“If there is anything you require, please let us know.”
As Talia inspected the room with a critical eye, the lord standing by the door addressed her. Varkas, who had removed his coat and hung it beside the fireplace, made a request in his usual indifferent tone.
“I would appreciate some water for washing and some heated wine.”
“I shall have it brought immediately.”
Once the man withdrew, Talia collapsed into a chair lined with velvet cushions.
She was utterly exhausted after touring towns and villages since early morning. Pretending to straighten the damp hem of her skirt, she discreetly rubbed her aching knees.
Watching her out of the corner of his eye, Varkas spoke quietly.
“I shall summon a healer. It would be best if you rested for the remainder of the day.”
Talia frowned.
“And what about you?”
“I intend to meet with the lord. It may take some time, so please retire first.”
“When have you ever done otherwise?”
Talia snapped rather sharply.
They had been sharing the same room for several days now, but she had never once seen him lie down.
Varkas always worked until dawn, and sometimes spent entire nights in discussions with local lords.
The point had come where all the tension she felt whenever they entered the same room seemed ridiculous.
After glaring at him with tightly sealed lips, Talia threw herself onto the bed.
“I'll rest on my own, so mind your own business.”
Varkas quietly watched her for a moment before letting out a small sigh and leaving.
Not long afterward, servants arrived carrying trays laden with wine and fruit, along with a wooden bathtub filled with steaming water.
Talia called for her nurse and washed lightly before eating several pieces of fruit preserved in honey with her wine.
She was about to ask the healer to burn sleep herbs when loud laughter echoed outside the door.
Apparently, the knights had begun drinking.
Wearing a bored expression, Talia suddenly stiffened.
Among the boisterous noise was the high-pitched laughter of women.
She urgently shook the nurse awake from her dozing beside the fireplace.
“Nurse, does this lord happen to have daughters?”
“How should I know that?”
The nurse replied, looking somewhat dumbfounded.
Talia snapped irritably.
“I'm asking if you heard anything on the way here!”
“I don't know either. We were called here immediately after arriving.”
The nurse let out a heavy sigh.
“More importantly, may I return to my room now? I need some rest myself.”
Talia was about to send her downstairs but bit her lip.
Seeing the exhaustion written across the woman's face made the tiny scrap of conscience she possessed sting.
The nurse was already tired from the unfamiliar journey, and she had also had to assist with Talia's bath.
Slowly, Talia nodded.
“Fine. You may go.”
The nurse immediately left.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Talia peeked into the corridor.
As the noise from outside became clearer, anxiety churned in her stomach.
She knew perfectly well that Varkas would never do anything improper.
Even so.
Biting her lips uneasily, Talia finally put on her coat and stepped outside.
Descending the stairs after passing through corridors flickering with firelight, she saw groups of men and women laughing and flirting together.
Narrowing her eyes, she looked over the men's faces.
They all seemed familiar.
They were the mounted warriors of House Siorcan.
One of them was pulling a young maid around the waist and whispering into her ear with his lips pressed close. The maid giggled with flushed cheeks.
Watching the scene with disgust, Talia headed deeper into the hall.
Around the long table overflowing with food and alcohol sat Varkas's aides.
They, too, were being served drinks by women dressed little better than naked.
It seemed the lord had brought in a host of prostitutes to entertain his guests.
Looking around with a dark expression, Talia hurried across the great hall.
There was only one thought in her mind.
She had to drag Varkas out of this filthy place immediately.
“Your Highness!”
While dragging her aching legs through the banquet hall, a familiar voice called out nearby.
Turning sharply, Talia narrowed her eyes upon recognizing the face in the crowd.
It was Tyron, the eastern knight.
Approaching her, he scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
“I heard Your Highness had retired early. What brings you here?”
“It was too noisy, so I came out.”
Searching for Varkas with her eyes, Talia smiled mockingly.
“Looks like I interrupted everyone's good time.”
“Hahaha.”
The man covered his embarrassment with exaggerated laughter.
Shooting him a cold look, Talia glanced around the crowded hall again.
“More importantly, where is Varkas?”
“His Grace is in the office on the third floor. Lord Darken requested a private audience.”
Talia, who had been scanning the hall, abruptly turned her head.
“Just the two of them?”
Only then did Tyron seem to understand why she had been searching the hall so frantically, and amusement appeared around his lips.
“Yes. Even the maids were dismissed, so please don't worry.”
Instantly, her cheeks grew hot as though her thoughts had been laid bare.
Talia raised her voice.
“Who said I was worried?!”
Then she spun around, but Tyron immediately followed.
“You cannot walk around alone. I'll escort you back to your room.”
“I don't need it.”
“You do.”
The man replied firmly.
“If anything were to happen to Her Grace the Grand Duchess, the responsibility would fall upon us all. Come.”
Without giving her a chance to refuse, he grabbed her elbow.
Talia instinctively shook off his hand.
“I said I don't need it.”
Apparently startled by her fierce reaction, deep wrinkles appeared on his forehead.
Leaving him behind, Talia hurried away as though fleeing.
As she climbed the staircase illuminated by dim lights, cramps began to seize her calves and thighs.
She had overworked her legs far too much today.
Though it was late, perhaps she should summon a healer and request restorative magic.
Lightly striking her twitching thigh with her fist, she walked down the long corridor.
Then she froze.
A strange moan reached her ears.
Turning toward the source, she noticed an odd shadow flickering at the far end of the corridor.
Only after several seconds did she realize it was a man and woman pressed together like a single body.
The food she had barely managed to keep down threatened to surge back up.
Swallowing her nausea, she stepped backward.
Then, suddenly, her eyes met those of a boy who had been kissing a voluptuous maid with shameless passion.
Talia nearly screamed.
The one making a spectacle in the corridor was none other than Varkas's younger brother.
Staggering backward, she hurriedly turned around.
But she lost her balance and fell heavily onto the floor.
A powerful pain shot from her knees through her hips and into her waist.
Tears welled in her eyes as she released a silent scream.
“Sister-in-law!”
Seeing her collapse, Lucas shoved the maid aside and rushed over.
Talia violently slapped away the hand reaching to support her.
“Don't touch me!”
Lucas flinched and stepped back.
Glowering at him with icy eyes, Talia struggled to her feet.
Supporting herself against the wall with one hand, she took several painful steps.
The frozen Lucas finally muttered resentfully,
“Is this because of what you just saw? I wasn't the one who suggested it. She kept saying she'd show me a good time, so I just went along with it.”
Listening to his excuses felt like her ears were rotting.
Talia stared at him with disgust.
“Who asked? Why are you babbling things nobody asked about and dirtying my ears?”
Lucas's face turned bright red.
Clenching his jaw, he glared fiercely.
“What's the big deal? It was just a kiss. You and my brother are probably doing much worse every night anyway—”
Talia's hand flew like a whip.
As though expecting it, Lucas instantly caught her wrist.
“Ha! Did you think I'd keep letting you hit me forever? If you strike me one more time, even I won't keep tolera—”
The boy, who had lowered his voice threateningly, suddenly fell silent.
He seemed to notice the face before him, red as though set aflame.
Blinking blankly, he muttered in disbelief,
“Don't tell me... you two still haven't done anything... Ugh!”
Lucas bent over as Talia kicked him squarely in the shin.
She pounded his back with her fists without restraint.
As he endured the beating helplessly, Lucas finally shoved her against the wall.
“Damn it! No wonder my brother hasn't even laid a finger on you with that kind of temper!”
He snarled savagely, apparently seeing red himself.
Talia's shoulders trembled as though she had been stabbed.
Looking down at her with burning eyes, the boy cruelly added,
“Or maybe my brother still can't forget his former fiancée? Maybe what he had with that woman was so good he just can't bring himself to even—”
She did not want to hear another word.
Talia drove the nails she had started growing again a few days ago into his flapping lips.
With a cry of pain, Lucas seized her arm.
Apparently startled by her crazed attack, his slender body toppled backward.
Talia climbed on top of him and thrust her fingers into the foul mouth that deserved nothing but a latrine, grabbing hold of his slippery tongue.
His sun-darkened face flushed so red it looked ready to burst.
