The kingdom where I was born had been a vassal state of the Empire for over a hundred years.
The land attached to the northern part of the continent was inherently barren and difficult to farm. There were many monsters, and the winters were long, so many people died.
Therefore, without exception, the people of the kingdom took up swords and bandages. Women learned to sew leather instead of embroidery, and studied medicine and pharmacology as if memorizing old songs. When the long winter came, they shared the food sent by the Empire and hunted the monsters that flocked to the light.
That was where I lived. A place where, to survive, one had to cut off one's own frozen limbs with one's own hands.
At the end of one such winter, a guest visited the royal palace. It was a great name entirely unsuited to this country—the Grand Duke Mort, a great noble of the Empire. His visit turned not only the capital but also the remote border region where I lived completely upside down.
Why did the Grand Duke of Death come here? Was he trying to destroy us? Or did he intend to cut the king's head off and play king himself?
Amidst the chatter of gossips, I merely honed the edge of my sword. I thought that whatever his purpose, it had nothing to do with me. That this matter would change nothing for me.
"I greet Your Highness."
But now, I was standing before the walking death.
"Welcome, my lady."
I awkwardly lifted and lowered my skirt, then looked at the king who had summoned me. Seeing him for the first time in my life, he looked senile and lacking in vitality. Because of that, the man sitting to his right stood out even more.
The 'Walking Death,' Victor Mort.
Contrary to his moniker, he was a beautiful man. His tall stature, broad shoulders, exquisitely sculpted features, and slightly tanned, healthy complexion contrasted sharply with the pale royal palace of the kingdom, making him appear all the more radiant. He showed clear signs of exhaustion, perhaps from the long journey, yet the overwhelming aura he exuded clearly demonstrated why he was the most infamous knight on the entire continent.
I bowed my head again. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't fathom why I had been summoned. I was not a lady renowned in high society, but merely a minor noble from the provinces. A woman who had rarely worn such a dress in her entire life.
From above, the king introduced me.
"This lady is the greatest knight in our kingdom."
What? I instantly raised my head. If he was looking for a knight, was the Grand Duke recruiting soldiers here?
The Grand Duke looked at me without answering. His sharp gaze scanned me up and down. Then, with an incredibly sweet voice, he asked.
"Do you know how to wield a sword?"
Without understanding the situation, I gripped my old skirt. I didn't know how to describe my swordsmanship to the greatest swordsman on the continent. So I just said what I could say with certainty.
"Enough to protect myself."
His sunken gaze stared intently at me. The Grand Duke's amber eyes wavered following the torchlight.
He asked.
"What is your name?"
"Amarion of Amari, Your Highness."
"Victor Mort. I have a proposal for you."
He slowly rose from his seat. As he approached, his black robe clung to him like a wave. I thought it was like deep water filling a stone floor. He reached his hand out toward me.
Death asked.
"Will you marry me? I will give you the position of the Empire's greatest lady."
What?
I was struck as if I had been hit on the head.
He proposed.
Grand Duke Mort, to me.
❖ ❖ ❖
There were mountainous reasons to refuse.
The winter that had not yet ended, the things I had to do upon returning to my estate. The fact that I did not know him.
But the moment he uttered those words, I had no choice. He was a mighty imperial noble, and I was merely the daughter of a vassal state's count. Between him and me was a gap in status that didn't even allow me to refuse his proposal.
Moreover, the enormous dowry he would pay... With that money, even our terribly barren estate could survive several more winters. Compared to the lives that would be saved, my own body was a trivial thing.
Even if this was a choice to walk into the jaws of death. My life had been intertwined with death since the day I was born, so it wouldn't be much different.
With my heavily chapped hands, I took his hand.
"I accept your proposal, Your Highness the Grand Duke."
❖ ❖ ❖
The kingdom's winter was piercing. The wind blowing through the cracks in the windows was enough to freeze the wine in the room. The Grand Duke seemed unwilling to stay in such a place any longer. As soon as the brief marriage vows were finished at the royal palace, a procession heading for the Empire was organized.
The Grand Duke spoke like a man in a rush.
"Leave behind anything that is not absolutely necessary. I will have it moved later."
Since I had nothing, I simply boarded the carriage. There were no belongings I needed to pack later, no ladies-in-waiting, no maids—I had nothing. Just a weary body.
We departed at dawn. The procession leaving the capital was as quiet as a funeral. I stared blankly out the window.
I didn't even have anyone to say goodbye to. It was so sudden that my family couldn't come, and I knew no one in the capital.
Leaning against the cold glass, tears welled up. I truly thought it wouldn't matter, and I thought I would be satisfied if the gold I earned could help us get through a few winters. But the wedding procession leaving in an old dress approached me as a terror I had never experienced before.
Outside, I could hear the hoofbeats of horses and the clashing of knights' armor. The Grand Duke, who was in the lead carriage, gave the signal.
"Depart."
At the signal, the carriage began to move. And so, I departed for the Empire.
❖ ❖ ❖
The journey was not going to be arduous.
The kingdom and the empire shared a border, so it wasn't a long journey to begin with. Moreover, the capital of the kingdom was located at its southernmost tip, so it took only a week by carriage to reach the imperial capital.
Even this carriage was cozier than any house I had ever stayed in. It was made of wood and moving, yet I couldn't understand how it could be so warm without a single draft.
However, I couldn't converse with anyone throughout the entire journey. The knights were polite, but they tried to avoid talking to me as much as possible, and my husband, the Grand Duke, remained cooped up in another carriage all day, making it hard to even see his face.
Even at the inns where we stopped along the way, I used a room alone. It was nice, but strange. I had been prepared to consummate the marriage in some shabby rural inn. After all, he had paid a handsome dowry to bring me. But he was nowhere to be seen, not in my room nor anywhere else in the inn.
The next day, eating breakfast alone, I asked the knights.
"Where did His Highness the Grand Duke sleep?"
The knights replied with expressions of evident difficulty.
"He slept in a different room."
But I hadn't seen him anywhere in the inn?
Suddenly, rumors about the Grand Duke of Death crossed my mind. Rumors that he was a vampire, a demon, or some similar evil creature.
I had lived my whole life looking at monsters and was certain such things didn't exist, but I also thought it suited him. Looking at his body, solid as an oak tree, his broad shoulders, and his tanned skin, characteristic of a southerner.
Despite my doubts, the journey continued smoothly.
On the way to the capital, the party split in two; the knightly order returned to the Mort estate, and only a few knights and two carriages headed for the capital. Through the curtained window, I could see the imperial capital.
The capital was dazzlingly splendid. Majestically built walls, roads paved with beautiful white stone, and energetic people. As a country bumpkin who hadn't even visited the kingdom's capital more than a few times, I gaped at everything.
And the Grand Duke's mansion in the capital, where we arrived...
Well, I had truly never seen such a beautiful house. White marble stacked layer upon layer, walls carved with beautiful reliefs, and gorgeous ornamental windows. It was clear that if I wanted to buy even half of this mansion, I would have to sell the entire Amari estate.
I stepped down from the carriage and followed the Grand Duke into the mansion.
The interior of the mansion was more splendid than the royal palace. The high ceiling was densely decorated with patterns intricately carved into each tile, and on the soft carpet sat pieces of furniture that were obviously immensely expensive. The butler and servants bowed to me as I stood there in a daze.
"Welcome. Your Highness the Grand Duke, Your Highness the Grand Duchess."
It was an entirely unfamiliar title.
Perhaps they had already received word, maids came out to carry my luggage and opened the carriage. I wanted to say there was nothing in there, but that I was still glad, but the Grand Duke walked striding into the house without a word. I had to follow him, not knowing what was going on.
❖ ❖ ❖
The mansion was entirely covered in soft carpet, so even a large man like the Grand Duke made no sound when walking. I hurriedly crossed the mansion alongside him.
The place he opened upon arriving was the bedroom. Even though it must have been prepared in a hurry, it was decorated as a perfect marital bedroom. The elegant ebony furniture and the predominantly dark-colored furnishings gave a very cozy feel, and the weapons and armor hanging here and there on the walls seemed to indicate that this was a knight's room.
The Grand Duke spoke.
"This is the room you and I will use."
I noticed the severe fatigue in his voice, which I was hearing for the first time in days. He wiped his eyes and said.
"And there is one thing you must do. Be by my side when I sleep."
I instantly looked back at the Grand Duke. I wondered what this man was talking about. Sleeping together is a natural thing for a married couple, isn't it?
Before I could ask again, he added.
"However, you must stay awake."
"...Stay awake? Even at night?"
"Yes. Stay awake and watch over me."
Watch over him?
The Grand Duke headed to the wall and threw one of the hanging swords to me. I caught it by reflex and drew it; both the length and the weight were a perfect fit for my physique.
He said something incomprehensible in a gloomy tone.
"If it's too much to handle, you may cut me down. I won't resent it."
"What..."
Before I could ask more, the Grand Duke called the attendants. He told them that meals and welcoming banquets were all unnecessary, and to lock the mansion gates. He also told them to prepare for bed.
"Prepare the bath. Bring it to my wife as well."
I was led to the lady's room by taciturn maids. The outrageously luxurious room looked like an entire painting, but I had to head to the bathtub behind the partition before I could even feel any more admiration. The maids quickly stripped off my dust-covered clothes and poured water into the tub.
I soaked in the dizzyingly fragrant water and looked out the window. The sun was just setting, casting a sunset glow.
The bewilderment that had persisted throughout the journey wouldn't go away. The Grand Duke going to bed so early, telling me not to sleep but to watch him, and saying it was fine to cut him down—none of it made sense. It probably had to do with why he went out of his way to bring a swordswoman like me.
While I was thinking, the maids gave me new undergarments and a light nightgown, then left. I put them on—they were as soft as cotton wool—and returned to the bedroom.
❖ ❖ ❖
The Grand Duke was already in the bedroom. His body, wearing only a dark gown, was close to perfection. It was a body that evoked admiration, whether as a woman or as a swordsman.
He must have been tired, for he said nothing. When the Grand Duke gestured to an attendant, the man came in and meticulously drew the curtains. When the lights were extinguished, leaving only a few candles, the room was enveloped in a warm darkness.
The Grand Duke, lying down as if collapsing without even covering himself properly with the blankets, exhorted me once more.
"Absolutely, do not fall asleep. If you wish to see tomorrow morning's sun."
Still harboring doubts, I nodded for now. Then, holding my sword, I sat beside him.
The Grand Duke fell asleep incredibly fast. Only his faint breathing indicated that he was asleep rather than dead. I forced my heavy eyes open against the fatigue and counted numbers.
How much time had passed? An hour? Two hours?
My body, exhausted from the journey's fatigue, demanded sleep. With a tormented heart, I looked down at the man sleeping beside me.
Then, suddenly, the sleeping Grand Duke opened his eyes.
❖ ❖ ❖
He slowly lifted his eyelids. Surprised, I called out to him.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke?"
But the Grand Duke didn't answer; he slowly got up and slipped out of bed. He wandered around briefly, then picked up a longsword hanging on the bedroom wall. His murky, roaming gaze soon stopped on me.
Surely not.
Instinctively, I drew the sword I was holding.
At the same time, the Grand Duke swung his sword at me.
Clang!
With a sharp sound, the swords collided. I realized from his slow reaction that the Grand Duke was not in his right mind. Even so, he was immensely strong. Every time we clashed, my arms trembled slightly and were pushed back.
If I faced him head-on, I had no chance of winning. I swiftly dodged his incoming sword and shouted.
"Your Highness, Your Highness Mort!"
But he was relentless. The sword made a chilling sound as it struck at hard-to-defend spots. If I kept just dodging, something terrible would really happen.
Eventually, I turned my body to the side of the bed, and watching for an opening, I deflected his sword. At the same time, I struck the back of his neck hard with the pommel of my sword.
"!"
The staggering Grand Duke soon collapsed onto the bed.
Did... it work?
I caught my breath and looked at the fallen man. Just in case, I poked him with the scabbard, but the solid body didn't move. I hurriedly moved away from the bed and sat down under the window. The sleep that had been pressing down my eyelids was long gone.
Was this the reason he told me to watch over him? But why would a sleeping person suddenly do such a thing? It must be some kind of demon possession!
I wanted to run away, but even if I did, there was nowhere to go. I sheathed my sword and held it to my chest so I could draw it at any time. The sword trembled with a rattling sound in my exhausted hands.
I'm scared...
Under the faint candlelight, I curled up as unnoticeably as possible.
❖ ❖ ❖
The Grand Duke only opened his eyes when the birds chirped at dawn. As soon as he woke, he hurriedly looked around, and upon discovering me huddled against the wall, he blankly muttered.
"You're alive."
I couldn't help but talk back.
"Did you wish I was dead?"
"No, just... I'm surprised."
Seeing him get out of bed, I also shakily stood up. My eyes, abused all night, stung, and my body shivered from sitting by the window in a thin nightgown. This one night had been harder than the past few days of travel. My body trembled like an aspen leaf from incomprehensible shock and exhaustion.
The Grand Duke stared at me, then properly closed his gown. He then picked up a white blanket that was probably meant for me. Was he trying to drape it over me? But I instinctively took a step back. The Grand Duke paused, stopping in his tracks. And then he said.
"...You've worked hard. Rest. I'll make sure you can eat as soon as you wake up."
There were mountains of things I wanted to ask him, but I was truly, utterly exhausted. Without even knowing what I was doing, I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
❖ ❖ ❖
When I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky. My body felt refreshed, but I was starving. I rang the bell to call the attendants. An elderly woman who appeared to be the head maid and some maids entered with their heads bowed.
"Have you awakened, my lady?"
They were extremely respectful, just as when I first met them. I awkwardly asked for water to wash and a meal.
The service was meticulous. I washed my face with water scattered with flower petals, and combed my hair with a comb that looked as if it were plated in gold.
Once I finished grooming, the meal was served. A mouthwatering chunk of meat dripping with fat, fluffy eggs, and something spongy that looked like pudding. All were foods rarely seen in my estate.
I tried to eat as slowly as possible so as not to look too starved. When the plate was wiped clean, the old woman bowed.
"My greetings are late, my lady. I am Semona, the head maid."
"Hello, Mrs. Semona."
"I will do my utmost to ensure you stay comfortably in the mansion. If you have any questions or need anything, please feel free to ask."
I hesitated for a moment. But there was only one thing I was curious about.
"Um, why does the Grand Duke act like that at night?"
The madam flinched. She quickly tried to hide her expression, but she couldn't conceal her panicked voice.
"Did His Highness also wake up last night?"
"Yes. He seemed to be aware of it too, but why on earth does he do that?"
A ripple went through the maids. Mrs. Semona stopped them with a sharp glare as they moved their lips and whispered. But I was curious about what they were saying.
"What were you talking about?"
A young maid, who had been watching for an opportunity, carefully answered my question.
"T-to be honest, yesterday, we thought His Highness hadn't woken up. If he had, we thought Your Highness would have... been severely injured..."
My eyes widened. I was even more mystified, and even felt a little hurt. So, from the Grand Duke to the servants, everyone knew I would experience something like this.
Mrs. Semona bowed deeply to me as my expression darkened.
"I am sorry, my lady. This is our master's secret... so we couldn't speak of it lightly or tell you."
"It's fine. Anyway... no one got hurt. I'm just curious about the reason."
The madam looked into my eyes for a moment, then began to speak with a sigh.
"His Highness has been through a long war. He has had many unimaginably terrible experiences. I heard there were times he fought off night ambushes, only to find himself the sole survivor."
"..."
"They say he has had constant nightmares since the battlefield. Then, he developed a condition where he wakes up from sleep and swings his sword."
The old woman's shoulders slumped.
"His Highness tried very hard. He met with every renowned healer, and endured sleep for days on end, tying his own limbs to take light naps. On the battlefield, the knights somehow managed to stop him, but they couldn't do that here in the mansion. ...And it's out of the question to bring knights into the bedroom."
My cheeks flushed on their own. At night, the only ones who could approach the bedroom were the master and his bedmate. If he had rotated his subordinate knights in, ridiculous rumors would have spread.
The madam let out a deep sigh.
"After spending months like that, he finally brought you, my lady. We were foolish enough to wonder if you had a way to prevent His Highness from waking up..."
I shook my head slightly. I was a knight who only knew how to swing a sword; I didn't have any such great ability. But I did find it strange. Weren't there too many weapons in the room of someone with such a condition?
"Couldn't you have hidden the weapons?"
To my question, she quietly replied.
"My lady, His Highness is suffering from the aftermath of war. His Highness cannot fall asleep unless he has a sword or is in an open space."
The madam's voice was filled with unconcealable pity for her master.
It was truly pitiable. In my hometown as well, there were many who were crippled by monsters or suffered from mental trauma. There were people who couldn't even step out of their houses without a sword, or couldn't set foot beyond the village borders.
But what I had experienced was unfair in a different sense. Wasn't this like releasing a wild beast without a leash and without detailed warnings? I was genuinely scared last night.
The madam apologized to me repeatedly.
"I am truly sorry, my lady."
"It's fine. I'd like to sleep some more, so please leave."
I pushed the plate away lifelessly. I thought there was no use scolding people who weren't the parties involved. The maids quickly took the empty plates and drew the curtains without making a sound. It was perfect skill, worthy of the servants of the Grand Ducal house.
Before leaving, Mrs. Semona hesitated and asked.
"My lady, excuse my rudeness, but may I ask you just one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"How did you put His Highness, who had awakened, back to sleep? No renowned doctor has ever been able to."
I answered honestly.
"I blocked him with my sword."
"Pardon?"
"I dueled His Highness when he woke up and knocked him out."
Dismay was written all over the madam's face.
❖ ❖ ❖
When I fell asleep and woke again, it was already evening. I got out of bed and stretched. Perhaps because I had eaten and slept well, my entire body was languidly relaxed. It was a luxury I had never even imagined. The snow-white goose down bedding was as cozy as a cloud. The north where I lived was a place where even blankets amply stuffed with cotton were precious.
I called the attendants and had dinner in bed. When I was full and washing my face, the bedroom door opened.
"You're awake?"
It was the Grand Duke.
Seeing him, all sorts of words crawled up my throat. I swallowed them several times, but eventually one slipped out.
"You should have explained it in more detail."
"I thought you'd run away if you knew."
"Where would I go? Even if I left, there's nowhere that would take me in."
He looked at me for a moment, then silently took off his coat and hung it on a chair. His body was unscathed, without a single cut mark.
"It couldn't have been easy to subdue me without injuring me."
"..."
"You're as impressive as I heard."
I didn't bring this up to be praised for my swordsmanship!
I bit my lip. Even though I was praised by the greatest swordsman on the continent, I didn't feel happy at all. Even if I fought the real God of Death, I wouldn't have been as startled as I was yesterday. It wasn't like I didn't know how big the difference was between fighting with prior knowledge and fighting without.
But perhaps because his own life was so agonizing, that man seemed to lack the capacity to worry about such things. He lay down on the bed and requested.
"Today, don't stay up all night; sleep when you're done with your work. Because he has never woken up more than once in a single night."
I clamped my mouth shut and nodded.
❖ ❖ ❖
While the attendants drew the curtains, I went to the lady's room for a moment to change. I had asked the maids earlier for these loose-fitting pants and a shirt. I had experienced firsthand how much the fluttering, thin nightgown got in the way during a fight. Since they were clothes worn by male attendants, the size was a bit large... I rolled up the shirt sleeves and returned to the bedroom.
The Grand Duke fell asleep instantly today as well, as if dead.
Holding my sword, I sat beside him. Staying up all night relying on the small light felt like standing watch. With a beast-like thing next to me, it wasn't much different.
Just like yesterday, he woke up in a little less than an hour.
I held my breath and drew my sword. Since I knew what was going to happen, I planned to change my strategy this time. I just needed to put him back to sleep before he went on a rampage.
I sneaked up behind him before he could choose a weapon. But suddenly, the Grand Duke picked up a nearby axe with lightning speed. Flustered, I dodged the blade flying at an unexpected trajectory.
The sword alone was heavy enough, so why on earth did they leave an axe around!
Only after barely blocking several strikes did an opening appear. I pushed his back hard with my elbow, then struck the back of his neck, finally knocking him unconscious. Then, I moved his limp body to the bed.
Finishing the mess of a task, all the strength drained from my body. I collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. I didn't want to sleep next to the Grand Duke, but the temptation of the soft goose down blanket was stronger than I had imagined.
In the end, I hugged the scabbard and lay down at the edge of the bed. I curled up tightly so I wouldn't accidentally touch him.
An unimaginable wedding night was passing.
❖ ❖ ❖
Someone shook my shoulder to wake me. Blinding sunlight pierced through my eyelids. I forced my eyes open.
"Madam."
The Grand Duke was looking down at me. His jewel-like amber eyes shone with question.
"You slept like this?"
His eyes scanned my loose suspenders and shirt, and the sword hugged to my chest, in turn. Dumbfounded, I hugged the sword a little tighter.
Whose fault is all this anyway?
When I glared at him, he smiled for the first time. The smile was so inconceivably beautiful that I forgot to glare and stared at him blankly. With a soft smile on his lips, he raised himself up.
"Anyway, it seems you did get some sleep today."
"...Yes, Your Highness."
"Let's have breakfast together."
He stepped outside in his gown.
Not long after, the maids came in to attend to me. With their help, I washed, combed my hair, and changed into a house dress. The house dress the maids brought me had a softer and more beautiful color than even the banquet dress I used to wear in the kingdom.
After I finished preparing, I looked into the large, luxurious mirror. The sight of my skinny, scarred body wearing a beautiful dress felt ridiculous. Feeling like I was wearing someone else's clothes, I headed to the dining room with an awkward feeling.
Breakfast was already set in the dining room. Freshly baked white bread, soft vegetable soup, and duck roasted with a crispy skin. The food all looked warm, plentiful, and smelled savory. I had to try very hard again this time not to scarf it down.
The Grand Duke, seated at the head of the table, was elegantly cutting the meat with a knife and putting it in his mouth. He said.
"Look around the mansion today. I have to go to the imperial palace, so my butler will guide you instead."
The butler standing beside him bowed neatly to me.
"Hello, my lady. I am Diedrick."
"Y-yes, hello."
Diedrick was a middle-aged gentleman with graying hair. His neatly trimmed hair and beard seemed to indicate his fastidious personality. Seeing him, I was newly aware that this was a dining room full of servants.
Did I make some mistake? As if noticing me trying to eat a large amount as gracefully as possible, the Grand Duke rose from his seat first.
"I should be going now. Take your time and finish your meal."
"Ah, let me see you o—"
"It's fine. It's not far."
He lightly stopped me and left the dining room.
When I looked at Mrs. Semona anxiously, she gave a small nod and whispered that it was fine for me to stay seated.
I heard that a noble lady should see her husband off at the door.
I briefly pondered, then just pulled the duck plate toward me. After last night's struggle, I figured this much was fine.
❖ ❖ ❖
When breakfast was over, the butler Diedrick took me up to the top floor of the mansion. Weapons and armor decorated the hallways as we went up. Even to an untrained eye, they seemed to have deep histories.
The butler explained.
"The Grand Ducal House of Mort is a historic family that has been around since the beginning of the Empire. They were originally a ducal family, but became Grand Dukes six generations ago for suppressing the southern rebellion. The Morts are a family that has served the Empire with the sword for generations."
I felt a sense of awe looking at the portraits of the previous dukes filling the room. Rather than the portraits themselves being awe-inspiring, it was the peace of the Empire that allowed such old items to be perfectly preserved that was awe-inspiring.
My house was a count's estate, but we had no gold ornaments or portraits. Because we sold anything that had any value, and burned everything that could be burned for fuel.
I quietly examined the numerous portraits. Perhaps because bloodlines are bloodlines, there were quite a few faces that resembled the Grand Duke.
So this is why he is so beautiful.
I recalled his eyes and lips that seemed to be carved and curved. Regardless of my personal feelings toward him, the fact that he was beautiful was simply a simple truth.
Looking at the similar eyes in the paintings, I wondered. Then, was there someone among them who also had a creepy moniker like 'Death'?
That was something I wouldn't know.
I stopped the meaningless thoughts and moved on to the next room. There were countless wonderful rooms next to the portrait room. A room displaying gold ornaments and jewels, a room collecting splendid instruments.
But what amazed me the most was the armory. It was no exaggeration to say that the Grand Ducal armory contained all the weapons in the world. I couldn't hide my surprise at the magnificent blade of a bastard sword placed next to a glossy morning star.
If it were a sword like this, knights would want to have it even if they had to sell everything they owned.
I asked Diedrick.
"Does the Grand Duke use all these weapons?"
"Not all of them. The previous previous Grand Duke liked collecting weapons, so most of them were gathered then."
"I see..."
I stroked a sharp crescent-shaped sword. Diedrick said warmly.
"If you wish, you may take it."
"Huh? Really?"
"Yes. His Highness said to give you whatever you desire."
The Grand Duke? His kindness made me feel strange.
I didn't quite understand why he was giving me such a right, but aside from that, I felt I shouldn't take advantage of his kindness to stock up on weapons. What would I do with weapons from here? I'd just use them to beat the Grand Duke, who prowled around like a ghoul at night.
With a regretful face, I put down the scimitar. Diedrick smiled.
"It seems you like the armory, my lady."
"Yes, this place is truly amazing."
"The maids were saying that your swordsmanship is extraordinary, my lady."
Flustered, my face turned red.
"That's not true. I just..."
"There is no need to be modest, my lady. Most knights cannot even last two bouts against His Highness the Grand Duke."
That's because the Grand Duke at that time would be in his right mind...
I felt like a child who received praise for lying. I felt unnecessarily embarrassed and quickly left the armory.
After looking at the secret vault, banquet hall, and reception room, I went down to the kitchen in the basement. The kitchen was always a place that fascinated me. A place with warm fire and food. The plentiful food supplies and the savory smell of something boiling stimulated my nose. Seeing it all, I simply couldn't walk away.
The maids, who had stopped their work and were bowing their heads, carefully asked me when I couldn't take my eyes off the soup pot.
"My lady, shall I bring you a snack?"
I was embarrassed, but no words of refusal came out. I mumbled my thanks and moved to the dining room. Even someone as undisciplined as me knew that the lady of the house shouldn't just pick at food in the kitchen.
Soon, warm meat stew and soft bread were brought to the dining room. I happily devoured them.
Eating such warm and delicious food every day was a first in my life. Because, having barely learned some etiquette, my life was very different from that of an ordinary noble lady.
I didn't need beautiful jewels or expensive clothes for a noble lady. I was happy just with the fact that the food was not hard, frozen, or pickled.
A little embarrassing, and a little sad, but that was the kind of person I was.
❖ ❖ ❖
After filling my stomach and looking around the garden, I was guided to the study. There was a surprisingly large number of books in the study. Books were luxury goods, so they were hard to come by even near the Amari estate, let alone in it.
If I sold all these books, how much wheat could I buy?
I pushed away the inevitably rising impoverished thought and picked up a random book.
It looked like a stiff title. Still, my heart raced at the word 'knights.'
Holding the book, I parted ways with Diedrick and returned to the lady's room. It still didn't feel like my room, but anyway, this was where I had to stay during the day. In the glittering room painted with gold dust and crushed turquoise, I sat on the sofa densely embroidered with gold thread and opened the book.
Contrary to my expectations, the book was written lightly like a story, making it easy to read. I threw myself into reading with abandon.
❖ ❖ ❖
When evening came, the Grand Duke returned. I had just finished my meal and came out, so this time I greeted the Grand Duke at the front door according to a noble lady's etiquette.
He asked me.
"Have you already had dinner?"
"Yes."
"It would have been nice to eat together."
Flustered, I looked at him.
The Grand Duke was smiling softly. But his amber eyes gazed steadily at me, as if it weren't empty words.
Why does he keep smiling like that? The guy who was incredibly gloomy on the first day.
Flustered, I ended up speaking impulsively.
"Then should I wait starting tomorrow?"
"Please do."
He smiled and headed to the dining room.
I felt strange and furiously wrinkled my face. I was worried that I had hit the back of his neck too hard last night and made him a bit weird.
I pondered, then just headed to the bedroom.
A little later, the Grand Duke, having finished his meal and light work, entered the bedroom. I was sitting on the bed reading a book, and looked up.
"You must have been to the study."
Seeing the book in my hand, he smiled that picture-perfect smile again.
I really thought I needed to come up with another way to put him to sleep.
"...Yes, I did."
"The mansion? Did it suit your taste?"
"There were many beautiful places."
"The pride of the Grand Ducal House."
He chuckled lightly and loosened the strings of his gown.
"The castle in my estate will be even more beautiful."
According to
As if he knew what I was thinking, the Grand Duke said.
"I will take you there later. It is yours now, too."
He said softly and lay down on the bed. His eyes, which still seemed a little tired, disappeared under his eyelids.
I blinked. Was he originally someone who spoke so cloyingly? Could this also be because I hit him?
Soon, an attendant came in and did the usual things. As soon as the lights went out, I quickly jumped up and hid the axe under the bed first.
Whatever happened, I never wanted to face him wielding an axe again.
❖ ❖ ❖
Fortunately, this night it was a normal sword. I easily knocked the weapon away, but it took a long time to figure out how to subdue him without striking the back of his neck.
After throwing him onto the bed, I tried covering his eyes and covering him with the blanket, but the Grand Duke wouldn't easily fall asleep. The moment he let out a beast-like boiling sound while buried in the blanket, I got goosebumps and ended up striking the back of his neck again.
As a result, the next day, I woke up feeling an awkward sense of guilt.
However, the very person who had been hit seemed to be in a very good mood. Having spent three nights sleeping soundly, the Grand Duke had a bright look around his eyes and even wore a light smile. He even escorted me for the short distance to the dining room.
Did he know what was being done to him at night?
I secretly glanced at the back of his neck. I would have felt tremendous guilt if there were bruises, but I was glad there weren't.
The breakfast menu was moist chicken drenched in a sweet sauce and fragrant vegetable soup.
"Wow..."
I marvelled at how such fragrant food could exist and cut the chicken leg, putting it in my mouth.
"!"
I wanted to wish happiness to the people working in the kitchen.
The Grand Duke waited leisurely for me to devour the chicken, and only spoke up when the plate was half empty.
"You may have heard from Diedrick, but you may use everything in the mansion as if it were your own."
I hastily swallowed the meat and nodded.
"There are many empty rooms, so use them for whatever purpose you wish. Whether you make a dance hall or build a salon, you may do as you please."
"I..."
The end of my sentence trailed off.
I had never had anything like a hobby in my life. My life was a struggle for survival, and even pouring all my strength into it, the limit was just keeping my head attached to my body. If I had the leisure to embroider or dance, I would have had to go kill one more orc outside the castle walls.
Sensing my hesitation, the Grand Duke changed the subject.
"If something you want comes up, tell Diedrick. He will get you anything."
"Yes, Your Highness."
I answered quickly. The Grand Duke smiled and put a piece of salad in his mouth.
❖ ❖ ❖
Similar days continued for a while.
The Grand Duke, whose condition had improved, became too busy to even see. They said the work he couldn't handle while suffering from severe sleep deprivation had piled up like a mountain.
The Grand Duke had breakfast with me every morning and then went to the imperial palace, and I would return to the bedroom, sleep a little more, and wake up around lunchtime. With nothing else to do, I read books all day, looked around the garden, and bathed in water that was always fragrant, whatever magic they worked.
As the Grand Duke wished, we also had dinner together. When he was late, he sent word for me to eat first, but there weren't many such days. The Grand Duke faithfully returned and watched me eat at the table. He did this even though he himself didn't seem to eat much food.
Anyway, I didn't like eating alone, so I didn't mind his behavior. Surrounded by him, the butler, and the servants, eating delicious food made me feel even somewhat warm.
It was strange. At first, I was so scared.
The Grand Duke seemed to be in an even better mood as the days went by. His agate-like eyes still held a knightly dignity, but he smiled often and treated me very gently.
Moreover, the servants were surprisingly kind. At first, they were merely respectful, but as they ran into me more often, they started talking to me, saying "My lady, my lady." I didn't know how to deal with such kind people, so I always acted stiffly, but the servants didn't care and greeted me first, pressing things into my hands.
What I received was mostly food. The food here—even the boiled potatoes—was so incredibly delicious. It was embarrassing to receive it with admiration every time, but the servants understood and actually brought me even more. Thanks to their efforts, some flesh began to stick to my skinny body.
They were just serving one of their masters, so why were they so kind?
"We are just grateful, my lady."
Mrs. Semona, who was brushing my hair, said.
I blinked.
"Why?"
"Because His Highness has been sleeping soundly since you came, my lady. We also had a hard time while the Grand Duke was suffering. The atmosphere in the mansion was really terrible then. But you came, and everything got better."
"I see..."
"It will get even better from now on. His Highness is originally a cheerful person."
I stared blankly at the jeweled decorations of the glittering vanity without a word.
Cheerful—that didn't easily connect with the Grand Duke of Death. I now realized he wasn't as gloomy as my first impression, but imagining a bright side to the Grand Duke was still a stretch.
The all-black clothes, the body that clearly lived as a warrior, the dangerous scent of death exuding from every step. Especially seeing him wandering with nightmares every night...
I needlessly rubbed my palms.
I thought that war was truly terrifying.
❖ ❖ ❖
The nighttime routine wasn't much different.
I washed, went to the bedroom, and waited for him while reading a book, and soon the Grand Duke in comfortable clothes came in and lay on the bed. With my nose buried in a book, I could feel his gaze.
I peeked my head out from behind the book. The Grand Duke was looking at me gently.
"My mind is always clear these days."
"Is that so?"
"It's all thanks to you."
I made a strange face. I was still not used to such cloying words. Moreover, hearing it from someone I beat up every night made me feel even more peculiar.
He propped his head on his solid arm and stared intently at me. His honey-like eyes curved like crescent moons.
Why... is he doing this?
I faced him with questioning eyes, holding the book.
"Will you permit me your name?"
"My name?"
"Yeah. May I call your name?"
He was a really strange person. I blinked. He brought a person he'd never seen before in his life into his home as his wife, and what did a mere name matter that he had to ask permission instead of just using it as he pleased?
"Do as you wish."
At my answer, he folded his eyes and smiled.
"Amarion."
"...Marion."
"Marion."
His voice was breath-catchingly soft.
I turned my head away. It was the first time anyone had called my name like that.
From above, a voice mixed with laughter came down.
"You should call me by my name, too."
What? Flustered, I quickly looked back at him.
Call the Grand Duke by his name? Even with my limited education, I knew there was no such etiquette. I heard that in imperial etiquette, even a wife calls her husband by his title?
But he smoothly blocked my defiance.
"If a husband calls a name, surely the lady will do the same?"
The Grand Duke was now smiling as if he were truly enjoying himself.
I rummaged through all my memories of my life. I had never treated anyone so affectionately, not even my family.
But.
I hesitated, then said.
"...Victor."
"Good."
He praised me as if praising an obedient animal. Then he gestured to the attendant. The approaching attendant familiarly drew the curtains and extinguished the candles.
With eyes wavering in the hazy candlelight, the Grand Duke looked up at me languidly.
"The offer to tell me whatever you want is always valid. I can give you anything, so just say it."
"..."
"Then, good night, Marion."
He said it more affectionately than I could have ever imagined. In the darkness, his breathing slowed and soon became even.
I put down the book I was holding and gripped my sword. I hugged the scabbard and curled up out of habit.
Unidentifiable emotions swirled, tightening around my chest.
❖ ❖ ❖
It was truly peace. A peace I couldn't have even imagined. A choice that wasn't entirely my own brought me to an unbelievable world beyond my imagination.
No waking up to the howls of gargoyles at dawn, no enduring snowstorms while hugging children, no digging out corpses from collapsed mines. That alone would have been an unimaginable life, yet everything newly given to me sweetly enveloped my entire body.
The items in the Grand Ducal mansion were all clean and gleaming. The food was soft, and the people were kind.
Above all, he—the Grand Duke—was the first gentleman I had ever met. He was elegant, and affectionate to the point of taking my breath away. Since he was the first person to treat me that way, I was flustered every day.
My initial fear and anger had gone somewhere, and now I felt rather embarrassed. Giving me all this just for putting him to sleep seemed like too much. It wasn't like he was a dragon or a horde of ogres rampaging for three days and nights.
As I crossed the mansion hallway, I saw a mirror hanging on the wall. My skin, which had been chapped and red from the cold, was now almost soft. Getting some sun and eating good food seemed to have improved my complexion as well.
I rubbed my cheek with the back of my hand. I had only recently realized that I liked basking in the sun. The southern sun was hot, and being under it made my skin sting. The servants had put up an awning in one corner of the garden, and I would sit there reading a book, occasionally stretching out my arm.
Would my skin tan if I stayed in the sun like this? Like Victor?
I quickly erased the thought that had just occurred to me.
'Like Victor'—just comparing myself to him felt like blasphemy. I hurriedly left the mirror and headed to the Grand Duke's office.
It was the first time the Grand Duke had called me to his office. He always said I could come to his office if I wanted anything, but I really didn't want anything. My stomach was full, my bed was warm; what more could I need? Whatever food I wanted to eat or books I wanted to read, they brought it to me like magic just by asking. So I thought it would be nice if he stopped asking now, and I lightly opened the office door.
The Grand Duke's office smelled of paper and ink. There were unusually many candlesticks, and the heavy mahogany furniture and intricately woven carpet were stylishly embedded with the black lion crest, the symbol of the Grand Ducal house. The Grand Duke and Diedrick, sitting in the middle of it, had serious expressions as if they were discussing something.
I became tense in turn.
Did some problem arise?
Before I could even ask, the Grand Duke dropped a bolt from the blue.
"Marion. As the lady of the house, you must manage this mansion."
"Pardon?"
I was so flustered that I ended up asking back.
In a normal noble family, the lady manages the household. But that was a story far removed from me. Our family's castle was more of a fortress than a quaint mansion. And managing that castle wasn't even my job. My only skill was the sword, so I had to be on the front lines all day.
Moreover, I was practically sold off, so I thought they wouldn't entrust it to me, at least because they didn't trust me.
I said hesitantly.
"I thought my only job was... to put you to sleep."
"When I proposed, didn't I say I would make you the greatest lady in the Empire? There is no lady in the Empire who doesn't hold her own ledger."
At his words, my eyebrows inadvertently slanted.
I see. Since I had married into the Grand Ducal house, I would have to do the basics.
Seeing my spirits dampen, the Grand Duke quickly softened his expression.
"Oh, Marion. I didn't say that to press or scold you. I just wanted to give you something. As my wife, it's only right that you hold the family's financial power."
He gently persuaded me.
"It won't be difficult. Diedrick will help you."
"..."
"If you ever want something, feel free to buy anything to your heart's content."
It was a truly generous statement.
I couldn't quite understand the Grand Duke. When someone is as rich as him, does it become easy to tell someone to buy whatever they want?
When I glanced up, the Grand Duke smiled like melted sugar. My mouth snapped shut as if I had eaten syrup. It was a smile I simply couldn't disobey. In the end, I hesitantly nodded.
❖ ❖ ❖
Diedrick guided me to the Grand Duchess's office. Located on the same floor as the Grand Duke's office, it was a place I knew existed but had never set foot in.
Even without a user, the office was spotless without a speck of dust. A soft carpet was laid out, and a tapestry with the same lion crest as the Grand Duke's office decorated the wall.
Diedrick pulled out a chair for me and went to the bookshelf, pulling out a few thick ledgers. The leather-bound books were glossy from wear, but it was clear they were well-maintained.
He politely placed the ledgers in front of me.
"I have been managing the mansion on your behalf until now, my lady."
I opened the ledgers.
Like everything else in this mansion, the ledgers were truly perfect. The purchase of goods and the movement of people were meticulously recorded, and the handwriting was as neat as print, making it easy to read. As I read down the contents, I marveled again and again.
"This is really amazing. It could be used as a textbook for ledger management."
"I am honored, my lady."
Diedrick bowed respectfully.
The more I saw, the less I understood. Why entrust the ledgers to someone with no experience like me, when they had an excellent person like Diedrick? Even if I studied for ten more years, I didn't think I could do it this well.
Seeing me grow serious, Diedrick reassured me.
"You don't have to worry about the trivial things, my lady. I will continue to handle the purchasing, calculations, and bookkeeping. You only need to choose."
"..."
"Summer is approaching, so we need to change the curtains. What color would you like?"
For a moment, my words stuck in my throat.
"I... don't really know about such things."
Out of embarrassment, my tone naturally became stiff.
In Amari, curtains were an unimaginable luxury. Hanging several layers of large, glittering cloth in folds in front of a window was something that couldn't exist, not even in the lord's house.
When winter came, the people of Amari would wedge glue-soaked cloth between the window frames to block the wind, covering it with whatever they could find, whether cloth or leather, and nail wooden boards over the glass so it wouldn't break. In my life, I had rarely even seen curtains.
To my stammering, Diedrick quickly threw out another question.
"Then what do you feel you must buy? Anything is fine. Food, furniture, even jewelry. As the lady of the house, if you think about it, something will come to mind."
My head became even more complicated. I tried hard to think from the perspective of a noble woman.
As I racked my brains, the thought suddenly occurred to me that I had no clothes to wear when going out. Don't noble ladies properly wear dresses even when stepping out right in front of the house?
But I didn't want to look like I was being extravagant right after receiving the ledgers...
I watched his reaction and carefully asked.
"Um, may I buy a dress?"
"Pardon?"
A flustered look appeared on his face.
I looked extravagant after all, didn't I?
As I hastily tried to withdraw my words, the butler asked in a bewildered tone.
"You don't have a dress for going out?"
I clumsily nodded my head.
I had thrown away the old dress I wore when I came, and I usually rotated a few house dresses. At night, I wore the pants and shirt I got from the maids.
I hastily added.
"It's not that important. It's fine even if I don't have one..."
"That cannot be, my lady. You are our lady of the house and the Grand Duchess."
Diedrick, still unable to erase his bewilderment, stroked his beard.
"Even if you only stayed in the mansion, not noticing that..."
After what sounded like self-blame, he straightened his back.
"I will discuss it with Mrs. Semona and call a tailor immediately."
❖ ❖ ❖
Before even a pot of tea could be emptied, the tailor was called to the mansion.
The madam, who had elegantly swept her hair back with pomade, lifted the hem of her skirt and performed a stylish court curtsy.
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Grand Duchess."
When I awkwardly nodded, she set her bag down and immediately began busily taking my measurements with her assistants.
I was embarrassed to show my scarred and stiff body, but she didn't mind and made a fuss, gauging the width of my shoulders.
"Your Highness has a perfectly straight posture. And this hair..."
She lifted my platinum hair and exclaimed.
"What a beautiful color. There is hardly anyone with this hair color in the Empire."
Hearing something I had never heard before, my face naturally turned red.
She smiled with satisfaction, saying she made almost all the clothes for the Grand Ducal house.
"You would look so well-matched standing next to His Highness the Grand Duke."
I naturally recalled the Grand Duke.
Jet-black hair, healthy skin with good complexion, and a beautiful face that was captivating just to look at.
But what was reflected in the mirror before me was a pale, scrawny girl with hair like dry winter reeds.
We didn't seem to suit each other at all.
I looked at the floor and unnecessarily brought my toes together.
Having finished taking my measurements quickly, she began a lively conversation with Mrs. Semona.
Three house dresses, three banquet dresses, a dress for tea parties, a dress for balls, one riding habit, and spare shirts...
Unable to follow their conversation, I secretly peeked at the dress catalog. The dresses were all puffed up like croissants with layers of cloth added. It seemed like one of these dresses could make three of the clothes I wore in Amari. And the thread used for the embroidery could probably stitch together hundreds of pieces of leather.
Flipping through the pages, I saw the price written on the very back and hastily threw it down as if I had touched something evil.
No way. Suddenly, it all felt like a crazy thing.
I mustered up the courage and said to Mrs. Semona.
"I, I... don't need that much."
"You must, my lady. This is a matter of the Grand Ducal house's prestige."
It was the first time I had seen her speak so firmly. I looked at the madam anxiously.
Mrs. Semona ended up purchasing all those numerous dresses. When she said to bring them as quickly as possible, and that it was fine to request additional funds, I nearly fainted.
When the tailor left, she bowed deeply to me.
"It is my oversight, my lady. I was so focused on what you ate that I neglected the aspects a lady should properly have."
"N-no..."
It was strange.
I was the one who ate every day like a person starving for three days, so why was Mrs. Semona apologizing? She even spent such a large sum on dresses.
I actually felt sorry, but she looked so serious that I couldn't say anything.
The warm afternoon sun was tilting past the ornamental window.
❖ ❖ ❖
When night fell, I came to the bedroom early. I told the maids I was tired, but in truth, I felt an urgent need to tell Victor about spending such a large sum.
Not long after I sat huddled by the bed waiting, he entered the bedroom. I tried to hide my anxiety and greeted him.
"Welcome back."
He looked down at me sitting on the bed.
"Did you wait for me?"
"Because that is my job."
The Grand Duke's eyes narrowed, then soon turned into a smile of unknown meaning.
He poured the wine placed at the head of the bed and drank it. I looked up at him anxiously.
"I heard you ordered dresses."
I was startled and my body trembled. Victor, setting down his glass, had a slight frown on his face. My heart raced.
I really spent an absurd amount of money. I should have stopped the madam somehow. Should I cancel the order right now?
His voice stopped my imagination, which was running wild into the dark.
"This is my mistake. I said I'd buy you everything new when you came to the Empire... I agonized so much with Diedrick about what to give you."
I was surprised and met his eyes. Surprisingly, the Grand Duke had a very apologetic expression.
"I saw you every day and didn't notice at all. From now on, I will regularly call jewel merchants and tailors to the mansion."
Suddenly, the catalog I saw earlier crossed my mind.
The clothes as beautiful as flower petals, and the number of gold coins written below them, were all things I had never seen in my life. It was overwhelming enough to buy such things once, but to keep buying them every time?
It was too much. It was really, truly too much. If I kept spending money like I did earlier, my heart might explode.
Without even time to think, words spilled out.
"Your Highness, I... grew up in the borderlands. I ate cold food every day and skinned monsters to make clothes."
Victor's eyes darkened instantly. He quietly observed my skinny neck visible below the shirt collar. I tried my best to appear calm.
"The only things I've ever bought with money were pickled vegetables or scrap iron. I didn't need or want anything more than that. So what you have given me so far is enough."
His agate-like eyes quietly captured me. After staring at me with a gaze that seemed to pierce through me for a moment, he came and sat beside me. The most noble man in this mansion muttered.
"This, too, is my mistake."
"..."
"I thought you would be happy if I gave you a gift. Was this just my own self-satisfaction?"
Unable to find the words to reply, I stared at him blankly.
His eyes carefully examined my face, my arms wrapped in the shirt, and my still skinny legs. Then, suddenly, he smiled playfully.
"Then will you grant me a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Spar with me during the day."
A spar?
I tilted my head in wonder.
He wouldn't remember, but we were already crossing swords every day. So why did he want to spar with me?
"I should also know what kind of sword it is that defeats me every night."
He smiled slowly. Only then did I realize he had made something like a joke.
Somehow, my chest fluttered. Actually, I didn't really enjoy sparring, but... it wasn't like I couldn't grant his request. He had been truly kind to me.
When I nodded, the Grand Duke's smile grew a little wider. I thought his smiles had become noticeably more frequent lately.
He lay down on the soft blanket. Then he looked up at me.
"Marion, my Grand Duchess."
At the sweet voice, my heart thumped again for no reason. I instinctively hugged the sword a little tighter.
"I don't know how glad I am that you came."
The movement of his eyelids grew slower and slower.
I quickly gestured to the attendant to put out the lights. Only after the room became completely dark did I mouth the words without making a sound.
Good night, Victor.
❖ ❖ ❖
The ordered clothes arrived as quickly as requested. Dresses of such exquisite craftsmanship that it was hard to believe they were made in such a short time were brought into the lady's room one by one. The maids squealed in admiration the whole time they carried the clothes.
"My lady, it's so beautiful! You like it too, right?"
I stared blankly at the chest of the party dress, densely embroidered with pearls. For something a person would wear, every part was wondrously delicate and lovely. I was even afraid to touch it in case I ruined it.
The other clothes were the same. The riding habit with splendid gold embroidery, the light yellow evening dress, and even the shirts ordered for nightwear had intricate ruffle details for ease of movement. Every single one was clothes I had never even seen before.
Then, the door opened.
"The clothes have arrived, I see."
"Your Highness the Grand Duke."
The servants all stopped their hands and bowed.
He told them to continue their work and looked at me.
Why was he in my room at this time of day?
He spoke to me as I looked at him with round eyes.
"Put on the new clothes, Marion."
He smiled.
"Let's go out."
❖ ❖ ❖
Victor put me in a carriage and took me to the outskirts of the capital.
Wearing the newly tailored shirt and pants as he said, I sat there without understanding, then belatedly asked.
"Where are we going now?"
"A little further is my knightly order's training ground. It's used by the knights staying in the capital."
"Didn't all the knights go to the estate?"
"Most did, but a few stayed in the capital for escort duty."
I see. I nodded and looked out the window.
Riding in the carriage on the dusty road reminded me of when I first came here.
The days I leaned against the inside of the glass window, secretly wiping away tears. Back then, I was only scared. I never imagined I would travel a similar road again, smiling awkwardly with this man.
Soon, the carriage passed through a broadleaf forest, rattled over a gravel road, and arrived in front of the training ground. From a distance, the sound of shouts could be heard.
Over a dozen men who were focusing on training with swords stopped their movements one by one upon seeing the carriage bearing the Grand Ducal crest.
The carriage stopped at the entrance, and Victor got out first. The knights raised their swords in unison to pay respect to their lord. Even at a glance, it was clear they were a disciplined and orderly knightly order. Their bodies were all properly trained, and there were no flaws in their sword grips.
I admired them inwardly and took Victor's outstretched hand, getting out next. Unconcealed surprise appeared in their eyes.
"This is my wife, Amarion."
Victor introduced me to them. At the same time, the knights' gazes focused on me. I could feel their curious eyes appraising me. Blood rushed to my face all at once. I wasn't used to receiving the stares of unfamiliar people.
Victor said as if encouraging me.
"Say hello, Marion. These are my knights."
Highly tense, I stiffly bowed my head in greeting.
"H-hello. I am Amarion of Amari."
Raising my head, I became even more flustered. The knights now wore expressions of extreme bewilderment.
Why were they like that? I looked at Victor anxiously, and he also had his eyebrows raised in surprise.
What? What did I do wrong?
As I nearly fell into a panic, one knight carefully asked a question.
"Are you a knight, Your Highness?"
Ah.
Only then did I realize I had greeted them like a knight. It wasn't that I didn't know etiquette, but mixing with knights made my old habits pop out.
My face instantly burned as if it would burst. I quickly and awkwardly bent my knees in a curtsy.
"Y-yes... T-that was a mistake. I am Amarion Mort, the Grand Duchess of Mort."
"Is it true that you sword-fight with His Highness every night, my lady?"
Another knight asked bluntly.
Instead of me, who was too flustered to speak, Victor answered simply.
"Yes, it's true."
"Then the rumors were all true!"
Clatter!
Throwing down their swords, they suddenly swarmed like a pack of wolves. When the large men rushed over, I got goosebumps. I was so surprised that I quickly grabbed Victor's sleeve.
Victor shouted in irritation.
"Step back right now! You're scaring my wife!"
"But Your Highness, we've been stuck here only hearing rumors."
The knight who had asked the second question protested with a pout. His fiery red hair stuck out in all directions.
"The rumor is spreading that you cherish Her Highness the Grand Duchess so much you won't even let her out of the bedroom, and we can't go see her, nor do you call us in. Do you know how curious we've been?"
With a deeply flushed face, I bowed my head low.
The kind of things knights would talk about was obvious. Not letting her out of the bedroom—it was definitely that kind of talk.
Victor reprimanded him sternly.
"Don't be flippant, Kalz."
"It gives me lethal goosebumps every time you act like a noble."
Immediately, someone else grumbled.
Then, boisterous laughter and another reprimand followed.
I honestly couldn't help but be surprised.
He was clearly the Grand Duke feared by everyone on the continent, but he seemed to have a closer relationship with his knights than expected. Contrary to his infamy, the Grand Duke of Death's knightly order seemed just like a group of friends.
Soon, the attention focused on me again. Their eyes held evident fascination as they looked at me.
"On the battlefield too, when His Highness woke up, the knights had to attack him in groups."
"This fragile Grand Duchess? Maybe Your Highness is past his prime too?"
How could they be so insolent!
I kept glancing at Victor's mood. But strangely, Victor seemed to be in quite a good mood.
He looked down at me and gave a soft smile.
"I was curious about that too, so I brought her."
"What do you mean?"
"Yes, everyone clear the area!"
The knights cheered and scrambled to the edges of the training ground.
An empty space was created in the middle of the dirt field. The people sitting around randomly shouted as if they were in the middle of a tavern.
I sighed.
It was the start of another marital quarrel.
❖ ❖ ❖
There was no preparation needed. The only difference was that he was in his right mind and I was in outdoor clothes; otherwise, it was the same as what we did every night in the bedroom.
Ten steps away, Victor smiled and drew his sword.
"Marion, I won't be easy to deal with during the day."
"You aren't easy to deal with even when you're asleep, Victor."
When I sighed, Victor smiled softly.
Outside the circle, it was a total uproar. Applause and loud whistling—they seemed more like street ruffians than knights.
What kind of things must they have experienced for strictly trained knights to become such a rowdy bunch?
I imagined the years the Grand Duke and his knightly order roamed the continent as I drew my sword.
It had been a long time since I held a sword during the day. The midday sunlight shattered off the tip of the blade.
He didn't ask any easy questions like if I was ready.
Victor cheerfully spat out.
"Then, miss, the despicable man will go first."
The next moment, he was right in front of my nose.
Victor's sword was as fast as lightning and as heavy as thunder. It was the orthodoxy of the Imperial knight's swordsmanship, said to be difficult to learn and use. The sword flew in, targeting only exactly where it needed to with extreme precision. The destructive power coming from that magnificent body, which I had admired from the first moment I saw it, was not something I dared to face head-on.
I felt it every night, but receiving his attack head-on was beyond my muscular strength.
I dodged once, laid the blade flat to deflect twice, then immediately extended my sword toward his head. Victor struck my wrist, pushing the blade away, and rushed in with his waist. I took a step back and deflected his sword.
Clang!
A sharp sound rang out.
It was truly astonishing. To think such a swordsman existed in the world. Five exchanges had passed in a single breath, and I hadn't even grazed him. I caught my breath briefly and looked at him.
Victor was smiling.
"My Marion."
Following the whisper, the blade flew in again immediately. Instead of dodging back, I leapt into his embrace. It was a technique used against long-armed trolls. Since his limbs were longer than mine, keeping my distance would only put me at a disadvantage.
I took two steps forward and pushed the sword up from below. Victor stepped aside and struck the blade. Unable to properly deflect it, my balance crumbled. I instinctively sat down, then immediately rolled to the side and swung my sword behind me.
Another clang, and I gripped my numb hand and stepped back.
Oh, no.
The tip of the sword was chipped. The blades had crossed, and the edge had notched.
I raised my hand.
"I lose."
Victor stopped in his tracks and sheathed his sword.
Looking down regretfully at the notched blade, I then realized the surroundings had gone quiet. The knights, who had been chatting endlessly, were all staring at us with their mouths open.
Why were they like that?
Victor, approaching, blocked my questioning view. Then, he plucked the strands of hair stuck to my sweaty forehead one by one and smiled ecstatically.
"The king didn't lie to me."
"What do you mean?"
"That you are the greatest knight."
That was truly an overestimation. My face flushed red naturally. Those were words I only heard in the rural estate of the northern kingdom. I didn't know how the rumor reached the royal palace, but... anyway, it wasn't enough to be praised by the famous 'Walking Death' across the continent. I hadn't even managed to land a proper single blow on him.
Having arranged all my hair, Victor spoke over his shoulder.
"Now, those guys seem to have a lot of questions, so humor them for a bit. And you lot, don't make my wife uncomfortable."
Looking back, I saw the knights swarming in. As soon as Victor let go of me, they barraged me with questions.
"Since when did you use a sword?"
"How did you do that footwork when you got up from the ground earlier?"
"Does His Highness treat you well?"
In the flood of rushing questions, I was overwhelmed.
I missed the quiet and peaceful Grand Ducal mansion terribly.
❖ ❖ ❖
Victor Mort slipped out of the middle of the noisy training ground. The vice-commander and the chief of staff of the knightly order followed behind their lord.
The chief of staff, Kalz of Denion, opened his mouth.
"I heard that Your Highness was struck by an outside woman's sword, and I wondered if you had finally completely lost your mind."
He let out a hollow laugh.
"The lady is a genius. There probably isn't another swordsman on the entire continent who can spar with Your Highness like that."
"Yeah. I think so too."
"Though it seems she has strangely little experience fighting people."
Victor glanced at her, buried in the crowd. It was amusing to see her struggling to answer the pouring questions as diligently as possible. The near-white blonde hair, characteristic of northerners, glittered white in the sunlight.
He explained to the loyal knights who had guarded the capital's mansion while he was in the kingdom.
"She is from Amari in the northern kingdom."
"That Amari?"
"Yeah. Amari, as in Amari, Mul, and Siland."
The vice-commander, Leonard of Odo, nodded gravely.
"Then her skill makes sense. I heard that place is no different from a battlefield."
"Yeah, because monsters constantly come down from the Black Mountain Range to the north. They say she held a sword since she was less than ten years old."
"Given that 'name'... Her Highness would have become the lord of Amari in the future."
Victor nodded.
He remembered seeing her for the first time during those days that felt like death. Standing awkwardly as if she had never worn a dress in her life. The backs of her hands and her cheeks were cracked from the cold, looking almost painful.
But her posture was straight, and her thin arms were properly trained. He thought she was an excellent swordswoman. He just didn't know she would be this good.
He smiled smoothly.
"But she doesn't know how skilled she is."
"Pardon? How can she not know?"
"I heard she never left her hometown her whole life and only fought hordes of monsters. She only mingled with low-ranking mercenaries or village knights. So she must have thought her strength was only at that level, even if she was the strongest. ...She probably couldn't even imagine that she is one of the top knights on the entire continent."
Leonard looked at his lord. His lord's eyes were strangely sunken. He had served his lord for half his life, but when he was like this, Leonard would become a little frightened.
He asked without realizing it.
"You're going to send her back, right?"
The Grand Duke looked back at him with a smile that hadn't fully faded.
Leonard appealed.
"You told the vassals who opposed the marriage that you would only keep her until your condition was cured. And after that, you would marry one of the ladies from the allied houses."
"Moreover, if she is the heir of Amari, you must send her back even more. If she never returns, what will happen to that place?"
Kalz chimed in.
This was a matter of practicality, as well as a matter of chivalry. Amarion of Amari was a person born with the destiny to become the lord of the north and protect her land. She shouldn't be left in the Empire's Grand Ducal house.
But his lord's gaze was still fixed on the Grand Duchess's straight back. It wasn't the eyes wavering from unending fatigue, but an amber gaze like an arrow.
The Grand Duke expressed a question.
"Why should I care about that?"
"Your Highness!"
Kalz cried out as if fed up. But Victor smiled softly.
"I have already paid enough dowry. If she wants, I can pay more. No, I might as well send it every year."
"..."
"But she is mine."
The Grand Duke lightly tapped the hilt of the sword he had sparred with his wife.
Though he was dressed like a gentleman, he was originally a greedy swordsman. And his wife—a knight equal to himself when they first met—was a jewel that had rolled into his hands. He had no intention of letting this opportunity slip by.
The Grand Duke declared.
"I am not sending her back."
Because she would surely be happier that way too.
Death opened its maw and smiled. A smile so beautiful it was perfect for deceiving.