Cedric turned away with a displeased expression.
Even in his departing form, there was no trace of respect for the Emperor’s authority.
‘Damn brat.’
The Emperor glared at him until he disappeared, then snapped irritably,
“Come out!”
From behind the Emperor, a woman cloaked in a dark veil stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, did you summon me?”
“So, what of the Sacred Sword?”
“Unfortunately, there was no response at all.”
The Emperor furrowed his brow.
“That can’t be.”
“Don’t worry too much. There are still other methods.”
“Other methods?”
Behind the woman stood a massive mirror, about the size of a person.
Nothing was reflected in its opaque surface.
This meant only one thing.
“The Grand Duke of Leontheim does not possess the Sacred Sword… yet that is not all.”
The woman whispered softly.
“With just a small measure of Your Majesty’s aid, the Sacred Sword can be found.”
“So it is true that the Sacred Sword has appeared?”
“Absolutely. There was a reaction. We simply need to try another approach.”
The Emperor had long pursued the Sacred Sword, and this was the first time any trace had been detected.
The woman bit her lip firmly.
‘If not the Emperor, then it must be in the hands of the Grand Duke of Leontheim.’
Cedric Leontheim was the rightful heir to the Felsis Throne.
It could be no one else.
Naturally, she assumed Cedric was hiding the Sacred Sword.
The Emperor’s tone grew sharp.
“Then where exactly is the Sacred Sword? Can it be found?”
“Oh, Your Majesty, such an obvious question.”
The woman smiled seductively, soothing the Emperor.
“The will of the Great Divine rests with Your Majesty. Why would you worry over this?”
The Emperor frowned deeply, eyeing the woman with dissatisfaction.
“Very well.”
In a solemn voice, he commanded,
“Inform the head of the Valentine clan to keep a close watch on Cedric. He may be hiding the Sacred Sword within the Grand Duchy.”
Finally, the day of the wedding approached.
This meant Iris was to journey to the Grand Duchy of Leontheim for her marriage.
The formal wedding was to be held there.
In normal circumstances, her family should have accompanied her to the Grand Duchy.
But they all declined to attend as if it were a matter of course.
Their excuses varied.
“You know how busy I am,”
Liliana, her younger sister, pouted and whined.
“I’ve been swamped with this tea party, social events, and preparations for the Holy Festival.”
She sighed tiredly.
“And who has time to travel all the way out there? You understand, right?”
Iris knew well what preparations were needed.
She was the one who usually took on most of those tasks.
‘There probably isn’t that much left to do anyway.’
Especially the Holy Rite was an event held every year.
Most of the preparations would already have been coordinated with the Imperial Palace, and the family’s place at the gathering would be arranged accordingly.
Yet Iris didn’t bother to point that out.
She didn’t expect anyone to come for her, not even a little.
No, it would actually be troublesome if they did come.
Her family showing up at the wedding would only add to her burdens.
Better for them not to attend, just like before—that would be more helpful.
Still, Lilliana acted as if her absence would be a massive loss for Iris.
“Of course, if I go, it’ll bolster your prestige a bit, but how am I supposed to when I’m weak and busy?”
Though she had no real intention of going.
“You wouldn’t want me to suffer like that either.”
Lilliana, who had always received care and affection from the family, spoke with her usual confidence.
Iris saw clearly the thoughts behind those words.
Probably some convenient belief that Lilliana’s own happiness was the best way to serve the family.
“Lilli’s right. Iris wouldn’t want to be a burden to a family that’s already so busy.”
Their elder brother Orchid naturally sided with Lilliana’s words.
“And we can’t keep supporting you forever.”
Orchid spoke as if consoling Iris.
“You’re grown now; it’s time you take care of things yourself.”
The attitude was shameless, considering he had recently tasked Iris with cleaning up after Lilliana’s messes.
“If our whole family storms that place, it’ll only make things worse for you. The Northerners are jealous of the Valentines.”
The Duchy of Leontheim in the North was land abandoned by the Emperor.
Though vast in title, most of its territory was uninhabitable.
Overrun by fiends and beasts, it was once deemed impossible for humans to live there.
The people of Leontheim knew their harsh fate.
Yet they held great loyalty to Cedric, who willingly accepted such a position.
The Valentine clan is one of the houses that look down on Cedric.
Probably that was why Lilliana claimed she couldn’t go.
Like refusing to send a beloved child into a place clearly filled with hardship.
But their thoughts are different from yours.
Unlike the shallow assumptions of the Valentines, the people there were warm-hearted.
They welcomed Iris, a Valentine by birth, with kindness and treated her as their new lord without discomfort.
For the first time in a long while, Iris felt the warmth of people.
Calmly, Iris replied,
“Don’t worry. There’s no need for you to come.”
Her family laughed warmly.
“Thanks, sister!”
“You’ve finally grown up. That’s how it goes when it’s time to marry.”
And so, they only came to see her off.
Iris was certain their presence wasn’t truly for her.
Probably more out of respect for the Emperor’s eyes.
Even though they had ignored the second daughter’s marriage before, this was a state-arranged union.
They likely thought it was proper to maintain some formality as a courtesy to the Emperor.
Iris stood before the humble carriage her family had prepared.
She was leaving the place she had lived her whole life. Yet the burdens she carried were incredibly light.
I hardly ever owned anything here to begin with.
She slowly turned her head.
The first thing she saw was the towering, noble Valentine estate, with the family crest proudly emblazoned in the center.
She had lived there her entire life.
She devoted her short life striving to be worthy of that noble name.
Yet in her hands, she held nothing.
‘I would have preferred even a hollow glory to remain.’
From the start, there was nothing she could truly claim—only the bitter truth of that.
Now, Iris’s gaze fell steadily upon her tormenting family:
Her father, her older brother, her younger sister.
She bid farewell to these wearisome bonds.
“Goodbye.”
Liliana waved cheerfully with a bright voice.
“Don’t be so sad, sister. It’s just a marriage. It’s not like you’ll never see us again.”
Orchid chimed in,
“That’s right, Iris. You’ll do well wherever you go.”
Her father commanded coldly,
“Don’t delay. Go quickly. Do not stir any unnecessary trouble at His Majesty’s national wedding.”
Liliana burst into laughter,
“Oh, why would sister do that?”
“Indeed, Father. Iris will do well.”
The Valentine clan was said to shine like the sun—red hair like a blazing symbol, born with innate genius in swordsmanship.
Compared to their perfection, quiet Iris was like a distant star, far removed and barely noticed.
But it didn’t matter—there was one who understood.
“This is the last time.”
Iris warned in a calm voice,
“This will be the last thing I do as one of your family.”
“Sister! What are you saying?”
“Yeah, Iris. Why all of a sudden?”
Liliana and Orchid tried to intervene, wary of their father’s gaze.
But no one could stop Iris’s words.
“I am no longer part of this family. Your convenient daughter no longer exists.”
Her family’s faces involuntarily showed surprise.
They never expected the quiet, silent Iris to speak like this on her final day.
“You’ve lost your mind from arrogance.”
Her displeased father frowned at her,
“Do you think anything will happen to our house without you?”
Though no one spoke it aloud, they all thought so.
‘Iris does nothing for the family anyway.’
‘What has she ever done that she has to make things uncomfortable even on her last day?’
The thoughts were so clear, it was as if they could be heard aloud.
“I see.”
Dry contempt flickered in Iris’s pale blue eyes.
“You gained so much by selling off this useless daughter, yet you still have so much to say.”
The Emperor had rewarded the Valentine clan richly for agreeing to the national marriage.
After all, a marriage in the Emperor’s name was tied to imperial prestige.
Iris calmly pointed out her father’s duplicity, a faint smile touching her lips.
“So continue living as you always have. As if I never existed among you.”
Her father roared in anger, but Iris ignored it and stepped into the carriage.
Outside, angry voices mixed with attempts to restrain her, turning the scene chaotic.
Leaning her head quietly against the carriage window, Iris closed her eyes. A strange sense of exhaustion washed over her.
‘Again, this marriage.’
Even this shabby dress she wore was the same.
‘I wanted to avoid this marriage.’ Because of the marriage to her, Cedric might have been the one at fault.
Yet fate inevitably placed Iris back at this very wedding.
So I have to do better.
The carriage carrying Iris swiftly departed toward the Duchy of Leontheim.
The capital of the Pelsis Empire lay far to the south.
The path to northern Leontheim was long and perilous; without using warp techniques, the journey would take ages.
Fortunately, Iris, as a noble, was crossing to the North by warp, just like before.
Back then, as I neared the duchy, snow would fall.
But today, the skies were clear—
so clear that the outside world was vividly visible.
The Leontheim locals walking along the roads, their smiles bright and genuine.
Before, Iris hadn’t been able to see this.
“Lady Valentine, we have arrived!”
With a knight’s shout, the carriage came to a halt.
As Iris rose from her seat, the door opened and sunlight greeted her—
as if signaling that this was the path she must now walk.
Clack, clack.
The Leontheim retainers lined up, bowing in perfect unison without the slightest misstep.
“Welcome to Leontheim, my lady.”
Iris silently looked down upon the grand scene before her.
All these people once helped me.
So many.
And now, they were all gone.
She wished it were snowing, like before.
On such a clear day, tears would be visible to everyone.
But...
Her gaze scanned the empty space.
Where is Cedric?
He had been there to greet her at the front, she was sure.
Hoping he might be mingled among the retainers, Iris searched around, forgetting even that she was descending the steps.
“Ah!”
Her heel, precariously perched at the stair’s edge, lost balance.
Just as she was about to topple sideways, someone caught her and lifted her upright.
The veil cascaded forward like a waterfall.
Iris met the eyes of the person holding her, face to face.
“Lady Valen… tine?”
Perhaps because of the wedding, Cedric’s usually loose bangs were perfectly slicked back.
His clear garnet eyes were filled only with Iris.
Frozen in surprise, Iris hurriedly stepped back up the stairs.
“I-I’m sorry. Please forgive my clumsiness.”
Cedric silently watched as she practically rushed back up the stairs.
Did I cause too much trouble?
Seeing his face, Iris felt she had been a nuisance and felt apologetic.
But Cedric’s mind was occupied by an entirely different thought.
I was told she’d be blonde.
Had the Emperor finally lost his mind?
I heard madness can cause color blindness.
He was so overwhelmed with joy that he couldn’t even tell what absurd thoughts he was having.
In the dim light, he hadn’t realized the woman’s hair faded toward a reddish hue at the tips—mysterious and beautiful.
…What was that about her being beautiful?
This time, he could not afford a mistake.
Not ever.
So Cedric calmly steadied his heart and looked once again at the beloved bride before him.
Chapter 11
Translator's Note:
🎧 Check out the audio versions on my YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/@novel-tube-w2f?si=UqMphhId_8DH80Ns