Prologue: Auspicious Union
Neighhh—
The enormous white horse galloped in with a loud cry as if announcing the dawn.
Startled, the escort knights half-drew their swords before they tried to pull their master’s cloak.
At that moment, the horse reared its front legs and turned sideways, coming to a halt.
Two knights, bewildered with their swords drawn, stood still. A young Duke remained unmoving. And atop the white horse, a person looked down upon them.
The riders’ faces were not clearly visible due to the sun behind them, but it didn’t take long for the Duke to recognize them.
“Who did you say the Duke was?”
With a quite natural Imperial accent, the voice was vibrant and lively.
In a daze, the Duke looked up at the rider, no, at her.
He first noticed the flamboyant headscarf wrapped tightly around her, showing only her eyes.
Her attire—a bright red top, wide trousers, a broad belt, and leather boots—was unimaginable for an Imperial citizen.
The woman dismounted gracefully from the tall horse without any help, inspecting the three startled people with curious eyes.
After a brief moment of contemplation, she walked boldly towards the Duke.
“Are you the one to become my husband?”
“…Yes, I am.”
The Duke’s answer brought a glimmer to the woman’s eyes.
“I am ‘Duha Yelle Bashar’. I am to be your wife.”
Duha introduced herself, staring straight into the Duke’s eyes.
“You can call me Duha.”
With the morning sun behind her, her eyes curved into crescent shapes as she finished her introduction.
Duha—
The Duke found himself repeating her name unconsciously.
Their encounter was as sudden as the rising morning sun, catching them both off guard.
Chapter 1: Alliance Marriage
“…So you’re really going.”
The face of ‘Yelle’, the chieftain of the Wind Tribe, was filled with concern.
However, the woman sitting across from him casually threw a log into the dying fireplace.
“There’s no one else but me.”
With her half-tied curly silver hair, the woman had a unique aura.
Straight eyebrows, a neat nose, and plump, rosy lips—
Although not considered a beauty by Bashar’s standards, an inexplicable charm drew people’s attention to her.
Her almond-shaped eyes, shining golden like those of a beast, appeared green or blue depending on the light, giving her an extraordinary look.
“All the Princesses from other tribes are either married or too young to marry.”
“Duha.”
When her father called her name, the woman, Duha, slowly lifted her gaze.
A flicker of fire reflected in her molten gold eyes.
“Even if I stay here, I have only one option. I don’t want that, Father.”
If she had to endure humiliation and shame, she would instead go somewhere unknown and face it. Her father couldn’t miss the determined resolve on her face.
But understanding didn’t mean acceptance.
“…Is it so infuriating? That you couldn’t take the heir’s position?”
Only the chieftain’s son could become the leader. It had always been that way, and it would continue to be.
“I acknowledge your excellence. But a chieftain must be recognized by everyone. Winning in duels isn’t everything.”
“That recognition is something I can never get unless I am reborn in another tribe or as a man.”
She had three older brothers. Despite being born a girl, she surpassed them in every way.
Duha had the qualities of a leader, coupled with competitiveness and boldness, making her believe she would become the chieftain.
How she had admired her father’s back, leading everyone to believe she could also become like him.
Naively.
“Fine. So, the path you chose was to marry an Imperial noble willingly? Really?”
“Isn’t it better than staying here, serving a man clearly inferior to me?”
“Duha!”
“Well, at least I can take pride in sacrificing myself for the tribe’s alliance with the Empire.”
Having said her piece, Duha stood up.
She packed her hat and cloak without a word and looked back at her father before leaving the room.
The broad, imposing back of her father, which once inspired her dreams, now seemed worn and frail, worn down by time.
It pained her, but she turned away. Watching the back of her changed father was more agonizing than seeing things she could never have.
As she lifted the thick carpet acting as a door and stepped outside, a familiar figure leaning against the stone wall came into view.
Her eldest brother, ‘Nihir,’ had taken the position of the next chieftain.
His curly silver hair resembled hers, but his ash-gray eyes did not. Just seeing his face made her blood boil.
“You’re going to the Empire?”
Nihir had disliked Duha since childhood.
It was probably because his much younger sister, who was not cute or friendly, always fiercely competed with him.
Moreover, he kept losing to her as they grew older, making his resentment understandable.
“Hmph, with your temperament, you’ll hardly last in the Empire. You’ll be lucky not to be kicked out by your husband.”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“How could I not be concerned about my only sister? Especially since your marriage is for the alliance with the Empire…”
“Right. My marriage is for the alliance with the Empire.”
Duha turned to face her brother, continuing.
“So instead of showing me your petty inferiority complex, you should do something for Bashar.”
“What, what did you say?”
“You presumptuous little—!”
Unable to control his anger, he tried to swing his arm at his only sister’s face but couldn’t.
His sister effortlessly deflected his arm and had a dagger at his throat.
“Please don’t make me regret yielding the chieftain’s position, Nihir.”
She looked at her brother with genuine pity as she sheathed her dagger.
“Ha! Yield? Yield? Don’t be ridiculous! You lost to me, you lost!”
Ignoring her brother’s furious shouts, Duha calmly walked away.
“Duha Yelle Bashar, you’re a loser! Forever!”
At least, she thought, she wouldn’t have to see that pitiful face anymore, which lightened her heart a bit.
*** *** *** *** ***
Twenty years had passed since the Krone Empire conquered half the continent.
Yet, the frontier regions were still plagued by attritional wars with forces hostile to the Empire.
However, since the new lord took over, the Halten region, which bordered the two strongest kingdoms after the Empire, had been peaceful.
The people of Halten cheered for their new leader’s prowess, but the incompetent powerholders in the capital were not pleased.
Another’s competence only highlighted their incompetence.
Moreover, the new lord of Halten was a young man barely in his twenties.
It was painful for them to see such a young person not only head one of the wealthiest ducal families but also govern the prime territory of Halten.
Even the Emperor favored him, not sparing any support for Halten, which only fueled the old nobles’ resentment.
They declared they wouldn’t trade with Halten and, whenever other frontier regions requested military support, absurdly suggested they seek help from Halten.
As the situation worsened, the Emperor couldn’t ignore their complaints and summoned the Empire’s most famous young lord to the capital.
Hoping his proposed solution would quell the other nobles’ dissatisfaction.
“It’s been a while, Sir Leonhardt. I believe this is the first time we’ve met since your succession ceremony.”
Sitting on a throne draped in red silk beside a long window bathed in oblique sunlight, the Emperor looked at the young man kneeling before him.
The dazzling sunlight pouring through the glass window could have made him squint, but the young man knelt without a flinch.
The youth had an appearance that was more fitting of beauty than handsomeness.
His sleekly combed golden hair framed delicate features, and his steady blue eyes appeared cold yet paradoxically fervent.
“I have committed the disloyalty of not visiting often due to my duties at the border. Please forgive me with your boundless mercy.”
“Raise your head. Thanks to your efforts, the frontier is stable. There’s no need for you to apologize.”
With a satisfied smile, the Emperor waved lightly.
“I am grateful.”
The young man placed a clenched fist over his chest and bowed deeply.
His name was ‘Leonhardt von Esbaden’.
The lord of Halten, known as the Grand Duke of Esbaden.
This young man was the Duke who received all the envy and jealousy of the Imperial nobility.
“Well, the reason I summoned you here is simple.”
The Duke waited silently for the Emperor’s following words.
“Duke Esbaden, this is an imperial command.”
A rare ripple crossed the Duke’s composed face at the Emperor’s following words.
“For the Empire, you are to marry.”
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