Prologue

Prologue

Spring at twenty. The weather was perfect.

And on a day like this,

“Lady?”

it was the perfect day to cause trouble.

“Haah…”

Cecilyn panted as she slammed the door shut behind her. Evading the knights had been no easy feat. As she struggled to catch her breath, she saw a man, standing silently before her.

The man she’d just had a formal meeting with today.

Had he just stepped out of the bath?

A faint trace of fragrant oil lingered in the air.Cecilyn swallowed without meaning to. When she looked up, she was met with a pair of cold, sharp eyes.

“Lady Brioden.”

Their eyes met.

“What brings you here?”

At those words,Cecilyn hastily gathered the plans she’d scattered in her rush.

Originally, she should have been fast asleep in the guest room of the main palace by now. And coming morning, she was meant to return to her estate, empty-handed.

ButCecilyn had no intention of going back quietly.

‘I can’t go back like this.’

This was a miracle, a second chance at life.

To prevent the same tragedy as before, this marriage had to happen.

The First Prince standing before her was the key. If the marriage succeeded, she could drag the Second Prince, her mortal enemy, down into ruin.

Taking a slow, steady breath,Cecilyn faced the man standing with a slant in his posture.

Earlier, he’d at least maintained a semblance of politeness. Now, he looked at her like she was an intruder, and the air between them bristled with tension.

But after everything she’d done to get here, there was no way she’d back down now.

“Please take me as your wife.”

“…I assume you haven’t been bathing in wine.”

The First Prince of the Azelan Empire, Ludwig, slightly parted his lips. Lowering his gaze calmly, he looked at Cecilyn.

“If you marry me, I’ll give you the position you desire.”

“Young Lady.”

Ludwig took a step closer.

“Do you even understand what you’re saying right now?”

“Yes.”

Of course she did. In fact, the problem was that she understood it all too clearly.

“I don’t need the support of House Brioden.”

“No. I’m not talking about my family…”

Ludwig’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“His Highness the Second Prince…”

“……” 

“I’ll kill him for you.”

If that happened, the one to ascend the throne would be the First Prince.

So..

“Please marry me.”

“You already said that earlier.”

Ludwig furrowed his brow. His gaze seemed to ask if she had come all this way just to say something so absurd.

But even in the face of such a cold response, Cecilyn lifted the corners of her lips in a smile.

She hadn’t walked into this lion’s den unprepared.

“I’ll make you Emperor.”

“…Ha!”

Ludwig let out a dry laugh and reached out his hand. Her soft hair was buried in his calloused palm.

“You say some amusing things, Lady.”

After laughing for a while, he suddenly took a step forward. The already short distance between them shrank to the point where only a sheet of paper could barely fit. 

As his distinctive scent wafted over, Cecilyn swallowed hard. The tension made her thighs stiffen. 

Ludwig, who never took his eyes off her, reached out his hand again.

Just as Cecilyn started to lean back, thinking he was about to embrace her, Ludwig grabbed the handle behind her.

“What’s wrong?”

His lips curled in amusement, as if to say, Didn’t expect this, did you?

“If you were planning to come all the way here, in the middle of the night no less, to propose to me.”

Click.

“You should’ve been prepared for at least this much.”

The door locked behind them.