The wedding day arrived without fail, and the atmosphere in the waiting rooms on both sides was quite different.

In the bride’s waiting room, Lady Ravioli could not hide her smile as she received her final preparations.

Count Whistleton approached her and spewed out his anger.

“You’re smiling? Do you know how much trouble I’m having because of what you did!”

Ravioli silently bowed her head as usual.

Seeing this, Whistleton clicked his tongue and recalled that day.

On the day Ravioli announced her marriage to Tikan, Whistleton immediately went to see Diarob.

“I never thought Ravioli would do such a thing. I’m sorry.”

Whistleton bent his waist so low that his forehead almost touched the ground, begging Diarob for his life.

“Please forgive me just this once.”

“Is there any reason to show mercy to a useless dog?”

Whistleton felt insulted by Diarob’s fishy appearance, but he held onto him until the end.

“Tikan, I will eliminate that bastard so he doesn’t do anything to displease Your Grace the Duke.”

Diarob gave him one last chance.

“I’ll be watching.”

“I will certainly prove my worth.”

Whistleton shuddered as he recalled that day.

Blinded by his desire for a central government position, Whistleton wrote a note pledging loyalty to Diarob with his own hand.

Now that note was choking his neck.

It was clear that if he caused even the slightest discomfort to Diarob, the bastard would undo the magic on the note.

If that happened, it would be revealed that he was the mastermind behind this entire charade.

‘If that happens, I, who was trying to put Tikan on the execution platform…’

Whistleton recalled the face of the fierce Emperor, Casius Wolfdor.

He was a man who went berserk like a madman for anything related to a woman named Rachel.

Wasn’t Tikan clearly the blood of that dead woman?

He would surely be executed. And in the most painful way in this world.

As he left the waiting room, Whistleton made up his mind.

He would somehow kill Tikan and survive.

*

On the other hand, the groom’s waiting room was as quiet as a mouse.

Led by Duke Bashubir, several nobles from the imperial faction had come and gone, but none of them had seen Tikan.

Tikan sat alone, not receiving any visitors, staring blankly into space.

After all, once this wedding was over, he would not be able to protect his lord.

The oath he had made before his lord long ago flashed through Tikan’s mind.

That vow to live for his lord and protect him for life would now scatter like useless fragments of light.

Not only that. He would forever remain a stain and disgrace to his lord.

To be involved in such a shameful thing as a knight.

People are not interested in the truth. They are only interested in the results.

A heavy sense of guilt enveloped his entire body.

For a long time after that, Tikan remained deep in thought, repeating and repeating his decision.

‘Is this the best choice.’

After long deliberation, Tikan finally came to one conclusion.

A bell ringer soon entered the waiting room to announce the start of the ceremony.

He stood up with a face that looked like it might disappear at any moment.

*

The wedding proceeded exactly at the scheduled time.

Lady Ravioli, standing in her white dress, was like radiant sunshine.

In contrast, Tikan beside her looked like a grim reaper from the underworld with his ashen face and black suit.

People briefly recalled Casius and Vivian’s wedding at the sight of this incongruous image, but quickly erased it from their thoughts.

It was as the officiant took his place.

Those whose attention had been stolen by the appearance of the bride and groom began to murmur about Elder Siron’s absence as the ceremony was about to begin.

“Why hasn’t Elder Siron arrived yet?”

“Surely he’s not going to stay away until the end, is he?”

*

At that moment.

As per Tikan’s request, Siron had not moved a step from the Rosemary mansion.

“I would prefer if you did not attend the wedding.”

Siron fully understood his son’s intentions.

Given his son’s personality, he probably didn’t want him to see this dishonorable wedding.

His son still had no strength, but it was fortunate nonetheless.

At least Tikan was alive… and had avoided execution.

However, while the worst had been avoided, in reality, the heavens were only indifferent.

Not content with taking his daughter, now his son had to bear this dishonorable label for life.

His heart felt heavy, and even looking up at the sky, he felt stifled as if his insides were completely blocked.

As he headed to the garden to clear his thoughts, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His gaze stopped at the place where his son always left his sword.

But the sword that should have been there was nowhere to be seen.

‘He wouldn’t have taken the sword to the wedding…’

A chilling thought crossed Siron’s mind.

He hurriedly made his way to Tikan’s room.

Very occasionally, Tikan would carry his sword like his own body and leave it in his room.

But.

What entered Siron’s view as he flung open the door was not a sword, but a letter.

Letters pressed firmly showed through the back of the paper placed neatly on the table.

Feeling a chill, he unfolded it without even a moment to collect himself.

Siron’s eyes trembled aimlessly as he saw the contents within.

‘It can’t be…’

After reading the contents over and over again, he stared blankly into space and dropped the paper with a thud.

On it were words written in Tikan’s neat handwriting.

Rather than living with dishonor, I wish to prove my innocence by disappearing beautifully.

My life has always been filled with happiness.

Thank you for raising me.]

*

Tikan quietly gazed at the beautiful virgin road where flower petals were fluttering.

He had not entered this place with any thought of marriage.

Even less had he chosen marriage in order to live.

In any case, carrying such dishonor, he would not be able to properly stand by his lord’s side.

All he could sustain was a dishonorable life.

Since becoming a knight, Tikan had never once committed a dishonorable act.

For a knight, honor was everything, and the only moment one could bear dishonor was for the sake of the lord’s life.

But like this… to end life in this way.

Tikan mocked it all.

If he could not prove his innocence by law, the only way left was to prove it with his sword at the end.

At the end of today’s virgin road, much blood would be spilled.

Count Whistleton. Lady Ravioli.

And… Diarob, who was clearly behind all of this.

Of course, the end would be miserable, and his own blood would also be shed on this sword.

However, if that end could be honorable, cutting off this tenacious life with his own sword would be the best choice.

As formal phrases were recited and words of blessing for the couple’s marriage continued, the chief justice soon took that place.

Now only the approval of the marriage remained.

Tikan prayed to the Wolf God seated far at the end of the virgin road.

‘Please let me end this properly.’

Casius’s gaze beside him pierced through Tikan.

Looking into Tikan’s eyes, he instinctively sensed his choice.

He could not fail to recognize the look in the eyes of the guard who had been with him without fail from childhood until now.

To Casius, since becoming the crown prince, Tikan had been his only companion and friend, and the brother of his beloved.

And now he had become the brother of a lost lover.

He had visited Tikan yesterday wanting to protect at least that much.

Because if he lost Tikan too, he would not have the face to find Rachel.

Because he would not have the face to see Rachel again.

And above all… he did not want to lose Tikan.

He could not do so over something like this.

However, he also could not force Tikan to live a life bearing false accusations.

Casius quietly closed his eyes.

In an instant, Tikan’s hand stretched towards the platform.

The sound of a sword being drawn rang harshly through the beautiful space.

Tikan immediately pointed the drawn sword at Count Whistleton’s neck.

Startled by the cold sensation of the blade, the count fell backwards, shouting.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

Tikan’s sharp eyes pierced through the count.

In an instant, the space became chaotic.

The nobles near Count Whistleton all quickly fled as if escaping, and the remaining people also stepped back far away, murmuring.

“Count Whistleton even saved his life, what is this behavior!”

“That’s right. Why is Elder Tikan causing such a disturbance…”

Those who had turned pale trembled as they exchanged various comments.

But no one stepped forward to stop Elder Tikan.

Tikan’s low voice rang coldly over the quiet space.

“Who is the mastermind who made you do this!”

“What do you mean, who’s the mastermind? Elder Tikan. Wh-why are you doing this? First, put down that sword…”

“Shut up! I’ll ask one last time. Who is the mastermind?”

A tense sensation instantly filled the space.

Count Whistleton’s gaze slowly turned and stopped at a certain place.

The spectators could not clearly see this, but it was clear to Tikan’s eyes.

Count Whistleton’s gaze had clearly stopped on Duke Diarob.

‘So it was that bastard after all.’

Tikan’s resolve quickly hardened.

His sword was raised, and the brilliant light of the chandelier flickered across the blade.