The Severed Finger

That morning, a silvery-gray light slowly filtered through the gaps in the bedroom curtains, bringing with it an icy chill that bit into Roselyn's skin the moment she opened her eyes.

She stirred slightly, staring up at the unfamiliar stone ceiling. Her gaze then drifted down to her left hand.

There, the deep ruby on the ring of the first Grand Duchess gleamed intensely, reflecting the dying embers of a candle that had almost burnt out. Its color was a profound, rich red, instantly reminding Roselyn of the pair of eyes that had looked at her the previous night with a sincerity that shook her to the core.

Not long after, a maid walked in carrying a basin of water.

"I am here to help you prepare, My Lady," she said curtly.

Roselyn washed her face and sat on the edge of the bed while the maid began combing her hair.

The treatment was rough. Roselyn winced a few times as her hair was snagged and pulled. Yet, she remained silent. She was far too accustomed to reading the hidden intentions behind the hands of others.

‘They haven't accepted me since I’m a newcomer. I will let it slide just this once,’ she thought to herself.

When she finished, the maid set the comb on the table, offering a bow completely devoid of a smile.

“Will breakfast be served here?” the daughter of Vogard inquired.

“No, My Lady. The Grand Duke is already expecting you.”

Without another word of explanation, the maid left the room.

Roselyn walked down the corridor toward the dining hall. This castle was significantly larger than the Sirius estate, but it did not feel as cold as she had anticipated.

The black stones were indeed hard and ancient, but small paintings lined the hallway. Portraits of snow-capped mountains, pine forests, and frozen rivers adorned the walls.

“Good morning,” Kaelus greeted the moment she stepped inside.

"Good morning, Grand Duke." Roselyn bowed slightly, lifting the hem of her dress. "Did I keep you waiting long, Kael?"

"A little. I thought you weren't coming."

“I wasn't aware we would be dining together.”

“Did none of the servants inform you?”

Kaelus furrowed his brow when she shook her head. Even so, Roselyn offered him a gentle look, silently asking him to exercise a bit more patience with the staff.

The woman in the red dress took her seat across from him and reached for the teacup that had been poured. The sharp fragrance of ginger and cinnamon wafted into the air.

For several minutes, the only sound in the room was the rustle of turning pages. Even during a meal, the ruler of the North never stopped working.

"Kael."

"What is it?"

"Have you really kept my handkerchief all this time?"

“Yes. I also intended to visit you several times.” Kaelus let out a soft sigh, as if peering back into the past. "I thought you were happy. Who would have guessed that the man who won your heart could be so wretched."

“I must have looked terribly foolish.”

“Not necessarily,” he countered. “Sometimes, love drives us to do strange things.”

Roselyn stared at the toast in front of her. She remembered how she used to desperately manage the duchy in her past life, even while her husband was busy bringing other women into their bedchambers.

A bitter smile played at the corner of her lips. The suffocating tightness that once crushed her chest had now given way to a hollow, numb void.

"Not just strange, Kael. It makes us blind," Roselyn murmured. “Kael, if you were to have a lover in the future—”

“I won’t,” the silver-haired man cut her off.

He knew exactly what kind of cynical assumption Roselyn was about to make. Infidelity, or any such sickening acts, had never once crossed Kaelus's mind.

However, seeing the lingering doubt written all over his future bride's face displeased him.

A few moments later, the warm, heavy scent of incense faintly drifted from behind the doors, followed by a soft knock.

Kaelus gave a brief nod to the guard. The doors swung open, and a dignified old man draped in a magnificent white-and-gold holy robe stepped inside with a serene stride.

The calming aroma of chapel incense immediately filled the air, dispelling the remaining scent of ginger.

“It seems I have arrived at an inopportune time, Grand Duke,” the Pontifex’s deep, warm voice broke the silence. He offered a faint smile, looking at the couple in turn.

Kaelus immediately rose from his chair, and Roselyn followed suit. "You always arrive at the perfect time, Your Holiness."

"Please, sit. Do not let your warm soup turn cold on my account."

Kaelus pulled out the chair to his right for the Holy Leader, while a servant deftly placed a fresh porcelain cup filled with warm herbal tea before him.

"I purposely arrived before the sun rose high, Grand Duke. I have brought the documents that must be signed before the wedding altar is prepared the day after tomorrow."

Kaelus frowned slightly. "Is there a problem?"

“No. I have officially annulled Lady Sirius's prior engagement. The young Duke has been proven to have violated sacred morals. However... I wish to speak with the future Grand Duchess in private.”

Kaelus stared at the Pontifex for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Roselyn. Without a single word of protest, he stood up and left the table.

Roselyn was quite surprised. Her eyes remained fixed on Kaelus’s broad back as he walked away.

She had not expected the Grand Duke—famed for his stubbornness and for never bowing even to imperial decrees—to yield so easily to a single sentence from the Holy Leader.

“I briefly thought he had abducted you, My Lady,” the Pontifex remarked.

“On the contrary, Your Holiness. It was my own choice to follow the Grand Duke."

“I know, My Lady. That stubborn boy who always puts others before himself has finally obtained what he desired. I hope the same for you.”

“Of course. I am happy here.”

The Pontifex glanced toward the ruby ring adorning Roselyn’s ring finger. His gaze remained warm, yet there was a faint, solemn shift in his expression.

"Finally, that ring has returned to its proper place," the Pontifex murmured softly, clasping his hands before his chest. "The Grand Duke has kept that ring safe for you since he was fifteen years old.”

“Truly?”

“Yes. That stubborn boy always rejected every marriage alliance put forth by the Emperor. I was rather curious to see what kind of woman he actually desired. But I am at peace after seeing you today, My Lady.”

Roselyn was stunned. The Pontifex's words completely contradicted the rumors circulating in the Capital. She had always assumed Kaelus was simply too occupied with the battlefield to care for marriage.

However, before the daughter of Vogard could voice her thoughts, an abrupt stillness settled between them. The Pontifex’s clear, aged eyes locked onto the ring once more.

"You made the right choice, My Lady. That finger will not be severed this time."