Klen took advantage of the pre-wedding party that had drawn all employees away from the pavilion to rescue sl*ves from the Holy Kingdom of Ibtan. Since slavery was legal in the Teron Empire, Klen’s actions were criminal in many ways. In such circumstances, an unexpected encounter was nothing short of troublesome.

“K*ll me quickly.”

The man was dumbfounded. It was strange enough that she didn’t even scream, but to encounter such an unusual person…

Despite his expertise with poker faces and vast experience, he had no immunity to this situation. Behind his mask, he was uncharacteristically flustered by her empty gaze that contrasted with her gently curved eyes. Not that it showed on the outside.

‘What kind of woman is this?’

He rolled his eyes and examined her appearance in the distant white lamplight.

There was a faint smell of alcohol, but also an elegant rose fragrance subtly rising, clear white skin that seemed never to have seen sunlight, and a neat, tidy appearance. The jeweled accessories and intricate lace decorations on quality fabric confirmed she was nobility.

Such composure from someone like her—the man couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.

This was why he hadn’t even thought to cover her mouth.

‘Could she be an assassin disguised as nobility? But she was subdued too easily. Above all, her eyes already look dead.’

Astonished, he pressed the dagger closer to her neck and narrowed his brows, trying to discern the intentions of the person before him.

Unaware of his confusion, Lavian looked directly into his deep blue eyes and truly wished for him to k*ll her.

‘I’d rather die here.’

No matter how accustomed Lavian was to pretending indifference, erasing her true feelings, and living as an emotionally barren person, a tiny spark remained behind her resignation.

That spark now flared up into a great flame.

The ruined Elder family, her indifferent blood relatives, Marquis Batl’s attitude of treating her like a plaything, people’s contempt—none of these were easy to endure.

With her insides completely wounded and festering, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on.

“K*ll me. I won’t resent you. I’ll be grateful instead.”

Lavian’s subdued voice leaked out once more with the same meaning. At this point, the man lost his resolve.

He had only intended to frighten her, but what was fear to someone with such an emotionless face saying such things? Even that intention completely disappeared.

“Mas…, Commander.”

At that moment, a small voice appeared from not far away, as if unable to delay any longer. The man clicked his tongue softly without taking his eyes off Lavian.

Lavian impassively turned her gaze to see those hiding in the darkness. Besides a woman dressed like the man, there were three Ibtan children clinging to each other in fear and one severely thin woman.

Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be sl*ves purchased by Marquis Batl.

“Ah……”

Lavian let out a small sigh and moved her hand.

“Hey.”

The man, deliberately disguising his voice, frowned behind his mask and threatened her not to move.

“Take these. Ibtan isn’t far. Use them for your expenses. After you k*ll me, take my necklace too. You can even take my dress if you want. Just leave my underwear. I’m still a woman, even in death.”

Ignoring whatever he might say, Lavian removed her earrings. She wanted to remove her necklace too, but couldn’t because of the knife.

At her emotionless, dry voice, the man let out a hollow laugh and released her.

“Not necessary.”

“You’re not going to k*ll me?”

“……”

The man remained silent at Lavian’s question. Since he wasn’t the type to give lengthy explanations, someone else stepped in for him.

“We just meant to scare you. You’ll be safe if you don’t do anything foolish. Commander, we’re out of time. We need to go.”

“Ah.”

At the kind tone despite its indifference, Lavian suddenly felt her strength leave her body and a sense of emptiness. The subtle tension that had surrounded her dissipated, and she felt somewhat embarrassed for talking about death to a complete stranger who had no such intentions.

“Let’s go.”

“This……”

With the tips of her ears turning slightly red and only her eyes moving, Lavian overcame her embarrassment and removed her necklace, grabbing him. Warm body heat intertwined through her long fingers.

The man flinched, his facial muscles twitching at the coldness of the jewelry and her touch on his hand.

Detesting physical contact, he coldly shook off her hand without responding and moved away.

“……Wait a moment.”

When he rejected her jewelry, Lavian approached the sl*ves with hurried steps rarely seen from her.

Afraid of frightening them, Lavian stopped at an appropriate distance, politely clasped her hands together, and bowed.

“I’m sorry.”

Lavian hadn’t enslaved these people nor purchased them, so there was no need for her to apologize. However, she was the granddaughter of the previous Count Elder who had tried to reform the Empire’s sl*ve system. Though he was assassinated for it, Lavian took immense pride in her grandfather, so she had no hesitation in bowing her head.

‘Grandfather would certainly have done this.’

For a brief moment, her dead eyes regained their vitality.

Taking the utmost pride in being the granddaughter of the previous Count Elder, Lavian apologized once more in the Ibtan language.

“I’m truly sorry.”

Though veiled, Lavian was unmistakably a noble lady to anyone who saw her.

For someone like her to bow so easily, the masked woman was astounded, and the man regarded her as if she were a strange creature.

‘Now I see. She’s a woman who wants to live more desperately than anyone.’

Just then, a child with the distinctively tanned skin and luminous purple eyes characteristic of Ibtan ran up and silently took Lavian’s hand.

The child’s small hand repeatedly caressed Lavian’s.

Though rough for a child’s hand, it felt warmer than any other at that moment. Lavian felt her nose tingle with unexpected comfort as she forced a smile.

“I’m truly sorry. I hope you return safely……”

“We need to go. No time.”

The woman urged, placing her hand on the child’s shoulder before removing it.

At that moment, the cloth tied around her wrist came loose and fell to the ground, revealing a geometric pattern extending from her wrist to half of her hand.

The woman glanced at Lavian and quickly picked up the cloth.

Lavian saw the exposed pattern but pretended not to notice.

“Let’s hurry.”

“Bye, big sister.”

At another urgent prompting, the child blinked rapidly and waved.

Lavian responded softly only after they had taken several steps away.

“Goodbye.”

Though always taught to hide her true feelings, just this once, Lavian smiled brightly. Under the moonlight, she shone with extraordinary beauty.

The man who had been watching sent his companions ahead, then approached Lavian and extended his hand.

“Hand them over.”

“Pardon?”

“For expenses, you said.”

“Ah.”

Lavian made a momentarily foolish sound before quickly placing her necklace and earrings on his large palm. The man took only the earrings and returned the necklace, saying:

“The earrings are enough.”

“Y-yes. Thank you for saving them.”

“I have no reason to hear such words from you. And……”

“……”

“Do you really want to die? You don’t want to die.”

“What?”

“You want to live well, don’t you? What people commonly call ‘happily.'”

The man left this cold question as if telling her to stop pretending, then turned away without hesitation.

Staring blankly after him, Lavian felt as if her heart had dropped. After replaying his words several times in her mind, she had to bite her crimson lips hard.

It seemed the only way to hold back her tears.

Just then, she heard movement not far away. She couldn’t cry now, and her desire for those people not to be discovered grew much stronger than her wish to die.

‘They mustn’t be caught.’

Surely these were people looking for her since she hadn’t returned.

Lavian voluntarily moved toward the people to help those escaping.

The man who had been walking away with long strides turned back at the sound of hurried footsteps.

Her hair, its exact color indiscernible in the lighting, and the hem of her dress clutched in her thin hands swayed like branches in the wind.

After staring at her glowing white figure for a while, a droplet fell before his eyes. It seemed spring rain was coming.

Klen thought he should hurry and, with an inexplicable smile, turned away.

˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Last night’s events became as if they had never happened.

Lavian returned to the count’s residence without a word about the sl*ves. The marquis’s residence was in an uproar over the missing sl*ves when day broke, but the incident was ignored to avoid creating a disturbance before the happy occasion.

And the rain, which had poured down too heavily to be called spring rain, left no trace of its passing. The clouds that had filled the sky disappeared without a trace, and the brilliant sun drove away even the damp humidity that remained after the rain.

Thanks to this, the outdoor wedding ceremony between Marquis Batl and Lavian seemed likely to proceed without issue.

“Miss Lavian, I’ll place the veil now.”

Nodding slightly, Lavian gently lowered her head and cast her eyes down. Her sky-blue eyes, partially hidden by her eyelids, made her appear both pure and somehow sorrowful.

The delicate veil settled over her platinum blonde hair, which resembled transplanted moonlight.

The maids beamed with pleased smiles at the incomparably beautiful bride.

“My goodness, how can you be so beautiful? The title of the Empire’s greatest beauty is no exaggeration.”

“Silky soft hair, milky white skin, and perfectly proportioned features on that small face. Just like an angel.”

“Angel? She’s a goddess.”

The maids offered a stream of praise for the beauty that shone through even with the veil. But the bride sat blankly with eyes devoid of any emotion.

“You’re all too noisy. Quiet.”

“We apologize.”

After silencing the excited maids, the head maid was about to hand Lavian her bouquet when the deputy head maid entered with somewhat hurried steps, interrupting.

“Head Maid.”

“What is it?”

Exuding an ominous aura, the deputy head maid whispered quietly to the head maid without hesitation.

“Ah……”

The small whisper instantly drained all color from the head maid’s face. However, she quickly composed herself and perfectly completed the task of handing Lavian her bouquet.

“I’ll check outside to see if everything is properly prepared. Please wait comfortably.”

“All right.”

The head maid gave an awkward smile at Lavian’s gentle voice, then led everyone out of the room.

Only after a considerable amount of time had passed did someone come to Lavian, who had been left all alone.

“Sister! Sister!”

The youngest of the Elder family ran in breathlessly and threw herself into Lavian’s arms, stepping on the white dress hem.

“Seian?”

“Sister! Marquis Batl has… died!!”

“What?”

The veil trembled, and the bouquet fell to the floor with a thud.

“That d*mn old man!”

Count Elder, Chelino, who had entered the bridal waiting room just as the bouquet fell, roughly spat out curses and threw the boutonniere from his chest onto the floor.

His arrogant greed manifested as rough, heavy breathing.

“Darling, people are watching.”

Countess Elder, Lilian, tried to restrain her husband, but to no avail.

He wasn’t the type to listen to anyone trying to stop him, so Chelino roughly pushed away his wife who was trying to restrain him.

“Mother……”

“Aaargh!”

Lavian’s voice as she caught her staggering mother was immediately drowned out by Count Elder’s shout.

Still unsatisfied after shouting, Chelino breathed heavily and finally threw a tantrum, causing a commotion.

The space that had been filled with bright sunshine until just moments ago was now invaded by a cold, desolate wind.

Along with it, ominous news filled the ceremony hall.

“His Grace Marquis Batl has passed away!”