MHYFMAMD Ch 1

She prided herself on living a life without regrets.

It had been two years since she became the sole daughter of the Akelart family and the wife of Dietrich Haberfeld, the Margrave. She gasped for breath, her gaze lifting upward.

The canopy above her, which should have remained still, swayed unnervingly, aggravating her discomfort. Grace, unable to endure the churning within, squeezed her eyes shut.

The Akelarts family, Grace’s lineage, were originally foreigners, not citizens of the Empire.

Living in harmony with the forest, revering the earth as their mother, they were among the continent’s finest spirit mages. They roamed freely, enjoying a nomadic lifestyle.

They settled nowhere and pledged allegiance to no one. The Akelarts had always lived solely as Akelarts.

Yet, there was one time when Akelarts broke their unwritten rule and aided others.

It was for this land—the Carbonnel Empire.

At that time, Carbonnel was in utter disarray, both internally and externally. Long wars had left its soil barren, and internal strife was ceaseless.

Anyone could see Carbonnel was on the brink of collapse. Though they resisted endlessly, it was futile. They lacked the power to turn the tide.

But the Akelarts were different.

Even when allied nations had long abandoned Carbonnel, the Akelarts willingly extended their hand.

In terms of numbers, they were meager, but their power was another story. The Akelarts’ assistance was as potent as aid from a great nation.

Their overwhelming spirit magic not only made up for what Carbonnel lacked but also exceeded expectations. With Akelart at its back, Carbonnel began to thrive.

On the day of Carbonnel’s unlikely victory, the Emperor, in gratitude, bestowed a noble title upon them within the Empire.

Founders of the Empire. Exceptional spirit mages. The conditions seemed perfect for eternal happiness, but life for Akelarts was far from smooth.

Was it because they had lived freely? Or perhaps because the Empire’s citizens feared their power? Maybe it was both.

Despite having the highest authority within Carbonnel, they gradually became isolated.

Their silvery hair, with a subtle bluish tint, and their mysterious, vibrant eyes were both distinguishing traits and marks of alienation.

It was as if no matter what they did, they could never truly become part of the Empire. Their distinct appearance only deepened their isolation.

Many tried to persuade the Akelarts to leave. They were often approached by those urging them to abandon a hostile Carbonnel and move to their own lands.

Yet the Akelarts remained.

What they saw in the declining Carbonnel was a mystery. Some said there was something hidden in Carbonnel’s land. Others speculated that the Akelarts received something beyond the surface.

Despite rampant rumors, the Akelarts stayed silent. In time, no one could discern the truth.

As the once-glorious name of the founding heroes began to fade, a crisis emerged that pushed the Akelart family to the brink.

But by then, there was no one left to come to their aid.

In that moment of impending collapse, Grace, the eldest daughter, made her way alone to Haberfeld.

“I am here to propose a deal to you, Margrave.”

The moment she first faced him was still vivid in her memory.

Dietrich Haberfeld.

True to the name of a family that had defended the border for generations, an air of coldness seemed to be painted on his face.

His domineering expression and the way he looked down at others were more than enough to intimidate anyone meeting him for the first time.

But Grace had no room to retreat. The fate of Akelarts depended on her. It was her last choice, a crossroads.

Fortunately, Dietrich, who needed a successor to carry on his legacy, and Grace’s interests aligned well, and the bond formed through a contract smoothly progressed into marriage.

If there was any exception in Grace’s plan, it was that Dietrich was somewhat different from the others.

Unlike the usual nobility, he did not indulge in verbal abuse or violence. Though he may have been weary and burdened on the outside, he kept his promises to his wife.

She had braced herself for a difficult marriage, but the castle was cozy. Perhaps it was because those who disliked Grace were not even allowed inside the castle.

The people were kind, and his vassals served her with genuine loyalty. Her husband, Dietrich, was the ideal spouse and head of the family.

Once a month, they fulfilled their marital duties, and when she conceived a child, she even felt happiness. She thought everything would go smoothly, having a child and leading a peaceful life… until things began to go awry.

Things started to go wrong when Grace became heavily pregnant.

Suddenly, with the invasion of external forces, Dietrich was forced to leave the castle, leaving his heavily pregnant wife behind.

Grace gave birth to her first child without her husband. Fear and terror loomed over her, but she managed to endure the pressure. The problem, however, was the birth itself.

Something went wrong during the delivery, and the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Was it because the blood soaked the bed and flowed across the floor? Or was it because, from that day on, she could no longer move her legs?

Even though Grace gave birth safely, she could not get out of bed.

The fever that wouldn’t subside threatened her life every moment. To make matters worse, she couldn’t even eat properly and kept throwing up.

‘My child…’

She thought of the infant she hadn’t yet named , wanting to do so together with Dietrich upon his return.

The child who was crying pitifully in the arms of the pitifully. She regretted that she had never been able to hold the baby, afraid that she might pass on her fever.

‘I’ll probably die soon…’

Her thin breath gasped and wheezed. Every moment, she had thought she was living without any regrets. But now, facing death, so many things that had been left undone burdened her heart.

The castle was filled with an ominous air.

Grace had purposely not told Dietrich that her death was imminent.

He was still fighting in the front lines, risking his life in the war at this very moment.

Moreover, his last message had said they were on the brink of victory. At such a critical time, she didn’t want to worry him with news of her own condition.

It didn’t matter—she was already dying. Grace had immediately stopped anyone who tried to bring the news to him.

“Haah… ha…”

Grace blinked as her blurry vision swam. Her shallow breath began to overwhelm her, and the expected seizure slowly took control of her body.

In the fading vision, there was nothing Grace could do.

Even her hands, now cold, clutched the blanket, as if to distract from the impending dread of death.

“Grace.”

Then, a soft voice reached her ears, and her breath became a little easier.

When Grace looked around, surprised, she saw a figure standing in the room where no one had been before. A man dressed in a black robe smiled at her.

“Who…?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am, does it? In your condition, what difference would it make?”

The man’s voice was strangely lively, considering the circumstances.

“I’ll ask you directly. Grace, do you want to live?”