NLBM CH 01

Chapter 1

“Investigate the House of Seldian.”

Bring back signs of rebellion.

That was the meaning behind the emperor’s secret order.

When the emperor finished speaking, Cassian dropped to one knee in respect.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As the emperor’s loyal sword, he moved at once.

By coincidence, today was the day the young lady of House Seldian was to marry Viscount Hetus.

There was suspicion that the wedding might be used to exchange silent signals. Thinking this, Cassian hurried his horse forward.

But then—

“Ugh!”

The moment they arrived at the western forest, Cassian and the knights frowned.

Blood was everywhere.

People and horses alike were drenched in it.

The scene was so horrific that there wasn’t a single intact body to be found.

“Are they all dead?”

Cassian muttered quietly, stunned by the unexpected sight.

“Sir, there’s a survivor here!”

One of the knights had found a collapsed woman.

“This person is…”

It was a familiar face.

They had seen each other before, though they had never spoken.

Evelyn Seldian.

The younger sister of the current Duke of Seldian, known in high society as the Emerald of the North.

Beautiful as a jewel and raised in wealth, she was often called the Queen of the North.

As if proving that nickname, her long green hair flowed like it held the morning dew.

Her skin, white as finely ground sugar, looked even paler than usual.

Though she appeared exhausted, her stunning beauty could not be hidden.

There were wounds here and there, but they only added to her fragile appearance.

A bride in a pure white dress, attacked on her way to meet her groom.

Had she made many enemies?

While Cassian was lost in thought, Evelyn’s eyelids twitched.

At her faint groan, Cassian quickly supported her upper body with his arm.

As their distance closed, a floral scent brushed past his nose.

For a split second, his expression hardened. But he quickly composed himself and checked her condition.

Frowning as if trapped in a nightmare, Evelyn breathed shallowly before slowly opening her eyes.

And then—

“Bastard.”

With that one word, she lost consciousness again.

…

Silence fell.

Cassian’s face stiffened, and the knights were at a loss for words.

The emperor’s hound.

That was what people in the North called Cassian to mock him.

But not just a hound—she had called him a bastard.

“Should I just throw her away?”

His arm tightened around Evelyn, as if he might drop her at any moment.

Fortunately, that did not happen.

“You mustn’t! No matter what, she’s still a lady!”

A brown-haired man who had just arrived at the scene hurried to stop him. It was Hans, Cassian’s aide.

“You expect me to show chivalry to a lady who just called me a bastard?”

“We don’t know yet… She might be helpful to the investigation.”

Investigate the House of Seldian.

At Hans’s words, the emperor’s order flashed through Cassian’s mind. He frowned.

Having no real argument against that, Cassian clicked his tongue and reluctantly picked Evelyn up.

“What a troublesome woman.”

***

I transmigrated. Into a romance fantasy novel.

The problem is, I have no idea which one.

Don’t call me an idiot.

It’s embarrassing enough as it is.

In my defense, I’ve read so many romance fantasy novels that I can’t remember.

Fine, I’ll admit it—I skimmed most of them.

Anyway.

To explain my situation, I was driving because my boss kept nagging me at my internship, when a speeding truck hit me head-on and sent me straight to the afterlife.

“Huh?”

I was sure I had died, but when I opened my eyes, I had become a beautiful woman in a white dress.

“My lady, which earrings would you like? Since it’s your wedding, shall we bring the diamonds?”

“You’ll be having the ceremony at the temple, so sapphire accents would be lovely!”

The woman in the mirror was truly beautiful.

If a summer spirit took human form, she would look like this.

She had the kind of face you would believe belonged to the heroine.

I was admiring my reflection when—

“They’re about to arrive!”

“There’s no time, miss!”

“We have to hurry!”

The maids who were helping me dress grabbed my hands the moment they heard a knight’s words and rushed me outside.

I followed them in confusion, only to find the surroundings strangely empty.

“Why is there no one around?”

“Well, you said you wanted to go separately, miss!”

“I did?”

“Yes. We don’t have time for this! Please get in!”

The maids shoved me into the carriage without explanation.

Before I could ask anything, the coachman whipped the horses forward.

Knights in armor escorted the carriage, exchanging tense words I couldn’t make out.

Only after twenty minutes did the carriage slow down.

What is going on?

Aren’t we supposed to be going to meet the groom?

Why does it feel like we’re being chased?

This should be a happy moment, but something felt strange.

The maids sitting across from me kept peeking out the window.

“Do you think we lost them?”

“I think so. Miss, there’s a rest stop just a little further.”

“Mm. But who did we lose?”

“Of course them! You’re acting very strange today, miss.”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Suspicious eyes turned toward me, so I gave an awkward smile and avoided their gazes.

“…Maybe I’m just tired.”

It would help if I knew anything, but strangely, I have no memories of this body’s owner.

I let out a deep sigh.

“Miss! Are you sick?”

“Should we stop for a moment?”

The maids fidgeted anxiously.

“I’m fine. How much longer until the temple?”

“About two more hours.”

“Shall we tell the coachman to stop?”

“No. By the way, my groom is—”

“Ah, Visco—”

Bang!

“Ugh!”

“Miss, are you alright?”

“What’s happening?!”

The carriage suddenly shook violently.

I lost my balance and hit my shoulder against the wall.

“Assassins!”

“Protect the young lady!”

Urgent shouts rang out from outside.

When I looked through the window, masked assassins were attacking the knights.

The knights tried to defend the carriage, but they fell one by one under the ruthless blades.

The maids grabbed my hands and pulled me out of the carriage.

We tried to run far away from the assassins, but—

“Found her! The young lady is here!”

A cold blade touched my neck.

Am I really going to die?

It’s unfair enough that I transmigrated into a novel I can’t even remember, but dying less than three hours after arriving?

“Wait! Let me go! Let me go!”

I tried to escape, panic finally hitting me, but it was useless.

The assassins who had killed the maids put heavy iron restraints on my wrists and pointed their swords at me.

“This is the end.”

Just as death loomed before me—

Boom!

An unknown light wrapped around my body, and a massive explosion erupted.