PMBA | Chapter 1
by Quill“Did everyone hear the news?”
Whooosh.
Someone whispered. A dilapidated window frame, precariously attached to the stone wall, rattled and moaned in the wind. People glanced at the ominous sound before quickly averting their gazes, pretending not to see it.
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“Are you talking about the bride His Grace the Duke will be welcoming today?”
Thud.
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As another person replied, a tapestry decorating the wall rustled and clattered in the draft. The wind eventually extinguished a few candles.
“Huh.”
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“My, this building…”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the crowd for a moment. Some tried to make light of the situation but held back their words, remembering that this old and shabby building was the wedding venue designated by the Emperor.
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Someone else, trying to change the subject, continued the conversation about the bride.
“Does anyone know what kind of woman she is?”
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“I heard she’s from a humble family.”
“I heard she’s a commoner.”
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People’s gazes suddenly shifted to Duke Haswell, who stood in a corner, waiting for the bride’s entrance.
“What a waste.”
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A young noblewoman sighed, almost whispering. Instead of criticizing her seemingly frivolous words, the people around her inwardly agreed.
Black hair, which appeared blue in the light, and beneath it, eyes the color of silver, swept elegantly across the space.
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His face, perfectly symmetrical, was sharp, as if a god had meticulously calculated every angle and carved it himself. His solid and powerful physique resembled the very model of a hero, destined to be immortalized in sculpture. His position as the First Duke of the Empire also hung behind him like a halo.
Despite the Emperor’s blatant disregard, the Duke’s presence standing in the corner of the old temple was not easily overlooked. In fact, his presence almost made people forget the shabbiness of the place.
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‘What good is it to be so outstanding?’
He was a man so perfect that he was nothing but a poisoned chalice.
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Just as it was the Emperor’s will that this wedding be held in such a building, it was also his will that the First Duke of the Empire, Dominique Roman Haswell, marry a spouse far beneath him.
‘If it weren’t for such a match, the marriage wouldn’t have been approved.’
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The Emperor kept most noble families in check, but the scrutiny directed at Dominique Roman Haswell was unparalleled.
Rumors even circulated that the deaths of the previous Duke and Duchess were orchestrated by the Emperor.
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Unable to withstand the pressure, the Duke insisted on at least choosing his own spouse. And the Emperor, seemingly quite satisfied with his choice, immediately granted permission for the marriage.
“If His Majesty approved it so readily, well…”
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She must be a truly insignificant woman. Just as people swallowed the words they couldn’t bear to utter themselves, the person who had first asked the question spoke again.
“No. What I was asking about was something else.”
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“What is it?”
“Doesn’t anyone know? About the mad dog.”
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“Surely you don’t mean the Mad Dog of Ernberg?”
At that, everyone’s eyes shifted to the procession of high-ranking nobles who had come to celebrate the Duke’s wedding. Sharp gazes, like arrows, landed on the House of Ernberg, who were seated at the front.
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“I heard she went missing.”
“I heard she was sent to a convent.”
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“What’s certain is that Ernberg has severed ties with the mad dog.”
Unconcealed delight settled on the faces of the guests. It was a cheerfulness barely achieved by throwing someone to the wolves of gossip amidst the gloomy building.
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“I always knew Kyrie Ernberg would end up like this someday.”
“She acted so recklessly, without fear of the world.”
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“It’s about time she faced retribution.”
Kyrie Ernberg.
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Also known as the Mad Dog of Ernberg, was a notorious madwoman in all of high society.
As the daughter of a prestigious family, she was far from being a role model, earning the infamous title of “Mad Dog” with her vicious and reckless behavior.
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Accused of poisoning her stepmother, she was a wanton woman who obsessively pursued the Crown Prince, causing all sorts of incidents.
Her wickedness reached its peak when the Crown Prince recently chose her younger sister, Elise, over her.
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“What she did last time was truly outrageous.”
“I heard she tried to kill Lady Elise.”
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“After her stepmother, now her own younger sister… She’s truly a wicked woman.”
Until now, she had escaped punishment despite her misdeeds, but this time was different. Rumors spread that the Duke’s family had finally made a decision.
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“With her gone, His Highness must be greatly relieved.”
“As well as Duke Ernberg and his sons.”
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“She was causing harm to the entire family.”
The gazes of those conversing swept over the dignified face of Duke Ernberg and the faces of his exceptionally handsome sons.
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And also, the face of the person standing right next to them.
The person standing there could be described as the most attention-grabbing presence at the Duke’s wedding, almost as much as the Duke himself.
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“Your Highness is radiant today as always.”
A golden man, as if adorned in gold from head to toe. Crown Prince Lexion was there. The satisfaction of being the center of attention, even more so than the protagonists of the wedding, and the nobility befitting his high status, surrounded him like a halo.
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“In any case, now everyone can approach His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Just as someone said this with a lick of their lips,
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“Silence, please.”
A priest appeared, cutting through the buzzing atmosphere. People looked at him with slight surprise.
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“The priest already?”
“Goodness. The bride is coming out too.”
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Weddings of nobles, royals, and the imperial family involve complicated and lengthy procedures. At the end of various difficult-to-memorize rituals, the priest appears and concludes the ceremony with the couple’s vows.
Yet, the priest was leading the procession from the very beginning. Moreover, the fact that the bride, who should have a separate entrance, was following right behind the priest…
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“It seems they want to finish the wedding quickly.”
“It must be His Majesty’s will.”
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Remembering the nature of the occasion, people fell silent again.
However, a few curious young noblewomen quickly scanned the bride-to-be in her old-fashioned dress.
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The woman’s figure, although her face was hidden by a veil, was, well, quite presentable.
Despite the outdated dress, the bride’s graceful figure couldn’t be concealed. Her subtly revealed white cleavage and shoulders gleamed as if sprinkled with pearl powder.
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‘Still, she’s a lowly woman.’
People thought so, fanning themselves. They were probably convinced that she had seduced the Duke with her body.
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Whooosh.
A gust of wind blew through again.
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Meanwhile, the bride stopped in her place. The Duke also calmly walked to his place and stood facing her. The old priest standing before the altar quietly began to speak.
“Does anyone object to this marriage?”
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Cutting straight to the point, skipping all the blessings and pleasantries. A strangely heavy silence followed.
Soon, the priest declared,
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“Let the bride and groom seal the ceremony with a kiss of vows.”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the bride, who was covered by a veil.
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Although they were a family suppressed by the Emperor, the First Duke’s family was still a prestigious family of the Empire. The woman, undoubtedly lowly and inadequate, who had secured the opportunity of a lifetime by becoming the mistress of such a household…
‘Who could she be?’
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No matter how much pearl powder or silver dust she adorned herself with, it wouldn’t hide her dirty shadow.
Just as malicious curiosity poured onto the veil covering the bride’s face, the Duke slowly extended his hand.
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The moment the white veil slid down along his long, strong fingers…
“Gasp!”
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Someone drew a sharp breath. The atmosphere in the wedding hall froze instantly.
Sparkling silver hair, eyelashes trembling delicately in the light, and beneath them, were hidden blue eyes.
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A slender face and cat-like upturned eyes. A woman who, judging by her face alone, could be considered quite beautiful.
“Wait!”
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As someone shouted, the Duke kissed the bride’s cherry-red lips. Someone in the audience abruptly stood up.
“And so…”
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While the priest continued speaking, the Crown Prince, who had now risen from his seat, clenched his fists. Soon, a voice loud enough to resonate throughout the hall boomed,
“Kyrie Ernberg!”
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Immediately afterward, someone from the House of Ernberg also stood up. Despite the commotion, the priest steadfastly continued,
“In the name of the Lord, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
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Everyone in the hall, including the Crown Prince, turned pale. Only the smile on the lips of the man who had just kissed his bride, Dominique Roman Haswell, deepened.
Kyrie, looking at him, narrowed her eyes.
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“Smile, Kyrie.”
“…”
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“It’s a joyous occasion.”
The Duke whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
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“We must make this marriage work.”
“…”
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“You gain your freedom, and I gain the heir of shame you will bear me.”
“…”
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“Isn’t it a profitable deal for both of us?”
At his words, Kyrie turned to the Crown Prince with the most dazzling smile. And the moment her eyes met his face which had turned pale, she gave a smile that outshone everything in that place.
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‘I have no intention of keeping that promise anyway.’
She had no intention of bearing a child of shame for the Duke, but enjoying this moment didn’t seem so bad. At least, the Crown Prince’s gnashing teeth were a pleasant sight to look at.
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…As was the face of the Duke smiling brightly at her.
“Good girl.”
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Hearing the Duke’s whisper, Kyrie thought to herself.
That she had never been a good girl. And that she was already preparing to break this promise.
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So this was…
The beginning of the promise she was going to break anyway…
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