A princess from a fallen kingdom, subjugated by the empire.
And her politically arranged marriage with the Archduke who became the governor.
From the start, it was a marriage doomed to fail.
Trying to fit herself into an ill-fitting mold, holding onto her one-sided love for her husband even as she got hurt.
She realized it was time to let go.
Completely unaware that a ferocious beast was waiting for her.
***
Tears that had been welling up finally fell in a cascade.
She didn’t need to turn her head to know who was gripping her wrist.
The man’s hand, which gripped her wrist as if ensnaring it like a spider’s web, tightened painfully.
“Let go of me.”
Her voice trembled even to her own ears.
Even in this situation, her heart pounded, revealing her feelings towards her husband.
It was a painful sound she wanted to detach from herself.
Wishing it wouldn’t show, Ertia turned her back to the man holding her wrist.
Then she shuddered.
The man’s eyes were filled with desire and dark emotions.
“No, you can’t go.”
