[Hayden] "Vanessa." He reached out, but the sight of her brimming eyes froze his hand mid-air. Her spirit lay in ruins, leaving no room even for guilt toward the man before her. A tidal wave of emotion, far more violent than anything she had ever endured, crashed over her. News of Declan’s impending death snapped the tension within her like a frayed thread. Terror, remorse, and a thousand nameless agonies suffocated her. A strange pain flared in her chest, distinct from the f

The week leading to the Covenant Ceremony drifted by like water. Vanessa could not shake the growing conviction that she was wasting her time, letting it slip through her fingers like dry sand. The moment she acknowledged her lack of anticipation—or even greed—regarding her marriage to Hayden, her heart grew hollow. What would become of her once she became his wife? The future remained a hazy, distant blur. No matter how hard she tried, she could not conjure a vision of herse

[Lafitte] "It seems your grip on your duties has loosened." Countess Aldwin, the Head Maid, glared at him instantly. [Aldwin] "Is that directed at me, Baron?" [Lafitte] "I merely state the undeniable." Baron Lafitte, the Chamberlain, took a sip of his tea with practiced elegance. The brew tasted exceptionally bitter today—resembling dishwater more than Darjeeling. Given his recent friction with the Head Maid, he suspected she might have actually used a floor mop to brew it. [

[Roserikta] "Your Highness......?" The Crown Prince's bedchamber defied every expectation. She had imagined a sprawling, opulent hall swarming with court physicians and head maids. Instead, she found a void. The room lacked gilded ornaments and exquisite furniture. No breathtaking ceiling frescoes or portraits of the late Empress adorned the walls. Only a fireplace and a bed occupied the space. Heavy curtains smothered the massive windows, plunging the room into gloom. In thi

The sensation was unmistakable. A resolute, impenetrable wall stood between them, leaving no room for negotiation. [Kalart] "That felt worse than a simple rejection." He closed his eyes as the water lapped against his skin. Anger simmered within Eaton. His fury stemmed from a different source—undiluted loyalty. [Eaton] "Who would dare reject you? Punish her, Your Highness." [Kalart] "What......?" Kalart opened his eyes and stared at Eaton. His gaze, sharpened by the frigid wa

His kisses grew more intense by the second. Panic flared within her. She knew she should stop him, yet the words remained trapped in her throat. [Kalart] "I am afraid. I fear that one day, I will lose control and do exactly that." [Roserikta] "......" He pulled his lips away. Instead of releasing her, he tugged at her wrist, pulling her closer. Her frozen body dragged toward him without resistance. The distance between them, already dangerously narrow, vanished entirely. If s

He asked her for her understanding, then took her hand and gently helped her up. [Gustav] "I apologize. It's my first time at the Imperial Palace, so I've lost my way. I was moving in such a rush that I committed a great discourtesy. I am deeply sorry." Only after supporting Paula did the man pick up his palace entry pass from the floor. A name was engraved clearly on the bronze-colored surface: [Viscount Gustav Köndel]. Her heart couldn't help but sink the moment she saw it

[Noble] "Would you be so kind as to write my name on your dance card, Lady Albrecht?" Under normal circumstances, Paula would have stepped in immediately to block him. Instead, she looked away, pretending to be distracted by something else. She wanted to see how Odette would react. She's definitely different lately. [Odette] "No. I refuse. A mere son of a Baron having the audacity to ask me for a dance? You clearly don't know your place." But she rejected the young man like a

[Lilienthal] "I apologize for the sudden intrusion. I was simply so impressed by the dress you are wearing today. A gown for high society that can be worn without a corset... I never imagined I would live to see such a thing at an official function." Just then, Sasha stepped between the Countess and Odette. [Sasha] "Countess Lilienthal, how have you been? Hahaha. My daughter actually finds it quite difficult to speak with others." Social etiquette dictated that a subordinate

[Servant] "I expected it to take a long time because the seeds for those rare herbs were so difficult to find, but the farmer we were supposed to trade with came early this morning and sold them to us." [Sasha] "This is driving me crazy! What kind of sudden disaster is this?" She clutched her throbbing head. What should I do? I haven't gotten a confession out of Mrs. Becker, let alone found any other evidence. Should she stay at the mansion? Absolutely not. If she missed toda

Dina must have spent the entire confrontation pacing and fretting, for she bolted toward the foyer the moment Vanessa stepped inside. Vanessa offered a quiet reassurance to her pale-faced maid before heading straight for the bedroom. Mud stained the hem of her skirt. After changing her clothes, she lay on the bed and asked Dina to draw the curtains. She had granted him the meeting he desired and delivered her words; she had no intention of wasting further energy on him. She d

Her lips curled into a slow, elegant arc. His eyes flickered with intense emotion, as if he had just witnessed a scene of overwhelming beauty. [Vanessa] "I told you before." Despite her lovely smile, her voice dropped like a cold stone. [Vanessa] "This isn't love. It is merely the desperate anxiety of a man afraid Hayden will snatch something away from him again." His persistence in stopping the national wedding—even after orchestrating a kidnapping only to release her—had a

Her heart froze, as if submerged in glacial water. [Vanessa] "Is it because of that?" Her voice, devoid of any significant rise or fall, sounded remarkably cold. Dina, her eyes wide like a startled rabbit, turned her head toward the window and gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. Vanessa glanced at the maid, who couldn't hide her shock, before casually walking back toward her bed. Dina swept a hand over her chest, exhaling in relief that her lady’s destination was not the front

Declan had lost track of when consciousness finally slipped away. When he forced his leaden eyelids open, the bedroom ceiling greeted him. He pushed himself up slowly, surveying the room. The chaotic mess that had once defined the space was gone, replaced by an eerie, sterile order. He shielded his eyes with one hand. A sharp, rhythmic throb pierced his temples like needles—a headache that refused to subside. Then came the voice—Vanessa’s voice, cold and accusatory, echoing i

A completely different landscape unfolded behind her. As if appearing out of nowhere, a lush forest materialized in the middle of the open fields. It was less a typical forest and more a sprawling colony of Lumarr trees. The Lumarr tree was a species familiar even to witches. Unlike other trees, its trunk was bone-white down to the very roots—a mark left behind by the spirits that once dwelled within them. Consequently, the Lumarr trees emitted a uniquely pure energy and harm

Her heart hammered against her ribs with terrifying force. Her breath grew shallow for reasons she couldn't name. Her mind was a chaotic blur; she couldn't even begin to decipher what he meant by feeling "filthy." A part of her wanted to vanish. Another part, however, wanted to take his hand and soothe him until that foul mood dissipated. Her lips stung as if they were on fire. Why? Why did they hurt? She hadn't even realized she was injured until he touched her. Why now? [Ro