TSMMT Ch 4

The First Marriage

Dianna wore a blank expression. Guiscard dragged her into the blood-soaked palace of Panborough. Reality remained impossible to accept.

Even more unbelievable was this: ……

[Knight] "Your Majesty. We captured every member of the Panborough royal family."

Everyone addressed Guiscard as "Your Majesty." Even with her mind completely numb, she understood.

This man was the hidden prince who slaughtered the poison dragon, the Hero King of Lodbrog, who returned with his sword to claim the throne.

Until that moment, she held onto a foolish hope. Would the Guiscard she knew show her mercy? Would he at least take pity on her?

Disgustingly, she harbored such thoughts.

[Guiscard] "Is this man your fiancé?"

[Ferdinand] "Ah, sp-spare me!"

Before Dianna could speak, light flashed from Guiscard’s waist.

He drove his sword straight into the chest of the kneeling Ferdinand.

Dianna released a quiet scream, her lips trembling. She shared no real bond with her fiancé; in fact, she disliked him. Even so, no sane person would murder a man right before her eyes.

[Ferdinand] "Kuak, ugh, ah, aahhh!"

A fountain of blood gushed out alongside a strange scream. This marked the death of someone she once shared tea and conversation with in the palace.

Blood splattered across the cold white marble. Why did she have to witness this?

She looked up at Guiscard blankly. The corners of his mouth twisted upward.

[Guiscard] "Why? Are you sad?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "Look, My Lady. This is the prince you loved so much."

He laughed aloud, as if mocking her innocent childhood.

The bound king shouted something. Guiscard offered a cold smile.

[Guiscard] "King, do you feel resentful that your own nephew crushed your kingdom?"

[King] "……."

[Guiscard] "I never forgot for a single moment how you trampled me."

[King] "……."

[Guiscard] "So, just as you crushed me, I will destroy you completely."

He kicked the king's stomach. The king ground his teeth, his body curling like a shrimp. Guiscard smiled savagely. This was the end.

Dianna witnessed the exact moment of the kingdom's destruction. The end of the realm felt far more empty and pathetic than she expected.

She closed her eyes, looking at the dead Ferdinand. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

[Knight] "Your Majesty, we brought them."

Screams echoed from beyond the audience chamber. Dianna raised her head to look at the entrance as shouts reached her ears.

[Duke] "Sp-spare me!"

[Brother] "L-let go of me!"

The voices sounded familiar. Guiscard let out a low chuckle. Dianna turned her gaze toward them.

[Dianna] "Father, Brother!"

She finally realized exactly why she was here. Guiscard wanted her to see this.

Her fallen status, her ruin.

He opened the gates of hell for her.

---

[Dianna] "Please spare them."

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "Please spare them."

Strangely, guards didn't drag Dianna to the dungeon. Instead, guards heavily monitored the palace guest room where she stayed, where she had to listen to the announcement of her father's and brother's execution date.

She wanted to save them. She had to save them. When Guiscard visited her, Dianna knelt before him without a moment of hesitation.

It didn't matter that he was once an abused slave in her mansion, or that he used to occupy a status far below hers. They were family.

[Dianna] "Please spare them, Your Majesty."

She raised her head. Tears rolled from her silver-gray eyes. She completely discarded the shallow pride of a noble who once ruled over a slave boy.

[Guiscard] "The men of your house planned to abandon you and flee across the sea. They left you here as a shield."

She flinched.

[Guiscard] "Do you still ask to spare the lives of such people?"

[Dianna] "……Yes."

If that was how they chose to protect the family, she could understand. If they survived, if they remained alive, they could plan for the future. Furthermore, she had to care for her youngest sister, Alexa.

Guiscard let out a dry laugh. The boy who never used to smile properly now smirked quite often.

[Guiscard] "How amusing. The highborn lady kneels before a lowly slave."

He reached out and lifted her chin. Her tear-streaked face rose. Though time hardened Guiscard's sharp features, his eyes remained beautiful. They were the very eyes Dianna loved so much.

[Guiscard] "What will you give me if I spare them?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "What can a lady from a ruined noble house possibly offer?"

She bit her lip. Determination filled her eyes. The events in the audience chamber already made her realize that Guiscard would never show her kindness. She also understood that he kept her alive solely to avenge the humiliation he suffered as a slave.

If so, what could she give this man?

She stood up. She let the shawl on her shoulders drop to the floor. She wore a paper-thin chemise dress.

Moonlight poured over her, revealing her soft skin. The sheer fabric exposed her entire body. The sheer fabric showed her collarbones through the low neckline, her curves, her slender waist, and her thin legs.

He watched her with a hardened face. For a brief second, something flashed in his eyes and vanished.

[Dianna] "I will give you myself."

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "Please spare them. Save them."

Humiliation clouded her face. She would offer her purity, surrendering herself to this man tonight. As a noble, was this not her duty?

To save her family, she had to sacrifice her own body. Especially since this concerned her father and brother.

She knew the sheer absurdity of her request. Asking him to spare her treacherous family demanded an equal price.

She would sell her pride.

[Guiscard] "You are no different from a common whore."

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "Is the price for your body the lives of your family?"

He looked at her with absolute contempt.

[Guiscard] "Yes, you really are part of that family."

[Dianna] "……."

Shame and insult made her tremble. The metallic taste of blood spread across her bitten lips. She stared at him through her tears.

[Guiscard] "My Lady, are you misunderstanding something?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "Bodies like yours are everywhere. Yours holds no value."

[Dianna] "……."

Color drained from her face. Guiscard Lodbrog knew exactly how to destroy her dignity. He rejected the deal. He chose only to watch her fall.

The next day.

Executioners put her father and brother to death. They tortured the men for days, leaving the corpses horribly broken.

They were her family. They used to smile together. They used to share meals. They might have been monsters to others, but to her, they were angels. Though they occasionally caused her tears, they also patted her head and wished for her happiness above all else.

Now, they no longer exist in this world.

Whom should she blame?

She suppressed her rage. Naive though she was, she understood that she couldn't blame Guiscard.

Because she knew this, she pushed down her grief and awaited her own execution. Yet Guiscard had no intention of granting her death.

---

Dianna stared blankly. She wore a pure white dress. Snapping back to reality, her expression hardened as she trampled the bouquet in her hands.

Marriage?

Marriage?

Crazy bastard.

Crazy bastard!

Guiscard refused to grant her a peaceful death. While guards dragged her toward the Lodbrog Kingdom, Dianna learned of the impending marriage and attempted to escape, but failed. Her captors executed the knight who let her slip away, and her treatment grew even more miserable.

Upon her arrival, she fought back with everything she had, but her struggles accomplished nothing.

Finally, on the wedding day, attendants forced her into a bridal gown and adorned her while tying her down.

[Dianna] "Get out! I said get out!"

She shrieked. Of course, she always knew she could never marry for love; a noble lady married for her family. Yet she never expected such a cruel method. With nothing left to protect, captors mocked and trampled her remaining pride.

The maids frowned and exchanged glances.

The door slammed open.

[Guiscard] "I see no elegance or dignity here."

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "Leave us."

The maids left at the man's command. Dianna stood still, staring at the man who entered. It was Guiscard.

He watched her tear-filled eyes with indifference.

[Dianna] "Why? Why are you doing this?!"

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "You should have just made me a slave instead!"

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "Crazy bastard! You crazy bastard!"

He ground her teeth and screamed. Her venomous words failed to alter his expression. He merely studied her face and spoke.

[Guiscard] "Can you not behave quietly today?"

[Dianna] "Would you stay quiet if you were me?! How can you do this? How?!"

Marrying the enemy who murdered her family was entirely wrong. Avenging them through death made far more sense. How could he expect her to spend her life with him? This was an utterly hideous curse.

[Dianna] "The Pope attends royal weddings, does he not?"

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "I will tell the Pope exactly what you are doing to me!"

Bathed in sunlight, the adorned Dianna looked like an exquisitely beautiful bride. Yet her silver-gray eyes gleamed with pure hatred—hatred for the man about to become her husband.

His purple eyes watched her coldly, and then he raised his hand to clamp her mouth shut.

Agony flared through her jaw, as if it might break. Guiscard looked into her eyes and whispered.

[Guiscard] "Do whatever you want."

[Dianna] "……."

[Guiscard] "Because you are still going to marry the slave brat you despise."

He pulled an object from his coat. The moment Dianna realized what it was, she shook her head frantically.

[Guiscard] "Why? Didn't you just ask me to make you a slave? Wasn't that My Lady's wish?"

He chuckled. As the collar snapped around her neck, all strength drained from her body.

Dianna stared at him with tear-filled eyes.

Ah. This man's revenge hasn't even begun.

I see.

I am the target of his vengeance.

I must endure the same humiliation he suffered.

As always, she didn't reject his revenge. She simply accepted his desires, trembling violently.

Thus, the wedding ceremony commenced.

White petals drifted through the air during the beautiful ceremony.

Nobles and commoners alike gathered to witness the Hero King's marriage. Guests in the open venue observed the stunning bride and the powerfully built king.

Then, quiet laughter rippled through the crowd at the sight of the bride. A slave collar bound her neck.

This clever king used even his own wedding to flaunt his grand achievement. Having displayed his Panborough prize to everyone, the crowd began to look down on the humiliated bride.

---

Inside the decorated bridal chamber, Dianna stared blankly at the ceiling. Everyone mocked her and pointed fingers.

Did Guiscard endure this same torment?

She had always suffered watching the abuse Guiscard faced. She wanted to protect him. Yet she never possessed the authority to stop it.

His revenge was completely justified. Unfortunately, because she belonged to the family of oppressors, she had to accept this punishment.

This trait set Dianna apart from others. She could have chosen to be entirely selfish and narrow-minded, but she refused to yield to those traits. She separated her personal emotions from objective facts, maintaining a clear judgment.

This stemmed from the heavy responsibility thrust upon her at age twelve following her mother's death.

She knew from the beginning that she must separate emotion from reality. Therefore, she had to accept this ruined honor and deep shame.

Fortunately, Guiscard detested her body. They would never share a bed.

Immense suffering awaits me. This path leads straight to hell.

She sniffled, leaning blankly against the wall.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

No, it can't be.

She shook her head.

Clear, steady footsteps approached. Guiscard appeared where the candlelight flickered.

He looked completely different without his usual armor or heavy coats. He stood tall, possessing a massive, rock-solid frame.

---

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