Kael, sitting in front of his mirror, absentmindedly adjusted the collar of his shirt. Today was an important day: he was officially welcoming Sélène Magenta as his concubine. The idea itself didn't particularly excite him. He had never been the type to collect women like trophies, unlike some nobles of the Empire. But an alliance with the Magenta family was significant, especially given the current situation.
As he finished buttoning his outfit, a familiar notification appeared before him.
[New protagonist detected]
[Conquer the heart of the protagonist "Sélène Magenta"]
[Reward: ???]
[Failure consequence: Death]
Kael blinked.
"Huh?"
He reread the screen, then rubbed his face with his hands.
"No, no… Wait. What do you mean, death?"
The system provided no further explanation. It simply hovered before him, like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
"But why do I have to seduce her? Isn't this already settled? She's going to be my concubine, isn't she?"
The system remained silent.
Kael let out a deep sigh.
"Great… So if she doesn't fall in love with me, I die. What kind of ridiculous script is this?"
He might have accepted a quest like "protect Sélène" or "avoid a war with the Magenta family," but this? This was literally a matter of life and death? What if she hated him at first sight? What if he made a mistake? He had never had trouble with women before, but he had also never had to "conquer a heart" under the threat of execution by fate.
Running a hand through his hair, he looked exasperated.
"I'm going to die because of a forced romance. Unbelievable."
At that moment, a servant gently knocked on the door.
"Lord Kael, the Magenta family has arrived."
Kael exhaled slowly and straightened up.
"Here we go…"
Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and stepped out of the room, repeating a single thought in his head: Do not die.
Kael entered the guest hall and waited. Shortly after, the door opened, revealing Sélène Magenta accompanied by her mother.
As soon as their eyes met, a cold shiver ran down Kael's spine. Sélène was staring at him with an irritated expression, a glint of defiance in her eyes. Her gaze alone was enough to make him break into a cold sweat, but he forced himself to remain composed.
Wasting no time, he activated his Perception skill on her.
[Sélène Magenta]
[Protagonist]
[Potential: 197]
[Six-Star Knight]
[State: Sad and Desperate]
[Thought: I want to be free, to live my life the way I choose.]
Kael's eyes widened at her potential. 197. That was an absurd number. Compared to Dorn, who only had 88, the difference was staggering.
But more than her potential, it was her state that struck him. Sad and desperate.
Kael now understood her situation. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want this marriage.
And now, he knew exactly what he had to offer her.
Because if he didn't… she would kill him without hesitation.
Freedom.
Kael lifted his gaze to her, his expression calm, as if he were deep in thought. Then, he gave a faint smile.
"Lady Sélène, it is an honor to meet you," he declared in a composed voice.
Sélène bowed slightly, but her expression remained cold.
Kael studied her face, reading her as if she were an open book. Her resentment was palpable.
Then, in a serious tone, he asked a question that made everyone in the room freeze.
"Why does she look like a bird in a cage?"
Sélène's eyes widened for a moment, surprised by his words.
Kael, in his mind, knew he had found the key.
She lowered her gaze, her voice carrying a trace of exhaustion.
"Perhaps because that's exactly what I am."
Kael pretended to ponder her words, but in his mind, only one thought echoed:
I've won.
Kael and Sélène walked slowly through the garden of the Draven manor. Night was falling, enveloping the surroundings in a dark veil punctuated by the soft glow of magical lanterns hanging from the stone walls. The air was cool, carrying the scent of roses blooming despite the approaching winter.
But between them, the silence was far colder.
Kael kept his hands behind his back, maintaining a relaxed posture, though his mind was racing. Sélène, on the other hand, walked beside him with measured steps, her gaze fixed straight ahead. She didn't seem like she wanted to flee, but she also didn't appear to fully accept the situation.
Finally, she was the one to break the silence.
"So? What's your plan?" she asked in a cold voice.
Kael turned his head slightly toward her.
"My plan?" he repeated.
"Yes. Don't play dumb. I'm not stupid, and I know you aren't either."
She stopped and turned to face him, staring directly into his eyes.
"You know very well that I didn't come here of my own free will. And you know I have no intention of being just another woman thrown into your collection. So, what's your game?"
Kael didn't respond immediately. He knew she was testing his limits. She wanted to see if he would answer honestly or give her a political response, like any noble would.
But Kael was not like the others.
He let out a quiet sigh and looked up at the starry sky before replying.
"I have no plan against you, Sélène. I don't want to force you into anything."
She raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"Really? Then why did you accept this arranged marriage?"
Kael let out a humorless laugh.
"Because I had no choice. Just like you."
Silence fell again, but this time, it was heavier.
Sélène furrowed her brows slightly, as if analyzing his words.
"You're a Draven, a holy knight, a powerful man. You expect me to believe that you, too, are a prisoner?"
Kael slowly nodded.
"Being powerful doesn't mean being free."
Sélène opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out.
He let her process his statement for a few moments before continuing.
"I grew up with expectations on my shoulders. Expectations I never chose. Titles, responsibilities, duties… all of it was imposed on me. I was told who I had to be, how I had to act, who I had to protect, and even who I had to love."
Kael paused, locking eyes with her.
"So yes, I'm in a cage too. Maybe a golden one, but a cage nonetheless."
Sélène averted her gaze, troubled.
"It's different… They want to sell me like a commodity."
"And they want me to be a king without a crown, a symbol for the empire. Not a man, just an image."
Kael gave her a sad smile.
"We're more alike than you think."
Sélène stared at him, hesitant. A part of her wanted to refute him. But another… another understood exactly what he meant.
She took a deep breath before murmuring.
"All my life, I've been told what to do. From the moment I first held a sword, I knew I wanted to fight. I wanted to become strong, to be recognized for my own achievements. But every time I won a battle, it was never 'my' victory. It was the Magenta family's victory. What I wanted never mattered."
She clenched her fists, her voice trembling with barely contained anger.
"I earned the right to be respected as a knight, yet all my family sees is an opportunity to sell me to the highest bidder. They never even cared to ask what I wanted."
Kael nodded.
"And what do you want?"
Sélène remained silent for a moment, as if she had never truly taken the time to ask herself that question.
Then, she exhaled shakily and answered, her voice filled with deep sincerity.
"I want to be free. I want to live on my own terms, make my own choices, not be a pawn in a political game. I want… to be myself."
Kael looked at her for a moment before smiling gently.
"Then I offer you my promise."
Sélène lifted her head, surprised.
Kael stopped walking and turned fully toward her. Under the lanterns' light, his eyes shone with absolute determination.
"After our engagement, I will grant you what no one else ever has: your freedom."
Sélène's eyes widened.
"…What?"
"You will be free to choose your path. If you want to stay here, you can. If you want to leave, you can. If you wish to fight, I will give you the means to become even stronger. I will not hold you back."
Sélène opened her mouth, then closed it.
She searched his face, looking for a lie, a trap. But she found none.
"Why…?" she whispered.
Kael smiled, a smile both gentle and tinged with a strange sadness.
"Because I, too, wish to be free."
A long silence stretched between them.
And for the first time in a long while, Sélène felt her heart tighten—
Not from anger.
Not from frustration.
But from something else entirely.
Maybe this Kael Draven…
Wasn't her jailer.
But her ally.