Maria was not ready.
She thought marrying the Duke was her biggest problem.
She was wrong.
Because now—
She was sitting at the grand council table, across from Southern diplomats, while Elisha watched her like a hawk.
And Maria had no idea what she was doing.
The Southern diplomat cleared his throat.
"We propose a tariff reduction on grain shipments to the North—"
Maria, who had zoned out, blinked.
A tariff on what now?
Elisha subtly kicked her under the table.
Maria sat up straight. "Yes. Tariffs. We… should talk about those."
Alex face-palmed.
The diplomat frowned. "As I was saying—"
Maria panicked. She needed to sound smart.
So she nodded knowingly and said, "Ah, but what about the… economic ramifications?"
The entire room went silent.
Even Alex looked mildly impressed.
The diplomat hesitated. "Well, I suppose if we consider the economic—"
Elisha cut in smoothly, "What Her Grace means is that we must evaluate the impact on local merchants before adjusting trade agreements."
Maria nodded quickly. "Yes. Exactly. That's what I meant."
Elisha exhaled through her nose.
Alex looked amused.
The diplomat looked confused.
Maria looked like she wanted to die.
After what felt like a decade, the meeting finally came to a close.
Elisha pulled Maria aside.
"…Never do that again," she said flatly.
Maria groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I was trying to help!"
Elisha crossed her arms. "You were trying to bluff your way through politics."
Maria pouted. "Did it work?"
Elisha's deadpan stare was answer enough.
Alex, who had been watching this exchange like a spectator at a play, finally stepped in.
"She tried," he said, grinning. "That's worth something, isn't it?"
Elisha shot him a look. "Not when the 'trying' could lead to war, Alex."
Maria gasped. "WAR?!"
Elisha turned back to Maria. "No. But next time, it might."
Maria gulped.
"…Noted."
Maria decides: Fine. If I'm stuck here, I'll become the best Duchess ever.
But that means training.
And who's the best person to train her?
Alex.
Which means late-night lessons, close proximity, and… unexpected tension.
So she marched straight into Alex's study that night and said, "Teach me."
Alex, who had been reading in his chair, raised an eyebrow.
"Teach you what?"
Maria crossed her arms. "How to be a proper Duchess."
He smirked. "I thought you didn't care for politics."
Maria scowled. "I don't. But I also don't like looking stupid."
Alex leaned back in his chair, watching her. "…And why come to me?"
Maria faltered.
Because he was the Duke. Because he was brilliant. Because—even if she didn't like to admit it—he had a way of making complex things sound almost interesting.
"…Because you're the best," she muttered.
Alex froze.
Maria's face turned red.
She cleared her throat. "I mean, politically speaking. That's all."
Alex slowly smiled.
"…Alright, Duchess." He stood up, rolling his sleeves. "Let's begin."
The First Lesson: Close Proximity & Chaos
Maria sat across from Alex at his desk, parchment and ink in hand.
Alex placed a map in front of her.
"Tell me," he said. "What do you see?"
Maria squinted.
"…A lot of squiggly lines?"
Alex sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"This is our kingdom's trade routes."
Maria leaned closer, tracing her fingers over the paths.
"Alright. So this one leads to… the South?"
Alex nodded. "Correct. And what do you think is the biggest trade good here?"
Maria grinned. "Gossip?"
Alex groaned.
"Maria."
"Fine, fine." She tapped the map. "Grain?"
"Wrong. It's timber."
Maria blinked. "Wait. We trade wood?"
Alex smirked. "You thought castles built themselves?"
Maria gasped. "I knew something was suspicious."
Alex chuckled. "Now, about taxation—"
But Maria wasn't listening anymore.
She was watching him.
The way his fingers brushed the map.
The way his voice dipped low when he explained things.
The way he looked so damn serious and attractive at the same time.
And suddenly—
The door BURST open.
"Brother."
Maria jumped.
Alex exhaled sharply.
And standing at the doorway, looking thoroughly unimpressed, was— Elisha Luxembourg
The acting Duchess of the North. The real ruler in Alex's absence.
She was calm, calculating, and terrifyingly sharp.
She carried herself with effortless grace.
She didn't smile often, but when she did, it was usually at someone's expense.
And right now—
Her cold gray eyes flickered between Alex and Maria.
Then she simply said—
"…I see you're keeping busy."
Maria wanted to crawl under the table.
Maria gulped.
Alex looked annoyed.
And Elisha? She looked like she had already figured out 10 things Maria didn't even know about herself.
Maria straightened her back. Stay calm. Be cool.
"Elisha," Alex said, rubbing his temple. "What brings you here?"
Elisha's gaze flicked between the two of them.
"You tell me, brother. I come back from an inspection, and I find you entertaining guests in your study at midnight."
Maria's face burned. "I—! It's not like that! We were—"
Elisha tilted her head. "You were?"
Maria froze.
What was the right answer?!
Studying? (Too nerdy.)Spying? (Too honest.)Flirting? (Too much.)
Alex sighed. "She wanted to learn about governance."
Elisha blinked.
Then she laughed.
A soft, chilly laugh.
Maria frowned. "What's so funny?"
Elisha looked her dead in the eye.
"I didn't think you cared about being a Duchess."
Maria bristled. "I didn't think you cared about my education."
Elisha's lips curved.
"Touché."
Round One: Testing Maria
Elisha strode into the room like she owned it (which, honestly, she kind of did).
She leaned against Alex's desk, arms crossed.
"If you're serious about learning, then answer this."
She picked up a quill and twirled it between her fingers.
"A nobleman comes to you, furious, demanding compensation. He claims your knights accidentally trampled his fields during training. What do you do?"
Maria blinked.
Oh no.
This was a real test.
She stole a glance at Alex.
He was watching—amused but silent. No help from him.
Maria bit her lip, thinking.
Option A: Pay the nobleman immediately. (Sounds easy, but what if he's lying?)
Option B: Ignore him. (He'll spread rumors that the Duchess is heartless.)
Option C: Investigate first. (But how long would that take?)
Maria took a deep breath.
"I would investigate first," she said.
Elisha raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Maria crossed her arms.
"Because if he's lying, I'm wasting money. And if he's telling the truth, I need to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Elisha's eyes narrowed.
Maria held her breath.
Then—
Elisha smiled.
Not a condescending smirk. Not a mocking curve of the lips.
A real, genuine smile.
"…Not bad."
Maria exhaled.
She had passed.
For now.
Scene setup: The Study Becomes a Battlefield
Maria wasn't sure what had just happened.
She was supposed to sneak into Alex's study to dig up his weaknesses…
Instead, she got caught.
By his scary (and way too intelligent) sister, Elisha Luxembourg.
And now?
She was trapped.
Elisha wasn't just some noblewoman playing Duchess.
She was the real ruler of the North. The one who managed everything while Alex was away.
And now, she had decided to test Maria.
Well… crap.
Round Two: Elisha's Game Begins
Elisha sat gracefully in Alex's chair.
(She didn't even ask. She just took it.)
"Since you're here," she said, tilting her head, "why don't we see how much you actually know about the North?"
Maria tried not to panic.
Alex just leaned against the bookshelf, watching.Ugh. Of course, he's enjoying this.
Elisha tapped her fingers against the desk.
"Let's say there's a drought, and food supplies are running low. What would you do?"
Maria blinked.
Okay. Okay. This wasn't too bad.
Option A: Buy food from the capital. (Expensive.)
Option B: Take food from nobles' storehouses. (Risky.)
Option C: Ration supplies and trade smartly. (Logical?)
Maria took a deep breath. "I would—"
BOOM.
The study doors burst open.
A breathless knight stumbled in.
"My Lady—urgent news from the border."
Elisha's sharp gaze snapped to him.
Maria swallowed.What now?
Alex straightened. "What happened?"
The knight hesitated, glancing at Maria.
"…You can speak freely," Elisha said.
Maria's stomach tightened. She wasn't ready for real problems! She was still trying to pass Elisha's tests!
But whatever the knight said next…
Would change everything.
The Battle for the North Begins
The study fell into dead silence.
Maria's stomach twisted as she watched Alex's expression darken.
The knight, still breathless, continued his report.
"The twenty-five carriages sent from the capital—grains, medicine, supplies—all of them… ambushed."
Maria's eyes widened.
Again?!
She remembered hearing whispers from the servants before.
It wasn't the first attack.
But this time…
It was worse.
The Situation was that the Northern soldiers were fighting alongside the reinforcements from the capital. But the bandits' numbers were overwhelming. The knights couldn't hold them off much longer.
"Damn it," Alex muttered, rubbing his temples.
Maria could see it. The shift in his posture.
The cold calculation behind his stormy eyes.
He's going to fight.
"Prepare my horse," Alex ordered.
His voice was steady—but dangerous.
Elisha exhaled sharply.
"This isn't just a group of bandits," she said.
"This is coordinated."
Maria's heart raced.
Coordinated?
Did that mean—?
"It's a test," Elisha continued. "Someone is watching how we handle this."
Maria turned to Alex, hoping he'd deny it.
But he didn't.
Instead, he was already grabbing his sword.
Alex prepares for the Battle.
"Tell the knights to hold their ground until I arrive," Alex ordered.
His deep voice left no room for argument.
The knight saluted and ran out.
Maria inhaled sharply.
"Wait—you're going out there yourself?"
"Of course." Alex glanced at her, his gaze unreadable.
"I can't sit here while my men die."
"But—"
Elisha cut in.
"He'll be fine."
She leaned back in Alex's chair, crossing her legs.
"But if you really want to help, Lady Maria…" Elisha smirked.
"You should prepare for what comes after."
Maria froze.
What… comes after?
Alex turned to leave.
The war drums had started.
And Maria had no idea what kind of battlefield she was about to step into.
The castle was in chaos.
The moment Alex left, the tension inside the walls shifted.
Servants ran back and forth, carrying urgent messages.
Knights sharpened their swords, preparing for reinforcements.
Maria stood frozen in the corridor, watching it all.
This wasn't just some simple bandit attack.
This was war.
The Battlefield
The Northern Border—a stretch of land covered in frost and blood.
The caravans lay overturned, their supplies scattered across the snow.
Hundreds of bandits swarmed the area.
Not just thieves—but mercenaries.
Trained fighters.
They wore no official crest, but their movements were organized.
Someone had sent them. Someone powerful.
The Northern soldiers, though skilled, were being pushed back.
Even the knights from the capital—proud warriors in polished armor—were struggling.
This wasn't a fight.
It was a massacre.
Then—
Thunder.
The sound of hooves pounding against the frozen ground.
A black horse cut through the blizzard, its rider draped in a dark cloak.
Behind him—an entire unit of elite knights.
The Duke of the North had arrived.
Alex pulled his sword free, its silver edge flashing against the snow.
His knights followed, charging straight into the chaos.
The battle had turned.
Back at the Castle
Maria turned to Elisha.
"What do you mean by prepare for what comes after?"
Elisha smirked, leaning against the window.
"If my brother loses," she said smoothly, "we lose our supplies, our soldiers, and our land."
Maria's stomach twisted.
"And if he wins?"
Elisha's golden eyes glowed in the dim candlelight.
"If he wins?" she echoed.
"Oh, dear sister-in-law…"
She stepped forward, resting a hand on Maria's shoulder.
"That's when things really get interesting."
The Aftermath of Battle
The battlefield was painted red.
The snow, once pure and untouched, was now a graveyard of fallen soldiers and bandits. The stench of blood mixed with the icy wind as bodies lay scattered across the frozen ground.
Alex stood at the center, his sword dripping crimson, his black cloak torn by blades and arrows.
The bandits had been defeated—but at a heavy cost.
His soldiers, though victorious, were exhausted. The knights from the capital—unaccustomed to the brutal Northern warfare—had suffered the most losses.
Yet, something was wrong.
Alex narrowed his eyes, scanning the battlefield.
Why were these bandits so well-equipped?
Who was supplying them?
A shiver ran down his spine, and this time—it wasn't from the cold.
Back at the Northern Castle
Maria paced inside the grand hall, her fists clenched. The moment Alex had left, something inside her had felt... off.
Elisha sat elegantly on the velvet chair, sipping her tea as if she weren't worried at all.
"You should sit, sister-in-law. Worrying won't bring him back faster."
Maria glared.
"How can you be so calm? The supplies were meant for the entire North! If Alex—" She bit her lip, unable to finish.
Elisha smirked. "If my brother dies?" She swirled her tea lazily before taking another sip. "Then I suppose I'll have to take his place. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
Maria froze.
There was something about the way Elisha said it… as if she had already planned for such an outcome.
The castle gates burst open as the sound of hooves thundered through the courtyard.
Maria didn't think—she ran.
The moment she saw Alex dismount from his horse, still covered in blood and dirt, her heart clenched.
"Alex!"
Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms.
Alex stiffened for a second—then his arms wrapped around her, strong and warm.
Maria's hands clenched his cloak, her fingers trembling.
"You idiot!" she sobbed against his chest. "I thought— I thought—"
"I told you I'd return." His voice was low, rough, and exhausted. But his hand ran gently through her hair, calming her racing heart.
Maria buried her face in his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body beneath all the cold metal and dried blood.
"I don't care what you promised! You came back looking like this! What if you hadn't—what if—?"
Alex exhaled, his lips pressing lightly against the top of her head.
"I'm here, Madam."
Her grip tightened.
"I was so scared," she whispered.
Alex's arms tightened around her as well, his breath warm against her temple.
"…I know."
Elisha Luxembourg stood by the entrance, watching.
She swirled her wine in her glass, an unreadable smirk tugging at her lips.
"Well, well…" she murmured, her sharp eyes glinting. "Isn't this interesting?"
Then, her gaze landed on the nobleman tied up behind Alex, the one captured from the battlefield.
Her smirk widened.
The game had just begun.
The Captured Nobleman
The courtyard, still buzzing with chaos and exhaustion, fell into a tense silence as the captured nobleman was dragged forward.
His fine clothes were torn, his face bloodied, but his eyes burned with defiance.
Alex pulled away from Maria—but only slightly. His hand remained on her waist, as if grounding himself.
His piercing gaze landed on the prisoner.
"Elisha," Alex said, his voice cold, commanding. "Who is he?"
Elisha stepped forward with a slow, deliberate grace. She tossed back her golden curls, the dim torchlight making her violet eyes gleam.
"This," she said, taking a sip from her wine glass, "is Marquis Roderick Valen, one of the nobles sent by the King himself."
A murmur spread among the gathered soldiers and servants.
Maria's eyes widened.
A marquis? A royal envoy?
Alex's expression didn't change, but his grip on his sword tightened.
"Why," he asked, his voice deadly calm, "was a king's envoy helping the bandits attack my land?"
Roderick chuckled, spitting blood onto the ground.
"You think the King truly cares about the North?" he sneered. "You were always the unwanted Duke. The King sent you here to rot—he never expected you to survive, let alone grow strong."
Maria felt Alex's entire body tense.
A sharp, unspoken truth hung in the air.
The King wanted the North to remain weak.
And now… he wanted Alex gone.
Elisha swirled her wine glass lazily.
"My, my," she mused, "it seems the game is more interesting than I thought."
She turned to Alex, her voice dropping lower.
"If the King truly fears you, dear brother… what do you think he'll do next?"
Her smirk widened.
"And more importantly… what will you do?"