Chapter Text
It all started with an unexpected marriage.
"Have you heard of the marriage of the Lady from Eveland's house?"
"Ah, is the lady going to marry to the young Duke from the South?"
"That's right. I've heard that the south is pretty far, barren. And the one she's marrying is a poor lord."
"Eveland is a Duke house and so high-ranking in the aristocracy, why would they let their daughter go to that place?"
"What are you talking about, the family she married into is also the Duke's house."
"Isn't it? Why have I never heard of the Duke's family in the South?"
"Milady." An annoyed maid lowered her voice. She stood behind the young woman sitting in a corner of the banquet hall. The girl has very special long blue hair that is braided into a long braid, her braided hair is carefully tied up, fixed with a lot of silver jewelry. The long blue dress gently hugged the small figure of the girl. She didn't seem to hear the chatter around her, her golden eyes still glued to the book she was reading. "Do you need me to go talk to them?"
Ivy Eveland smiled lightly when she heard her maid ask that. Her slender fingers turned a page lightly, still reading intently. Ivy propped her chin, leaning slightly at the table, comfortably lost in her own world. She was always separate from the hustle and bustle atmosphere in these aristocratic parties.
"Why would you care about what they talk, Rena?"
"But isn't it too mean for them to speak about things like that?"
Ivy calmly replied. "Why is it mean then, they only say what they hear and know."
"Milady, why are you so calm? They're talking about your marriage."
"Rena." Ivy called out coldly, causing the maid who was still disgruntled to suddenly shrink. She glanced at the maid who had followed her since childhood, a little displeased. "In this society, being careful with your words is the most important thing. Do I look like someone who cares about the gossip around me?"
"I made a mistake, I'm sorry, milady."
Ivy didn't like to scold her servants either, she waved her hand. "Go get me a glass of water."
Rena quickly lowered her head and ran to find juice. Ivy followed the maid's back, boredly closing her book. She was originally not interested in reading, but instead of sitting around like a doll at parties like this, Ivy would rather find something to entertain herself.
Ivy Eveland, the Flower of the Nobility, was the nickname that the women of the nobility gave her. Ivy comes from a prominent Duke family in the North. Her family was a public servant, moreover, was a vassal to establish the country and protect the country for hundreds of years of history. Not only has a long history and resounding dedication, the Eveland family also holds two-thirds of the military power. It can be said that her family is a very noble family, so when Ivy was born, she was a flower that was always looked after by people in the upper class.
It is rumored that when she was coming of age, Ivy will marry the Crown Prince and then become the Queen of this kingdom. Because she is the only noble girl who are worthy to become a Queen. But that's what people think, not Ivy or her parents.
Contrary to the imagination of outsiders, Ivy has a very comfortable life. She just needs to play the role of a typical aristocrat in social events. And that was as easy as pie for Ivy. Her family didn't force her to live or marry to someone she didn't love, so Ivy's marriage was her choice.
When the lady of the Eveland family reached the age of marriage, many marriage proposals came from all over the kingdom, but she completely ignored it. But a month ago, a letter caught her attention. A letter of marriage proposal came from Duke Yamino's family, a Duke's house from the South.
The letter was nothing special, written in the same solemn and formal tone as any other, but Ivy chose it and accepted the proposal of the young Duke with a mysterious reputation in the South.
"What do you know about the Yamino house?" Ivy held a paper knife in her hand, looked at the proposal letter placed on a silver tray, and calmly asked her brother. "Micheal, what do you know about them?"
"Yamino?" Michael - Ivy's twin brother was surprised to hear his sister ask. He watched his sister's face silently, her face still expressionless, like Ivy wasn't really interested in the subject she had just asked. Michael chuckled softly, setting down his teacup, pondering. "They're very mysterious."
"Oh?"
"The Yamino family is also one of the founding families who help establish our kingdom. But to be honest, there's not much information about them, you can try asking Father if you want to know more. I just know that the Duke of that family is a very young man."
"Really?" Ivy used a paper knife to slit the letter open, watching the boring lines she had guessed appeared on the paper. Calmly dropped the letter and in the silver tray, the handwriting on the letter was beautiful, but Ivy had no interest in admiring it. "That's too little information."
"But the South is good." Michael smiled. "The land there is better than ours. It's far away, but it's a wonderful place. I've been to Yamino's castle, not bad."
"How wonderful is it?" Ivy calmly asked.
"Like… can you smell freedom in the air?" Michael laughed when he saw the look his sister gave him. He raised his hand and patted his sister's head. "I know it sounds weird, but it's true."
"Lady Eveland."
Ivy slowly emerged from her memories as she saw the golden-haired man standing in front of her. She slowly stood up from where she was sitting, holding the hem of her skirt, did a curtsey to the man.
"Greetings the Empire's Star, Crown Prince."
The crown prince clasped his hands behind his back, nodding so that Ivy stood up. He was a tall, but stupid man . That's what Ivy adressed the future man who will rule this kingdom, a man standing at the top of society but with no talent. She doesn't like the Crown Prince, of course, because Ivy doesn't like anyone in the Royal family.
"I heard you're getting married."
"Yes, next week I will go to Frieden, the Yamino's Dukedom."
"There's still time to think about it now, Ivy." Ivy calmly looked at the man who was posing in front of her. She squeezed the fan she was holding in her hand, then slowly spread it out, covering her face. Ivy thought that her expressionless face would soon crack if she continued this thoughtless conversation. "Why would someone like you marry to such a far away place. Break the proposal, wouldn't it be better to stay by my side?"
"Crown Prince." Ivy called out softly. Her golden eyes glowed with a sharp cold light, and the corners of Ivy's lips hidden behind the fan curled up into a sardonic and mocking smile. “I think Lady Cecilia is waiting for you.”
Ivy looked at the side of the party with a hint of a woman wearing a gorgeous dress. She was pleased to see the Crown Prince's face stiffen when she mentioned that name. Ivy lowered her fan, bowed to the stupid man standing in front of her, and left first.
This party is becoming more and more boring.
Ivy came out of the party room, clutching the book and fan she was holding in her hand. Ivy walked down the deserted hallway, away from the whispers and symphonic music in the party room. Her world slowly grew silent as Ivy stepped forward. She stopped in a certain corridor in the palace, looking out into the garden in the distance. Ivy walked over to the railing, looked down, and stared at the ground just a few feet away from her.
Then Ivy took off her heels and threw them over the railing. After that Ivy threw away her book and fan, and then she put her hands on the railing and climbed out. The corridor was empty, didn't even have a bodyguard. Ivy casually leaned over and jumped off the railing.
"Hey!!"
By the time Ivy had dropped off, she had already figured out how to land safely. But suddenly she heard a scream. Ivy leaned over, completely losing control of her body, forgetting how she should land. Ivy closed her eyes, there was only one floor, not too high, at most she'd get a little scratched. Just when she thought she was going to land very painfully, she fell into someone else's arms.
Ivy was taken aback. The other's arms wrapped tightly around Ivy's waist, she put her arms around the other's shoulders. The man's hood fell, under the moonlight hanging over their heads, Ivy saw the opponent's purple eyes.
“Lord… Yamino…?”