I Will Protect You This Time

Episode 03

(Political Marriage Now, Political Marriage Then.)

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After returning to my room, I saw food prepared on the table. Although I said it's food, it's just a week's old hard bread and soup.

Sigh~

Ring* Ring*

I removed the shawl from my shoulder and rang the bell. After a while, Anne came in.

"What is it?"

"Take the food away."

"What? Do you know how hard it is to bring food from the kitchen to this floor! No one will get you food like this. You would have starved if it wasn't for me."

"Anne. I am not hungry. So kindly take this food away and help me to get changed."

"Hmph!"

Anne took away the food angrily. After a while, she returned and helped me change into a nightgown and returned to the Maids Quarter.

I was all alone in my room. As I had nothing to do, I went to sit on the window seat which had a white furry mattress and some cushions.

It's my favourite place in the room. As my room is on the top floor and my window is quite wide, the entire capital can be seen from here. It's a beautiful view that helps me to calm down.

Caw~ Caw~ Caw~

All birds are returning to their nest. It's a beautiful evening with a purple-blue sky. Everything in my room seemed Bluish because of the light that is coming out of the window.

The crickets from faraway grass can be heard buzzing. After a few minutes, it became dark. In the palace, the maids were getting busy lighting up the lanterns. It was warm scenery to see lanterns lit up in the darkness.

I leaned on one side of the window seat and enjoyed the scenery for a while.

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After a while, I got up from the seat and lit a lantern in my room. Then I started the fireplace. My darkroom was lit by the golden light of the fireplace.

After that, I lay down in the bed and started thinking about all the crazy things that just happened.

Annulled engagement…. Grand Duke Roberto….. Fellmirr Empire…. So many things happened in so little time.

Political Marriage… My engagement with Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind was also a political move from the Emperor.

The Silverwind Duchy is the only Grand Duchy of the Loire Empire. And their knights are on the same par as the Royal Knights. The Duchy was powerful from the beginning but it rose to its peak when Duke Roberto inherited the title of Grand Duke.

Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind is the best Ice Wizard and a great Swordsman in the Loire Empire. He is also the leader of the Silverwind Knights.

He was the illegitimate son of the previous duke. The duke had 4 other legitimate sons. But because of Roberto's mastery of ice magic and swordsmanship, he was chosen as the heir to the Silverwind Grand Duchy. He became famous after beating the Orc Lord of the Bloodhorn Forest.

The Bloodhorn forest is a dark forest that is filled with different types of monsters. During their breeding season in mid-autumn, the monsters migrate to the border of Ashoron Territory which is just a few kilometres away from the capital of the Loire Empire.

And if the monsters somehow reach the border it would be a nightmare because of the large and especially the newborn monsters. As they are just born, they have a massive appetite. Thousands of people can die. So they have to be eradicated before breeding.

Therefore, every Aristocrat sends their elite knights and one of their family members to the Ashoron Forest to slaughter the monsters before winter every year. And they had to stay there until the first snow of Winter. Because of the cold, the monsters return to their den in Bloodhorn Forest during winter and hibernate.

Even for an elite group of knights, it takes hours to beat the Orc Lord. And sometimes some of the Knights became seriously injured. But Grand Duke Roberto beat that elite monster in a few minutes without the help of any of his knights. That's how he became the legendary Knight of the Loire Empire. And after he joined the expedition no knights ever got injured.

I was told that I would be betrothed to him when I was 15 in Imperial year XX17.

That time he hadn't joined the expedition yet, so he wasn't as famous as he is now. He was an infamous Illegitimate son of the Duke. But still, to me, he was my fiance, whom I will marry and spend the rest of my life with.

<

I still remember the first time I saw him. It was spring. I was waiting for him in the Royal Garden. It was a sunny morning. Beautiful flowers were blooming everywhere.

I was very nervous at first. But the moment I saw him, all of my nervousness went away. All there left was admiration and love in me for him.

His beautiful white hair was shining in the sunlight and his red eyes were so deep that I forgot to breathe. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen.

It would be a white lie if I say I didn't love him. I loved him… And wanted him to love me….

I chased and chased after him. In the hope that he would love me... That he would save me from this hell.

But he never received my feelings. I still dreamed that one day he will definitely love me. So I chased after him again and again and again. In parties, in his training ground, everywhere..… But perhaps I was being too greedy...

In the winter of Imperial Year XX18, he joined the Winter Expedition to the Ashoron Territory. There he beat the Orc Lord and became a legendary Knight in the Loire. After that, he would always be surrounded by brilliant people and beautiful ladies.

Then one day…

"Did you see the Captain? He looked so cool when he used Ice Magic."

"I know right! He is perfect! He will match perfectly with the second princess, don't you think so?"

"I know right. Why did he get engaged with someone like the first princess?! She doesn't deserve him."

"You are right. She is so clingy."

"Yeah. Oh! Wanna hear some spicy news?"

"What is it?"

"I heard that Grand Duke Roberto likes the second princess and wanted to annul his engagement with the first princess."

"What?! Really! That would be great!"

"I know! Oh, Crap~! We are late. Captain will kill us. Let's hurry back to the training ground."

Two knights of the Silverwind Duchy were talking to each other while taking a break. As usual, I was on my way there to give him my greetings and to give him a fruit basket. And I overheard their conversation.

At that time, my heart felt like it was falling apart. My legs felt numb. It was not like that was the first time I heard such rumours. Nevertheless, it hurts. I slowly walked towards the training ground with uneven steps.

I didn't completely believe what they said and went to him. More like I couldn't believe it. No… I mustn't believe it. Cause if I do… I will lose myself completely. As he was the only person I wanted. My only wish. My everything.

But…

"Don't come here from now on. You don't need to do this.".

He took the basket and said.

My whole body felt cold. I couldn't move a muscle. I tried to open my mouth but couldn't…

"Princess."

I mastered all my energy to smile.

"It's okay. I want to-"

"No! You don't have to."

After that, I wasn't able to meet him. I was worried… Anxious. Worried that the rumours might be true. Worried that he would abandon me. Worried to death...

But after months, I finally saw him at a ball. He was surrounded by many people. I tried to go to the place he was in. But…

"Grand Duke, why are you engaged with the first Princess?"

"....."

"Well, he is too shy to say anything."

"Hahaha. Don't you know he likes the second princess?"

In all that time, he never uttered a single word.

I can feel a lump in my throat. It's cold. I can't hear anything anymore.

I hurriedly went out of the ballroom. Reality hit me hard again. I am a fool to expect love from him.

"Hahaha! I am such a fool! Hahaha~ What did I expect?! Him to love me?! Ha ha ah aghh~"

Sob*

"Why? Why? Ahhhh! Why am I like this!"

Why did you…?! Why? Don't abandon me. Not you too! Please~

I am so pathetic. Never did once you said you loved me! But I… I foolishly kept loving you. Greedily kept clinging onto you… Yes, I am… too greedy! I am evil. I am a wretch.

Ughh~ Sob*

Isabella crouched down and cried while covering her face with both hands.

I cried a lot on that day. From then on, I stopped visiting or bothering him. I give up on love entirely. I swore to myself to never love anyone or expect anything from anyone.

But still, I had to marry him to get out of this hell. And would have divorced him, if he wanted to marry Rubena. I would have run away.

>

I never expected it to end like this. He went on an expedition to the Ashoron Territory last month. He will probably be very happy when he returns, after finding out about this.

"Fellmirr Empire…."

I mumbled to myself. Maybe it's for the best. I can get out of this hellish empire. From the beginning, it was a Political Marriage with Duke Roberto and now it's still the same. My fiance just changed.

Haaa~

"Yes… It's for the best."

Isabella mumbled.

While thinking about all that, I fell asleep without realising.