ETCHY 21

Chapter 21

The room was a mess, as if a thief had broken in.

Crescentia’s underwear and robe, which Erich had torn off, were scattered about. The blankets were thoroughly rumpled, and one pillow was rolling around on the sofa.

Anyone could see it had been a rough night.

Hilda, with a troubled expression, gathered up Crescentia’s clothing piece by piece and carried them into the walk-in closet. She promptly came back out with a soft cotton robe from the wardrobe.

Thanks to Hilda, Crescentia was able to put something on over her bare body for the first time in hours.

“Wait, just a moment.”

“Why?”

As Crescentia groaned and tried to put on the robe, Hilda stopped her with a stern expression. Hilda quickly scanned Crescentia’s body and then covered her with the blanket again.

“Stay like that. I’ll go wet a towel.”

Crescentia looked down at her own body in response to Hilda’s reaction. And she bit her lip in shock at the sight before her eyes.

Her white skin was mottled with red and blue bruises.

To anyone who didn’t know, it would have looked like she’d been beaten. Handprints were clearly visible on Crescentia’s wrists, forearms, chest, and waist.

What’s more, there were even bloodstains where her legs began.

‘When did I get hurt?’

Crescentia grew confused at the sight of the blood caked on her thighs.

It had hurt like her flesh was being torn when Erich had forced himself inside her.

Had it really been that way?

—

*’Hngh, damn. Too tight.’*

—

Erich hadn’t said much of anything while holding Crescentia last night. The only words she remembered were the few curses he’d muttered when he first thrust into her.

‘Will I have to keep doing this from now on?’

Crescentia’s mind grew troubled as she received Hilda’s care—Hilda had brought a warm, damp towel without her noticing.

Before she’d spent the wedding night with him, she’d wanted to properly join their bodies as soon as possible. But now, she was afraid of the nights with Erich.

‘At least two years…’

Crescentia unconsciously recalled the clause in the prenuptial agreement. According to it, the Grand Ducal couple was required to put in effort to produce an heir for two years.

When she’d signed the contract, it had seemed short. But after just one night, those two years felt like an impossibly long time.

“For now, get plenty of rest. His Highness the Grand Duke said he’ll be staying at the Imperial Palace for a while, so you should be fine.”

“So Erich went to the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard. I overheard the adjutant telling the butler earlier. Apparently he’ll be in meetings at the Imperial Palace for another week.”

“Good…”

Crescentia, who had answered thoughtlessly, was surprised by her own words and clamped her mouth shut. Saying “good” because she wouldn’t have to see Erich.

Sensing Hilda’s gaze, Crescentia quickly waved her hands.

“No, that’s not—Hilda, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s alright. You’re tired, aren’t you?”

Hilda smiled kindly and continued wiping down Crescentia’s body. She didn’t pry into why such marks were left on her body, or why Crescentia seemed to be avoiding Erich.

Even though she was only a year older than Crescentia, Hilda had a motherly presence, like Susan, at times like this.

“They say the first night is always hard. So don’t think about anything else and just rest. I’ll have all your meals brought up to the bedroom today.”

“Mm, thank you.”

“You must feel uncomfortable. I’ll heat up some bathwater, so close your eyes until then.”

Hilda had already tidied the bedroom spotlessly and drew the curtains again.

In the dimming room, wrapped in the comfort Hilda had given her and wearing the robe, Crescentia fell into a deep sleep.

Her frail body, lying in the vast bed, curled up like a small bird.

Erich looked with satisfaction at the document bearing the Emperor’s signature. It was a deed transferring David’s private land to the Peter family’s engine factory site.

David, who had finished signing, shook his head as if tired of it all.

“You didn’t have to come running so quickly. I would have given it to you anyway without you acting like a debt collector.”

“I trust Your Majesty, but I don’t trust Marquis Janings. Who knows when he might change his mind again.”

“Making that old weasel extend his hand first. You’re quite something.”

David genuinely admired Erich’s strategy. Everything flowed so astonishingly according to his predictions.

Take the wedding reception, for example. At first, David had thought the conservative nobles, including Marquis Janings, might try something when they all showed up.

But contrary to David’s concerns, they were busy offering congratulations rather than curses.

The conservatives made sure to leave an impression on Princess Regina and offered their blessings to the Grand Duke as well.

Marquis Janings was no exception.

He’d even smoked cigars with Erich. The same man who used to belittle Erich whenever the topic of his Ezatz background came up.

What’s so great about marriage, what’s so special about marrying a noble princess?

Erich smiled bitterly.

To him, marriage was merely a procedure for fulfilling his duties as a noble.

If he had to add more, it was a tool to play along with his mother’s obsession with bloodlines. Or perhaps, a suitable outlet for the desires he’d suppressed all this time?

After reviewing the document one last time, Erich spoke in a cynical tone.

“The effect of marriage is remarkable. Now that I’ve married a princess, they seem to have shed their suspicion that my business would negatively impact the conservatives.”

“That must be it. If you’ve even married Princess Regina, it means you’re not hostile to the conservatives.”

“What’s so great about a mere marriage.”

Erich handed the document to Sazar and let out a derisive laugh. It was amusing that those who hadn’t budged despite all his efforts were moved by a single marriage.

“Besides, the fact that you’re now married makes you seem more trustworthy.”

“Should I call that simplistic or foolish?”

David shrugged at Erich’s retort. He double-checked the document he’d handed to Sazar and left the room with him.

As the door opened and closed, Erich was left alone in the Emperor’s office.

The Imperial Palace office was normally a space where entry was strictly controlled except for those permitted by the Emperor. But the Grand Duke, his adjutant, and Florian—the Emperor’s right-hand men—were exceptions.

These were men who had moved as one with David even before he ascended the throne.

Erich even used the office as freely as if it were his own home.

Since he sometimes pulled all-nighters here, no one paid any mind if Erich used the office as he pleased. And when the time came, David, Florian, or Sazar would walk in without ceremony.

Left alone in the silent office, Erich propped his chin on his hand.

He needed to organize his thoughts.

‘Did it really resolve this easily?’

David said it was thanks to Erich getting married. But Erich couldn’t understand the thinking of the old conservative men.

Where was the guarantee that being unmarried meant immature, and being married meant mature? If that were the case, there would be no such thing as an Ezatz in the Empire. To Erich, it seemed idiotic to ascribe meaning to marriage.

‘Not that there’s any loss in the end.’

Setting aside his sentiments about marriage, Erich was satisfied with his decision.

A convenient piece had appeared at just the right time, allowing him to cleanly dispose of a troublesome task—and it had brought far better results than expected.

This wasn’t a losing deal, Erich thought lazily.

What loss? There was only gain.

—

*’Ah, Erich! It hurts!’*

—

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the pitiful woman who had clung to him last night.

Crescentia had spread her body for Erich and suffered greatly. But her pain was of no concern to him.

To speak his petty inner thoughts, Erich had even felt somewhat pleased by her struggling and clinging. It was as if a grudge he’d held since childhood had finally been resolved.

The great princess who had acted with condescension, now sobbing and clinging to him—it was rather satisfying.

So it would be right to conclude that his night with her was time spent on childish revenge and filling a sinister calculation.

But…

‘Why did I act that way yesterday?’

Erich’s brow furrowed as he revisited the events of the night before. He rubbed his temples and fell into deep thought.

Erich had never been able to sleep well.

Because of childhood memories of being mercilessly beaten if he dozed off even a little. Since he’d been hit for sleeping when he should have been working, his body instinctively resisted falling into deep sleep.

Erich would startle awake whenever he began to fall into a deep slumber. So he was always sleep-deprived. Even the bed held no meaning for him as a place of rest.

But yesterday was different.

—

*’Mmm, Erich…’*

—

Last night, Erich had fallen into a deep sleep beside Princess Crescentia. Until she murmured his name in her sleep. Losing track of time.

Originally, Erich had planned to leave right after joining with the princess.

It was only because she had fainted that he couldn’t. Since it felt uncomfortable to leave her tattered body—once as clean as pure white porcelain—without at least a quick cleanup, he’d intended to do a simple tidy-up before leaving.

He’d only meant to lie beside her for a moment to catch his breath before that.

But absurdly, unbelievably—

He had dozed off.

So deeply that he didn’t even notice the dawn breaking.