A Sudden Marriage Proposal

The morning was not calm…

A violent knock on the door—

“Open up!”

Iris’s body froze.

Lety, who was half asleep, immediately clung to her clothes.

They exchanged a silent look.

Fear… returned.

The knocking repeated, this time stronger.

“In the name of the Royal Palace, open the door!”

Iris’s eyes widened.

The Royal Palace…?

She grabbed Lety’s hand tightly.

“Stay behind me…”

She slowly approached the door, her heart beating violently.

She unlocked it.

Slowly.

But—

The door was forcefully pushed from outside.

Two men rushed inside, wearing dark official uniforms, and on their chests was the same emblem—

A crown with an eye in the center.

Iris’s body stiffened.

“You are Iris?”

She did not answer.

But her silence… was enough.

One of them stepped forward.

“By order of the Royal Palace, you will come with us.”

Iris pulled Lety behind her tighter.

“For what reason?”

The man looked at her coldly.

“Murder.”

Her heart stopped for a second.

“The prince of the queen… was recently killed, and evidence was found at the crime scene.”

Then he added coldly:

“A seal bearing the palace emblem… and the same missing item has been confirmed in your possession after magical examination.”

Iris’s eyes widened.

“This is not true! We did nothing!”

But the man was unaffected.

“Say that in front of His Majesty.”

He then gestured.

The second man immediately stepped toward Lety.

“No—!”

Iris screamed and held Lety tightly.

But his grip was stronger.

He pulled the child violently.

“Let her go!”

Iris tried to push him, hit him, anything—

But the first man grabbed her arm firmly and restrained her.

“Move calmly… if you do not want her to be harmed.”

She froze.

Lety’s crying pierced her heart.

“Sister…!”

Iris gritted her teeth.

Her eyes filled with anger—

and helplessness.

“I will come… just let her go!”

The two men exchanged a brief look.

Then the first said:

“No. You both will come.”

Outside—

A black carriage was waiting.

The windows were tightly closed.

And palace guards stood in silence.

They were pushed inside without mercy.

The door closed.

With a heavy sound.

And as the carriage moved—

Iris realized only one thing:

This was the punishment the killer had inflicted on her for spying on him.

A warning to mind her own business next time.

If there would even be a next time.

……

Iris was pushed into the room without warning.

The door closed immediately behind her.

She had been separated from Lety earlier.

“I hope they didn’t hurt her…” Iris prayed in her heart.

“Raise your head.”

The voice came from above.

Iris slowly looked up.

At the end of the hall, on a raised seat, sat a single man.

He wore no armor or excessive decoration, but his presence alone was heavier than everything around him.

Beside him stood two guards, and behind him was the palace emblem itself:

A crown with an eye in the center.

Iris recognized him.

King of the kingdom, “Franz de Moriel”.

Iris trembled under his piercing gaze.

“Iris.”

He spoke her name calmly.

She did not respond.

One of the guards stepped forward.

“She was arrested this morning, found with a royal item belonging to the murdered prince.”

The man raised his hand.

The guard stopped immediately.

“A royal item belonging to the prince?”

He asked in a low voice.

The seal was brought out.

And placed on the table in front of him.

A crown… with an eye in the center.

He stared at it for a few seconds.

Then looked back at her coldly.

Iris’s expression stiffened for a moment.

Then she quickly responded:

“I did not kill him.”

He did not look at her yet.

A short silence.

Then he continued:

“I will ask you only one question.”

He finally lifted his eyes.

“How did this seal end up in your home?”

Iris clenched her fist.

“I don’t know.”

Silence filled the room.

One guard shifted slightly behind her.

But the man on the seat did not seem rushed; he was only observing her, studying her reaction.

“Entry and exit records of the area have been reviewed.”

He said coldly.

“No external party was recorded entering… except one person.”

He paused.

Then added:

“You.”

Iris’s eyes widened.

“That’s impossible.”

But this time, the guard raised a glowing magical paper showing overlapping images and traces of energy.

“Magical tracking confirms your presence at the scene.”

She stepped forward unconsciously.

“I did not pass through that alley… I just—!”

She stopped.

Her tongue slipped.

This king… what a cunning fox.

His expression did not change.

“So you were a witness to the crime?”

Silence.

For the first time… she had no direct answer.

Not because she was guilty, but because everything presented was arranged so precisely that denial was difficult.

He leaned slightly forward.

“The queen’s prince was killed, and his royal seal was lost.”

“And the seal is with you.”

“And your trace is at the scene.”

He paused.

“In normal cases… this is enough for judgment.”

A heavy silence.

Then he added:

“But I do not like quick judgments.”

Iris looked at him carefully.

“What do you want?”

He answered simply:

“The truth.”

Then he gestured to the guards.

“Call the royal mage immediately.”

Iris’s heart pounded in fear.

“What does His Majesty intend to do?”

Franz smiled without answering.

After five minutes, an elderly man entered the hall.

He bowed to the king and awaited orders.

“Examine her memories and confirm whether she is innocent or not.”

The mage already knew the situation; it was sensitive and known only to a few.

Iris was certain of her innocence, so she did not resist.

The mage stepped toward her.

He placed his hand on her head and muttered incomprehensible words.

Mysterious forces swirled around Iris, then disappeared into her mind.

She felt unbearable pain.

In a brief moment, her thoughts merged with a strange fog… as if something in her memory was being slowly pulled, along with that old feeling of heaviness in her body that sometimes accompanied her without explanation.

The mage’s eyes suddenly widened, then he looked at her in shock.

He raised his head toward Franz, who was leaning on his hand waiting for the result.

“My lord… it has been confirmed. The girl is innocent.”

But—

Franz looked at him meaningfully, then stood from his throne and approached Iris.

When the magical force left her body, she trembled and fell to the ground.

She heard a faint sound but could not identify it.

She resisted losing consciousness, but she was not in a condition to do so.

She straightened herself and wiped a faint trace of blood from her nose.

She looked at Franz, waiting for his judgment.

He smiled gently and said:

“Congratulations, Lady Iris… you have proven your innocence.”

She sighed in relief.

But—

Suddenly Franz knelt on one knee, held her chin with his fingers.

Iris trembled, and their eyes met.

“To be honest… I fell in love with you the moment you entered the palace.”

“Would you become my wife?”

“…”