Chapter 1

“What was that person?”’Why did I say I was getting married?’ (Arne)

Arne stared at the man standing in front of her. Arne’s wedding was talkative yet they masked their true feelings. Her marriage partner was the man in front of her.

“Long time no see.” (Cass)

As if Cassian’s shameless and smirky face wasn’t good enough, in the meantime, Arne was a little worried because he was well-looking and became angry. The memories I had forgotten came to mind. Arne suffered.

“Let’s meet again like this.” (Cass)

With Cassian’s thick smile, Arne turned back. The beginning of this tough relationship began on that very day.

***

Three months ago, the lights from the party hall of the Western Empire shook. Arne, who successfully infiltrated the party building without the guards guarding the Imperial Palace, finished climbing the second floor terrace and leaned on the railing.

‘Uh. It hurts…’ (Arne)

A hangover was coming, perhaps because of the alcohol she poured down her throat like crazy with the same Knights family last night. It hasn’t been long since I drank all night. Normally, I wouldn’t even care if a party was held in the Imperial Palace or not, but today it was different.

“If you miss the party today, don’t leave! I know you’ll really die!”

The voice of her Creator, whose chatter was cooled by itself, buzzed in my head. The only person who can give a murder notice to the strongest sword master of the Western Empire will be the only mother. Arne checked the time. The party has already started for a long time. It was a little late…

“I’m here anyway, so it won’t matter.” (Arne)

Arne meant that the party wasn’t over. The drunk stomach was looking for a sea chief.

‘I’m going to take a snow stamp for attendance and go to the sea.’ (Arne)

Arne’s body, who had thought so simple, paused. Something came to the hearing of the Sword Master. The voices of young girls chatting near the terrace.

“Are you not here again today?”

“The duke’s wife was looking for her, so she was very angry.”

“I guess she didn’t come again after he said he was coming.”

“What can you do about it. Arne-sama, will you really be in trouble this time?”

Suddenly, Arne thought, pressing gently on the greasy temple. Meeting an angry mother is not a good judgment. Express train to hell. Arne decided.

‘Let’s meet only the emperor quickly and secretly as much as possible and bounce.’

Arne naturally jumped to the third-floor terrace with a wonderful plan to make only someone to prove that he was at this party and run away. The intention is to find the emperor’s position in the corridor on the 3rd floor, where the whole view of the party is visible. Arne, who landed on the third-floor terrace railing like a sleek cat, almost squeezed her feet.

‘Who is there?’ (Arne)

Of course, there was someone else on the third floor terrace that I thought no one would be because I didn’t feel popular.

‘I can’t make such a simple mistake.’ (Arne)

While Arne was confused, the man who felt popular looked back. In a moment, the blue eyes and eyes met. My eyes are sore blue. Her eyes were distracted by her winter-like eyes, but Arne finally woke up.

‘It’s not the time you’re doing this.’ (Arne)

As Arne’s expression changed, the look of the masked man also changed. His eyes turned blue. The moment the man just reached out. widely. Arne ran away. The man looked down at my hand, holding nothing.

‘I missed it?’ (Cass)

Suddenly, he felt an unfamiliar popularity behind me, so he looked back and thought that this kind of fun would happen.

“What are you doing, Your Majesty.”

The driver who appeared on the terrace belatedly asked the man. The man laughed lazily and pointed out where Arne had escaped. The boring times became a little fun.

“I saw a very cute thief cat.” (Cass)

His blue eyes became a little darker… . while Arne, who successfully escaped without being caught, settled on another terrace as it was. Arne, who thoroughly confirmed that there were no people this time, sighed of relief.

Even though she escaped, the blue eyes that were not covered by the black mask remained strong in my mind.

“What was that person?” (Arne)

It was the kind of eyes I saw for the first time. I remembered if there was someone I knew had such a gaze, and then I bowed down.

‘Oh, this is heartbreaking… … .’ (Arne)

Arne shook his head, regretting that he had fallen for a while. Not at this time, but I had to find the emperor.

“Today’s party was a masquerade.” (Arne)

Somehow said the man was wearing a black mask. Arne, who exited the hallway, secretly picked up a mask of a nobleman resting in the room and put it on his face with a peculiar movement. Now you only need to find the emperor. Arne’s gaze was busy looking for Ciklion IV, the supreme emperor of the Western Empire and his boss.

‘There he is.’ (Arne)

Fortunately, the emperor was not far away. As the supreme emperor, it was not difficult to find because there were limited places to be. Arne, who was greeted quickly, stamped attendance, made a witness, and tried to run away, hurriedly stopped his step downstairs.

“Oh, it’s been a while. Millian. Have you ever seen our daughter?”

Arne quickly turned back at the voice of her familiar mother who would notice even when she was sleeping. Arne’s mother, the Duchess of Lil’Hit, went around the party, asking where Arne was.

“Ho-ho, have you ever seen our Arne? He said he would die if he couldn’t come today, but still… … .”

“Oh, Duchess. Arne came to the party, but you can’t find it because it’s a ball?”

“Oh, what kind of sad sound. If the party goes tonight, he doesn’t even know it’s a ball? Ho ho ho.”

A delicate yet strong voice that can be heard clearly. At the voice of her mother, Arne went straight back up the hallway on the third floor.

“I’m ruined.” (Arne)

Arne strongly foreshadowed the promised way of destruction. I heard it as if passing by, but the anger contained in my mother’s voice seemed like an active volcano on the verge of exploding. It wasn’t a good idea to go straight to the emperor like this. It seemed that the operation had to be changed.

‘To hide somewhere and greet when the emperor leaves… … .’

The insides that couldn’t be hacked were still painful, but it was urgent to avoid the anger of my mother. Even the Sword Master can’t stand the mother’s rice. It is not in the first place to fight with a person who cannot win. The moment Arne made up her mind, her mother’s voice heard from the second floor came closer. Suddenly, my mother was trying to come up to the third floor with other ladies.

‘When this is the case!’ (Arne)

As the mother’s voice got closer, Arne moved to hide in haste.

“So what the hell is he thinking… … . what?“

I hid because I was hiding, but it seemed like I opened my eyes. I didn’t feel good.

‘Please just go by. Just go by.’ (Arne)

“What are you doing, ma’am?”

“Did I see it wrong? Hmm. Wait. I think I have to go over there… … .”

Arne bites her lips at the words of her mother. Ruined.

‘If it’s like this, I’ll be caught.’ (Arne)

Killing footsteps, Arne went into another hallway. Soon, a corridor with private lounges arranged for the nobles tired of long parties to rest unfolded. He hid at the corner of the corridor and hid himself invisible as much as possible, but he couldn’t be relieved at all. Even though my mother didn’t have the feelings of the Swordmaster, there was something called the Duchess’s choke that she had been working on for a long time. The sound of her mother’s footsteps entering the hallway without difficulty grew closer. One footstep, two footsteps. The moment when I was tense at the sound of my footsteps getting closer, I even killed my breath.

“Shh.” (Cass)

A black cloak was struck before his eyes. When the vision was blocked, Arne felt a great presence behind her. Arne raised his head and saw blue eyes in his gaze. The only arrogant blue eyes revealed in the black mask were softly bent when he saw Arne.

“My thief cat was here.” (Cass)

Arne was amazed at the way he had found it.

“how… … ?” (Arne)

Many questions were implied in the short question. How did you come here, how did you find me, how did you find out… … . Even now, aren’t you wearing a mask? However, the man pointed forward rather than answering Arne’s question, and Arne reflexively shut his mouth. The situation wasn’t over yet. The sound of footsteps stopped.

“You are here!”

The Duchess, who was ambitious to walk the hallway, was surprised to see a strange man, not Arne.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know there were people in a place like this.”

“It’s okay, ma’am.” (Cass)

The man responded with a charming smile to the Duchess, who skillfully apologized. The duchess’ gaze turned over the man’s cloak.

“Is there any chance… … .”

“My partner is embarrassed.” (Cass)

“Aha.”

The duchess nodded, as if to know, and stepped back.

“Ho Ho. Have a good time~.”

Arne’s expression became mysterious at the words of the Duchess, who did not even dream that what was in her cloak was her daughter. I’m glad, but I don’t feel like I’m glad. By the way, what the hell is this guy thinking?

‘partner? A lot of shame?’ (Arne)

It was ridiculous to hear what I first heard in my life, but I was more concerned about other things than that.

‘Why did you help me in the first place?’ (Arne)

“Did you find what you want?” (Cass)

“What you want… … ?” (Arne)

“Because it’s like an uninvited guest.” (Cass)

Arne crumpled his face at the man’s words. It wasn’t the right entrance, but it wasn’t an uninvited guest. Surely he is a member of the royal family and one of the best sword masters in the Western Empire. Arne just hated that the party was noisy because of himself.

‘But it’s cumbersome to explain.’ (Arne)

“Why do you leave me alone even though I know you are an uninvited guest?” (Arne)

“It’s interesting.” (Cass)

Blue eyes flashed dazzlingly. Something unknown in his deep eyes seemed to hold Arne in motion. Now I know for sure.

‘This is the first man I see.’ (Arne)

Someone I’ve never seen before. Arne suddenly became curious about the man’s identity.

“You, why are you here?” (Arne)

“First of all, let’s say that I was interested in a thief cat.” (Cass)

“The thief cat… … .” (Arne)

Arne’s face was wrinkled nicely. From before, what kind of cat Taryeong was, but that seemed to be talking about himself.

‘Is it so called because of the railing?’ (Arne)

The smile on the man’s mouth grew thicker at Arne’s openly unpleasant appearance. I thought it was just enough to refresh the boring time… … . It was much more interesting than he expected. While the man observed Arne, Arne was struggling to find out the man’s identity.

‘Are you a foreign aristocrat?’ (Arne)

The gestures on the body were absolutely noble, but he did not hide his arrogance. Usually, these relaxed, arrogant gestures belong to those who are good at birth. Besides, he spoke a natural calligraphy language, but the accents of some pronunciations were strangely different.

‘I couldn’t hear anyone from abroad. Who is it?’ (Arne)

As they were searching each other silently, their eyes suddenly intertwined in the air. The blue eyes that seemed to contain the cold winter thickened. Looking at her eyes as if looking into the dark deep sea, Arne suddenly felt that she couldn’t escape. As Arne stepped back, the man stepped up. An unfamiliar feeling came in. Arne tried to turn his gaze to the clearly felt presence, but he could not avoid it. Little by little, a man came up, pretending not to allow him to run away. My breath stopped and I felt the approaching breath. The moment everything is erased from the senses and there are only two of them.

“Wow… … .” (Arne)

Arne’s upper body was shaken because of the hangover’s curse.

‘Ah, I think I will vomit.’ (Arne)

I managed to stop vomiting, but I was still feeling sick.

‘I can’t. Let’s live first.’ (Arne)

I had to get out of here as soon as possible. Arne moved quickly. First of all, the least courtesy of the person who helped.

“First… … Thanks for your help. Oo-eup, I will repay your favor when you come later. Take this, take this. Then I’ll give you 20,000.” (Arne)

Arne, who roughly took off the badge on her clothes, quickly left the spot. The man made a strange expression as he saw Arne’s body staggering from a hangover. So Arne disappeared, and the man quietly looked down at the badge in his hand.

“Cassian.”

A man who came to Cassian belatedly appeared. I was surprised that no one was supposed to be on the terrace, but I think I will be in such a place. Alan came to see the black mask and was surprised to see Cassian fiddling with a badge he had never seen before.

“What is that?”

“Well… … ?” (Cass)

A light smile grazed her lips.

“It’s like a cat’s reward.” (Cass)

“Boeun… … ?”

Alan, who didn’t understand, tilted his head. However, Casian laughed alone as if he had no intention of explaining more. Alan looked stupid with a bright smile. It was my first time seeing such a Casian.

‘What the hell happened to you, so you feel so good?’ (Alan)

When Alan was in shock, Cassian smiled and looked back at him.

“So, what’s going on?” (Cass)

“Oh, that’s what the Western Emperor called.” (Alan)

The words of the Emperor of the Western Empire were a strange regret in the eyes of Cassian. I felt like I wanted to follow the thief cat who ran away with only one badge, but now it was time to do what he had to do. Cassian, holding the badge, nodded.

“I can go.” (Cass)

***

The western empire was rich and rich in everything compared to the northern empire from which Cashian came. There was a conflict in all the border areas that bordered the Western Empire, but the capital was peaceful as if it didn’t matter at all. Watching the nobles who squeezed the high blood of the imperialists and enjoyed luxurious daily life, Cassian was ridiculed. Even with these incompetent humans, the West Empire was still strong. Only one existence makes all these miracles possible.

‘The sword master who protects the empire.’

A sword master who is said to have surpassed humanity. However, there are only a hundred humans who have reached the level of sword masters in history. Most of them were from the Western Empire.

‘Ominous red-eyed slayer. Executioner of Lewell’s test.’

The Swordmasters from Lewell Gorge always appeared appropriately and saved the Western Empire from destruction. Even this generation, thanks to the Sword Master, the Western Empire was able to win the war against the Eastern Kingdoms Union and become a victor of history.

‘Good luck.’ (Cass)

It was interesting to know that there is only one country that will not be strange even if it perishes. While coming to the Western Empire of Lee Wang, Casian, who wanted to meet such a great Swordmaster in person, did not have such luck.

“haha. Sword Master? That guy doesn’t say anything even though Jim calls.”

Ciklion IV, Emperor of the Western Empire, laughed as he said that. It was interesting that the emperor, who casually said the enormous words that Hwangmyeong was easily violated, was interesting. Even though it was a big deal equal to great crime, I could see how great the Swordmaster’s majesty was by moving on to kicking his tongue as if he couldn’t help it.

“How would I not want to boast, it’s an imperial treasure. But that guy… … . Anyway, yes.”

Ciklion IV shook his head.

‘Because the Duchess of Brillhit will fry, saying,’If rumors go abroad, our daughter’s marriage will be blocked.’

So, people who know Arne are known to be the Swordmaster, but externally, the Swordmaster is known to be a male. Since no one believed that such a strong Swordmaster was not a man, it was useless to correct it. Kassian, who wanted to see it once and take him to the Northern Empire, nodded with concealed regret. The emperor’s place was a large balcony on the second floor with the throne. Since the hall was well overlooked, Cassian looked down unintentionally and smiled.

‘You got caught in the end.’ (Cass)

From a distance, it was easy to see a thief cat caught by the Duchess trying to avoid it, covering her ears and suffering. With one ear, she listened to the duchess’ nagging with one ear, and looked at the thief cat shed with one ear, with a look of just wanting to leave this place, and Cassian smiled.

‘I thought it would have run away well, but getting caught right is unexpected.’ (Cass)

“So the end, about our national marriage… … . Hmmm, Grand Duke?”

At the emperor’s voice calling for himself, Cassian saw the emperor belatedly. Ciklion IV was surprised, but did not show off. It was polite, but the attitude that was thorough with no time for a single wind to enter became a little loose.

“You look exceptionally good today.”

“I saw a cute cat.” (Cass)

“cat… … ? Yes, cats are cute.”

Ciklion IV nodded, thinking how cute the cat made him laugh. Now it was time to get to the point.

“So did you find someone you like?”

The eyes of the two have changed. The party that took place these days. All seemingly all know it as a party specially held by the emperor, but the reality was different. All parties so far have been places to find a marriage partner for Cassian. A national marriage that promotes harmony between the western and northern empires for a long time. Ciklion IV, who really wanted to achieve this marriage, was nervous and waited for Kasian’s answer.

“Any lady is good, so let’s say it comfortably.”

“I do not know.” (Cass)

Kassian smiled with a meaningful smile while offering ambiguous answers. Ciklion IV was not the only one who wanted to achieve this national marriage. Cassian must also have this marriage.

‘If the conditions are right, anyone can do it… … .’ (Cass)

If this is the case, an interesting person would be good. Unfortunately, there was only one person, an interesting person. Cassian’s gaze turned to Bae Bae in his hand.

“First… … Thanks for your help. Ooup, if you come to me later, I will repay your favor.” (Arne)

‘You will repay the grace… … .’ (Cass)

A nasty smile caught on Cassian’s mouth. widely. Cassian put down the badge. The sun where two swords crossed.

“I will do it with this one.” (Cass)

“… … ?”

The expression of Ciklion IV, who immediately noticed whose badge it was, hardened.

‘This… … Arne’s?’

Ciklion IV’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Did I hear it wrong? Are you sane?’

His unbelievable gaze turned to Cassian.

“I will do it with this person.” (Cass)

Faced with a confused gaze, Cassian nailed it. An extraordinarily bright smile caught his mouth.

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