Chapter 2

While the marriage arrangements proceeded swiftly…

Edford, the second son of Count Queensguard, flew into a rage upon hearing of Cynthia’s engagement.

“Damn it!”

He was slow-witted and clueless.

“Father must’ve found out about us. That’s why he’s sending Cynthia off to be the second wife of some rich old man.”

Edford had long harbored feelings for Cynthia.

And he had deluded himself into believing Cynthia liked him back, but couldn’t show it because of Carlos.

“Carlos, that crazy bastard. Is he pulling this cheap trick because he’s afraid I’ll steal Cynthia from him?”

He immediately went to see Cynthia.

“Cynthia.”

She must be crying somewhere, being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want.

But contrary to Edford’s assumptions, Cynthia turned to him with a bright and cheerful smile.

“What’s the matter?”

Edford grabbed her hands and got straight to the point.

“Let’s run away. Meet me in front of the bell tower two days from now at sunset.”

He admired himself for being able to give up everything for love.

But instead of being moved to tears as he expected, Cynthia widened her eyes and asked–

“Why would I do that?”

Taken aback by her unexpected response, Edford stammered.

“Father and Carlos are trying to tear us apart.”

Cynthia blinked her red eyes quickly.

“Did we have that kind of relationship?”

“You actually like me, not Carlos. You’ve just been too worried about what others think to show it. Oh, poor Cynthia.”

Ack, Cynthia let out a small exclamation and quickly shook her head.

“That’s not true.”

“There’s no need to hide it anymore. I mean, they’re trying to marry you off to some ugly old man.”

“No, I was told I’ll be marrying a handsome and rich officer.”

Cynthia is saying something so materialistic? Edford felt as though he’d been hit over the head.

But then he reminded himself that Cynthia was as naive as a child.

“You’re being deceived. That’s just what they’re saying, but in reality–”

Cynthia smiled sweetly as she spoke up.

“Say we do run away together. We’d be caught eventually or hit a dead end. When that happens, you’ll still have somewhere to return to, but I won’t. I’d just get punished for seducing and eloping with a nobleman.”

She pointed at Edford and continued.

“In the end, you don’t lose anything.”

Is this really the Cynthia I knew? Her tone was gentle as always, but it was the first time he’d seen her speak her mind like that.

Seeing him dumbfounded, Cynthia added—

“Maybe you’re just drunk on your own heroism, thinking you’re giving everything up for love. Please think it over again.”

And like most people who got their pride hurt but had nothing to say back, Edford began lashing out at her.

“So you’ve been playing innocent all this time just to use me? Took everything I gave you and now you’re showing your true colors, huh? Why the hell did you smile at me then?”

Cynthia, having stoked Edford’s fury, answered him with the very same smile he was referring to.

“Did I ask you to do any of that? You’re the one who’s naive.”

Edford was deeply shocked.

He ran straight to his family to tell them of her vile nature, but no one believed him.

They only looked at him with pitying looks that said, ‘He’s so obsessed with a mere maid he’s lying like this…’

“Edford, don’t even think about pulling any stunts. If this marriage falls through, I’ll kill you first.”

He was also met with threats from the furious count instead.

***

On the day of my departure to the capital for the wedding, the count’s daughter, Helene, came to my room.

With her lustrous chestnut hair and blue eyes, the beautiful girl smiled gracefully and spoke–

“Cynthia, would you give me a moment to say goodbye? It saddens me that someone like a younger sister is going so far away.”

Her princess-like demeanor and tone were the result of years of training and pride in her royal lineage.

With a kind expression, she gently took my hand in hers.

“Cynthia, it pains me that you’re being forced into marriage because of Father’s greed. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“What do you mean? From my side, it’s a blessing.”

“But according to Brother Edford, you two were in a relationship.”

Edford was absolutely not my type. Not to mention how dense he was, even when I rejected him politely.

Please, don’t interfere with the warm-hearted rofan plot I’m aiming for.

I shook my head.

“No way, not even if the sky falls.”

She still looked at me with concern.

“I looked into the man you’re marrying. Count Vicente is supposedly in his seventies and apparently in financial trouble. I heard he borrowed a large sum of money using his title as collateral. On top of that, he’s said to be violent and cruel.”

“That’s not what Count Queensguard told me.”

She gave me a sympathetic look.

“I wish you could marry a wonderful man like I did.”

Her concern was tinged with a hint of subtle bragging.

Seeing through her, I smiled brightly and said–

“Don’t worry. I trust my choice.”

A cunning man like Count Queensguard wouldn’t risk a “sham marriage” over information even his daughter is aware of.

“You really are too innocent for this world.”

Helene smiled sweetly as always.

I returned her a similar smile.

Refusing the marriage leads to death, and so does running away. So if all paths mean death, I might as well gamble on fate.

“You’ll be heading to the duke’s estate in the capital soon, right? Could you write an invitation under your name ahead of time?”

“What for? Besides, you can’t even read the formal language used in invitations.”

“It’s just in case I need help and have to meet you secretly.”

“I’ll write it in everyday language for you then.”

Having Helene’s handwriting in advance could come in handy someday.

In truth, I could read and write the formal language.

But pretending to be naive helps in many ways.

And that’s because people lower their guard around those they see as harmless, eventually revealing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

Just as she looked at me with a smile and handed the invitation over–

Knock knock–

With a knock, a servant entered with news that the soldiers sent by Brigadier General Vicente had arrived.

***

Edford loitered near the luxurious vehicle, eyeing the uniformed soldiers.

‘Looks like the old man marrying Cynthia didn’t show up.’

Edford curled his lips into a smirk.

‘I can’t believe Cynthia’s such a materialistic woman to jump at the chance to marry. I wonder how she’ll react when she finds out the truth.’

Edford imagined Cynthia coming to him, crying and clinging to him.

Soon after, he approached a young man wearing a long coat.

His badge was hidden under his coat, but seeing him stand at the front, he seemed to be a direct subordinate of Brigadier General Vicente.

“The General didn’t come himself?”

At Edford’s question, the young man silently looked down at him. He was tall and broad-shouldered.

‘Is he really a soldier? He just looks like a pampered pretty boy.’

The refined-looking man brushed back his platinum blond hair and gave a faint smile.

“Which General are you referring to?”

“The highest among the staff officers, so…”

“Ah, you mean the Chief of Staff.”

The man spoke up without much enthusiasm.

Feeling strangely intimidated, Edford was about to speak until he spotted a middle-aged man in uniform stepping out of the vehicle.

‘Is that old guy Cynthia’s fiancé?’

He didn’t look to be in his seventies, but there was easily a thirty-year age gap.

Edward looked back at the pampered pretty boy, feeling both defeated and triumphant.

“Why are you speaking informally? I’ll be your Chief of Staff’s brother-in-law, you know.”

Edford pridefully asserted himself.

With the war just over, senior military officers held tremendous influence and social prestige.

‘This guy’s probably just a newly commissioned officer at best, maybe even just a non-commissioned one.’

Edford smirked smugly at the man who simply stared back expressionlessly.

“Since it’s a second marriage, he’ll want to be respectful to his in-laws.”

“It’s not a second marriage.”

The man shook his head as he removed his gloves.

His luxurious watch and cufflinks looked expensive, hinting at his considerable wealth.

Just as Edford found it all strange–

“You’ve arrived, sir.”

The middle-aged man from before snapped into a salute, his posture showing clear military discipline.

“Look, even your commanding officer is showing proper respect to me. And yet you dare…”

However, the middle-aged man’s solemn gaze wasn’t directed at the smug Edford, but fixed elsewhere.

“I’m Colonel Rave of the Northern Command. Due to unusually heavy snowfall in this region, our snow-clearing operations were slightly delayed. We ask for your understanding, Chief of Staff Massera del Vicente.”

Behind the platinum blond-haired young man addressed as “Chief of Staff,” a long path had been completely cleared of snow that had piled up to waist-height.

And it stretched on as far as the eye could see.