Chapter 1
On a morning drenched in bright sunlight, a man with hair black enough to swallow all light asked in a pleading voice.
“…Are you truly sure about this?”
Reflected in his deep-ocean blue eyes was a small woman with marigold-colored hair. Her skin was lightly tanned, and her big green eyes sparkled with a fresh and lively smile as she nodded.
“Yes!”
Ripples spread through the man’s eyes when he saw that smile.
Was this really alright?
Was he not caging someone precious, driven by his own selfish desire?
Would he dare claim a ray of sunshine that only briefly passed over the filthy, muddy swamp of his life?
Even though he knew he would eventually have to let her go.
His long eyelashes trembled, but he forced down the guilt and desire churning inside him and slowly opened his mouth.
“Lady Melissa.”
His trembling lips carefully released the words he had longed to say.
“Please… marry me.”
Just as his large hand gently slipped a ring onto her slender ring finger—
Bang!
A commotion erupted from the floor below, and several sets of footsteps rushed up the stairs.
“You cannot do this!”
“How disrespectful!”
The teahouse owner trembled as he tried to block them, but the knights roughly shoved him aside as they marched up.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
The knights swiftly secured the entire floor.
Amid the tense atmosphere, with even the shop owner hunched in fear, an elderly man stepped forward. Even at a glance, his upright posture revealed the discipline of a swordsman. Seeing the tall man, he spoke in a stunned tone.
“Master. I hardly believed the rumor, yet here you truly are… in a place like this.”
“It has been a while, Rinburton.”
The black-haired man, who had been gazing fondly at the woman, now stared coldly at the old knight.
“You took longer than I expected.”
“Longer… sir?”
Rinburton’s face contorted with disbelief.
“We searched the entire world for a year. Yet the first true trace appears in a shabby city like this? The jeweler here described a customer matching your appearance, buying a ring, so we rushed here and… why in the world are you—”
“I should tell you something.”
The man called Master, Demius, cut him off and lifted his left hand.
“I got married.”
“…!”
The refined old knight’s eyes bulged as if they might pop out.
His young master married… here?
And to this girl?
Rinburton glared at the pretty but obviously shabby-looking woman, then snapped his head back toward Demius.
“What have you done!”
“I told you. I got married.”
“That is not the issue! A marriage without family approval is invalid—!”
Rinburton was shouting, spit flying, when a sheet of paper fluttered before his eyes.
A marriage certificate bearing the seal of the local city lord.
Leaving the knight frozen stiff like a statue, Demius extended a hand toward Melissa with polite grace.
“Shall we go, my wife?”
“Ah, yes!”
Melissa grabbed his hand and followed him toward the stairs.
The knights who had blocked the staircase scrambled aside at the chilling glance Demius cast their way. As the couple descended, one knight finally regained his senses and rushed to Rinburton.
“S-sir! What do we do?”
“…Ha.”
Rinburton’s petrified expression cracked at last as he released a small sigh.
Through the window, he saw the couple approaching the carriage prepared to escort the young master.
Young Master Demius…
And the unknown woman beside him.
Demius’s expression as he escorted her into the carriage was one Rinburton had not seen in many years. A gentle smile, soft eyes, sunlight breaking across his face.
He looked just like the boy from long ago.
“…Just… bring them back,” Rinburton muttered without meaning to, then flinched at his own words. He forced a bitter smile and lowered his gaze.
“It is only a dream that will soon shatter anyway.”
“…Hmm?”
Hmmm?
I had been fascinated by how smoothly the carriage moved when I looked out the window and tilted my head.
According to Demius, his family was just a small noble house with a bit of land.
Yet…
“Welcome back, young master.”
It turned out to be the only ducal house in the entire nation.
My mouth dropped open as I stared at the line of servants bowing deeply at the gates, and a past conversation replayed in my head.
“We just have a small territory.”
That territory was practically a small country.
“We have just one house.”
That “house” was a massive castle too large to take in with a single glance.
Was this what a scam marriage looked like?
“Oh my goodness.”
I pressed my pounding heart with my hand.
This was my first time being scammed into marriage, so I felt a little nervous.
How many people in life get tricked into marrying into a ducal house like they were being kidnapped?
Flustered but excited by this rare experience, I pressed my flushed cheeks.
The door opened. Demius stepped out first.
“May I offer you my hand?”
“O-oh, yes!”
When I took his solidly supportive hand and stepped down, even the servants’ expressionless faces began to twitch.
Their precise, perfectly aligned postures broke as eyes widened and jaws dropped. I wondered for a moment if I had done something wrong.
Before the thought could settle, Demius smiled, his eyes melting warm as he gently led me.
“This way.”
“Ah, okay.”
I gathered up the long unfamiliar skirt in one hand and hurried after him.
I was about to meet Demius’s family for real.
My heart felt ready to leap out of my chest.
When we finally passed through the castle’s front doors, a grand hall of black marble opened before us.
“…Wow.”
I had never seen anything like this.
Outside, the sun blazed like midsummer, yet inside the castle, the air was cool.
Probably because every window was covered by dark curtains and the walls were solid stone.
“It is so cool.”
They really must have designed it like an ice storage.
Truly, a ducal house was something else entirely. As I marveled at everything, a low voice came from the top of the wide staircase.
“Demius.”
The voice was soft but carried through the entire hall with commanding force. My shoulders shrank instinctively.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The slow, dignified footsteps drew closer.
Finally, light from the doorway cut across the face that emerged.
“…!”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my heart from bursting out. White hair pulled tight, contrasted by a black eyepatch. Every visible inch of skin marked with deep scars. Eyes that looked ready to kill someone at any moment.
“That must be the Grand Duke.”
I was stunned by his overwhelming charisma, like a figure pulled straight out of a novel.
He was so impressive even in summer. How wonderful would he look in winter? I pictured him braving a snowstorm in thick fur, expression stern and regal.
Then his frigid voice fell like ice.
“Demius.”
Rough and sharp, his voice seemed to drop the temperature further.
So refreshingly cold.
While I admired that, Demius’s previously soft eyes snapped into stone.
“It has been a while,” Demius said, pausing as if the next word was painful to speak.
“…Mother.”
“What is that thing?”
The Grand Duke ignored his greeting and directed a sharp look at me.
Demius flinched and stepped slightly ahead, as if shielding me. At the same time, I smiled brightly and exclaimed:
“It is an honor to meet you, Mother!”
“…Mother?”
His already intense eyes widened as his voice cut sharply through the hall.
“Who said I am your mother?”
