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.

That was the temporary camp of the Dawn Knight Order, part of the Southern Expedition Army. From afar in the morning light, it looked more like a beast with bared fangs and claws waiting for prey to walk into its trap.

Arnell Virlet sat in the carriage heading toward the camp, praying she could arrive before the knight order broke camp. Her gaze fixed on the letter clutched tightly in her hand, her face showing no emotion, but the letter was covered in creases—clearly it had been crumpled up in frustration before being smoothed out again.

Two evenings ago, she had finally received news that her husband Holden Titan, whom she hadn't seen in three years, was coming home.

Though Arnell's husband, Holden, was only the second son of the Titan family, the Third Imperial Knight Order he commanded—the Dawn Knight Order—was a powerful force that allowed the Soth Empire to dominate the continent. His three-year southern campaign was also under orders to expand the Soth Empire's territory.

Now victory had been reported back. The small nations all the way to the southern coastline had surrendered, and Holden could finally return with his army, covered in glory.

Except now, Holden's glory had nothing to do with Arnell anymore.

On their wedding night, he had left with his troops. The letters he sent home went from once a week to every two weeks, then monthly, then every six months.

It had been almost two years since she last received a letter.

During the days when Holden sent no word, the letters she sent also disappeared without a trace.

Arnell forced herself not to overthink it. She had always assumed he was too busy fighting on the battlefield to spare any time, until a soldier returning home delivered a letter to her. Arnell recognized the handwriting—it was Holden's.

After waiting two years for a letter from home, what she finally received was news that her husband was going to marry another woman.

Tears welled up in Arnell's eyes. She couldn't understand how, after waiting three years at home for her husband's return, managing household affairs and serving his elders, taking on the responsibilities of the Titan family—with everyone envying him for marrying such a good wife—she had ended up like this.

She came from the Virlet family, renowned for military achievements. Her father was Duke Skoda Virlet, who had conquered most of the land for the Soth Empire. After her father died on the battlefield from a poisoned arrow, she had been forced into this marriage.

Arnell didn't want to see her mother disappointed, nor did she want to see this marriage deteriorate or even fall apart. But if she just waited, she would only wait until Holden's marriage to someone else became common knowledge.

For this reason, she had to talk to Holden alone before he returned to his territory.

Seeing the carriage stop, she clenched her fists tightly, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. Her maid Elisa beside her lifted the carriage curtain to look outside, confirming they had reached the Dawn Knight Order's camp, before helping Arnell down from the stopped carriage.

"Lady Arnell, are you sure you don't need me to come with you?"

Arnell didn't want to make this public knowledge. She shook her head calmly and walked toward the camp alone.

The knight order didn't stop her when they saw her sudden visit. Instead, the young soldiers blushed and enthusiastically led her to the tent where Holden usually rested.

When Holden heard the news, his face immediately darkened. He sharply dismissed the crowd, then lifted the tent flap and walked in.

After three years apart, Arnell finally had a chance to see the husband she had waited three years for. But Holden was no longer the affectionate man from her memories. He frowned, his brown eyes clearly full of impatience. "What are you doing here?"

Arnell gave him a slight curtsy. "I came to confirm something with you."

Holden froze, 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 planning to return to the Titan family's territory with Candini anyway. Why did you take it upon yourself to come here?"

Arnell sneered sarcastically. "Wedding? Even if she's the first female knight commander in the history of the Soth Empire, mistresses don't need weddings, do they?"

"Shut up!" Hearing his beloved woman called a mistress, Holden's face darkened. "Candini fought alongside me for three years. We've given everything for 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 apart. I need her. I want her to be my wife. Understand?"

Need? Arnell's face showed little expression, but her eyes glanced again at the letter in her hand.

The letter was indeed passionate, even explicitly describing how they had sex on the battlefield. Just thinking about how, in that mountain of corpses and sea of blood, two naked bodies could writhe together like worms, their gasps echoing among the dead—when they rolled over, they might press against someone's severed hand, when their buttocks thrust, they might be next to someone's half-cut body... it made her sick!

Arnell's gaze calmly swept over the letter in her hand. When she saw the line about having already written to petition His Majesty the King for permission, she sneered. "If I remember correctly, even His Majesty the King can only have one wife."

"So what! As long as His Majesty agrees, what's wrong with breaking precedent once!"

Arnell laughed bitterly at his words.

Three years ago, at her wedding, which was also the day the Dawn Knight Order left for the southern campaign, Holden had only managed to exchange vows of eternal loyalty with her at the church. Under the colorful light filtering through the stained glass windows, he reluctantly removed his helmet and kissed the back of Arnell's blushing hand: "I, Holden Titan, will only love my wife Arnell Virlet for the rest of my life. My dear, I will bring you back victory."

She had waited three years full of hope, only for her husband to change his heart, only to have the manor welcome a new mistress.

Then what am I? Arnell wanted to ask, but felt the answer might be even more hurtful.

Arnell looked at Holden, a dark, 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 monastery 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 torment his wife at home because of it.

"You're still my wife. Even if Candini enters the family, 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."