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Episode 66
Sentenced to Marriage
Diana was bedridden for about a week before she finally got up. Damn it, the fever had vanished without a trace, and her mind was unbearably clear.
Diana lost herself in recollection. Back then, she had screamed at the Emperor that she would tell him the truth. How naively hopeful. She was so foolish back then that it almost brought tears to her eyes now.
That simplistic hope that the Emperor, out of a sense of righteousness, would make an enemy of Lordbrock to save her. That ignorant belief that a king would, of course, want to be on good terms with the Emperor.
How could the nation that served the dragon as divine messengers—the Chronosotia Order (simply ‘the Temple’ in Fanbur, but called this in the Kingdom of Lordbrock)—and the nation descended from the first dragonslayer and founding king ever be close?
She was disgusted by her own ignorance back then.
As time passed, Diana seriously contemplated ways to die.
She thought about hanging herself if she could find a cord, but unfortunately, all ribbons were forbidden. When she ate, the knights strictly monitored her use of utensils. Drowning herself was also impossible, as her maids attended to her baths.
She thought about jumping, but well, this was the third floor—a jump might break a limb or two, but it wouldn’t kill her. It would only lead to worse treatment.
It had been like that before too. When she tried to “escape” from “that place”…
Diana unconsciously hugged herself and squeezed her eyes shut. Why did I just cry back then? I should have died. Then again, I was too stupid to even think of dying. Diana laughed coldly at her past self.
“His Majesty is busy with an inspection tour for the time being,” Mabel said.
Diana nodded at her words. Mabel studied Diana’s face.
Perhaps she expected her to be disappointed. She wasn’t. In her previous life, Giscard had done the same. He would disappear and then suddenly reappear to turn her world upside down.
Now that she was thinking of suicide, her thoughts surprisingly began to revolve around it. She wasn’t weeping or crying in sorrow like before; she was just calm.
It was just that she felt anxious about not being able to do what needed to be done. Only then did Diana realize: facing an obvious future was tedious. A life that wouldn’t get better—she would kick it away herself.
Having a choice over her life even gave her a sense of exhilaration. After all, this was a battle she would win.
Guard would always be relaxed eventually. If she just waited, she would be able to die.
Just then, a knock was heard. At Diana’s word to enter, a boy appeared. It was Logafle, the boy with gray hair and freckles.
“My lady.”
He looked at Diana with a bright smile. Logafle occasionally visited her. But Diana was always puzzled by this boy. They had only spent a little time together on the return journey. So why was he so kind to her?
Hadn’t he been the knight who lost his life because of her in her past life?
“Won’t you get in trouble with your superiors for visiting so often?”
“His Majesty himself appointed me as your guard knight, my lady.”
“……”
“I think it’s because I have many sisters.”
Was this consideration? Now that she thought about it, whether in her past life or now, if Logafle had been assigned as her knight, it wasn’t a coincidence. Seeing Diana’s face, Logafle exclaimed in a bright voice,
“I understand a woman’s heart well!”
He thumped his chest as if asking her to believe him. Diana smiled bitterly at the sight.
“So, what do you think is on my mind?”
“That’s easy!”
He’d probably say the usual: it’s obvious, she’s nervous, she’s scared. Logafle looked at Diana’s pale face, then made a bitter expression himself.
“You’re just thinking about how to die, aren’t you?”
“……”
Her expression crumbled in an instant. Was he reading her mind? How did he know? Logafle was strange.
He had a boyish side, but also a sharpness that saw right through her.
“People who have resolved to die are like that. They actually become brighter.”
How do you know that? Logafle looked at her with pity. He frowned as if to say something, then closed his mouth and laughed.
“You don’t want to get married, do you?”
“……”
“You hate it enough to die?”
“……”
“Why? His Majesty has taken a liking to you. That’s why he’s making you his bride……”
“Sir, the way you say that makes our relationship sound so sweet.”
Diana let out a short laugh.
“His ‘liking’ must have a different meaning.”
“……”
“Forcing marriage on someone who doesn’t want it is not how you treat someone you ‘like’.”
Her words hit the mark. There was a decisiveness in them that even Logafle couldn’t refute.
“He’s punishing me.”
Punishment. That’s what it was. The punishment he had dealt her.
“But my lady, you helped His Majesty escape. Why would he punish you?”
At the bewildered question, Diana shook her head. What did that matter? In her past life, Diana had also helped Giscard escape.
And yet, he had still acted that way.
This time, he had even formally granted her commoner status. And yet, his actions weren’t that different! Giscard had invaded Fanbur, and the Duke of Brien’s house had been destroyed.
This boy seemed to think the world was only beautiful. Like boys and girls who read romances, he seemed to see only the beautiful things.
“Because I have the blood of those cursed people.”
“……I don’t understand.”
“Thank you, Sir. Thank you for saying you don’t understand.”
Diana smiled brightly, sincerely. Countless people had pointed fingers at Diana, calling her a sinner. For him to say her punishment made no sense—how grateful she was.
“But my lady, I don’t believe only bad things will happen.”
“……”
“If you really hate it, if you truly hate it, why not try talking to His Majesty?”
“……”
“A punishment has an end, but marriage isn’t like that.”
Diana looked surprised at his words. Something seemed to churn inside her, then pass. This poor young knight, who had lost his life because of her, had offered a strangely apt solution.
The correct answer: a prison sentence.
“Will it really work if I talk to His Majesty?”
“Of course, certainly.”
What worse could possibly happen?
Giscard massaged his throbbing temple as he received the report. Duke Blake was sending protests every single day.
“Damn it.”
He muttered a low curse, and Livius sighed as if to say ‘I told you so’.
“Your method was wrong. Conducting a military operation in the Duke’s front yard was a clear misstep.”
Whether Duke Blake had known of Diana Brien’s whereabouts and hidden her, or whether he hadn’t known, was still unclear.
“Hiding someone the King is searching for on a whim is treason, is it not?” Giscard said coldly.
“If the young lady was determined to hide……”
“The Duke of Blake is not that foolish.”
Giscard had slain the dragon and become the ‘Returning Prince’. He hadn’t particularly opposed Giscard’s succession to the throne.
Even though there had been a strong candidate at the time, Prince Mikhail. He still remembered it vividly. From their first meeting, he had felt they wouldn’t get along.
Snow-white silver hair, purple eyes tinged with a blue aura. A dry demeanor that, while pledging loyalty, held no trace of sincere devotion.
Yet strangely, that gaze had stayed with him. A face that neither saw him as a rival nor as a lord to whom loyalty was due.
“Your Majesty. That wom… no, the young lady has requested an audience.”
An attendant reported to him quietly. Giscard frowned in displeasure. The dukes were all frantic to push their daughters onto him.
“How many times have I told you not to grant audiences so freely?”
“My… my apologies. Shall I send her away?”
As he said this, the attendant quietly scolded the one who had brought the message.
“Not even the Duchesses are allowed, let alone someone from Fanbur? Use your head and think……”
“What? Who did you say?”
Giscard’s eyebrows furrowed. The attendant’s face paled.
“Oh dear… That woman from Fanbur urgently wishes to see Your Majes… Forgive me. I will ensure better discipline……”
“Tell them to bring her in at once!”
At his thunderous shout, the attendants scrambled out in a panic. Without realizing it, he rose from his desk. His fingers tapped restlessly on his crossed arms.
“We’ll talk later.”
“Well, I never…”
Livius grumbled as he went out. The sound of the door closing was heard. And then again, the door opened, and as the woman entered, he slowly turned to look.
Moonlight-pale golden hair came into view. With no adornments, she looked even more elegant. The plain white dress she wore only made her shine brighter.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”
Strangely, the Lordbrock-style greeting—holding one side of her skirt and placing a hand on her chest in a bow—suited her better than grabbing her skirts and curtsying.
“To what do I owe… No, how is your health……”
Diana Brien blinked her transparent eyes slowly. She was still as unreadable as ever.
“Let’s get married.”
The words from Diana Brien’s mouth were somewhat shocking and novel. Diana Brien always exceeded his expectations.
“What scheme is this?”
Diana looked at Giscard’s suspicious face. She didn’t know if this would work.
“But only for three years.”
“……”
“Only the three years you were with me.”
