‘Yes. Solas was there three years ago……’

Three years ago, when hordes of monsters invaded the western border of the empire, dozens of villages were devastated, and countless innocent people lost their lives.

The story of Solas Moretti, who led the Imperial Knights and relentlessly sliced and burned house-sized monsters with his flaming sword, piling up mountains of corpses, is still passed down like a legend.

At that time, Frost was tied up in the north due to the cold damage that had swept through the region and couldn’t go there.

“Ah, you fell in love at first sight, didn’t you? That’s when I first wanted to become the emperor. So I could always keep Commander Solas by my side. If it were me, I would have proposed.”

Shavell grinned, cupping his flushed, feverishly warm cheeks with his hands.

“Solas Moretti is a man, Your Highness. Even the master of the throne cannot marry him.”

Frost didn’t bother to inform the hateful yet beautiful imperial brother that Solas Moretti was actually a woman.

His mind thought it was information the future lord didn’t need to know. But his heart instinctively guarded against anyone who set eyes on what he had in his heart.

“We can just rewrite the imperial law from scratch, right? Even if I have to go that far, I wanted to capture that flame.”

“……”

Frost remained silent on that point, as it wasn’t a thought he hadn’t entertained himself.

“But how could His Majesty kill Sir Moretti? Has he gone mad?”

When Solas Moretti, who had come as the supreme commander of the northern expedition, turned the horse’s head after sparing the life of Frost, whom the emperor had ordered to bring his head, Shavell also guessed that the enraged emperor would not quietly let it slide.

But still.

He never imagined that the emperor would personally behead Solas and hang his head high on the castle walls to make a mockery of him.

The Knight of Flames was the emperor’s pride. Wielding the master of the Holy Sword as his right arm, the emperor established himself as the unshakable master of the throne.

Whether the opponent was a monster, a barbarian, or a political enemy. None who stood in the way of Justin della Ponti could avoid Solas’s sword.

The emperor ordered the beheading of such a loyal knight for a single act of disobedience.

“He probably wasn’t mad when he cut it off.”

Frost said.

The emperor probably wanted to make it clear that he would punish with blood anyone who defied him, even if it was his dearly cherished right arm.

There was no shortage of nobles who flattered him to his face while secretly connecting with the Grand Duke of the North behind his back, and the emperor knew and kept them in check.

“He probably cut it off and then went mad.”

Frost remembers the way Justin della Ponti looked at Solas.

Even with Solas’s face hidden by a raised collar and hood, the emperor seemed to see what expression he was making. He could tell if Solas had a cold just from a small breath and call for the royal physician.

“He must have belatedly realized that what he cut off wasn’t just an arm that would only hurt for a while if severed and wouldn’t hinder him from living even without it.”

What he cut off wasn’t his right arm, but his own heart that pulsed toward that brilliant flame. He must have felt it keenly as he paced beneath the cold castle walls caked with Solas’s dried blood. Foolishly.

“So stay on your toes, Brother Frost.”

Shavell turned his body, leaned against the bathtub, and said, splashing the water with rose petals floating in it with his feet.

“His Majesty will probably wander all over the palace searching for traces left by Commander Solas.”

It would only bring up the void of Solas no longer existing in this world, but still.

“Will His Majesty miss what I felt? Fifty gold that he’ll be spellbound the moment he meets Lady Yuriella’s eyes. Honey, don’t lose to him and cry. Be careful.”

Seeing Shavell smirking, Frost snorted.

You’ve been feeling well these days. Enough to spout nonsense.

Frost raised an eyebrow and glared at Shavell’s kicking legs, starting to devise a grueling training menu in his mind for tomorrow to overwork those legs.

“No? Before His Majesty steals her away, will you get rejected by her first, Brother Frost? You did abandon her in the mud earlier. Tsk tsk.”

The eyebrow Frost had raised stiffened.

“Don’t make women cry, brother. But our sister-in-law would be pretty even when crying. If morning dew-like tears dripped from those jewel-like red eyes… Ah! I want to make her cry. How lovely she would look crying profusely because of me−”

Hot water the maid had brought splashed into the fragrant bathtub.

“Ah, hot, hot−. Brother!”

Eventually, the bathroom door slammed shut as if it would break.

As the cold air from the bedchamber blew into the bathroom, Shavell, left alone, shivered and hugged himself with both arms.

“Ah. When you do this, it makes me want to tease you more.”

A mischievous smile spread across Shavell’s violet eyes.

He had thought the political marriage between Yuriella Grande and Frost Ielheim was merely a means to use Duke Grande.

“It’s getting fun. It’ll be fun. Hehe.”

It seemed a noble lady had arrived who would roll the ill-tempered Knight of Ice around in a boiling inferno. Can’t miss this golden opportunity.

“Sister-in-law, fighting! Shavell fighting too!”

*

Frost changed into a dry shirt and left the main building.

There was no one at the training ground construction site behind the annex where he had left Yuriella.

Frost spread out the cool and blue aura of the Holy Sword Ielo widely to trace Yuriella’s energy.

The warm green light energy spread along the wind continued along the red bricks and winding honeysuckle vines of the annex all the way to the top of the roof.

‘……Roof?’

He raised his head and looked up. Why on the roof?

[Don’t make women cry, brother. But our sister-in-law would be pretty even when crying.]

‘……Is she crying?’

Frost quietly closed his eyes and focused on the sounds he could hear.

The sound of birds in the garden. The busy footsteps of servants moving ingredients and flower decorations for the wedding to the main building. And…

“……Go to the west? ……What about the wedding……. The demonic poison treatment is not done yet……”

[……Left Yuriella in the mud…… Heartless bastard……]

Frost raised one eyebrow crookedly with his eyes closed.

There was a barrier surrounding the rooftop.

The energy of the Holy Sword Airy, the same as what had been left in the parlor on the day Yuriella disappeared without a trace leaving only macaron crumbs, was felt from the barrier.

Frost slowly opened his eyes and crossed his arms, glaring at the roof.

The energy was too weak to be a barrier set by the spirit of a holy sword, so Yuriella’s voice leaked out sporadically through the gaps in the flimsy wind barrier.

“Shavell is the one you love…… For me, if I just treat you……”

[Men who make women cry…… Even if fixed…… Are not recyclable……]

The owner of that meddlesome voice with Yuriella was probably the spirit of the Wind Sword Airy.

‘Is it not using the power of its main body, or is it unable to use it?’

There’s no way it intentionally set up a flimsy barrier. Seeing how it didn’t notice his ice energy even though it wasn’t that strong, the latter probability was high.

‘Is there a problem with Airy?’

Why did it disappear for 500 years and reappear?

Why did it choose Yuriella, who has nothing to do with swords, as its master?

Whatever state the holy sword is in now, whoever it reveals itself to and makes a contract with is none of his business. But if that person is the future Grand Duchess, the story is different.

Being the master of a holy sword does not make one immortal. Rather, the more attention one receives, the higher the probability of being exposed to danger. Like Solas……

‘Why doesn’t she tell me about Airy?’

Yuriella didn’t seem to have any intention of introducing Airy to him.

Even though he had hinted several times that he knew of Airy’s existence, Yuriella only tried to casually gloss over it.

He didn’t want to press her, waiting for her to tell him first because she didn’t want to.

‘Going to the west, you say. On whose authority.’

Frost was about to leap onto the roof to discipline the impudent spirit who said it would take his bride-to-be to the west.

But a hand grabbing his sleeve stopped Frost.

Head butler Alexis whispered in his ear in a low voice.

“His Majesty the Emperor has just arrived at the gate management office through the magic transfer formation. You should go greet him.”

Frost glanced up at the roof and turned his steps as if reluctant.

‘Take your time with the greeting. I can’t guarantee that greeting will be affectionate.’

Alexis stiffened. Is he scheming to freeze someone again, emanating such a dreadful murderous energy?

The head butler’s gaze, expressing condolences in advance, turned to the annex roof where the Grand Duke’s gaze had lingered until just now.

*

[Yuriella. Don’t get married. Don’t get married.]

Airy, sitting on Yuriella’s shoulder, chanted “I object to this marriage!” without getting tired.

Yuriella, sitting on the pointed roof ridge, absentmindedly watched the passing clouds and unconsciously swung her feet.

A gentle breeze softly swayed Yuriella’s strawberry blonde hair, still damp from her recent bath.

[Do you want to marry a man who has a concubine, Yuriella?]

“It’s not a real marriage. I told you it’s a contract marriage.”

[Will nothing happen when a man and a woman sleep in the same bed?]

“The Grand Duchess has a separate room, so we’ll sleep in different rooms, Your Grace.”

[They say even hateful feelings can turn into love if accumulated.]

“No. His Grace said accumulated hateful feelings turn into murderous intent.”

[You said you didn’t even write a contract!]

“It’s scarier if there is one. His Grace said he’d collect the debt with my life.”

[I’ll hide you. I’ll take you all the way to the west without a scratch. Let’s go to the west. The west is really great.]

Yuriella tilted her head at the persistent persuasion.

“How do you know the west is great if you only slept for 500 years?”

[Uh, that’s……]

“The west may have been great 500 years ago, but it’s become very difficult since the monster hordes appeared. There are refugees, and some refugees become bandits.”

[Is that so……?]

Airy’s small shoulders drooped dejectedly.

“Is your main body’s energy felt in the west, Airy? Is that why you keep telling me to go west?”

[Yes! That’s right! It’s felt in the west!]

Airy fluttered up and circled around Yuriella.

Yuriella, who had been looking at her indifferently, nodded her head.

“I see.”

[You’ll go? You mean you’ll go?]

“No. I know you make that face and do that action when you’re lying.”

[I’m not lying!]

“You get angry and act tough when caught. I know that too now.”

Airy fluttered down and landed on Yuriella’s lap.

[Is it obvious?]

“Yes.”

[So you hate it?]

“No. I love you.”

Yuriella told Airy she loved her today as well, as signed in the contract. This makes it the second time. There’s still one left.

[Tsk. The context doesn’t fit. You have to say it in a more natural situation.]

“Sorry. I love you. Done for today.”

[Tsk. Did you say you love Plama like this halfheartedly too? Do you love Plama more than me?]

Yuriella chuckled at Airy’s whining.

“You told me not to compare you to Plama, so why do you always compare yourself to Plama?”

[That’s……]

Because I’m not the main body, and I’m just a breeze fragment of a holy sword that can’t even summon the sword.

“Even if you tell me to compare, I can’t compare you and Plama, Airy. You two are way too different.”

Yuriella reached out her hand to Airy, whose shoulders were more drooped than before, placed her on her palm, and brought her eyes close.

“Plama burns and purifies the corrupt, but you are a being that overturns nature and brings new life. That’s the reason you’ve existed since the world began.”

Yuriella’s clear, transparent red eyes curved gently.

“I won’t ask with what feelings you abandoned your main body. Why you hid in the edge of the aurora where no one could find you. Just know this one thing.”

Yuriella looked straight at Airy and spoke in a slow but articulate tone.

“I’m not Solas anymore, I’m Yuriella now. Agree?”

Airy quietly nodded at Yuriella’s serious expression.

“My holy sword is not Plama anymore, it’s you, Airy, now. Right?”

Airy nodded again.

Yuriella smiled at the obedient answer.

“I may be weaker than when I was Solas, and I can’t properly handle the power you lend me yet. But I’ll do my best. I’ll work hard so I can be a master you won’t be ashamed of.”

That day, the spirit that had existed since the beginning learned for the first time that saying you’ll try hard can be more moving than saying you love someone.

And that those words are so heavy that you can’t even reply to them.

Yuriella reached out the tip of her index finger to Airy’s tiny hand and gently shook it, deciding to sincerely accept this new bond.

I’m not Solas anymore. So I can face the emperor calmly even if he comes.

[Solas. Whenever, wherever, whatever form you take, I can recognize you.]

Remembering what His Majesty the Emperor once said, Yuriella shuddered with an “Ugh”.

What if he really recognizes me? That bastard has an uncanny side to him……

And an hour later.

Yuriella took the hand extended by the beautiful emperor who had beheaded her in her previous life and danced to the soft melody with the man she had never danced with before.

Justin couldn’t take his eyes off Yuriella’s flame-like eyes.

Translation complete. 100% of original text translated.