Fate Betrayed Me - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

The excessively low voice was as cold as a blizzard blowing in from a snow field. His face, which rarely showed expression, was also sunk in coldness.

“What?”

Aveline asked back nonchalantly, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. Her expression, as gentle as early spring sunlight, remained unchanged.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Kazerre pointed out sharply.

It was a voice so cold that it was hard to believe he was speaking to his beloved, but Aveline merely shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“I just went out shopping for myself after a long time. I heard that several large merchant groups had visited for His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration. And then I happened to meet Viscountess Olang who was there first.”

“Happened to?”

Kazerre clicked his tongue shortly. He couldn’t even laugh at the excuse that she didn’t even try to be plausible.

The number of times Aveline had used him to humiliate the ladies was already countless.

The reasons were diverse and trivial. Even just making eye contact with him or brushing against his clothes was enough reason for Aveline to find fault.

What about Lady Olang, whom Aveline had finally made cry today? Kazerre didn’t even know her name accurately.

Yet she had unfairly incurred Aveline’s wrath and suffered a bout of humiliation.

Kazerre, who was well aware of Aveline’s methods, had done his best to avoid such situations.

Most of the social invitations he received were used to heat the fireplace instead of firewood, and when he had to attend parties he couldn’t avoid, he would accompany Aveline and only dance with her. Even then, he tried his best not to respond to Aveline’s summons.

Nevertheless, sacrificial lambs continued to appear in places Kazerre was unaware of.

Moreover, as much as Kazerre was familiar with Aveline’s methods, she also knew how to move Kazerre.

‘A message from Lady Croeta.’
‘I’ll hear it later.’
‘But if you don’t come right now, she says she’ll threaten to prevent the Red Moon Jewelry Store from ever investing in the northern mines again…’

The Red Moon Jewelry Store had been investing in the northern mining areas for a long time. The owner, Theo, had a slight flaw of being loose-lipped like a merchant, but not a few merchant groups had advanced to the north through his connections.

The north occupied a third of the entire continent’s area, but it was a barren land covered in snow all year round.

Fortunately, it wasn’t destitute thanks to several mines, including sapphire mines, scattered throughout, but survival itself would be difficult if they couldn’t sell raw stones and minerals to procure goods.

So her threat, using the merchant groups that actively traded with the north as hostages, was effective enough to give Kazerre, who reigned as the master of the north, a headache.

In the end, Kazerre had no choice but to seek out Aveline. It was quite depressing to find himself moving according to her intentions, even while anticipating the future where he would be played by her hand.

However, what made him most gloomy was the bleak future where this situation would repeat like a hamster wheel.

“Yes. Happened to.”

That woman, who could smile shamelessly while crushing someone’s sincerity and pretending not to know, was the protagonist of the prophecy chosen by God, and his destined partner.

It all began with a legend passed down from the beginning of time.

A thousand years ago, the Tribe of Light, which ruled the world, was engaged in a tedious war with the Tribe of Darkness that opposed them.

Unable to bear the prolonged war, God sent down Dione as His representative to lead the Tribe of Light, and she, along with her knight and lover Hyperion, who was called the Guardian of Light, finally brought about the turning point in the war.

However, in the final battle, Hyperion lost his life to the hand of Serpina, his long-time nemesis, while trying to protect Dione.

As the despairing Dione embraced Hyperion’s body and wept bitterly, God Himself descended, mourning with His representative, and made a promise.

That was the prophecy that when their souls meet and unite again, God’s blessing would come to this land.

But sadly, the future God promised was an impossibly distant time for mere humans.

When Dione, whose lifespan had ended, also breathed her last, the Tribe of Light quickly fell into ruin, and several kingdoms appeared and disappeared repeatedly in the land they had left.

Meanwhile, the sacred prophecy barely survived, passed down only through the mouths of minstrels as a romantic and tragic love poem.

But now, over a thousand years later, a new prophecy suddenly descended. God’s word came to fulfill the long-forgotten promise of the distant past.

「The first owner of the ancient covenant, sleeping in the blood flowing on the snow field, will soon awaken.
The soul drawn to that call will also be waiting where the eleventh light sets, and shall fulfill the proper promise.」

Ten months later, Kazerre was born in the House of Evuteren, which reigned over the snow-covered north.

The future Duke of Evuteren and new master of the north, the noble soul chosen by God, the first owner of the ancient covenant, the reincarnation of Hyperion, the Guardian of Light.

Having witnessed the miracle, the temple immediately set out to find the reincarnation of Dione. As a result, the ridiculous scene of priests observing the night sky daily, accompanied by astronomers, unfolded.

Then, in the following year, the eleventh brightest star finally fell.

The temple dispatched holy knights to the Gilt Mountains in the east where the stars had set. After thoroughly searching the surrounding villages, they found two newborn girls.

Ten years later, one of the children awakened her holy power and was finally chosen as the protagonist of the prophecy.

That is, the very woman who is now calmly lying and smiling innocently in front of him.

“Aveline Croeta.”

Kazerre called her name in an even deeper voice.

What permeated his low voice was neither accusation nor disgust towards her. It was only intense fatigue.

If there was anyone who could tire out Kazerre Evuteren, known as the Iron-Blooded Duke, it would only be Aveline Croeta.

His fate, intertwined in God’s name, and thus made them inseparable.

Every time Kazerre recalled this fact, he felt dizzy.

It was hard to believe that Aveline had been chosen by God, or that he had loved her enough in his past life to move even God, but above all, the fact that he had to spend the rest of his life with her was overwhelming.

“Call your fiancée’s name more gently, Kazerre.”

“……”

“If you speak in such a scary voice, it seems as if I’ve done something wrong.”

Her tone, which had been gently admonishing like scolding a child, grew colder towards the end. Aveline’s golden eyes, which had been bright and fresh like a newly ripened lemon, quickly filled with venom.

It was such an extreme change that one could hardly imagine her smiling softly and speaking in a gentle voice just moments ago.

“The one who did wrong is that stupid woman who admired you without knowing her place.”

Aveline knew that Lady Olang’s gaze had been constantly fixed on Kazerre at the last ball. Everyone present would have known what emotion was contained in that gaze.

She dared to harbor feelings for her man. That alone was more than enough to upset Aveline, but Kazerre repeatedly came forward to criticize her.

That was always the problem with him. His cold reason, which dismissed all her actions as ‘mere’, always made her unbearable.

“Or could it be that you actually like that woman? Are you perhaps worried that she might have been hurt?”

Aveline’s voice was fierce, as if what she was saying was already an established fact. At the same time, Kazerre’s fine brow furrowed once again.

It was a ridiculous accusation.

Aveline was accusing him with the fierce certainty of a wife who had caught her husband’s infidelity in the act, but in reality, she knew it couldn’t be true.

Because they were destined lovers chosen by God, for heaven’s sake.

Perhaps because she was so sure he was hers anyway. Aveline often tested Kazerre’s limits in this way.

Her obsessive attitude of crushing ladies who merely glanced at him to the point where they couldn’t walk with their eyes open, even before being formally introduced, seemed almost desperate.

“That’s enough. You know that such accusations don’t work on me.”

Instead of encouraging her vitriol, Kazerre cut off the argument with an indifferent tone. He had already learned from numerous experiences that nothing good comes from engaging in too much conversation.

A moment of silence fell as the flow of conversation was abruptly cut off.

Aveline, who had been standing bewildered like a soldier watching an enemy surrendering prematurely, finally raised one corner of her mouth and sneered clearly.

“Of course. I know all too well. Who else but me would know how callous a man Kazerre Evuteren is?”

“……”

“Otherwise, this couldn’t be happening. It was that woman who yelled at me and threw the fan, yet you still, until the end, that wench……”

“You must have made her do it.”

Kazerre, unable to bear it any longer, coldly refuted.

His calm pointing out, devoid of any personal feelings, was as straightforward as simply doing the right thing. Judging by his attitude alone, it was closer to reprimanding a subordinate who had violated military law rather than addressing his fiancée.

In front of that unfeeling uprightness, Aveline lost her words and only bit her lip.

Compared to Kazerre, who showed not a hint of wavering, her eyes were trembling slightly. Her lips, which had been a soft scarlet, quickly flushed a deep red as she bit them so hard.

“You always……”

Aveline, who was about to say something, suddenly shut her mouth and turned her head away sharply.

Even that sharp attitude seemed as delicate as a woman enduring sorrow alone, which was the power of Aveline’s appearance.

But Kazerre felt no emotion.

He wasn’t curious about the words she left unfinished either. It would probably just end up being a baseless complaint anyway.

He had already experienced too much of what kind of person Aveline was to pay attention to her every word.

Aveline Croeta, who is merciless to others, callous, spouts venom without hesitation, and still smiles willingly. That harsh temperament that is only satisfied when everything that irritates her is finally prostrate at her feet.

“Enough.”

Aveline shook off Kazerre and turned her back. And she started walking in the opposite direction of where the carriage was.

The dark and narrow path between the buildings led to the back alley.

Instead of stopping her, Kazerre stood still and watched her retreating figure. His solid posture was quite resolute, as if he wouldn’t move a step from this spot.

Nevertheless…….

“……”

Unlike Aveline, who never looked back, Kazerre’s gaze couldn’t leave her back.

She’s a noble lady who has always had her two feet wrapped in soft silk. So how far could she go alone without a carriage?

Although it was as clear as day, Aveline always acted stubbornly like this. Like she was testing who would surrender first.

And Kazerre already knew who would be the winner of this tiresome match.

“Aveline.”

Kazerre, letting out a small sigh, called her and followed. Forcing his heavy steps that seemed reluctant to leave the ground, and habitually swallowing the sighs that kept trying to escape.

Perhaps this is why. The reason Aveline keeps mercilessly trampling people under her small shoe-clad feet and testing Kazerre’s limits.

Because she knows he will eventually give in.

He had long thought that he shouldn’t indulge Aveline’s whims anymore. Nevertheless, Kazerre ends up surrendering to her. Like now.

“Wait, Aveline.”

Aveline kept walking steadfastly, pretending not to hear.

But a man like him could easily catch up with her small steps with just a few strides.

Would it have been better if she had gone somewhere he couldn’t catch her at all?

However, as if she had calculated in advance, Aveline never left his sight. She was always within a distance where he could reach out and grab her at any time. To the point where it was somewhat regrettable.

Finally, Kazerre, who quickly overtook Aveline, gently grabbed her left arm.

Aveline soon stopped walking. Although her gaze was still stubbornly avoiding him, she didn’t shake off his hand.

“Let’s go to the carriage. First, let’s sit down and……”

Just as Kazerre was trying to persuade her in a deliberately softened voice.

“Kyaa!”

A sharp woman’s scream that sounded like it was being torn apart came from somewhere.

Kazerre’s expression instantly turned grim as he instinctively sensed an ominous situation. He turned his head swiftly and surveyed the direction of the sound with fierce eyes.

“Wait here.”

“Wait, Kazerre!”

Kazerre, without even turning his eyes to Aveline, let go of the hand that had been holding her and ran off.

Aveline watched his retreating figure moving away from her in a daze.

A cool breeze swept across the empty inside of her palm.