"Impossible!" Lucien shouted, his face twisted in confusion. "Queen Catherine said the engagement ceremony would be held two months from now—why did they suddenly hold it so early?"
"Ack! Ack! Damn it, stop shaking me!" Billy was so dizzy he nearly vomited, and complained irritably.
"Ah! Sorry, I… I…" Lucien, startled, quickly let go of Billy's collar.
Seeing Billy calm down, Lucien hurriedly asked, "How do you know about this?"
Billy let out a long sigh, then raised the letter in his hand. "This is a letter from my father—he wrote that tomorrow, in the Kingdom of Terith, there will be a wedding for Prince Lathel."
"The letter even makes it clear that… ack! You—"
Before Billy could finish, Lucien had already snatched the letter from his hand, opening it and frantically scanning for any mention of the wedding.
A moment later, Lucien looked as if he'd been struck by lightning—his hands went limp and the letter fell to the ground.
Billy could only sigh at Lucien's expression.
He was Lucien's friend here, so he knew just how much Lucien liked Selvia.
Now, hearing that the woman he loved was getting married, well, any man would find such devastating news unbearable.
"No! No! Why did things turn out like this?" Lucien shook his head, mumbling over and over.
Billy sighed, patting his shoulder. "Come on, Lucien. Just think of it as a beautiful memory. There are plenty of women out there, you don't have to—"
"No!!!" Lucien suddenly screamed. "I don't believe it! I have to find her! I have to find that bastard Lathel, I have to kill him!"
Lucien immediately grabbed his greatsword and rushed to the stables.
"Ack! Wait!" Billy shouted, "Are you crazy? He's the Prince of Terith, you can't—"
"I don't care!" Lucien shoved Billy aside and leaped onto a horse. "I have to go back to Terith, I have to stop her."
"The wedding is tomorrow, if I leave now I'll make it in time."
"Wait!" Billy shouted, grabbing Lucien's leg and sleeve. "Don't be stupid, even if you leave now, it's already too late."
"Why would it be too late?" Lucien shouted back, his eyes wet as if about to cry, his face red with rage. "It's only a hundred miles from here—if I don't stop, I can make it by midday tomorrow and stop them!"
"You… dammit, are you stupid?" Billy couldn't help but curse. "The letter says 'tomorrow,' but I actually got it yesterday."
"What?!" Lucien's mouth fell open in disbelief, his sword dropping to the ground with a heavy, jarring clang.
"You… you…" Lucien's lips trembled, struggling to form a complete sentence. "You mean… this letter…"
Billy sighed, looking at Lucien, then finally decided to say it. "That's right. The letter arrived yesterday—I just didn't bother to open it, thought it wasn't important."
"Today when I opened it, I found out about all this. Which means… the wedding has already taken place."
Lucien's mouth hung open, the light in his eyes slowly fading away, his expression as if his soul had just left his body.
"The wedding… it's already happened?" Lucien mumbled, his lips trembling.
No, his entire body was trembling.
He fell from the saddle, startling Billy.
"Damn it! You—"
"Let go of me!" Billy tried to catch him, but Lucien shoved him away.
Slowly, Lucien got up, dragging himself forward step by heavy step, his gaze fixed on some distant place.
"What's the point of going back now?" Lucien muttered. "By the time I return, the woman I love will already belong to someone else."
"Why? Why?!!!"
Lucien howled, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, blood welling up and trickling down through his fingers to the ground.
He didn't feel the pain, because the greatest pain now was in his heart and mind.
"AAA!!! Fate! Why do you treat me this way?!"
"Why?!!"
Lucien dropped to his knees, raising his arms to the sky as if begging for an answer from the thing he called 'Fate.'
"Haven't I suffered enough?"
"Haven't I despaired enough?"
"Why would you take away the last bit of light I had?"
"Why?!!!"
Lucien screamed until his throat felt like it was about to tear, tears streaming down his face, making him appear all the more pitiful.
He cried out for a long time, then sat in silence, head bowed, lost in thought.
Billy was frightened—he didn't dare speak, nor did he leave; he just stood there watching Lucien.
"No! I can't give up here." Lucien slowly stood up, blood vessels prominent in his eyes, making them appear red as blood.
"Selvia doesn't know the true face of that bastard Lathel, that's why she was deceived."
"I'll set her free, I'll rescue her from that disgusting hell."
"Even if she's no longer pure, I don't care. As long as she looks at me again, as long as she comes back to me, that's enough."
Lucien took a deep breath, his hands still clenched, blood still flowing, but now all the despair inside him was gone.
In its place, his eyes were filled with hatred, killing intent, and a determination as solid as a mountain, unshakable.
"Two weeks from now… Lathel, in two weeks I'll skin you alive, break every bone in your body, tear you to pieces."
Lucien spoke through gritted teeth, the sound so harsh it sent chills down Billy's spine even from nearby.
He took a long breath, then picked up his greatsword, mounted his horse, and rode off.
"Where… where are you going?" Billy hurriedly called.
Lucien pulled the reins to stop the horse, not looking back, only staring ahead as he answered, "I'm going into Blackskull Forest."
"What?!" Billy exclaimed in shock. "Damn it! Are you crazy? Don't tell me you're going to look for that thing?"
"That's right," Lucien replied, his voice indifferent.
"Oy! You should come to your senses—that's just a rumor, it's not real," Billy tried to reason with him.
But Lucien only smiled—a pained, empty smile. "As long as there's even the faintest glimmer of hope, I'll try."
With that, Lucien said no more, tugging the reins to urge his horse forward and ride away.
Billy watched Lucien's departing figure and could only sigh, mumbling, "Damn it! Make sure you come back!"
…
While Lucien was suffering in despair, Lathel and Selvia's situation was completely the opposite.
Kingdom of Terith, Royal Grand Hall.
At this moment, the entire Royal Palace was splendidly decorated.
Both sides of the path leading to the Grand Hall were lined with so many flowers it seemed as if the world itself had turned into a garden.
Inside the Grand Hall, everyone was witnessing a sacred moment.
Lathel and Selvia stood side by side in the center of the hall.
Lathel wore a traditional white Royal ceremonial outfit, with a white cloak embroidered with golden royal insignia draped over his shoulders.
At this moment, Lathel looked exceptionally handsome and masculine—like a statue sculpted by the world's greatest artisans.
Selvia wore a pure white wedding gown, her hands clutching a beautiful bouquet that seemed to glow with every color of the rainbow.
She was already stunningly beautiful, but with makeup she was even more radiant—like a treasure of the mortal realm.
Queen Catherine sat on her throne, her red hair cascading freely down her back, her face still breathtakingly beautiful.
She sat there in silence, yet the regal aura she exuded made everyone present tremble and bow their heads in awe.
In truth, Selvia's parents were present today as well. However, their status was only that of Barons—they knew they weren't qualified to sit as equals with the Queen.
So they chose to simply attend as spectators, sitting among the guest seats.
Catherine would serve as the sole officiant for this grand ceremony.
Selvia took Lathel's arm, slowly walking up the dais to face Catherine.
Catherine also stood, holding a gleaming sword that radiated a dazzling light.
"Lathel, do you agree to take Selvia as your wife?" Catherine asked, her voice full of authority and strength.
"I do," Lathel replied calmly.
Catherine then turned to Selvia and asked, "Selvia, do you agree to take Lathel as your husband?"
"I… I do." Selvia's answer came out a bit hesitant, her nerves showing.
"You're not being forced, are you?" Catherine suddenly teased.
Selvia blushed and quickly replied, "I am completely willing, Your Majesty."
"Good! You may exchange rings," Catherine said with a smile.
Lathel and Selvia turned to face each other, gazing into each other's eyes.
At that moment, Selvia's eyes were misty, as if she was about to cry—but these were tears of happiness.
She smiled with utter contentment, her lips trembling, yet she managed to say, "Thank you, Lathel. Thank you for accepting my feelings."
"Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought that one day I'd become your wife."
"Don't say that, I love you too, Selvia. Be my wife," Lathel replied, his voice so warm it nearly melted Selvia's heart.
"Uhm! I'll do my best."
Lathel chuckled, thinking how adorable she was. Do her best to be his wife?
He took out a ring, shining with radiant light, took Selvia's hand, and slipped it onto her delicate finger.
The moment the ring fit snugly on Selvia's finger, a notification from the System appeared before his eyes.
🔔 [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully married the Main Heroine – Selvia. The System is now activating.]