My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

It was a pitch-black night.

 

“Damn it, why is this guy talking like this!”

 

A man who was relying on the moonlight to hurry his steps swung his whip in frustration at the horse that was unsteady even when he pulled on the reins.

 

‘Kyy’, the horse cried out in pain and still made no attempt to move forward. The man was about to swing his whip loudly again.

 

“Count, why don’t we take a break? I’ve already driven for a full day, and the night is deep, so I can’t see an inch ahead…”

 

As the servant asked carefully, Count Randel twitched his mustache.

 

“This place is adjacent to the demonic swamp, so we need to get out as soon as possible! If you don’t know, stay still!”

 

The Count, who lost his temper, seemed to be still irritated and grunted as he glared at the black carriage following him.

 

“If I was taking Princess Bridget with me, I wouldn’t have had to go this route!”

 

A historical event in which two countries, the Arkhan Empire and the Hayworth Kingdom, form an alliance through marriage. The Count, whose heart was swelled with the expectation of being given a role in it, was in a state of deep resentment after learning that the person with whom he had arranged an arranged marriage was none other than Annette, the princess called the Seed of the Demon Beast. Instead of the spectacular envoy procession that was expected, he was heading towards the Arkhan Empire with only one attendant and four knights, passing through the dangerous swamp of demonic beasts like a criminal on the run. The count spat at the person responsible for creating this situation.

 

“It’s like a cursed piece of junk!”

 

The servant was startled and said, “Count!” He shouted, but the Count instead confidently asked back, “Did I say something wrong?”

 

The servant smiled awkwardly instead of answering. Annette, who had been listening to the two people’s conversation, slowly raised her head from the carriage window.

 

‘It’s junk…’

 

Wasn’t that an incorrect expression? Annette Hayworth, who couldn’t hold a sword, would soon be no different from a useless object. Thinking cynically about her own situation, Annette absentmindedly looked down at her left hand. Just a month ago, this hand was holding a sword. It was no exaggeration to say that she had not been separated from each other for almost half her life. But…

 

Annette glanced at the scar across her wrist, and her free hand clenched and unclenched her fist awkwardly. The injury was severe enough to completely sever her nerves, leaving her with deep scars, but she was now pain-free and no longer felt any discomfort in her daily life. Perhaps it was truly the seed of the demonic beast, or it was thanks to her incredible resilience that she was born with.

 

‘So maybe… I might be able to hold a sword again someday and create sword energy.’

 

Of course, even without sword skills, Annette had plenty of ways to deal with the magical beast.

 

‘Or start all over again.’

 

Annette glanced at his intact right hand, lowered her gaze, and sighed. There was no need to think any further about it. Because now she…

 

“Still, aren’t you the one who will become the Grand Duchess of the Arkhan Empire? No one knows how much the Emperor cherishes Grand Duke Hargent. If you make a mistake in front of him, the alliance may be broken, so be careful.”

 

“Would I even say something like this when I go to the Empire? That won’t happen, so don’t worry.”

 

The count boasted to his servant. However, the sarcasm did not stop.

 

“But don’t you think there was no one in the empire who could become a Grand Duchess? They say he mentioned noble blood in his marriage proposal, but I can’t believe he accepted that the seed of a demonic beast is a princess.”

 

“But just based on blood, doesn’t it meet the conditions? Her Royal Highness Queen Seon is of the prestigious Richello family…”

 

“No, what kind of nonsense is this person right now?”

 

The count jumped at the words the servant inadvertently mentioned.

 

“So, are you saying that Princess Bridget is less noble than that demonic beast’s seed? It means that from the beginning, he was targeting this side of the empire, not Princess Bridget, and asked for her hand in marriage!”

 

They were drawing a line in case the knights who were guarding them heard this conversation and returned to the kingdom to spread the word. Having never been outside the Kingdom of Hayworth in his life, he had no hesitation in insulting Annette, and was afraid that he would be disliked by the current queen, the pinnacle of power. Even to the point of mocking the Grand Duke of the Empire.

 

“What’s the point of being a war hero and a member of the royal family? There are a lot of rumors that Grand Duke Harzent was covered in the blood of a demonic beast and his face became as ugly as a monster! I heard he usually covers his face with a black mask, right?”

 

Annette, who happened to hear the sound, raised her lowered gaze. Her eyebrows naturally furrowed. No matter how much Queen Esther was afraid, a mere earl from a small country can so carelessly mock the Grand Duke of an empire. The royal family of the Arkhan Empire is blessed by God and was said to be gifted with powers that were different from those of other humans. His bloodline, Grand Duke Harzent, was the emperor’s much-loved younger brother, his right-hand man, and the ruler in charge of the northern part of the Alkan Empire, the border region. Even if you just look at the obvious conditions, it’s an opponent that neither he  nor Bridget can overcome… 

 

<No, I do not want! I would rather die than marry such a monster!”

 

Annette quietly closed her eyes and remembered Bridget screaming and crying all at once.

 

* * *

 

A week ago from now.

 

Annette received a call from King Hayworth and headed to the throne room. And she stopped short when she saw the king holding an envelope with the Arkan imperial emblem and Bridget wailing at his feet.

 

Queen Esther was beside her, rubbing Bridget’s back and persuading her.

 

“Bridget, think about it carefully. It’s not that bad. Of the mighty Arkan Empire…”

 

“They say his face is hideous! How can Bridget live with such a monster for the rest of her life, huh!

 

It was a time when Annette was staring blankly at Bridget, who still called her name like a child even though she was eighteen, and the queen who looked after her like a child. The king spotted her and frowned at her.

 

“Greeting His Majesty the King…”

 

“The Alkan Empire proposed an alliance.”

 

Just as she was about to lower her eyes and show her courtesy, the king callously ignored the greeting and got to the point.

 

“It is said that as a token of alliance, the imperial family and Princess Hayworth would like to enter into an arranged marriage.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Annette’s expression instantly brightened. When she was injured and semi-forced into retirement, her kingdom was left without much power. There was no telling when the Valendor Empire, which was targeting the southern lands, may start a war. It would be extremely reassuring if they could form an alliance with the Arkhan Empire and receive their help.

 

She was a natural commander, she quickly took advantage and considered who the Empire’s matchmaker might be. It was not difficult to think of the Alkan Imperial Family because their bloodlines were precious.

 

‘The emperor is already married, and the crown prince is also young. Besides, there is no way she would give her position as empress to a princess from a foreign country.’

 

Then there was only one person left. The Grand Duke, Cardin Hargent, was second in line to the throne.

 

‘He was twenty-two, two years younger than me? Then, there is a four year difference between me and Bridget… ah.’

 

Annette’s face hardened as she thought about that. She remembered Bridget yelling a little while ago that she couldn’t marry a monster. Grand Duke Harzent was a war hero who had never been defeated in countless battles against enemy nations and demonic beasts, but there were widespread rumors that he had lost his beautiful appearance due to the blood of demonic beasts. Only then did Annette realize why the king, who hated even a single hair of his own, had called her. Words like a sentence fell over her head.

 

“Annette, you should marry Grand Duke Hargent of the Arkhan Empire.”

 

Annette almost burst into laughter for a moment. She has never been treated like a princess in her entire life, and now? Even if the Grand Duke’s rumors weren’t so bad, this marriage talk would never have come to her. In fact, Queen Esther looked bitter.

 

‘If we make Bridget the Grand Duchess of the Arkhan Empire, it will be easier to appoint her youngest child, Raon, as her next crown prince.’

 

However, she was reluctant to give her daughter in marriage to such a monster, and Bridget also stubbornly refused, so she seemed to have given up reluctantly. Of course, there was a high probability that he would reject Annette from Arkhan, so she may be trying to convince her that she has no choice at that time. The important thing was that no one here cared what Annette thought. In the first place, the king did not ask about her intention, but rather gave an order for her to be married.

 

Fortunately, Annette didn’t have the heart to refuse either. As soon as King Hayworth heard Annette’s words that he would follow his orders, he sent a messenger to the Arkhan Empire. And the reply came right away.

 

Surprisingly, the Emperor of the Alkan Empire agreed to the marriage between Annette and Grand Duke Hargent, and what was so urgent even sent the betrothal documents enclosed. Annette, who deep down thought that Alkan would reject her like Queen Esther, was a little surprised. He was asking for her hand in marriage to the princess of Hayworth, who was of noble blood. Because she remembered the words that had been written when he first asked for her alliance.

 

‘I thought the princess, who was called the seed of a demonic beast, said she didn’t like it, but she couldn’t do it, so she said it back…’

 

Seeing her rushing like this without regard for her opponent, she seemed to have something going on with Grand Duke Hargent. Of course, Annette, indifferent to her situation, indifferently wrote her name next to Archduke Hargent’s signature, which was elegant and sharp as if drawn with her sword. As the marriage talk proceeded smoothly without the slightest disturbance, Queen Esther was the one whose pride was hurt. But she also thought of Count Randell, who soon became the representative of Hayworth’s delegation. Grand Duke Hargent, who was looking for a bride under the pretext of an alliance, seemed to be in such need of a wife that he accepted Annette.

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note:

New story here!! future chapters will come after a little vacation but I wanted to release the first one asap. I hope you enjoy this story <3