KLRE C1

Chapter 1

A quiet temple, devoid of anyone else.

Only one couple and a single priest stood within.

“If you sign here, your marriage will be officially recognized.”

Raon and Kina sat facing each other, writing their names and signing the document. The priest lifted the paper bearing their signatures.

“Duke Raon Greys.”

“Yes.”

Raon’s voice was calm, as though answering a roll call.

“Lady Kina Senet, daughter of a viscount.”

“Yes.”

In contrast, Kina’s voice trembled slightly—so faintly that one would only notice if they paid close attention.

“I will now sign to certify the union between the two of you.”

The priest signed his name at the bottom. With that, every required name on the document had been filled.

“You are now a legally recognized married couple under the Empire.”

Even the priest’s voice was purely formal. There were no words of blessing.

There was no one to celebrate them, no passionate kiss between the two, no exchanged glances, no ring ceremony.

And so, Raon—who had been Versha’s lover—and Kina—Versha’s friend—became husband and wife.

One month before their wedding—

No, before anyone could have even imagined such a wedding would take place.

An imperial event was held at an orphanage in the capital.

As the event aimed to support the orphanage children, delicious food, clothing, and toys were donated.

The children, dressed up nicely for the first time in a while, gazed with sparkling eyes at the beautifully dressed nobles. To them, the nobles appeared elegant and admirable. Among them, some children would surely begin to dream of living like those nobles one day. And that sentiment wasn’t limited to the children—it applied to all the commoners watching the event.

That was the purpose of the event.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Crown Princess. I am Kina of the Senet Viscountcy.”

Kina, who managed the orphanage, greeted Crown Prince Chris and Stella. Raon and Versha were also present. Originally, Kina would never have been able to stand among them, but she had managed to do so thanks to her status as Versha’s friend and as the de facto operator of the orphanage.

“It’s nice to meet you. But ‘Crown Princess’? We haven’t even had the wedding yet.”

Stella waved her hand shyly.

“That’s going to happen anyway. I quite like the title.”

Chris pulled her into an embrace, smiling with satisfaction. His unabashed display of affection always left Stella—and those watching—feeling embarrassed.

“The orphanage is very well managed compared to others. You must care deeply for the children.”

Stella gently pushed Chris away as she spoke. A fleeting pout crossed his face before disappearing. Kina smiled softly at the sight and nodded.

“I noticed how much you care for the children. There’s a lot I could learn from you. Please continue to help us in the future. It would be even better if we could meet often.”

Stella took Kina’s hand with a warm smile. Kina responded shyly, saying it was an honor. Becoming close to the Crown Princess was every noble lady’s dream.

“That won’t do. Lady Senet should be attending balls, not just orphanage events.”

Versha cut in between Stella and Kina.

“She rarely shows up, yet she’s more popular with the children than with the young noblemen.”

Everyone else, including Stella, chuckled lightly, but Kina flushed red with embarrassment.

Only Versha pouted seriously.

“That’s not something you should be saying, considering how much attention you get from men.”

It was a remark directed at Versha, who was always surrounded by admirers.

With her striking rose-brown hair and captivating, slightly upturned eyes, she was a constant focus of attention among noblemen.

Whenever Versha appeared at a ball, it sparked a silent competition among them to secure even a single dance with her.

“Thanks to that, Lady Senet is quite popular at balls too. When else would she receive that kind of attention?”

At Chris’s blunt remark, Kina’s face turned even redder than before.

In truth, if she had attended a ball alone, the noblemen would have exchanged brief greetings and moved on. But because they wanted to impress Versha—and knew that Kina was her close friend—they treated Kina kindly.

Yet Versha never stayed in one place. She would always drift away elsewhere. And when the noblemen lost track of her, they would return to Kina, waiting in hopes that Versha might come back.

“Well…”

“Thanks to Lady Caprice, I’ve had the chance to dance with some wonderful gentlemen. I suppose I’ve been quite fortunate.”

Kina met Versha’s eyes, gently stopping her and offering a reassuring smile.

Regardless of the circumstances, it was true that the noblemen sought her out. So yes, she had been somewhat popular—and yes, it was thanks to Versha. Even if she had never wanted it, and even if the situation made her deeply uncomfortable.

“Knowing your place is a good thing. See? It brings you benefits like this.”

His words didn’t just refer to the ballroom. They also implied that her presence here was due to Versha as well. Everyone understood Chris’s meaning, and their gazes turned toward her.

He wasn’t wrong. She had no grounds to be angry. And more than that, he was not someone she could afford to be angry with.

Still, she couldn’t stop the wave of embarrassment and humiliation that washed over her.

At that moment, Kina’s eyes met Raon’s, who stood beside Versha.

She tried to maintain a composed smile as she had been taught, but her cheeks trembled slightly.

Kina was the daughter of a minor viscount family—one with little to boast of even among its rank. The men who had danced with her were all above her in status. From her perspective, it was more than she could have hoped for.

Among them was Raon—a man she would never have dared to even look at.

Raon Greys, the duke who had captured Versha’s heart in an instant. A prodigy who had inherited his title at a young age and risen to become the commander of the imperial knights. On top of that, his striking appearance made him a constant topic of conversation among noble ladies.

Kina was no exception.

The only difference between her and the others was that she had fallen in love with him at first sight—before even knowing he was the Duke of Greys.

She had met him at the imperial palace on the day she visited for her debut ball. Lost and wandering, she had been helped by a kind knight.

That knight was Raon.

And from that very first meeting, Kina had fallen for him.

‘I didn’t want him to see me like this…’

She clasped her hands together tightly, though trying to appear calm.

Even if Raon was now her friend’s lover—or even if he hadn’t been—there was no way their paths could ever have joined. But still, she didn’t want him to see her in such a humiliating state.

The surroundings had grown quiet.

She knew this silence well—the one that came whenever she found herself among them. She also knew the gazes now directed at her.

It was time to leave.

“…I should go check if there’s anything lacking. May I be excused for a moment?”

“Of course.”

Before Chris could respond, Stella answered quickly. Her expression showed that she understood Kina’s discomfort.

“Thank you.”

Kina bowed politely to Raon and Versha as well, then quickly left the scene.