While a normal citizen of Dominion may view marriage as something precious to grasp and hold for the rest of one's life, nobility has distilled it to a game of pros and cons. Will this family strengthen mine? Will this family's reputation be good for business? What about money?
Such a sad reality. But being the disgrace of Lysvalen, my being a marriage candidate for any noble was a laughable idea. That was what I thought until a letter arrived with the Lysvalen family seal on it.
You are to marry the youngest daughter of the Caelthorn household, Serena. Rejoice, for even useless trash like you has benefitted our family somewhat.
Needless to say, I threw that paper in the fireplace and forgot about it.
Marriage? Seriously? I barely even have time to keep this place together! How do they expect me to fulfill my duties as both a husband and a lord? Give me a break.
As if to prove what I thought, this week had given me nothing but headaches.
"Another fight in the tavern?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, glaring at the guard who'd come to report the latest in a series of headaches. "Tell me, how many this time?"
"Five, milord," the guard said sheepishly. "Two adventurers and three locals. Looks like it started over a card game."
"Of course it did," I muttered. "Get the priests to patch them up. And tell the guild master I want those adventurers in the barracks tomorrow morning. Commander Thorne will whip them into shape to avoid this from happening again."
The guard saluted and hurried off, leaving me to return to the mountain of paperwork on my desk.
The adventurers' guild, the merchants' guild, even the holy guild—they all sent reports monthly, and this week, they'd all decided to come at once. Piled atop that were the tax amendments I was trying to draft. The previous lord had bled the people dry, taxing them so heavily that even basic necessities were a struggle. I couldn't just waive the taxes outright—Fort Nivara needed funds to survive—but finding a balance was proving to be an exercise in futility.
And then there was the aqueduct.
I'd spent hours reviewing the plans, trying to figure out how to make the project feasible with our limited resources and manpower. However, every time I thought I'd found a solution, another problem reared its head.
And speaking of problems, here came one in the form of a carriage rolling through town. From the window, I could see a sleek, ornate vehicle, its exterior polished to a shine that stood in stark contrast to the dust-covered streets of Nivara.
"Fuck, she actually showed up?" I muttered, rising from my seat.
Time to get this show on the road. It was customary for the lord of the territory to greet a noble personally when they show up at your door. Doubly so for someone you were engaged with. Thus, I gathered the meager servants I could spare and some soldiers who knew at least the basics of etiquette and awaited her arrival at the door.
Soon enough, the carriage came into view. It was fast. The horses that pulled it were from the Ragged Plains I believe. It was a breed best suitable for travelling through these lands. It seemed that the Caelthorns were as capable as they were knowledgeable.
When the carriage stopped, a footman stepped down first, opening the carriage door with a flourish. All eyes were on the figure inside, and I found myself straightening instinctively, trying to project the image of a capable lord—even if I didn't feel like one.
Serena Caelthorn.
The woman who stepped out of the carriage was striking—tall, poised, and dressed in flowing robes that marked her as a mage of the Dominion. Her long, dark hair shimmered in the sunlight, slightly covering her pointed ears, and her sharp green eyes scanned the courtyard with a mix of disdain and disappointment.
I knew who she was even before she spoke. A spoiled noble who was bested in politics and now had to spend her days in misery. At least, that was what I thought until our first conversation.
"Adrian Lysvalen, I presume?" Her voice was as cold as the mountain winds.
I nodded, stepping forward. "Lady Serena Caelthorn. Welcome to Fort Nivara."
Her gaze swept over me, taking in my plain clothes and the dirt smudged on my hands from inspecting the aqueduct site earlier. "What happened to you? You're a mess."
I resisted the urge to sigh. "Apologies, my lady. I've been busy all day with the affairs of the frontier that your arrival honestly slipped my mind."
She scoffed, but not the kind I expected. It was lighthearted, as if she was amused by my answer. "Frontier indeed. Banished to the edge of the Dominion and married off to a man who can't even organize a proper welcome. Truly, I must have angered the gods," she said without meaning a single word of it.
"Sarcasm. Didn't expect that from someone of your stature," I said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Were you expecting a proper lady, Lord Lysvalen? A failure such as yourself deserves an equally inadequate failure to be your companion, no? At least, that's what my family told me before they kicked me out."
Interesting. She said those words with such disdain that it made me wonder if I actually loved my family. I wanted to know more, but unfortunately, the frontier didn't stop just because your fiancée arrived.
After ordering the maids to attend to Serena's needs, I returned to my office. That was when another headache arrived.
"The adventurers that got injured in the tavern brawl really dropped the ball this time," Garth reported with a smile as he downed a glass of moonshine that he took from my cabinet. "They were supposed to take on the subjugation request for the great ape in the eastern woods. But now, they're too hurt to even move."
I groaned. "And I'm guessing there's no one else available?"
"Not unless you count the green recruits who'd get themselves killed," Garth replied.
The great ape was no ordinary beast. Towering over most men and possessing strength that could uproot trees, it had been terrorizing the outskirts of Nivara for weeks. So far, there were no casualties, but letting it roam unchecked for another day wasn't an option.
"Fine," I said, grabbing my gear. "I'll handle it."
Garth laughed. "That's the spirit, Milord!"
"Make sure to guard this place in my absence. Unlike before, we have a precious guest in the house."
Before he could respond, Serena's voice cut through the room. "You can't be serious."
I turned to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed and an incredulous look on her face.
"I'm sorry, Miss Caelthorn, but with all due respect, I don't recall asking for your opinion," I said.
She stepped forward, her expression equal parts frustration and disbelief. "Do you even know what you're dealing with? A great ape is a high-level monster. You'll be killed."
"I'll manage."
Her eyes narrowed. "Fine. If you're so determined to throw your life away, then at least take me with you. When you realize that you're biting off more than you can chew, I'll be there to save your ass."
I hesitated. She wasn't wrong—the ape is strong, and having a mage by my side could tip the scales. But I'll be putting her in danger if I bring her along.
I was about to suggest strongly that she stay behind, but I was immediately shut up by those piercing green eyes. The fires that were in them were not the foolish haughty kind I was used to growing up. When she said that she'd save my life if things went wrong, she meant every word of it.
"Fine," I said at last. "But stay out of my way."
---
It was late evening by the time we arrived. The sun casted its fading golden glow through the thick canopy of the Eastern Woods. It was eerily quiet as we approached the great ape's territory.
Serena, in contrast to her brave display in the manor, walked a few paces behind me, her gaze darting to every shadow as she clutched her staff tightly.
"This is madness," she muttered. "I can't believe I let you drag me into this."
"Funny," I said, letting a slight chuckle escape my lips. "I seem to recall you insisting on coming along."
She glared at me but said nothing.
The stroll took a bit, but we found the great ape. And boy it was more terrifying than the reports—it was a creature nearly twice my height, with muscles like iron and a roar that shook the ground. It spotted us immediately, its yellow eyes burning with primal rage.
Serena raised her staff, beginning to chant a spell, but I held up a hand to stop her.
"Wait."
"Wait? Are you insane?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I stepped forward, gripping the makeshift club I'd brought—a sturdy branch I'd picked up along the way.
"What are you doing?" Serena hissed. "You'll be killed!"
Ignoring her, I squared off against the beast. It charged, its massive fists swinging down like hammers.
I sidestepped at the last second, the ground trembling as its fists struck earth. Before it could recover, I brought the club down on its arm with all my strength.
The ape roared in pain, its movements momentarily slowed. I pressed the advantage, darting in and out of its reach, using the terrain to keep it off balance.
To anyone watching, it might have looked like madness—a man with no magic, armed only with a branch, taking on a monster that could crush him with a single blow. But to me, it was just another fight in the frontier.
Misha's teachings echoed in my mind as I moved. Use what you have. Turn the enemy's strength against them. Strike where it hurts. Repeat.
And that I did.
The fight lasted for mere minutes, but by the time the great ape finally fell, my muscles burned, and my breaths came in ragged gasps. But I was alive. And so was Serena, who stood frozen, staring at me as if I were some kind of ghost.
She was quiet during the entire walk home. It must have shocked her, seeing a monster like that. At worst, the Central Lands of the Dominion where she was from was home to mid-level monsters. I couldn't blame her for being shaken.
That was what I thought. However, her first words after the battle would prove my thoughts wrong once again.
"How?" she demanded once we were safely back in Nivara.
"How what?" I asked.
"How did you do that?" she said, her voice a mix of awe and frustration. "No mana, no magic, and yet you fought like... like..."
"Like someone who's spent his whole life training?" I offered.
She glared at me. "Don't be coy. If that were so, you would've been training for most of your life. And harsh training at that. Why would a noble have to go that far?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Because if I didn't, I wouldn't have survived my family."
Her eyes widened. I guess that triggered something in her, but I didn't press.
She didn't respond for a bit, clearly deep in thought about something. And then, she smiled.
"I'll help with the paperwork. You look like the dead," she said before disappearing into the manor.
I froze in place. This girl... I just can't get a read on her.