Karina was floating in pitch-black darkness as if floating on water.
It was a space filled with silence and stillness where she could hear nothing.
Before she could feel anything strange, a faint halo of light appeared in the distance.
Karina felt no fear or dread. She just blankly watched the halo of light gather together and then disperse.
Then, at some point, a halo of light that seemed to have gathered a little bigger gradually got closer and spread around her.
The surroundings became bright.
“You may enter now.”
She heard the maid standing next to her whispering.
“...What is it?”
A small question came to her mind, but before she could realize it, the question sank deep into her mind.
And Karina’s lips moved against her will as she stood in front of the huge door.
“Yes.”
Karina realized that she was very nervous.
Finally, the door opened.
Karina held back her trembling heart and entered the hall.
On the ceiling, a dazzling chandelier sparkled brightly, illuminating the interior of the large hall.
Luxurious fabrics and brightly colored canopies added to the grandeur and extravagance.
The wedding road stretched out in a straight line in front of her.
On both sides of the wedding road, colorful flowers bloomed vividly and colorfully, and various jewels showed off their harmony.
At regular intervals, candles were placed on the decorations delicately crafted by the craftsman, emitting a soft flame.
It was an incredibly spacious and splendid wedding hall.
The eyes of the guests sitting in their seats and looking at the bride poured out.
Nevertheless, the moment Karina caught sight of him waiting for her at the end of the wedding road, she could only see one person.
'Jeremiah!'
Karina's eyelids fluttered when she saw him.
Jeremiah, neatly dressed in his wedding attire, looked so handsome. His hair, which was as black as pitch but soft and smooth, was pulled back, revealing his forehead. His thick eyebrows, his black eyes that shone like the night sky, his high nose, his sharp jawline, and his tightly shut red lips were in perfect harmony, highlighting his handsome appearance even more.
Jeremiah stood firm like a statue, waiting for Karina.
Karina’s face burned. Her heart pounded like crazy as if it were going to burst.
Every step she took toward him felt like she was being sucked into a painting.
Jeremiah greeted Karina with a calm, expressionless face.
However, as she approached him, he gave off a strangely sharp aura.
It was a space filled with silence and stillness where she could hear nothing.
Before she could feel anything strange, a faint halo of light appeared in the distance.
Karina felt no fear or dread. She just blankly watched the halo of light gather together and then disperse.
Then, at some point, a halo of light that seemed to have gathered a little bigger gradually got closer and spread around her.
The surroundings became bright.
“You may enter now.”
She heard the maid standing next to her whispering.
“...What is it?”
A small question came to her mind, but before she could realize it, the question sank deep into her mind.
And Karina’s lips moved against her will as she stood in front of the huge door.
“Yes.”
Karina realized that she was very nervous.
Finally, the door opened.
Karina held back her trembling heart and entered the hall.
On the ceiling, a dazzling chandelier sparkled brightly, illuminating the interior of the large hall.
Luxurious fabrics and brightly colored canopies added to the grandeur and extravagance.
The wedding road stretched out in a straight line in front of her.
On both sides of the wedding road, colorful flowers bloomed vividly and colorfully, and various jewels showed off their harmony.
At regular intervals, candles were placed on the decorations delicately crafted by the craftsman, emitting a soft flame.
It was an incredibly spacious and splendid wedding hall.
The eyes of the guests sitting in their seats and looking at the bride poured out.
Nevertheless, the moment Karina caught sight of him waiting for her at the end of the wedding road, she could only see one person.
'Jeremiah!'
Karina's eyelids fluttered when she saw him.
Jeremiah, neatly dressed in his wedding attire, looked so handsome. His hair, which was as black as pitch but soft and smooth, was pulled back, revealing his forehead. His thick eyebrows, his black eyes that shone like the night sky, his high nose, his sharp jawline, and his tightly shut red lips were in perfect harmony, highlighting his handsome appearance even more.
Jeremiah stood firm like a statue, waiting for Karina.
Karina’s face burned. Her heart pounded like crazy as if it were going to burst.
Every step she took toward him felt like she was being sucked into a painting.
Jeremiah greeted Karina with a calm, expressionless face.
However, as she approached him, he gave off a strangely sharp aura.
‘Is Jeremiah as nervous as I am?’
Karina thought to herself as she glanced at his face. When the two stood side by side, the high priest began to officiate. She was so nervous that she couldn’t hear what the high priest was saying.
Before she knew it, Jeremiah was putting a ring on Karina’s hand.
When she felt the warmth of Jeremiah’s hand holding hers, Karina had a hard time coming to her senses.
It was Karina’s turn. She clenched and unclenched her nervously trembling hands.
The high priest finished officiating.
Karina didn’t even know how the wedding went. She felt both happy and breathless.
She wanted to quickly finish the ceremony, face Jeremiah, and talk to him alone.
After finishing the frantic greetings with the nobles who attended the wedding and following the set schedule, the long wedding ceremony finally ended.
The sun had already set and it was already night.
After the ceremony, Karina changed her clothes and went to Jeremiah’s office.
“If you’re thinking that I’m going to marry you, I want to tell you to wake up early.”
Jeremiah said without even looking at Karina.
“The bedroom will be next to the office, just like it is now. I’m busy with work, so don’t bother me unless you have something urgent to say.”
Jeremiah looked like he was very annoyed by her visit.
“Oh, no. That’s not why.”
Of course, she was very upset inside, but she knew that Jeremiah didn’t marry her because he loved her, so she couldn’t show it on the outside. She didn’t want him to hate her from the beginning.
Karina clenched her hands, which were sweating from nervousness. She shut her eyes tightly, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to speak properly if she looked him in the eye.
“Jeremiah. I’m serious.”
Karina brought up the words she had practiced so hard.
“I’ll try. I’ll do my best to be loved by the Grand Duke’s family. Just wait a little longer and watch.”
Fortunately, the practice paid off, and she was able to speak without stuttering or shaking.
“...”
However, no matter how long she waited, she didn’t hear Jeremiah’s answer.
“Jeremiah?”
Karina opened her eyes again and looked at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was looking at Karina with a cold face.
He spoke in a cold voice without any change in expression.
“You’re making a useless effort.”
Karina’s heart sank at his words.
He stared straight at Karina and opened his mouth.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Since you’re the daughter of Marquis Millainer, this is meaningless. Don’t have any false hopes.”
Karina couldn’t respond to his cold and firm words. She didn’t know what to do because she had never expected such a reaction.
Karina thought to herself as she glanced at his face. When the two stood side by side, the high priest began to officiate. She was so nervous that she couldn’t hear what the high priest was saying.
Before she knew it, Jeremiah was putting a ring on Karina’s hand.
When she felt the warmth of Jeremiah’s hand holding hers, Karina had a hard time coming to her senses.
It was Karina’s turn. She clenched and unclenched her nervously trembling hands.
“Don’t make a mistake!”
She lifted her slightly trembling hands and put a ring on Jeremiah’s left ring finger.
“...I hereby declare that you two have become husband and wife.”
She lifted her slightly trembling hands and put a ring on Jeremiah’s left ring finger.
“...I hereby declare that you two have become husband and wife.”
The high priest finished officiating.
Karina didn’t even know how the wedding went. She felt both happy and breathless.
She wanted to quickly finish the ceremony, face Jeremiah, and talk to him alone.
After finishing the frantic greetings with the nobles who attended the wedding and following the set schedule, the long wedding ceremony finally ended.
The sun had already set and it was already night.
After the ceremony, Karina changed her clothes and went to Jeremiah’s office.
“If you’re thinking that I’m going to marry you, I want to tell you to wake up early.”
Jeremiah said without even looking at Karina.
“The bedroom will be next to the office, just like it is now. I’m busy with work, so don’t bother me unless you have something urgent to say.”
Jeremiah looked like he was very annoyed by her visit.
“Oh, no. That’s not why.”
Of course, she was very upset inside, but she knew that Jeremiah didn’t marry her because he loved her, so she couldn’t show it on the outside. She didn’t want him to hate her from the beginning.
Karina clenched her hands, which were sweating from nervousness. She shut her eyes tightly, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to speak properly if she looked him in the eye.
“Jeremiah. I’m serious.”
Karina brought up the words she had practiced so hard.
“I’ll try. I’ll do my best to be loved by the Grand Duke’s family. Just wait a little longer and watch.”
Fortunately, the practice paid off, and she was able to speak without stuttering or shaking.
“...”
However, no matter how long she waited, she didn’t hear Jeremiah’s answer.
“Jeremiah?”
Karina opened her eyes again and looked at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was looking at Karina with a cold face.
He spoke in a cold voice without any change in expression.
“You’re making a useless effort.”
Karina’s heart sank at his words.
He stared straight at Karina and opened his mouth.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Since you’re the daughter of Marquis Millainer, this is meaningless. Don’t have any false hopes.”
Karina couldn’t respond to his cold and firm words. She didn’t know what to do because she had never expected such a reaction.
“Jeremiah... I... I...”
“And.”
His voice dropped a tone.
“When did I give you my name? I don’t remember.”
Every word Jeremiah said pierced Karina’s heart like a knife.
The tip of her chin trembled slightly.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
She felt her blood draining away.
‘I shouldn’t be hurt by something like this. It’s only the first day.’
Karina tried to smile calmly.
“We’re a married couple now, so I thought it was okay to call you by your name...”
Karina hesitated and continued.
“I want you to call me Karina too.”
“I won’t.”
Her chest tightened at his cold response.
“I don’t like it when you call me by my name.”
“Then... when you accept me as your wife, will you allow me to call you by your name?”
“That will never happen, so don’t waste your time.”
Jeremiah’s voice, with a cold expression and firm determination, seemed to be heard right next to her.
‘Huh!’
Karina shivered as she felt her breath hit her.
Jeremiah, sitting in his office, grew darker around him and gradually disappeared from Karina’s sight.
Karina’s body fell backward, falling into the darkness where the floor was invisible.
The wind she felt as she fell hit Karina’s whole body fiercely.
The halo of light that had been distant gathered again and blew from the front with the harsh winter wind.
She closed her eyes against the bitter wind and covered her face with her arms.
The feeling of falling stopped and the feeling of solid ground under her feet returned.
When she opened her eyes, she was in front of the Grand Duke’s mansion covered in pure white snow.
“Haa.”
As she exhaled, white breath spread out.
The northern part of the winter, with snow falling and cold winds blowing, was so cold that her bones would shiver.
Karina shivered as she waited for Jeremiah to come.
Today was his birthday.
It was his first birthday since they got married, so Karina had been carefully planning what to prepare for a few days before. She wanted to prepare dinner for him herself along with a small gift.
Although she was not very good at it, she diligently prepared food all day in the kitchen of the Grand Duke’s house.
It was beef stew and apple pie, which Caroline had told her Jeremiah liked.
After several failed attempts, she finally managed to make something that looked decent, with charcoal smeared all over her face.
She hoped Jeremiah would be happy. She also hoped that he, who had not yet opened his heart to her, would look at her a little more.
Her heart was filled with anticipation and excitement.
“Isn’t it time you said he would arrive soon?”
“Yes.”
She prepared food in the restaurant and went out to greet him in front of the mansion a little earlier than they said he would arrive.
However, there was still no news even after the time they said he would arrive.
“What kind of trouble is this on such a cold day?”
“That’s right. Why did she suddenly say she wanted to wait outside when she could have just waited inside?”
“This is really unusual.”
“...”
Karina could hear the maids muttering softly behind her.
She thought she would scold them for being presumptuous.
At this time, Karina’s self-esteem had already hit rock bottom due to all the neglect, ignorance, cold treatment, and slander.
She didn’t want to be misunderstood as causing a commotion inside the mansion while Jeremiah was away.
She just stood there, pretending not to hear, while tightly holding the hem of her skirt with both hands.
‘Today is a special day. I don’t want to get embarrassed over something trivial.’
Karina told herself that it was okay.
As time passed, she became more anxious. Not only was the food she had worked so hard to prepare to get cold, but she was also worried that something might have happened to Jeremiah.
Finally, Karina couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked her maid.
“Did you receive any separate notice that he would be late?”
“No.”
“...”
The maid answered right away without even checking with the mansion or the guards outside the main gate.
“But if something happened...”
“If there had been separate notice, the Grand Duke would have informed us first.”
The other maids added their words one by one.
“The schedule for returning from the subjugation of demons is often delayed.”
“Let’s go now, Your Highness.”
“...”
Their faces clearly showed that they wanted to go in quickly.
“If you’re cold, go in first. Go in and reheat the cold food. I’ll wait a little longer.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As soon as Karina finished speaking, the maids stormed into the mansion.
‘I’d rather wait alone.’
Karina gathered her courage and waited for Jeremiah.
In the meantime, the sun had set and it was getting dark.
The sentries and guards patrolling the castle lit torches here and there.
The longer she waited, the more foolishly she thought she had been stubborn.
‘But it’s your first birthday. I want to make it a special day to remember.’
Two more hours later, Jeremiah and the knights returned.
“Ah!”
The front gate opened and Jeremiah came riding a horse.
Karina opened her mouth to greet him.
“You are coming.”
But her mouth was frozen, perhaps because she had waited outside for a long time on a cold day, so she had difficulty pronouncing the words.
Startled, Karina rubbed her hands as best she could, massaging the area around her cheeks and mouth.
Then she greeted Jeremiah again, who had come up to her.
“And.”
His voice dropped a tone.
“When did I give you my name? I don’t remember.”
Every word Jeremiah said pierced Karina’s heart like a knife.
The tip of her chin trembled slightly.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
She felt her blood draining away.
‘I shouldn’t be hurt by something like this. It’s only the first day.’
Karina tried to smile calmly.
“We’re a married couple now, so I thought it was okay to call you by your name...”
Karina hesitated and continued.
“I want you to call me Karina too.”
“I won’t.”
Her chest tightened at his cold response.
“I don’t like it when you call me by my name.”
“Then... when you accept me as your wife, will you allow me to call you by your name?”
“That will never happen, so don’t waste your time.”
Jeremiah’s voice, with a cold expression and firm determination, seemed to be heard right next to her.
‘Huh!’
Karina shivered as she felt her breath hit her.
Jeremiah, sitting in his office, grew darker around him and gradually disappeared from Karina’s sight.
Karina’s body fell backward, falling into the darkness where the floor was invisible.
The wind she felt as she fell hit Karina’s whole body fiercely.
The halo of light that had been distant gathered again and blew from the front with the harsh winter wind.
She closed her eyes against the bitter wind and covered her face with her arms.
The feeling of falling stopped and the feeling of solid ground under her feet returned.
When she opened her eyes, she was in front of the Grand Duke’s mansion covered in pure white snow.
“Haa.”
As she exhaled, white breath spread out.
The northern part of the winter, with snow falling and cold winds blowing, was so cold that her bones would shiver.
Karina shivered as she waited for Jeremiah to come.
Today was his birthday.
It was his first birthday since they got married, so Karina had been carefully planning what to prepare for a few days before. She wanted to prepare dinner for him herself along with a small gift.
Although she was not very good at it, she diligently prepared food all day in the kitchen of the Grand Duke’s house.
It was beef stew and apple pie, which Caroline had told her Jeremiah liked.
After several failed attempts, she finally managed to make something that looked decent, with charcoal smeared all over her face.
She hoped Jeremiah would be happy. She also hoped that he, who had not yet opened his heart to her, would look at her a little more.
Her heart was filled with anticipation and excitement.
“Isn’t it time you said he would arrive soon?”
“Yes.”
She prepared food in the restaurant and went out to greet him in front of the mansion a little earlier than they said he would arrive.
However, there was still no news even after the time they said he would arrive.
“What kind of trouble is this on such a cold day?”
“That’s right. Why did she suddenly say she wanted to wait outside when she could have just waited inside?”
“This is really unusual.”
“...”
Karina could hear the maids muttering softly behind her.
She thought she would scold them for being presumptuous.
At this time, Karina’s self-esteem had already hit rock bottom due to all the neglect, ignorance, cold treatment, and slander.
She didn’t want to be misunderstood as causing a commotion inside the mansion while Jeremiah was away.
She just stood there, pretending not to hear, while tightly holding the hem of her skirt with both hands.
‘Today is a special day. I don’t want to get embarrassed over something trivial.’
Karina told herself that it was okay.
As time passed, she became more anxious. Not only was the food she had worked so hard to prepare to get cold, but she was also worried that something might have happened to Jeremiah.
Finally, Karina couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked her maid.
“Did you receive any separate notice that he would be late?”
“No.”
“...”
The maid answered right away without even checking with the mansion or the guards outside the main gate.
“But if something happened...”
“If there had been separate notice, the Grand Duke would have informed us first.”
The other maids added their words one by one.
“The schedule for returning from the subjugation of demons is often delayed.”
“Let’s go now, Your Highness.”
“...”
Their faces clearly showed that they wanted to go in quickly.
“If you’re cold, go in first. Go in and reheat the cold food. I’ll wait a little longer.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As soon as Karina finished speaking, the maids stormed into the mansion.
‘I’d rather wait alone.’
Karina gathered her courage and waited for Jeremiah.
In the meantime, the sun had set and it was getting dark.
The sentries and guards patrolling the castle lit torches here and there.
The longer she waited, the more foolishly she thought she had been stubborn.
‘But it’s your first birthday. I want to make it a special day to remember.’
Two more hours later, Jeremiah and the knights returned.
“Ah!”
The front gate opened and Jeremiah came riding a horse.
Karina opened her mouth to greet him.
“You are coming.”
But her mouth was frozen, perhaps because she had waited outside for a long time on a cold day, so she had difficulty pronouncing the words.
Startled, Karina rubbed her hands as best she could, massaging the area around her cheeks and mouth.
Then she greeted Jeremiah again, who had come up to her.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
“Why are you here?”
Jeremiah asked, looking down at Karina from his horse.
“I heard you were coming back today, so I wanted to come and greet you.”
“You did something unnecessary.”
“Why are you here?”
Jeremiah asked, looking down at Karina from his horse.
“I heard you were coming back today, so I wanted to come and greet you.”
“You did something unnecessary.”
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