Chapter 3.8

The Ianster family was originally a house with few male heirs. Therefore, the women of the family learned to ride and use a sword from a young age to protect themselves.

Riding was a talent I had a natural affinity for and could learn quickly, but with a sword, you had to have held one in your hand since childhood to be of any use in a real fight.

I, who grew up in an orphanage, was a good rider, but clumsy with a sword. Conversely, Celine was somewhat skilled with a sword from her childhood lessons, but not very good at riding.

True to its history as a nation that unified the continent through force, every noble family in the Quinze-Nouais Empire was required to have one person participate in the hunting festival, regardless of gender or age.

From our family, I was chosen. Just by looking at Celine’s appearance, I couldn’t imagine her hunting. What’s more, she hadn’t even shown up in a riding outfit today.

In my life as Cha Seyoung, I had learned a bit of riding by following Han Hyuntaek. When that skill combined with the horsemanship Claire Ianster’s body remembered, my form looked quite impressive.

The count’s eyes looked very proud as he watched me mount the horse.

“I’ll be back, Count.”

“Yes, come back safely.”

“Don’t worry.”

I felt a little bad for the count, but I had no intention of hunting today.

As soon as the hunting festival began, I planned to separate from the group, hide in the deepest, most secluded part of the forest, and reappear only around sunset.

It would be a great disgrace for an Ianster to not even catch a single rabbit, but the family’s honor was not a concern of mine at the moment.

I looked around and saw a suitable path to hide in.

When the trumpet signaling the start of the hunt sounded, I moved just as I had planned.

People’s attention was focused on Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, the hero of the North, and the young Crown Prince, Sebastian Quinze-Nouais.

According to people, they had been competing against each other in everything until they were ten years old. When I glanced at them, I could see the primal instincts of a man simmering on their faces.

The forest where the hunting festival took place was directly managed by the Imperial family. An enchanting and mystical landscape unfolded before me, as if it had preserved its primeval state.

In the forest, there were areas marked with blue ropes, and women were not supposed to cross them. Beyond those ropes, large beasts that could harm people, like bears, would appear.

But I decided to cross the blue line just a little bit.

Most men who didn’t want to take risks also preferred to hunt within this blue line, which made it easy to be noticed by people.

I rode for a while and arrived at a peaceful spot in the forest where a spring was gently bubbling. I tied my horse to a ridge and walked a little further in. It seemed to be a place where servants from the palace sometimes came to gather wood, as I saw a tree stump and sat down on it.

The part of the tree stump where people often sat to rest was smooth and shiny. A large tree right next to it was perfect for me to lean my head against.

“Perfect.”

With some time to spare, I carefully went over my plans.

Everything had been ruined by Adrian’s sudden engagement announcement, but I couldn’t go through with the engagement to the Crown Prince either.

I had a strong urge to just run away, but if I were to flee now, it would only be a matter of time before I was caught.

About an hour passed. I felt a presence nearby. The sounds were coming from a distance, so I slowly stood up to move away from them.

“Grand Duke Aurelian, we meet again here.”

But a familiar voice caught me.

“It seems we were chasing the same beast.”

I heard the sound of a sword being sheathed.

“It seems we’ve lost it.”

“Yes. I already saw it run into the forest.”

After a moment of silence, the Crown Prince was the first to speak.

“You… are getting engaged to Celine Ianster, I hear?”

“That is correct.”

“Giving up on Claire Ianster to get engaged to the eldest daughter of the Ianster family… I don’t know how to take this sudden change.”

“Couldn’t I have fallen for her at first sight?”

“Fallen for her at first sight?”

“Isn’t she a very beautiful woman?”

“Yes, indeed. Celine is a very beautiful woman. So… should I assume you have no lingering feelings for Claire at all?”

“Tell me what method, other than treason, I have to take a woman back from the Crown Prince of the Quinze-Nouais Empire.”

Even though his words were clearly sarcastic, the Crown Prince remained calm.

“I’m curious about your true intention.”

“What intention could there be?”

Sharp words were exchanged like swords. ‘I can’t be discovered here.’ I thought to myself and tried to move quietly, holding my breath.

“Didn’t you love Claire Ianster?”

But I stopped instantly.

“Love?”

Adrian scoffed as if he had heard something unbelievable.

“If wanting her so obsessively isn’t love, then what is it?”

“Haven’t you heard that I had the woman stripped of her clothes and hung in the air of the training ground for three days and three nights?”

“…Then is it revenge?”

“Well, revenge is a bit of a grand word. Claire is… simply my possession.”

“A possession, you say?”

“That’s right. She is inherently mine. So whether I keep her, throw her away, or break her, it’s all up to me.”

“…Does she also know how you feel?”

“My feelings? Sebastian, my noble Crown Prince. Do you think the word ‘love’ suits Claire Ianster? If there’s one word that doesn’t fit her at all, it would be ‘love.'”

“So you’ve decided to throw her away? Is that what I’m to understand?”

“…Yes.”

The words came out of Adrian’s mouth as if they were being chewed up and spit out. Yes, I knew all of this. But knowing it didn’t make it hurt any less.

‘Damn you, Adrian.’

“Yes, Celine Ianster is a beautiful woman.”

“…”

“Congratulations. On your engagement.”

Thinking the conversation was over, I slowly stretched the leg I had been standing on tiptoe with. My leg was numb. Right at that moment, I felt something with bristly fur brush past my calf.

“Ah!”

It was a chipmunk. And it was too late.

Hearing my scream, the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke ran over. And Adrian and I made eye contact.

‘Damn it, I’m probably crying…’

A strange, unfamiliar emotion swirled in Adrian’s eyes. But right now, whatever it was, I hated the sight of it.

“Claire, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was trying to hunt a chipmunk…”

‘Nonsense!’

I tried to stand up in a hurry and stumbled. My leg was still numb, and I was quite flustered. Seeing my flustered state, the Crown Prince quickly approached me.

Confirming I was alright, he lifted my arms to wrap around his neck and helped me stand. In the past, I would have slowly freed myself from him without being rude.

But now, I just let myself fall into him. I just wanted to rest.

Leaving Adrian behind, the Crown Prince took me to where his horse was.

“Oh… My horse is over there…”

“I’ll have a man bring it over.”

“Okay.”

The Crown Prince, with me in front of him on his horse, didn’t say a single word. His consideration felt very welcome.

As we walked through the quiet forest for a while, my mind began to calm down. The cheers of men who had successfully hunted echoed in the distance, so we hadn’t come that far.

“The Grand Duke doesn’t know you very well, but there’s no need to make him.”

“No. The Grand Duke knows me very well. You know it too, Your Royal Highness. You know how wickedly I tormented him…”

“That’s all in the past. Even so, he shouldn’t treat you like an object.”

“Some wounds are so deep that they never become a thing of the past. And you also treat me like an object, Your Royal Highness.”

“No, I don’t treat you like an object.”

“Don’t say that. The very fact that I am here with you now is proof.”

“Claire, that’s not… it.”

“If it’s not, then please let me go.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

After that, neither the Crown Prince nor I said another word, but I agreed to walk through the forest with him. I just didn’t want to face anyone right now. It was especially difficult to see Adrian and Celine together.

As the sun set, a chill settled in the forest. He draped his coat over my shoulders.

“We should go back now. People will be worried.”

“Alright.”

The day’s victory went to Adrian. He hadn’t caught a single beast when we had run into him, but it seemed he had hunted an incredible number of animals since then.

The winner’s wreath goes to his partner.

Wearing the wreath and smiling brightly, Celine looked like a forest fairy. And Adrian, standing silently beside her, showed no expression at all on his face.

“Congratulations, Grand Duke.”

“…Thank you.”

I just closed my eyes and sat still in front of the Prince’s horse. I couldn’t bring myself to face Adrian. The quick-witted Crown Prince hugged me tighter and quickly looked away, shouting to the crowd.

“Well, I’ll be heading back now as my fiancée is not feeling well.”

“Hahaha, Your Royal Highness. Has your future wife already got you under her thumb?”

The hunting festival had a more relaxed atmosphere than other events. On this day, knights and nobles could talk to the Crown Prince without hesitation. And he, too, handled the situation gracefully.

“I suppose so. The expression on this woman’s face is more frightening than a bear or a lion in the forest, so what choice do I have?”

“Wahahaha. How wise you are!”

The pleasant laughter of the men filled the forest, and I headed home without even dismounting. The Crown Prince’s attendants quietly followed us, and he remained silent all the way back to the count’s mansion.

With his help, I dismounted and thanked him sincerely.

“Thank you so much today, Your Royal Highness.”

“If you are so grateful, bring some tea leaves and visit the Imperial Palace next time.”

I pretended to lift a non-existent skirt to curtsy to the teasing Crown Prince and took my leave.

“Of course, Your Royal Highness.”

I hurried inside, washed up, and lay down. The Count and Celine didn’t seem to be back yet.

Although I didn’t show it, I had been furious on the way back from the hunting grounds. It was so unfair to be treated this way for something I hadn’t done. I resented the original Claire for causing Adrian such irreparable shame and pain, but what could I do about it now?

If Celine had arrived a little later, maybe my relationship with Adrian would have been different. I couldn’t have hoped for love, but we could have been good friends…

Since I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, I put on some light clothes and went out into the garden in my nightwear. After being in the cool night air for a while, I felt my energy returning.

But then, I saw a familiar figure standing alone in a corner of the garden.

‘Adrian…’

Our eyes met, but I didn’t call his name. I quickly turned my gaze away from him and turned to go back inside. But Adrian had already come to block my path.

“Get out of my way.”

I didn’t want to see him tonight.

 

***

 

Adrian simply watched Claire ride away on the Crown Prince’s horse. He instinctively tried to recall the words he had just spewed out.

But what did it matter? He couldn’t understand why that woman was shedding such ill-fitting tears and making him feel so miserable.

He saw a deer pass by in the distance, pulled a small dagger from his pocket, and threw it at the animal. The deer dropped to the ground without a sound.

After that, he couldn’t remember much. Only a memory of him slaughtering dozens of beasts, swinging his sword like a murderer from a war.

‘Damn it, damn it.’

But no matter how much he killed and slashed, his heart felt utterly empty.

The Crown Prince, like a victor, sat on his horse and offered him congratulations.

And Claire Ianster, like a weary bird, was nestled within the Crown Prince’s coat, not even sparing him a single glance.

Ever since a certain point, whenever Claire turned her back on him, Adrian would feel suffocated no matter how much he breathed. Unspoken curses kept spilling from his lips.

“Aurelian, you are today’s victor.”

Celine whispered beside him, her voice like a snake’s. The beautiful woman, wearing a wreath and smiling, felt so much like a reflection of himself that it was horrible.

After seeing Celine into the count’s mansion, Adrian couldn’t bring himself to leave and simply stood there, staring at the window of Claire’s room.

He felt like he couldn’t sleep unless he at least saw her shadow. Then, as if it were a lie, she appeared before him.

Adrian thought Claire would immediately approach and confront him if she saw him. He wanted her to tell him to think what he wanted but not to carelessly talk about her to others.

But this woman saw him and turned around to go back inside. Adrian’s instincts took over and he blocked her path.

The breath that had been trapped in his lungs returned.

“Get out of my way.”

“Claire.”

He called her name, but the woman didn’t answer. He grew impatient. He grabbed her arm without a word, dragged her into a dark corner, and pinned her against a wall. The clothes that had been precariously draped over her shoulders fell to the floor.

The woman who had been dragged in refused to look him in the eye.

“Claire!”

He called her name again, but she still wouldn’t meet his gaze, so he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

But when Claire finally looked straight at him, this time it was Adrian who was speechless.

His empty hands felt a tingling sensation, and he clenched and unclenched his fists. Then, without a word, he kissed her.

If the woman had resisted, if she had bitten his lip instead, his feelings wouldn’t have been so utterly miserable.

Even as he pulled her closer and roughly pushed his tongue into her mouth, there was no sweet scent in return. He felt none of the sweetness that usually drove him crazy.

He pulled his lips away and looked at Claire’s face, but she neither met his gaze nor opened her mouth.

“Why were you crying earlier?”

“…”

“What did you do to deserve…”

“…”

“Claire Ianster, are you trying to drive me insane?!”

“…”

“Claire!”

No matter how much he pressured her, she didn’t answer. Adrian felt that his plans no longer mattered. A sadistic thought of dragging this woman away somewhere and locking her up where no one could see her began to surface.

And with that thought, Adrian didn’t hesitate. He grabbed her and started to pull her away. Claire resisted, but her strength was feeble.

“You sociopath.”

Finally, an unintelligible word came from Claire. His mind twisted with rage at the woman who would only open her mouth when he tried to drag her away by force.

“Shut up.”

He then put Claire in the carriage he had taken to bring Celine home. The carriage immediately set off for the Grand Duke’s residence.

 

***

 

There was silence inside the carriage as well. But I couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

This time, he kept his mouth shut.

“It’s time to stop now.”

When the carriage arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence, the enormous iron gate bearing the ducal crest immediately opened, and we soon reached the entrance of the mansion.

He grabbed my arm and led me directly to his bedroom. When the maids tried to approach, the quick-witted head butler stopped them.

Adrian sat me on his bed and stood over me, breathing heavily as if he were rooted to the spot. After a moment, he seemed to have calmed down, and he slowly approached and helped me to my feet.

In the darkness, my eyes had adjusted, and I could see the turmoil in his. He slowly leaned his face toward mine. I just let him.

“Claire.”

With eyes full of confusion, he lightly touched his lips to mine and then pleaded with me, but I took a step back from him.

But Adrian pressed closer to me, trying to kiss me again. It was as if this was the only way now.

“Stop it.”

“What?”

“There’s a limit to how much I’ll tolerate your rude behavior.”

“…”

“I know you have antisocial personality disorder, but what you’re doing is completely wrong. If you’re sorry, just apologize.”

He frowned in confusion at my words. But he then took a step closer to me. I, however, didn’t allow him to get any closer.

At my clear rejection, Adrian backed away from me and turned his back. His shoulders heaved with rough breaths.

“You… in the end, you…”

“Stop it now. It’s time to stop.”

“Stop?”

“It may be hard, but please, forgive me now.”

“Forgive? Forgive you for what?”

“Yes, I tormented you to death. I abused you. I broke your spirit. And I tried my best to make up for it!”

“I don’t have a single clue what you’re talking about right now.”

His tone wasn’t sarcastic; he sounded genuinely curious.

“Yes, it might have been far from enough for you. The pain you suffered as a child is something I can’t even imagine. That time was so long. But now, I can’t change any of that. You have to stop making yourself miserable just to hate me.”

“You think I’m doing this to you because of that? Because of a mere whipping?”

“Then what else could it be?!”

He turned back to face me. Adrian’s eyes gleamed sharply, like a wounded beast.

“You abandoned me!”

‘Abandoned you? But I ran away from you…’

“In the end, you just wanted to see me play like a fool in your hands, didn’t you?”

“…”

“In the end, you enjoy seeing me fall apart, just as you wanted. Isn’t that right?”

His words confused me so much I couldn’t answer.

“You wanted to make me act like a pathetic dog, drooling and restless by your side just because of your cheap tears. Didn’t you?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“You’re amazing, Claire Ianster. Truly amazing. But I will never let you play with me again.”

But Adrian knew.

That if she were to reach out and wrap her arms around his waist right now, he would still be a fool in her hands. He knew that even though she would take him to the highest point and then lightly brush him off like dust, he would still grab the hand that Claire offered.

Wasn’t she a truly amazing woman? Before, she broke him with whips and shackles, and now, she was breaking him with a single glance and a single tear.

But Adrian didn’t care.

Soon, he would have her completely. And if he were to fail, he would kill her. And then he would follow her in death.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her outside, getting back into the carriage. Only then did Adrian notice that she was wearing her pajamas. Claire’s body was trembling.

Adrian took off his coat and draped it over her. And then he held her close. He expected Claire to push him away, but she calmly let her body rest against his.

Claire had asked him to forgive her, but she didn’t know the truth. Adrian no longer cared about anything she had done to him or anything she would do to him in the future. As long as she stayed by his side.

Claire Ianster had, in the end, taken not just his body but his soul as well.

 

***

 

Adrian’s parting words yesterday had been stuck in my head. I had always feared he would kill me because I had abused him for two years. But he had said something completely different, and that fact was quite a shock. An abused person doesn’t use the word “abandoned” to describe what happened to them.

I considered going to see him, but the eyes of the Imperial family had been staying at the count’s residence for some time, making it difficult to go to him. I was the Crown Prince’s fiancée-to-be, no matter what anyone said, and Adrian was my former fiancé. Going to see him was a very dangerous idea.

Feeling stifled, I decided to go out with Sally. I had received a letter from Haley two days ago saying that she had started classes, and I also had some things to do in the city, so I hurried to get ready in the morning. I planned to visit the academy Haley was attending.

“Sally, you’re unusually quiet today.”

“Me?”

“Yes, who else is in here besides you?”

Sally glanced at the carriage door as if someone else was there, then gave an awkward laugh with a look that said I was talking nonsense.

“We’re almost there, miss.”

Cedric’s voice came from outside. He had come to the count’s mansion early that morning. Cedric had also received Haley’s letter, so we had planned to visit Haley together today. She was going to move into the dormitory soon, so it would be hard for her to go out freely after that.

Soon, the academy’s spire came into view.

The Quinze-Nouais Empire had always valued martial arts over literature. But after unifying the empire, the first thing the late Emperor ordered to be built was an academy. In accordance with the late Emperor’s will, the academy was built to be as magnificent as a sacred cathedral or a historic temple.

Upon entering, I was unexpectedly greeted not by the dean but by Sir Glenn Dougherty.

“Sir Dougherty. You’re here.” 

“I heard you were coming, so I came out to meet you.”

Seeing a familiar face made me feel comfortable for the first time in a while.

“What about assisting the Crown Prince? Why are you at the academy?”

“I am not the Crown Prince’s chief aide. I am a bit too young to be a chief aide. Instead, I’m here to establish a new academic department at the academy.”

I followed his gaze, which he proudly turned, and saw a newly constructed building.

“It’s a medical academy.”

“Ah… truly, one must appreciate your drive, Sir Dougherty.”

I shook my head from side to side and clapped my hands in respect for Glen.

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to meet you, Lady? You’ve been so busy, it’s been harder than getting an audience with His Imperial Majesty.”

My face, which had been filled with genuine admiration, now showed a look of dismay. If he caught me now, my plans for the day would be over.

“Hahaha, but I already have an appointment. And Sir Dougherty, being too far ahead of your time isn’t always a good thing! Ah! My appointment is just arriving. I’ll be going now.”

I hurried past him, making sure Glenn couldn’t grab me.

“Haley!”

Haley smiled brightly at me, Cedric, and Sally. Dressed in an academy uniform instead of a maid’s uniform, she looked like a young student to anyone.

“Haley, the uniform suits you so well.”

Sally walked around her, admiring her.

“Thank you, Sally. Thank you for coming all this way, Lady Claire.”

We followed Haley to a guest room prepared in the academy. I asked Cedric and Sally to sit, but they insisted on standing.

“Haley, have you decided what you’re going to study?”

“I’ve decided to study horticulture.”

“Horticulture? I didn’t know you were interested in plants.”

“Oh, actually, I wanted to study herbal medicine. As you know, miss, my mother passed away without ever being able to use proper medicine. It has always bothered me.”

“Then why aren’t you studying herbal medicine?”

“They said women can’t do it…”

“What? Why?”

“That’s just how it is. But female students who study horticulture can work as a doctor’s assistant.”

“What do you mean, ‘that’s just how it is’? What’s the reason women can’t study it?”

“It’s… an important field of study.”

I couldn’t help but let out a frustrated laugh at Haley’s answer.

“There’s no such thing as an unimportant field of study. And is this discrimination fair when we’re paying the same tuition?”

“Discrimination?”

I was the only one in the room getting angry, and the three of them looked at me as if they had heard something they didn’t understand.

“Hmm, this won’t do. Go tell Sir Glenn Dougherty that I’d like to meet with him, Cedric.”

Cedric nodded at my words and immediately went out. And Glen appeared before me just as quickly, as if he had been waiting in the next room for me.

“Sir Dougherty, you always said you were thirsty for my insights, didn’t you?”

“Of course.”

At my words, Glen’s face was filled with nearly joyful anticipation.

“But you know, it seems I’ve been giving you my insights without any reward. Don’t you think?”

“Pardon? Ah, of course. Such ideas are not something one can hear from just anyone.”

“So, I have a question. I’d like you to answer that first.”

“What is it?”

“Will women be allowed to enroll in the newly established medical academy?”

“Women? Why would women study medicine?”

I couldn’t hide my dismay. It was a shame that even Glenn, who I thought embraced ideas centuries ahead of his time, held such outdated views.

‘Oh, is this the outdated era? Well, whatever.’

“What do you mean ‘why’? Then why shouldn’t women be allowed to go to the medical academy?”

“Medicine is a field that deals with life.”

“So?”

“So?”

“Is there a law that says women can’t deal with life?”

“That’s not it, but…”

“Okay, I get it. But I’m not here to argue about fundamental principles. Sir Dougherty, you are in charge of establishing the new medical academy, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And Sir Dougherty still wants to hear my insights?”

“Of course.”

“Then, please allow women to enroll in the medical academy. That will be the condition for me to continue giving you my ideas. And if Haley here wants to study medicine, please help her to become the first female student of the medical academy.”

“Oh, miss!”

“Haley, don’t worry. I won’t force you if you don’t want to. But women can become doctors. That’s all I want to say.”

Dougherty fell into thought, but his contemplation didn’t last long.

“…Very well. Let’s do it. There will be some backlash, but since I am the one in charge, I can handle it.”

His answer came out surprisingly fast for someone who had just been in deep thought. And as promised, I dedicated the rest of my afternoon to Glenn.

Every noble family had a resident physician, and they didn’t see patients unless someone in the family was ill, instead dedicating themselves to their own medical research. They possessed many secret remedies, but there was no unified textbook. If these people were to work under the country’s call, it would be a huge help.

“I see. The idea of doctors taking turns on duty is also very ingenious.”

“Yes. If patients directly seek out doctors, the number of patients one doctor can see will increase tremendously.”

“But the sickest people who can’t move won’t be able to come to the hospital. And not many citizens of the Empire have the means to ride in a carriage.”

“I’ll have to think about that part. Honestly, even in the future, it’s not easy for very sick people to go to a big hospital.”

“Future?”

“Ah, it won’t be easy. And for those who have a hard time moving around, we can build rooms for them to be hospitalized in.”

I raised two fingers and made an ‘okay’ sign.

“The problem is this: money.”

“Don’t worry about that. I know the current finances of the Quinze-Nouais Imperial family better than anyone.”

Glen wrote down everything I said without missing a single thing. And I had no idea what kind of results this small beginning of ours would bring me later.

On the way home, I glanced at Sally.

“Say, Sally. Are you… sad?”

“Me? About what?”

“That I only helped Haley get into the academy.”

“What? Not at all. Studying? I hate studying. And miss, Haley—I mean, Lady Haley is a noble, no matter what anyone says. Don’t worry about me.”

“Really? Well, that’s a relief then…”

As the carriage was nearing the count’s mansion, I heard a knock on the carriage window.

“Miss Claire.”

“Yes, what is it?”

He was no longer the count’s knight, so he didn’t have to call me ‘miss,’ but he continued to do so.

“Thank you, sincerely.”

“You mean about Haley? It’s really no big deal.”

“It is. This is the first time I’ve seen Haley this happy since our parents passed away. It’s all thanks to you, miss. I will repay this debt for sure.”

I could only smile gently at Cedric. It was incredible how a man who had desperately wanted to kill the old Claire had changed so much.

It was no exaggeration to say that the original story had been completely altered. Hadn’t I survived, even while being caught between Adrian and the Crown Prince?

 

***

 

The entire city was abuzz, enjoying the peak of the Foundation Day festival.

And today was the day of the last noble event, the Swordsmanship Festival. In the meantime, the Crown Prince had summoned me to the palace a few times, but I had refused his requests each time. My reason was that I wasn’t feeling well. And that was actually true.

Once the Swordsmanship Festival was over, a festival for commoners would take place throughout the city. After that, I would move forward with my plan.

“Miss.”

“Yes.”

“Are you still feeling unwell today?”

“No, I’m fine today.”

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has come to escort you personally.”

The child who had replaced Haley as my attendant came to inform me that he was already waiting for me in the drawing-room.

“Alright. Please hurry with the preparations.”

The Swordsmanship Festival was a tournament. Of course, the Crown Prince didn’t participate, but as the highest authority, he would watch every match from beginning to end. I had to attend the festival in my capacity as the Crown Prince’s fiancée-to-be.

I hadn’t seen Adrian since the hunting festival. The look on his face that day, as he had lamented that I had abandoned him, kept clouding my vision.

“I heard you weren’t feeling well. Are you sure you’re okay to go today?”

The Crown Prince’s voice broke into my thoughts.

“Yes, don’t worry.”

The Crown Prince was fundamentally a very kind person. Like the male lead in a book, he was a devoted man who was only kind to his woman. Of course, he had been with many women before he met Celine and fell in love. The book had mentioned in many places that he was quite the Casanova.

To win Celine’s heart, he would use all his charms. Just like he was now. A halo of light seemed to radiate from behind him, as if there were a reflector. His beauty left a strong impression on me, like a sharp tap to the forehead. But strangely, my heart didn’t flutter for the Crown Prince.

“You’ll be seeing the Grand Duke today.”

I’ve always had this problem, but I’m not good at hiding my emotions. The smile on the Crown Prince’s face, which had been so relaxed, began to fade. As my silence stretched on, the Crown Prince shook his head and continued lightly.

“But you won’t have to see him up close. He’s a contestant today.”

“What? Does the Grand Duke ever compete in the Swordsmanship Festival?”

“It’s a symbolic gesture. Quinze-Nouais is a nation that conquered the world with military might. Perhaps he wants to show something to the people…”

He frowned slightly.

“Does your head hurt?”

“Only until I see you.”

I leaned forward slightly and gently placed my hand on his forehead. He flinched, and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Just let it go. It’s not your fault, Your Royal Highness.”

“Are you scolding me?”

“Yes, I am. And the headaches and nightmares aren’t because of a curse. They’re from guilt and stress.”

“Stress?”

“It’s like pressure on your brain. And peace gained through someone else’s sacrifice can never last forever. In the end, you have to save yourself.”

When I tried to take my hand off his forehead, he grabbed it with his own hand, not letting me move it. And the way he looked up at me with his eyes was truly charming.

“Every single word you said is right, but for now, you are, without a doubt, my salvation.”

If you looked closely, he was surprisingly a man you couldn’t communicate with.

I was momentarily caught off guard by his overwhelming beauty, but I quickly withdrew my hand and returned to my seat. I began to hear the cheers of the people outside the carriage window.

“Looks like we’re a little late.”

It seemed the contestants for the Swordsmanship Festival had already entered the circular arena. I had heard that a star was born at the festival every year, but this was my first time seeing it in person.

“Do people get hurt?”

“They might, since they’re fighting with real swords.”

“Do people die?”

“Are you worried the Grand Duke might die?”

There would be no more anticlimactic ending to a novel than Adrian dying at this Swordsmanship Festival. But I didn’t deny it.

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry, he is strong.”

We entered a straight path leading to the arena, and the carriage picked up speed, soon entering the Swordsmanship Festival venue. The Emperor and Empress, who hadn’t appeared at the previous hunting festival, were also here for the Swordsmanship Festival.

The sword held a special meaning in Quinze-Nouais. Adrian’s father, the late Emperor, was the best swordsman in the world. According to the Crown Prince, today’s festival had drawn the largest crowd of all time. Adrian’s appearance had that much power to stir people’s curiosity.

And the winner of this Swordsmanship Festival was given a special privilege: to make one wish to the Emperor.

When we arrived, over 100 contestants had already entered the arena at once. The exotic scene unfolding before me looked like a movie set brought to life.

And naturally, I was able to spot Adrian, who was standing at the very front, right away.

The man who had cried out that he was abandoned with wounded eyes just last night was nowhere to be seen. His shoulders, much broader than others, and his perfect physique instantly captured the attention of the audience from afar.

The scale of the circular arena was so vast that it could accommodate tens of thousands of people at once.

A loud trumpet sounded, and with a nod from the Emperor, the first match began.

After ten teams fought at a time, five times over, only 50 participants remained. The brutal and aggressive movements were hard to watch at first, but without realizing it, I became completely absorbed in the matches.

“There are four left now.”

As the sun reached its zenith, the heat in the arena was at its peak. The Crown Prince poured a cool drink into my glass and explained the rules for the remaining matches.

And finally, after countless battles, the Grand Duke of the North, Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, stood facing Sir Kai Kaylen, the Commander of the Imperial Family’s First Knights.

When Adrian appeared in the very center of the arena, a sound of awe came from all over, and it was easy to see why. His presence radiated a quiet light, as if he had been sculpted by the goddess of the moon.

And he easily overpowered Kai Kaylen.

But the final opponent was a man as big as a giant.

Facing the massive opponent, Adrian took off his shirt. Then he tilted his head back and rolled it from side to side a couple of times. Under the beautiful line that fell from his shoulder to his hip, fine muscles were tightly packed.

The women couldn’t help but sigh as they watched him.

“Who is that man?”

“Jeremy Curtson. He is the best swordsman in our empire. He is a man who exists solely for this Swordsmanship Festival. He couldn’t become a knight due to his low birth.”

I felt myself swallow a dry lump. That man had been noticeable from the beginning. Despite his large build, he was agile, overpowering his opponents just as quickly as Adrian.

At that moment, a woman with the same hair color as Adrian appeared in the arena like the goddess of the moon. In the final match of the Swordsmanship Festival, it was a tradition for the contestant’s wife or lover to appear and wish them good luck.

When Celine appeared, the murmuring crowd fell silent. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, she was incredibly beautiful.

Adrian stood still, waiting for Celine to approach him. She slowly walked over and tied a ribbon to his wrist to wish him good luck. Then she raised her foot and gently kissed him on the cheek.

But at that moment, I realized Adrian’s eyes were fixed on me.

And I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Seeing Adrian’s challenging gaze, the Crown Prince tightened his grip on my hand.

Jeremy Curtson was strong. He fought against Adrian for a longer time than anyone else had so far. But the match eventually ended with Adrian’s victory. It was almost anticlimactic. He stood there, catching his breath.

The thunderous applause for Adrian, who had toppled the giant to the ground, filled the arena.

When the Emperor stood up and raised his hand, the crowd slowly began to quiet down.

“Yes, Grand Duke Aurelian Quinze-Nouais. You are today’s victor.”

Adrian raised his sword, brought it to his chest, and bowed to the Emperor.

“What is your request as today’s victor?”

The people fell silent at once to hear the winner’s request.

“Today, I would like to duel with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. That is my request.”

A strange sense of crisis instantly filled the arena. All sorts of thoughts ran through people’s minds, from the Grand Duke of the North challenging the Crown Prince to a direct confrontation to the possibility of an ominous event about to befall the empire.

At Adrian’s provocation, the Crown Prince, still holding my hand, stood up. He took a sword from a knight beside him and started to descend into the arena. As soon as he was on the ground, he smiled like a painting and shouted to the crowd. He was still gripping my hand tightly.

“The Grand Duke of the North has just given me an opportunity to kiss my fiancée.”

At the Crown Prince’s cry, the frozen atmosphere in the arena softened again.

Then the Crown Prince pulled my hand hard. I stumbled into his arms, and the Crown Prince’s lips came down precisely onto mine.

It was a short but impactful kiss. I couldn’t keep up with the sudden turn of events and just caught my breath in the Crown Prince’s arms for a moment.

The Crown Prince, who was watching me, kissed me again with a soft touch.

I tried not to show my surprise and slowly moved out of his embrace. As I went back up to the platform and sat down, their match began.

The Swordsmanship Festival was part of a festival, so while minor injuries could occur, no one was ever killed. But I couldn’t help but be worried about the untimely duel between the two male leads of the original story.

Their swords clashed in the air with a clang. It was a flawless clash. And both of them were pushed back a few steps as if they had been measured. Adrian was the best swordsman.

But the Crown Prince, a true Quinze-Nouais, was also second to none when it came to swordsmanship. In the original story, there was a scene where Adrian and the Crown Prince fought with swords after Claire’s death. And the winner then was the Crown Prince.

After their swords clashed in the air multiple times, Adrian changed his grip on the sword.

‘Hey, this is a festival, a festival. Please take it easy.’

Even to me, who knew nothing about swords, their match was quite intense. And the more heated the match became, the louder the voice of my inner anxiety grew.

At first, Adrian seemed to be pushed back little by little by the Crown Prince’s quick swordplay. But after he changed the direction of his sword, he began to move laterally instead of head-on. If the Crown Prince’s sword was fast and precise, Adrian’s was heavy and steady.

And I thought Adrian had found an opening. His slightly angled sword flew in, aiming for that gap.

But the Crown Prince was fast. He moved back two or three steps to close the gap, then pushed off the ground and leaped upward.

Adrian also read his move. He had been closing the distance from the side, and as Sebastian used the momentum to leap, he pushed off the wall to his left, ran up the wall a few steps, and then flipped over, rotating in mid-air.

The Crown Prince couldn’t see Adrian’s sword, but he knew Adrian would attack the moment he landed on the ground. So Sebastian also changed his grip on his sword in the air as he descended.

The winner would be decided the moment both of their feet touched the ground.

“Adrian!”

My scream pierced the silence that had fallen over the arena the moment the two of them landed. Adrian, who had just landed on the ground, precisely aimed his sword at Sebastian’s neck.

The winner of this duel held the sword to the loser’s throat.

At that moment, someone began to clap in the silent arena, and thankfully, others followed, and the sharp, blade-like atmosphere gradually subsided.

But the Crown Prince was not well. The composure he had maintained until now completely shattered. From the expression on his face as he returned to the platform, I could tell how much he was holding back.

Only the name of “Crown Prince” held him together. Soon, a sound was heard announcing the end of the Swordsmanship Festival, and the Crown Prince was the first to grab my hand and leave.