❝ 장: 하나 ❞

"Attention, citizens of Wisteria!"

The royal crier's voice echoed through the cobbled streets of Wisteria, commanding the attention of all who were nearby. People paused in their daily routines, their eyes widening at the announcement, as the Crier continued with his announcement.

"Let it be known to all the citizens of Wisteria that, Duke Lee Jeongmin has met a gruesome end at the hands of the Neanderthal army.

In this time of turmoil, The kingdom is now under the rule of the Imperial House of Huenings, their authority to continue until a new duke or ruler is appointed.

May peace and stability return to the land under their guidance.

Long live the Huenings, the protectors of Wisteria's throne."

A hushed silence fell over the streets as the crier finished, his voice solemn and resonant.

"The duke is really dead?" Whispered a middle-aged man, surprise and disbelief clear in his voice as he heard the announcement.

"The imperial house is going to rule over us? I don't know if this is a good or bad thing." Murmured a Lady selling groceries, to which a fellow customer replied, "Yeah, Duke Lee wasn't any good, but I wonder if the Huenings will pay any attention attention to our state."

"Yeah, who knows if they're good or not? These nobles are all wicked anyways. Hungry for power." Another citizen expressed his concern.

The words quickly spread like a wildfire throughout the kingdom, eventually reaching the ears of the last remaining memeber of the Royal Family.

Lady Kang.

❝ ✉️ ❞

"My lady, Wisteria has lost the war, and His Highness is no more."

The words didn't seem to have any effect on the young lady at all, who stood at the balcony facing the garden, lost in thought.

"My Lady?" The maid approached the young lady, worried for what expression the woman might give her, once she turns her head, only to be surprised when all she saw on her face was, nothing.

Her face was expressionless, with no sense of loss or any anguish seeming to be evident.

"I wonder what will happen to me." She mumbled, startling the maid, making her sqeak.

"You'll be okay, I'm sure My Lady. The Huenings can't be that bad," She tried to console the worried noble woman, but it was of no appease to the said Noble Lady.

Why? Because she had long lost her hope in Noble men and Royals, her own father disappointing her in ways no child should even bother imagining.

Kang Yeseo, the illegitimate younger sister of Duke Jeongmin was someone who had been kept hidden her whole life in the Abandoned Castle of Wisteria near the shores of Northern Sea, away from the public and other royal's prying eyes, for she was the dirty stain of a Witch in the family, making her become an easy victim of discrimination against her brother her entire life.

So, now that the Duke was dead, she wondered where her cursed fate would take her.

She was already drowing in the abyss of lonliness and dispair ever since she knew how to walk, so what could be worse than this?

"Leave me alone Rhyse, I'll be okay." Yeseo ordered the maid, to which she obeyed and left with reluctance, wishing the Huenings would be kind enough to grant her freedom and not imprison her or treat her as dirt like Duke Lee had.

Yeseo sighed, looking out of the window.

The sky was so clear and bright today, clouds floating in the bright blue sky freely. Watching clouds always made her envious, because she herself couldn't be like clouds.

Clouds had freedom to float in any direction, any way it wanted, but her?

Freedom was a wistful thinking for her. Confined in these four-walls of the castel, she had no where else to spread her wings, feeling like a bird inside a cage, unable to fly freely as it should have.

"My Lady I have something importan-" The maid's voice interrupted her inner train of thoughts, making her sigh in annoyance. She wanted some peace, just for a moment didn't she just say that?

"Rhyse, later please.." she wanted to stop her, but seeing Rhyse's worried expression got her curious as well.

"My Lady it's very crucial...please come downstairs. A minister from the Imperial house has come to see you."

Now Rhyse's words caught her full attention.

"From the Imperial house? Why?" She asked, quickly making her way downstairs, witnessing a few Royal Guards of the Kingdom of Neanderthal standings across her, along with a seemingly tall man wearing glasses, presumably the said Minister Rhyse talked about.

"Greetings Lady Kang, I'm Park Sunghoon, here to relay you the message from His Majesty," The man stepped forward, bowing to her in respect before he started speaking again.

"His Majesty has offered you to marry Prince Kai, to he able to form the pact and relationship between the two kingdoms rightfully, handing the duty of dukedom to Prince Huening Kai, making you the Duchess of the Kingdom."

The minister finished speaking, earning a gasp from the Rhyse, while Yeseo stood there frozen in spot, absolutely flabbergasted hearing the Emperor's proposal.

"Marry Prince Kai?"

❝ 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ❞ ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

˖ 𓍢ִִ ⋆ ❝ ✉️ ❞ ୭ ˚.

Hello my Luvs!!
Starting off 2025 with this, hoping I manage to finish it without any difficulties unlike the first book lmao💀

Anyways, new ships alert😏 The sequel is going to be more interesting than the first book, thanks to my better improved writing style.

Hope y'all liked the first chapter, Tyunning appearing next! Looking forward to y'alls votes and comments hehe.
-Rin💗