“I want to fall in love at first sight and give my heart to that person for the rest of my life.”

A young lady had said this shyly during a tea gathering. At the time, Ariel had laughed lightly, thinking to herself:

What an innocent sentiment.

A love where two people remain devoted to each other until death, like a destined romance, was something she thought only existed in fairy tales.

Yet, that laughter proved ironic when Ariel met Kylance, as though by fate.

It happened three years ago, during a hunting tournament.

Kylance Seyerd.

The most talked about man in the Empire.

He was the only nephew of the current Emperor, who had seized the throne in a bloody purge, and held the title of Grand Duke, the youngest ever to achieve such a rank.

He was the youngest to inherit the title due to the sudden and tragic death of his parents, the former Grand Duke and Duchess.

The Emperor, in his quest to purge the corrupt Imperial family, had executed all of his male siblings.

They had allied themselves with the exiled Crown Prince Grint. But one male sibling survived – Alex, the Emperor’s full-blooded younger brother and Kylance’s father.

Amidst the decay of the Imperial family, the Emperor and Alex shared a rare and genuine bond. Upon his ascension to the throne, the Emperor granted Alex the title of Grand Duke of Seyerd, along with vast northern lands as a reward.

But Alex’s time in the limelight was cruelly short-lived. A sudden carriage accident claimed his life.

At the tender age of 15, Kylance found himself the heir to the title, having lost both his parents in a single moment.

Many doubted his ability to rule. Although his aunt, the Duchess Biastes, became his guardian, they believed that Kylance was far too young to rule the vast Grand Duchy.

Some made no effort to hide their ambitions, openly eyeing the northern territories.

Despite his youth, Kylance was far from a foe to be underestimated.

Against all odds, the borders of the Monster Mountains remained unbroken under his command.

At only 17, he cemented his reputation throughout the Empire by ruthlessly crushing the forces of Grint, the Empire traitor who had seized control of the border.

The Empire quickly recognised him as the new Lord of the North – a prodigy of the sword, a demon of the battlefield and an unyielding, cold-blooded figure.

The extraordinary feats Kylance achieved at such a young age inspired both admiration and fear. His unparalleled prowess left an indelible impression on all who heard of him.

It is human nature, after all, to instinctively fear someone who is overwhelmingly stronger.

Adding to his mystique, Kylance rarely appeared in the capital, preferring to remain in the north or on the battlefield. This only fueled the legends that surrounded him, painting him as a mythical figure.

Like many others, Ariel grew up hearing countless stories about him. Sometimes she couldn’t help but be curious about the man behind the stories.

She often wondered what the true nature of the man behind all those lofty titles might be.

When she finally met him by chance, Ariel realised that all the grand descriptions surrounding him were meaningless.

“Hunting grounds are not a place to spare your prey. Doing so would insult His Majesty, who organized this tournament. Still… letting go of something this small shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I saw nothing, my lady.”

He was strong enough to fell a ferocious beast with a single strike, but not so ruthless as to take the life of something small and innocent.

“If you continue walking on that ankle, you’ll risk permanent injury. Let me help you.”

Despite the firm and gruff tone of his words, the hand he offered to her injured self was gentle and warm.

He wasn’t the fearsome Grand Duke of the North as rumour had it. He was simply someone who struggled to express his true feelings.

In truth, he was a man of many scars. Ariel’s heart was drawn to him as if by fate, and the two eventually fell in love.

For just over two years, they – no, Ariel – felt truly happy.

The distant, stoic demeanour he had shown when they first met seemed like a lie as they grew closer, revealing a completely different side of him.

He approached her without hesitation, whispering words of love.

Always tender, always warm.

“Ariel, I love you.”

“Meeting you changed my life. You are my savior.”

“It’s the first time time in the North has felt so long. Not a single day has passed without me thinking of you. I wonder what you’re doing, if you’re well, if that bothersome countess’s daughter is pestering you again. I’m curious about every little detail of your life.”

“Even when I’m looking at you, I miss you. I think I’m completely crazy about you.”

Ariel found herself helplessly drawn into his warmth, convinced it would last forever.

“Ariel, I don’t want to love anyone but you until the day I die. Promise me that you will be my companion for the rest of your life.

She believed his words with all her heart. And so they vowed to be married.

People said their love was like something out of a fairy tale, a fated romance. Ariel never questioned it.

Not even now, when everything was falling apart.

“Fate…”

But now she wasn’t so sure.

Was it really fate?

If we were meant to be together, maybe it wasn’t fate… but a cruel twist of fate.

Was it because I realised it too late… that everything ended up like this?

Ariel brushed away the tears that were streaming down her face and took a shaky breath. She knew that crying like a child wouldn’t change anything.

And beyond Kylance, there was something else she had to endure.

Her father’s death.

As she tried to steady herself against the harsh reality, the carriage came to a halt.

“My lady, we’ve arrived.”

The door opened and Ariel stepped out slowly.

Above the great mansion, a black flag fluttered solemnly in the breeze – a symbol of the passing of the head of the family.

The servants of the Marquisate, dressed in mourning, bowed their heads in respect as she passed.

Gathering all her strength to keep her trembling body steady, Ariel made her way to the family cemetery at the back of the estate, where the graves of her ancestors rested.

The solemn voice of the priest reciting a prayer for peace filled the air.

With each step closer to her father, Ariel felt her breath quicken and her chest tighten painfully. She wanted to deny the reality that awaited her. She desperately wished this was all a dream.

Forcing herself to stay upright, Ariel finally stopped in front of her father’s coffin.

The priest paused for a moment in the middle of his prayer. She could feel the weight of countless eyes upon her, but Ariel’s attention was focused solely on her father.

There he lay, silent and still in the large coffin, his eyes closed peacefully.

“Father…”

Ariel cried softly, her voice strained with suppressed grief.

The one you said you loved most has come to you. Why won’t you look at me? Why don’t you hold me in your warm embrace?

Why… do you lie there like this?

Ariel let out the words trapped in her heart, her voice breaking with tears.

“Father…”

She called again with all her strength, but there was no answer. Her father’s eyes remained closed.

He lay motionless, his pale face serene, never to wake.

She would never see his loving gaze or hear his gentle voice again. He was truly gone. Ariel could no longer deny the cruel reality.

The suffocating silence of death struck her heart like a blade.

Overwhelmed, Ariel collapsed against the coffin, unable to stand.

“Father… I’m so sorry. For coming too late… for not protecting you… h-heuk, I’m so sorry…”

Her heartbreaking sobs echoed through the funeral hall. Her aunt, unable to bear her grief, pulled her into a comforting embrace as Ariel wept bitterly.

And so, amidst Ariel’s heartbreaking cries, the coffin of Marquis Ulis Blante was laid to rest.

***

The funeral was remarkably low-key.

For the head of the venerable Blante Marquisate, one of the Empire’s most distinguished noble houses, the attendance was small – only a handful of distant relatives had come to pay their respects.

“It is hard to believe… but they say the evidence of treason was irrefutable. The day after his meeting with His Majesty, he took his own life. Everyone says that Brother couldn’t bear the shame and fear of exposure, so he decided to end it himself. H-heuk…”

Her aunt had burst into tears before she could finish her thought.

“But Ariel, isn’t the Grand Duke coming?”

A cousin, who had comforted her sobbing aunt, asked about Kylance. Completely exhausted, Ariel could only shake her head, lacking the strength to offer an explanation.

But Ariel couldn’t shake her confusion.

If her father really wasn’t guilty, where did all this evidence come from? Who would go so far as to smear his name with such accusations?

Her father hadn’t been a man with many enemies. He had always lived a life of generosity and kindness.

The more she thought about it, the more lost she felt in the endless questions.

“Father… what really happened to you…?”

She whispered, her eyes fixed on her father’s grave. If anyone had seen her, they might have thought she was losing her mind, but it didn’t matter – she was alone.

Ariel reached out, her fingers brushing the gravestone with her father’s name etched into it. The cold surface of the stone pressed against her palm, a chilling reminder of reality.

Ariel’s tumultuous thoughts began to fall into place.

Only one thing mattered now.

“…Father would never have committed treason.”

Yes, that was the most important truth.

She had to find out why her father had been branded a traitor and what had really happened. She was determined to find the answers herself.

No matter what it took.

As she rose from the grave with newfound determination, her aunt suddenly burst into the family graveyard, her steps hurried and urgent.