IBYSDW 02

Chapter 02

For some reason, I had become Rinzel.

In other words, I might have to live the rest of my life as Rinzel.

Before possessing this body, I thought the most important thing in life was money.

But after becoming frail Rinzel, I realized something else.

The most important thing in life is health.

No matter how much money you have, if your health is poor and you die young, you won’t even be able to use it properly.

When I read the novel, I only focused on Rike’s love story, so I had no idea how weak Rinzel was.

But experiencing her body firsthand—it was terrible.

Even now, I took a long, labored breath.

How could just walking a little down the corridor leave me this breathless?

In my original body, I could have run ten laps around a duke’s vast garden and still be fine.

At this rate, Rinzel wouldn’t even make it to thirty.

And the end meant only one thing—

Death.

I wanted Rinzel’s body to become healthy.

And I wanted Rike to avoid dying young as well.

To do that, we needed a miracle medicine that could save both of us…

Our father, who loved his two daughters dearly, hadn’t just stood by doing nothing.

He summoned the empire’s greatest physicians, even famous doctors from distant lands, to the ducal estate.

But every single one of them shook their heads.

“Regrettably, there is no elixir that can restore the young ladies to full health.”

And so, Father had almost given up.

But I, who had read the novel, believed that such a medicine existed.

Because there had been a clue mentioned near the end of the story.

After Rike suddenly died of heart failure, Ishar finally realized how severe her condition had been.

Of course, he knew she was frail.

He just didn’t know how bad it truly was.

He didn’t know she could die the very next day.

So on the day of her funeral, Ishar muttered with deep regret:

“Rike… why did you hide that you were terminally ill? There must have been a way to save you in the Imperial Archives…”

Something like that.

The Imperial Archives.

I had no doubt that something in there could save both me and Rike.

But only a very select few could enter the Archives.

There were two conditions.

First, you had to be a direct descendant of the imperial family.

Second, you needed permission from the Silver Dragon, the founding emperor of the Clerman Empire.

Naturally, Rinzel met neither condition.

However, there was an exception.

Even a non-royal could enter if they married a direct descendant and received the dragon’s permission.

As for whether the Second Prince, Hernan, had obtained that permission—I didn’t know. It wasn’t mentioned in the novel.

But if I married him, I would at least gain a chance to access the Archives.

I was determined to get in.

Before Rike died.

Before her love story ended in tragedy again.

Before my body became even weaker.

“…Rinzel? Are you not going to answer?”

I had been lost in thought and forgotten to respond to Father.

I quickly replied to his question—why I had decided to marry Hernan.

Making up a reason wasn’t difficult.

“I fell in love with Prince Hernan at first sight.”

It was a lie.

I couldn’t tell him about the Imperial Archives.

If I did, he would question how I knew about it, why I wanted to enter—and both he and Rike would surely be distressed.

They would pity me for marrying a man I didn’t love just to survive.

I didn’t want that.

So I couldn’t tell the truth.

Father looked at me in disbelief.

“…What?”

He even glanced toward the long curtain beside him, as if someone were hiding behind it.

His study had a full glass wall with heavy curtains drawn to one side.

He looked as if he truly thought someone might be hiding there.

No way… that couldn’t be.

His gaze returned to me.

I smiled brightly and continued my lie.

“At the victory parade, I completely lost my heart to him.”

The Clerman Empire had only recently ended a long civil war.

Hernan had been the supreme commander who led the imperial army to victory.

After months of fierce battles, he had nearly suppressed all the rebellions.

A victory parade had been held a few weeks ago.

I hadn’t seen it myself, but Rinzel’s memories clearly replayed the scene.

Colorful garlands, cheering crowds.

Soldiers on horseback cutting through the masses—

And at the very front, Hernan.

His large cloak fluttered wildly in the spring wind.

From the highest point of the Valencia ducal estate, Rike and Rinzel had watched the parade.

Even from afar, his beauty had stood out.

Enough that “love at first sight” didn’t sound strange.

I suddenly remembered something Rike had once said—how cool Ishar’s fluttering cloak had looked.

Only after recalling Hernan’s cloak did I understand what she meant.

So I repeated her words.

“The cloak Prince Hernan wore as he led the army—it was sooo cool.”

Father echoed blankly, “A cloak?”

“Yes. Anyway, he was amazing.”

“….”

“Either Rike or I has to marry Prince Hernan anyway, right?”

Father murmured, “Hmm…” before nodding.

“That’s true.”

“Then I’ll marry him.”

If I married Hernan, Rike would be free to love Ishar without worry.

Then a question suddenly occurred to me.

How long would I have to stay married to him?

Once I got what I wanted, I hoped we could divorce.

I wanted to marry someone I truly loved and live happily.

According to the novel, this arranged marriage had been proposed by the emperor, Delta Clerman—Hernan’s father.

Delta wanted Hernan to marry a daughter from one of the noble families supporting him.

Hernan had accepted immediately.

He didn’t care who he married.

If not for this arrangement, he might have remained alone forever.

Anyway, since he became crown prince—and soon after, emperor—it seemed likely he would agree to a divorce.

There was no love in this marriage.

“Rinzel. There’s something you must understand.”

Father looked oddly restless.

“What is it?”

“It’s not simply because I support Prince Hernan as the next crown prince… that I wanted one of you to marry him.”

The real reason he had no choice but to arrange this marriage—

It must have been pressure from the imperial family.

That’s what I vaguely remembered from the novel.

“I figured as much.”

Father let out a sigh.

“Very well. I understand your decision. You may go now.”

“Yes, Father.”

I left his study.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, a sharp pain throbbed at my temples.

I had thought too much.

It would be best to return to my room and lie down.

* * *

After Rinzel left, the curtain in the Valencia duke’s study trembled slightly.

It wasn’t the wind—

It was someone moving behind it.

Soon, the figure stepped out.

Glossy black hair, a wrinkle-free black uniform—

A man as dark as night without a single star.

Because of that, his pale face stood out even more.

Though he looked fragile, his sharp red eyes told a different story.

His gaze lingered on the door Rinzel had just exited.

Then he began walking.

With long strides, he approached and sat across from the duke.

“…As you heard, it is Rinzel—not Rike—who wishes to become Your Highness’s bride. Is that acceptable?”

The man behind the curtain was Hernan.

He had been discussing the marriage with the duke when Rinzel arrived.

The duke had tried to send her away, but—

“I’ll hide for a moment. It might be something urgent.”

Hernan had said, stepping behind the curtain.

Thus, he ended up hearing Rinzel’s shocking declaration.

He replied calmly,

“It doesn’t matter if the bride changes.”

“That is a relief.”

From the beginning, Hernan didn’t care whether he married Rike or Rinzel.

There was no deeper meaning behind the arrangement.

However…

Rinzel’s bold confession echoed in his mind.

“I fell in love with Prince Hernan at first sight.”

“His cloak was sooo cool.”

Hernan had spent his life on battlefields.

People called him a war demon, a killing machine.

Most feared him.

Especially women.

Even with his handsome appearance, his intimidating aura kept people away.

He wasn’t warm or approachable either.

To his embarrassment, he had never even had a proper conversation with a woman.

Love was a distant concept.

He had simply planned to marry when the time came.

And yet—

Her words shook him.

Love at first sight?

It was unbelievable.

His lips parted slowly.

“More importantly… she said she fell in love with me at first sight.”

His iron-like heart pounded suddenly.

He found himself wanting to meet her alone.

The tips of his pale ears gradually turned red.