Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: The Lord Who Exercises the Right of the First Night (2)
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On a warm and peaceful afternoon, a woman who had just received the blessings of the priests and villagers in a grand church shed tears of sorrow before everyone. Even in what should have been the happiest moment of her life, she couldn't muster a smile—instead, she sobbed openly. Yet no one there could bring themselves to blame her. They all understood her plight.
"With this, I conclude the wedding ceremony of the bride, Miss Rozina, and the groom, Agon."
-Thud
As the elderly priest bit his lip and forced out his final words, today's bride collapsed to the floor in her weeping. The realization that she now had to face the dreadful moment she dreaded even thinking about plunged her into despair.
"Rozina...! Are you okay...?"
The groom, tormented by self-loathing, rushed to support her as she fell. But upon seeing her face—where a smile should have been—he froze in place like a broken doll.
Her pure eyes, once brimming with innocence, were now stained with heartbreaking tears. Her smooth brown hair, like a sunset-kissed barley field, was disheveled, only emphasizing her tragedy.
"Rozina..."
To make matters worse, the elaborate outfit she had prepared just for today had already lost its beauty... The man could only bow his head in guilt.
-Bang!
-Thud, thud, thud
-Thud, thud, thud
But the harsh reality soon forced the man to lift his head again. Soldiers from the lord, waiting outside the church, had entered to take away the woman who was now his wife.
"Wait, hold on! Give us a moment! You don't have to take her right away like this!"
"Are you defying the lord? We're just following orders. Step back if you don't want to become a criminal."
"Damn it..."
He had wanted at least enough time for a farewell, so he spread his arms wide in front of her and shouted. But the soldiers' warning about becoming a criminal left him unable to mount any real resistance, and he had no choice but to hand over his wife.
"Rozina..."
"Agon... Sob, hngh... Agooon!"
In the end, on the very day of their wedding, before he could even spend their first night together with his beloved wife—to whom he had sworn eternal vows—the man lost his bride.
It was just a single day's parting... But that one day was undoubtedly a curse that both he and she would remember for the rest of their lives.
Rozina hated the lord of Freha. As a devout believer, she could never like a man who had publicly denounced the church. And with all the vicious rumors circulating in the city, it was only natural for Rozina—who had never even seen his face—to despise the lord of Freha.
-Rumble, rumble
Yet despite that... Rozina now had to board a carriage heading straight to his castle, to offer her first time to the very man she loathed—right after her wedding to the one she loved.
Ironically, it was all for Agon, who was now her husband.
'Rozina! We're done for... Done for! The whole trading caravan plan is ruined! With the northern forest opened up, everything's fallen apart...'
To cut to the chase... It all came down to money.
The sudden opening of the northern forest in Freha had created a direct trade route to Horn, rendering Agon's relay trade plan worthless. In the process, he'd racked up debts, the caravan venture collapsed, and in an instant, Agon became a debtor.
So, to save him and his caravan, they needed money. Not just a little—a substantial sum.
'There's a way, Agon...'
'No, I can't accept that. This is my problem. I'll handle my own debts.'
'No... Your caravan is the legacy of your late uncle who raised me like his own daughter...! So it's my problem too!'
'Even so... I can't send you to that man...'
'I'll be fine, Agon... It's for the man I love, so I'm sure the Goddess will forgive me...! So don't worry!'
And so, Rozina had changed her mind and resolved to marry in exchange for the compensation from the right of the first night. It was for Agon's father, who had cherished the orphan she once was like his own child, and for Agon himself, who had become more precious to her than anyone in the world.
'Goddess... Please forgive this transgression today...'
-Creak
-Thud
"Miss Rozina, we've arrived."
"...Understood."
After her final prayer to the Goddess, Rozina steeled her face and stepped into the lord's castle—an even grander and more imposing structure than the church where she had just been married.
Entering the castle, Rozina was surprised by the unexpectedly bright atmosphere of the mansion. Every servant she encountered wore a genuine, happy smile. Having imagined they must suffer daily under a tyrannical lord, she couldn't help but feel puzzled. They seemed proud of their work, which made no sense to her.
"Wow..."
"This is a gift from the master for you, Miss Rozina."
"Pardon? ...This is a gift? My goodness..."
But those doubts vanished the moment she was shown to her room. An elegant, refined dress awaited her, instantly capturing her attention.
"It's truly beautiful..."
The clothes she wore now were several times more expensive and pretty than her everyday wear, but compared to the dress before her, they were laughable. Overwhelmed by this lavish luxury she had never known, Rozina lost herself in it.
"Would you like to try it on now?"
"...May I?"
"Of course."
Not only that, but the sparkling accessories they called gifts to adorn her, and the sophisticated makeup that replaced her current look, introduced Rozina—for the first time in her life—to the joys of dressing up.
"Oh my... It's so..."
Seeing herself in the mirror, looking like a dignified noble lady despite her poor commoner roots, Rozina felt her heart race with the thrill of a girl discovering her first love.
"You look truly lovely. Just like today's bride."
"Ah...... Thank you..."
But realizing it was all ultimately for that lord, Rozina cursed herself for smiling and resented him for sending these unwanted gifts.
'If only I hadn't known... I wouldn't feel this depressed...'
Having awakened late to the feminine instincts she had ignored due to poverty, Rozina turned away dejectedly, knowing she could never enjoy such happiness again. Adapting to this would only make her lifetime of misfortune feel worse.
After changing and freshening up, Rozina was escorted once more—this time to the castle's dining hall. She was to meet the lord there for a feast, which made her feel like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. Why on earth did he want to dine together? Her already gloomy mood soured her stomach further.
Whether he sensed her feelings or not, the lord awaiting her threw his arms wide open in welcome as soon as he saw her.
"Kuhahaha! So you're Rozina? Truly stunning! More beautiful than any woman I've met! I can hardly believe you're a commoner. What luck today—what luck! Kuhahaha!"
'Ugh... That weird laugh...'
Rozina shrank back at the lord's boisterous laughter and odd noises.
Yet he wasn't as frightening as she'd imagined. Unlike the city rumors, his appearance was quite attractive, dulling her resistance.
They'd said he looked like an orc, uglier than a goblin, or troll-sized with no brains—rumors all agreeing he was hideous. So Rozina had braced for something monstrous.
But the lord she met was jovial rather than vile, cheerful rather than savage. Far from ugly, he was a sturdy man with a rugged charm, perfectly suiting his noble status. It was enough to inspire a measure of favor.
"Kuhaha! Welcome to my castle!"
But Rozina quickly remembered that this man had revived the barbaric custom of the right of the first night. Cursing him inwardly, she thought: Don't judge by appearances... Despite his looks, this coward who pulled such a despicable stunt was utterly loathsome to her.