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“I will think about that if I’m refused,” Ilyin smiled while she held the blue cloth that was flapping in the wind. It was nearly time to go inside as the winds became stronger in the area as the day grew darker.

“Where did you get that?” Den was pointing at the cloth with narrowed eyes, and Ilyin wondered whether she should not have worn it. It seemed a rare item, if it had been common, everyone would have been wearing one.

“It was in the carriage I came in but I’m not sure who the owner of it is.” Den seemed irritated, and Ilyin guessed the answer and asked, “Is this from the Blue North?” She felt the cold wind blow as she took it off and thought that the man’s blue eyes shone even brighter in the wind.

“I see, but you don’t need to take it off just because I’m a Delrose,” Den commented as he lowered her hand.

She remembered now that he had been the one to tell her to take care of it. A Delrose knight called Den from afar.

“Leader!”

Ilyin stared at the two men who approached and she wondered if Den headed the knights here.

“I’ll be going now,” he said and he quickly walked away.

Ilyin saw that snow had piled up on her feet. They had been speaking for a while, but she had not felt the cold. She tilted her head and watched as his brawny body strolled away before she turned to go inside the mansion.

***

Den, also known as Aden de Biflten, thought things over as he turned around to leave. She had a mysterious scent about her.

Although he had asked her what she would do if the Duke refused to marry her, he had no intention of doing so and was going to refuse her since he thought she was from Blue North. He had never even spent a single night with any of the women the three families had sent to his bedroom.

“This is the end of my report.” Idith, the knight who had called him, bowed after handing it to him. Aden didn’t know why he remembered Ilyin being surprised when Idith had called him.

“Sir?” Idith said, noticing the Duke was lost in thought.

When no other families were present, Aden was the Duke in front of the Delrose knights because they did not avoid his eyes.

“Do you have anything to report regarding the Blue North?” Den asked, coming back to the present moment.

“Nothing new, but Lidan is here.” Aden narrowed his eyes at that news. “Should I search that lady?”

Aden raised a hand to stop him, “No, she is from the empire.”

“She is?” Idith had been surprised when he saw her clothes and the blue cloth, ‘Ataz,’ which brides of the Blue North wore through generations, showing their origins.

“There is a reason why Lidan is here.” The Blue North had been able to move fast because of Lidan, and Aden was irritated at their plan to lure Ilyin to their side. He frowned as he contemplated things after Idith left.

***

Aden knew of his new bride only a few days ago when Milo of the Red Delroses, who managed the Ecid merchant group, had contacted him. He had said he needed to tell Aden something face to face, and Milo spoke with Aden when he returned from war.

“Her name is Ilyin de Arlen,” Milo informed him.

Aden was surprised at Milo’s words, as he had thought no woman would agree to these preposterous conditions. Milo, who was known as Ecid in the empire to make transactions smoother and to remain silent about Biflten, gave Aden a letter. The sender was Ilyin de Arlen and seeing the letter surprised him.

“Someone answered that request?”

“Yes.”

The letter was short and the writing neat, ‘Hello, I am Ilyin of the Arlen family. I have sent this letter through Ecid as I do not know any other way. I read your letter and have acknowledged the conditions. If I have no reason to be refused, I will become your bride.’

“How did she know you were Ecid?”

Milo’s face was serious as Aden questioned him about whether there was a leak, “I don’t know. I have investigated the Arlen family, but there was nothing strange except that the Viscountess has a touch of madness and talks nonsense.”

Aden lowered his gaze to the letter again as that information did not help him much.

Normally, a letter would speak of the weather and something unnecessary about the cold. However, her letter went straight to the point, which Aden appreciated.

The Arlens had nothing notable about them, and the Viscountess’s illness was the only thing that stood out in the quiet estates. Since she was ill, Ilyin de Arlen had no way of entering society. Therefore, her face was not well known, and she had no portraits that showed her at her age.

Waist-long silver hair, deep violet eyes, and a thin frame. Aden only knew this much about her appearance, and if it were true, Biflten would welcome her as a bride. Her being well known or close to the Imperial family would complicate things. One thing stood out though, there were no informants involved.

Aden tapped the wooden desk with his forefinger, a habit he had when thinking. The Viscountess’s daughter had discovered the relationship between the Ecid group and Biflten without any informants, and she must have one of the three families or a high-ranking empire family behind her.

Aden looked down at the information Milo had given him and thought that the three families were irrelevant. The report was too clean, and a Biflten would recognize another.