The first to react was Liliana.
“Are you out of your mind, sister?”
Stamping her feet, Liliana noisily scolded Iris.
“What kind of nonsense is that to say in front of Father? No matter how much you’ve wronged him, you shouldn’t say such things.”
A subtle signal to apologize.
‘In the past, I would have quietly complied just to avoid conflict.’
All this time, Iris had always tried to steer clear of trouble.
‘I thought if I just endured it, everything would be fine.’
If Iris bent to everyone’s will, the rest of the family remained harmonious.
This time, if she begged Father, everything would return to how it was.
That’s how it had always been.
They would criticize her with disdain and end it there.
But Iris didn’t want it to end that way this time either.
‘I’m going to leave this house anyway.’
When that happened, she’d finally be free from these wretched people.
Coldly put, Iris had no reason left to endure.
Ignoring Liliana’s words, Iris calmly fixed her gaze on her father.
“Iris, you…”
Her father’s brows deeply furrowed.
A sign that Kaidrich’s anger was about to flare.
Seeing that signal, her elder brother Orchid stepped forward first.
“Hah, Iris. You’re at it again.”
Iris answered calmly.
“This is something I’ve decided a long time ago.”
Her serene demeanor made it seem as if she were detached from all worldly matters.
Orchid felt irritated by that.
“You’re the only problem in the family. What else are you dissatisfied with?”
He sighed in annoyance.
“Iris, if you’re the only one struggling among the family, isn’t the problem with you?”
“That’s why I’m asking to be disowned.”
Disownment.
That word was far from light.
It was a punishment usually reserved for grave offenses.
No doubt many within the Valentine clan would know about this incident.
Perhaps even minor internal disputes would be whispered about.
Orchid hated the stain on the clan’s honor.
‘She probably has no real intention of leaving.’
No matter how you looked at it, Iris, the family’s disgrace, wouldn’t accomplish anything outside the clan.
‘Does she really think all the work she’s done was by her own ability?’
Though Iris had helped Orchid and Liliana to some extent, it was always under the banner of the Valentine clan.
Without the clan’s name, Iris was nothing. She was not someone who had ever lived without their power.
So if she had any sense, she wouldn’t seriously intend to be disowned.
At least not if she planned to keep her noble status.
Therefore, her words were nothing but childish cries for attention from her family.
‘There’s a time to speak and a time to keep silent.’
Given her father’s temper, if he got angry enough, he could disown her on the spot.
‘The more reason for Iris to do better, but she’s so foolish.’
Already, Iris was branded as incompetent, even for a Valentine.
With the fairest skin in the family, pale lavender hair close to silver, and clear sky-blue eyes.
Her appearance somehow irritated others.
If she were human, she should feel remorse for burdening her family so much, but Iris barely seemed to feel genuine remorse.
Compared to the ever-cheerful and charming Liliana, she didn’t even feel like a sibling—it was downright unsettling.
"Iris, I know you've had a hard time. That's why you're acting like this, right?"
But Orchid, acting the part of the older brother, spoke gently as if trying to comfort her with kindness.
"Still, let's be realistic here. Don't talk nonsense about something like expulsion from the clan."
"Why do you think it's nonsense?"
Iris’ sky-blue eyes quietly turned toward him.
"I thought you'd all welcome the idea."
"Iris... I've told you before,"
Orchid said, shaking his head like someone listening to foolish talk.
"Just because you're struggling doesn’t mean everyone else isn’t."
"Everyone in the family has been putting up with you too, you know. You're not the only one who has it hard."
His voice was soft, gentle even—like someone patiently teaching a stubborn child.
But the logic was flawed from the beginning.
"I've told you not to be so self-centered, haven't I?"
Empty consolation. He didn’t understand her at all.
"You brought this on yourself. If you were just a little better, would everyone still be saying you’re the problem?"
"…You've always thought that, haven’t you?"
"Think about it logically,"
he pressed, his voice rising.
"You really think the whole family is wrong and you're the only one who's right? Come on, think."
"You’re this old and the only thing you can say is you want to be expelled from the clan? What about the rest of the family? What do you expect us to do? Do you think that’ll solve anything?"
But even if she followed their words and stayed,
nothing
would be solved.
The only thing that would remain unchanged was the fact that Iris would be the one forced to endure.
Iris stared calmly at Orchid, her expression undisturbed.
“Always saying that I was the problem.”
The words no longer hurt. She had grown used to them.
“And it’s not even wrong.”
Objectively, Iris wasn't someone capable of anything extraordinary.
She could only do what most people could do—no more, no less.
And more than anything, this clan valued swordsmanship above all.
That was their core principle. Their measure of worth.
Orchid grew irritated at Iris’ silence and pushed her again with frustration.
"Go and apologize to Father. As a daughter, no matter what, you shouldn't have said those things to him."
"Yeah, Sister! Go apologize right now!"
Lilliana chimed in from the side with her usual chirpy tone.
"What could you even do out there on your own anyway? Expulsion? That's just ridiculous!"
Then, clinging to their father’s arm, she looked up at him with endearing charm.
"Daddy, she didn’t really mean it. You know what Iris is like—she’s always had issues. Please understand her."
Lilliana had always been good at softening their father's wrath this way—
fluttering about with sweetness, clinging to him with affection.
He must’ve expected that from me too,
Iris thought.
But then she gave a small, dry smile.
No… Even if I’d been like Lilliana, he would’ve found some other reason to hate me.
The gray eyes of her family—cold and familiar—turned toward her.
Father, Orchid, Lilliana…
They all had the same hue, just different shades.
We were always this different.
Iris let out a bitter, almost amused breath as she looked at them.
"Even so, my will hasn’t changed."
Orchid snapped, unable to control his irritation.
"Are you really going to keep acting like this and stir up discord among your own family?"
"Enough."
Their father, who had been silently listening until now, shot Iris a look of deep contempt.
"Your request for expulsion is denied."
“Why…….”
Iris cautiously parted her trembling lips.
Her father’s pride was immense.
He was not the type to cast out a child simply for asking to be disowned.
More likely, he would shove her off a cliff, daring her to live on her own terms.
For him to act so differently meant—
‘There must be another reason.’
A reason why he wouldn’t disown her.
And that reason could be only one.
‘The Emperor.’
But… it couldn’t already be this way. She hoped it wasn’t true.
Yet her intuition proved exactly right.
“Whether I say it or not, you will soon leave the clan, Iris.”
Her father’s voice was cold and commanding.
“Marry the Grand Duke of Leontheim, Iris Valentine.”
Darkness clouded her vision.
No matter how much she tried to push it away, the tragic end of Cedric came flooding to her mind.
Cedric, who had lost his life protecting her.
‘I love you.’
Would she be bound to such tragedy again? Could she really let this happen?
‘No.’
Such tragedy must never happen again.
“I refuse.”
Her firm refusal was met with a mocking tone from her father.
“Good. You wouldn’t want to marry such a rebel anyway.”
“But you never had a choice from the start. Born a Valentine, you must fulfill your duties as one.”
Iris returned to her chamber and checked the calendar.
‘Why now?’
The marriage with Cedric was supposed to take place months from now.
The timing had clearly been rushed.
Her older brother chased her to her room, trying to persuade her.
“Please, I beg you, Iris. Marry him.”
Orchid was stubborn enough not to leave until she agreed.
‘Why is my brother so adamant?’
In the past, Iris had reluctantly agreed to marry Cedric to avoid causing family strife.
So this persistent scene felt strange to her.
‘Orchid isn’t like Father, blindly loyal to the Emperor’s orders.’
Iris deliberately ignored Orchid’s words.
Sensing the growing unease from her rejection, Orchid hesitated before revealing his true motive.
The very reason he was so eager to send her away.
“...If you don’t go, I’ll have to send Lily instead.”
Iris’s eyes widened.
‘Liliana?’
A name she never expected to hear.
“What would happen if that young, gentle girl were sent to the cold North? She has no family there to watch over her.”
Startled, Iris looked up sharply at Orchid.
“But you’re different, Iris.”
Orchid seemed comforted by his own words.
“Unlike Lily, you’re… mature. You’ll endure whatever comes your way.”
Of course, Iris wasn’t surprised that Orchid didn’t want to send Liliana away.
“Does it have to be a Valentine?”
Liliana already had an engagement to the Duke of Davillar.
There was no reason to force such a burden on someone already betrothed. “The Emperor himself gave the order. It must be the daughter of the Valentine clan.”
Though her face remained calm, Iris’s mind raced through calculations.
Why must it be specifically a Valentine?
It seemed the Emperor intended to send the daughter of the most loyal Holy Knight family to keep Cedric in check.
I thought if I refused, another candidate would take my place.
But Lilliana? That felt like a blow straight to the chest.
If Lilliana went instead, all of Iris’s plans would collapse.
Cedric was competent, but there was no way he could handle the Emperor while also cleaning up after Lilliana’s reckless mistakes.
“This is because they trust you, Iris. You’ve done well so far.”
Orchid’s voice grew desperate.
“If you sacrifice yourself this once, the rest of the family can be happy.”
His gray eyes shone with earnest hope. Watching them, Iris couldn’t help but smile at how absurd it was.
Still, she hid her thoughts and slowly nodded.
“...Understood.”
The morning after Iris received the marriage notice, the radiant Emperor—with golden hair shining like a noble’s and dark red eyes like hardened blood—summoned Cedric.
“Marry the daughter of the Valentine clan.”
Cedric raised an eyebrow.
“You mean marriage?”
“Isn’t it about time you settled down? I’ve already prepared everything necessary for the union.”
The Emperor’s voice was grave as he looked at Cedric.
“You only need to marry.”
“Tch.”
Cedric clicked his tongue in disbelief.
The Emperor’s reckless decisions were nothing new.
But to make marriage arrangements unilaterally and just announce them was something else.
“Is that all you called me for?”
“Isn’t it time you settled and married? You have no suitable match as it is.”
“That’s quite the thoughtful gesture.”
A lazy smirk curled one side of Cedric’s mouth—an obvious sneer.
“Leontheim!”
The Emperor frowned, slamming his fist onto the armrest of his throne.
“Are you daring to defy me?”
“Well, that depends on what Your Majesty does.”
Cedric shrugged with casual indifference, which only fueled the Emperor’s anger.
“If you refuse to marry obediently...”
“I will.”
“What?”
“Since it’s your wish, I’ll comply. I’ll marry.”
The playful sparkle in Cedric’s crimson eyes suddenly turned sharp and dangerous—like a wild beast ready to tear the Emperor’s throat out.
“But don’t mistake me for someone who will obey your commands forever. Understand?”
The Emperor knew well that Cedric was not one to threaten empty words.
That was why the Emperor could only glare, unable to nod in agreement.
“Since you understand, I shall take my leave.”
Without the customary farewell, Cedric strode toward the door.
Then, as if recalling something, he turned back and asked the Emperor,
“By the way, what hair color does the woman I’m to marry have?”
The only Valentine daughter the Emperor could remember was Lilliana—and she had golden hair.
“Most likely blonde.”
“Blonde, huh...”
Cedric sighed with a troubled, almost disappointed tone.
“Understood.”
Chapter 10