Chapter 29

Enoch had avoided answering that question.  

Asla believed he knew the answer—and now, she thought she understood why he had evaded it.

“…Because he’s afraid I’ll fall apart.”  She murmured the words softly.

He was afraid of losing her.  

Because she was “family.”  

Because she was his wife.  

It made her glad, knowing she had become someone important to him.  

But at the same time, there was an emptiness gnawing at her heart.  

That kiss—so desperately longed for, that had made her toes tingle—meant nothing to him.  

The realization stung, left her hurt and saddened.

She wanted to rush to Lisette and demand the truth immediately,  

But Ian’s warning echoed in her mind, and she couldn’t take a single step forward.

‘Were you always this fragile, foolish Asla?’

She let out a powerless smile and rose from her seat to head back to her room.  

It was already late evening, and most of the tables in the restaurant had emptied after dinner.

As she passed a vacant table, she spotted a half-finished sketch left behind.

‘Someone must’ve forgotten their drawing.’

Asla found herself staring at it for quite some time.  

It was a dreamy depiction of the sea, softly colored with gentle hues—it felt almost alive.

“It’s like the sea is singing.”

She spoke without thinking, and immediately, someone standing close by beamed with delight.

“Exactly! I tried to draw the singing sea.”

“Oh—sorry! I looked without permission.”

Asla realized this must be the artist and bowed slightly in apology.

“It’s okay.”

The young woman had curly black hair tied up high, and her eyes were a deep ocean blue—like the western sea.  

She looked Asla up and down, grinning brightly.

“Forgive my boldness, but you’re incredibly beautiful. You look just like this pastel.”

“Pastel…?”

Asla tilted her head in confusion, and the woman opened a box on the side of the table.

“Oh—this art supply. You use it like this…”

She took a piece of pink pastel and stroked it across the paper, then gently rubbed it with her fingers.  

The bold line softened and bloomed into a delicate shade.

It was so fascinating that Asla couldn’t look away, her amazement entirely genuine.

“That’s amazing. I had no idea tools like that existed.”

“They haven’t reached the Tulia Empire yet, huh? Would you like one? I could give you some.”

“Oh—no, that’s alright. I’ll try to find some myself.”

Startled, Asla shook her head quickly.

Now that she listened closely, the woman’s accent was a little different from the Empire’s central dialect.  

She must be a foreigner, like Asla herself. That realization made Asla pay closer attention.

The woman had sincerely wanted to gift her the pastels, but when Asla declined, she simply shrugged.

“I’m Amelia.”

“I’m Asla.”

Since Amelia hadn’t given her surname, Asla naturally did the same.

Amelia smiled cheerfully as she packed her drawing and supplies into her bag.

“If you love art, I’m sure we’ll meet again someday. I hope we do.”

“Thank you, Amelia.”

“For what?”

Asla was genuinely grateful to Amelia, who had approached her without hesitation and greeted her with such a hearty smile.  

She also found herself intrigued by the art tool Amelia had introduced—pastels.

‘I wonder if there’s a whole street for art supplies.’

Her mood, which had been sinking endlessly, suddenly felt lifted.  

Just like the sea Amelia had drawn.

She was especially touched that Amelia had called her someone who loved art.  

When Enoch’s words came to mind—that she should start finding things she liked.  

Maybe she could do that now that she wasn’t going to die.

Looking back, she couldn’t quite understand why she had been so obsessed with dying after divorcing Enoch.  

It had been such a narrow, limited way of thinking.  

She had acted like the Holy Kingdom and Enoch were the only things in the world.  

Was it Lisette’s brainwashing too?

Letting out a faint sigh at the thought, Asla returned to her room with May, who had been waiting for her outside the restaurant.

“Master hasn’t returned yet. I’ll prepare your bath, Milady. Please have a warm soak and get some rest—you look tired.”

“I think I will.”

Taking May’s suggestion, Asla slid into the large marble bathtub, letting the warm water rise to her chin.  

As she settled in, she suddenly felt a rush of heat rise to her face—she had realized something.

Back in the hotel at Dainus, and even at the one near the capital’s train station, she and Enoch had always used separate rooms.  

But now, in the Ventus Hotel, they were sharing a room.

Of course, it was the largest suite in the entire hotel, far larger than any of their previous rooms.  

There were multiple bedrooms and a spacious layout.  

But for Asla, the meaning was different.

They were closer.

She had declared that she wouldn’t decide on delaying the divorce until he gave her answers, chin raised proudly.  

But in truth, she was the one who would be in trouble if the divorce went through immediately.

After all, the divorce itself had been part of Lisette’s scheme.  

She couldn’t allow herself to keep being manipulated.  

She had to uncover what was really going on around her.  

But right now, soaked in this warm water, surrounded by comfort, she didn’t want to move.  

If this was what Enoch had meant by “protection,”  

She could almost see herself pretending not to know the truth forever.

‘Selfish.’

Asla bit her lip hard.  

The truth, she knew, would no doubt be cold and cruel.  

But this moment, this warmth, was so tender—it made her want to cry.

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“The discussion with Duke Jemia is taking longer than expected. Master instructed me to be sure to convey to you just how pitiful his situation is.”

“There was no need to go so far as to send you, Talet. He must be quite busy.”

Asla gave an awkward smile as she looked at the lush bouquet of red and white roses.  

Even by the following afternoon, Enoch still hadn’t returned to the hotel, and in the meantime, Asla—having spent her time wandering both inside and outside the hotel—received thousands of roses from him.

Talet gave a polite bow and smiled as he straightened up.

“This is my job. That is why he is the ‘master’.”

When he emphasized the title, Asla nodded in understanding.  

If Robert Hesse was employed as a Vice President under the Ventus company name, then Talet Hesse was Enoch’s personal aide, hired directly by Duke Ventus.  

Realizing again that he was in charge of all of Enoch’s private affairs as well, Asla replied softly.

“Is that so?”

She smiled naturally as she inhaled the fragrance of the roses that filled the room.  

Wearing a cool sky-blue muslin dress, gazing at the roses, she looked peaceful and beautiful.

May and Talet, who had been watching her, exchanged glances and nodded.  

She looked much better than when she had been sitting silently like a lifeless doll.  

If only she could stay this happy forever.

As they continued admiring the picturesque lady before them, May moved first, cheerfully suggesting, “Milady, there are far too many roses. What do you say to buying some vases for them?”

“…That’s true. We’ll need vases.”

“We could have a store deliver everything, but I think it would be fun to go see them for yourself and get some fresh air.”

When Talet also encouraged her to go out, Asla hesitated briefly, then nodded.  

She wasn’t used to such casual outings, but she had decided to change. She wanted to try.

Inside the box Enoch had left, labeled For Duchess Ventus, were blank cheques. Dozens of them.  

No matter how rich he was—  

She wasn’t used to handling money, and she worried what might happen if she wasted it foolishly.  

Asla muttered that to herself, but beside her, Talet quietly added, “It’s not carelessness. It’s that he’s soft when it comes to you, Milady.”

“Soft? Enoch? That’s an amusing thought, Talet.”

“Exactly. It’s very amusing. Which is why…please don’t leave him, Milady.”

Now even Talet was pleading, following in Robert’s footsteps.  

Asla started to suspect Enoch had given these two brothers some kind of secret orders.

After sending Talet back to Enoch, Asla headed to the commercial district with May.  

They passed by Rosshill Street, packed with clothing stores, and entered a landscaping shop near Alreer Street.

The shop owner, who had been happily recommending this and that to the beautiful lady selecting vases, became utterly flustered when he saw the blank check bearing the Ventus name.

“You’re Duchess Ventus? Oh dear, my apologies… Wait, aren’t you Princess Sherita of the Holy Kingdom?!”

“…Am I really still that famous?”

Asla gave a sheepish smile and helped the bowing shop owner back to his feet.

“I’d like to erase that part of myself… but I guess it won’t be erased.”

“Don’t say such things, Milady. You shouldn’t belittle yourself like that.”

May, standing beside her, spoke gently as if heartbroken.  

Asla nodded, recalling how May once told her she had admired her.

Once again, she had belittled herself without even realizing it.  

Asla reflected on this tendency to constantly attack herself and fell into thought.

When did this habit of blaming herself begin?

‘The contamination began the moment the Princess was born. Such a shame. It’s not your fault, Your Highness, but the timing overlapped so perfectly.’  

‘The contamination worsens as the Princess grows. But again, it’s not your fault.’  

‘Because you are the Holy Kingdom’s Princess…it’s heartbreaking to see you suffer like this. But of course, it’s not your fault.’ 

Lisette’s words, repeated like comfort since Asla was very young, echoed through her mind in a loop.  

Asla slowly closed her eyes and opened them again, pressing her forehead.  

Those weren’t comforts.  

If Lisette had truly pitied her from the heart—  

She would have never repeated those same words over and over.  

As Asla’s complexion turned visibly pale, May quickly reached out to support her arm.

“Are you all right, Milady?”

“…I’m fine.”

Asla took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She looked at the shopkeeper, who, just like May, was watching her with concern.

‘Even someone I just met worries for me…’

It felt like one of the chains tightly bound around her heart had loosened a little.

When Asla’s color returned, May and the shopkeeper both exhaled a long sigh of relief.

“I’ll be heading back now. Please have everything well-packed and delivered to the Ventus Hotel.”

“Absolutely, madam! I’ll personally deliver every piece, not a single one damaged!”

Seeing the shopkeeper’s beaming smile made Asla feel even better.  

Now that she’d stepped into the world, she realized—  not everyone was there to hurt or brainwash her.

It saddened her to realize how foolish she’d been, living in such a narrow world with such a narrow view.  

Asla stepped out of the shop, looked around at the bustling people passing by, and said to May: “I didn’t know meeting so many people could be this enjoyable.”

“Milady?”

“I used to believe… that most people hated me.”

“That’s not true, Milady.”

Seeing May so flustered, Asla gently placed her hand on the maid’s shoulder and patted it softly.

“Thank you. I plan to open my eyes to the world a little more now—so you don’t have to worry.”

Asla’s pink hair fluttered softly in the breeze as she smiled innocently.

She decided to put off meeting Lisette.  

Only after she’d broken more of the chains binding her heart… would she be ready to face her.