I lean back in the wooden chair, savoring the cold breeze that softly glides through this hot weather. It was summertime, and the season exuded a vivid rainbow of colors and a fragrant scent. I could hear birds and crickets from a distance, producing an unusual cacophony that felt strangely pleasant in my ears. I enjoy basking in the sun, except for the humid weather. I could feel the sweat from my temple trickling down my cheek. 

How long do I have to wait in this spot?

“Why isn’t Lucia coming? She’s really trying her best to avoid me,” I muttered in annoyance.

I look back at the uneven stone path that she usually uses when going to the nearby river with the laundry. I’m planning to go with her this time. At least, no one will nag me to stay put and just drink my tea while killing some time. I like to spend time with Cornelia and go in deep conversation with her but that has been my usual routine for almost three months tops since I arrived in Qesnia. When I’m not having my daily tea time with Cornelia, I will be found in the small library of the manor browsing some books and trying to absorb every information that I can get about this world.

I tried to help with the chores as it was embarrassing to continuously be in the couple’s good graces while looking like a lazy bum in their household.  However, no one wanted me to do anything. When I try to help the servant is giving me sideway glances and has been avoiding me since.  It's driving me mad.

It was only Lucia who was trying her best to treat me like a normal girl. She has been a servant in the Herman family for almost three years now. And it looks like we are close in age. She is sixteen years old and I decided to be fifteen when people asked. A perfect age to be considered not quite an adult but not too young either. I don’t want them to think I’m still a child that they need to raise since eventually, I have to leave this place. I can’t live here forever. This is just a temporary haven; I don’t want to impose on the couple more than necessary.

Since morning, Cornelia has been busy giving instructions to the employees of the manor. Everyone has been cleaning and decorating while also preparing for a feast. The couple will be having their long-awaited reunion. Three months ago, after dropping me off in their manor like a three-year-old kid and asking his wife to take care of me without so much giving an extensive explanation of my case, Kendrick left again for the capital.

I was left alone to explain everything to his wife about what happened. Thankfully, Cornelia has been very understanding. She also assured me that his husband had already provided a brief explanation in one of his letters, and I didn’t have to worry.

I was excited to see Kendrick again after a long time but I don’t like the idea of seeing Bastian. That cold-blooded male species is going back with him. Kendrick must have already told him that I have been staying in the Herman manor. Just thinking about is giving me a terrible headache. For some reason, the guy doesn’t like me without me even doing anything. That is also one of the reasons why I didn’t want to stay put this time. I need to keep myself busy to stop thinking about him. Besides, I already got the approval from the matriarch to go out and explore the forest while she busied herself. 

I heard a faint rustle, followed by quick footsteps. My head swiveled back to the direction of the uneven stone path. A wide grin broke out on my face, lo and behold, Lucia had been trying to sneak out of the manor only to be caught by me.

I stood up and started running towards her. “I’m coming with you!” I exclaimed while waving my hand in excitement.

I caught her sighing in resignation. “Young miss, I’m going to do my laundry by the river, not going out on a picnic”

“I know that’s why I’m coming,” I immediately snatched the small basket at the top of the other one she was holding. “But why so many? It doesn’t look like just your clothes.”

“Yes, I volunteered to do theirs too,”

“Are they picking on you?”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Wha—who said that! They are not doing anything”

Her overreaction is even more suspicious. “In a workplace, it’s normal to get picked on when you're younger,” I commented trying to draw a reaction from her. Although I am speaking from experience, I don’t know if it has the same work dynamics in this world.

Her shoulders deflated. “There’s no such thing. Besides, I’m an adult now,”

“Oh! I forgot, sixteen is considered an adult in this world,”

Lucia stares at me in confusion. “What are you saying? You’re talking like you’re not from here”

It's true though, I’m not from this world I wanted to say that to her but decided against it. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s nothing. Lead the way” I dismiss her question and urge her to move forward.

It was my first time going into the forest, and I didn't want to get lost. I've never been the adventurous type of girl; therefore, I've never had the opportunity to explore vast forests like this one or even go for a hike in my prior life. After finishing my typical and repetitious office work, I generally head straight home and spend time watching TV or reading a book. On weekends, I conduct volunteer work, which is one of the reasons I understand basic first aid.  Experiencing things like these after my death, as well as being reincarnated into another realm, is odd but exhilarating.  If Alanna were here, I wonder what she would say about this.

Maybe after everything settles down and I've saved enough money, I'll be able to go to new places without worry for my life. I recall when those men in the tavern disclosed that the emperor had met his mate and that everything was finally going to be okay. I hope that is the case. The mere thought of those rotters increasing in number sometimes keeps me up at night.

We arrived near the river while my mind was absorbed with thoughts of those rotters. Lucia instantly set down her basket and began pulling the clothing out one by one. However, I stood there with my mouth open, surprised. The river, in all of its beauty, sparkles like a bright azure jewel among the emerald foliage. The bright beams of sunshine sparkle like diamonds in the water, contributing to its enchanting atmosphere.

“Is it safe to swim here?” I murmured suddenly distracted by the beauty before me.

“No, don’t even think about it. You might be taken away by the spirits,”

I gave her a look. “Spirits? There’s no way that’s true”

“Well, I didn’t believe it at first but we have those mindless monsters now ravaging the land and almost decimating the population of the Empire. I will just choose to believe the story of the adults just to be safe,”

 “Well, point taken,”

This is why I have never been the adventurous type. That scared me a little bit. I squatted down and started randomly pulling out the clothes from the other basket to help Lucia when her sudden question froze me on my spot.

“Young miss, you will be sixteen next year. It’s best to go out and attend balls and tea parties. That way you can meet lots of people and find your potential groom,”

At first, I thought I heard it wrong. Why is this kid talking about marriage?

“Ma—ma—rriage?” I repeated almost mechanically.

Lucia excitedly nodded. Her eyes were now fully fixated on me.

“What nonsense are you saying? I don’t have plans of getting married. Besides, sixteen is too young to tie the knot. I still have a whole life ahead of me!"

Lucia gave her a look. “Sixteen is the perfect time to get married. With your status, it won’t be too hard to find someone but it’s different for me. The harvest festival will be soon upon us. I plan to attend the town festival, maybe I will find someone that suits me. As for you, Lady Cornelia must already be preparing your debut to the high society”

“Are you crazy? Who gets married at sixteen!” I exclaimed.

Lucia stared at her mouth agape. We probably have the same look of shock on our faces. “Everyone does!” she shot back.

“Who said so?”

“The emperor!”

“The emperor? Since when?!”

“Since the Black Wave! All eligible young men and women need to get married after their coming-of-age ceremony. It’s the law. Even nobles are not exempted from this. Anyone who doesn’t get married within the given timeline will face capital punishment.”

Lucia makes a cutting motion in front of her neck, indicating what will happen if I break the law. Beheading? I can feel every hair on my body standing on edge.

“What kind of sick law is that? I haven’t read anything about it!”

I've been consuming all of the books in that library like a mad woman, and I've even come across some of the law books if that's what they're called, that are available in the manor, but I haven't found a single piece of information regarding this dumbass law.

“Oh, probably because it has only been a few years since the law passed. Everything was in turmoil since the unknown sickness started killing people one by one,”

I knew about it. It appeared in one of the books I discovered in the library. The population has been steadily declining since the Black Wave, which occurred twenty years ago. The issue was exacerbated when women were the most susceptible to contracting the sickness. Most of the young girls couldn’t live past fourteen years of age. They couldn’t even celebrate their coming-of-age, and that’s what happened to Lady Cornelia’s only daughter. Her daughter died young and since then the lady has been drifting into a state of sorrow and despondency.

The uneven ratio between the male and female population has ballooned over the years. The population is getting older. I knew that but I didn’t realize it came to a point where the emperor came up with an even absurd law.

“What about the people’s freedom to choose? Isn’t that tyranny?”

Lucia looked around in panic. “Shhh! Someone might hear!”

“We are in the middle of the forest, no one is here beside us.”

Lucia frowned. “Still, just to be safe. You can’t bad mouth the emperor like that”

“I’m not badmouthing him. I’m saying that the law is absurd. I’m never getting married! I will leave this place and travel to places. I don’t plan on getting bound by anyone or anything,”

“Do you want to die?”

“I don’t but that unconventional marriage will be the death of me,”

Lucia glanced at me in disbelief, unsure of how to respond to this situation. It's likely the first time she's heard that from someone. Well, I am not from this world. I've tried many times to adjust to this new environment, but marrying a stranger is not an option, especially if I'm compelled to do so.

"That's unfortunate because I came here to propose," a foreign yet almost familiar voice interrupted, sending shivers down my spine. I looked up in the direction of the voice and saw familiar azure-colored eyes that smothered me to the core.

“What—what are you doing here?”

“I told you I’m here to propose”

I suddenly felt dizzy. “I don’t understand. What the hell are you talking about?”

Bastian bent down and fixed me with his penetrating look. My body flinched in reflex due to the proximity, but he grabbed my arm and drew me closer to him. My heart thumps rapidly against my chest, and the cold begins to penetrate my skin.

"It does not matter if you like it or not. I'm here to take you as my bride," he announced in his icy-cut baritone voice, making my heart drop.

What type of trouble am I getting myself into again?