Chapter 414: The Duke’s Daughter Returns

Primrose tilted her head, looking at him with pitiful eyes. “But still… I don’t like hearing people insult you, even if it’s only in their thoughts.”

Edmund sighed softly and brushed his fingers across her cheek. “It’s alright. As long as they don’t say it out loud, I truly don’t care.”

After all, no one could be punished just for what they were thinking, unless their intentions were evil enough to warrant it.

“Don’t worry, husband!” Primrose suddenly grabbed his hands, speaking with full confidence. “Maybe people hate you now, but I promise I’ll make sure those close to us stop thinking badly about you.”

She knew she couldn’t change how the entire world saw her husband, but at least she could make sure the people who mattered—her father, the Duke’s manor staff, and her friends—would see Edmund for who he really was.

“I’m glad you think of me that way, my wife,” Edmund said gently, “but… I don’t want you to push yourself too much. The pregnancy is already hard enough on your body.”

Primrose chuckled and squeezed his hand. “I’ll be fine! Our baby probably wants to see their father loved by everyone too!”

Edmund smiled and pulled her into his arms, whispering, “Your love is more than enough for me.”

Primrose gave him a light kiss before letting go. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to stay in his embrace longer, but something had caught her attention.

As their carriage entered the Market District of Illvaris City, familiar voices began to fill her mind.

[Lady Primrose has really come home?!]

[So His Grace wasn’t hallucinating when he said his daughter would return soon? I thought he’d gone mad!]

[I heard Lady Primrose was being held captive by the beast, locked away in a tower!]

What tower?! Who on earth started that ridiculous rumor that she was trapped in some high castle by a beast?!

Not long after, she also heard the excited voices of children echoing in her head.

[Lady Primrose! Lady Primrose is back! I need to tell my friends!]

[My mama said the beast kidnapped her… did she escape now?]

[If I ever see that beast, I’ll throw a rotten apple at him!]

Primrose took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. It seemed that even the children of Illvaris City believed the beast had done something terrible to her.

Well, she just needed to show them that she’d returned safe and sound, and also as beautiful as ever!

Primrose suddenly opened the carriage window, startling Callen, who was riding beside her. “Y-Your Majesty, is something wrong?”

“No,” Primrose replied with a smile, gesturing lightly toward him. “Please move aside, you’re blocking the people’s view of me.”

Royal protocol stated that when the royal carriage passed through crowded areas, guards had to position themselves in front of key spots like the windows and doors.

Callen instinctively wanted to refuse, but how could he say no when the queen was looking at him with such hopeful eyes?

“Alright, Your Majesty,” Callen said finally, slowing his horse so he wouldn’t block her view. “I’ll ride a few steps away from the window.”

Primrose no longer paid attention to him. Her eyes were fixed on the lively Market District outside. Rows of merchants lined the long road, and even though night had begun to fall, the streets were still packed with people.

Lanterns glowed warmly along the road, painting the city in shades of gold as laughter and chatter filled the cool evening air.

The moment people saw her face, it felt as if time itself had stopped. The entire market went silent for a heartbeat, then gasps rippled through the crowd.

Merchants froze where they stood, some dropping the goods in their hands, while a few children stopped chasing their ball, one even got hit on the head when it rolled back to him.

The carriage came to a halt as Edmund instructed the coachman to stop for a moment.

Primrose leaned out the window, her bright smile shining like sunlight. She waved cheerfully and said, “Good evening! Do you still remember me?”

For a second, the market was so quiet that even a falling pin could be heard. Then suddenly, a woman shouted, breaking the silence.

“L-Lady Primrose! LADY PRIMROSE HAS REALLY COME HOME!!”

Primrose had expected excitement, but not this much. The crowd instantly swarmed the carriage, cheering and crying, even pushing past the soldiers.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Primrose said gently, signaling for the soldiers to stand down and not make any sudden movements that might scare the townspeople.

“Lady Primrose, you’re back!”

“We’ve missed you so much!”

“Are you cold?” a merchant called out, tossing a few pairs of gloves into the carriage. “Here! Take these! I’ll send the bill to your father!”

“Lady Primrose!” several children shouted as they ran toward her, tears spilling down their cheeks. “We thought you’d never come home!”

Primrose couldn’t help but jump down from the carriage and knelt to meet them. “Oh, why would you think that? Of course, I came home,” she said with a soft laugh, patting their heads as they clung to her waist. “I wasn’t gone that long.”

To them, maybe it hadn’t been long, but to her, it had been three years since she’d last stepped foot in Illvaris City. After all that time, she had almost forgotten their faces.

Back when she still lived here, Primrose loved visiting the market or strolling around the city with her friends. Sometimes, she’d buy street snacks, or simply chat and laugh with the merchants.

Nobles from other regions often whispered that the Duke of Illvaris and his daughter mingled too freely with commoners. They were always shocked whenever Primrose told them that the people of Illvaris adored her family.

But really, it wasn’t surprising at all. The Duke of Illvaris was the only noble who didn’t overtax his people. He had even divided the tax system into three tiers—low, medium, and high—depending on a person’s annual income.

And if someone’s income was too low, he simply didn’t tax them at all. On top of that, the money he earned from taxes was usually put straight back into the city’s treasury to help improve public welfare.

When other nobles questioned him about why he didn’t raise taxes or keep the profits for himself, he would just say calmly, “Why would I? It’s just small money.”

In other words, the profits Lazarus earned from his businesses were so great that the tax income meant nothing to him. Maybe that was why Illvaris had always been known as the most prosperous city in the empire, one with almost no poverty.

“We thought the beast did terrible things to you, Lady Primrose!” a young boy cried, his face scrunched up from trying to hold back his tears. His eyes were red and puffy as he continued, “I even asked my father to teach me sword fighting so I could rescue you from the evil beast!”

Primrose smiled warmly and wiped his tears with her handkerchief. “You don’t have to save me,” she said softly. “The beast who took me is actually very kind.”

The boy blinked, clearly confused. “Really?”

[How could a beast be kind?] he thought. [Maybe Lady Primrose is under a dark spell. My father said people under dark magic can’t think clearly.]

“Yes!” Primrose nodded enthusiastically, her smile never fading. “He’s in the carriage right now. Do you want to meet him?”

Within seconds, the boy’s eyes widened, along with the other children’s. “H-He’s in there?!” he stammered, pointing toward the carriage behind Primrose.

No one could actually see Edmund. The window beside him was shut tight, and the lantern inside had been turned off, leaving the interior completely dark. Through Primrose’s open window, all they could make out was his shadow.

“Why are you all so surprised?” Primrose tilted her head, smiling brightly as she spread her arms. “I thought you already knew… they’re all beasts.”

The soldiers, maids, and doctors who had come with Primrose were all beasts.

When the people of Illvaris crowded around the carriage, they had unknowingly been surrounded by several of them. But since most of the beasts looked almost completely human, no one realized it.

However, the moment Primrose said those words, it wasn’t just the children, even every adult nearby froze, their eyes wide in disbelief. A few of them stepped back nervously, their expressions mixed with fear and confusion.

“L-Lady Primrose, I—I thought you ran away from there?” a middle-aged woman asked hesitantly, her voice trembling.

“Why would I want to run away?” Primrose replied softly, her tone calm and gentle, a sweet smile blooming on her lips. “I love my dear husband so much that I decided to bring him here, so you could all meet him.”

No one dared to speak after that. But from the uneasy glances and stiff smiles, it was clear that no one was eager to meet her “kind husband” just yet.

Primrose’s smile stayed on her face, but there was a flicker of sadness in her eyes as she looked at them. “Or maybe… later,” she said softly, placing a hand over her chest before bowing her head slightly. “Good night, everyone. It’s such a relief to see you all again.”

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