ANMELDENBringing the crown of another kingdom was nothing short of a declaration of war.
Cedric’s statement instantly stripped away whatever remaining warmth lingered in the banquet hall.
As an independent kingdom renowned for its military dictatorship, Odiley would never willingly bow beneath the boots of the Hera Empire.
Kaelus dropped to his knees. His hands were bound securely behind his back, and his weapons had already been stripped away.Before him, a dark-skinned man looked down with his chin tilted upward, sitting cross-legged upon a throne.Even the two women draped in nothing but sheer himations sat near his feet, casually twirling their hair as though no gruesome display was unfolding within the hall.“What shall we do with him, Your Majesty?”The captain of the guard awaited orders, his hand resting heavily on the hilt of his sword. The ruler merely sighed, tapping his fingers—adorned with amber rings—against the armrest of his chair.“I am quite amused myself. Why would that arrogant Emperor send his
“Get lost, you bastard!”Roselyn kicked Derrick straight between his legs. She delivered it with such force that the man collapsed onto the floor beneath the bed.Yet, even through a surge of pain that eclipsed the sting of a piercing arrow, the Duke reined in his fury. His fingers dug hard into the edge of the bedsheet to anchor himself.He pushed himself up, grimacing as he forced a smile toward the woman whose arms were bound in chains.“Do you truly intend to kill me, Rose?” Derrick gritted out, his steps uneven as he dragged his remaining strength to crawl back onto the bed.“That is nothing compared to what you deserve.”“We have to
“I will make you love me again, Rose.”Derrick pinned his hand against Roselyn’s neck, forcing her to look into his blue eyes. There was no longer any pretense of the polite gentleman from her first life.What remained on this bed was a man whose sanity had been entirely swallowed by lust and rage.Without giving her a moment to breathe, Derrick stifled her lips. The kiss came as a brutal assault, entirely devoid of love.“Let ... go ...!”Roselyn wrenched her face away with all her might, cursing between ragged breaths. Her hands, chained above her head, yanked wildly against the iron, making the links rattle loudly.The skin around her w
The carriage of the Grand Duchy of Valthorne had only just left the Capital and entered the dense forest when the horses at the front suddenly neighed violently and ground to a halt.Roselyn parted the curtains. In the middle of the cobblestone road that cut through the capital's pine forest, dozens of masked men had surrounded them from all directions. Some held torches.The rest gripped longswords, their edges catching the fading afternoon light."Grand Duchess, do not step out!"The thirty Valthorne knights escorting the carriage dismounted instantly. Swords drawn, they formed a combat perimeter within seconds.The ten additional guards Cedric had sent moved as well—and for a split second, Roselyn remaine
The chamber door swung open without a prior knock. Yet, Roselyn didn't even need to turn around to know exactly who stood at the threshold.Kaelus Valthorne—the very man who had once flatly rejected the idea of a political marriage—had ultimately courted and proposed to her like an ordinary young lady.Though Roselyn still did not fully comprehend the underlying motives behind the Grand Duke's actions, she harbored no suspicion toward him.Because for as long as they had been together, Kaelus had always fiercely guarded her honor and had never once crossed a line."It is nearly midnight, yet your window is still wide open."Roselyn set her hairbrush down on the vanity, letting her half-brushed strands fall l
Bringing the crown of another kingdom was nothing short of a declaration of war.Cedric’s statement instantly stripped away whatever remaining warmth lingered in the banquet hall.As an independent kingdom renowned for its military dictatorship, Odiley would never willingly bow beneath the boots of the Hera Empire.Sending Kaelus there with such an absurd demand was tantamount to throwing him straight into a wolf's den.The Grand Duke would almost certainly be captured on the spot or executed on charges of bringing insult to the new king."Your Majesty, the winter in Valthorne is not yet fully over," Kaelus interjected smoothly, his deep, low voice undercutting the storm brewing in the room. "Aftershock bliz







