AWWEWNR Chapter 1

A marvelous marriage, a centuries-old love between a Witch and a Paladin.

 

The wonderful husband who loves his wife and would do anything for her. 

 

That was my husband’s reputation, the Tharrott Vileon Thearine, to the outside world.

 

And I, for one, believed he loved me enough to do anything for me.

 

Until I witnessed his passionate affair with his step-sister, Rosaryn…

 

Tharrott’s step-sister, Rosaryn Esri Thearine, whose blood runs through generations of Saints and Paladins, was denied admission to the Cathedral for being a fake Saint. 

 

Never in my wildest dreams had I realized that she had been that way before Tharrott wooed me, and that she continued that relationship after our marriage.

 

“How could you do this to me? How could you…!”

 

After realizing the truth, I screamed, hitting him across the chest. Tharrott grabbed both of my hands and apologized. 

 

As much as I wanted him to tell me it wasn’t true, he just spat out the word ‘sorry’.

 

“You lied to me from the beginning, you deceived me from the very beginning!”

 

“Hanaella…”

 

“Divorce me, now!” shouted Hanaella.

 

At the mention of divorce, Tharrott’s face went white.

 

“I can’t. I need you so that Rose and I can stay together like we are now.”

 

It dawned on me. Tharott didn’t marry me out of love. He simply needed a shield to protect his relationship with Rosaryn, and I happened to be the perfect fit.

 

Marrying the only daughter of a long-feared Warlock family with a history of enmity with the Grand Cathedral made him a romantic who knew nothing but love, allowing him to rally the Knights to his defense. 

 

This may explain his persistent courtship of Ariel, the only daughter of Ethan Verg, the famed Sorcerer leading the Knights.

 

Before our wedding, no one would have predicted that House Thearine, which had produced generations of Saints and Paladins, and House Ariel, which practiced dark magic, would be bound by a marriage covenant. 

 

As much as I had a crush on Tharrott, I didn’t think my father would allow me to marry into House Thearine.

 

It certainly wasn’t easy. My father was furious, and the House of Thearine opposed it at the Cathedral. 

 

But Tharrott convinced the high priests that it had to be me, and his devoted love for me was enough to change my heart and my father’s. 

 

We were married rather hastily, unaware that it was all a lie, and became man and wife.

 

Afterward, by marrying me, Tharrott solidified his position and made his beloved Rosaryn untouchable by anyone, let alone the Cathedral. 

 

He could not marry her, but he was laying the groundwork for her to be his life companion. He deceived me, his wife.

 

“Don’t even think about divorce. We’ve been doing so well, nothing will change, and you’ll just have to keep loving the shell of a man that I am. I’ll continue to pretend to be your loving husband in front of everyone.”

 

Her husband, who said he would never divorce her, left the house. Having been caught red-handed, it seemed he was going to stay with Rosaryn for good.

 

Since I couldn’t reach Tharrott, I went to see Rosaryn. She came out casually at my summons, only to give me a pathetic look.

 

Ever since I married Tharrott, she had looked down on me for being the public wife of what was hers. As if she believed that he belonged to her anyway.

 

“I’m sure you can guess why I asked to see you.”

 

“Well, why did you ask to see me?”

 

As ever, her shameless behavior did not disappoint.

 

“I would like a divorce with Tharrott, but he doesn’t intend to divorce me. I need you to convince him to do so.”

 

“…Why should I?”

 

“Because you love Tharrott, don’t you want our divorce too?”

 

At my words, Rosaryn’s lips curled in displeasure.

 

“I think you’re mistaken, I don’t want my brother and sister to divorce.”

 

“…!”

 

Leaning toward me, stunned by her words, Rosaryn began to mutter so low that only I could hear her.

 

“You’re the only reason that Tharo and I can have our love in peace, so please, for our sake, keep this fake marriage going for the rest of our lives, my stupid sister.”

 

The shame and humiliation made it difficult for me to breathe, their blatant selfishness dazed me.

 

It wasn’t jealousy, it was anger. They knew that I would never be able to expose the love between my husband and his step-sister, which would stain my family name.

 

When I reached the point where I could take it no longer, I dabbled in forbidden magic that I should not have touched. 

 

And with my own hands, I cursed Tharrott to turn into a monster. 

 

As he suffered through his hideous transformation, I told him that the curse would be lifted if Rosaryn’s love for him remained unchanged.

 

At first, she stood by his side, but soon she ran away from him, and so ended their tearful love, which had seemed inseparable.

 

I was delighted. For it made me realize how futile their feelings had been, using me for their love. 

 

But I, who had meddled with forbidden magic, had to pay the price.

 

“Hanaella Liv Ariel, you are hereby burned at the stake for using forbidden magic in the Hayden Empire!”

 

The fall of the Ariel family, known as the Darkness of Hayden, and the death of my father. And me being burned at the stake in front of so many people.

 

A disaster brought on by my own foolishness, which I regretted in hindsight, but it was too late. I didn’t realize that my revenge would destroy my father and my family.

 

That’s how my life ended. It was definitely over…

 

Somehow, when I opened my eyes, I found myself back where I was before I met the Tharrott Vileon Thearine.

 

💫

 

Boom—

 

Kaboom—!

 

Crack — Boom!

 

Flash—

 

Waking up to the loud thunder, Hanaella slowly blinked her eyes and looked around the room.

 

Swoosh—

 

Sitting up, she checked the room properly again.

 

‘What is this place…?’

 

A familiar, nostalgic room. Hanaella rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

 

‘Is this really my room…?’

 

Jumping up in disbelief, she checked her hands, then quickly walked over to the mirror to check her reflection.

 

‘Oh, my gracious…!’

 

Her eyes widened at the sight of her reflection, and she ran her hands up and down her face and body, checking the condition of her appearance.

 

‘It is clean…!’

 

She checked herself repeatedly in disbelief, and then her legs gave out, and she fell to the floor.

 

Knock, knock—

 

“Miss, are you all right?”

 

“Gemma…?”

 

The voice on the other side of the door was unmistakably Gemma, my nanny and Maid of Honor.

 

“I’ll open the door, miss.”

 

With a click, confirming that it was indeed Gemma who opened the door, Hanaella clasped her hands together to cover her mouth. Her eyes, which grew wide enough to bulge, flickered in response.

 

“Are you all right, miss? I thought you’d be scared of the thunder, even if it weren’t…”

 

“Gemma!”

 

Crash—

 

“It’s really Gemma,” 

 

Hanaella mumbled, embracing Gemma before she could finish her sentence. 

 

Gemma was taken aback by her sudden behavior, but then she smiled softly and patted her on the back.

 

‘I see you’re still afraid of thunder, even though you’ve come of age. The sound of thunder wakes you from your slumber.’

 

“You’re afraid of thunder, aren’t you?”

 

‘Is it really Gemma… am I… back…?’

 

Driven to the brink, she had dabbled in forbidden magic she shouldn’t have, and the result had been disastrous. 

 

She had lost her father, her house and people, and her life.

 

And yet here she was again, back in the past.

 

‘Did the gods take pity on me and give me a new life? Or did they mean for me to protect in this lifetime the Knights and my family, which were stolen from me by Tharrott, the devil in the mask of a saint?’

 

For a moment, Hanaella’s face grew pale as she remembered Rosaryn smiling down at her.

 

Maybe this was her chance, to punish those ugly, filthy, selfish siblings.

 

They had used her to keep their true secrets from being exposed, or if they were, to ensure their safety.

 

Sibling love, even step-sibling love, was taboo in these times.

 

Perhaps it was necessary. Her family and the Knights were untouchable.

 

In fact, if she didn’t know them, their tender love might have been touching.