Chapter 1

“The marriage vow having been sworn, I hereby declare this man and woman husband and wife.”

The respected duke of the Empire and the flower of high society—everyone blessed their wedding.

Yet now, the bride who should be happiest of all wore a face twisted in pain.

“Be happy!”

The voices that had cried out during the ceremony and reception seemed to echo once more in her ears.

“Happiness…”

Rosalie softly uttered the word that no longer existed in her life.

Becoming the wife of the man she wished to kill could hardly be called happiness, but Rosalie was pleased. With this, she had taken one step closer to Kenneth Vinzetten, to his despair.

Knock, knock. A polite rap sounded. When the door opened, Kenneth appeared. He slowly swept his gaze over Rosalie, who was in her nightgown. Everywhere his eyes touched she felt a chill of displeasure, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip.

“You look quite surprised, my lady.”

“I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“It is our wedding night. Or did you hope I would not?”

“Of course not. If we don’t spend tonight together, many rumors will spread. There are many eyes in the duchy, you know. And above all—”

Kenneth was not wrong. In truth, she had secretly hoped he might not visit her chamber. But Rosalie neatly concealed her discomfort, grabbed the end of Kenneth’s sleeve, and drew him toward herself.

“I refuse to be the wife who spends her first night alone.”

Kenneth strode into the room, grabbed Rosalie’s chin, and tilted her face up. Their lips were nearly touching, and the breath he exhaled carried a sweet scent of fruit wine.

Kenneth’s lips brushed her cheek as if grazing upward, stopping at her ear.

“If that is my lady’s wish.”

A large hand slid along Rosalie’s nape and down, pushing off the gown draped across her shoulders.

Rosalie’s chest rose and fell rapidly. She could not tell whether the trembling of her body was tension from the strange sensations or rage at the impending union with the man she hated.

“As your husband, I shall do my utmost to ensure you are not lonely tonight.”

Before Rosalie could answer, Kenneth took her plump lips into his. By the time she managed to regain her dazed senses from the overwhelming kiss, she found herself facing the ceiling.

Rosalie suppressed her growing coldness and steeled herself. If she could only witness Kenneth fall into despair, she could endure this much. She closed her eyes, hiding her indifferent gaze from him.

She recalled the day they first met.

***

The Cailon Viscount and his family, having packed all their belongings, stood before their carriage to bid farewell to the Vinzettens. In the hands of both family heads were identical envelopes—proof of the arranged marriage between Rosalie Cailon and Kenneth Vinzetten once they came of age.

“I used to joke that we’d become in-laws someday. I never thought the day would come to actually fulfill that.”

“So, are you saying you disapprove, Duke Argo Vinzetten?”

“When did I ever say that? Having a lovely daughter-in-law like Rosalie would be a great fortune.”

Their warm laughter was followed by their eyes turning to a small girl. Rosalie, recalling the joyful week she spent at the Vinzetten estate, beamed—until the looming farewell overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She was barely ten, too young to control her emotions. Her mother, Elicia, gently patted her back to soothe her sorrow.

As a warm hand touched her cheek, Rosalie lifted her tear-soaked eyelids and saw Kenneth’s face. His platinum blond hair shimmered in the sunlight and fluttered in the breeze. Because of their height difference, Kenneth had knelt on one knee and tenderly wiped away the tears of the girl who would one day be his bride.

“It’s just a short separation. Don’t cry. Your pretty face will get ruined.”

“I won’t have to wait too long, right?”

“If you miss me, write to the ducal house. Then I’ll come see you, my lady.” A small hand reached out toward Kenneth.

“Promise me.”

Kenneth’s blue eyes crinkled with a smile as he looked at the boldly extended hand. The boy willingly pressed a kiss to the little lady’s hand.

As the carriage departed, the future in-laws waved their farewells.

But when the carriage entered a nearby forest, the coachman suddenly let out a scream.

With a loud noise, the carriage shook violently, lost balance, and tilted to one side, throwing everything into chaos inside.

“My dear! Are you all right? What about the children?”

“I’m fine! But what on earth happened?”

Viscount Cailon looked over his family; fortunately, no one seemed badly hurt. Though the carriage was tilted against a boulder, it hadn’t fully overturned, so escaping shouldn’t be impossible.

“I’ll go out first. Riden, lead Mother and your sister safely outside.”

Grabbing the sword inside the carriage, Viscount Cailon stepped out and scanned the area—only for a massive shadow to loom over him. A monster, the kind found only in the contaminated lands at the Empire’s edge, was devouring the coachman.

Crunch… squelch… Each time the coachman’s body disappeared deeper into the creature’s maw, a sickening sound of bones being ground echoed. Viscount Cailon’s sword-hand shook, gooseflesh rising on his nape. Fear gripped his ankles so tightly he couldn’t move.

He’d faced monsters before, but larger ones were normally hunted by a party for safety.

“This one may be beyond me alone.”

The beast wasn’t enormous, yet far more than one man could handle—especially with three family members to protect.

“A monster here of all places… I was too complacent, thinking the route safe. I should’ve brought several knights, just in case…”

Cursing his past negligence was pointless, so he forced calm upon himself. The monster’s giant eye reflected his image while the coachman vanished completely. Veins bulged on the back of his hand gripping the hilt.

“Even if I die here, I must see my family survive.”

With a battle cry, he charged the beast without hesitation.

Swoosh— A slash cleaved the air, and the creature’s arm thudded to the ground. Its agonized roar shook the earth as razor-sharp claws grazed the viscount’s flank.

Barely avoiding a fatal wound, he steadied his ragged breath and attacked again, needing to buy time for his family to flee.

“Rosalie!”

Riden’s shrill shout snapped the viscount’s head around. Lady Elicia, seemingly injured when the carriage jolted, leaned on Riden for support. Rosalie, clutching Riden’s hand, froze at the sight of the monster.

Biting his lip, the viscount forced himself to refocus on the fight. Elicia, seeing her daughter petrified and her husband slowly pushed back, shoved Riden away with unexpected strength. Collapsing to the ground, she barked at her son in a firm voice.

“Riden! Take Rosalie and run! Hurry!”

“Mother……”

“Are you going to let your sister and father die like this?”

“But!”

“Riden Cailon! Think rationally!”

Snapped out of it by her stern voice, Riden dashed toward the carriage and lifted Rosalie into his arms.

“I’ll definitely bring people back. So please, hang on.”

With tears in her eyes, Elicia nodded with a faint smile.

As Riden began running toward the village, a faint tremor could be felt from the ground.

The tremor grew stronger and stronger, and then a figure on horseback appeared in the distance.

The fast-approaching figure raced past Elicia and Riden.

The hair fluttering in the wind shimmered in a familiar hue.