CL Chapter 1

The war between the two kingdoms of the Northern Continent, Ignator and Cloman, had ended. The goddess of victory favored Ignator.

The Kingdom of Cloman was demoted to a duchy and became subjugated under Ignator.

This happened just five years after the war began, right after a full-scale war had been declared between the two nations.

In a matter of days, the people of Ignator, who had been on the brink of being sent to the frontlines with sickles and pickaxes, ran into the streets to cheer.

Everyone praised Duke Leo Carthenon, the great hero who led the war to victory, calling him as ‘Light of Ignator’.

without knowing that their light had already lost its light.

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The King of Ignator, Diandel Ignator, had a troubled expression on his face.

It was all because of Leo Carthenon, Duke of Rosa, who had refused to attend the victory ceremony a few days ago, embarrassing the king in front of everyone.

Diandel was certain that Carthenon’s disobedience was nothing less than arrogance. He believed that the hero, having been exalted by the entire nation, had become so full of himself that he thought he could disrespect his king.

And now, news had arrived that Diandel could never have anticipated.

Sigh.

He could not have fathomed it. Diandel pressed his wrinkled forehead with his fingers.

“……”

At this point, perhaps it would have been easier for him to merely tolerate Duke Carthenon’s growing arrogance, to accept that the Duke considered himself above the king.

But this…..this was far worse.

“Blind?!”

Diandel shouted in frustration as he crumpled the letter in his hand.

It was a letter from Baron Erik Moore, Leo Carthenon’s secretary.

[Your Majesty, the King]

The remaining words from the letter still lingered in his mind.

[The Light of Ignator has lost its light.]

The audacity of referring to a mere vassal as the light in a letter to the Sun of Ignator was infuriating.

However, the content that followed was even more outrageous.

The letter detailed how Leo Carthenon had suffered from an unknown fever during his return to Ignator after concluding the prolonged war.

The fever had persisted so stubbornly resulting in a loss of his eyesight.

It concluded with an apology for Carthenon’s absence from the victory ceremony, as he had been compelled to retreat to his estate for recovery.

Diandel, desperate to deny reality, reread the letter over and over. But no matter how many times he scanned the words, nothing changed.

Losing a hero?

It didn’t matter much to Diandel. The war with Cloman, which had often flared up due to their neighboring borders, was over.

Though it was a shame, the absence of a hero was far from Diandel’s personal tragedy.

The problem lay elsewhere.

Diandel had made a promise to Leo Carthenon in the King’s name before sending him to the battlefield.

“Duke Carthenon ”

Diandel wanted to block out the voice echoing from the past, though he knew such an escape was impossible.

“Just return with victory ”

The words from the past clung to him like glue, sticking relentlessly to his consciousness.

“The noblest lady in Ignator will become the Duke’s wife.”

The noblest lady in Ignator . That referred to his beloved daughter, Mia d’Ignator .

There wasn’t a single person in Ignator who didn’t know of the King’s boundless affection for Princess Mia, who resembled a delicate wildflower.

Rumor had it that the entire kingdom would be in turmoil if she so much as coughed.

What kind of reckless promise had he made involving such a precious daughter? Diandel was filled with regret.

Mia adored Leo Carthenon, She had declared she would have no one but him. And while the duke had not embraced her affections with open arms, Diandel had rashly spoken those words like a migratory bird ready to fly away at any moment.

He had never imagined things would turn out like this.

Tsk.

Diandel Clicked his tongue, feeling as though he had aged decades in mere moments.

“It would have been better if he had returned as a corpse.”

The words spilled out before he could even stop them.

Faced with the prospect of losing his most treasured jewel to a man who was now blind and of no further use, the King’s resentment grew.

If this impossible wish were to somehow reach the gods and be granted, he wouldn’t ask for anything more.

No matter what happened, he couldn’t hand over his most precious treasure to a blind man.

“Absolutely not. Never.”

The negative words circled his lips endlessly.

“There must be a way. There has to be a way. Surely, there is……”

Diandel Thought and thought, over and over again. When his long contemplation came to an end, he rang the golden bell.

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“Bring that child to me immediately.”

Diandel gave an ambiguous command to the chamberlain, who bowed his head respectfully before him.

That child? Who could the King mean?

The chamberlain, unable to understand the order at once, subtly lifted his head to glance at the King, hoping to grasp his intentions.

The King furrowed his brows deeply, as if struggling to recall something he had long forgotten.

After a prolonged silence, his lips parted again.

The chamberlain straightened his posture, ready to catch every word.

“Char…..”

Finally, the King spoke.

“……lott.”

It was the name of his eldest daughter, long absent from his thoughts.

Charlotte D’Ignator.