Episode 1 – The Divorce
Year 682 of the Roengrin Calendar.
The imperial palace of the Tropez Empire, once the glory and shining symbol of power, was soaked in blood.
“Kill everyone who won’t surrender!”
“Rebellion! The Fourth Prince has risen in revolt!”
Screams echoed everywhere as steel clashed against steel.
The rebels cut down anyone who stood against them.
Countless people died without even being able to resist.
But deep inside the palace, away from the slaughter, something completely different was happening.
“Aaahhh!”
A woman, belly swollen like a mountain, lay half-reclined on a bed, screaming like a wounded beast.
“Kastin, push just a little harder!”
There wasn’t even a midwife present—only two young women stood by her side.
“I see the head, Lady Celeia!”
One of them checked between the mother’s legs and shouted to the other.
Celeia gently wiped the sweat streaming down Kastin’s face and whispered, “Remember what Elaine told you, Kastin? The baby’s almost here.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
“Just once more. Just one last push.”
Sobbing, Kastin gathered the very last of her strength.
Finally, Elaine caught the baby in her arms.
“It’s here! The baby’s safe!”
Tears welled in Elaine’s eyes.
Hearing the newborn’s cry, Celeia broke into a wide smile and looked back at Kastin.
“The baby…” Kastin barely managed to whisper.
“Wait just a moment.”
Celeia took the child, cut the cord, and cleaned the tiny body.
The baby’s face was scrunched up red, but when Celeia looked down, her chest filled with overwhelming emotion.
“Kastin, it’s a daughter. Your daughter.”
She carefully placed the baby, wrapped in cloth, into Kastin’s arms.
“My daughter…”
Tears of joy streamed down Kastin’s cheeks.
“Don’t cry too much. You’ve already lost a lot of fluid.”
“But… she’s so beautiful, Your Highness.”
Kastin had always been fragile and timid—always apologizing, always afraid. Celeia soothed her softly.
“She’s a lovely child. She looks just like her mother.”
Especially that sweet pink hair.
Kastin gave a faint smile. “Thank you, Lady Celeia.”
But just as she reached to stroke the baby’s cheek, a loud explosion shook the air outside the window.
Faint screams followed. Both Celeia and Elaine froze.
“The sounds outside… what’s happening?” Kastin finally noticed, panic rising in her voice.
Her hands trembled as she held the baby tighter.
“Your Highness… you’ll protect this child, won’t you?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll never break our promise.”
Celeia nodded firmly, then looked at the baby again.
Oddly enough, it felt like this tiny creature was already trying to make sense of the chaos around her.
“I’ll declare her as mine and the prince’s child, and raise her without lacking anything.”
Elaine, who had overheard, looked conflicted.
She had always opposed this plan, and now her sorrow showed plain on her face.
But Celeia ignored it.
‘Elaine never agreed to this… but it has to be done.’
After all, the woman who had just given birth was only a mistress… while the one who had helped deliver the child was the prince’s wife.
“Your Highness… Hendrick… he won’t come, will he?” Kastin’s voice grew weaker, fragile as a candle flame.
“He wanted to see the birth so much. Even if it was a daughter instead of the son he hoped for…”
“Kastin?” Celeia frowned at the way her words began to trail off.
Then Elaine gasped in horror. “Oh my god, the blood—!”
Bright red blood was gushing endlessly between Kastin’s legs, soaking the sheets.
Her breaths came weaker and weaker.
“Kastin, don’t close your eyes! Stay with me!”
“L-Lady Celeia…” Kastin’s body shuddered violently as she forced out her last words.
“Thank you… for being kind to me… I can’t tell you… what it meant to me…”
Her voice broke into fragments.
“Don’t talk, please!”
“My baby… take care of my baby…”
Those were the only words she kept gasping as the light faded from her eyes.
“Kastin!”
Celeia’s desperate cries couldn’t reach her anymore.
Peace, cold and final, settled over Kastin’s face.
“Kastin!”
The doors burst open.
A man in blood-stained armor staggered inside, the smell of fire and ash clinging to him.
Morning sunlight poured through the window after a night of endless battle.
“Your Highness,” Celeia rose wearily, bowing.
Her face was pale from the night’s terrors, but the baby in her arms slept soundly, blissfully unaware.
“Where’s Kastin? Is she asleep?”
He rushed to the bed without so much as a glance at Celeia or the child.
His armor clanked heavily with every step, making Celeia flinch as she held the baby tighter.
“I’m here, Kastin… wake up, my love.”
But no matter how tenderly he called, there was no reply.
His expression stiffened as the truth dawned.
“Kastin is dead, my lord,” Celeia said quietly.
“She lost too much blood. There was nothing we could do. No doctor could make it through the siege.”
“No… no, that’s not possible.”
He shook her cold shoulders desperately, but her body was already stiff, lifeless.
Even the man who had slaughtered countless enemies just hours before recoiled in fear at the touch of death.
“No, Kastin! How could you leave me?!”
At last, he realized she was gone, and he screamed her name in grief.
Celeia, who had never gotten along with her selfish, arrogant husband, still bit her lip in silence, sharing in his sorrow.
“No… she wouldn’t just die like this.”
His eyes blazed, tears streaming down his face.
Then he turned suddenly, glaring at Celeia. “You killed her.”
“…What?”
“You were afraid of losing your position, so you murdered her!”
“That’s absurd—”
“You tricked me with your sweet words about not wanting the throne, not wanting heirs. It was all a scheme to put me off guard!”
“Hendrick!” Celeia’s voice rose, sharp and angry, calling his name.
But he only stared back at her with hatred and grief.
“Kastin is dead, but the child lived. She’s your daughter, too,” Celeia said, showing him the baby.
“Get it out of my sight!” Hendrick roared, leaning forward with rage.
“Because of that brat… Kastin is gone!”
Celeia gasped and stumbled back, clutching the baby tightly.
The infant, thankfully, didn’t cry.
“You and that thing killed her,” Hendrick muttered, tears streaming as his face twisted with madness.
“I can’t keep a woman like you as my wife anymore.”
Then, staring directly into her eyes, he spat out his final words:
“Celeia Tran. I divorce you.”
