Episode 1
※ Conversations in Divenian are marked with " ", and conversations in Irenian are marked with 「 」.
Prologue
The sound of the music was gradually fading. At this hour of the night, the musicians were surely drunk. Hebe raised her head and looked at Eres, who stood before her. As their eyes met, Eres gently stroked Hebe’s cheek with his finger.
“Are you feeling calmer now?”
“Ah, yes… I think I’m a bit drunk.”
Hebe gave an awkward smile, rubbed her still-moist eyes, and stepped out of Eres’s embrace. Eres leaned down, bringing his face close to hers. As his ruby-red eyes suddenly approached, Hebe looked at him inquisitively.
“Eres…?”
“It’s just the two of us here.”
Hebe took a tense breath. Her heart began to pound, and her face flushed. It felt as though Eres was exercising some unknown magic over her. Just as Eres’s large hands cupped her face and his lips overlapped hers, Hebe gasped in surprise.
Ah, I shouldn’t do this. She tried to listen to the warning voice echoing in her head and attempted to pull away, but a firm arm wound around her waist. They heard a presence at the end of the hallway where they stood. When Hebe froze, Eres glanced back and grabbed her wrist.
“Come this way.”
Led by Eres as if possessed, Hebe arrived in front of his room. Eres opened the door and looked back at her. Hebe hesitated, unable to enter easily. Her face felt as if it were burning.
“Hurry.”
Eres urged, wrapping an arm around her waist. Having received his bold kiss, Hebe squeezed her eyes shut. She feared Eres might hear her heart, which felt like it was about to burst. A sweet, thick scent of fruit lingered on their touching lips—the scent of the wine they had shared after the ceremony. The kiss, melting into that deep fragrance, felt good enough to send shivers through her.
“I’ve wanted to hold you like this for a very long time.”
Eres stroked Hebe’s golden-brown hair, which had been hidden behind a veil. Hebe stared at him, then suddenly felt her vision lift; Eres had picked her up.
“Ah…!”
Hebe let out a small cry and threw her arms around Eres’s neck.
“I won’t drop you.”
Eres smiled and headed for the bed. Laying Hebe down, he climbed over her.
“What are you doing?”
When a hand reached inside her skirt to caress her thigh, Hebe tried to sit up in panic. However, the solid body pressing down on her did not budge. Through the fabric brushing between her legs, she could tell just how aroused Eres was.
“You are perfect.”
Hebe watched unrealistically as Eres’s hands untied the laces of her dress. The heavy clothes were stripped away, and in an instant, Hebe was left wearing only a thin chemise. Under Eres’s gaze, which scoured her skin through the fabric as if to devour her, Hebe blushed and tried to cover her chest with both hands. But Eres caught her hands and kissed them.
“…It’s our first night together in ten years.”
Listening to the voice coloring her ears, Hebe sank into a distant, hazy mood.
10 Years Ago
The scenery changed noticeably once they crossed the border. Hebe woke up and fell back asleep several times inside the carriage. Her whole body was exhausted from the journey that had lasted several days. However, according to Mrs. Clemens, who accompanied her, they were only halfway there. Hebe’s destination was that far away.
“Your hair is messy,” said Mrs. Clemens, looking at Hebe from the opposite seat.
Hebe lifted her head from where she had been leaning back. A pin holding her hat had slipped out, and a lock of hair had escaped.
“You must be careful not to let your hair show outside.”
Mrs. Clemens looked at Hebe’s golden-brown hair with disapproval. Hebe stuffed her hair back in. The hat she had received as part of her dowry was complicated to wear and felt stifling once put on. Divenia was a cold country, so people always traveled with their heads covered for protection; Mrs. Clemens had strictly insisted that women, in particular, must not expose their hair carelessly.
“Do I have to keep the hat on indoors too?”
“Indoors, you may take off the hat and just wear a veil.”
“Do I have to keep my head covered like this all the time?”
“It is alright to reveal your hair in front of your husband. Since you are a new bride, Lady Hebe, that will be possible after the ceremony.”
Hebe gave a bitter smile at the words “new bride.” If everything had gone according to plan, she would be preparing for her wedding with Anke right now. Then she wouldn’t have to wear such a stifling hat.
“When will we arrive?”
“It will take two more days. We will rest at the station later, so try to get some sleep.”
Frost had already formed on the window. Moving north, the sky grew cloudier and the wind harsher. Hebe settled herself so as not to ruin the shape of her hat and closed her eyes. Her mind was clear, but she wanted to fall back into a dream. In her dreams, she had never left her hometown, Iren.
It was unexpected when Hebe received a proposal from her childhood friend, Anke. Anke, who visited Hebe early in the morning, asked her to go for a walk. The two went up the hill where they usually enjoyed walking and looked down at the sea.
As Hebe gazed at the fragments of light shimmering on the water, Anke suddenly knelt before her. At first, Hebe didn’t understand his actions and tilted her head. Anke, his face flushed, cleared his throat and spoke.
「Hebe, will you marry me?」
「Marriage?」
「Of course, I’m not saying we should do it right now. I need to save more money. I just want you to consider me as your future husband.」
Anke added quickly. His golden curly hair sparkled in the sunlight. Hebe looked at his hair, then smiled happily and nodded.
「Sure. Let’s get married.」
To be honest, Hebe wasn’t sure if she loved Anke. But Anke had been a close friend since childhood, and being with him was always pleasant and good. Rather than hanging around social circles to find a husband and weighing countless men she didn’t know, Hebe thought it would be much better to marry him.
「Thank you, Hebe! I’ll definitely make you happy.」
Anke gave a sigh of relief and took Hebe’s hand. They decided to greet their parents and hold an engagement ceremony after Anke had established himself a bit more. Anke, the son of a family that ran a large seafood shop, was expected to take over the family business. Currently, he worked as an apprentice, going out to sea before dawn just like the other laborers to carry the caught fish into the tanks and transport them to the shop.
「Look at that, it’s a Roan flower.」
On the way down the hill with Anke, Hebe pointed to a flower blooming on a tree. The light purple Roan flower carried the meaning of “blessing” in the language of flowers. Anke picked a few blossoms, made a small bouquet, and gave it to Hebe.
「Since this flower bestowed a blessing on the day I proposed to you, only good things will happen from now on.」
Anke looked happy until the moment they said goodbye. Hebe also returned home humming a tune. She planned to tell her mother about Anke’s proposal at the dinner table.
「My Lady, where have you been? Please, go inside quickly.」
As soon as Hebe opened the door and entered, Nieve, her mother’s maid, hurried out to meet her. At Nieve’s serious expression, Hebe stopped her humming.
「Did something happen, Nieve?」
「The Madam has been looking for you for a while.」
Hebe entered the living room where her mother always stayed.
「Have you been out? I looked for you, but you were nowhere to be seen.」
「I went for a walk with Anke.」
Her mother approached Hebe, hugged her, and kissed her cheek. Hebe realized that her mother’s face against hers was wet.
「What’s the matter, Mother?」
「What did you do when you met Anke?」
Instead of answering Hebe’s question, her mother asked about Anke. It was obvious she was avoiding the subject, but Hebe, remembering Anke’s earnest proposal, said proudly:
「Don’t be surprised. Anke proposed to me today!」
「Anke did?」
Her mother’s emerald eyes, the same color as Hebe’s, widened.
「We’ve only talked about it so far. Anke decided to give a formal greeting after he takes over the business and settles down.」
Unlike the joyful Hebe, her mother was silent. As her expression grew increasingly gloomy, Hebe felt a sense of unease.
「Mother, what on earth is going on?」
「I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.」
Her mother bowed her head and began to sob. Why was she suddenly apologizing to me? Hebe couldn’t understand what was happening at all. Her mother wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and looked at Hebe.
「It will be difficult for you to marry Anke.」
「Why?」
Hebe was bewildered. After confirming there was no one outside the door, her mother led Hebe toward the sofa.
「There is a place you must go.」
「Where do I have to go so suddenly?」
Mother and daughter sat side by side on the sofa. Her mother picked up a letter lying on the table and handed it to Hebe.
「It is truly cruel that this letter arrived on the very day you received a proposal.」
