○
It was on October 31st that Amelia Terramor received a marriage proposal from the heir of the Durangard family.
Exactly one day before Damamollon County declared war on Matepith County.
"The heir of Guiles County?"
"Yes. That's right."
Listening to the sound of autumn wind tapping on the window, Amelia, who had been silent for a moment, raised her eyebrows with a perplexed expression.
"Why on earth...?"
Her voice was tinged with both question and desire to refuse at the same time.
There was only a strategic reason for a marriage proposal to pass between the heir of Guiles County and herself.
And Amelia was already sufficiently unhappy.
It was natural to not want to deepen that unhappiness with a political marriage.
'If I were to have a child...'
She smiled bitterly.
'I'd worry about whether to raise that child as a demon or a human...'
The one who came to mind was her sister Yurianne, who had become a demon.
A child who sacrificed herself to protect her family.
'And anyway... all that land will eventually become Master's.'
Amelia also knew that Libertas would eventually get her hands on the entire Guiles County.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help but ask Libertas's opinion.
No, she wanted to ask. Then she wouldn't have to think about it anymore.
"What did Master say?"
"Despite being busy responding to the current war situation, the Master took time to deeply consider it."
The head butler answered politely with reverence and admiration for Libertas in his eyes.
"As a result, she said 'you may choose either way', but regardless of which choice you make, she told you to delay the final confirmation."
Nodding at that answer, Amelia observed his appearance for a moment.
His long hair, neatly grown to hide his sharply raised ears, was noticeable.
These days, the number of men with such long hair had increased sharply within the inner city. It was a means to temporarily hide their demonic appearance.
However, the young lord who used to blame herself for her inadequacies was no longer here.
There was only a fragile woman who wanted to settle down and depend on others.
"Delay... Then should I say I need my guardian's reply?"
"Since she said it's fine to refuse, I think it would be fine to refuse first and see the reaction."
A marriage proposal was a ceremony that ended with one acceptance or three refusals.
Even if accepted, it would have to go through the process of interviews, family interviews, covenant, and engagement afterwards. It would take at least another month until it was fully confirmed.
Also, the Master's order to "delay" didn't specify an exact period. It probably meant to create a gap that could be utilized as much as possible if there was an opportunity.
When her thoughts reached that point, Amelia shook off any further worries.
"Alright. Let's refuse for now."
The tug-of-war of marriage talks that started like this continued for about 2 weeks.
Until the end, she declined one more proposal, and sent a reply to meet after the third proposal came.
「As the door of the crystal palace has opened to your sincerity, we will have a chance to divine our fate before lifting that tiara.」
While writing the reply in elegant handwriting, Amelia felt her curiosity about the other party growing.
There was a ceremony that allowed up to three chances for marriage proposals between nobles, but it was rare for this to be carried out to the end.
Therefore, just looking at this, it was no different from a sign that Lucian Guiles considered her a good partner candidate.
'At least he's maintaining courtesy.'
Despite the class difference that allowed some forceful behavior between the firm heir of Guiles County and the lord of a rural castle, he didn't embarrass her.
The evidence of such an attitude was that he didn't propose a lower marriage even after being rejected himself.
'Whether his true intentions lie in absorbing the family or expanding territory...'
I wonder if he would despair at how foolish this proposal was if he knew she had demonic energy dwelling in her. Or would he resent and curse her as a witch.
It was inevitable to become curious about that.
Amelia turned her gaze out the window with a bitter smile that had become familiar.
The cool autumn wind was blowing towards her.
○
Three weeks later, on November 22nd. The capital of Guiles County.
In its inner city.
Amelia was standing in front of the castle gate to greet her guardian. The sky of late autumn with cold winds blowing was clear, but her heart was not so peaceful.
"When mentioning the lord's guardian, all knights and servants exclaimed that 'there wouldn't be anyone as beautiful as that person in this world'. I'm curious what kind of person it will be."
The man standing next to her spoke to her.
A young man with dark green hair close to black and sharp golden eyes.
Lucian Durangard.
He was the one who had proposed to her.
"My master and guardian is not at all lacking in those words."
Amelia answered.
"If anything, they're insufficient."
"Since even the lord speaks like that, I too am really becoming curious."
He was the first heir of the Durangard family that had long ruled Guiles County, and the lord of Shantano Fortress, the southernmost frontline stronghold of Guiles.
'The most important castle of Guiles County.'
Amelia thought inwardly.
Shantano Fortress was not just a simple frontline stronghold.
It was a strategic point watching over the confluence of the main stream and tributaries going down the lower reaches of the Foyle River.
Therefore, what this fortress protected was not simply the territory and people.
It was a place that could be called the core of the national economy, managing the road through which trade goods pass and the passage fees of ships passing that road.
That's what Shantano Castle was.
'Rather than the people's safety, that money and road would be more central. Because it's tied to national interests.'
And the fact that he was appointed as the final decision-maker of such a fortress meant nothing less than that this man was virtually confirmed as the successor to Guiles County.
Clop clop...
At that moment, lost in thought, the sound of carriage wheels scraping stones was heard from afar.
Amelia straightened her back.
An all-black carriage appeared.
It was a carriage with a mysterious radiance that seemed to absorb the surrounding light while simultaneously emitting its own light.
Around it, black knights wearing jet-black armor and the giant black horses they rode formed an imposing procession.
-That carriage...
-Is a king coming from somewhere?
An extraordinary majesty at a glance.
The crowd's attention focused on it, and surprised exclamations burst out.
"Is that..."
"Yes. They've arrived."
As Amelia nodded, Lucian looked at the carriage with eyes tinged with a strange heat.
What was contained in his eyes was pure ambition.
Seeing that appearance, Amelia suddenly had one suspicion.
'Could it be that the Terramor family or Solemio Castle wasn't the goal?'
Come to think of it, the change of the lord of Solemio Castle happened too suddenly.
Although it's said that her father, the previous lord, voluntarily expressed his intention to rest to the king and count, it was a situation where external interference couldn't help but be suspected from any perspective.
If they had noticed that the source of Amelia inheriting the position of lord was a demon...
'No, if that were the case, it wouldn't have ended so quietly.'
Amelia shook her head inwardly.
If they had noticed that a demon was involved, the action they should have taken was not such quiet contact but total mobilization of military and information power.
What they focused on must have been solely the change of the lord itself.
They must have thought that some secret shadow power acted, not the intervention of a demon.
'No, let's stop.'
Cutting off the thoughts that continued like a habit, Amelia looked up at the black carriage that had approached right in front of her.
Dark shining eyes.
She had an intuition that the meeting between Libertas and Lucian would change her fate once again.
○
"Lady Amelia. It's been a while."
For a moment, Lucian Durangard mistook the black knight who got off first as Amelia's 'guardian'.
It wasn't unreasonable.
The overwhelming aura emanating from that black knight was extraordinary.
The platinum blonde hair flowing under the black hood sparkled like dawn sunlight, and the red eyes flashing between them were like rising red flames.
Moreover, the transparent black sword at her waist seemed to even swallow light, and the black armor enveloping her was so perfect that even the traces of battlefield on it looked beautiful.
It was understandable to mistake her given such a noble and refined appearance. But that misconception soon crumbled along with Amelia's greeting.
"Lady Evangeline. Have you been well?"
'Not the master?'
Before Lucian's question could even settle, that knight bowed with a smile.
"Yes. Then, since everything seems prepared... excuse me for a moment."
With her usual quiet smile, Evangeline immediately turned around and began to escort her master.
Tak-
Footsteps that weren't heard at all except for the first step. It was like a demonstration to show noble dignity.
The woman who got off the carriage holding the hand of the female knight escorting her had an appearance befitting the phrase 'the most beautiful woman of the western continent'.
Her footsteps on the well-maintained stone floor were as light as feathers yet as secretive as shadows.
The long skirt hem swayed slightly in the wind, and the long black hair settling above it was like the finest silk splitting the air and pouring out darkness.
Long eyelashes that momentarily covered her eyes blinked and rose. At that moment, magical power that was not hidden spread like waves from the revealed purple eyes.
The woman like darkness who walked out of the carriage's shadow smiled elegantly.
"Master."
As Amelia greeted politely, all the nobles lined up around bowed their waists in unison.
Lucian Durangard, who faced her 'master' for the first time, was no exception.
Although he did ask himself 'Why?' after bowing his head.
"Please raise your heads."
As Libertas gestured gently, Evangeline noticed her intention and repeated it.
Meeting the eyes of the nobles who raised their heads, Libertas smiled warmly.
That smile looked as warm as spring sunshine.
"Have you been well, Amelia?"
"Yes. Thanks to you."
Nodding as if satisfied with her answer, Libertas soon turned her gaze to the young man standing next to Amelia.
"You must be Lucian."
"Yes. I am Lucian Durangard. I had admired you after hearing rumors about Amelia Terramor's guardian and master, but seeing you like this, I realize the rumors were insufficient."
It was natural informal speech, but somehow it didn't feel offensive.
Because of the composure and dignity flowing from her whole body.
Lucian, who guessed she must be a high-ranking noble or royalty, answered with a dignified yet polite attitude.
In his eyes, sincere reverence was glimpsed along with his previous ambition.
"So you're the new master of Shantano Fortress."
Lucian's eyes flashed at Libertas's words, speaking as if she recognized him.
He felt both subtle pride and excitement at the fact that he was being noticed by her.
"Yes. Although lacking, I'm fulfilling my assigned duties."
"Then you must know too. The meaning that the Foyle River holds."
"Of course. It's not just a waterway, but a stem of life and wealth."
Libertas smiled warmly once again.
But Amelia immediately noticed the meaning contained in that smile.
It was no different from that of a predator discovering prey.
"That's right. And you're the one protecting that stem."
"It's an honorable duty."
Amelia, listening to the conversation, instantly grasped Libertas's intention.
Her master would not stop at simply evaluating the suitor. The plan for the future of this region must have already been finished.
'So that's why you told me to delay...'
Libertas slowly looked around.
The inner city of Guiles County was magnificent, and the spirit of the knights and soldiers walking around inside was also excellent.
But to her eyes, all of this already appeared as her own.
"Good. Shall the three of us have a talk now?"
Lucian and Amelia nodded simultaneously at Libertas's suggestion.
All three knew that the conversation about to begin would determine the fate of this region.
The only difference was that the future Lucian envisioned and what Libertas and Amelia were certain of were completely opposite.
-「Rise」.
As they headed towards the conference room like that, Evangeline, watching from behind, quietly awakened the 'army' sleeping in her shadow.
"...Hoo."
The smile on her lips was as gentle as her master's.