Chapter 1.2

Thanks to Anna’s quick hands, Serena’s preparations were finished in less than an hour. She looked so beautiful, one could believe the goddess of beauty herself had descended.  

Her soft, long pink-blonde hair was elegantly styled in gentle waves and pinned up in a round bun by Anna’s skillful hands. A silver bell hairpin was added for a touch of charm.  

Leah and Anna looked at Serena with satisfied smiles.  

But Serena herself stared wide-eyed at her reflection in the mirror.

“Leah… Isn’t this dress a bit much?”

The blue silk dress had a full, beautiful skirt, but her pale, slender shoulders were completely exposed. Because her hair was pinned high, her white nape and everything below it were also on display.  

And if she bent over even a little, the curve of her chest was visible.  

Serena straightened her back to avoid exposing her skin.  

Anna, putting a small sapphire necklace around Serena’s neck, scolded her gently.

“My Lady, really. Do you know how daring the ladies’ outfits are these days in the capital? Not just the chest, but the back is cut all the way down to the waist!”

“Anna’s right, Serena. Compared to those, this is practically nun’s attire.”

Serena looked at the mirror, fidgeting with her fingers hesitantly.  

Whether in the North or in the capital, she had always worn dresses that covered her neck, so an evening gown felt awkward.

“We’re running late. Let’s go.”

Leah took Serena’s arm and urged her on.

“Yes, Leah…”

Feeling awkward about her exposed skin, Serena wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

‘She’s such a pretty girl, even I can see it. Imagine what that man will think. He’s going to lose his mind.’

Watching someone else’s romance was always so entertaining.  

Leah saw Serena off with a sly grin.

* * *

As soon as she arrived at the palace, Serena headed straight for the audience chamber.  

She was determined to see His Majesty and return immediately, not even glancing at the noisy ballroom.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

Serena lifted her blue dress and offered a deep curtsy. The Emperor looked at Serena, who resembled his younger sister in her youth, with a pleased smile.

“Yes, it’s been a while. How could my second daughter neglect her father like this? I almost felt hurt.”

“Your Majesty, how could I ever be considered part of the Imperial Family? Please, take back your words.”

The Emperor smiled kindly at Serena’s reply.

“Haha, I can’t even joke around you. That upright nature is just like the Grand Duke.”

His niece Serena looked like his younger sister, but her personality was exactly like the Grand Duke of the North.

“By the way, that dress suits you perfectly. You look wonderful all dressed up like this.”

The Emperor smiled warmly and complimented Serena.

‘Oh, so His Majesty prepared the dress.’

Since Leah had only delivered it and told her to ask “that man,” Serena assumed the Emperor was the one who had gifted her the dress.  

Leah, who often argued with the Emperor, sometimes irreverently referred to him as “that man.”

“So you gave me this dress, Your Majesty. Thank you.”

No matter the design, Serena was deeply grateful for the giver’s thoughtfulness, so she bowed again in thanks.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t me.”

“…What?”

‘Then who could it be?’

If it were her father, he would never have picked out a dress like this.  

As Serena wondered, the Emperor dodged the question. He remembered Leah’s repeated instructions never to answer if Serena asked.  

Before Serena could catch on, the Emperor quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, Sir Fermel just stopped by. If you’d arrived a little earlier, you might have met him. Do you remember Sir Fermel?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. Didn’t he serve as my escort knight when I was young? And now, he’s the hero of the Empire.”

The moment she heard Johannes’s name, Serena’s heart pounded fiercely. She placed her hand over her chest, trying to calm her startled heart.  

The Emperor, oblivious, continued speaking.

“By the way, child, it’s time for you to marry. I’ve picked out a man for you—”

“Your Majesty, I do not wish to marry.”

Serena forgot her manners and interrupted the Emperor.  

She bit her red lips and bowed her head.  

Until now, she had avoided the Emperor’s persuasion with the excuse of work, but she sensed it would be much harder from now on.

‘I don’t want to marry unless it’s for love.’

She knew such words were considered spoiled in noble society, especially for a Grand Duke’s daughter.  

Thankfully, her father had always respected her wishes, so she had never even been engaged at twenty-three.  

Compared to other young ladies who usually got engaged at twenty, it was rare.

“Your father has already given his permission.”

“Father did?”

Her father had always been on her side. He would never have approved a marriage without asking her first.  

Serena looked at the Emperor in shock.

“Because your intended is Sir Johannes Fermel.”

The Emperor looked at his niece with a triumphant expression, like a child expecting praise. But Serena’s face went pale.  

Frozen for a moment, she finally cried out.

“Your Majesty!”

“Oh my, you startled me. I’m not deaf yet.”

Serena clutched her trembling hands and stepped closer to the Emperor.  

The fact that the partner for her arranged marriage, set up by the Emperor, was Sir Johannes? It was true she had harbored feelings for him for a long time, but she had never wished for it to happen like this.  

Moreover, he already had someone in his heart.  

Knowing that, she could understand how painful it must be to marry someone one does not desire.

“Your Majesty. No matter what, even as someone like you, you cannot force someone to marry against their wishes.”

As the loyal commander of the Imperial Knights, he would obey any order from the Emperor without question. She did not wish to take her place at his side by crushing his heart in such a way.  

Unlike the agitated Serena, the Emperor remained calm.

“My, you worry over nothing. If it’s Sir Fermel, he has already agreed. He seemed quite pleased, in fact.”

‘He agreed…? And was even pleased… what does that mean?’

Confusion spread across Serena’s face.

“Still, you don’t say you dislike Sir Fermel. All this time, you’ve rejected every eligible man I’ve introduced, no matter who they were.”

“Your Majesty, that’s—”

Serena’s face flushed bright red, as if her heart had been seen through.  

The Emperor nodded with a knowing and satisfied smile, as though he understood everything.

“Since both parties have given their consent, everything is settled. Sir Fermel has gone to the ballroom, so you should go as well.”

“…Understood, Your Majesty.”

She had never intended to go there.  

But somehow, it seemed she had to speak with him directly.  

If she met him, she would simply talk about the marriage and then leave.  

If, by any chance, he had agreed to the marriage only because of the Emperor’s insistence, she would tell him it was all right to follow his heart.  

With that firm resolve, Serena bowed to the Emperor.  

In her hurry to reach the ballroom, she failed to notice her intended watching her from behind.

* * *

The ballroom, illuminated by splendid chandeliers, was crowded with countless nobles. They were deep in conversation, but fell silent the moment Serena entered.  

Serena, wishing to draw as little attention as possible, headed for a secluded corner.  

Ever since she was eighteen, she had been running about to become a nurse, so she had neglected social gatherings and had no friends her own age to confide in.  

She could understand, to some extent, the coldness of the others.  

She never imagined that their silence was because they were struck by her beauty.  

The young ladies looked at her with admiration. The young noblemen, seeing she had come alone without a partner, kept glancing at each other, hoping to approach her.

‘Sir Johannes isn’t here yet.’

Serena glanced around the room quickly.  

Not seeing him anywhere, she gazed absently at the grand doors.

“His Majesty the Emperor arrives!”

At the herald’s booming voice, everyone in the hall, including Serena, bowed to the Emperor as he took his seat at the head table.  

The Emperor, escorting the Empress, sat down and, with a kindly smile, gave a brief toast.

“It is for you all that I hold this victory ball tonight. So, do not mind me—enjoy yourselves freely.”

At a gesture from the attendant beside the Emperor, the orchestra began to play a lively tune. As the guests chatted and sipped champagne, the person everyone had been waiting for entered the hall.  

Even from afar, his tall, well-built figure, the crisp white uniform of the Imperial Knights, and the blue cloak draped over his shoulders made him stand out.  

Johannes walked in with his back straight, smiling. When he knelt on one knee before the Emperor, the Emperor greeted him warmly with a laugh.  

The young ladies, their faces flushed, fanned themselves and cast sidelong glances at him. Even the musicians paused for a moment.

‘…I’m so glad he returned safely.’

Johannes’s soft, wheat-colored hair and forest-like green eyes were just as she remembered. Seeing him after so long, he looked like a prince from a fairy tale.  

Serena let out a silent sigh of relief.  

Now that she saw him in person, she forgot all about the arranged marriage talk. She was simply grateful that he had come back safely after five years of hardship on the battlefield.  

But, as always, her worries were not unfounded.  

She had feared that seeing Johannes again would make her fall for him endlessly. That fear was coming true, without fail.  

Serena tried to keep her expression calm, but her heart pounded so loudly she could almost hear it herself.

“Sir Fermel, since you are the guest of honor tonight, why don’t you open the dancing?”

The Emperor glanced at Serena as he spoke.  

Johannes also turned his gaze to her.  

When their eyes met, he smiled brightly. The freshness of spring seemed to fill his smile, making Serena’s heart ache with its intensity.

“It’s been a while, Lady Serena. Have you been well?”

“Your Grace, Sir Fermel.”

Serena lifted her dress with trembling hands and greeted him. She was too shy to lift her head and meet his eyes.  

He was even broader than he had been five years ago.  

She tried to avoid looking at his face, but instead, his solid chest filled her view. The tightly woven muscles seemed ready to burst through the white uniform.  

Johannes strode over to her, coming so close she could feel his breath.  

The sensation of his breath near her ear sent a shiver through her core, stirring a new and unfamiliar feeling that made her bite her lip.  

The ticklish, tantalizing sensation scattered her composure.