Rozenne used her ability to persuade and appease the nobles who were at odds with Harrieus.

This ability was the power to read people’s minds, which Rozenne used to understand the hidden interests of each noble and make their hearts incline toward Harrieus.

Thus, surpassing the first prince and second prince, Harrieus was able to ascend to the throne as king.

A sense of accomplishment overflowed from deep within Rozenne’s heart.

“My goodness, look at me. Lady Rozenne, we’ll be late. Please sit down. A bride shouldn’t be late for her wedding.”

At the Viscountess’s words, another noble lady took Rozenne’s arm and led her to the vanity table, chiming in.

“If you wait just a little longer, we’ll make you the most beautiful bride in the world.”

“Though you’re already beautiful now.”

Just then, there was a knock, and the chief chamberlain assigned to the Queen’s Palace entered.

“Your Highness, Duchess Dyer, your mother, has arrived.”

Rozenne nodded her head slightly.

“Tell her to come in.”

As the chief chamberlain bowed and left, the ladies-in-waiting continued talking.

“She’s finally here.”

“Yes. Now we can finish the preparations.”

The ladies-in-waiting chattered incessantly like small birds, as if they had been waiting for Duchess Dyer even more eagerly than Rozenne had.

“Your Highness, the Queen.”

Duchess Dyer, who entered shortly after, bowed her knees and head in greeting, showing the proper respect of a subject.

Rozenne quickly rose from her seat and approached her mother.

“Mother, please don’t do this. We haven’t even held the ceremony yet.”

“No, you will soon become Her Highness the Queen, so I must get accustomed to it.”

“Mother, please. I will always remain your daughter, no matter what.”

When Rozenne appealed with a sincere voice, Duchess Dyer’s exceedingly solemn expression suddenly changed to a playful one.

“Hehe. Is that so, then?”

Duchess Dyer smiled gently and praised her daughter while tucking a stray strand of Rozenne’s hair behind her ear.

“My daughter, you truly are beautiful.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Whose daughter are you, after all?”

Duchess Dyer took Rozenne’s hand and led her to the vanity table, while holding up something she had brought with her other hand.

“And with this, you’ll be even more perfect.”

The Viscountess behind Rozenne brightened and spoke.

“Is that it?”

“Yes. This has been passed down through our family for generations. Only the women of House Dyer can inherit it.”

“Oh.”

The Viscountess moved closer to Duchess Dyer with a small exclamation.

After seating Rozenne in the chair, Duchess Dyer went behind the chair and placed her hands on both of Rozenne’s shoulders.

“You’ll love it.”

Duchess Dyer winked at Rozenne’s reflection in the mirror and opened the box with a clicking sound.

“Oh, this is……”

The Viscountess didn’t finish her sentence and quickly took the box to hold it out in front of Rozenne.

Seeing it, Rozenne’s lips parted slightly.

“It’s truly beautiful.”

Inside the box was a jeweled hair ornament.

Numerous teardrop-shaped blue sapphires and white diamonds were joined together in a spiral pattern resembling feathers.

Duchess Dyer, who had been watching her delighted daughter with satisfaction, approached Rozenne and enclosed her daughter’s hand holding the box.

“Do you know why this jewel became famous? There’s a legend that any bride who wears it will become happy.”

“Do you believe in that superstition, Mother?”

“Of course.”

Duchess Dyer answered in a dreamy tone, as if all this was deeply moving to her.

Her eyes overflowed with love and pride for her daughter, and joy mixed with a touch of wistfulness.

“You will make an excellent queen. All that remains is for you to be happy. Having many children, helping His Majesty the King govern the country admirably, and receiving the respect of all the people.”

“Really?”

“Of course. My daughter deserves such happiness.”

Only then did Rozenne’s tension somewhat subside, and she smiled brightly. She slightly lifted the box in her hand and said:

“I really love it, Mother. Thank you.”

“Oh.”

Duchess Dyer, as if unable to contain her emotions, rose and embraced Rozenne tightly.

“I love you, child. I love you more than anything in this world. My daughter, you must live well. Be happy.”

“Yes, Mom. I will, I will be happy.”

Rozenne hugged her mother back and tightly closed her eyes.

The wedding proceeded smoothly.

Following the High Priest, King Harrieus appeared at the front of the venue with the altar, and all the nobles sitting in the witness seats stood at attention and paid their respects.

Rozenne was waiting behind the curtain at the entrance on the opposite side of the venue from Harrieus.

Soon, as the trumpet announcing the bride’s entrance was heard, the curtain covering the entrance to the venue was drawn back.

The white light shining through the curtains gradually widened, and in the middle of it, Rozenne appeared holding the hand of the Duke of Dyer.

Rozenne slowly walked down the path covered with a white carpet, holding her father’s hand.

The gazes of all the noble people poured toward Rozenne, and everyone couldn’t help but admire her beautiful appearance.

Rozenne felt almost suffocated by the gazes of the people looking at her, but she took courage by looking at Harrieus, who was smiling at her from a distance.

Harrieus. My love. My husband.

The sunlight coming through the windows shattered over her head, and finally, Rozenne stood before Harrieus. Harrieus, who received Rozenne’s hand from the Duke of Dyer, escorted her up onto the altar.

As the ceremony began and they listened to the High Priest’s officiating, Harrieus and Rozenne were busy stealing glances at each other.

‘I love you, Rozenne.’

Pfft, Rozenne had to bite her lips tightly to avoid laughing out loud at the voice Harrieus conveyed with his eyes.

He continuously whispered love with his gaze, sweetly filling the boring time. Thanks to that, she could forget the pain in her legs from her shoes.

The long time passed quickly.

All that remained was to kneel before God and make vows of eternal love.

But at that moment, someone suddenly burst into the wedding venue, breaking the solemn atmosphere.

“We’re under attack! Wolfhard has led troops into Beringhem! A thousand elite soldiers are advancing from both sides and launching attacks!”

The venue was filled with the sharp sound of people inhaling with a ‘huk!’

“A surprise attack without any declaration of war!”

Harrieus, who had been standing facing Rozenne, descended from the altar and approached the messenger.

The messenger knelt on one knee and hurriedly delivered the news.

“The soldiers in the border regions have already surrendered. All the outer fortresses have fallen, and Beringhem, the last line of defense, is about to fall as well. Even the capital here may not be safe!”

Rozenne raised her hand to cover her mouth.

Beringhem was one of the military strongholds protecting the capital. Its fall meant that the capital would soon be engulfed in flames.

Rozenne wasn’t the only one shocked by the messenger’s news.

All the nobles seated in the guest section were stirring with expressions stained by fear.

“Duke Dyer! Marquis Gramaldi!”

Harrieus immediately called out to the heads of powerful families in a loud voice. At the same time, he also shouted toward the knight commander standing against the wall.

“Tell the knights of the inner fortress to prepare for battle! Issue evacuation orders to the people of the capital, and evacuate children and women first!”

As if that were some kind of signal, the noble ladies rose from their seats en masse and left the venue.

But even amid the chaos, the ladies-in-waiting who had helped prepare Rozenne for the wedding and Duchess Dyer approached her. During this commotion, Rozenne stood still, only looking at Harrieus.

“Rozenne! What are you doing standing there, let’s go quickly! We don’t have time for this!”

“Yes, Your Highness. You must preserve your royal person.”

“That’s right. You must leave before the interior of the capital becomes chaotic. I will instruct them to prepare a carriage outside the palace walls.”

“……”

But Rozenne couldn’t move her feet, as if she were nailed to the spot.

She couldn’t flee and leave him alone, not knowing when her help might be needed again.

She watched Harrieus standing with the nobles in the distance, and after confirming Rozenne surrounded by noble ladies, Harrieus turned his attention to the subjects before him.

“How many knights can your families mobilize right now?”

“Our House Dyer can muster about two hundred……”

“Your, Your Majesty……!”

It was at that moment. The messenger who had just delivered the news of the invasion interrupted the Duke of Dyer mid-sentence.

Interrupting a noble’s speech was an extremely grave discourtesy, but given the circumstances, Harrieus did not bother to reprimand him.

“What is it?”

“The King of Wolfhard has sent a letter.”

“The King of Wolfhard….. You mean Kal Paikan?”

Harrieus frowned with surprised eyes.

Kal Paikan. He was a figure shrouded in complete mystery.

There were no eyewitness accounts of anyone who had actually seen him, and he had never appeared at any official events, to the extent that rumors circulated that he might be nothing more than a symbolic figure without any real substance.

For such a person to send a personal letter was extremely unusual, and Harrieus could not hide his surprise.

“Yes….. The knight commander leading the soldiers sent this as an ultimatum.”

The messenger, trembling like an aspen leaf, bowed his head and fumbled in his sleeve.

Soon, he pulled out a small note from his sleeve and presented it to Harrieus with both hands.

“He, he said it was a personal letter written by his lord himself.”

Harrieus quickly received it and unfolded. It contained Soharan language written in a crude hand.

To the King of the small eastern country, the Kingdom of Sohara.

I have long respected your modest customs and culture.

Therefore, I do not wish to destroy your country.

Furthermore, I have no interest in gaining anything from your country.

Just one thing, hand over Lady Rozenne Dyer, the daughter of a Duke in the Kingdom of Sohara.

If not, I will cut off trade with Sohara and personally advance to the capital of Sohara to find Rozenne myself.

Harrieus, having read through the text, said nothing.

After a moment, he dropped the letter to the ground and turned his head toward Rozenne.

Rozenne, still surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, was looking at him worriedly while pressing her fist against her chest.

She asked Harrieus with her eyes.

What’s happening, Harrieus?