Not the Bridal Chamber, But the Interview Room
"C-cold...."
In the carriage heading toward the empire's northernmost territory, the Wintervalt Grand Duchy, Fourth Imperial Princess Eleanor von Waldemar huddled her trembling body and wrapped herself in a thick fur coat. But the northern blade-wind sneaking through the carriage cracks pierced even the finest wolf pelt, chilling her to the bone.
"Sob sob, Your Highness.... What are we to do? How could His Majesty send you to such a dreadful frontier?"
Her exclusive maid, Marie, sat across from her, wiping endless tears and sniffling.
Eleanor forced a faint smile and patted Marie's hand. "Don't cry, Marie. This is a duty I must bear as an imperial princess."
She said that, but inside, Eleanor's heart was burning black with despair.
Illegitimate child. Outcast. The imperial family's shame. Those labels had trailed her like a tail her whole life.
To escape the scorn of the imperial social circles and the bullying of her half-siblings, she'd fled to the imperial academy library. The library was a quiet place where silence was enforced. For someone treated like an invisible ghost everywhere else, it was the only sanctuary where everyone was equally silent.
She'd studied like a madwoman through her school years, earning top honors upon graduation. But instead of her family's recognition, she'd been handed a political marriage to the north's 'Monster Duke.'
The north wanted abundant supply support, and the emperor planned to settle that debt with one illegitimate daughter.
In such circumstances, there was no way she'd be treated well once she arrived.
'Kailan Wintervalt.'
Eleanor repeated her fiancé's name in her mind.
A merciless killer with no blood or tears. A northern barbarian who devoured human flesh and drank from goblets made of enemies' skulls. A Swordmaster even the emperor feared to touch hastily. At least, that's what the rumors said about Kailan.
'What if he takes out his anger at the imperial family on me? I might end up locked in a dark tower without sunlight, whipped every day....'
As her imagination ran wild with terror, the carriage came to a heavy stop with a groan.
Screeech!
"We've arrived, Your Highness!" Marie cried out, pale as a ghost.
As the carriage door opened, the sight that greeted them was knights in black iron armor lined up amid a fierce blizzard.
'It's spring, but the weather's like this...'
A suffocating killing intent made her body tremble. Their eyes were nothing like the flashy, mild-mannered knights of the capital. It was as if they'd just returned from slaughtering monsters, the metallic tang of blood wafting from them.
In the midst of the knights stood a man of overwhelming build, a black wolf pelt draped over his shoulders.
'Black hair, tall stature... That's the man who's to be my husband....'
As Eleanor descended the carriage, she stared at Kailan, momentarily entranced. She'd imagined a savage bandit covered in scars and shaggy fur.
But Kailan was more handsome than any noble youth she'd ever seen. Hair black as the northern night sky melted down, features sculpted with an artist's devotion, and piercing blue eyes that could freeze a heart. The only flaws were the dark circles under his eyes and the deep furrows between his brows.
'He must be furious at me! The outcast imperial princess from the capital kept the Northern Duke waiting...!'
As Eleanor trembled like an aspen leaf, clutching her skirt to curtsy—
Thud, thud.
Kailan strode forward with his long legs.
Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut reflexively, bracing for a slap.
"Are you Eleanor von Waldemar, the imperial princess?"
"Y-yes! That is I. I greet you, Your Grace..."
"Did you bring your top honors diploma?"
This was more unexpected than a slap across the face.
"......Pardon?"
Eleanor let out a dumb sound, blinking in confusion. Not the imperial marriage vow stamped with the crest, not a personal letter from His Majesty—but asking for her academy diploma?
At her dazed reaction, the furrows on Kailan's brow deepened.
"Follow me. We haven't time."
Kailan abruptly seized her slender wrist and marched into the castle.
"Eek!"
A short scream escaped Eleanor's lips. The surrounding knights and servants gaped.
Their curt, woman-hating lord was dragging a princess he'd just met by the wrist!
"Oh my goodness!"
"Our lord has finally awakened to his manly instincts!"
"Dragging her in so urgently—does this mean straight to the bridal chamber in broad daylight?!"
The servants' excited whispers reached Eleanor's ears crystal clear. Her pale cheeks flushed apple-red.
'Broad daylight? No words exchanged on our first meeting, straight to the bedroom? The beast rumors are true!'
Tears welled in her eyes, but overpowered by Kailan's strength and charisma, she couldn't resist and was dragged along.
Once inside the castle, Kailan ignored lavish reception rooms and dining halls, heading straight to the innermost heavy oak door.
Bang—!
He flung it open and pulled Eleanor inside, locking it firmly behind them so no one could enter.
"......!!"
Eleanor despaired at the door sealing shut behind her. A sealed chamber. No one outside to save her.
"Y-Your Grace. We haven't even held the ceremony yet... Consummation defies imperial custom... Kyaa!"
Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut, hands clasped over her chest in defense.
But what was thrust at her wasn't a beastly man's lips, but a massive stack of papers.
Thud.
"......?"
Eleanor cautiously peeked as she took it. This wasn't a bridal chamber with a grand bed.
It was a massive office reeking of ink and dust, piled high with documents and ledgers on all sides. Two desks faced each other in the center, and Kailan plopped into the opposite chair, crossing his arms. No trace of romance—just a drab office workspace.
Defense Force Ledger: 3rd Quarter Supplies Distribution and Maintenance Settlement
"Imperial customs hold no sway in the north."
Kailan said coldly.
"W-why did you bring me here, Your Grace...?"
"Princess. I was curious about your abilities. Whether that 'top honors' title is mere decoration."
Eleanor was bewildered by the sudden turn. She'd braced for demands to undress, not to prove her skills? Was this an excuse to send her back to the capital?
"Open the ledger."
At Kailan's command, Eleanor checked the volume she'd been handed.
"Page 74, bottom settlement details."
With trembling hands, she flipped through.
"Find the errors in that entry and explain. You have five minutes."
Kailan propped his chin, observing her sharply.
In truth, this ledger was one of the double books he'd personally dissected to uncover how the territory's supply officers were embezzling funds.
'Wonder if book-learning holds up in this rotten real-world mess.'
After a brief fluster, Eleanor dove into the numbers.
"......Time's up. Find anything odd?"
Kailan asked. Eleanor slammed the ledger shut and looked up. The trembling girl was gone.
"Your Grace, this ledger... is garbage."
"Ho?"
Kailan's lip twitched upward. Garbage. Spot on.
Eleanor continued crisply.
"Magic stone import unit prices are set 30% higher than capital market rates. Unacceptable even accounting for northern transport costs. Worse is the 'weapon repairs' below. The prior pages' knight dispatches show only one major subjugation this quarter, yet repair claims are identical monthly—at maximum limits."
She took a breath and drove the nail home.
"Supply officers colluding with external merchants to inflate stone prices and fabricate repairs to siphon funds. Clear embezzlement. Per Imperial Tax Code Chapter 4, Article 12, seize assets and interrogate immediately. A thousand gold monthly for three years—with interest, over 40,000 gold."
Imperial Tax Code, Chapter 4, Article 12
A heavy silence blanketed the room.
Kailan stared blankly at Eleanor. His heart pounded like he'd met his first love.
'Such a law exists!? 40,000 gold covers a month's deficit with change!'
Not even months into possession, Kailan had no clue about such laws.
He shot to his feet and strode toward her.
Eleanor flinched as Kailan approached, fearing her boldness had offended him.
'Idiot! Acting smart in front of the Monster Duke! He'll behead me now!'
As she squeezed her eyes shut, Kailan gripped her shoulders—strong hands no woman could resist.
"Eleanor."
He called her name for the first time.
"Y-yes...?"
Kailan stared into her eyes, whispering earnestly.
"Stay by my side."
"......Pardon?!"
"Your brilliance, your beautiful calculations—they've captivated me. My loyal retainers fight well but can't read numbers. Those who can were busy with corruption... Wintervalt desperately needs a mistress like you."
Eleanor's mind went blank.
'Beautiful? Captivated? Stay by his side...?!'
A straightforward confession she'd never heard in her life—from the north's pitiless ruler, no less. From a magnetically charismatic man.
Her heart raced wildly.
As the princess dazed, Kailan slipped a ring from his bosom onto her finger.
"This is my sincerity toward you."
Eleanor gazed at the diamond ring with trembling eyes. Diamonds symbolized eternal love and devotion.
"Henceforth, you are the Northern Duke's wife. That ring is proof, and I swear by my name as Duke of Wintervalt to let nothing threaten you."
'Ahh...!'
Eleanor gasped. The unwanted bastard was being vowed protection by the north's fierce lord.
Tears of emotion welled—
"Well, that's enough for love's vows. As finance officer, time for your first task, Princess."
"Pardon...? W-what task...?"
Kailan dramatically hugged his shoulders, shivering as if cold.
"Room's chilly, no? Fire magic stone prices are skyrocketing; heating budget's short."
He eyed her shamelessly.
"Heard you have Solar Mana. Room's cold—mind heating it with your magic?"
"......!!"
Eleanor's shoulders stiffened.
She'd once incinerated her room with Solar Mana—during a mana surge from stress-induced persecution. Thereafter, the court mocked it as 'proof of cursed blood.'
Since then, she'd suppressed it her whole life.
Yet Kailan casually demanded her most shameful, feared power—like asking to turn on the boiler.
"Y-Your Grace... This power is hard to control, a wild flame everyone shuns as cursed. It might hurt you..."
"Curse?"
Kailan scoffed.
"It makes warm fire. How's that cursed? In the north, heat is life and blessing. Ignore others' stares—unleash your power freely."
Mere penny-pinching from a near-bankrupt lord, but to Eleanor, it rang differently. No one had ever valued her as she was.
'His Grace embraces even my cursed mana with love. He sees the real me...!'
Tears streaming, Eleanor flung open her long-sealed mana circuits.
Whoosh!
The icy room warmed instantly like a midsummer beach. Servants' excited clamor outside suggested the whole castle was heated.
"Splendid. Perfect. Saves a few gold on castle heating. Heh."
"Th-thank you, Your Grace..."
As shyly smiling Eleanor wiped tears, Kailan pointed to the mountain of documents.
"Now the room's warm—let's start work proper."
"Yes! Leave it to me!"
But the princess's sparkling eyes, bright as late-night snacks... were dead by overtime's start.