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Chapter 2
The door to Diana’s locked room finally opened—on the morning of her wedding.
Baron Lapin had said not to give her even a drop of water, but the servants secretly gave her just enough food to keep her alive. They couldn’t risk her collapsing on the way to the north.
As a result, her already-thin body had become even more frail, like dry twigs. Her once-beautiful white hair had lost its shine and looked rough and dull. She didn’t look like a bride about to go on a long journey.
The tailor, sent by the Baron to dress the bride, frowned when he saw Diana’s condition.
Everyone already knew the story of the Lapin family’s illegitimate daughter. But seeing her in person, so pitiful and neglected, the tailor decided to do his best—at least within what his conscience allowed.
He covered her skinny arms with light fabric and made the skirt puffier to add shape. The original dress had tight sleeves to highlight the bride’s slender arms, but her arms were too thin. It was better to cover them.
Next, the stylist brushed Diana’s white hair until it shone. Then, they styled it into a golden net made of pearls and thread from the South.
Finally, they added a veil and a touch of color to her pale face. The bride’s preparation was complete.
When Diana stepped outside, a man sent from the Duke of Fenril was waiting with a carriage.
The man—alone, with no bridesmaids in sight—was shocked three times: first, seeing she was alone; second, by her worn-down appearance; and third, by the dark, cold shadow that seemed to follow her.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Aquila, the Duke’s representative.”
“Nice to meet you, Sir Aquila. Please take good care of me on the way north.”
Diana gave a weak smile. She could guess why he looked so surprised.
‘Of course, I didn’t expect a proper wedding with cheers and blessings, but…’
This was too much. Not even one person came to say goodbye. Diana let out a deep sigh.
Well, maybe it was for the best. If she’d seen them, they probably would’ve just yelled at her to get lost.
Even Aquila seemed embarrassed by how poorly she was treated.
“…Would you like a cloak?”
“…Yes, please.”
Her dress was beautiful, but not warm enough for the cold northern weather. Diana truly appreciated the knight’s kindness.
Aquila draped a large cloak over her shoulders. It was lined with fur and had the Duke’s crest embroidered on it. It was very warm.
“Shall we go?”
“Is it alright not to say goodbye to your family?”
“They’re probably busy admiring the gifts the Duke sent. Let’s just go.”
Diana remembered how her family had stared at the Duke’s wedding gifts that morning like greedy animals. She frowned at the thought.
Aquila didn’t ask again. Instead, he quietly opened the carriage door.
Diana sank deep into the cushioned seat. The soft ride and rhythmic sound of the horses soon lulled her into sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, the dry land had turned into something she had never seen before.
The ground was covered in frost and endless white snow. There were no footprints—just a pure snowy field. The only colors were white snow, dark green pine trees, and grayish-brown bare branches.
The snow on the trees looked like fluffy whipped cream. Diana moved closer to the window to look.
“So cold…”
She touched the glass, and it fogged up around her finger.
The carriage had left early in the morning, and it wasn’t until late at night that they finally arrived in the Duke of Fenril’s territory.
When Diana stepped out, it wasn’t just the cold wind that greeted her.
“These people are from the Duke’s castle,” Aquila said.
“Welcome to Norbert, Lady-to-be. We’ve been expecting you.”
But their faces were stiff and their eyes sharp like needles. There was no warmth in their welcome. Diana immediately knew—she was not truly welcome here.
Elsewhere…
ROAR!!!
A deafening noise rang out. A monster let out its final breath. It looked like the kind of dragon told in scary children’s stories—half its wings torn.
These creatures were called “Draugr” in ancient language—walking disasters.
They showed no mercy, were nearly indestructible, and refused to die even when their limbs were cut off. They were the very form of living evil.
And a man was facing one alone.
His golden eyes gleamed like stars in the reflection of his blade. Without hesitation, he sliced the monster’s neck. The clean, precise motion showed the skill of a true hunter.
Even with its head separated, the monster’s body still twitched. The man calmly cleaned his sword and tied his long, dark-blue hair into a loose braid.
His short rest ended quickly. In the next moment, he dashed forward again.
He found another monster and stabbed it in the neck. A normal creature would’ve died instantly. But this one thrashed like a snake and tried to bite his shoulder.
The man reacted faster. Instead of pulling out his sword, he sliced upward—starting from the throat and ending at the top of the head. Only then did the monster truly die.
Blood dripped from the blade again.
“Jarl Erno!”
Someone called his name from a distance. It was both a warning and a message: this was enough, return now.
But Erno picked up his sword again.
There were still too many enemies. As both commander and king, he had the duty to protect everyone.
Only after killing over ten monsters did Erno finally return to camp—and there, he met someone he didn’t expect.
“…Veronica?”
“Brother…”
Her voice trembled like a bird in the rain—soft and full of worry. She was dressed in mourning black from head to toe.
“Veronica, what are you doing here?”
Erno raised a hand to stop her from getting closer. He was covered in monster blood.
But she ignored it and came right up to him. Through her veil, their eyes met.
“I told you it was dangerous.”
He scolded her gently, but his eyes were full of warmth.
“I… I came because…”
She kept glancing behind her nervously. Erno turned to look.
Another unexpected visitor stood there.
The old man’s bright green eyes glowed strangely. He stepped forward with the help of a cane.
“Greetings, Jarl. I am Ragna Nidhogg.”
“I heard you took a new bride.”
Erno didn’t reply. He just glared sharply, as if to ask, Why are you here?
The old man didn’t seem to care and casually shrugged.
“This is troublesome, you know. You can’t keep doing things this way.”
His tone was like an old grandfather scolding his grandchild. And in fact, their age gap was about that big.
“There are many beautiful and wise ladies in the North. Why do you keep looking for wives outside our lands? Must I really come find you over such trivial matters?”
“Hah.”
Erno gave a dry laugh, as if he had just heard the world’s worst joke.
