“I know you’ve been close to the princess since you two were young, lady Kaisa, but regret alone won’t help you move forward.”


  “…”


  Unable to fulfill her duty to protect her as an escort knight, the princess succumbed to death.

  Though she married a long-standing ally to face the rapidly growing new empire, the princess still expected they would someday separate. Little did she know it would be the reason behind why the Sword Princess would have to bid her farewell forever.

  Still, she couldn’t help but wonder about who was to blame.

  Her ally that had been completely destroyed? The aristocrats of the princess’s home country? Or politics in general?

  To her, all of them seemed like the right answer.

  “Don’t blame yourself. You did your best, didn’t you? You even reached out to the political and social circles you tried your hardest to stay away from to save her. If she were still with us, I’m sure she’d thank you for all that you’ve done.”


  “Sir Lolikun…”


  “Yes?”


  “Thank you as always.”


  “Don’t mention it.”


  Sir Lolikun, the current head of the family of knights that had been serving the Kureil family for generations.

  What she found embarrassing was that he cared about her more than his granddaughter. Other than that, he was a great example of a knight.

  Now retired from the frontlines, he focused on nurturing the students of their territory’s Knights Academy instead.

  “Speaking of which, lady Kaisa…”


  “Yes?”


  “I heard you took your jacket off and trained with the knights again, but… Was it just a rumor?”


  “…”


  “Please be more self-aware, milady! You are Kaisa Kureil, heir to the throne of your father. Such acts might’ve been fine when you were younger, but now that you’ve matured splendidly, you need to be more proper.”


  “… Because of marriage?”


  “That’s right.”


  The old vassal answered honestly and without hesitation.

  Marriage.

  A concept that still felt too farfetched.

  However, after attending the princess’s wedding, she realized it was a reality, a fate she would soon have to face.

  Unable to forget her mother, who died while giving birth to her, her father decided not to remarry.

  Hence, she was left with the responsibility of carrying their bloodline forward.

  If she were to refuse to marry and have children, their family and territory’s long history and tradition would end with her.

  “Milady?”


  “Yes. I know.”


  Her friend, before she got married, once said they shouldn’t be selfish.

  By forming a blood alliance with their long-time ally and bringing peace and order to their people, she would’ve fulfilled her duty as a princess.

  And now that she had become a queen, her goal would’ve been to raise her child to be the next ruler of their territory.

  That was where she failed, however. She couldn’t even achieve the one dream she had for herself.

  As for Kaisa…


  “The Duke is still fully capable of leading, but he wants a son-in-law and a grandson as soon as possible.”


  “A son-in-law…”


  She was living in delight, knowing full well she didn’t have to leave her family and estate where she was born and raised, eliminating the need to say goodbye to her people.

  Yes.

  A man would just be added like a pillow to the bed where she always slept alone.

  “The Duke is looking for someone suitable for the young lady. After watching and observing you grow from birth, I can safely say there’s no such person in Fantasy.”


  “Sir Lolikun always holds me in high regard.”


  “Hahaha! Every time I see you, I remember you calling me uncle Lori when you were still a child. Time truly is fleeting.”


  “I don’t think it was Lori… Regardless, you’re right. I’ve gotten older as well.”


  Marriage was no longer someone else’s problem.

  ‘What should I do?’


  She didn’t think much of it before her friend died, simply equating men to a pillow. Now, however, she felt this strong desire to disallow any of them from entering her life.

  “Don’t worry too much. Even your father can’t find anyone worthy of you. And I won’t allow anyone unworthy from courting you!”


  “Hmm…”


  Duchy of Kureil.

  It was the only family to prosper through swordsmanship in the Northern Continent, where magic was developed and flourished.

  Using the knowledge left behind by an ancient Hero, they created a swordsmanship style capable of mass destruction that surpassed magic.

  As its creator, the Kureil family held the same prestige and power as the royal family, ultimately freeing her from political marriages.

  … Just because she was free from it didn’t mean she shouldn’t get married at all, however.

  Honestly speaking, she was afraid.

  If her mother was alive, would she have understood her heart?

  “If you find someone to your liking, please tell the Duke or me immediately.”


  “There can’t be such a guy… Ah!”


  Her friend once said that alliances and political marriages were decided by the highest-ranking members of the parties involved. However, it would still be up to the actual persons’ choice to accept this graciously.

  Her motherland, her people…


  Shouldn’t she use this marriage for their sake?

  “No way! Do you really have a guy in mind?”


  “That’s not it.”


  If she had, she would’ve married him right away.

  She was born as the daughter of the Duke of Kureil, after all. She could get whatever she wanted when she wanted it.

  Now, as her friend did, she decided to give back a little bit to those who always granted her wishes.

  Military, honor, authority, wealth…


  There was only one more thing she thought their territory needed, which lacked virtually nothing.

  Elite knights.

  The powerful golems of the new empire had sturdy armor, preventing regular soldiers from damaging them no matter how many there were.

  That ultimately caused the alliance’s destruction, which was equal in power to the Kaisa estate.

  Known as the Sword Princess, she was one of the only two reasons her home country was still safe, the other being the Great Sage of the neighboring estate.

  “Milady?”


  “Sir Loli.”


  “Yes?”


  “Help me convince father.”


  “Hmm? What must I do to be of help?”


  “About that…”


  *****

  Kaisa decided she’d only marry someone stronger than her, who could destroy the golems of the new empire alone.

  In doing so, she’d ensure her home country and the territory would be safer.

  Love?

  She still didn’t know what it was.

  “… Sir Loli. Who’s the man that just won the tournament’s semi-finals?”


  “A strong, savage beast from the Central Continent.”


  “Kang Han Soo… That’s an unusual name.”


  It had been three years since she started looking for a husband.

  At some point, she began spending her daily life secretly watching men’s matches she wasn’t interested in to criticize them.

  “Using a magic tool to determine his character, it showed me nothing but the purest white.”


  “Pure white?”


  “Yes. The sacred quality only popes and saintesses were supposed to have.”


  “Hmm…”


  “Does it bother you?”


  “… No.” She answered frankly, but on the contrary, his existence bothered her a lot.

  She just found him too handsome.

  His face, behavior, and presence could make even Snow Queen Elsh, the Northern Continent’s Great Disaster herself, tremble, yet she couldn’t seem to get tired of him no matter how long and how many times she looked at him.

  Paired with the aggressiveness and finesse of his sweat-covered, heated muscles…


  She could tell he wasn’t like any of the run-of-the-mill jerks she had met so far.

  “Haha! Don’t worry too much. No matter who wins, they’re nothing against Lady Kaisa.”


  “I’m not worried.”


  Sir Lolikun seemed to have thought she held this tournament because she didn’t want to get married.

  Even so, she didn’t say anything.

  He wasn’t alone in his delusion.

  The rumors spreading about her weren’t ideal, but she didn’t owe anyone an explanation.

  She had defeated tons of suitors over the past three years.

  This time wouldn’t be any different.

  “Where are you going?”


  “Inspection.”


  “Hmm. No one in the Northern Continent can harm you, but even so, please don’t let your guard down.”


  “I won’t.”


  With the hood pressed deep, she wandered around their estate.

  Kureil Tournament.

  It wasn’t really her intention, but due to this tournament, where she was offered as a prize, the growth rate of their territory had nearly tripled since nobles, royalty, and their attendants stayed in the city and spent money while trying to win over her hand in marriage.

  “Who do you think would win the tournament?”


  “If you bet on Kang Han Soo now, you’ll win double! Don’t miss this opportunity!”


  “His chance of winning is 50%! Hurry up and try your luck!”


  Moreover, as spectators flocked from all over the world every time the said tournament was held, their economy grew even more.

  Was that the reason why their vassals and her father, who wanted her to get married as soon as possible, had a change of heart?

  “Do they even care about me?”


  She really did want to get married, though.

  However, seeing their territory in full bloom, her heart melted.

  She was at her happiest.

  Perhaps the princess accepted the political marriage because she felt the same as her right now.

  After looking around the rapidly developing estate, she headed to the bar she always went to.

  Cling clang~?

  “To my victory! Cheers!”


  “That’s a bit…”


  “I don’t want you to marry the Sword Princess…”


  “If you don’t want to pay for your drinks, cheers!”


  “Gasp! Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  As soon as she opened the old door of the regular bar, loud noises immediately entered her ears.

  Since it was located in a remote alley and didn’t even have a catchy signboard, it was normally a quiet place that only natives of the Kureil estate frequented.

  But it had a lot of customers today.

  “That man…”


  Even though he was an outsider, he was leading the bar’s atmosphere.

  “A toast! To Kang Han Soo!”


  “Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  “A toast! To his victory!”


  “Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  The scene was so tantalizing that Kaisa couldn’t help but stand blankly in front of the doorway for a while before moving to the corner where she always sat.

  Afterward, she did nothing but watch him.

  “… He’s really handsome.”


  And it wasn’t just his flawless SSS-rank appearance that caught her attention.

  Her people, who were extremely wary of foreigners due to the threat posed by the new empire, treated him as if they had known him for a long time.

  Moreover…


  He looked even better up close.

  She couldn’t even find the time to take her hands off Eyer, her magic sword attached to her waist.

  “Proud citizens of Kureil! Hear the troublesome story of Kang Han Soo! To compensate for the property damage my colleagues have committed, I ran out of travel funds. I thought I was going to collapse from high blood pressure!”


  “Oh, no!”


  “Hahaha!”


  “However, I heard about the tournament being held here. I coveted its prize money quite a bit, but I was even more attracted by the dividends by the betting market! Right before finals, it’s only doubled, but at the beginning of the elimination rounds, bets are multiplied by thirty-four! Everyone! What if I win tomorrow?”


  “Free drinks for all!”


  “A toast!”


  “Hahaha! Everyone who lives in the Kureil estate is smart and educated! It is as you say! All drinks will be free on that day! Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  “Cheers!”


  She laughed out loud as she sipped on the fruit juice she always drank at this bar.

  Kaisa had met a lot of men participating in her dangerous and deadly tournament to marry her, but this was the first time she had ever seen a snob for its prize money.

  Becoming her husband would be no different from acquiring the Kureil estate, yet he couldn’t care less about her.

  “… Hmm?”


  “So I said a word to the immature princess. She told me to work only as much as I received. How could she say that after the people sweated blood and tears for sixteen years?! Anyway, let’s forget everything today and have another round on me!”


  “… Hey.”


  “Yes?”


  “They say that princesses who run away from home because they hate arranged marriages are unconditionally bad. Not all men in the world are as handsome as you, right?”


  “Huh?”


  “Ah! Forget what I just said!”


  She made a mistake.

  Her true feelings came out inadvertently.

  Though she hurriedly turned her head away and pulled her hood even lower, it was already too late.

  Plop.

  He sat next to her.

  “Do you know how many people died and became unhappy because the princess abandoned her work, mysterious lady?”


  “…”


  “About 60,000 people died, and 30,000 became widows.”


  “Oh…”


  “I was kidnapped to this land to prevent such tragedies from happening again.”


  “Kidnapped…?”


  “Yes. Anyway, that fruit wine smells really good. I don’t think I saw it on the menu. Well, waitress! I’ll have the same drink as this lady here!”


  “…”


  That was how she met the man who took her body and soul.