Prologue
In the Gratie Empire, there are two Swordmasters.
A woman of commoner origin, uneducated and frivolous in her speech and actions, known as the “Reckless Warrior” for her swordplay on the battlefield that resembles a dance of blades—Marion Krugman.
The other is a man who, once he draws his sword, cuts down enemies like a madman, earning him the title of the “Blue-Eyed Berserker”—Archduke Kaiden Baltstein.
When it was announced that these two would marry, people could not contain their shock.
Even Marion herself was no exception.
“Your Grace, have you lost your mind?”
“No.”
“Then why would Your Grace and I get married?!”
Marion roared with fury. Across from her, Kaiden responded with an impassive face.
“Is there another man you’re set to marry?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Settled how?!”
Marion was exasperated.
“No, seriously, how does it make sense for us to suddenly announce we’re getting married?!”
“You were right there beside me.”
“What are you even talking about?!”
Her anger surged to the point where steam might as well have been coming out of her ears. Kaiden muttered with a face that showed the slightest hint of guilt.
“Before the princess proposed to me, you were right there beside me.”
Marion gritted her teeth.
“So… you’re saying that to avoid marrying the princess, you dragged innocent me into this and declared we’re ‘set to marry’?!”
“Is marrying me such a crime? It’s a decent proposal for you too, isn’t it?”
Kaiden approached Marion. Startled, Marion immediately took a step back.
“Why would this be a decent proposal for me?”
“You said you wanted to retire.”
“…!”
Marion narrowed her eyes and asked.
“Didn’t Your Grace yourself say that the Empire would never allow a Swordmaster to retire?”
“But you’re a ‘woman,’ aren’t you?”
“Hah, so you did notice I’m a woman?”
Marion retorted with a dumbfounded expression.
“You’ve always been a woman.”
Her words caught in her throat. Right, I’m a woman. Not a man. As she grudgingly acknowledged this, Kaiden spoke.
“When a woman marries, she serves her husband and dedicates herself to her family. If we use that outdated societal norm?”
“…What?”
“No matter how powerful the imperial family is, they wouldn’t dare use an Archduke’s wife as a soldier.”
Marion felt as if she’d been struck on the back of her head. Why didn’t I think of this? It was a simple solution that could resolve her long-desired retirement in one fell swoop.
‘Marriage was the answer!’
And if she became an Archduke’s wife… even the imperial family would find it difficult to bind her.
But there was a catch. Marion muttered in a hesitant voice.
“I’m of commoner origin. The Archduke’s family will surely object.”
Kaiden scoffed.
“Object to the bride I’ve chosen? They wouldn’t dare.”
Marion thought to herself, narrowing her eyes.
‘Is this the confidence of a madman?’
But his words weren’t entirely without merit.
Marion had to retire. As soon as possible.
With daily life becoming intermittently difficult, staying on the battlefield would drain her life away day by day.
After quickly calculating her options, Marion nodded.
“Let’s make this deal.”
“Good.”
The Swordmasters of the Gratie Empire clasped hands. It was the moment the Reckless Knight and the Berserker decided on a sham marriage.
Chapter 1
Even I thought I was indeed a reckless fool.
The slums were a place where you couldn’t survive unless you were like that.
Then, I learned swordsmanship from a one-armed knight who claimed to be my protector, and I was thrilled to feel like I had a family.
“You’re a sharp kid, so you’ll earn your keep.”
That was until he sold me off to a mercenary band.
My luck turned around then.
I headed north with the mercenary band to hunt magical beasts.
In the Baltstein territory, where snowflakes swirled, enormous magical beasts emerged endlessly.
Beside me, the mercenaries who came along collapsed one by one, spilling blood onto the white snow. I gritted my teeth harder. I faced life-and-death moments time and again.
It was when I thought I was truly done for.
“Huff, huff…!”
The magical beast that had been threatening to kill me just moments ago was sliced in two by my sword.
“…Oh, an aura! That girl used an aura!”
I still remember the moment I first unleashed an aura. The knights around me shouted.
I couldn’t forget how they all looked at me with joy and awe. From a distance, I heard the sound of hoofbeats.
A noble on a black horse approached, his black hair fluttering. He dismounted, yet he was still two heads taller than me.
He looked down arrogantly and asked.
“Your name.”
“…Marion, sir…”
“Marion. I, Kaiden, grandson of the Archduke of Baltstein, acknowledge you as a Swordmaster and command you to serve the Gratie Empire. As soon as the beast extermination is complete, you will accompany me to the imperial palace.”
“Wooaah!”
The soldiers roared with cheers. The morale in the north soared to the heavens.
I didn’t know then, but the Swordmasters of the Empire were required to swear absolute loyalty to the imperial family and live as their knights.
It was a precaution to ensure they wouldn’t become seeds of rebellion in the future.
Ignorant of all this, I was simply mesmerized by the noble in front of me.
He was tall, but his youthful face made him seem only four or five years older than me. Yet, he carried an air of authority.
I think I also coveted the gem brooch on his clothes. It matched his blue eyes perfectly.
“Answer.”
“Y-Yes, sir! I-I’ll follow!”
I answered hurriedly. To think that such a high-ranking person had dismounted just for me, and I hadn’t even responded—such disrespect was unheard of.
As soon as he heard my answer, Kaiden turned sharply, mounted his horse, and rode off.
His cloak, draped over his shoulders, fluttered in the wind. Like the flapping hem of his cloak, my heart stirred.
That was my first meeting with Kaiden.
—
Ten years later.
“Haha! Die!”
“Gweeek!”
An orc collapsed with a squeal like a pig being slaughtered.
I let out a gleeful laugh. I noticed the soldiers nearby recoiling in disgust, but I didn’t care.
“You pathetic lot! How dare you stand in the way of Lady Marion? Today’s your ticket to paradise! Haha!”
A sharp voice cut through from behind.
“Reckless fool. Don’t act so cocky.”
It was Kaiden, giving orders to the knights.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and shut my mouth.
The youthful air he had when we first met was completely gone, and now anyone could see he was the dignified Archduke of Baltstein…
Calling me reckless fool this, reckless fool that, when he’s the crazy one.
I was no longer fooled by that face.
Back then, after being recognized as a Swordmaster, I was given the title “Knight of Fire” by the Emperor of Gratie.
It was a name given simply because my hair was red.
People around me whispered that if I had been a commoner, I might have received a barony, but back then, I was so uneducated I didn’t even know what a “baron” was.
I foolishly thought, Aren’t all nobles the same? And being a knight is cool too!
Now, at 23, I realized just how wretched my position was.
Ten years of rolling around in this freezing land, killing countless magical beasts, and they still treat me like this? After all my dedication to the Empire!
I was still just a “mere knight.”
“Reckless fool. Don’t let your guard down, stay sharp!”
Kaiden’s stern voice boomed from behind.
“Yes, sir.”
I replied halfheartedly, which apparently didn’t sit well with him.
“Answer short and sharp.”
His chilling voice sent shivers down my spine, making the hairs on my neck stand up.
“Yes!”
I bolted forward. Just then, a commotion erupted from one side.
“Groooar!”
“It’s a troll!”
“It’s twice the size of the usual ones!”
I heard Kaiden shout, “Come back, Marion!” from behind, but I ignored him.
I was irritated.
Irritated at not being recognized for my abilities, at rolling around in this snowy wasteland for ten years, at my lowly status. Everything was infuriating.
Was it because I was lost in thought?
“Graaah!”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
The troll’s massive hand struck the right side of my head. My vision spun.
Damn it, to make such a mistake. My pride’s done for.
“Marion!”
In my fading consciousness, I saw Kaiden galloping toward me on horseback.
He drew his sword in an instant. Lately, he’d only been watching from behind, so what was this about?
As his urgent expression blurred, I lost consciousness.
* * *
I had a dream.
I was a taekwondo athlete, and the opponent before me was a national champion I absolutely couldn’t lose to.
My roundhouse kick landed perfectly. The moment I saw the blood dripping from my opponent’s nose, I collapsed.
It was “hemophobia.”
When I woke up, every news outlet was mocking me for fainting at the sight of blood during the Olympics, costing me the gold medal.
I had brought a silver medal to my country, but no one praised me. They criticized and ridiculed me.
I burrowed into my blankets, cutting myself off from the world.
Reading web novels helped me forget reality. They were fun. I stared blankly at the text on my phone.
After days of this, I left the house for the first time in a month and was hit by a car and died.
—
“Hah!”
“Sir Marion is awake!”
A medic shouted. My mind was reeling from the flood of memories.
What is this? A past life?
My head spun. I had seen a completely different world. Was it a dream? But it felt as vivid as if it had just happened.
Clutching my confused head and groaning as I sat up, my eyes met Kaiden’s.
“Marion.”
“Ugh… Your Grace, where am I…?”
Kaiden looked slightly angry. He strode toward my bed with large steps.
“The infirmary. I told you to return to formation…”
The infirmary, right. The infirmary.
It was a place filled with injured patients and blood.
“Argh!”
I fainted on the spot.
“Marion?!”
Only Kaiden’s panicked voice lingered.
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By Anna 🙈
