DSB 71

So Yutis went to the Empire because he wanted to reject Lebel. Beyond being a prince of an enemy nation, Yutis turned into a monster that harmed people, and he should not force himself into a marriage for an heir or even father a child.

He had disliked the idea of a loveless marriage for the sake of succession from the start. Yutis wanted to marry someone he loved, just like his father, Edmund. Even though he knew Edmund’s case had been special, he still secretly hoped that the same fortune would come to him.

And a different kind of fortune from Edmund’s came into Yutis’s hands. He had tried to refuse because of the issue of succession, but Lebel had said he would marry him. Lebel had said that marrying someone like him would be a blessing.

How could he refuse that?

On top of that, Lebel had said that he was special. He had said that since his wife was weak, he would hold him tightly in his hands and cherish him.

The family had been on his side. Edmund knew because he had seen the previous head of the family, and Damian also knew what had been happening since he became part of the family, so he knew what would happen from then on.

So they would make sure that no retainer could force Lebel to bear an heir. He was already so frail now, so what would happen if he became pregnant?

Then the words Lebel had said suddenly came to Yutis’s mind.

‘I will not be able to get pregnant.’

When he heard that, Yutis’s heart dropped. It would have been better if Lebel had said that he was not thinking about having children yet. At that time, Lebel had spoken bitterly about how it pained him that his weakness made it impossible for him to conceive.

Yutis knew all too well how fragile Lebel’s body was. That was why he could not help but be afraid.

Originally, Lebel had always gone around insisting that he was healthy. No matter how many people said that he was frail or weak, he had just scoffed.

What do you mean weak? That was the look in his eyes.

But it had been different when he declared that he would not be able to conceive. The one who had never once called himself frail or weak had said those words.

If someone who had always been confident said that his body could not handle it, then it really could not. And if he did become pregnant, Yutis could easily imagine what would happen.

He would meet the same end as the others who had been sacrificed for the family.

Lebel had always been lenient toward his own condition and his wounds, so he was likely to make a choice for the sake of the child.

Lebel and the child he might have with him were both precious. But even if the child survived, what meaning would it have if he died? If there was even the slightest chance that something could go wrong, Yutis was prepared to stop it, even if Lebel wanted it.

He could not even bear to think of a life without him.

Once had been enough, seeing him bleeding and unconscious. He never wanted to experience it again.

Because he wanted to be with him for a long time, he had made Lebel take bitter medicinal herbs that he hated but were good for his body, even if he had to force him. He thought that was why Lebel had become as healthy as he was now. Lebel seemed to understand that feeling too, because he stopped complaining and drank every herbal tonic that Yutis gave him.

“This will do. We can start the work tomorrow.”

“Yes, leave it to us. The young madam will be pleased with the finished garden.”

Yutis nodded with satisfaction.

“Young Master!”

Then, a servant came running toward Yutis from afar. When Yutis gestured for the construction workers to step back, the servant handed him a letter.

“The Empire sent another letter.”

“They really are persistent.”

It was not the first time the Empire had sent one.

“But this time, it is from His Highness the Crown Prince, not the Emperor.”

“The Crown Prince?”

When Yutis heard that, he turned the letter over. The imperial seal was stamped on it, but the sender’s name was the Crown Prince.

Yutis had never met Biakin in person, so he did not know what kind of person he was. According to rumors, he was intelligent and gentle.

There were also rumors that he had cherished Lebel, who had been called the Foolish Prince, but if he had really cherished him, he would not have left him in such an environment.

“The madam said he would follow your decision, Young Master.”

When the first letter from the Empire came, Edmund had left the decision to Yutis. Since Lebel was his wife, it meant they should reach an agreement between themselves.

Yutis could imagine what kind of life Lebel had led in the imperial capital, so he had not wanted to hand him the letter. After reading its contents, that thought had only grown stronger.

But this time, the letter was from the Crown Prince, not the Emperor. Yutis carefully tore off the sealed part and began to read.

“He must be very worried about my wife who hasn’t been in contact. This part is similar.”

Yutis said that with a wry smile. The first line of the letter asked after Lebel’s well-being.

The Emperor’s letter had said much the same. But the more the letters went on, the less they showed any real concern, and they only questioned whether Lebel had fulfilled his duties.

Lebel had been sent to Yutis as his bride for the purpose of relieving his rut.

Even though the Empire had known full well about the rumors that Yutis was called a demon or a monster, they had thrown Lebel into the jaws of a dangerous beast. They had called that the price for raising and feeding him, and they had even urged him to devote himself for the sake of the Empire.

It was not the kind of letter one sent to a child suffering far from home.

And it was also proof of what his wife had said, that the Empire had no intention of going to war. As if the Empire was wary of the North, they were forcing Lebel to live in silence, watching every move of Yutis, a dangerous demon and beast, while offering up everything they had.

In the beginning, they had asked if he had been hurt by the savage beast, but then their words contradicted themselves.

The Crown Prince’s letter was similar. It was full of the Empire’s typical courtesy, pretending to ask about well-being without real interest, and in the end, it meant the same thing.

Yutis frowned as he continued reading. And the final paragraph was an even more outrageous letter than the Emperor’s.

“He said he wanted to check if my wife was well, and that he would send a delegation.”

“What? A delegation, you mean?”

Even the servant seemed startled and asked again.

“Did we not make an agreement that neither side would step into the other’s territory?”

“He also said that he wanted to discuss the trade that will take place starting in spring.”

“But is there any need for them to visit in person? Can they not exchange letters?”

“The Empire will refuse.”

If it were Damian, he would surely refuse, saying that it could be resolved by exchanging letters like when they discussed the treaty after the war. The Empire knew that, so they made their move first. And the timing of this letter could not have been worse.

“They must already be on their way to the North.”

“What? Already? But we have not even sent a reply…”

“If you think about the time it took for the letter to reach the castle because of the snowstorm, it is possible.”

“Do they not know that the North also has a season of snowstorms?”

The Empire had suffered great losses from severe snowstorms when they waged war in winter, so it made no sense for them not to know.

“They know. That is exactly why they chose this time. The proof is that we already received the letter saying they will send a delegation.”

Yutis spoke with certainty.

“Has Father not returned yet?”

Edmund had already departed to inspect the demonic beasts that would start moving again once the snowstorm stopped.

Normally, Yutis should have gone with him, but he could not bring himself to leave Lebel, who had caught a cold. Edmund understood Yutis’s feelings and had gone alone, telling him to take good care of the estate.

“The Lord has not yet returned. I will send a letter immediately.”

“Yes, please do. Tell Father that we may have guests. He will be busy preparing. Considering the timing, another letter may arrive within two days. It will probably say that because the snowstorm delayed delivery, they decided to send a delegation instead.”

“…If the delegation arrives, we can no longer hide the letters from the young madam.”

“I will tell him myself.”

The reason Yutis had not given Lebel the letters from the imperial capital was not only because of their contents, but also because he had judged there was no need to deliver them to someone who disliked the capital so much.

The Emperor’s letter revealed that he treated Lebel as a tool. It had been the same when Yutis first met the Emperor and was questioned about Lebel.

When Yutis ignored his letters, the Emperor stopped even the polite inquiries about well-being and began to condemn him. Yet he kept digging into what he wanted to know. The Emperor had repeatedly asked whether Lebel had safely spent Yutis’s rut with him.

And he had asked what kind of monster Yutis had turned into. When there was no reply for a long time, he finally pretended to worry that Lebel might have been caught in an accident, but it was not genuine concern. He had written that if Lebel was injured to the point that he could not move, the Empire would hold the North responsible, and that they must contact the Empire by any means.

It was not concern for Lebel. It was delight at finding an excuse to blame the North.

Of course, the letter that had arrived now was not from the persistent Emperor. But although it was better than the Emperor’s letter that had bluntly expressed hostility toward the North, the Crown Prince’s letter was still written only for show, pretending to care about Lebel.

The reason people said that the Crown Prince was kind to Lebel must have been because Lebel was no rival to him. He must have seen Lebel as a tool as well.

‘And he is even more cunning than the Emperor.’

While the Emperor’s letter had only threatened Lebel, the Crown Prince had brought up the delegation at the end. He had even gone into great detail explaining the reason for sending it.

That meant he had left the possibility that the one reading the letter might not be Lebel. If he had at least mentioned that someone from the Hestro family might intercept the letter midway and check its contents while asking about Lebel’s condition, Yutis might have thought the Crown Prince really cared about him. But he had ended the letter by saying that he would send an delegation for trade with the Empire.