Chapter 1
Chapter 1. The Disaster Begins
Logan Arthur Cheswind.
The one and only heir of House Cheswind, one of the Empire’s great ducal families.
I first became aware of that boy when I was fifteen.
Strangely enough, Logan was always wherever I went.
Back then, I simply thought it was odd how similar our tastes were.
Whenever I became interested in a northern exploration project, Logan had already signed up first.
Whenever I finally managed to obtain a rare gemstone, it somehow ended up in his hands instead.
The same thing happened at the Imperial Exhibition.
Whether it was the seats with the best view or the banquet rooms I liked, everything I wanted always became Logan’s.
But our strange connection did not end there.
At the Academy, we were placed in the same class every single year.
Our rivalry continued there as well.
Whenever we took exams, first and second place constantly switched between us.
Whenever the Academy held competitions, we swept up all the prize money together, earning the complaints of our classmates.
At some point, beating Logan became my greatest obsession.
We had never exchanged a single word, yet he was always my rival.
The funny thing was…
Logan wasn’t interested in me at all.
How did I know?
During the Academy festival, we happened to be assigned to the same booth.
That was when Logan asked for my name for the very first time.
“What’s your name?”
“Eve Rania Everheart.”
“I’ve never heard that name before. Which class are you in?”
“…The same class as you.”
“…I see.”
He looked as though he hadn’t even known I existed.
That was how little interest he had in me.
Then one day…
Right before graduation, I suddenly took a leave of absence.
My family had collapsed overnight, and I had become penniless.
While my eldest brother was studying abroad in a neighboring country, my parents and my second brother disappeared without a trace.
In an instant, our family was buried beneath a mountain of debt.
To make matters worse, I couldn’t even contact my eldest brother.
Taking a short leave from the Academy wasn’t enough to solve any of this.
I didn’t even have time to grieve.
The amount of debt was simply too overwhelming.
In the end, I withdrew from the Academy, worked every part-time job I could find, and endured endless debt collectors.
Now…
I had reached the point where I was about to be sold off to an old man.
“You should consider yourself fortunate. Count Derby is looking for a young wife.”
The debt manager sitting across from me slowly set down his teacup.
“He may be rather old, but paying off your debt would be nothing to him.”
Rather old?
That was putting it lightly.
He was an old man with gray hair.
Unable to say anything, I stared quietly at the white moth brooch pinned to the debt manager’s chest.
I couldn’t exactly glare at him instead.
“Besides, he’s extremely wealthy. He may even be able to help locate the missing Count and Countess Everheart.”
I had no choice.
But I couldn’t simply accept this.
There had to be another way.
If I surrendered so easily, I wouldn’t be Eve Rania Everheart.
I took out my handkerchief and pretended to wipe away tears.
“Could you give me some time to think?”
The debt manager seemed uncomfortable and adjusted his glasses several times before nodding.
“I can’t give you very long.”
I had to find a solution.
But where was I supposed to get that kind of money?
Growing anxious, I hurried to stand.
As I tried to leave the café, my dress caught on something.
I stumbled.
The papers I had been carrying scattered across the floor.
Debt notices stamped with bright red seizure seals.
Pawn shop receipts.
And the Academy withdrawal application that I still hadn’t submitted.
I quickly knelt down and gathered everything.
“Nothing ever goes right.”
At a time like this…
Suddenly, a pair of polished shoes stopped in front of me.
A man bent over and picked up my withdrawal form.
“Thank you.”
I reached toward the paper while hurriedly thanking him.
Then…
“So this is why you disappeared.”
The unfamiliar voice made me look up.
My eyes widened.
He was tall.
His broad shoulders filled out his military uniform perfectly, and his body looked solid without a single weakness.
Beneath his dark black hair were cold crimson eyes.
But what surprised me even more than seeing Logan here was…
“You remember me?”
The fact that he knew who I was.
“Eve Rania Everheart.”
“I’ve watched you for far too many years not to know your name.”
“You didn’t even know my name before.”
“That…”
Logan hesitated.
His brows drew together.
He couldn’t answer.
Probably because it was true.
I sighed and pointed at his uniform.
“What’s with the military uniform?”
“I enlisted.”
“What about the Academy?”
“I don’t need to attend anymore.”
“Huh? Why?”
Once again, Logan didn’t answer.
Instead, his eyes briefly fell on the documents in my arms.
Then he glanced over my shoulder.
The debt manager was probably still sitting inside the café.
A moment later, Logan looked back at me.
“Eve.”
“Do you need money?”
“If you’re not offering to lend me some, that’s a pretty rude question.”
“I’ll help you.”
“In that case, you can be as rude as you like.”
Logan laughed.
“But I have one condition.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
“Marry me.”
“…Did you desert the army?”
This time, Logan burst into loud laughter.
Feeling the curious gazes of everyone around us, I grabbed his arm and pulled him outside.
“You shouldn’t joke like that with someone who’s desperate, Logan. It was nice seeing an old Academy classmate again. Take care.”
I took my withdrawal form from his hand and slipped it back into the envelope.
Just as I turned to leave…
“I’m not joking, Eve.”
Logan caught my arm.
“We can fall in love after we’re married. Of course I won’t force you to fulfill a husband’s and wife’s duties right away. All I need is your answer.”
He paused.
Then he emphasized his next words.
“If you agree, I’ll walk over to that debt manager right now and tell him I’ll pay every coin you owe.”
I was completely confused.
Why?
“This doesn’t make any sense.”
“Marrying someone buried in debt is your condition?”
“Which is more important?”
“Finding out why…”
“Or paying off your debt?”
The moment Logan finished speaking, someone came out of the café.
It was the debt manager.
“Oh. You’re still here.”
Recognizing Logan, the debt manager awkwardly removed his hat and bowed.
Watching the man walk farther away, Logan urged me again.
“Eve.”
“Give me your answer.”
Honestly…
There was no reason to refuse.
This deal only benefited me.
“I’ll do it!”
The instant I answered, Logan walked after the debt manager.
From a distance, I watched the two men begin talking.
What in the world is happening?
One week later.
“…With this, I officially declare this marriage registration legally complete.”
The final announcement was brief.
Scratch.
The pen moving across the paper came to a stop.
With that quiet sound, every procedure was finished.
On the very day I accepted his proposal, Logan announced our marriage in the newspapers.
Coincidentally, just like my own parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cheswind had disappeared several years earlier.
Logan had already inherited the title of Duke.
He didn’t need anyone’s permission.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Officially…
And legally…
I had become the wife of Duke Logan Arthur Cheswind.
Looking completely refreshed, Logan stood and held out his hand.
“Let’s go, Eve.”
“We have a lot to do from now on.”
He even looked a little excited.
Why?
As we left the Royal Marriage Registry with our marriage certificate, I looked at him.
“Logan.”
“Isn’t it about time you told me the reason?”
“What reason?”
“The reason you had to marry me.”
This guy hadn’t really deserted the army…
Had he?
“Oh.”
Logan stopped walking.
He stroked his chin as if thinking for a moment.
Then he shrugged.
“Because the world is going to end today.”
“…What?”
“This marriage certificate will become nothing more than a piece of paper anyway.”
“But I thought maybe doing this could change the future.”
For a moment…
I couldn’t find any words.
Then I quietly looked around before whispering near his ear.
“Are you okay?”
“This isn’t really because you wanted to desert the army, right?”
“You don’t believe me.”
“I understand.”
Logan smiled and started walking again.
The Royal Marriage Registry was located inside the courthouse.
The courthouse itself stood in the middle of the capital.
We left the building and walked down the stairs.
A steam-powered automobile from House Cheswind was waiting below.
“The ominous fog is a warning!”
“It is a warning from the heavens!”
“As greed grows thicker, so does the fog!”
“Protect the fishermen’s right to survive!”
“Protect them! Protect them!”
For some reason, the environmental protection group and fishermen from neighboring towns protesting with signs caught my attention.
“…Are those icicles?”
I looked toward the stair railing.
Long icicles hung from it.
Icicles…
In early spring?
Then something even stranger entered my sight.
Snow was falling.
“…Wait.”
Snow?
THIS IS THE END OF CHAPTER 1
