Light and Shadow - Chapter 1

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Proofreader: None (except the sex scenes)

“I can’t. I’d rather be thrown into a den of bandits than die like this.”

For several days now, Anna’s piercing cries reverberated within the castle walls. Her hysteria has only gotten worse over time. With her slender golden hair recently rolled up and her whole body wrapped in a soft grayish blue silk dress, Anna stamped her feet and cried. It was a public display of rejection to the political marriage ordered by the newly crowned King, Cayden. Hot tears rained down from her lustrous blue eyes. The beautiful face that excited the hearts of many men has become hollow after refusing to eat for days.

“Selling me, a noblewoman, to such a commoner, I will never go. I’m not going! Haven’t you heard? How he’s of low birth? No matter how the world has changed, it’s terrible to imagine having to breathe the same air as him. Like a swan waiting to be butchered, please don’t send me to a commoner!”

Anna screamed wildly at her father, Viscount William, who was looking at her awkwardly. Next to her was her mother, Jocelyn, who has the same face, albeit older, wiping away her tears with an expensive lace handkerchief.

Compared to Viscount William, Anna was so stout that when face to face with him, he looked more dwarfed and shabby. Viscount William, who wanted to marry his beautiful daughter Anna to the King, was equally obsequious of the King’s orders. But in the last civil war, he sided with the late King, Duquesne III, and only accepted the current King’s orders to survive. Cayden, who led the civil war and won, ascended the throne and made Eli, the most courageous commoner who saved his life several times, a Duke. He also ordered Eli to marry Anna, the daughter of William. He wanted to give Eli legitimacy by having him marry Anna, a noblewoman.

Anna now had to go to Eli in a week for the wedding. So as the time approached, her fierce resistance was pushed to the extreme.

With a tearful face, Anna declared coldly toward Viscount William.

“I’ll die. I’d rather hang myself and die if father let me go like this!”

“No, Anna. How did we raise you, and how can you say you’re going to die before us? We don’t like him either. But if you don’t marry him, our family will be destroyed. What should we do?”

Said Jocelyn in a wailing voice. But Anna ignored her and said to William once more strongly.

“You must save me even if you have to give the King all your wealth. That’s what a father should do. What’s so important about this stupid old castle? You’re sacrificing me to keep it?”

Then, Viscount William quieted like a mouse who had no intention of throwing away his property and aristocracy. Anna, the eldest of five daughters, had to sacrifice herself for the family. If the King or Eli finds out that Anna was holding out like this, it was obvious that there would be a bloodbath in their territory immediately. He never wanted to go to such ruin if he can protect what he has.

“I’ve got many younger siblings, so why me. Choose one of them to send. You can do that.”

“But Anna, they’re too young. How can you marry kids under 10? We can all live comfortably if you just do this one thing. So change your mind right now.”

“No, I can’t agree either. Like Anna said, don’t let her go even if we have to give up everything. Please. If you let Anna go, I’ll also shed tears and eventually die.”

At Jocelyn’s appeal and taking Anna’s side, Viscount William nervously pulled the underside of his nose. The anger that was barely being suppressed boiled up. Spoiling them too much was the source of trouble.

Viscount William glared at the mother and daughter pair sharply. At the moment their eyes made contact, Jocelyn hurriedly held her breath. She knew her husband’s character better than anyone else. A person who will do anything to protect his fortune and title. Sending Anna to Eli is nothing to her husband. Anna also knew her father’s character well. But she couldn’t back down as easily as Jocelyn because she thought she would be dead if she went to Eli.

Anna sat there and began to cry. Anna’s crying has always worked. Perhaps because of her appearance, which is known for her thin, unparalleled beauty, her crying has always touched the heart of others, so she cried as hard as she could because it had always worked.

But things were a little different this time. Viscount William was beginning to get irritated. Looking at Anna’s back crying, trembling all over the body, he continued to pull his mustache irritably. Viscount William, who looked at Anna for a moment with a cold emotionless gaze, suddenly turned his head to a sound in the back. Anna went wild and forgot for a moment that a maid was in the room. He could see the back of the maid putting firewood in the stove. With a thought that just came to his mind, Viscount William, who has blonde hair with red tips that extend to his shoulders, opened his mouth to Anna.

“Yes, I see. It can’t be helped that you don’t agree to this and are prepared to die like this.”

“Really? Father, really?”

“Yes, let’s send that child instead.”

Anna and Jocelyn looked back at the same time. As soon as they saw the maid with a tired look, wearing a worn-out, coarse brown muslin suit, they noticed at the same time what Viscount William had come up with. Anna’s face instantly lit up like the sun.

“I can’t send my beloved daughter to such a commoner. You should marry a much better man than him. That way, our family will be more prosperous.”

“But won’t it be revealed soon? It’s easy to see that she’s not Anna, how much time can it buy? Besides, the King would never let us go if he found out.”

At the words of the worried Jocelyn, Viscount William flew into a rage.

“Then what the hell are we going to do? You want us to give up everything for disobeying the King’s orders and live on the streets? Our daughter is immature and you’re disillusioned, what more tricks do you want me to come up with? Do you think crying will solve anything? What more do you want me to do?”

Viscount William, looking at the dull mother and daughter alternately, calmly but coldly spoke.

“Let’s send Anna and that child together to the convent, teach her manners for a week, and then have her dress up like Anna. Our daughter suddenly fell seriously ill, so if the decoy is caught, we’ll just say she’s an illegitimate child, and we can just blame the decoy for lying to raise her status as an illegitimate child.”

It was indeed a bold plan. Even though the party was in the room, Viscount William had no qualms.

“If that child runs away or tells the truth, we’ll kill her immediately.”

Jocelyn, ignoring the horrific content, was more bothered by the word ‘illegitimate child.’ There were already three illegitimate children in the castle. Everyone thought she was a newly hired maid, but belatedly just learned that she is an illegitimate child of her husband, Viscount William. When Jocelyn’s eyes, which seemed to ask, ‘is that another one of your illegitimate children?’ turned to Viscount William, he looked at Jocelyn’s eyes, coughed momentarily, then continued.

“Eli is an ignorant commoner and won’t notice immediately. And I’m telling you, she’s not my illegitimate child. Don’t misunderstand, she’s a maid I bought at a low price on the market.”

Anna, not realizing the tension between Viscount William and Jocelyn just now, happily clapped, knowing that she won’t have to marry Eli. As long as she doesn’t have to marry Eli, whatever idea Viscount William came up with is a brilliant idea to her.

“I’ll teach her. Father, she’s not even worthy beneath my feet, but she’ll look great with Eli. A maid is perfect for a pig like that. But father, a week is too short.”

“What’s the use of a week or a month when she could die as soon as she gets to Eli?

“That’s true. I’ll have Rota come in. Rota! Rota!”

Anna’s smiling face was cunningly shining as if she had not cried. Anna shouted out loud for Rota.

Viscount William gave an order to Edna, the maid in front of him, in a chilly voice.

“If you tell anyone this, I’ll pull out your tongue and eyes. Even if you’re out of our hands, you tell Eli with your own mouth, and you’ll die. Do you understand? With that said, continue your work elsewhere.”

As Edna quietly bowed her head and went outside, Viscount William began making a detailed plan with Anna and Jocelyn.

Edna, using a towel to cover her bruised face stained with dirt, moved silently to put in firewood in the next room. As soon as she entered the room, her face paled and she covered it with both hands. The words that came and went just now still ring in her ears. A plot to deceive the King and Duke, Edna stood and murmured to herself.

“Even if they don’t care about other people’s lives and are escaping the immediate problem, how can they be crazy enough to deceive the King and Duke?”

Everyone in the castle knew that Viscount William worshiped his property and title. However, she never thought he would have such a short-sighted view as to try such a reckless idea.

Edna’s face turned paler. He meant it. The plan is as good as having already started. Even if they don’t put it into practice, they will never let her live after having heard their plan. Edna clasped her old, rough hem with a pale face. At that moment, the idea that she might be able to escape from her maid’s life, and that she might be able to escape from here, began to fill her head.

Edna had also heard a lot of rumors about Eli. Rumor has it that he will not hesitate to punish people he doesn’t like. It was scary to imagine. But even if she stays here now, she might as well go to Eli because she’s dead either way.

Then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door. Edna forced herself to move her stiffened body in a hurry, but the bucket with the firewood slipped and fell off the tip of her hands. As soon as the rumblings rang out, a maid opened the door and spoke.

“Look at this. I thought you’d be here again like this. I’m tempted to whip you, but the eldest one is calling me, so leave.”

“Why?”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to talk back to me? Do as you are told. Whew. It stinks. The stench is nauseating. Even if you’re lazy, you should do something about it.”

Edna’s face was covered with bruises. Even yesterday, in order to protect her body, she had a scuffle with Gilbert, the head servant of the castle. She didn’t even blink when she was half beaten to death. Rota was very displeased with Edna’s haughtiness. She didn’t like how she was clumsy and the dull look she showed as if she had never done anything hard in her life.

Edna took the dropped firewood and went to Anna’s room. Anna, leaning against the window, frowned at Edna, who was bowing her head after coming in.

“Do you take baths? You smell so bad even though you’re so far away. I feel like my nose is going to rot.”

“…Sorry.”

“That’s enough. I’ll have to give you a bath first before I can teach you. Being in the same room, I can’t stand the smell. Rota! Rota! Come in now.”

Rota, who had been waiting outside, soon came inside, then Anna said coldly, pointing at Edna’s face.

“Take the coals out and bathe her in hot water first.”

“What? Give her a bath? Well, maybe we could just throw her into the pond.”

“You think with that it’s going to come off properly? Heat the water and bring it back so that her dead skin peels off.”

“Yes, Miss.”

The lady’s maid, Rota, glared sideways at Edna, as she violently pulled her arm and left. She wondered why Anna suddenly asked her to wash Edna, but she couldn’t figure out why. However, she would not ask Anna. Rota, who had to drag Edna away, thought giving the maid a hot bath was too good for her, so she scrubbed her skin with ice-cold water.

Edna clenched her teeth and endured the pain of her skin being torn. A corner of her mind was gradually calming down. It was a foregone conclusion that she would be sent to Eli. There was nothing she could do in a reality where she had nowhere to go even if she ran away. Of course, if it’s found out she’s not Anna, she will be killed immediately, but she won’t have to starve for a few days until then. She will also be able to get out of the fear of rape for a while. She clenched her teeth at the thought that it was a golden opportunity to escape the fear of hunger, beating and rape over the past two years.

Rota, who had been pouring cold water several times and bathing her, was exhausted. Still, after washing up, Rota grabbed Edna’s chin and turned her around, thinking it was worth looking at. She couldn’t tell the color of her eyes because she didn’t open them properly, but her naked body looked very good.

“I wondered why the knights were trying to bear such a nasty thing like you, I guess it was because of your body shape. Anyways…Now, go ahead.”

Rota hurled abuses at her, throwing her old but clean clothes and slapping her on the back. Edna bit her lips and hurriedly dressed. As soon as she went out alone, as if running away, she ran into Gilbert. Gilbert, the head servant, opened his eyes like a veiled snake when he saw Edna in clean clothes after taking a bath. Edna tried to get up to Anna’s room quickly to avoid him. But Gilbert reached for Edna’s breast with his cold touch, blocking her way. As Edna was about to step toward the stairs to avoid his touch, Gilbert snatched her wet hair and pulled her into his arms. Immediately a sharp scream came from Edna’s mouth. As Gilbert was about to move his hand to grope her body with a sultry smile, Anna came out. When she saw Gilbert and Edna in the hall, she laughed and said coldly.

“Gilbert, let go of that hand.”

Gilbert looked at Anna with a look of disapproval for a moment. Then immediately Anna raised her eyes and shouted sharply.

“What’s this? Are you saying you’re going against me? I told you to let go of that hand.”

Edna took advantage of Gilbert’s loose grip and jumped up the stairs quickly. She went to Anna’s side, then Anna took her into the room. As she had to leave the castle soon, Anna, who had already changed into a formal dress, looked at Edna and smiled with satisfaction. Then she saw the clear bruise on Edna’s face, which had become clean and visible, and asked in a chilly tone.

“What’s this? What’s with your face? Did you get hit again?”

Anna also knew from the maids’ gossip that Edna rebelled against the men’s advances. She also heard Gilbert’s constant attack on Edna the last few days. Anna looked at Edna as if she were pathetic and muttered to herself.

“You’re a child who has never lived a comfortable life. I can’t believe they made your face look like this just because they wanted to sleep with you. What can I do? I hope the bruises will be gone in a week. Now, let’s go. Come on. Pick up my luggage.”

Anna packed up while Edna was taking a bath. If she stays in the castle and teaches Edna, it will quickly become known. So once she moves to the convent and sends Edna to Eli, she plans to hide in the convent for a while. The convent’s help was absolutely necessary to replace Anna and Edna. Therefore, William opened the lock to a safe and put some gold coins in his pocket with a firm expression. Proud of himself for being quick thinking, Viscount William had no doubt that Anna would reopen the family path after taking the current risk.

After all the preparations were made, Viscount William told the people in the castle solemnly that Anna would clean up her mind and body at the convent. Anna cried crocodile tears as she affectionately bid goodbye to Jocelyn and Viscount William. In tears, Anna climbed onto the carriage, followed by Edna. Until the carriage was far away and out of sight, Jocelyn cried a sea of tears, while Viscount William left as if he could no longer bear the pain of parting.

“She was so stubborn but still left in the end. I can’t believe our Lord miscalculated and the late King would lose. Goodness gracious. Well, at least he only has to give up a daughter and nobody has to die. It’s a relief that Lady Anna has stubborn parents. We almost got kicked out of here, too.”

Rota murmured gently with a brazen face. Then another maid opened her mouth.

“But why did she take Edna with her? Wasn’t Lady Anna originally averse to Edna? She’s been starved and whipped all this time. So why her?”

Then Rota heard the words and muttered sharply.

“It’s obvious. She’s taking her there to torture her. It’s just for venting. Come to think of it, I feel a little sorry for Edna. Still, it’s much better it’s her and not us. Lady Anna usually has a mild temper.”

Accepting Rota’s words, the maids began to cry out for the pitiful Edna who was taken as a scapegoat.

“She look pretty good, but I don’t know why she’s so stupid. I can see how much Edna will be beaten.”

“By the way, have you seen Edna’s eye color? It’s a subtle brown color that’s hard to say. I think it’s a little bit of gold mixed in…”

“No way! I think it’s just rotten frozen fish eyes. It was an unfocused dull black color.”

“No. I think it’s gold.”

When the maids began arguing over the color of Edna’s eyes, Rota cut off their conversation immediately.

“Noisy. What’s so interesting about the color of Edna’s eyes that are dead? Let’s go and get dinner ready. Anna is so fickle that she might come back before the wedding even starts, saying she won’t marry again, so some of you should clean up her room first. When Viscount William sees this, he’s going to slap you right away.”

The maids, who were quarreling, at Rota’s command, returned one by one to themselves with worried looks. As Rota said, Viscount William was a man who could wield a whip at once if he saw the maids chatting like this. Rota suddenly recalled washing Edna earlier. It was surprising that no one in the castle had ever seen Edna properly, not even the maids who had a war of words over the color of her eyes just now. No one knows how good her figure is either because she has always been covered in shabby and loose clothes. Maybe she wouldn’t know it either if she hadn’t bathed Edna today. For a moment she wondered why Edna didn’t wash up well. There’s no way she didn’t even wash up on purpose to protect herself. There’s no way Edna could think of that. Anyway, for the time being, she can sleep well without having to hear the eerie sounds of Edna being hit.

The long-running carriage stopped at a convent located deep in the mountains. Edna listened silently to Anna with her head down.

“Okay? You’re such a moron if you don’t understand after this much explanation. No matter what you do, you won’t be a noble like me, but if you don’t learn it properly, you’ll be whipped. So learn with all your might, okay? It’s a chance for you, and since you’ll never be a noble, when will this luxury come to you again?”

As if satisfied with what she had said, Anna gave an evil sarcastic smile. Edna nodded slowly and made a sign that she understood.

“Yes, I’m giving you a chance, so you have to learn with all your might. Keep in mind that if you run away, I’ll catch you and sell you to a brothel!”

With a terrifying threat, Anna turned her eyes out of the window.

“Come on, Edna. We’re going to be together from now on.”

Only then did Edna, who raised her head, gulped down dryly and got off the carriage to stand by Anna.

Anna stared at Edna sitting at the table with her cold blue eyes raised. In the end, no matter how much she taught, it didn’t work. Two days after coming to the convent, Anna’s already poor patience has grown thin. The way to dress and how to trim can be left to the maid, but the pig-like habit of eating hastily has not been fixed. Anna shouted, hitting Edna on the back of her hand with a whip.

“Can’t you stop? What did I say? Take your time. What are you going to do with the fork and knife? Oh, I’m afraid someone still has the mind of a maid…If you eat like that, you’ll get caught immediately. So what do you think will happen? You heard rumors about Eli, right? He’s known for his cruelty. If you don’t want to die as soon as you get to that guy, try it again slowly.”

Anna fluttered her eyes at the terrified Edna. When Anna’s whip banged through the air, Edna lifted her shoulders, carefully stabbing the meat on the plate and pushing it into her mouth. It was not seasoned and tough, but she chewed on the meat she hadn’t eaten in a long time and glanced at Anna.

“Don’t even look at me like that. The daughter of a Viscount never looks like that.”

Anna stood beside Edna, spitting coldly and staring at her head while gritting her lips. The red color at the end of her hair was really hideous. It was terrible to see what the hell she did to her head. She wanted to cut them off, but she couldn’t because any more and it would be as short as a man’s.

Anna was irritated. At first, she thought it was a brilliant idea, but now she wasn’t so sure. With a puffy plaster on her face, Anna lowered her head and glared at Edna, who was busy learning how to use a fork and knife.

It was all due to William’s wrong line of choice. This headache is because Viscount William never expected Duquesne III would lose. Anna murmured inside, stroking her beautifully drooping golden hair.

‘If Eli finds out and he tells the king, I’ll tell him I did it because my father told me to. There’s nothing to hide. I can just tell the truth.’

It was only natural for her to think of no one but herself. Anna went on to think about Eli this time, stroking her golden hair that stretched like an arum.

Eli. She only saw him once when she went to the city. The 190cm tall man felt like a sharp blade as if he had lived on a battlefield all his life. As soon as she met the beast’s eyes, she quickly dodged his gaze. Because it was a typical ruthless look that she never expected to see. Still, he was quite handsome. The thought that she would not have done this if he was a nobleman passed through Anna’s mind. Recalling his appearance at bedtime, Anna sighed a little at the loss in her heart, then she came to her senses and murmured.

‘No matter how good looking you are, you’re a commoner. You’re a war nut. Now that the war is over, I’m sure it’s all over. Hah, Edna’s enough for a man like that.’

Anna kept thinking.

She couldn’t imagine at this moment how much the repercussions would be. The royal family has already begun to deceive the King’s most beloved Duke. She had to go to the capital city before this rumor could spread completely. Then she was confident she’d be able to persuade Cayden. She was wondering if Edna could buy her time until she went to the capital. That’s why Anna is teaching Edna. Anna, who is highly praised as the nation’s most beautiful woman, was convinced that Cayden’s order to marry Eli for political expediency was due to her failure to see him. Anna thought to herself that she should be the woman of the King, and that she would take over the world, and that was her destiny.

Anna smiled fiercely, then whispered sweetly like honey this time to Edna.

“Edna, I don’t expect much from you. But you have to remember only one thing. What I told you to say when it’s found out who you are. Or else…”

Then, with her face closer to Edna’s ear.

“Eli’s gonna peel your skin and hang you at the end of the window. He’s that kind of guy. So if you want to live, do your best, don’t you want to live? Isn’t that right?”

Edna dryly gulped at Anna’s gruesome words and nodded, expressing her understanding.

“Alright, Edna. Then let’s try again from the beginning. Although I doubt you’ll be able to imitate everything exactly after a week, I’ll make sure you do it. So listen carefully and follow me. I’m doing everything I can to prolong your life. So don’t forget this grace.”

Edna nodded inwardly at Anna’s sweet but biting words. The memory of running away from the flames to live passed her like a flash of lightning. With her gold-colored eyes, Edna bit her lips tightly. Then she whispered quietly in her heart, listening to Anna’s teachings.

‘I want to live. I don’t care what it takes. And if possible, I’ll run away for freedom. Until then, I will bear it somehow.’

Time flew by. The bruises on Edna’s face were slowly fading away, and in the meantime Anna’s face has become dull. Thanks to the effect of deliberately applying makeup, Anna’s beautiful face has completely changed. Rumors were already spreading outside the convent that Anna was ill. It was the result of Viscount William’s power and wealth.

Anna smiled faintly at Edna getting on the carriage. Because she is taller than herself, she looked up and down at Edna, dressed in a colorful wedding dress, and said neatly.

“When will you ever get to try on such luxurious clothes? Well, just wear these luxurious clothes before you die.”

Anna lowered the translucent veil over Edna’s head to cover her face. Now it’s time to go to Eli.

Edna, who left the convent, took a deep breath as soon as she thought of her destination. She could neither believe nor brace herself. As soon as she knew where Eli’s estate was, Edna’s heart beat madly. The fact that the destination was Westfield, where she spent her childhood for a while, excited Edna. But the sight of the carriage running through the vast expanse of land quickly quenched Edna’s excitement.

Land devastated and abandoned by a long war. More than half of the dense forest was burned down, and she gradually noticed what seemed like a land where no one lived. Edna’s face hardened as she looked out with her golden brown eyes after removing her veil. The fact that all this was due to the late King broke her heart. Edna shook her head like she was trying to shake off the past.

‘I must forget. I have to forget everything that’s gone. However, I should not forget that I have already fallen to rock bottom.’

Muttering to herself, Edna lowered the veil again. At that moment, her eyes turned red as if she cried, but she did not.

The carriage arrived at Eli’s castle late in the afternoon.

Standing on the wall of the castle, Eli stood looking at the distant faint clouds of dust like haze. It was only after a moment that Eli realized it was the carriage carrying his bride.

“You’re finally here. I’m told you’re cumbersome.”

The carriage came closer and closer. Eli shook his head lightly as if he were having a headache and looked around with a long face. If Anna, a nobleman, saw this land, she would certainly be discouraged and would try to run off.

The land he received from Cayden was vast but barren. In the aftermath of the fierce civil war, nothing was right. The castle seemed as precarious as it would collapse, and no one cared for the abandoned land, so there was no separate wasteland.

In the first place he had no intention of settling down anywhere. But Cayden had asked him to settle down. Not an order, but a request! After much consideration, he came here reluctantly to strengthen the King’s influence, the person who won the civil war, and for his men who had wandered around the battlefield for many years to settle down. But he had no intention of doing anything for this land. Because the battlefield is the only place he belongs.

He didn’t like the marriage that Cayden ordered. Just because he married a nobleman doesn’t mean he’ll become an aristocrat, so why does he have to marry? But there was no justification for refusing.

Eli, with short cut hair unlike other knights, watched the nearing carriage stop with his dark blue eyes under his black eyebrows.

As Eli did not think of opening the carriage door that was waiting for him, he reluctantly went down the wall to greet his bride. When he went out to the gate, the carriage door finally opened and a veiled woman in a white dress with fine embroidery appeared.

Eli frowned with his arms folded over his chest at the thought that Anna was unexpectedly tall. In fact, the reason why he welcomed Anna, who has an outstanding appearance, as his wife, was because he said, as a joke, that she deserves to be seen as a wife.

Anna stood still as if waiting for Eli’s escort. Eli reluctantly held out one hand, and as soon as their arms crossed, he began to move quickly. Thanks to him, she had to step up her stride to catch up with him.

His heart began to throb violently when he felt a subtle fragrance from Anna, who was not so far behind following with graceful steps. When he smelled a woman for the first time in a long time, his forgotten desire burned hot. Eli stopped in front of a building where Anna will be living.

“We’re having a simple wedding tomorrow. You must have had a hard time getting here, so let’s prepare you a bath first.”

He let Anna go into the room alone and turned around to go to his room.

Left alone, Edna hurried into her room.

If tomorrow is the wedding, at least she can sleep comfortably tonight. By the way, she never saw a maid on her way here, so she wondered who was serving the bath. Just then came a knock.

“Come in.”

When Edna’s voice sounded, the door opened, then an old maid and servant dragged in a big bathtub.

Eli, irritated by the harsh sound of heavy dragging, looked inside Edna’s room. He stood by the door as he watched the servant and maid go back and forth filling the bathtub with hot water. Then he looked at Edna, beckoning them after they had finished. Standing with her back against the candlelit room, Edna looked at Eli under her veil as he closed the door.

Eli squinted his eyes at Anna’s face. Eli smiled coldly as he could sense that she was holding her breath at a glance. Does she not want to breathe the same air as him?

“Are you going to stand there like that?”

Said Eli sarcastically, blatantly showing he has no intention of leaving. The desire that had been aroused by her scent again dangerously smothered and pushed his whole body on the edge.

“And are you really going to stand there like that?”

Replied Edna in a quiet voice, reproaching him for being rude.

“I’m a lowly commoner who wasn’t taught manners, so if you expect me to leave as you please, you’re better off taking off your clothes. Before the water cools down.”

At that moment Edna’s face turned pale. When she was told to take off her clothes in front of him even though the wedding has not yet been held, she held her hands tightly while breathing heavily. Looking at her like that, Eli coldly added.

“You will marry me anyway, so it will be quicker for you to adjust. I’m an uneducated man, and will never be a noble like you.”

“The wedding is tomorrow. Can’t you wait?”

Edna spoke to him in a quivering voice without giving up. Thinking that her voice was so pleasing, Eli came a threatening step forward and stopped.

“What’s the difference between today or tomorrow? Like it or not, aren’t you my woman now?”

At that moment, tears shot up and she bit her lips without realizing it. Eli could not see her face closely because of the dim candlelight and veil covering her face. Eli wanted to see her beautiful face he remembered. As he took a step closer, she began to tremble. Eli reached out one hand and touched her trembling ear slightly. Then as he tried to touch her veil, Edna hurriedly moved to avoid his touch. Her refusal to do so further ignited his desire.

“You’ve already heard rumors about me, haven’t you? You think you can avoid me?”

Speaking softly, Eli pulled her arm roughly.

“Don’t do this. No matter if you were a commoner, you are now a Duke. So please be polite to the very least. I’d like to have my first night after the wedding.”

Urgently shouting, Edna struggled not to be dragged by him. Then Eli snatched her veil roughly, with a chilling sneer. As soon as the veil was lifted, Edna quickly turned and escaped from his grasp. Eli smiled with a small smirk at her surprisingly swift movements. He was a very dangerous man who was completely different from the servants she had avoided in the past. Recalling the numerous rumors about Eli, she clasped her collar tightly and opened her mouth.

“Don’t embarrass me in front of the maids. A Lord must keep his dignity.”

“Are we not the only two here?”

“Just because they’re not here with us right now doesn’t mean we’re far away from their eyes and ears.”

But Eli shrugged and answered indifferently.

“I already told you. I’m not a noble like you. I’m from common birth. I don’t care about that. Well, is the Lord not a man?”

Hearing Eli’s cold determined tone, she thought of his self esteem, which she had taken notice of for some time now.

“But do you want me to lower myself to the same level as you? I’ll be your wife after the wedding, whether I like it or not. I won’t refuse a wife’s duty. So just give me time to breathe until then. You must have that much self-control, right?”

Cunningly touching Eli’s weak spot, Edna glanced at him, clinging close to the wall. For a moment the golden waves seemed to waver in her eyes. Eli menacingly approached her open challenge and spoke.

“You should have told your father that before you came here. Don’t try to persuade me by talking back. I’m kind enough to tell you in advance since you’re going to be my wife soon; I hate a woman who talks too much.”

Edna faced Eli, biting her lips tightly and refusing to budge. Then there was a small dark shadow on her face against the backdrop of the candlelight, but strangely the gold in her eyes seemed more vivid. Eli came close to her as if possessed by something and snatched at the front of her dress. The expensive dress was torn with a shriek. Edna instinctively covered her chest revealed by his touch. The gesture of rejection further stimulated his desire, and Edna desperately spoke.

“I’m going to be your wife. Don’t treat me like a maid.”

“The maid? As a noble, you don’t even look like a maid. Are you so unhappy about marrying a commoner like me?”

“No. I came all the way here to marry you. So at least I’m gonna…Huck.”

At that moment, Eli grasped Edna’s chest tightly and penetrated her lips roughly. As Eli forced her soft lips open with his tongue, Edna’s head blanked. She never dreamed he’d be so barbaric.

Edna unwittingly began to rebel violently. She was almost humiliated in William’s castle. Each time, she resisted with all her might, but things were different now. Since she came here to be Eli’s wife, it was clear that he would not let her go even if she resisted like that again. But the memory of the dizzying, frightening violence that nearly got her raped made her body stiffen.

Eli held her stiffened body tighter and twisted her head to savor her lips. The more he felt her lips, the hotter her whole body became.

Having stopped rebelling, Eli pulled her torn clothes down to her waist in one breath. Eli, who saw her smooth skin and elastic breasts, groaned unconsciously. Her skin was incomparable to all the women he had ever met. As he reached out his hand carefully and touched her chest, Edna turned her head to the side and bit her lips tightly. A bitter taste still lingering in her mouth.

Savoring her body, exclamations came from Eli’s lips. She yelped as he grasped her breasts with full force. Eli tied her arms with the torn dress, then lowered his head and began to squeeze her chest further into his lips. Edna twisted her body to the fullest in refusal. Then, Eli bit hard on her supple breast. Edna’s eyes became filled with tears.

“I saw you on the city wall and thought you were beautiful. I want to see how beautiful your body is.”

When his voice came quietly, Edna came to her senses. She can’t believe he has seen Anna in the city! He’ll soon find out that she’s not Anna. By then, she’s sure he won’t let her go. Edna gathered herself together and took several deep breaths. It was only a moment before she remembered what Anna had said.

[Just in case. Say this when that lowly Eli finds out that you’ve replaced me. I have a terrible illness and the rest of my siblings are so young that father’s illegitimate child is here. There’s already a rumor going around in the convent that I’m ill, so Eli won’t do anything. At worst, he’ll only vent his anger on you. Well, if necessary, tell him I’ll come when I’m all better. Of course I won’t go to Eli even if I die. My King isn’t there.]

Edna pushed Eli’s shoulder with all her might. Eli quickly screamed before reaching out again and touching her.

“I’m not Anna.”

“What? Not Anna?”

Eli, doubting his ears, stopped the hand that was stretching toward her chest and asked quietly again.

“Are you blatantly lying to avoid my touch right now?”

“I’m not Anna, I’m William’s bastard. Anna is recovering from a terrible illness. That’s why I’m here instead of Anna.”

Holding a candle, Eli took a step back and took a close look at Edna’s shivering face. It was dark, but now he can clearly see a face he couldn’t see properly because she was standing with her back to the candle in the bedroom. Obviously she wasn’t Anna. Eli glared at her without saying a word, turning his eyes cold from this unbelievable fact.

After a while he opened his mouth in a cold tone.

“Who are you?”

Edna replied, shuddering at Eli’s cold eyes.

“I’m Edna. William’s illegitimate daughter.”

“Illegitimate daughter?”

“Yes, I’m an illegitimate child born between Viscount William and a commoner woman. I never meant to lie. But Anna’s condition was so critical that I had no choice but to come in her steed.”

A slender face, hair with reddish ends, smooth skin, round elastic breasts, and trembling red lips. And most of all, it was impressive to see her face straightened while the rest of her body shook in fear.

Eli looked at her and thought for a moment. He was a little disappointed that it wasn’t Anna. But the woman in front of him is as beautiful as Anna.

Eli quietly moved his gaze and glanced over her body again. Every time she breathed and exhaled, he could see her heart beating. At the moment his desire throbbed violently.

“Did you say she was sick? You didn’t refuse and went to a commoner like me?”

When Eli asked quietly, Edna shook her head. In the wind, the hair released by Eli’s hand flowed down to her shoulders. It was short hair for a woman. Her face as an illegitimate child seemed to have a subtle grace. Looking at her chubby nose and clear-cut lips, Eli opened his mouth again.

“That’s why you came voluntarily when you could lose your life?”

Voluntary, that can’t be. She had no choice in the first place. Except for following unconditionally, but she nodded silently. Naturally, Eli did not believe it.

“They must be quite generous to an illegitimate child, given that they listened to the illegitimate child’s willingness to be my wife. That’s certainly worthy of esteem. But-“

Eli paused for a moment and held her face with one hand to face her. Edna calmly faced his cold eyes. Eli continued to talk, looking at her golden eyes.

“It was a terrible choice. Edna, I’m sure you didn’t even get treated like a daughter, but why did you sacrifice yourself like this? I feel sorry for you. You must have heard what kind of person I am, aren’t you afraid?”

“It means nothing to me anyway.”

Thinking she’s as good as dead, Edna quietly spoke.

“Because I didn’t have a choice.”

The situation she had to face was vividly depicted in front of Eli. Eli was well aware that an illegitimate child has no choice. It was clear that Edna’s thoughts would not have been considered in the least until this situation was reached. It wasn’t like she didn’t know she was going to go to Eli, knowing well that she could die. Her tone of voice was so calm that she was ready to die. Curiosity and lust soared again, but he spoke again in a cold tone, with no expression of such feelings at all.

“Are you a virgin?”

At the unexpected question, she widened her eyes and her lips trembled. Eli stretched his words, clutching her breast.

“To a commoner like me, nobility is worth it. A lowly illegitimate child may work. And I like your beauty as much as Anna’s.”

When Edna noticed that he intended to accept her, she held back the pain of his touch.

Rumor within Viscount William’s castle was that he would immediately kill her for deceiving him. So why did he want to accept her now? But the question quickly disappeared. Eli touched her chest with his fingers. Edna’s body began to tremble again. His heart-wrenching hand brought down her waist-length dress to the floor. The petticoat was peeled off without room for resistance. In no time Edna’s whole body, who was naked before him, was dyed red. Eli looked through her body for a while, as if to evaluate it. Feeling his lustful desire, Edna quickly picked up the clothes that had fallen on the floor and covered her face.

“If you don’t want to die, remove it now.”

A husky but intense voice. A voice filled with determination. Edna held back her tears, squeezing her eyes while trembling.

“If you’re not a virgin, you won’t see the sun tomorrow morning.”

It wasn’t just a threat. His temper soared and she realized clearly that he could really kill her. Edna’s voice echoed with a cry that she would not accept death as it was, and that she did not survive till today to die in such a ridiculous way. Edna flung away the clothes that were covering her chest.

Eli looked at her closely. It was obvious that she had a greater bust than it looked.

Edna asked, looking straight at him, who was still looking at her. This time, she was ready to die.

“If I were a virgin, would you accept me?”

“As a wife? Or a tool?”

“Both.”

Eli frowned and spat coldly at Edna’s outspoken answer.

“That tone, I don’t like it.”

“But I can’t. I have to say what I have to say before I die. Answer me. If I were a virgin, would you accept me or kill me?”

“It’s really amazing. Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“There’s nothing more frightening than death. If possible, I want to live.”

It was Edna, who knew painfully what death was. She couldn’t forget the sight of people dying before her eyes. It was the same for Eli. There was nothing so trivial as to cry out for death. Death. That’s the end of everything. Eli himself knew better than anyone how weak a person is in the face of death. She, who says she wants to live, must also know what death is like.

“Funny words. You want to live.”

“If possible.”

Added Edna, gulping dryly.

“If you satisfy me, I’ll think about it.”

As soon as his words fell, Eli grabbed her hair roughly and locked it tightly in his arms. Then he gently whispered, touching her exposed body.

“Now I have to see how great you are. Is it worth keeping alive?”

When Eli turned her body around and pushed it against the wall, Edna’s heart exploded. The terror-stricken body instinctively stiffened.

“You have no choice. Now, just obediently accept me.”

His voice gave her goosebumps. With her arms clasped by one of his hands, Eli felt down her back with his lips starting at the nape of her neck.

He had already concluded that Edna couldn’t be a virgin. There is no way Viscount William, who is so brazen as to send an illegitimate child to be the bride in the steed of Anna, would send a virgin. On the contrary, he expected it to be the most promiscuous woman sent.

Eli groped her slim back with one hand and caressed her roughly with the other. As his body stopped to take off his clothes for a moment, Edna closed her eyes tightly and comforted herself in fear. Eli peered at her back. His bare skin touched her back and she felt a lively man moving around her waist. Edna breathed in and murmured inward to bear the disgrace that had come upon her.

‘I hope I can bear it, please.’

Eli breathed out a harsh breath, caressing her body thoroughly with his lips. Her smooth skin smelled and felt like beachrock. Her flinching body, which was close to his, stimulated his waist.

If he had a wife, the King wouldn’t bother him to marry any more. If a common born Duke were to take a wife from a humble background, it would ease the vigilance of other lords as well. But if it’s a wife born illegitimately who can’t add a little strength to him, and she can’t arouse his desire from the start, then Eli intends to crush her even though he had already decided to accept her.

Just like other women he has dealt with. No, rather, he was going to push her harder and fiercer to pay her dearly for deceiving him.

When he forced her legs apart, the tears Edna had held back fell to the floor. Undaunted by the harsh violence of the past, her purity, which had been held until now at the age of 18, was about to be trampled on.

Eli wrapped Edna’s listless body around his shoulder, then went to the bed and threw her on it. And before Edna could come to her senses, he threw himself upon her. When he took her at once, the tremendous shock and pain broke out in Edna’s mouth as a scream.

At that moment Eli stopped. She was really a virgin. It was regretful to have been rough knowing that unbelievable fact. But that too, for a moment, when he felt her hot body, he began to concentrate on that feeling. The appearance of her biting her lips, turning her head to the side and holding back the pain further stimulated him. In an unbearable thrill, Eli exhaled a harsh breath, tasting and savoring her.

With his face buried in her breast and holding her tightly, the pain gripped Edna every time his body dug into hers. His rough breath drenched her breasts, as he tightened her body with a strong force that made her hard to breath. Eli threw himself into the intense pleasure that had captivated him. An uncontrollable pleasure ate into him.

He couldn’t believe it. He never imagined that such a feeling could exist. Groaning, Eli pushed violently towards her lips. At the same time, she felt a tingling sensation of something pouring into her as their lips overlapped.

As the rough breaths died down, Eli found bloodstains on her thigh and turned his head away. Then he grabbed his clothes that were on the floor and went outside.

Edna, who still had her face buried in the pillow, could hear the sound of him walk out. But she had neither the strength to pick up the clothes on the floor nor the strength to pull the blanket over herself. Edna, who had been lying on her stomach for a long time, soon rose up. For a moment, tears burst out of her eyes without stopping. With her hands clasping her mouth, she shivered and let out a long-standing wail.

It was Edna who didn’t cry when she first ran away. The same was true when she was beaten half to death as a maid. She was never daunted by the violence of the knights she had experienced in William’s castle. But not now. She had been prepared to come here instead of Anna, but she never imagined it would be so horrible and scary.

Edna stepped out of bed and into the already cold bathtub. Frowning her brow in bitter and numb pain, she slowly washed herself. But with all thoughts focused on the fact that she’s still alive.

“Yes, I’ll survive. I’ll survive to the end and see with my own eyes how the world ends.”

Edna said to herself in a low voice with strengthened determination.

As the hot sun pierced Eli’s eyes, he threw off his blanket. After a gulp of cold water, he looked at a table while replaying what happened last night of him violently throwing his clothes on the floor after entering his room. Apparently, his clothes which were supposed to be strewn on the floor have been folded gently and placed on the table.

Someone came into his room without his permission! Although startled by the fact that he hadn’t woken up from sleep, nevertheless, Eli hurriedly dressed himself. Next to the table laid his cherished long sword. Frowning at an unbelievable thought, he wore the long sword at his waist. Only then did he come to his senses.

While deep in thought, Eli frowned even more at the scorching sun penetrating the room. The civil war had already ended two years ago, but even after that, Cayden has been cunningly appeasing nobles who had sided with the late King to strengthen his influence by using sticks and carrots. That forced Eli and his men to join the fierce ongoing political struggle. That’s why he could only return here a month ago.

At that time, everyone fled the deserted castle and only two maids and one servant remained. The castle was always messy and dusty because it greatly lacked personnel to manage the large castle. But he didn’t care at all. Unless someone comes in and out of his room. And yesterday, for the first time, someone came and went without a sound.

Eli opened the door and went out. As soon as yesterday’s memories resurfaced, he glanced toward Edna’s room. Moving his steps and wondering what Edna was doing now, his ears pricked at a small sound coming from the hall.

Standing there was Edna, who was supposed to be lying in her bedroom shedding tears. He opened his eyes thinly and looked at her in the middle of cleaning. She was cleaning the big hall alone rather slowly and clumsily. Eli opened his mouth in a soft tone, as if to stop it.

“Why are you doing the job of a maid?”

At the sudden sound of his voice, Edna flinched instinctively, but did not look up at him. Of course she didn’t answer either. Even after Eli went down the steps and stood behind her, Edna did not look back at him.

Eli looked at her curiously. As she was nervous, her shoulders were the first thing he noticed. Her hair was blonde at the top, but at the end it was tangled with ugly red as if she had dyed it intentionally. That red color made her hair look like it was burning in the candle yesterday.

Edna, who had her strange blonde and red color hair tied up, was clutching her broom. It’s as if to give him at least one reason to keep her alive.

Eli kept his cold gaze on her. The thin brown satin dress covering her slender body was ridiculously small for her height. She’s at least one head taller than any woman he has ever met. However, despite her well defined ankles, her appearance from the back showed she was an illegitimate child.

“I can’t believe they sent you here dressed like this. It’s a blatant disregard to me.”

Edna flinched at his words and began to brush again. All of the clothes she brought were what Anna had asked the nuns for, except for the pure white dress she wore yesterday.

“Are you going to marry me in that outfit?”

Only then did Edna stopped brushing, and while still having her eyes fixed on the floor, she wet her dry lips and spoke.

“You ripped off my only dress for the wedding yesterday.”

Quietly, Edna retorted.

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday that I don’t like people talking back to me?”

“Should I not answer anything then?”

Muttering coldly, Edna began to brush nervously. Eli burst out laughing. Watching Edna, it was like a lion cub who had her claws open. Her stubbornness and pride seemed to show through her stiff posture. Eli laughed again, but soon stopped and opened his mouth with the intention of holding up his end of the deal for her virginity.

“We’re gonna have to get a new dress when we get into town.”

His unexpected words startled Edna, and she looked back at him. Eli shrugged and added indifferently.

“You can’t get married in torn clothes. I don’t want to see such poor clothes anymore.”

He said he would accept her as his wife, but the question still popped up in her mind.

“Why…why would you accept me as your wife?”

“Well. Why?”

Eli murmured, looking into her eyes shining under the bright sunlight.

“Just think of it as the cost for your virginity. I told you yesterday that if you’re a virgin, and if you prove you’re worth saving, I’ll think about it. I guess you didn’t hear the rumor that I’m a man of my word.”

The next moment Eli squinted his eyes. He found bruises on her face. Though much faded, it was clearly due to being punched by someone.

“Who the hell did this?”

Muttering as if dumbfounded, Eli grabbed her chin and lifted her face toward him. Only then did Edna realize that he had noticed the bruise on her face, as she tried to cover her face with both hands and get his hand away. But Eli, regardless of her defiance, murmured to himself, as if he were speaking to herself.

“Did Viscount William hit you and force you to come here?”

“No, it’s not. That’s…”

Reflectively shaking her head and answering, Edna tried to get away from him. Then Eli clasped her shoulders with both arms and asked again. It was a tone of indignation and a little more emphatic.

“Then what is it? Who did it?”

“You know that’s not it. I just fell. I’m clumsy so…”

“You fell? Don’t tell me you fell and punched yourself in the face. Is that what you’re saying? You didn’t fall after being punched?”

Under his keen gaze, Edna realized that he was more keen-eyed than she thought. Now she can’t believe he recognized the barely visible mark immediately. But she couldn’t even say how it happened. She clenched her mouth stubbornly.

“Okay, at least you won’t be beaten if you’re with me.”

At his determined words, Edna glanced up at him. His hair was a blinding blond. In commoners, blond hair was not a common color. But his blond hair certainly resembled the color of the sun. And his eyes were dark blue, mixed with gray. His broad shoulders and war-torn body were frighteningly robust. There were no rumors of his hair color being blond. Perhaps because his hair color had never been revealed during the war. He must have been wandering around the battlefield with blood all over him.

“I’m hungry, Lowell, when is breakfast going to be served?”

As he shouted loudly and loosening his grip on Edna’s shoulders, he headed for the kitchen with quick steps with Edna hurriedly following behind and said.

“Lowell is resting. He had a cold and coughed a lot, so I told him to rest. It’s okay, right?”

“Then what about breakfast? Who else will prepare it if not Lowell?”

When Eli asked with a grimace as if he couldn’t suppress his hunger, Edna shrugged and answered.

“I will. I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste though.”

Edna brushed aside Eli and went to the kitchen with a plate of bread and stew she had prepared beforehand. After putting them down on the rough oak table, Edna blushed and said.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not good at cooking. I hope it suits your taste.”

“I don’t care. As long as you didn’t poison the food.”

After pouring wine into his glass, Edna was about to go back into the kitchen.

“You’re not eating?”

To Edna who stood still without saying a word, Eli spoke again.

“You’d better eat. It’s gonna be a long day. I’m thinking of going to town as soon as we finish our meal. We can have our wedding as soon as your dress is ready.”

At a sudden thought that struck Edna, she unconsciously held her breath, then spoke.

“Is that really okay? If the King finds it, I won’t be safe. It’s an act of deceiving the King.”

“Knowing that, you have quite the nerve coming in for Anna.”

Eli added calmly, as if there was nothing to worry about.

“We met once, so I jokingly said she would make a fine wife. But the King took my word seriously and ordered me to marry her. Besides, what the King wants is for me to marry and settle down. He won’t say much even if I don’t marry Anna.”

At his confident words, Edna looked at him unknowingly. She understands the fact that he was not granted land and status simply for winning the war. It was clear that he had something to rely on to defy the King’s orders.

“So don’t worry about useless things and just sit down and eat. Thank the fact that you were a virgin.”

When he again suggested they eat together, Edna approached the table carefully. Eli moved the chair next to him and signaled her to sit down. She sat next to Eli and began to enjoy the food. The cooking at her time as a maid tasted somewhat lacking. But the lack of taste now tasted like honey. Edna ignored the table etiquette Anna had taught and began to fill her hunger in a hurry. A quick lesson of holding back one’s hunger is not a habit easily fixed. She only felt hunger in the past two years of her life. So she had to eat as fast as possible when she had the chance to eat.

When he saw her eating hurriedly, he could see what she would have been like before she got here. He quietly opened his mouth as he watched.

“You must have been starved somewhat. But how could you remain a virgin until now? It wouldn’t have been possible if I saw your appearance and body shape.”

Edna blushed at his blunt words, but her head was down and she enthusiastically ate. Even after a long time, Eli’s eyes were fixed on her.

“Edna, you seem very different from what you look like. I think there’s more that you’re hiding than just being a virgin.”

“I’ve not lived a comfortable life, so I can’t afford to hide anything. Because the world is a cold place to illegitimate children.”

In a cold retort, Edna wiped her hands with a towel. Eli murmured, looking at her graceful hands.

“Every single action of yours, it’s clear you’re the daughter of the Viscount. I have a hunch.”

At his words Edna realized once again that his eyes were very keen.

“So you were chosen instead of Anna.”

Knowing clearly that she had no choice, Eli took her excuse seriously as if he was mocking her, and Edna bit her lip gently.

“Except for the habit of retorting.”

Edna smiled unconsciously when he added. She recalled herself talking back to him with her life on the line. It was just a remark that came out when she thought that she would not die in such a manner.

“Are you going to keep coming at me like that? And talk back?”

“As long as you talk to me, I have no choice but to answer. I don’t have the ability to talk with my eyes.”

Seeing this. Eli was speechless for a moment at her dignified reply. When Edna disappeared into the kitchen with an empty plate, Eli finished emptying the wine and got up.

The castle must be repaired before winter comes, and Edna will need to be served now that she’s here. The money was abundant. But Eli never wanted to go into town and face the residents. Since he returned to the castle, he has never looked around the land properly, and even now, he just wanted to ignore it. But he has to go to town at least once for the wedding.

After eating, Eli pulled his horse out of the stable and saddled it at the thought of going straight to town. Edna, who did not need to prepare anything, came out of the castle and came up to him who was waiting in the yard. Thinking the brown dress dangling over her ankles really irritated his eyes, Eli grabbed Edna’s waist close to him and put her on the horse immediately.

“Are we going to ride a horse?”

“Then do you want to walk? Do you think I put you on a horse because I’m bored?”

Edna closed her mouth to his cold reply. Eli slowly grabbed the reins, carrying Edna in front of him. As the well-trained military horse began to move, she recalled the vivid memory, and the pain that had been forgotten was felt again deep inside her body. But stifling the pain, Edna put all her attention on the movement of the horse. It’s been a long time since she has rode a horse.

‘It would have been better to ride alone. Then I’ll be free to run away. Where no one can find me.’

Muttering futile hopes in her mind, Edna grasped the saddle tightly. Eli thought it would be obvious that she had never ridden a horse before and stared at her back as they slowly rode along with his arms naturally around her waist. He could see her sighing inwardly. It was a land so desolate that anyone would sigh. Moreover, while he was gone, it was like a place that burned to hell.

“You don’t have to look at me like that. It’s abandoned land anyway. I don’t think anything planted or cultivated here will grow properly. I don’t plan to do anything for this land.”

Edna didn’t answer. She clearly remembered. How fertile this land was and how vitalized mother nature was. In autumn, she could still remember the golden waves of grains blowing in the wind. When she thought of her old self that she had tried to forget, Edna closed her eyes tightly.

When Edna’s body detected a distinct tension, Eli, who thought it was from the fear of riding a horse for the first time, enjoyed her warm body as he tightened his hand around her waist. As soon as he touched her waist, her waist unwittingly stiffened. Edna almost fell off the horse as Eli lowered his head and rubbed his lips on the back of her neck, intoxicated by the faint fragrance that emanated from her.

Eli quickly grabbed her waist and pressed.

“You’ve lost your mind. If you fall from here, the least would happen is a broken leg.”

Edna inwardly muttered ‘this is all your fault,’ took a deep breath and calmed her beating heart. Toward her whole body trembling, Eli calmly opened his mouth.

“You said you wanted to live, didn’t you? And didn’t you say you’d be my wife and tool? But now do you want to fall off the horse and break your leg before the wedding?”

Eli moved his hand holding her waist tightly and continued speaking while touching her body.

“I guess you didn’t even think it would be like this. Well, it doesn’t matter. You’ll find out as time goes by. See with your own eyes what kind of person I am.”

He spoke in a clear tone of intimidation, as if on purpose. She wondered if he didn’t know he was threatening enough without having to intimidate her, but she wasn’t as scared as yesterday. It’s because she learned from yesterday that it’s no use being scared. And she didn’t think it could get any scarier, because she had already gone through his wild nature, but nevertheless she shrank herself as his hands dug between her collar. If there was a hole, she wanted to crawl in it now. She wanted to cover the sun in the sky if she could. His behavior felt as if he was trying to crush her pride. Like deliberately trying to demoralize her. Even so, he was really bold. He was absolutely unfazed by other people’s gazes.

‘This guy really doesn’t care what other people think, he’s only doing what he wants. That means he’s confident of himself, right?’

His outspoken touch certainly seemed to say so. However, she never thought he would touch her on the road without any qualms. The thought of this man being fearless of nothing, except perhaps the King, passed through her mind. But Edna, like Eli, was not iron-faced enough to ignore other people’s eyes, so she held his hand still to her chest and said.

“I dislike your nature, but don’t make me a laughstock in front of everyone. It wouldn’t be very good for you to treat me this way.”

“Do you care so much how others see you? You should already be used to it as an illegitimate child. In a way, you’re fortunate. I’m sure the world does not see illegitimate children in a great light.”

“If you don’t have shame, it means you’re not human. I wasn’t born because I wanted to be born out of wedlock.”

Eli was inwardly irritated by her slight mockery of him. On the other hand, he wanted to stimulate her even more. Over the past month, he had spent a lot of time without having a conversation with someone and felt bored. But now Edna, his wife in name, aroused his curiosity and caused a stir in his daily boring life. Eli whispered softly in her ear.

“Honestly, an illegitimate child will never be accepted, right? Rather than scrap by in Viscount William’s castle, I’d rather be a commoner like myself. At least I’m free.”

Edna, unconsciously trembled and exhaled after holding her breath.

“Didn’t you say yesterday that servants were also human? Then why can’t I be treated like an illegitimate child? Or do you want to drive me that way on purpose? Is an illegitimate child not even human? It’s true that you’re aroused, but it’s not like you aren’t human.”

“Hah. You really shouldn’t speak nonsense. I think I know why there are signs of violence on your body. I have no qualms hitting a woman. Don’t you know? You’d better watch your mouth if you don’t want to arouse me.”

Eli said sarcastically, as he slid his hand down from her breast and wrapped it around her waist again. Contrary to his words, Edna was puzzled by the way he cared for her. That’s because she never thought he would really listen to her demands. Eli muttered meanly at Edna, who breathed a sigh of relief.

“Don’t think this is the end.”

Then Edna’s face burned red. She unknowingly shook when she remembered the terrible pain she had suffered just yesterday.

Eli glanced down at her like that and began to speed up a little more.

At a glance, the whole town looked deprived. It was the first time Eli had seen the reality of the village. Dressed in ragged clothes they were only a little better off than pigs. When he saw a child squatting in front of a house, almost naked, eating mud, a sharp pain pressed against his chest.

The sight was an undeniable reality. When war breaks out, it is only the powerless people who die. Eli, who is witnessing a miserable reality that he had never known before because he had never settled down, squinted his eyes. It was the same with Edna. They were not the ones who did this, but the guilt that they had contributed to it somewhat made them pity them. Eli regretted that if he cared even a little bit that they would not have been so miserable. With a sense of responsibility, he frowned, got off the horse, and suddenly spoke.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a place to make your new dress.”

“It’s okay. I don’t need new a dress.”

After a hurried answer, Edna jumped off the horse. He belatedly held out his hand. He looked doubtfully at Edna, who in a swift motion as light as a feather got off the horse. But Edna was so heartbroken by the horrors of the war that she didn’t even notice that he was looking at her suspiciously.

Ever since Eli and Edna entered the town’s entrance, people have gathered one by one, wondering if they can get anything. Edna burst into tears when she saw people staring at her with vacant eyes, not knowing who the two were. It was because she seemed to see her miserable and helpless self over the past two years in them.

Edna looked around carefully to gauge the situation. Eli said he would definitely not do anything for this land. But she can’t leave it as it is.

Edna asked herself.

‘Will I ever be able to convince Eli? Will it be alright with him?’

Edna was lost in thought for a moment how to persuade Eli. At that time, Eli tied the reins to a tree and came to her side and opened his mouth as if hinting Edna.

“My men will arrive in a few days. After the settlement was decided, they went to find their separated family. I have to prepare for the winter here with them, but I can’t even think of what to do.”

Edna looked up at Eli and asked back.

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t do anything? Have you changed your mind?”

She didn’t want to say two things in one breath, but it was a situation she couldn’t help it. He replied with a distorted face.

“I can’t help it. You’re here and my men will be here soon. Winter is coming soon, and until the King let me go, shouldn’t I be a little more humane? Actually, it’s annoying, but it’s disturbing to see you like this.”

In his cold reply, Edna realized that Eli, a commoner, is very important to the King. She could also see how much he cared about his men. Eli, who was rumored to know nothing but war, had this aspect. Moreover, there was a hint of regret in Eli’s voice.

“But I won’t do anything myself.”

“Then who’s going to do it? I’m sure you’re…”

“If you know what to do, you can do it, Edna.”

Edna was lost in thought for a moment. Does he really know what he just said? To be able to do anything meant to give her enormous power. However, if she used her knowledge, he might find out that she had lied about being an illegitimate daughter. Literally in a dilemma, Edna closed her lips tight and looked down at the ground.

Eli looked down at Edna. His instincts were telling him that she’s not who she appears to be. Eli has learned from his long experience that the most reliable thing is his own instincts. But now the instinct he trusts the most is whispering to him. Edna’s hiding something, she’s not just an illegitimate child. The way she looked straight at him and talked back to him, or the way she showed her pride, which never resonated with the illegitimate child, made Eli suspect her. At the same time, he was worried about what Edna could do.

No chance of education is given to illegitimate children. Eli was well aware that just wishing alone can never revive the land. There would be no war and no indiscriminate slaughter if wishing worked. And he wouldn’t have abandoned himself and stood up to the world like this.

Eli gave a look at Edna, who was deep in thought.

Soon Edna looked up at Eli and asked.

“Are we not having a wedding?”

“But the dress isn’t ready, do you want to have a wedding like that?”

Usually women go crazy about dresses and jewelry, and he thought Edna would be more greedy since she never never had anything. But Edna again resolutely opened her mouth.

“I don’t need a dress. Please acknowledge me as your wife before God.”

“What?”

Asked Eli, looking down at her dumbfounded.

“We need someone to perform the ceremony. So find one and please acknowledge me as your wife first.”

It wasn’t an ordinary bet either. The fact that she was a quick-witted woman was engraved in Eli’s heart. Eli quickly read through her intentions. So far, she has been nothing but a humble illegitimate child, but if she is formally married to Eli, she will have a tremendous rise in status and will have the power to do many things at the same time.

Edna was staring at him desperately with clasped hands. Her eyes now looked warm brown. Like a prism, her eyes, which varied with light, were strangely imprinted in his mind.

An unusual eye color.

Eli inadvertently reached out his hand and tried to caress her slender shoulders. Then, Edna immediately flinched and quickly backed away. At that moment, a stir arose deep in Eli’s heart. She was afraid of him. Nevertheless, she had the courage to look straight into his eyes. He opened his mouth, deeply engraved in his heart the image of her waiting for his mouth to open, with conflicting expressions of fear and courage.

“There must be a monastery here. God has blessed all of them to die here.”

Edna frowned unconsciously at his profanity. It was a dangerous blasphemy to utter contemptuous remarks about the monastery. Despite the fact that he could be burned, Eli calmly muttered such a remark while looking around for the monastery.

Edna sighed and took a careful step on the muddy and sticky road. And not to mention curiosity, she approached people with only eyes full of despair and tried to talk to them with a faint smile. Then everyone rushed into their shabby house as if they were running away.

After hearing the conversation between Eli and Edna, everyone belatedly realized who they were, but they were frozen in the spot without even thinking about running away. Edna breathed a deep sigh at the sight of those who were now busy hiding after coming up to them and begging. Eli’s presence to them was the god itself.

“Come this way.”

When she heard Eli calling, Edna hurried after him. Eli was looking at a crumbling monastery with curiosity.

A few minutes later, three monks, thin as a sheet, greeted Eli with their eyes wide open at the door.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“We’re starving because we’ve sinned.”

“What sin? Do monks also sin? Ah. Are you talking about adultery?”

Eli’s rude remarks distorted the faces of the monks

“No. Such accusations will anger God. What’s the matter, my lord?”

When Noel the Monastery’s head monk asked in a polite but slightly harsh tone, Eli shrugged and said indifferently.

“I’m going to have a wedding. So if you have the power to officiate, I’d like to ask you.”

At Eli’s words, which were still rude, Noel with a cold smile spoke.

“If I, the head of the monastery, do it, what will you do in return for the monastery?”

“What? Are you asking me for compensation?”

Monastery head monk, Noel, spoke in a stiff tone.

“I would like to raise money by the authority given to the monastery if the lord accepts. Don’t we have to make a living?”

What a shameless remark. What the hell are you trying to collect in this dilapidated town? Eli squinted his eyes and reached for the long sword at his waist. The faces of the monks who saw it quickly turned pale.

The most disapproving thing Eli had witnessed on the battlefield were the monks. They, who shouted for mercy and peace, would lock the doors to their monastery firmly, all the while monopolizing the food and drinks for their own benefits.

Every time Eli witnessed them turning away people with bloodstained hands and crushing the people’s last hope for God’s mercy and salvation in a cruel way, Eli had to endure the nausea. It was the same for all of them. Eli was infuriated by their hypocrisy.