Warm Snow

A stifling silence enveloped the balcony, broken only by the sound of Roselyn’s ragged, fractured breaths. Before her, Kaelus stood motionless, like an ice sculpture untouched by time.

Roselyn lowered her head, trying to steady her racing heart. "Forgive me for forcing you to witness such a shameful display, Grand Duke," she whispered, her lips forced into a thin, trembling smile.

Kaelus did not answer immediately. His sharp crimson eyes scrutinized every detail of her face—the dried tears, the disheveled appearance, and that fragile, fake smile.

"Save your false smiles, Lady Sirius."

Roselyn froze, then let out a bitter laugh. "And here I thought I had practiced this smile for a year in front of the mirror. You saw through it instantly, didn’t you? But ... why did you help me?"

"D'Arest and I have had unfinished business for a long time." His red eyes didn't blink as he spoke. "When I saw that insect crawling toward a secluded spot, I grew suspicious. Especially since I noticed the curtains here were already drawn."

Insect. The term made Roselyn catch her breath. She felt a wave of nausea mixed with relief that someone else saw Derrick as the loathsome creature he was.

The Grand Duke turned toward the balcony door, as if standing guard to ensure no one approached.

"If you wish to cry again, do it now."

Roselyn was stunned. The offer felt surreal coming from the man dubbed a bloodthirsty monster. Yet, it was precisely because of his stiff, cold demeanor that the words felt sincere.

She took a long breath, adjusting Kaelus’s heavy black cloak which still draped over her shoulders.

"Grand Duke, may I ask one more favor?"

"Speak."

"Please act as if tonight never happened."

"Very well. Let us leave, Lady."

"In this state? Everyone will surely misunderstand us."

"Peace. No one will see us."

They walked through the palace’s deserted corridors. At every turn, the silhouettes of Valthorne soldiers appeared briefly, offering silent salutes before vanishing back into the shadows.

Roselyn followed in the oversized black cloak, drowning in silence. She didn't realize that Kaelus was walking slower than usual, ensuring she wouldn't fall behind.

"You worry too much about the thoughts of others, Lady," Kaelus’s voice broke the silence, flat and cold. "If something truly terrible had happened to you back there, the people in that hall would have viewed it as nothing more than a spectacle."

The words hit Roselyn right in the pit of her stomach. Sharp, heartless, but true.

They finally stopped beneath the shadow of a massive, withered tree where the Sirius carriage stood waiting. Kaelus stared at the carriage for a moment before looking back at Roselyn.

"Do not be bound by the past, Lady. You are the only one responsible for your own happiness."

"You are right, Grand Duke." Roselyn glanced at the cloak still shielding her body. "I will return this after it has been washed."

"There is no need. I return to the North tomorrow morning. Just take care of yourself."

Roselyn stood for a long time beneath the shadow of that great tree. Her eyes were fixed on the dark corridor that had swallowed Kaelus’s shadow, while her fingers unconsciously gripped the collar of his cloak.

However, reality soon called. The carriage jolted her home, cutting through the silence of the night. During the journey, Roselyn only stared out the window.

Upon arriving at the Sirius mansion, Vogard was already waiting on the leather sofa in his study. He scowled the moment he saw her, his gaze landing on the cloak.

"Whose is that? Don't tell me you were frolicking with another man? I went through a great deal of trouble to have the Duke pursue you!"

"Derrick nearly defiled my honor, Father."

"You mean you failed again? How stupid can you be. He should have been left with no choice but to marry you immediately."

"So as long as the position of Duchess is secure, you don't care about me at all?"

Roselyn jerked Kaelus’s cloak off, letting it fall to the floor, revealing her torn gown and the red marks staining her neck.

"Look at this, Father! Look at how the man you are so proud of treated me!" Her voice rose, shaking violently with rage and pain. "And you... you are disappointed because I managed to escape his vile act?"

"You should have just enjoyed it!"

"For once, have you ever considered me human?!"

CRASH!

Vogard slammed his wooden cane against the marble floor with such force the sound thundered through the room.

"Shut your mouth! Do you think tears and dignity can give you power? As long as you become the Duchess, no one will care whether you were raped or not!"

"Are you even human?! If you truly don't care about me, then I will no longer care about any of your foul desires!"

"You!" Vogard stepped forward, the veins in his neck bulging with emotion.

Roselyn clutched her tightening chest. She stared at the man she had once viewed as her pillar. It felt ridiculous now, how she had once died trying to earn his approval. The family bond no longer felt significant; Vogard was merely a stranger who happened to share her blood.

"Why are you always so cruel?! I never asked to be your child!"

Vogard raised his hand, intending to strike, but remembered he needed her face flawless for tomorrow’s event. "Must I beat you again to bring you to your senses? After the party is over, I will break your fingers until you regret this."