Chapter 3.
How Should I Interpret This Scene?
Mikrok Fritan, the young king of the Fritan Kingdom, known across the northern continent for his unparalleled valor.
When he had departed for the Haren Empire to bring back his future queen, he never imagined something this interesting would be waiting for him.
The Emperor of Haren had sent a marriage proposal as a gesture of reconciliation, expressing regret over his younger brother, Grand Duke Jake’s transgressions against Fritan. Mikrok hadn’t cared much at the time.
He had no interest in diverting his attention to a trivial matter like marriage, especially with an important campaign to drive out the demons approaching.
To make things worse, he was told that no matter how fast they moved, it would take at least a month for the bride to arrive. That had irritated him.
Delaying the campaign over a month would cause serious disruptions. He also had to consider the potential losses from having to revise their strategies.
Frankly, he would’ve preferred to ride straight to the Haren Empire, lop off the old fox emperor’s head, and then proceed to exterminate the demon race. That would’ve been far more satisfying.
But that thrilling plan of Mikrok’s was scrapped by none other than his most trusted knight, William Giles.
“How about we go and escort the bride ourselves? If we take an elite cavalry unit, even with a carriage, we could get there in ten days and be back in ten more. Twenty days total.”
“Will, is that really necessary before such a critical battle?”
“Absolutely!”
William’s rough face turned stern, making the atmosphere tense.
“Watch that temper.”
“Ah—yes, Your Majesty…”
“Tsk. That temper of yours…”
William thought his king wasn’t one to lecture anyone about temper, but he wisely kept that thought to himself.
“There are no noblewomen in Fritan worthy of becoming your queen, Your Majesty. And though we’ve sent proposals to other kingdoms, they were all rejected—either because of our infamous winters or your even more infamous reputation.”
“That’s true.”
Mikrok nodded, but his expression remained indifferent, driving William nearly to madness.
The truth was, if Mikrok had simply paraded his handsome face around other royal courts, he could’ve easily acquired not only a queen but a harem of dozens.
Yet strangely, Mikrok showed absolutely no interest in women.
His sole passion lay in war and conquest.
William, seeing this as a complete waste of a man, grumbled spitefully.
“If you’re not planning to marry a widow over fifty, then go and get her yourself.”
And so the journey began. But Mikrok and William arrived at the Marquisate of Uzkal five days earlier than scheduled—unable to bear the slow pace of the carriage.
Still, who would’ve guessed something so entertaining was waiting?
From the moment he entered the receiving room, Mikrok had noticed the figure in the black hood.
Who is that? Could it be the rumored black witch?
Exchanging silent signals with William, ready to throw a dagger if needed, Mikrok watched as the hood fell away—revealing glimmering platinum hair and a pale, moonlit face.
He clearly saw the flicker of panic cross her features.
So, this is Leah Uzkal.
He had heard the marquis call her name and realized this was his intended bride.
She was planning to escape.
He hadn’t expected her to like him—they were being married for political reasons—but it was still unpleasant to catch a runaway bride in the act.
So he stayed silent, watching her next move.
Then—her words, under the marquis’ pressure, made Mikrok almost laugh out loud.
“I heard His Majesty of Fritan arrived, so I packed up right away and came down! Are we leaving now?”
“You’re so handsome. I could live off your face alone for the rest of my life!”
When Leah’s eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed as she clasped her hands and looked up at him, Mikrok felt a sharp tingle in his palm.
What the—?
He clenched and unclenched his hand a few times, then looked at her again.
Could it be because of her? No, that’s ridiculous…
He shook his head as if to dispel the thought.
“So you’re saying you’re ready to leave for Fritan with me immediately?”
His tone was cold, challenging whether she even understood her own words.
But Leah leaned in close, her pale face nearly touching his, and clung to his arm.
“Of course! With a husband this good-looking, I’d follow you to hell!”
Then she suddenly covered her face with both hands in feigned shyness.
Looking down at her, Mikrok thought,
She’s a fool for looks, through and through.
It was obviously an act, but there was something disturbingly genuine in her eyes that left him slightly unsettled.
He decided to let it slide for now.
The Marquis of Uzkal was skeptical but kept silent upon seeing Mikrok let it go.
“You can’t leave at this hour. The carriage arrives in five days—wait until then.”
“There’s no need for that.”
Mikrok cut the marquis off, drawing surprised looks from both Leah and the marquis.
“I had planned to leave when the Fritan carriage arrived, but it’s impolite to keep a lady waiting.”
He smiled coldly.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Mikrok Fritan, King of Fritan.”
“I am Leah Uzkal, second daughter of the Marquis of Uzkal, of the Haren Empire.”
When she extended her hand, Mikrok kissed the back of it lightly and traced it gently with his fingers.
Leah’s eyes wavered with unease.
“You say you long to follow me? Then I am more than pleased. We shall depart at first light. William! We return to Fritan at sunrise.”
“Uh—yes, Your Majesty.”
Still in my travel clothes, I collapsed onto my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
I’d revised my escape plan last-minute, but it had been meticulously crafted. And now it was in ruins.
Most of all, I was dying of secondhand embarrassment from the nonsense I’d spouted in front of Mikrok just to survive. Ugh. Humiliating.
But at least I had learned something unexpected: Mikrok’s face was nothing like the rumors of a bloodthirsty war demon.
No—handsome was too mild. He was, by far, the most attractive man I had ever seen.
Mom’s dying words had been to “marry a man with a face so good it’ll sustain you for life.” And this was it. I’d never find another like him.
Better to go to Fritan than marry that raccoon-faced emperor or rot here as a disgrace.
Trying to shake the growing anxiety, I forced myself to be positive.
I’ll honor Mom’s last wish first. I’ll figure out the rest once I get there. If things go south, I can always run again.
As I schemed, Millie plopped onto a chair, drained.
“Young Miss, what do we do now?”
“We go to Fritan, of course.”
I got up and walked over to her. It was enough that I had to suffer—my dear Millie didn’t need to.
“You don’t have to come with me, Millie. If you’d rather stay, that’s okay.”
Millie’s eyes widened like lanterns, then welled up with tears.
“Young Miss… are you abandoning me because I’m useless now?”
“No! It’s just that Fritan’s freezing all year round. You don’t handle cold well—what if you get sick?”
I hugged her tightly. She had been with me since I was eight. She was my only family.
Then Millie straightened and wiped her eyes with her fists, looking me dead in the eye.
“I’ll serve you even harder. I’ll eat less, I won’t complain about the cold. Just please… don’t leave me behind, Miss Leah.”
My chest tightened with emotion. I held her hand firmly.
“I promise, Millie. I’ll protect you until my last breath.”
As we reaffirmed our bond, someone knocked on the door. Millie opened it, and to our shock, it was the Marquis and Marquess of Uzkal.
It was the first time they had ever come to my room.
“There’s something we forgot to ask earlier… How have you been feeling lately?”
“My health?”
They couldn’t possibly be concerned about me, so I was suspicious.
“Any unusual symptoms? Like heat rising from your lower belly each morning, or a tingling sensation in your fingertips…?”
They’d asked me the same thing when we first met. And again every year on my birthday.
My answer never changed.
“No, nothing at all.”
“I see.”
The marquis looked disappointed, and the marquess looked relieved.
“Knew it. She never had it in her.”
The marquess smirked at me like she’d won something.
“You’d better sleep early. You leave at dawn.”
With that, they left.
As soon as the door closed, a suffocating weight settled on my chest. I sighed and went to the window, flinging it open.
“Leah, are you okay?”
“AHH!”
A voice came from the shadows outside, startling me.
Millie screamed too—until the figure covered her mouth.
“Quiet! It’s me—Robbie.”
Ah! Robbie!
The black figure pulled down his mask, revealing his soft blond hair and round face.
I’d completely forgotten our meeting.
“I’m sorry, Robbie. You waited so long, didn’t you?”
“What happened? You and Millie didn’t show—I was worried sick.”
I explained everything, on the verge of tears.
That King Mikrok had arrived unexpectedly and caught me mid-escape.
Robbie’s expression hardened as he listened.
“It’s not too late. Come with me. Let’s run away together.”
“What? No. I just needed a carriage—I never asked you to come.”
“I decided I would from the start.”
I looked up at him in shock. My childhood friend, who’d trained with me since age nine under Sir Pallet. Though only I trained in secret, he was the official apprentice.
Even now, at twenty, he was still my soft-hearted friend. But today he was being stubborn.
“Robbie…”
“You really worried about me, huh? But I’m okay. I can take care of myself now.”
“Don’t say that. It was crazy enough when you were going to marry that old emperor. But now the king of Fritan? You’ll freeze to death the moment you arrive!”
Seeing the anger on Robbie’s face broke my heart. I reached out and hugged his stiff body.
“Fritan is a country too—people live there. I can’t drag you and Count Stone’s house down with me. If you care about me, go back. Please, Robbie.”
His shoulders trembled in my embrace. He was crying.
I gently stroked his back.
“How should I interpret this scene?”
The cold voice froze my heart.
I turned around in shock—and there stood King Mikrok. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were as cold as steel.
His gaze slowly fixed on Robbie, and his deep navy-blue eyes darkened into blood-red.
“Get away from her. Now.”
