Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle

Surprisingly, Lysander, Maximilian’s younger brother, was present.

He came all the way to Sheridan because he insisted on stopping the Great Queen.

｢It’s fun. It seems that lowly nobles think that the name of the king is a game, right?｣

Lysander, knowing at a glance that his bride had changed, came to Maximilian’s office after the ceremony and spat out his anger. 

It was possible because he had previously obtained and examined the portrait of Asela Darrington through his aides. 

｢They did a good job changing into a woman who looked quite similar somewhere.｣ 

｢Is it similar?｣

｢It must have been the Count’s illegitimate child born from outside. Such elegant silver hair is not common among commoners…｣

Lysander stretched and laid his legs on the long sofa.

｢It seems that the name of the king is quite funny. This, it will be difficult if we don’t prepare a proper return.｣

He may have been executed as well as stripped of the Count’s honor for daring to deceive the royal family.

｢What do you want to do?｣

Maximilian was briefly troubled by his question.

A ‘fake’ bride who came to him and always pursued the right thing. In fact, the answer to be given was fixed.

But Maximilian couldn’t bear to speak of punishing the Count. 

From the beginning, this marriage itself was not very desirable.

In addition, considering Great Queen Amelda’s purpose of ‘reducing Maximilian’s position’, the existence of a fake bride was rather helpful.

｢If Your Highness permits it, it doesn’t matter as it is.｣

｢…What?｣

Was his answer surprising? Lysander asked, raising his body.

｢A prince like brother… y, you’re going to marry a woman like that?!｣

｢Strictly speaking, the ceremony has already taken place.｣

｢Ha!｣

Lysander looked at Maximilian with incomprehensible eyes.

｢Did Brother even forgets how to get angry?! Or, does the noble pure-blood Prince have a hobby of being especially tolerant of mixed blood?!｣

Maximilian was silent.

Fortunately, Lysander didn’t pursue him further.

｢…Do whatever you feel like.｣

｢Thank you.｣

And Lysander didn’t stay at The Sheridan and left right away.

As if he had grown tired of Maximilian’s ambiguous attitude.

In the marriage life that started like that, Maximilian decided not to pay much attention to his bride, ‘Fake Asela’.

Life here would be like a prison for her, so he doesn’t have to add pain.

Despite his indifference, she seemed to have managed to take root in this cold land.

She quickly led the servants well and maintained a good reputation among the knights.

Maximilian thought she must be a very nice person, even though her identity was fake.

So, he was determined to set her free someday.

Not spending the night with her was an extension of that idea.

By testifying that they didn’t intermingle, this marriage can be made into something that didn’t even exist.

Then one day she’ll be able to start a new life with a good man.

This thought has not changed to this day.

…He used to think that. 

Maximilian thought of Clarisse, who was sitting in front of him and drawing.

The child drew his face on the left side of the white paper and stuck out, ‘I’m done.’

He was worried about one thing as he looked alternately between the left side, which was filled with paintings, and the relatively unoccupied right side.

In the case of children with vision difficulties, the picture is biased to one side like this.

He cautiously raised a question.

｢What is the intention of the painting being filled only on one side?｣

｢I’m glad you noticed.｣

Seeing Clarisse answer with a broad smile, Maximilian was relieved that this was intentional.

｢Here.｣ 

The child rubbed the palm of her hand against the white right side and smiled shyly.

｢This is the Duchess’ spot.｣ 

｢….｣ 

｢Does the Duke and Duchess like each other?｣

Maximilian pondered for a moment but soon nodded.

He couldn’t say anything else when he remembered the story they had at dinner time a while ago.

｢So I wanted to draw it side by side. Next to the Duke is the Duchess’ seat.｣

｢Is that so?｣

｢Of course, the seat next to The Duchess is the Duke for the rest of your life.｣

No, it won’t.

Maximilian reflexively thought so, but somehow, Clarisse’s story didn’t make him uncomfortable.

No, on the contrary—.

It was nice to hear.

That she would be with him for the rest of his life— a word like a novel.

Isn’t that a very strange thing?

Against someone who needs to be sent away— to have such a terrible possessive desire.

‘The desire… to possess.’

Maximilian repeated unpleasantly the name of his emotion that suddenly came to him.

He just realized one thing.

Why is she so difficult and uncomfortable with him?

She must have been wise enough to have noticed that something bad had settled in his heart.

Because no one dares to smile at the dirty desire to possess humans.

So Maximilian thought that somehow he shouldn’t reveal his ugly heart to her. 

…He really thought so.

｢Do you still think your fake mother can survive? I’m going to call my father and tell him to kill your mother right away!｣

｢You are the maid’s daughter… No, you’re not even the real daughter?! On the topic of beggars abandoned in the forest! Even knowing this, do you think the Duke would keep you here?」 

The moment when an uninvited guest who is suspicious reveals her inner thoughts to the bottom.

He forgot the gentlemanly manners and almost grabbed her by the hair.

The reason why he didn’t do that was because of his wife’s gaze, which looked at the rude woman with a pitiful gaze even at this moment.

What’s so pitiful about such a person that she looks at it so sadly?

Fortunately, it wasn’t that difficult to punish the uninvited guest.

In the first place, the king authorized this marriage, so there was nothing to hold back no matter what the other person said.

Rather, his difficulties arose after the incident.

｢Or… did it not matter to you whoever it is?｣

Because he didn’t know how to answer Brielle’s question like this.

To be honest, it was as she said.

It didn’t matter who it was.

If Amelda, the Great Queen, would abandon her doubts about Maximilian and stop bothering him—.

But he didn’t want to respond to the beautiful lady looking at him like that.

More than anything, he didn’t want to see her cry in disappointment. 

｢It was never… good for anyone.｣

The words that came out right away were a complete lie.

He didn’t know he was so good at lying. Only in this way is the ‘impostor’ actually himself?

No, he really was.

Didn’t he shut up for a long time even though she knew she was hiding her identity?

｢I wasn’t fooled in the first place.  I’d rather ask for forgiveness for deceiving you.｣

He begged an apology for this.

Soon after, she started crying.

For some reason, it was a cry that seemed to be mixed with deep ‘relief’, so Maximilian had a certain expectation without knowing it.

Perhaps… she didn’t just hate living in Sheridan that much either?

When that thought came to his mind, long-cherished questions spontaneously flowed out. 

｢I wanted to ask your name.｣

He could figure it out on his own, but the reason he didn’t so far might be because he definitely wanted to hear it through her mouth.

Brielle, who buried her face in the handkerchief for a moment, raised her head.

Her slightly red eyes look so cute and when he can’t take his eyes off her tear-stained face.

Finally, she gave her answer.

“It’s Brielle.”

“….” 

“Brielle…Woods. It’s ordinary, right? When the Lady says my name… I was really surprised.”

“No.” 

Maximilian shook her head.

“It’s not Brielle Woods.”

“Yes…?” 

Brielle sniffled and raised her head.

“Brielle… Sheridan.” 

Out of a brief desire, Maximilian attached her name to the cold winter castle like a fetter. 

Innocently, she didn’t even know what a terrible possessive word this was.

Otherwise–.

“It’s amazing that my name is called that.”

She couldn’t smile like the sun.

* * *

Asela was subjected to the most unwanted punishment.

She was to be sent to the Count of Darrington.

She even brought the doctor’s medical certificate that confirmed her pregnancy.

“No! Please, Duke. My father will send me to a monastery! Please!”

Asela lay flat in front of Maximilian, not caring about getting her clothes dirty.

“Nothing to worry about.”

Asela raised her hopes at the words Maximilian calmly told her, and she cautiously raised her head.

“He won’t even have money left to donate to the monastery.”

“…Yes?” 

The Duke called Bessie from the dungeon. A maid sent by the Count’s family to watch over Brielle.

“Go back with your master.”

“…!” 

Bessie shook her head with a pale face.

In this situation, it was clear that even if she returned to the County, she would be kicked out in the harsh winter without a letter of recommendation.

“Please let me serve the Duchess here, Duke! I’ll do anything. That, I don’t even have to get paid. What?

The scene of a skinny maid lying on the floor and appealing with tears was a scene that anyone could see shaking.

But Maximilian had already heard all about her behavior.

Even though she was a maid who had to serve her master, she used to treat Brielle badly, depending on her mood. 

It is said that there were times when she said nonsense that she had gained weight and didn’t give her meals, so Maximilian never wanted to leave Bessie around Brielle.

He didn’t respond to Bessie’s post and turned to Quentin, who was in charge of the transfer.

“Deliver this letter to the Count. A reply is not required.”