TPPE 1

Chapter 1

There’s a saying in this world:

If you hold your wedding on a rainy day, the couple will live happily ever after.

Perhaps someone, somewhere, believed that and had a blissful ceremony.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to apply to me.

“Huff… huff…!”

I—the bride—was running for my life in my wedding dress.

The gown tailored so carefully for today was already stained beyond saving, torn to shreds as it dragged across the ground.

“Get inside, quickly!”

“Take cover!”

The wedding guests were scrambling in all directions.

“The rebels are attacking!”

“Escort His Majesty and Her Majesty to the inner palace!”

“Call the mages and priests! Prepare defensive formations!”

Everyone was shouting orders, rushing to respond.

But no one spared a glance for the bride.

Of course not.

This marriage had only ever been a performance.

* * *

I was the daughter of a Saintess.

Past tense—because I no longer was.

The house I belonged to, House Agnito, was a ducal family of the Empire, known as “those blessed by God.”

For generations, Agnito had produced Saintesses. Because of their overwhelming divine power, only one woman per generation could inherit the title.

Naturally, many coveted their bloodline. And to protect the Saintess, she was required to marry a man chosen by the Temple.

Agnito had always taken immense pride in these sacred marriages. Everyone was desperate to wed a Saintess.

Until it all collapsed in an instant.

The Saintess—my mother—became pregnant with another man’s child.

The father: unknown.
My mother: stripped of her holy power.
The child born: no ability whatsoever.

What followed was predictable.

My mother’s death was recorded as having occurred during childbirth.

And the child—me—was never permitted to step beyond the family estate.

A common enough story.

From Agnito’s perspective, I was a stain on their name. It wasn’t surprising they despised me.

Illegitimate. Powerless.

Those facts never changed.

I was confined to my room, alone.

If I hadn’t met him by chance, I might have remained that way forever.

With his help, I slowly began stepping out of that prison.

But it wasn’t enough.

I wanted a family.

So I tried—desperately—to become a true Agnito.

Then one day—

“Marry, Hanisha.”

My uncle, Duke Agnito, spoke.

“The ones who rebuilt the Forbidden Lands are gaining influence. We lack justification to suppress them outright. His Majesty has ordered that we propose an alliance through marriage. You will wed their leader.”

“But, Your Grace…”

The proposal was sudden.

If marriage were necessary, it should have been my cousin Esther, not me.

Unlike me, Esther was the Empire’s only Saintess.

But—

“If you handle this marriage well, you will become a true Agnito. His Majesty and the Temple will acknowledge you.”

“….”

“This is for the family.”

I had never once been publicly acknowledged. I was the family’s blemish.

To me, their recognition was everything.

So I accepted.

I was afraid.

But I was hopeful, too.

A husband meant a family of my own.

And then—

The wedding day arrived.

“The rebels! Move!”

The man who was meant to be my husband stormed the imperial palace at the head of an army.

“We’ve found her!”

“Miss, this way!”

The Agnito knights—who were supposed to protect me—called from behind.

I ignored them and ran.

Before the ceremony, the Duke had told me:

“If anything happens, go to the western corridor inside the palace. I’ve prepared another measure there.”

I thought he was looking out for me.

But when I reached the meeting place—

No one was there.

No one at all.

“Congratulations, Sister.”

Esther’s words from before the ceremony resurfaced.

“You’ll finally be free. You’ve worked hard.”

That was when the pieces fell into place.

The corridor connected directly to the palace forest. No refugees. No guards.

It had been deliberately cleared.

This marriage was bait.

To lure the rebels inside.

And I—

was the disposable chess piece.

The moment I realized it, I ran again.

As if waiting for that exact realization, the Agnito knights began chasing me.

It became certain.

The Duke wanted me dead.

If I died at the rebels’ hands, he would gain justification to crush them—and demand compensation from the Imperial family.

“Huff… huff…”

Strangely, I didn’t cry.

Perhaps because I’d always known.

No matter how hard I struggled, I could never become true family.

I had always been alone.

“Ugh!”

A hand seized me.

Agnito knights.

“Just because we called you ‘miss’ doesn’t mean you actually became one.”

“Let go!”

“Come quietly!”

Their grip was merciless.

And then—

“Ghk—!”

One by one, the knights collapsed.

Before us stood someone who hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Black hair like the night sky. Golden eyes.

A mask covered him from below the eyes down to his feet.

I didn’t need to ask.

Rene.

Master of the Forbidden Lands. The Emperor’s illegitimate son.

Abandoned at birth, yet he survived—uniting monsters, beastfolk, elves, and countless races into one rebel force.

And—

the man who was to become my husband.

Without a sound, he had cut down dozens.

Blood dripped from his blade.

He flicked it off irritably.

Then our eyes met.

He watched me silently.

I stepped back, unsure what to say—what to do.

He approached.

I flinched, staring at the bloodied sword.

And only then—

tears fell.

Not when I realized I’d been abandoned.

But now, when that sword might pierce me.

Rene frowned at my retreat, glanced at his blade—

—and threw it aside.

Clang!

The sword hit the ground.

As though he’d noticed I was afraid.

Before I could process it—

“I was told the wedding hall was that way.”

A new voice cut in.

Black hair drifting in the dust. Red eyes. Dark aura swirling around him.

Duke Pater Stykia of the North.

One of the Empire’s Four Great Dukes.

His house had once fallen into ruin.

Until he inherited the title—and restored it to unprecedented prosperity.

If one counted their infamy as “trash” among that prosperity.

He stepped slightly in front of me.

“The bride and groom are here. So I must not be lost.”

“….”

“Does that make me the officiant?”

He shrugged lightly.

Why was he here?

We had never met.

He had no reason to protect me.

“Miss.”

“…!”

“What is your name?”

“Ha… Hanisha.”

“Yes, Hanisha. I know my face is handsome enough to stun a bride speechless, but try to focus.”

Playful tone. Sharp words.

“I believe the bride is frightened. This doesn’t seem like a good day. Groom, perhaps return another time.”

Rene’s brow finally creased.

“Move.”

A low voice from behind the mask.

“Pushy men aren’t attractive. The bride might run away. Speaking from experience.”

“I do not kill the innocent. But if you do not move, I will kill you.”

“Violent too? Miss, reconsider this match.”

Yet even as he joked, Stykia’s magic began to rise—power he hadn’t displayed in years.

“Apologies to the groom, but I cannot step aside either. I’m rather desperate myself.”

“So you stand with the Emperor.”

“If we must label it.”

The air crackled as their mana collided.

No one moved.

The pressure alone crushed the space.

Then—

BOOM—

The ground shook.

The sky darkened.

An earthquake? A spell?

No—

Ah.

The palace was collapsing.

Above me.

Time slowed.

“Miss!”

“…Nisha!”

Voices called out.

But I couldn’t look away.

If—

If I were given another chance—

The falling debris swallowed my vision.

And everything went black.