Alena felt as though she was going to die a second time soon, and this time from sheer embarrassment. Never before had she experienced such intense mortification! She could hardly believe that the Duke's completely straight-faced delivery of those words somehow felt worse than if he had been openly teasing or mocking her.

Forgetting her initial intention to stay hidden from General Elkhart, Alena was about to tug her hand off the duke’s grip as hard as she could to break free when Elkhart's deep, prolonged sigh finally shifted the Duke's gaze away from her.

"You know, my lord, despite everything... her family trying to kill you and all... you need to remember something important." General Elkhart’s words and the tone of seriousness in his voice prompted Alena to pause her escape plan and decide to listen a bit longer. The thought that she could finally hear something important was enough to make her push away all the useless emotions that were reigning within her at the moment.

"Princess Alena is your wife now," Elkhart continued. "The duchess is now your family. So whatever her family's intentions may be, you have a duty to be good to her. To protect her."

Those words were something Alena had never expected. And almost out of reflex, her gaze focused on the duke’s face, searching for his reaction.

But the duke remained silent. His face was as inscrutable as ever. The only thing Alena could tell as she stared at him at that moment was the fact that he was listening to everything Elkhart was saying.

“You know, my lord,” General Elkhart began again, his tone shifting to a more relaxed, almost friendly demeanor, seemingly unaffected by the Duke's ongoing silence. It was as if the general was more than accustomed to having such one-sided conversations with his stone-faced lord.

"Marriage is a different battleground altogether, and it doesn’t hurt to have some extra strategies up your sleeve," Elkhart advised, his voice now tinged with a hint of warmth. "Making your wife happy isn’t as daunting as it seems. Sometimes, it’s about the simple things—a compliment here, a small token of affection there. Maybe even just asking how her day was and genuinely listening to the answer. You can also surprise her with her favorite flowers or maybe a book she’s been eyeing. It’s the little gestures that count, you see...? And those little things can mean the world to her, believe me."

Still, the Duke didn’t say a word. But he shifted slightly in his chair, resting his head on his knuckles, a pose that seemed to suggest he was truly listening, even if he chose not to respond verbally.

"And this is crucial, milord,” Elkhart continued, pausing for emphasis. His voice took on a more serious tone. It was as if he was about to impart a crucial lesson, one that he deemed utterly important for the Duke to comprehend.

“Always… always respond to her, no matter what. If she asks you something, even if it seems mundane or trivial, make sure to reply." He paused for a moment, as if he was ensuring he had the Duke's full attention. "And when I mean 'reply', I don’t mean a nod or one-word reply. Engage in the conversation. Communication is the bedrock of a good relationship. It shows you care and that you’re there for her.”

Elkhart paused once again, as though ensuring that his words were having the desired impact, before continuing. "She still isn’t familiar with the fact that you’re a man of few words. So, don’t expect her to be like us, who’s not even a bit bothered anymore even if you never say a word. And last but not least… please… at least try to smile at her. Oh, and I'm talking about a genuine smile.”