Chapter 001
* * *
“Everything is ready to welcome the Madam.”
The North, where everything had completely collapsed after the beast war ended.
With virtually nothing left but ruins, reconstruction work was urgent.
Even so, the bride said she didn’t mind.
Rather, she said she would pack her simple belongings and come up to the North right away?
Around the time rumors about this unique bride-to-be spread throughout the castle.
Archduke Kairosen of the North stood before the castle gates to greet his bride.
And…
As if announcing her southern origin, a pure white carriage cut through the pitch-black forest and slowly approached.
Even so, Archduke Kairosen stood tall without a single trace of emotion.
He certainly didn’t look like a husband about to meet his wife for the first time.
Before such an Archduke, the carriage finally came to a stop.
Serentia Rosemarie, the noble lady from the South who disembarked from the carriage along with a coachman carrying her light luggage and a waiting maid…
“Hello, Your Grace.”
She offered a light greeting along with a curtsy.
It must surely be a marriage she was sold into.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t heard the strange rumors that the number of beasts Archduke Raphael Kairosen had killed exceeded several hundred.
She must have certainly seen all the ruined territories of the North on her way here.
Yet, strangely, she was even smiling brightly.
“Ah, come to think of it! Aside from just calling you Your Grace… would you give me permission to use your name?”
As if she didn’t find the castle gates of the North cold at all, the lady chattered affectionately like a bird.
And ‘Monster Archduke’ Raphael Kairosen, who was staring intently at her, replied coldly.
“No, I do not permit the use of my name.”
It meant she should continue to call him ‘Your Grace.’
At his cold-blooded words, everyone held their breath.
However, Serentia’s eyes were still shining.
“Ah, I understand!”
“Yes, then…”
The moment Raphael gave a stiff reply and tried to turn around.
Serentia tucked her long silver hair behind her ear and spoke shyly.
“Then, can I call you Honey from now on?”
“…Honey?”
“Yes, Honey!”
Raphael’s chilling gaze shot straight at Serentia’s radiant face.
“Is that the name of a beast?”
* * *
“’Honey? Is that the name of a beast?’ Honestly…”
“Be quiet.”
A few minutes later, inside Archduke Kairosen’s office.
Immediately after letting Serentia into the inner castle.
Sitting across from his aide, Thayne, Raphael’s expression became as frigid as a winter cold wave.
“It really was a shock, Your Grace.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“I’ve lived long enough to see everything. To think Archduke Kairosen would be at a loss for words!”
“Shut your mouth and check the official marriage certificate. It needs to be shared with Lady Rosemarie on the day of the wedding.”
“Ah, yes.”
Three seconds after his instant reply.
Thayne muttered, setting the documents face down.
“Ah, not this boring stuff. Your Grace’s expression earlier, it was truly something I’ve seen for the first time in my life…”
Watching his aide smile like a fool, Raphael spoke quietly.
“Forget it.”
“Uh-huh, I forgot. But you see, Your Grace knows very well that you only have two expressions. Yet, for the first time in my life, I saw your third expression today?”
Thayne alternated between a scowl and a blank face before grinning.
“That’s not forgetting it.”
“…Anyway, my point is, I’ve become very curious whether the future Grand Duchess will be able to move Your Grace’s heart.”
“We will live moderately like this, and the Grand Duchess will manage internal affairs according to the contract between our families. That’s all.”
“Wow, what an iron wall…”
“There won’t even be much reason to meet. And certainly no reason to uselessly mix emotions.”
It was truly an impregnable fortress of emotion.
Thayne scratched his head with a grimace.
‘Well, who could breach that iron wall?’
This marriage was also a ‘hasty marriage’ born from a joint effort between the Council and the Emperor to force Raphael into matrimony.
The storm Serentia had summoned quickly dissipated.
The atmosphere in the office became very, very quiet as usual.
Raphael stared out at the castle gates with a quiet expression.
The carriage Serentia had ridden in was still visible at the main gate.
It was an incredibly simple carriage, and her luggage was just one small bundle.
Only one maid, and even she was supposed to return soon, wasn’t she?
It was indeed a strange thing.
그러나 그다지 관심 따위, 둘 필요 없는 일이기도 했다.
Raphael withdrew his gaze from the main gate.
* * *
After unpacking in the guest room of <Kairosen Castle>.
I, Serentia Rosemarie, thought to myself.
Upon entering Kairosen Castle, I had tried bringing up the title ‘Honey’ one more time, but…
“If it isn’t the name of a beast, I have no interest.”
“It’s not the name of a beast! Since we are a future married couple… we should have at least one affectionate pet name like Honey or Darling!”
“Call me Archduke Kairosen. Now, Butler, guide the lady to the guest room.”
…I was swiftly rejected.
Well, to Raphael, I was just a woman he met for the first time.
Even if we were to be officially married in three months, I was just a guest for now.
Still, it seemed the pet name ‘Honey’ was too fast after all.
In the end, Raphael left coldly without a backward glance.
‘I feel like I’m about to cry.’
Like that, as I entered the guest room all alone and wiped away my tears…
‘But I don’t shed tears easily!’
…I didn’t.
Instead, I fanned my flushed face with my hands to cool it down, and took a long look around.
Beneath the faint sunlight.
It finally sank in that I had escaped the Rosemarie family and come here.
‘I’ve finally arrived. At Kairosen Castle.’
And that the northern sun was rising beyond the window.
‘Because I have a very, very, very important goal!’
Sitting on the sofa in the guest room, I bravely steeled my heart.
Before me appeared a rough-looking head maid. With black eyes and hair, she was extremely tall, looking to be about 180cm.
I looked at her solemnly, with an expression that was definitely not intimidated.
“Greetings. My name is Melosi. I will faithfully serve you until Lady Serentia’s wedding. But why are you trembling like that? Are you cold?”
I’m not trembling? I-I’m not scared at all?
I confidently extended a hand for a handshake.
“…I’m not cold. N-Nice to meet you. So, what should I do from now on?”
Receiving my handshake indifferently, the head maid, Melosi, opened her mouth.
“Please take a look at the <Schedule>.”
And, finally.
Swish!
The moment the schedule organized by the head maid appeared before my eyes.
The very first thing I checked was my meetings with Raphael.
But at that moment, I realized a shockingly stark reality.
“You’re saying that for the next three months, my only meetings with my husband are three dinners…?”
Inside the incredibly sparse schedule handed to me by Head Maid Melosi.
Meetings with Raphael were a mere three times.
Thump, crash.
Along with a loud noise, rocks rolled around inside my head.
Head Maid Melosi answered with lifeless eyes.
“Yes. As you may well know, Lord Raphael is busy with the reconstruction of the Kairosen territory.”
Uh, that… won’t do?
According to my grand goal.
I absolutely had to meet Raphael every single day.
Because…
