I became the mistress of the Northern Grand Duke with a fiancée
Chapter 10 *** 10. The Merchant of Veneti (2) ... Reina eyed the situation, hoping Josef would refuse. "I'll make it so." Against Reina's wishes, Josef thought it was a good deal. Bartering for the vinegar in Aviles, he was tempted by the idea of no cash outlay. Reina stood there, conflicted. Should she go or not? "So, how much vinegar should I give you?" "I have 500 sacks of barley and 1000 sacks of wheat that I'll bring later, so the vinegar will be ............... per barrel." "No, you can't...
Chapter 9 *** 09. The Merchant of Veneti (1) ... Since the incident with the pearl headband, Josef hadn’t visited Reina. But he sent people to inquire about her condition from time to time. Marian had been diligent in her care, having been firmly receiving orders to spare no time or money in healing her wounds. Even if she hadn't, she would have done her best, but supplies were more plentiful these days. Today, she was washing Reina's body with warm water mixed with buttermilk. Her flesh was...
Chapter 8 *** 08. It would be pretty to have around like a cat … The pearls, which had a subtle luster, were thick and uniform in size. They were essentially the tears of the shellfish's pain, so most of them were of different sizes and shapes. Jewelry made from multiple pearls of the same size was therefore extremely rare and expensive, and no one dared ask for it. It was not something to be given away. Above all, it was something only a married woman could wear. Reina had been tempted to...
Chapter 7 *** 07. Angulem’s last remaining possessions *** "You don't do that even to your livestock!" Kian slammed his hand down on the table and screamed at Angulem. He knew Reina was in trouble, but he didn't know what exactly had been done to her. Kian had three younger sisters. If anyone laid a hand on them, he would strangle them on the spot. He believed her brother would do the same, which traumatized Kian even more than the war. "A stubborn animal that won't listen to me is...
Chapter 6 **** 06. Punishment of the Lamb ... Marian pursed her lips and glared at Josef. His handsome face was so expressionless it could have been a helmet, and his strong body was a weapon. Human butcher. A creature of the Ascania that made Aviles reek of rotting flesh. Standing tall, Josef's eyes lit up, and he strode abruptly to the door. "Your Highness, please distribute the medicines and cures, this will really hurt the princess." Marian pleaded with him, but he didn't even pretend to...
Chapter 5 *** 05. Where is Reina? Jousting was especially favored in Naparoa. It involved charging on horseback and striking your opponent with a long spear. The victory was achieved by knocking the opponent off his horse or injuring him to the point where he couldn't continue the duel. The winner was unconditionally right, and the loser had to accept his demands. "I heard that the Duke of Aviles won every single one of his many jousting duels. I'm sure you’re just as skilled as your father,...
Chapter 4 *** 04. Oath of the King and the subject *** Collapsing to the cold floor, Reina curled up in a ball and waited for Angulem to tire of hitting. Her father was no longer in the world. No one was there to protect her. Suddenly, she remembered that the Rosella papers had run out. All kingdoms and principalities in the western continent were required to hold a piece of rosella paper with a prayer written on it in their mouths for funerals. But there were no more rosella papers left in...
Chapter 3 **** 03. Angulem Sabelli ... He draped the robe over her slender shoulders, much to Reina's surprise. The robe, tailored to fit Josef's body, was so large that it still had room to spare after wrapping around her. He tugged at the robe's strings and knotted them as if they were intimate. Reina stepped back from his touch, but as she moved away, he moved closer. "You should have done this a long time ago." Josef, who had dressed Reina in a robe as he wished, turned around, walked away,...
Chapter 2 *** 02. Reina Sabelli ... Josef stared at Reina in disbelief. Aside from his soldiers, there was only one human being who could have done this to the daughter of the Duke of Aviles. It was her brother, Angulem. The sight of Reina's tightly clenched jaw, her face a mask of embarrassment, making the desire to question her disappeared. "The besieged castle of Aviles will have no food, let alone an army to lay siege to it. The soldiers have been killed and the grain has been burned. Don't...
Chapter 1 *** 01. Human butcher The ground was red. A knight clad in armor as dark as coal rode his horse, surveying his surroundings. The stallion, as black as his master's armor, pawed at the mud as if he didn't like it. The red earth drew cold blood with each crushing step of his hooves. "Whoa, whoa." The knight stopped, his gaze fixed somewhere. Then he swung his shoulder-hung spear and flipped the muddy corpse over. It was an old face with curly hair clinging to its forehead. His unseeing...