Chapter 1

Note: The inner thoughts of people other than the protagonist are expressed in '' marks.

The Royal Autumn Hunt was held at the Royal Hunting Grounds outside Panority.

The king's banners fluttered in the wind, and the place was packed with nobles and dignitaries.

I, Charlotte Whitmore, the eldest daughter of the Whitmore family, rode alongside the King in a striking red riding outfit, looking every bit the valiant rider and drawing countless admiring glances.

But out of the corner of my eye, my attention was always on one person—the Crown Prince, Edward Lancaster.

Today, he wore a pale blue suit embroidered with golden clouds, sitting on the high platform with an almost ethereal grace. He was the man I'd been in love with for ten years, and everyone in Panority assumed he'd be my future husband.

My father, General Richard Whitmore, commanded a third of the Albion Dynasty's army, making him an indispensable ally for Edward's path to the throne.

Edward and I had known each other since we were kids, growing up together and sharing a deep bond.

Everyone in Panority knew this marriage was a done deal.

"Charlotte, your riding skills have improved so much." The king's booming laughter echoed in my ears. "If you take first place today, I'll make sure you're well rewarded."

My heart stirred as I glanced up at Edward on the high platform. He was smiling at me, his eyes filled with encouragement.

My cheeks grew warm as I tightened my grip on the reins and called out loudly, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall not fail your expectations."

This autumn hunt was more than just a competition. It was a stage carefully set by Edward's faction for me.

Everything had been arranged: a rare white fox would appear right along my path, so I could claim the prize, take first place, and naturally ask for my reward in front of the King.

Everyone knew what the prize really meant.

My heart was pounding, both nervous and excited. After ten years, the moment I'd been waiting for was finally here. I was about to become his wife.

But right at that moment, chaos erupted out of nowhere.

The King's royal steed, Snowflake, suddenly let out a tortured scream, its eyes blazing red as it went wild. It reared up and charged straight at the King with deadly hooves.

The shock hit everyone like a thunderbolt. Even the elite royal guards were caught off guard, unable to react in time.

The King, already advanced in years, had no chance to escape.

"Your Majesty." I shouted.

I was closest. My mind barely had time to react, but my body moved on instinct. I dug my heels in, and my horse shot forward like an arrow. Without thinking, I launched myself off and hurled myself at the crazed royal steed with everything I had.

With a thunderous crash, it felt like my whole body was coming apart. The huge horse actually skidded sideways from the impact and crashed to the ground.

The force sent me flying, my back slamming hard against a boulder. I tasted blood as it rushed up my throat.

"Charlotte."

"Ms. Whitmore."

My father and Grace, my maid, shouted at the same time, their voices overlapping in panic.

The whole place went dead silent for a split second and then erupted into a tidal wave of screams and chaos.

"Protect His Majesty. Protect His Majesty."

"Get the royal physician."

I struggled to sit up, but my vision kept swimming. Suddenly, a warm hand steadied me. It was Edward.

I hadn't even noticed him rushing down from the high platform, but now he was half-supporting me in his embrace, and there was a barely noticeable tremor in his voice as he asked, "Charlotte, are you okay?"

I looked up at his handsome face, so close, and saw that the gentle smile in his eyes had been replaced by worry and lingering fear. My heart felt warm as I shook my head, my voice hoarse. "I'm fine... Your Highness, is His Majesty alright?"

"My father is safe. You saved him," Edward replied, his voice so gentle it could make anyone's heart melt.

Just then, the King, still shaken and surrounded by his attendants, walked over. He glanced at the fallen horse and the blood at the corner of my mouth. His face went pale with shock, then shifted to overwhelming relief and gratitude.

"Well done. Charlotte, you really are Richard's daughter." The King was clearly delighted, his voice brimming with praise. "You saved me today, and I'm going to reward you generously. Just tell me what you want. I'll make it happen."

Here it came.

My heart was racing as I forced myself to stand tall, my gaze cutting through the crowd to find my father. His hand went to his beard, and he couldn't hide the pride and relief on his face.

The whole place held its breath. Everyone knew I'd been head over heels for Edward for years, and after saving the King in front of everyone, it was crystal clear what I'd ask for.

I took a deep breath and looked at Edward, who stood there looking like a prince straight out of a storybook. His eyes were gentle, full of hope and encouragement as he watched me.

My ears turned red as I was about to ask the King to bless my marriage with Edward.

But right then, a completely unfamiliar voice suddenly exploded in my mind. It was sharp, clear, and left no room for doubt.

'My lady, whatever you do, don't ask for the marriage. Run. Get away from that damned Crown Prince.'

I froze, wondering if maybe I'd knocked something loose in my brain and was hearing things.

The voice sounded somewhat like Grace, my maid, but there was a kind of terror and despair in it that I'd never heard from her.

On instinct, I turned to look at Grace, who was still supporting me. Her head was bowed, worry written all over her face, but she looked completely normal.

'Oh, my clueless lady. You seriously don't get it, do you? That so-called gentle Prince Edward is a total fake and a cold-blooded jerk. He's been sneaking around with Isabelle Sinclair, the Minister of Personnel's daughter, forever. She's his real sweetheart. He's obsessed with her.

'He tells you he loves you, but deep down, he thinks you're some sword-swinging tomboy, totally uncultured. Marrying you? It's all about grabbing your father's army and using the Whitmore family's power to make himself king.

'You think marrying him is your happy ending? No way. It's the start of a nightmare for the Whitmore family.

'Once he's crowned, the first thing he'll do is make Isabelle Sinclair his queen. He'll slap you with some "jealous wife" charge, kick you out of the palace, and throw you in the dungeon. Then he'll go after my father, accuse him of being too powerful and plotting rebellion.

'The entire Whitmore family, 742 people, were all slaughtered. Even Buddy, your favorite dog who had puppies, got dragged out by those damned imperial guards and killed.

'I hate him. I hate him so much. I watched you get poisoned to death in the cold palace, saw Whitmore Manor turn into a river of blood and a mountain of corpses.

'The fire raged for three days and nights, burning the loyal and heroic Whitmore Manor to the ground.

'God. Since you let me come back, please, give me a chance. Let me save Ms. Whitmore and save the Whitmore family. Ms. Whitmore, open your eyes. Don't let that bastard fool you again.'

It hit me like a thunderclap.

Those gut-wrenching voices tore through my mind, each one crashing down like a bolt of lightning, splitting my world apart again and again.

My mind went blank, my blood froze, and a chill shot up from my toes to the top of my head, like I'd been plunged straight into a frozen hell.

I stared at Edward's gentle smile. Then I glanced back at Grace, who stood behind me, worry etched all over her face.

Grace's lips were sealed tight, but those cries of despair kept ringing in my mind.

Did Grace really travel back?

All 742 people were slaughtered?

I was killed with a cup of poison, locked away in the cold palace?

Even Buddy... ended up dying?

My whole body started shaking uncontrollably, not from pain, but from an overwhelming fear and rage.

So, my ten years of devotion had all been nothing but a carefully orchestrated deception.

Beneath that gentle, polished exterior, his heart was more vicious than a snake.

All our loyalty and valor, and in the end, the Whitmore family was erased from existence.

"Charlotte? Are you alright?" the King asked, concern etched in his voice as he noticed my silence and pale face. "Are your injuries too severe? I've already called for the royal physician."

Edward's brows furrowed, his grip on my hand tightening as he gently prompted, "Charlotte, my father is waiting for your answer. Whatever you want, say it. Don't hesitate."

His voice was still soft and gentle, but to me, it felt colder than a blizzard in the dead of winter.

I lifted my head, fixing my gaze on him.

'That's right. That phony, hypocritical face. Ms. Whitmore, don't trust him for a second.

'Right now, he's thinking, 'Why hasn't this fool spoken up yet? Once she asks for the marriage, the Whitmore family's army is locked in for me. As for her, after I take the throne, I'll have plenty of ways to deal with her.'

Grace's voice stabbed through my mind again, like a poisoned dagger, destroying the last shred of hope I had left.

Staring into Edward's gentle, smiling eyes, I could almost see the Whitmore family drowning in rivers of blood, and myself, spitting blood, dying alone in the cold palace, a pitiful wreck with no hope left.

My stomach twisted, a sickening wave rising up my throat.

I jerked my hand free from his grip, stumbling back a step to put some space between us.

Edward's smile stiffened.

Everyone was stunned.

The King arched his brows, confused. "Charlotte?"

I took a deep breath, swallowing down the storm of rage and the urge to lash out, trying to make my voice sound as calm as possible.

I couldn't afford to panic or let anyone notice something was off. Grace had come back from the dead. I believed what she said.

Now that I'd learned the truth, I'd not let the Whitmore family go down that road again.

I wouldn't let either Edward or Isabelle off the hook.

I bowed before the King.

"Your Majesty," I said, lifting my head, my eyes sharp and steady, full of the confidence and resolve of a warrior's daughter. "I've trained in martial arts since childhood, and nothing excites me more than legendary weapons and mighty arms."

I paused, feeling everyone's eyes locked on me. My voice rang out, strong and clear, as I spoke each word.

"I've heard that in the royal armory, there's a weapon called the Thunderhammer, once wielded by a famed general of the former dynasty.

"It weighs a full 180 pounds, the heaviest weapon in the land. I've admired it for years. Today, I boldly ask Your Majesty to grant me this hammer."

The moment the words left my mouth, the whole place fell utterly silent.

Everyone looked at me like I'd gone completely insane.

My father, Richard, who had been stroking his beard with pride moments ago, now had his hand trembling so badly that he nearly yanked it out.

His eyes went wide, and his face was a picture of pure shock, like he thought I was insane.

As for Edward, his gentle smile had completely shattered, replaced by shock, embarrassment, and a dark, stormy mood.

I could feel his gaze burning into me, cold and sharp enough to cut right through my skin.

'Wow. She asked for the Thunderhammer? That thing's nothing but a showpiece, totally useless in real combat.

'Brilliant. That's exactly how you do it. Slap him in the face in front of everyone, leave him with nowhere to hide. Let's see how he pretends to be Mr. Perfect Prince after this.'

Grace's thoughts were overflowing with giddy relief and vindication.

I sneered inwardly. Slap him in the face? This was only the beginning. Edward, your good days were over.