I Will Lift the Duke's Curse

Episode 1.
The bride visits her groom.
The dress was all white, with a line that ran from her neck down to her slim waist, and then flared out again.
white, but the delicate embroidery all over the dress made it clear that it was made with love.
that it was made with love.
The white veil that covered the bride’s face was also embroidered with roses, but through the embroidery, the bride’s face was hidden.
The face at first glance evoked the imagination and made the bride’s face feel more beautiful.
Rachel, who worked long days and nights to make the dress, held the hand of the woman who had cared for her since she was a baby.
who had cared for her since she was a baby. Even the bride’s eyes, visible through the embroidery, were welling up.
“Stop crying now, Rachel.”
“Oh, my dear……. My lady……. Ouch.”
Normally, tears in the presence of a bride would be considered unclean, but no one was
No one smiled and blessed ebony’s marriage.
Only her father, the Earl of Hilliard, stared down at his daughter with a stern face, but
Anyone who saw the corners of his mouth twitch could tell he was holding back tears.
The Hilliards were a family of earls who controlled the economy of the North through trade. A single Ebony
Hilliard was a great joy to the Earl and Lady Hilliard when they saw their child in his old age.
But their joy was short-lived, as the Countess fell ill with an unexplained illness and battled for two years.
and died miserably.
His wife’s illness and death shook the normally calm and clear-headed Earl of Hilliard to the core, causing him to lose his senses and engage in a series of trades with other
trade with other nations and suffered a series of failures.
The emperor, who had backed Hilliard because of the benefits of his trade to the empire, began to withdraw his support.
began to withdraw support.
One day, when all support had been cut off and the lives of the barons were in jeopardy, Count hilliward’s only daughter, Ebony, stepped forward.
Ebony, Count hilliward’s only daughter, arrived with a letter offering to resume the grain subsidy if hilliward was given in marriage to Duke Julien Leonard of the South.
No explanation was given as to why she should be the one.

After her father, Duke William Leonard, was killed in the war against the demons, Duchess Julienne Leonard led the war alone.
After her father, Duke William Leonard, was killed in the war against the demons, she led the war alone and was seriously wounded in the final battle, when all the Gentiles retreated.
It is difficult to marry and continue the line under such circumstances, so the Emperor is pushing for a marriage for his protection,
Earl Hilliard had vaguely surmised, but with a wound so severe, a man’s functioning
Is he doing it right?

Feeling more like he was selling his daughter than giving her away, the Earl of hilliward locked himself in his room for days and days.
in his room for days on end. But when ebony heard of her father’s troubles, she readily agreed to marry Duke Leonard.
to marry into the Duke’s family.
As the daughter of a lord, she would do what she could for the lords of the manor.
her father and nanny. Knowing his daughter’s stubbornness and determination well, the Earl of Hilliard eventually agreed to her marriage.
her hand in marriage.
And today is the day she leaves for her wedding.
ebony gently picked up her dress and bent down on one knee to bow to Count Hilliard. Now she would be married.
but she knew he was a man of honor, and she knew he valued dignity above all else.
He didn’t dare to embrace her in front of them.
The carriage containing the saddest bride in the world slowly left the north and began its descent into the south.
***]
It took fifteen days to travel from Hilliard’s estate to Leonard’s. A noble house, but a difficult one.
ebony, whose stamina was unparalleled because she had never done anything she hadn’t done before, didn’t realize she was tired.
She’s going on a trip, an exciting trip to see the man she loves most in the world…….
But no amount of brainwashing could erase the fear that lurked in the back of her mind. Besides
the days in the carriage were exhausting and my back ached. Her form-fitting dress was too tight
was too tight on her upper body.

At the order of her escort, the carriage stopped for lunch. Rachel, ebony’s faithful nursemaid, had prepared
began to pull out dried meats, bread, and cheese.
“I can’t do this, Rachel, can we get out of the carriage for a moment?”
ebony said, fumbling to her feet in the wagon. Rachel grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into her seat.
“No, no. A bride shows her face to strange men.”
“You’re wearing a veil.”
“Even so, no.”
“Honestly, do you realize that the Torah says she must cover her face to the groom? It doesn’t say strangers.
It does.”
“Lady, you’re so market and tired, you’re not thinking right now, so eat this.”
Rachel hurriedly reached for the bread, but ebony’s voice was sterner than before.

“Rachel, now that you’re married, you’ll have to live almost exclusively within the walls of the castle. The South has stricter laws for women than the North.
for women than the North. It’s where the Emperor is, after all.”
“I suppose so.”
“Well, then, this may be your last chance. Tomorrow we’ll be at the manor.”
“What chance?”
Before Rachel could finish, Evon suddenly flung the carriage door open, grabbed her skirt, and jumped out of the carriage
and jumped down.
The knights, who had been eating away from the carriage to avoid running into the bride, looked over to see what was going on.
and glanced in this direction, when they saw the snow-white bride leap out of the carriage, they were startled and quickly turned their heads
and turned their heads the other way.
Those who turned away were those who had been taught the law, and those who did not know the law jumped to their feet.
to their feet.
Ebon walked slowly to the front of the carriage and carefully removed the harness that connected the carriage to the horse. And then
Rachel, who had followed her out of the carriage, lifted the hem of her skirt and gasped.

“Miss, what the…… is this!”
“It’s the last time, Rachel. Your last chance to ride a horse.”
Women riding horses, practicing swordsmanship, and hunting like men were not a problem in the eyes of the law.
but it was generally regarded with great frivolity. It was simply a woman’s way of keeping her man in line, leaving the common people
to work the fields or do household chores, and nobles to manage the household economy, arrange flowers, and socialize with other wives.
and socializing with other wives.
But even in the North, ebony would often ride her horse into the mountains when she was frustrated. Even in the North, noblewomen
It was said that it was vulgar for a noblewoman to ride around on horseback, so she traveled to the mountains to avoid the attention of the people.
But even so, once he was on horseback, all his worries seemed to be blown away by the wind.
blown away by the wind.
When I first set out from the north, I still had a positive mindset, thinking about what the south was like and what kind of man my husband would be.
But the closer she got to the South, the more the weight of marriage began to suffocate her.
suffocated her.
He had been on the battlefield for so long that he was called a war hero, but Duke Leonard was a fierce man.
and cruel. Besides, he hasn’t been out of the castle in years, and he must have some serious disability.
I wonder if I’ll be able to handle it all.
I don’t know anything about the southern nobility, and I don’t know how to lead a social gathering. Rumor has it that the Emperor is trying to get a new
Is the rumor true that the Emperor is trying to get a new Empress, and if so, will I be able to get along with her?

I couldn’t digest, couldn’t sleep, and my head was spinning. The only way to get rid of these burdens
the only way to get rid of these burdens was to ride a horse.
It would be okay since I hadn’t reached the peacock palace yet. Besides, unlike the northern part of the country, which consists of high mountains.
there are also low mountains in front of us, which are not common in the south, which is made up of wide plains.
“Miss, are you crazy?”
Rachel said, panting like an even crazier person. Forced into a marriage she doesn’t want to have, and long distance.
traveling, the young lady had finally lost her temper, and Rachel was afraid to say the words that frightened her so much.
But before her hand could reach for the harness strap, ebony was atop the horse with a feather-light motion.
he was atop the horse in a feather-light motion.

It’s almost impossible to ride a horse in a dress without a saddle, but ebony handled it as if she’d been riding it for years.
as if she had been riding for years.
“Lady!
The Templar, realizing the situation, rushed to her, forgetting that he was not supposed to look at the bride’s face,
Ebon called out in a thin but stern voice.
“Lock up! I will return before you have finished your meal!
Rachel bravely stopped the Templar leader as he turned his horse and rode into the forest to capture Youngae.
Right now, it was more important to keep him from seeing the bride’s face than to capture her.
The young lady never talked nonsense, and her skill on horseback was no secret to her nanny, Rachel.
her nanny, Rachel, knew best.
***]
Riding up the ridge at a brisk pace, she drew in a long breath as she saw the duke’s territory in the distance. There.
there was her husband. The young Duke, Julienne Leonard of House Leonard, counselor to Emperor Erson Bleam Sterion, and a man of great merit to his country.
Duke, Julienne Leonard, has done much for the country.
He is only within the castle walls, but his loyal advisors have managed the manor so well
for the lords to live. Julienne’s father and her father, were equally confined to the castle by the presence of good advisors.
Duke, who was equally confined to the castle.
The fairly large villages spreading down the mountain were neat and well-organized. It was always dark and windy
Unlike the wealthy north, the south was bright and sunny, so the villages seemed bright and warm.
The manors were said to resemble lords. Julienne Leonard, like the villages below, was a surprisingly bright and warm person.
I wonder if she was a person.
It had been years since he had been rumored to have suffered a fatal wound or to be about to die.
There had been no recent news of him. It’s as if there are no more Leonards in the South.

The manor, then, as Evon saw it now, bore the mark of the lord’s presence.
Still gazing down at the estate, Evon twisted the reins to turn his horse around. Just then, something rustled in the woods.
rustled in the woods.
What was it?
A pair of glowing yellow eyes peeked out of the dense forest. Evon swallowed hard.
Most beasts with yellow eyes like that were demons.
How is it possible that there are still demons? I heard that the Duke of Leonard purged himself of all demons, and Julienne Leonard was injured in the process.

Julienne Leonard was injured in the process, which is why she is so admired by her people.

Evon absentmindedly patted his thigh, his gaze still on the demon. He had never been properly trained in swordsmanship

but he’d watched the knights train from a young age, and he knew enough to defend himself.

to defend herself.

But the dagger that had always been strapped to her thigh was not there, as Rachel had put it away for her

for wearing a bridal gown.

As soon as she realized she didn’t have a weapon, a look of despair crossed Evon’s face. In times like this, turning your back

dangerous.

Evon spoke in a low voice.

“I won’t hurt you. I have no intention of hurting you.

But the yellow eyes seemed to grow brighter and brighter in color, and it growled.

“Don’t come near me. If you come close, I’ll have no choice but to kill you, and I don’t want to.

The words were inaudible, but Ebon continued to mutter in a low voice. Then, from somewhere, I heard the Templar’s call.

The Templar’s call came from somewhere as if he had come looking for her.

She turned her head in the direction of the sound, then looked back to where the eyes had been.

there was nothing.

What was that? Where did he go?