Chapter 10

Roxanne froze in place.

Her gaze met Killian’s crimson eyes directly as he stared at her deeply, as if he wanted to see every hidden part of her heart without missing a single thing.

That look was different.

No longer cold. No longer indifferent.

And that only made Roxanne feel even more unsettled.

There was something in his gaze that made her chest tremble faintly, as though Killian was not simply looking at her eyes, but reaching deep into the very depths of her heart.

For a moment, she almost forgot how to breathe.

The man who once ignored her. The man who rejected their marriage in her previous life. The man who left her alone in Lunnart Castle without even the slightest affection…

Was now standing in front of her, saying he would marry her.

“Killian, what do you mean?” Stefanie’s voice immediately broke the silence.

For the first time that evening, the woman looked truly panicked. The calm expression she usually wore was beginning to crack.

But Killian did not release Roxanne’s hand.

His fingers were still wrapped firmly around her wrist, warm and strong, as though he had no intention of letting her go.

Only then did Killian shift his gaze toward Stefanie.

“I will marry her, Mother.” His tone was calm.

Yet that calmness alone made everyone in the room realize he was serious.

Stefanie slowly shook her head, clearly unable to believe it.

“This is impossible,” she said quickly. “You stayed silent the entire time. Why are you suddenly saying you’ll marry her now?”

“Killian.”

Grand Duke Lereg finally spoke as well. His expression had become much more serious than before.

“It would be better if you thought carefully before making such a decision.”

But Killian showed no hesitation at all.

His gaze returned to Roxanne.

And once again, he spoke in a low but clear voice.

“I will still marry her.”

Roxanne blinked slowly. She still could not fully understand the situation.

Everything felt too strange.

Before, Killian would not even look at her for more than a few seconds. But now he stood before her, holding her hand in front of everyone, calmly declaring that he would marry her.

The atmosphere in the room gradually became awkward.

Leon slowly looked away, while Liora appeared increasingly uncomfortable remaining there. Even Rion, who was usually the loudest among them, stayed silent as he watched the two of them with confusion.

No one spoke.

Yet the gazes between Killian and Roxanne already seemed to say far too much.

About the night neither of them fully understood. About how they ended up in the same bed. And about something slowly changing between them.

The emperor finally let out a long breath.

“Very well,” he said coldly. “Then it seems my decision cannot be withdrawn either.”

His sharp gaze shifted toward Killian.

“It appears you are quite afraid of death, Killian.”

But Killian did not answer. He simply continued staring at Roxanne, making the atmosphere feel strange once again.

Roxanne was the first to regain her senses. Slowly, she pulled her hand away from Killian’s grasp.

And Killian let her go.

Roxanne immediately looked away, trying to ignore the way her heartbeat had become unsteady again.

“When will you marry my daughter?” the emperor asked directly.

Grand Duke Lereg immediately answered, “What if they become engaged first?”

“Exactly,” Stefanie quickly added. “A wedding cannot happen this suddenly.”

But Killian, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke again.

“As soon as possible.”

Roxanne immediately turned toward him.

The Grand Duke frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I want to marry her as soon as possible.”

Even the emperor looked surprised.

“Are you joking?”

Rion, who had been holding himself back this whole time, finally spoke.

“Duke, please do not treat this like a game.”

Killian finally shifted his gaze away from Roxanne and looked at everyone in the room.

“I am not joking.”

His tone remained calm. Then after a short pause, he added flatly,

“The Princess could become pregnant after this.”

Silence.

The room froze completely.

Rion choked.

Liora immediately covered her face in shock, while Leon pressed a hand against his temple as though he could not believe Killian had truly said that in front of everyone.

Even the Grand Duke seemed speechless.

And in the middle of the suffocating silence, Roxanne’s face slowly turned completely red.

“Have you lost your mind, Killian?!” the emperor’s voice thundered throughout the room.

His expression had completely changed after hearing Killian’s words. Even Leon, who was usually the calmest, looked stunned, while Rion nearly fell from his seat in shock.

Yet amidst everyone’s reactions, Killian remained calm.

His eyes were still fixed on Roxanne.

And Roxanne truly wished he would stop talking immediately.

“It was the Princess’s first time,” Killian said flatly.

Roxanne’s eyes widened instantly.

“And I am certain the Princess does not know when her fertile period begins.”

Roxanne’s face turned red all the way to her ears.

“Killian!” the Grand Duke barked, his expression hardening.

Meanwhile, Stefanie looked utterly horrified hearing Killian speak so shamelessly.

Rion immediately covered his own face.

“I do not want to hear this kind of conversation…” he muttered in frustration.

Liora looked as though she wanted to disappear from the room entirely, while Leon simply let out a long sigh and rubbed his temple again.

But the person who most wanted to disappear right now was clearly Roxanne.

She immediately lowered her head, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her alive.

How could this man say such things with such a calm expression?

While she herself was dying from embarrassment.

The emperor pressed a hand against his forehead harshly.

“Enough,” he said coldly. “I do not wish to hear unnecessary details like that.”

Killian finally looked away from Roxanne and replied in the same calm tone,

“I was only stating the worst possibility.”

“That is not something you should say in front of everyone!” the Grand Duke snapped.

Killian still looked completely calm as he turned back toward Roxanne.

“It could still—”

“Hmph—!”

In an instant, Roxanne quickly moved and covered Killian’s mouth with both of her hands.

Everyone in the room froze.

Even Roxanne herself only realized what she had done a few seconds later.

Her eyes widened, her face burning red, yet she still did not remove her hands from Killian’s mouth.

“Please…” she whispered softly, almost desperately, “do not embarrass me any further, Your Grace.”