Episode 3
* * *
Grand Duke Excepcion officially announced his marriage to Odely Cardel.
That day, the entire empire was thrown into an uproar.
Was it a political arrangement? Coercion?
Was there some enormous conspiracy hidden behind it?
All sorts of wild rumors spread.
Such was the extent of Ludvil’s notoriety.
He was an undisputed war hero, and every battle he commanded had ended in victory without exception.
Yet none of those who had fought alongside him called him a hero.
A merciless commander who, if necessary, could cut down even those under his command with a single stroke.
Cause and honor alike were nothing more than means in his hands.
On some days, he had executed every prisoner; on others, he had let traitors walk away with all four limbs intact.
Why?
Because every choice he made was based not on emotion, but on meticulously calculated gain.
Ludvil Excepcion.
Like an emotionless war machine, that name left behind only one result: victory.
And so, once Grand Duke Excepcion made up his mind, no one could stop this marriage.
Not even the mighty House Cardel.
“Grand Duke, how could you commit such an outrageous act? This is no different from abduction! Return my daughter to me!”
Duke Cardel protested in fury, but……
“Abduction? If you believe it to be abduction, then you may formally raise the issue in court.”
“…….”
“Then everyone will learn where, and in what state, I encountered her.”
“…….”
“Is that what you want?”
Duke Cardel ground his teeth in rage, but in the end, he had no choice but to withdraw without taking Odely back.
Amid the buzzing of gossipmongers, the wedding proceeded at lightning speed.
Duke Cardel and the family heir, Gawin, sat among the guests in silence.
But their pale faces and rigid expressions were enough to reveal their feelings.
They had lost, in such an empty way, the purifier that had sustained their house.
Even so, they had no choice but to remain silent.
The honor, glory, power, and dignity of their family……
They had to protect, somehow, the things they had so elaborately built upon lies for hundreds of years.
“In the name of God, these two souls have become one. May they give birth to love amid pain, and hope amid despair.”
After reading the final passage, the High Priest raised both hands above the heads of the bride and groom and blessed their marriage.
Unusually, the exchange of rings was omitted.
Because an old silver ring was already on the ring finger of his left hand.
A ring of simple design, glowing softly with a silver light.
For a ring worn by a grand duke, it was far too modest.
‘Could it be…… that he has someone in his heart?’
If so, it made sense.
She had wondered why, among so many noble young ladies, the one he chose had to be none other than “Odely.”
He had been seeking a suitable fake wife who would allow him to avoid his family’s pressure.
As the daughter of House Cardel, her status would not be lacking, and since she was known to be frail, there would be no need for her to engage in public activities.
On top of that, her circumstances were not good enough for her to haggle over the conditions of a contract marriage.
In the end, this too was a play.
A supporting actress standing upon the stage to protect the grand duke’s true love.
‘……Yes, that isn’t bad.’
If anything, she should be grateful.
At least before she died, she had been able to escape her family.
So this was not something she ought to be disappointed by.
“Lastly, as proof of your love before God…….”
No sooner had the High Priest spoken than a firm hand lifted her chin.
In the brief moment their eyes met, she could see no emotion whatsoever.
A formal kiss.
As that heartless kiss lingered, Odely closed her eyes amid the cheers.
* * *
After the funeral, she did not know how time had passed.
When Odely suddenly came to her senses, she was in a conference room.
‘When did I come here again?’
Her memories kept cutting off in fragments.
“This will is absurd!”
“If they were divorced, are they not strangers? And they had no children between them. What is to be done about the succession?”
“To suddenly hand over the grand duchy to someone without the approval of the Council of Nobles or a lawful appointment as heir—this is unprecedented!”
“No matter if she is from House Cardel, before her marriage, she was so weak that she never even left her family estate! We have no choice but to question her health and capability.”
The conference hall was utter chaos.
Not a single vassal remained quiet.
They waved documents with veins bulging in their necks and slammed the table with faces full of rage.
But Odely sat in her chair, letting all the commotion pass in one ear and out the other.
The sounds around her only rang muffled in her ears.
Snap, snap—
“Lady Cardel. Lady Cardel!”
At that moment, someone snapped his fingers in front of her eyes.
A man dressed in black formal attire spoke with a cold gaze.
“Are you listening?”
Marquis Belgrave.
Among the vassals within the grand duchy, he possessed the greatest political influence.
Odely, who had been lost in thought, answered a beat late.
“Ah…… I did not hear you.”
“…….”
“Would you say it again?”
The marquis, unable to speak for a moment, let out a sigh.
As though suppressing his irritation, he spoke in a low, stiff voice.
“In accordance with His Highness the Grand Duke’s will, all authority—from his property, lands, fortresses, residences, and shares in trading companies to his title—will be transferred in full to you, Lady Odely.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course, if you do not wish it, you may refuse. Morally speaking, that would be the decision everyone could understand.”
It sounded like he was saying that if she did not refuse, he would obstruct her by any means necessary.
“I will give you time to think. Please make your decision as quickly as possible.”
With those words, the marquis withdrew. The vassals followed after him as well.
The noisy conference hall grew quiet.
Odely regretted coming here.
‘What wealth and glory was I hoping to enjoy?’
In truth, she had no interest in the title or the fortune.
And yet the reason she had rushed here the moment she heard that her fake husband on paper had died was……
The reason was……
‘……I don’t know either.’
Odely leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh.
When she closed her eyes, she still saw him lying peacefully among the white flowers.
She had tilted her head back and was dragging both hands down her face when—
“My lady.”
When she opened her eyes, the aide who had brought her here was standing before her.
His eyes were rimmed red as he held out a box to her.
“In accordance with His Highness the Grand Duke’s will, I had been keeping this keepsake separately…… but I think it would be best for you to examine it yourself one last time, my lady.”
Odely accepted the small box he offered.
It was very light.
“He told me never to open it. He repeatedly instructed me to bury it deep underground so that it would never fall into anyone’s hands.”
“But you disobeyed his order.”
“I will gladly accept punishment for that sin.”
Even though he seemed loyal, quietly disobeying orders he could not accept was very much like Edwin.
Odely carefully opened the box.
Inside was the ring Ludvil had always worn on the ring finger of his left hand.
“Why is this here?”
Wasn’t this hardly an item that needed to be delivered separately with such a grave expression?
Odely picked up the ring, which bore the traces of time, and fiddled with it.
For some reason, it felt strange.
Because whenever Odely had looked at this ring, she had thought he must have a hidden lover.
She had been gazing down at the ring for a long while, turning it over in her hands with complicated feelings, when suddenly, she felt as though something had been engraved on the inside.
‘An inscription?’
Puzzled, she stood the ring upright and read the letters.
At the same time, her eyes flew wide open.
[ODELY]
Her own name was engraved on the faded ring.