It was the wedding of the century.

As the grand doors of the Kargen Empire’s cathedral opened, the crowd let out a collective gasp.

At last, today’s main character, Princess Diana, made her entrance.

She lifted her head and gazed at the Kargen Empire’s flag fluttering with a force that seemed to pierce the sky.

She thought of her homeland, Erden, which had been trampled and destroyed under that very flag.

Diana Ahiel Erden, the last princess of the fallen Kingdom of Erden.

Thinking of her people, who would suffer for the rest of their lives in a ruined country, she forced herself to take a step forward, her feet heavy as if they were rooted to the ground.

With each of her steps, the children’s holy choir filled the cathedral.

In the distance, at the end of Diana’s gaze, stood the man who would soon become her husband.

He couldn’t take his eyes off Diana as she walked toward him.

Everything was going exactly as he had planned. A perfect victory, without a single misstep.

Yet, even as he faced her, there was no happy smile befitting the protagonist of a wedding on his face.

“Please exchange the rings of your vows.”

The pope, presiding over the ceremony, spoke.

In that moment, a deep hatred flashed in Diana’s blue eyes, which had shown no emotion until now.

Before the pope, they had to exchange sacred rings of vow.

With this simple act, their souls would be bound as husband and wife.

A scoff escaped Diana’s lips.

It didn’t matter if it was a ring or handcuffs being slipped onto her finger.

All she could think about was the pistol hidden beneath her wedding dress.

She closed her eyes and imagined it: to the sound of the mournful hymn, one by one, putting a cold steel bullet through the foreheads of those beasts.

First, the crown prince of Kargen, who started the war out of greed.

Next, Duke Promes, who killed Queen Isabella—her aunt and as close as a parent.

And finally, the man before her now—the hidden son of the duke, the war hero of Kargen.

Diana glared at the man who would become her husband, her eyes burning.

‘Once…’

Yes, once, she had loved everything about him.

His features, so harmonious they seemed almost ascetic, reminiscent of a god.

His gentle emerald eyes, hidden beneath his rebellious gaze.

His black hair, shining like the night sky, cascading softly, with a slight wave that gave him a languid air.

There were times when all of it was so beautiful and precious that it overwhelmed her heart.

But now, she could no longer allow herself such feelings.

She could not love this man anymore.

Her first love, who made her burn with fever every night since childhood.

The spy who stood closest to her, leaking the royal family’s secrets to the empire and preparing for war.

And the enemy of her kingdom, who stained his hands with the most blood in the war that left only ruins.

Ian Promes.

But in the end, Diana could not draw the pistol from beneath her dress.

Tears began to well in her eyes as she glared at him with murderous intent.

For a moment, Ian’s eyes seemed to waver at the sight of her tears. Instinctively, he reached out his hand.

But Diana turned her face away so abruptly that his outstretched hand was left hanging in the air.

Only then did he return to his usual, unshaken expression.

Feigning composure, he bypassed her rejection and gently tucked her platinum-blonde hair behind her ear.

“Don’t touch me.”

Diana, who even brushed off that gesture, barely composed herself and snapped at Ian.

“Why, are you feeling guilty now?”

“Of course not.”

He gently stroked the back of her delicate hand with his thumb.

“From the moment I first met you, I’ve dreamed only of this day.”

He then slipped a ring, crafted from the continent’s most storied jewel, onto Diana’s ring finger.

Now, they were husband and wife.

She raised her chin, struggling to hide the surge of emotion.

No future historian would dare write that the princess looked like a prisoner of a defeated nation.

Ian met Diana’s gaze directly and pressed a possessive, deep kiss onto the back of her hand.

***

“I’ll help you prepare for your wedding night.”

Diana’s body moved helplessly like a doll at the hands of maids whose names she didn’t even know.

She tried to imagine what the future would hold, but nothing came to mind.

Only pitch-black despair, like the darkness outside the window, seemed ready to swallow her whole.

When the maids finished their work and left, a heavy silence settled over the bedroom.

Rising from where she sat on the bed, Diana walked to the nightstand by the window to check if the pistol she had hidden was still there.

No matter how much she thought about it, there was only one answer.

Knock, knock.

Just as she hid the pistol in her bosom, the man who had just become her husband entered the bedroom.

He saw Diana standing by the window and slowly approached her.

“Diana.”

His voice was filled with concern.

If there was one thing that hadn’t changed, it was that unbearably gentle voice.

Diana said nothing, continuing to stare out the window. Outside, a fierce storm raged, mirroring her devastated heart.

Ian stopped just behind her, keeping a slight distance.

She watched him in the reflection of the glass as he reached out, only to hesitate and lower his hand again.

“…In time.”

He broke the silence.

“You’ll be alright. You’ll get used to life here, and the past… will become the past.”

As if determined, he reached out again and slowly turned her to face him.

Ian gently touched the corners of her eyes, reddened from stubbornly holding back tears, hiding his own desperate longing.

“You don’t have to forgive me, but please don’t cry.”

Through her blurred vision, Diana glared at him, still standing out clearly.

“I thought you were my friend.”

Her voice trembled with deep betrayal.

“I thought you were the only one who truly understood me. I believed I couldn’t be whole without you.”

Ian silently pulled her into his arms.

His grip tightened on her shoulders.

“Ian…”

“Diana.”

“…I loved you.”

Click.

With falling tears, Diana cocked the gun.

“Diana… how long have you had that?”

Feeling the cold steel at his side, he slowly raised his hands and stepped back.

“Ever since there was someone I wanted to kill with my own hands.”

The muzzle was aimed squarely at Ian’s chest.

But unlike her calm face, her hands holding the gun trembled pitifully.

She was sweating so much from tension that she felt she might drop the gun at any moment.

“Put it down. It’s dangerous.”

He swallowed hard and tried to approach Diana to stop her, but she immediately pressed the muzzle under her own chin.

“Don’t come any closer.”

He was so shocked he couldn’t even breathe.

“Don’t do this… Don’t do this, Diana.”

“I know how to send you to hell.”

Diana pressed the gun harder under her chin.

She was clearly smiling, but the tears streaming down her cheeks wet the cold muzzle.

“If I disappear.”

“No, Diana, please…”

“…I’ll send you to hell.”

“No!”

The moment she pulled the trigger, Ian threw himself at her, and with a loud gunshot, dark red blood splattered across the pristine bedroom.

Thunder crashed outside in sync with the gunshot. The black sky poured rain as if to sweep everything from the earth.

Amid the sound of rain beating against the window, Diana’s ragged breathing was heard. She gasped and looked at Ian, who had collapsed onto her lap.

Ian clutched his chest where the bullet had passed through, barely able to breathe.

The white nightdress of the new bride, meant for their wedding night, was stained red with the blood he coughed up.

“Diana…”

Don’t cry. As if to say those words, he caressed Diana’s wet cheek. But all that remained where his hand had touched was a red smear of blood, replacing her tears.

She watched in a daze as he drew his last breath.

Once again, the relentless ticking of the clock pressed down on her shoulders in the silence, and she stared blankly at the gun lying beside her.

Then, without hesitation, she brought it to her temple and pulled the trigger again.

***

Just like that, she was sure she had died. The moment she finally felt her labored breath stop, a cool breeze suddenly filled her lungs, and her whole body felt lighter.

“Diana.”

Someone was calling her.

Realizing that the voice calling her was growing clearer, she felt a throbbing pain in her temple—where the bullet must have mercilessly passed through.

“You’ll catch a cold if you sleep here.”

She knew that voice. How could she not? Had they both fallen into hell together? Would they have to beg God for forgiveness in hell?

“Diana… Princess.”

There was only one person on the continent, in this world, who could call her name so tenderly.

Diana had to open her eyes and see for herself. Was it possible they hadn’t died, or was she so mad that she was conjuring his image even in death?

“You’re finally awake.”

When she finally opened her heavy eyelids, she saw Ian’s unmistakable face.

Behind him, flower petals drifted into the terrace on the night breeze.

“I didn’t expect Her Highness the Princess to dislike balls as well. Hiding here like this.”

He smiled brightly.

As if he had forgotten all about the guilt of war, all about the pain of betrayal.