Lilian of Turin

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but Turin has already expressed consent to the marriage conversation that took place between us a long time ago. Also, I was aware that the marriage certificates have been exchanged accordingly. So…”

When she was 12, she distinctly remembered signing a deed with her own hands.

“Yes, it was.”

Damian nodded his head.

“But marriage is our business. I wanted to hear your will directly.”

Lilian smiled in embarrassment.

“Even though seven years have passed?”

“Yes, seven years ago, you were twelve.”

Damian smiled softly at Lilian, who blinked her eyes, not knowing what was wrong with that.

“I was 17 at that time and had some ability to discern facts. But 12 is too early to decide on marriage.”

“It may be so, Your Highness, but even when I was 12 years old, I was a subject of the Elector of Turin and a member of Islar. The will of Turin is my will.”

These were words more likely to be said by a loyal vassal than a noble lady. Damian smiled brightly.

“I understand, my lady, but I want to ask you one more question.”

“Please speak.”

“You said that the will of the Elector of Turin is the will of the young lady. If so, if the Elector announces his intention to break off the marriage even tomorrow, will the lady’s will be the same?”

Lilian was a little taken aback.

“No way…”

“I also don’t know but I said it was just in case.”

Damian’s tone was soft, but he wasn’t ready to back down before hearing her answer.

Lilian thought for a bit and nodded, determined to be honest.

“Yes, indeed.”

And she looked right at him and explained.

“As I said, I am Turin’s daughter. My father and brother gave their lives in defense of this land, and in exchange for their lives, I have lived a life of undeserved comfort. Marriage for Turin is my duty.”

An argument that doesn’t let a needle pass.

Damian looked at Lilian with a thoughtful look.

“…then one last thing.”

There was no more smile in his eyes.

“Is this marriage entirely Turin’s decision?”

“…? No, it’s not.”

Even though she didnd’t know why he’s in a bad mood, Lilian responded with sincerity, in accordance with her personality.

“It’s a bond that will last my whole life. I did consider a few things.”

“A bond that will last a lifetime.”

Somehow, Damian’s momentum, which had grown sharper, seemed to have loosened up a little.

Is it an illusion? Lilian tilted her head. She didn’t have time to think deeply before Damian asked right away.

“Then, what aspect did you consider?”

“I heard that Your Highness is not one who stabs your inferiors. By chance.”

“Hm, and then?”

“Yes?”

Lilian blinked. ‘And then what?’ As he looked at the puzzled Lilian, Damian laughed.

“Could it be, my Lady, is that all?”

“Hm…, I’m not sure what Your Highness is talking about.”

“I’m asking if the lady’s condition for choosing a husband to marry was ‘to not beat people up’.”

Aha. Lilian shook her head.

“Not really. I did have a few things I wanted.”

“I want to hear it.”

Damian wanted to hear why Lily Islar, rather than Turin’s Lily, had decided to marry, why she had agreed to marry Damian Rupenwein.

Lilian understood Damian’s words in a slightly different way.

‘This must be a prior exchange of information to draw up a ‘prenuptial agreement’.’

Yes, advance notice is important.

Lilian straightened her posture and responded to the question with more sincerity than before.

“I hope you don’t have a hobby for gambling. I’m not talking about a game with the intention of enjoying lightly with friends, but the slightly dangerous kind.”

“Also.”

“…even if you have an affair, please don’t make an illegitimate child?”

Suddenly, Damian’s moment became terrifying again. He confirmed again to the puzzled Lilian.

“Then, is the young lady going to keep the same condition?”

“Yes?”

She never thought about it that far, so Lilian thought about it on the spot.

It’s impossible to do that. Would mosquitoes die from her arm strength?

Hitting a burly man didn’t seem to feel good.

‘I don’t need to gamble and I have no intention of having an illegitimate child.’

She watched the unfortunate life of the child who was going to be born from her from beginning to end. And her heart ached. She regretted in advance the actions she hadn’t even committed.

She vowed not to live in such a future. She had no intention of adding a new element of misfortune.

So Lilian answered.

“Yes, I will keep the same condition.”

Damian’s silence was long. Lilian began to sense the intangible energy he radiated.

It seems like Damian is in a really bad mood, but Lilian can’t even guess what’s causing it.

“Your Highness…? Did I do something wrong…”

“To keep the same conditions…”

Damian opened his mouth heavily.

For some reason, it seemed like his voice was shaking a little.

“Do you mean you’re keeping the possibility of an affair open?”

“Yes?”

The unexpected question surprised Lilian. Moments later, Lily burst into laughter.

“No, I have no intention of having lovers.”

Even if she said she could change her mind, she wouldn’t have the stamina to do so. Lily’s neat affirmation softened Damian’s spirits a little.

“All I want to say is that I will respect your freedom as much as possible. Our marriage is a political strategy.”

Damian’s purple eyes stared into Lilian’s blue ones.

You won’t know at first glance, but if you look closely, Lilian’s eyes are as deep, cold, and clear as glaciers.

She was just like her brother, Cedric.

‘Is this in the blood?’

Judging by her eyes, it was clear that she would respect her husband’s infidelity.

‘The starting line itself is different.’

“Don’t respect me.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to be respected.”

It was an unexpected statement. She didn’t immediately understand. His smile at Lily seemed friendly at first glance.

“Even if it’s a political strategy, marriage is marriage. Originally, the biggest enemy of marriage is an affair, right?”

Despite pretending to know, Damian didn’t know much about a normal married life.

There were only a few things he learned through the situation when Idoel died, Claude became emperor, and his eldest sister-in-law, who was supposed to be the Empress, became Empress again.

“That…”

“If it’s a strategy, you’d better be more careful with your actions. Many lives depend on our union. Isn’t that the case?”

Damian, who had seen through Lilian after a few words of conversation, dug into the side where Lily couldn’t refute.

“I see.”

As expected, Lilian was convinced.

Damian grinned at the idea that everything went according to plan.

“However, since the young lady has no intention of having an affair and I don’t have any at all, how about changing the condition to not taking a second look at our marriage?”

“Yes…?”

“Hm, how to prove that? Oh, should we add a clause to the prenuptial agreement that if I cheat on you, I’ll give you half of my property?”

Why so much?

Lilian was confused, but Damian pretended not to know and sorted out the situation one by one.

“Then, I should be a husband who doesn’t abuse my wife, doesn’t gamble, and doesn’t cheat on her, so I won’t have an illegitimate child.”

“Yes…that’s right.”

“Then, among the many men who will pass the lady’s very few standards, my condition is the best right now, isn’t that so?”

The stress that went into the words ‘very few’ was disturbing.

Lilian almost nodded, her mind dazed in the face of Damian’s radiant smile and strange force. Because it wasn’t wrong.

“Yes, it is.”

“Great. I will be satisfied here for now.”

Damian’s tone was sweet and languid, but somehow, Lilian couldn’t shake the thought that this man was dangerous.

It wasn’t that she was afraid that if she did something wrong, he would get angry and beat her.

She couldn’t explain it well, but it’s clear that there’s something in this man that triggered her instincts.

It was to the point where even Lily, who was ignorant enough to say “not at all” in this respect, thought she should avoid being alone with Damian in the future.

“Now, lady, you’d better go.”

As if Damian had read Lilian’s mind, he suggested it.

Lilian thought that something was off, but Damian ended the conversation so neatly that she suddenly stood up from her seat.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t send you.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Lilian wasn’t disappointed, as she hadn’t intended to cause such a nuisance in the first place. Damian looked at Lilian blankly and gently waved his hand.

“Good bye.”

“Yes, please take care.”

“Until next time.”

Tak, Lily left and the door closed.

Damian stared at the closed door for a moment before pulling himself away from the desk he was leaning on.

The powdered wood fell from his hand with a thunderous thud.

A corner of the desk made of hard wood that’s difficult to even scratch with tolerable force was crushed like a cookie. Damian brushed off the powder with an expressionless face.

His fingertips, stained as black as his fingernails, trembled thinly.