As soon as the wedding ceremony ended, the guests who had filled the grand temple began leaving one by one. They were heading to the celebratory banquet at the Grand Duke Alberic’s mansion.
Now, only the newlyweds, Ashid and Daniela, along with Ashid’s knights and the Grand Duke’s attendants, remained in the temple.
‘It’s over.’
Daniela let out a sigh of relief, pressing a hand against her chest. She felt as if she had just overcome a major hurdle.
Her quiet but distinct sigh reached Ashid’s ears immediately. He let out a brief scoff.
‘She must be really unhappy with this situation. To the point where she’s sighing like that.’
Ashid felt a surge of irritation once again.
His gaze fixed on Daniela’s pale face, cold and intense—like a knight staring down a captured enemy.
‘…What? Why is he looking at me like that? It’s scary!’
Daniela flinched in surprise at Ashid’s piercing stare.
What on earth was that villainous Grand Duke angry about now? She nervously replayed her actions from earlier but couldn’t think of anything that might have upset him.
Awkwardly, she forced a smile and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong…? Or do I have something on my face…?”
With her hands now free after setting down her bouquet, Daniela instinctively touched her left cheek—the exact spot where Ashid’s gaze was fixated. It was also the place where he had just kissed her during the vow.
Seeing her fingers trace over the spot where his lips had been, Ashid’s expression twisted subtly.
‘Right, it must be disgusting for her. Being forced to marry a monster like me and having my lips touch her skin.’
Ashid scoffed again.
He understood exactly how she felt, even if she wasn’t being so obvious about it.
But he had no intention of sympathizing with her. He didn’t even want to understand her. He simply needed to keep Daniela by his side until he obtained all the evidence left behind by Duke Enchanto. At least until he completed his revenge.
With a cold voice, Ashid declared, “I will never annul this marriage.”
“…What?”
“Like it or not, from now on, you are Daniela, Grand Duchess of Alberic. My wife. Understood?”
Even if she still had lingering feelings for Adrian.
Ashid took Daniela’s hand and pressed a kiss onto her gloved palm. Then, meeting her eyes with a sharp, warning gaze, he added, “You belong to me now.”
Daniela let out a short laugh before looking directly at him.
“I know that already.”
She didn’t need him to spell it out for her—she understood perfectly.
This marriage would remain valid until their contract ended.
With Ashid escorting her, Daniela stepped out of the temple. Once they both entered the carriage, the knights and attendants mounted their horses and carriages, preparing to depart.
Sir Lowell led the procession as the Grand Duke’s party departed from the temple and made their way toward the mansion.
Upon arrival, the knights and attendants, who had arrived ahead of them, guided Ashid and Daniela to their respective quarters. Before their first night together, they needed to change out of their formal attire into something more comfortable.
With his usual cold expression, Ashid entered his bedchamber. His butler and attendants greeted him upon arrival.
Ashid first removed his white, fur-lined cloak and handed it to the butler before unfastening the buttons of his ceremonial attire with his long, calloused fingers.
As he took off his thick black jacket and white silk shirt, his well-built upper body was revealed—broad shoulders and toned muscles, honed from years of training.
His gaze briefly fell on the thin nightwear prepared for his first night with Daniela, neatly laid out on the bed.
If he put on those clothes and walked into the prepared bedroom, how would Daniela react?
Would she shrink back in fear, curling into herself with a pale face? Or would she glare at him with that fearless attitude of hers, warning him not to come any closer?
‘Of course, it’ll be the latter.’
Ashid had no intention of doing anything to Daniela. He didn’t even have the desire to.
It just irritated him to no end that the main reason she rejected him was because of Adrian. The thought alone stirred up an odd mix of inferiority and stubbornness.
‘She’s nothing more than a disposable chess piece. Her feelings aren’t something I should concern myself with.’
Despite this rationalization, Ashid unconsciously furrowed his brows.
Just then—
“Your Grace! Are you inside?”
A hurried knock came at his bedroom door, accompanied by the voice of Wellard, the second-in-command of his knight order.
Ashid immediately signaled the butler with a glance.
The door swung open, and Wellard entered, dropping to one knee with a pale face.
Ashid looked down at him and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“Sir Pincher, stationed at the northern fortress, has just sent a letter! The elite forces of the Grand Duchy of Resinia have crossed the border and invaded Greenhorn in the northern stronghold!”
The butler and attendants gasped, their faces turning ashen.
Ashid’s handsome face hardened with a chilling expression, and the corner of his lips twisted.
He immediately shrugged off his robe and signaled to the butler.
As the butler quickly brought his knight commander uniform, Ashid dressed efficiently, fastening his sword belt around his waist before addressing Wellard in a cold voice.
“Do we know who’s leading them?”
“The Marquis of Carwyn.”
“The Resinian Prince’s father-in-law… That senile old man. He must have a death wish.”
Ashid scoffed at the sheer audacity of their enemy. To think they would pull such a stunt on his wedding day—it was laughably transparent.
Once fully equipped, Ashid fastened his cherished sword, Villardwell, to his waist and commanded, “I’m departing for the north immediately. Assemble the First and Third Knight Orders. I will take the vanguard, and Sir Lowell will lead the rear.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
Wellard responded with unwavering loyalty.
As Ashid followed Wellard out of his chambers, the butler suddenly hesitated as if realizing something.
“Um, Your Grace!”
“What is it?”
“If you leave like this… What about the Grand Duchess and your first night together…?”
At that, the smirk on Ashid’s face deepened.
“You think that’s more important than a war in the north?”
“Well… no, but… Shouldn’t you at least inform the Grand Duchess? She might stay up all night waiting for you…”
Ashid scoffed in disbelief.
“There’s no way.”
“…Pardon?”
“Make up a reasonable excuse. Tell her something came up and I won’t be able to come. If she asks for details, don’t tell her anything.”
He couldn’t trust Daniela completely yet.
For all he knew, she might leak information to Adrian or use his absence to destroy the letters left by Duke Enchanto.
Having calculated all possibilities, Ashid issued his final order in a firm tone.
“…Understood, Your Grace.”
The butler nodded gravely.
Without another word, Ashid strode out with Wellard.
Not long after, hundreds of knights, clad in mantles embroidered with the Alberic crest, galloped out of the Grand Duke’s estate.
Meanwhile—
Daniela sat in a separate wing connected to the Grand Duke’s main residence via a short, open corridor.
The residence, passed down through generations of Alberic Duchesses, was smaller than the main building but no less luxurious.
However, Daniela had no time to admire its grandeur as the maids dragged her into the bath.
After being bathed in fragrant water infused with petals, she changed into a thin, white nightdress—appropriate for a bride’s first night.
The maids brushed her long, curly hair and draped it over one shoulder before seating her on a bed scattered with rose petals.
“We’ll take our leave now, Your Grace.”
“Ah, yes… Thank you for your hard work.”
The maids giggled at her awkward tone before teasingly reminding her that the Grand Duke would arrive soon.
Left alone, Daniela groaned.
‘Is he really coming? What do I do?!’
