Chapter 1. The Only Outsider in the Grand Duchy

Yuelina felt as if she was setting foot on the ground for the first time.

She had spent over a month living only on the ship. Solely to come to the Principality of Phaenyx.

The Grand Duchy of Phaenyx was that far away. Everything was unfamiliar to her.

The wind, layered with thick saltiness. Even the unbelievable cold.

“Are you trembling?”

At that moment, an elderly man in a fedora, Delkan, stood beside her holding luggage.

“Let’s hurry. The sun will set soon.”

Around the dock, carriages waited in a dense line for their owners.

— It seems they received the letter.

Delkan raised his hand toward the coachman standing in front of a navy carriage.

Recognizing him, the coachman hurriedly ran over.

“Teacher, you’ve finally arrived.”

The coachman greeted Delkan with a friendly smile.

However, his gaze kept drifting towards Yuelina.

It would be hard to take his eyes off her.

Yuelina was beautiful.

Above all, her snow-white hair resembling the first snow and her light pink eyes created a mysterious atmosphere.

No, it wasn’t just that. Was she really the same person?

The coachman thought deeply and concluded.

That woman is different.

She’s different from us.

On the other hand, Yuelina, feeling uneasy under the persistent gaze, swept her luscious hair back as if to hide it.

Then, red, shiny spots on both her earlobes were revealed.

The coachman’s expression crumpled at that moment.

“Ahem,”

Delkan let out a loud dry cough with a displeased face.

Only then did the coachman lower his gaze.

— Yuna, this is where you will live now. You must get used to these stares.

— Yes, Uncle.

— And from now on, when introducing yourself, say Yuelina, not the nickname Yuna.

As Delkan’s firm words ended, the coachman’s eyes widened.

Because Delkan had spoken to Yuelina in an unknown language.

Yuelina bit her lip at the sudden dizziness.

The place she was standing was certainly the ground.

The solid floor she had longed for. A place where she could stand without shaking.

Yet, the seasickness didn’t stop. It was getting worse.

“Is that Count Delkan? Then, is the woman next to him the new Grand Duchess?”

“How is her hair so white? It looks like that damn snow.”

“So ominous. Creepy. To marry such a barbarian!”

It wasn’t just the coachman’s gaze.

People’s eyes landed on and left Yuelina’s body.

They would likely gossip after just one glance.

But Yuelina had to endure dozens of stares and unpleasant tones continuously.

Curiosity. More than that, hostility.

— Let’s go.

Yuelina quickly boarded the carriage following Delkan.

As the people’s gazes disappeared, her queasy stomach gradually calmed down.

— We still have to travel for two more hours. Are you hungry?

— I’m fine. Um…

— Feel free to say anything.

— Can I hold my luggage?

At Yuelina’s words, he opened a small window.

Soon, the coachman handed over the luggage wrapped in a navy cloth.

Yuelina hugged the luggage, which was as big as her upper body, tightly.

A faint scent of acacia, often smelled in the village, wafted gently.

It seemed to provide a bit of comfort.

Delkan looked at her intently.

— It won’t be easy, but you must quickly develop affection for everything. Including His Highness the Grand Duke, of course.

Yuelina recalled a night from the past when she talked with her father.

— Yuna, you are the only heir of Coho.

— Yes Father, that’s why I must go. I will go.

— Marrying a man whose face you don’t even know! Absolutely not!

— The weather is getting colder. If I marry… we can always get magic stones.

It was a moment when the lantern flickered uneasily.

In the small island of Luhae, isolated from the world.

The island consisted only of the villages of the Coho and Apan tribes.

Though the island had a warm climate like spring all year round, recently, a harsh wind had started to blow.

It was an ominous sign of the changing seasons.

No one on Luhae Island had ever experienced ‘winter.’

They didn’t know how to safely endure the severe cold.

The one who told them how was Delkan.

— With magic stones, you can survive the winter safely. However, you must form a connection with the Empire of Bios.

The condition was to marry the Grand Duke of the Phaenyx Duchy, which was under the Empire.

If she married the Grand Duke, who was part of the imperial family, they would naturally have a reason to supply magic stones and maintain continuous exchanges with the Empire.

— Now that winter has come even once, it will return, staying longer each time. So please trust me and send Yuelina. I want to help you.

There was no concept of ‘country’ on Luhae Island.

They didn’t even know the common language everyone supposedly used until they met Delkan.

Delkan had been visiting them consistently for three years, teaching them the language of the Empire and fostering exchanges.

Above all, Yuelina liked Delkan, who kindly took care of her and the villagers.

That’s why she decided to trust and follow Delkan.

To become the wife of the northern Grand Duke, a man whose face she didn’t know, and start anew in a foreign land.

For the sake of her beloved tribe and family on Luhae Island, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

Yuelina forced a faint smile and opened the small window in the carriage.

As the towering trees receded, the cold wind rushed into the carriage.

Though it seemed like they had been traveling for a long time, only sparse forests were visible.

— Yuna.

At that moment, Delkan, who had been sitting opposite, moved to sit next to Yuelina.

He carefully placed his hand on Yuelina’s shoulder and continued speaking in the language of Luhae Island.

— The people of the Duchy are generally cold.

— What?

— Unlike the kind and warm-hearted people of Luhae Island. They are very wary. They especially… always have bad thoughts about outsiders.

At Delkan’s words, Yuelina’s shoulders shrank even more.

She had already experienced sharp voices and piercing stares countless times on the ship.

— I’ll do well. I didn’t come this far for nothing.

Yuelina spoke as if convincing herself. Underneath her large violet-like eyes, faint tear marks shimmered.

— Thank you. I will also do my best to help you. Above all, you must follow Grand Duke Your Highness well.

After two more hours of travel, the carriage slowly came to a stop.

Yuelina glanced out the window.

Between the tangled branches of the dry forest path, the exterior of a noble estate surrounded by a wall came into view.

Recognizing the crest on the navy carriage, the gatekeeper opened the tall gray gate.

Seeing the changed scenery, Yuelina’s eyes widened.

It was a land much larger than the Coho village at first glance.

More surprising was that there was no barren, colorless land here, unlike what she had seen on the way.

All the land within the Phaenyx estate was in full bloom, with green sprouts showing the appearance of spring.

Despite the cold wind blowing.

‘Is this the power of the magic stones?’

Yuelina stuck her head out the window.

And far ahead, a towering black mansion appeared. It looked like a shadow, not matching the greenery.

— That is where you will stay. It’s called the ‘Black Mansion.’

Delkan explained the Black Mansion, various sculptures, and the artificial lake in a warm voice.

This vast estate was for the Grand Duke.

While Yuelina listened quietly to the explanation, the carriage arrived in front of the Black Mansion.

The coachman opened the door, and Delkan stood up and extended his hand to Yuelina.

Yuelina took a deep breath.

She understood her father’s feelings when he sent her to the other side of the world. Yuelina knew.

So she had to adapt perfectly and live happily here.

“Finally, you’re here.”

At that moment, a low and calm voice pierced Yuelina’s chest.

It was the Grand Duke’s voice.

“Your Highness!”

Delkan pulled Yuelina’s hand. She accepted his escort and got off the carriage.

Even after getting off the carriage, Yuelina couldn’t easily lift her head.

The man in front of her was the one who would become her husband.

If the Grand Duke didn’t like her, if he said he wouldn’t marry her, what would happen to Luhae Island?

Clang—!

At that moment.

A maid, startled by Yuelina, dropped a water bottle.

Yuelina, also startled by the sharp sound, quickly lifted her head.

“Is that woman my wife?”

And she met eyes with the man in front of her.

For the first time, Yuelina couldn’t feel the cold.

With jet-black hair she had never seen on Luhae Island and a high nose bridge.

Blue, moist eyes like forget-me-nots. A firm chin and red lips.

Above all, his body was… too big.

His body, woven with thick, dense muscles like a beast, seemed ready to devour her.

‘Blood…’

What’s more astonishing was that he was drenched in blood.

Thick blood dripped down his black hair.

Delkan covered his nose at the thick smell of blood and frowned.

“Your Highness! Why do you look like this!”

“Ah, because of hunting. I had a hard time skinning.”

He rubbed his blood-soaked face and stepped right in front of her.

“Theo de Phaenyx.”

“……”

“My name.”

Theo extended his blood-stained, bright red hand.

Yuelina hesitated but took his hand. The slippery sensation made her shiver.

“I am Yuelina.”

“Yuelina.”

Murmuring her name, Theo spoke again.

“There will be no wedding.”

“What?”

“I’ve already been married three times.”

“!”

“Of course, they all either ran away or died.”

He smiled brightly.