. "You're not the lord, so why are you getting angry? Are you interested in the princess?"
"W-What nonsense is that!" Olmati jumped in shock. The others around them burst into hearty laughter at his reaction.
"I only ever do my best for the lord! If you know nothing of politics, don't speak without thinking! You don't even understand how important Princess Irene's strategic value is! Hmph!"
Thoroughly offended, Olmati crossed his arms and pouted.
"The lady is coming out!"
One of the soldiers announced Dana's arrival. Since this wasn't part of the original plan, she had rushed to prepare and join them. Hyunwoo had invited her to come hunting, and everyone had been waiting for her. Dressed in pants rather than a dress, she drew everyone's attention. Murmurs of admiration spread—how beautiful the lady looked no matter what she wore.
Dana approached with five maids and gracefully mounted the horse Hyunwoo was riding. As she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, a fresh scent reached him, and a happy smile naturally formed on his lips.
"Just say the word. If there's anything you want, I'll catch it for you. Deer, eagles, wild boars, wolves—I'll bring them all to you. I'm your slave, after all."
"You'll do anything I want?"
"Goes without saying."
"Then when we get to the hunting grounds, have someone else do the hunting and stay with me. I want to sit quietly with you and enjoy the breeze."
"Ugh……"
It was a troublesome request. Hunting seemed far more enjoyable than sitting still and chatting with Dana.
"If the lord doesn't hunt and just gossips, the vassals will laugh at him."
"If anyone laughs, I'll kill them with magic. Don't worry about it."
Hyunwoo couldn't help but laugh at Dana's words. She really did have a clever way with words. Or was it just him who thought so? Even if he was blinded by love, he was happy.
Just then, someone called out, "Princess Irene has arrived!"