Chapter 1 Two Wives?
The carriage raced through the forest path. After a night of rushing, flags could be faintly seen in the distance through the window—the temporary camp of the Dawn Knight Order, one of the southern expedition armies. But in the morning light, it looked more like a beast with bared fangs and claws waiting for prey to walk into its trap.
Anne sat in the carriage heading to the camp, praying she could arrive before the knight order broke camp. Her eyes swept over the letter in her hand, her face showing no emotion, though the paper was covered in wrinkles—clearly crumpled up by someone venting their anger before being smoothed out again.
Two evenings ago, she had finally received news that her husband Holden would be returning. This should have been happy news, after all, they hadn't seen each other in three years.
Anne's husband, Holden Titan, might only be the second son of the Titan family, but he commanded the Empire's Third Knight Order—the Dawn Knights—one of the Soth Empire's most elite forces with the power to dominate entire continents. His three-year campaign in the south was a direct order from the King himself, steadily expanding the Soth Empire's borders.
Now victory had been reported back—the small nations all the way to the southern coastline had surrendered, and Holden could return with his army, covered in glory.
Except now, Holden's glory had nothing to do with Anne anymore.
Even though going to war for the country was an honor for the entire family, it did mean the newlyweds had to separate on their wedding day. During those early days when their feelings were strongest, Holden would send letters home once a week, then later every two weeks, then monthly, then every six months.
This happiness only lasted about a year.
Anne remembered that Holden had stopped writing to her much two years ago, and for the last year and a half there had been no news at all. The letters she sent out also disappeared without a trace. She had always thought he was too busy on the battlefield to spare time, until a soldier returning home delivered a letter to her. Anne recognized the handwriting—it was Holden's.
But the letter from home she had waited two years for was only to inform her that her husband was going to marry another woman.
Tears filled Anne's eyes. She didn't get it—three years she'd waited for him, running the house, caring for his parents. His brother and sister-in-law were useless, so she'd carried the whole Titan family on her shoulders. Everyone knew how devoted she was. If she were some spoiled wife doing nothing all day, how would she feel getting this letter?
Probably she would cover her face and cry, yet be powerless to do anything.
Too bad for them—she came from the Virlet family, renowned for military achievements. Her father was Duke Skoda, who had conquered most of the territory for the Soth Empire. If her father hadn't been accidentally struck by a poisoned arrow and died on the battlefield, her mother wouldn't have insisted she marry quickly.
Anne didn't want this marriage, blessed by her mother, to collapse or even break apart. But if she just waited at home for Holden to return, everyone in the territory would know that Holden was taking another wife, and everything would be beyond repair.
For this reason, she had to talk to Holden alone before he returned to the territory.
Thinking of this, Anne suppressed the bitterness in her heart. Just then the carriage stopped. Her maid Elisa lifted the curtain and looked out, confirming they had reached the Dawn Knight Order's camp, before helping Anne down from the stopped carriage.
"Miss Anne, are you sure you don't need Elisa to come with you?"
This matter wasn't suitable for more people to be present, so Anne just shook her head, leaving Elisa by the carriage and walking toward the camp alone.
Some of the Dawn Knights recognized Anne—they'd left for war right after her wedding to Holden. So no one stopped her. Instead, the young soldiers turned red and eagerly showed her to Holden's tent.
When Holden heard the news and returned to his tent, he saw a group of people standing outside the curtain. His face immediately darkened, and he dispersed the crowd before lifting the curtain and walking in.
After three years, Anne finally had the chance to see the husband she had waited three years for. But Holden was no longer the affectionate man from her memory. He frowned, his brown eyes clearly full of impatience. "What are you doing here?"
Anne bowed slightly to him. "I came to confirm something with you."
Holden was stunned, then realized what she meant. "Since you've already received the letter, you should have stayed home and prepared for the wedding with Mother. I was going to return to the Titan family's territory with Candy anyway. Wouldn't it be the same to meet then?"
Anne smiled faintly. "Wedding? Even if she's the first female knight captain in Soth Empire's history, a mistress doesn't need a wedding, does she?"
"Shut up!" Hearing the woman he loved called a mistress, Holden's face darkened. "Candy fought alongside me for three years. We've given everything to the Soth Empire. How dare you, a woman who only has her father's reputation, demand that she be a mistress?"
"These three years we can no longer be separated. I need her. I want her to be my wife. Understand?"
Need? Anne's face showed little expression, but her eyes glanced again at the letter in her hand.
The letter was indeed written passionately, even describing without restraint how they had sex on the battlefield. Just thinking about it—in that mountain of corpses and sea of blood, two pale bodies writhing like worms in intense entanglement, their gasps echoing among the dead, rolling over and probably pressing on someone's severed hand, buttocks thrusting and perhaps touching someone's half-cut body... she just felt disgusted!
Anne's gaze calmly swept over the letter in her hand. When she saw the line about already writing to His Majesty the King to request permission, she curved her lips in a somewhat mocking smile. "If I remember correctly, even His Majesty the King can only have one wife."
"So what! As long as His Majesty the Emperor agrees, what's wrong with making an exception once!"
Anne was almost amused by his words.
Three years ago at her wedding, which was also the day the Dawn Knight Order set out on their southern campaign, Holden had only had time to exchange vows of eternal loyalty with her in the church. Under the colorful light streaming through the stained glass windows, he reluctantly removed his helmet and kissed the back of the blushing Anne's hand: "I, Holden, will only love my wife Anne for the rest of my life. My dear, I will bring you back victory."
She had waited expectantly for three years, only for her husband's change of heart, only to have the manor welcome a new mistress.
Then what am I? Anne wanted to ask, but felt the answer might be even more hurtful.
Anne looked at Holden, an unclear light flashing in her eyes. "So how will you arrange for me, or rather, deal with me?"
"Like other noble families do—pin some illness on me and send me to a sanatorium in the countryside?"
Holden shook his head helplessly. He considered himself not that kind of irresponsible man. Even though he had met his true love abroad, he didn't want to torture his wife at home because of it.
"You're still my wife. Even if Candy comes in, nothing will change. You can still manage the Titan family's affairs. Besides, we're always on the battlefield and don't spend much time at home. You just need to stay home and take care of my mother and the others."