He’s going to be family in the future…

Fortunately, Reidox wasn’t at all surprised by Sikar’s behavior. After all, he’d endured far worse things than this—it was nothing to him.

Still, his expression wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“Your Grace seems unable to distinguish kindness from seduction.”

“How dare you show kindness to my wife? Don’t you realize how presumptuous that is?”

Sikar called over a servant holding drinks and handed me water, but I no longer felt like drinking.

The shock from Sikar had stopped my hiccups even without taking a sip.

Reidox, who had maintained a consistently solemn expression, quietly lowered his head.

“Then, please enjoy your time. Lady Blake.”

Reidox left without offering any greeting to Sikar.

“Presumptuous fellow.”

“Sikar. He’s Kian’s teacher—and will later become Kian’s father-in-law. To you, he’ll be family. How can you treat him with such disrespect?”

“Where I come from, trying to seduce your future in-law is punishable by death.”

That “punishable by death” part was probably just his personal standard.

“He wasn’t trying to seduce me. He was simply returning the favor since I helped him before.”

“He could’ve just ordered a servant. Yet he presumptuously handed you the drink himself.”

“You’ll become family in the future. You can’t treat him the way you used to. Show a little more courtesy now.”

“He provoked me first.”

I knew that infamous temper of his wouldn’t change easily—but truly, he still had a long way to go.

“From now on, ignore any kindness shown by anyone except me. Understand? Happy never once accepted anything given by someone other than me.”

No matter how I looked at it, he clearly saw me as some sort of pet wife. Definitely.

“Then, should I also refuse kindness from women?”

“I make allowances for women.”

His standards, like his personality, were entirely arbitrary.

“Why do you make allowances for women?”

“You’re asking something obvious. It’s because we’re the same gender.”

“But now that I think about it, something’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“You—you grab Vika’s hand all the time.”

“Do you think I grab it to show kindness? I only grab it to see memories. To me, memories are like grabbing a sword to attack—nothing more.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

“You’re jealous of Vika.”

Vika was standing a little apart from us, but knowing how sharp her hearing was, I nearly gasped in alarm.

“S-Sikar! Watch your words. Why would I be jealous of her?”

“No matter how I look at it, that’s jealousy.”

I whispered low enough only for Sikar to hear.

“Vika can hear everything over there. Please don’t say things that might make her misunderstand. Please.”

“Vika won’t care anyway.”

“I care.”

“There’s no need to waste your energy on such trivial things.”

Anyway, it was best to stop talking about Vika. Let’s change the subject.

“But that man—he came with her, right? Hersia’s man?”

“Of course.”

“Where is he now?”

“He’s waiting for me in the reception room upstairs. Since it overlooks the terrace balcony directly, there’ll be no issue finishing the job.”

Ah, so he deliberately told him to wait up there. When assassins attack Hersia today, he can pretend to be casually conversing with that man and then “unintentionally” deal with the assassins—it’s a perfectly natural and safe plan.

At that moment, I heard words that froze me to the bone.

“His Majesty the King approaches.”

After the heavy voice of the palace chamberlain echoed, the grand inner doors of the banquet hall opened, and King Gillian and Dianne entered.

Gillian and Dianne had changed out of their ceremonial robes into uniforms and dresses. As their procession advanced, the nobles parted to either side like walls, bowing their heads.

Perhaps because I still wasn’t accustomed to meeting Gillian, he always exuded an air that made people feel breathless.

The Queen was no different. I’d calmed down slightly while talking with Sikar, but as soon as I saw Gillian, tension surged back again.

While quietly taking deep breaths inwardly, the royal couple approached us.

Gillian and Sikar exchanged glances and merely nodded slightly to greet each other. Then Gillian’s gaze turned toward me.

“This is our second meeting, Lady Blake.”

Truly, no matter how many times I see him, I can’t get used to him.

I felt my head go blank, then collected myself and bowed.

“Your Majesty, Your Grace. I am deeply honored and humbled to be invited to this most auspicious and glorious occasion in Lecador.”

Did I recite it correctly? I was too flustered to be sure, but since Sikar’s expression showed no change, I must have done it right as instructed.

Gillian looked at me calmly and offered a faint smile.

“That the grand wedding was successfully held is entirely thanks to House Blake’s gracious oversight of the royal family. I, in turn, am truly grateful you accepted our invitation so willingly.”

Is—is he sarcastically implying House Blake is trying to rise above the royal family?

This complicated dynamic was Sikar’s problem to handle—I just needed to follow instructions properly.

The Queen looked at me with an elegant smile and gently lowered her head.

“I’ve wished to meet Lady Blake, and now I finally have the pleasure.”

“I am deeply grateful for your gracious welcome, Your Grace.”

The Queen looked at me with a faint smile.

We didn’t exchange many words, but I clearly sensed an invisible battle of wills in our exchanged glances. Ugh. This was truly brutal and suffocating for me.

“By the way, I heard Lord Blake personally exposed the embezzlement by the head of the Relief Bureau?”

Sikar gave me a glare as if to say, “This is all your fault for dragging me into unnecessary trouble,” then replied.

“It was merely an accidental discovery.”

“I was truly astonished. I never expected the Duke to take interest in such matters.”

“As a loyal servant of Your Majesty, I could not possibly ignore such a vile incident occurring right before my eyes.”

Normally, he’d have brushed it off casually. But seeing him frame his own achievement as owing to Gillian’s grace, it seemed Sikar was humbling himself a bit this time.

Thanks to that, I felt my anxious heart calming slightly.

“With the Duke standing alongside Lecador, we feel truly reassured.”

“House Blake shall always stand faithfully beside Your Majesty as loyal servants of the Kingdom of Lecador.”

He never said things like that in the original story. Sikar always held his head high before Gillian, making him a figure who’d fallen out of Gillian’s favor. Why was he suddenly acting so obedient?

At that moment, Hersia was seen approaching, guided by a servant, wearing an uncomfortable expression. Upon spotting her, Gillian extended his hand as if welcoming a beloved younger sister.

“Come, Hersia.”

Though Gillian greeted her warmly, the truth was they’d rarely seen each other.

Hersia, unable to hide her expressions well, clearly showed discomfort. She smiled awkwardly, took Gillian’s offered hand, and kissed his knuckles.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

After greeting Gillian, Hersia immediately bowed to the Queen.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Grace. I am Hersia Mobiat of House Mobiat, family of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess, mother of His Majesty.”

“I’ve heard much about you. I’m pleased to meet you, Hersia.”

She wasn’t Sikar’s former wife—not even in the novel. Hersia, as depicted in Sikar’s novel, was even smaller and cuter than described. Her shyness and aversion to strangers made her look very much like me.

“These are Duke Blake and his Lady. Pay your respects.”

Hersia, looking flustered, bowed toward me with a flushed face.

“Ah, hello. Your Grace, Lady Blake. It’s an honor to meet you. I am Hersia Mobiat of House Mobiat, family of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess, mother of His Majesty.”

Seeing her introduction longer than mine, I felt a strange sense of camaraderie.

In truth, I also felt kinship over being trapped in life with a man named Sikar—though for her, that was likely only fiction.

“Your Grace, I have some matters to discuss with Duke Blake. Please keep Lady Blake company for a while.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty.”

Sikar gave me only a glance signaling he’d be back, then vanished with Gillian without saying where they were going.

Though I wished to be separated from Sikar, here he was the only person I could rely on—so I was left feeling awkward.

I wanted to ask to go with them, but since Gillian was involved, it wasn’t a place I could intrude upon.

“They must be off to discuss politics again.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ugh. Uncomfortable.

If I’d been alone with the Queen, I might have felt suffocated. But seeing Hersia trembling so visibly that her hands shook, I felt kinship with her.

If she weren’t here, that trembling person would undoubtedly be me. Her presence was somewhat comforting.

“Lady Hersia seems quite shy.”

“I haven’t attended such a grand occasion since my debut, so I’m quite nervous. My apologies.”

Though Hersia’s body trembled, her speech was clear and precise. The Queen smiled gently and placed a soft hand on Hersia’s shaking shoulder.

“You’re His Majesty’s cousin—don’t be intimidated, feel at ease.”

“I’m utterly overwhelmed by Your Grace’s kindness.”

I too was utterly overwhelmed.

While the two conversed, I kept a smile on my face outwardly, but I knew I looked just as awkward as Hersia.

“Lady Blake.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“I heard the two of you held an unofficial wedding ceremony. I’m told the Duke arranged it to protect his foreign-born wife?”

Rumors are often exaggerated, but this one seems especially fabricated—or rather, grossly overstated.

Even Hersia, who until now had maintained a consistent “Where am I? Who am I?” expression, suddenly widened her eyes in shock.

“Good heavens! So it’s not just a rumor—it’s true?”

“Yes, Hersia.”

Apparently, our overly embellished story had even broken through Hersia’s shyness.

I felt my face burning and desperately wanted to fan myself, but I forced myself to maintain the most humble smile possible.

“It wasn’t to protect me, Your Grace. Since I’m foreign, perhaps the Duke arranged it out of consideration for the guests, so they wouldn’t find me too unfamiliar.”

“It seems the Duke was charmed by his wife’s humble demeanor.”

Charming? If they knew Sikar saw me as a pet human, they’d be shocked.

Come to think of it, I could feel noble ladies glancing at me furtively.

‘Just how did my rumor spread like this?’