“I’ll think about it if they turn me down.” Ilyin smiled, as he held the blue cloth that was flapping in the wind.
It was almost time to head in as the winds had gotten stronger in the area as the day darkened.
“Where did you get that?” Den was pointing at the fabric with her eyes half-closed and Ilyin wondered if she shouldn't have used it.
It looked like a rare item.
If it were common, everyone would be using one.
“It was the carriage I got into, but I’m not sure who owns it.” Den looked irritated and Ilyin guessed the answer and asked:
“Is this from the Blue North?”
She felt the cold wind blow when she took it off and thought that the man's blue eyes shone even brighter in the wind.
“I understand, but you don’t have to take it off just because I’m a Delrose.” Den commented, as he lowered her hand.
She remembered now that he was the one who told her to take care of it.
A Delrose knight called to Den from afar.
"Leader!"
Ilyin looked at the two men who approached and she asked if Den led the knights here.
“I'm going now,” he said, walking away quickly.
Ilyin saw that the snow had piled up at his feet.
They had been talking for some time, but she didn't feel cold.
She tilted her head and watched as his muscular body walked away, before she turned to enter the mansion.
***
Den, also known as Aden Biflten, thought things over as he turned to leave.
She had a mysterious scent about her.
Although he had asked what he would do if the Duke refused to marry her, he had no intention of doing so and would refuse her as he thought she was from the Blue North.
He never spent a single night with any of the women the three families sent to his room.
“This is the end of my report.” Idith, the knight who called him, bowed after handing him over.
Aden didn't know why he remembered Ilyin being surprised when Idith called out to him.
"Sir?" Idith said, noticing that the Duke was lost in thought.
When no other family was present, Aden was the duke in front of the Delrose knights because they didn't avoid his eyes.
“Do you have anything to report about the Blue North?” Den asked, returning to the present moment.
“Nothing new, but Lidan is here.” Aden narrowed his eyes at this news.
“Should I search that lady?”
Aden raised his hand to stop him:
“No, she’s from the Empire.”
“Is she?” Idith was surprised when she saw her clothes and the blue cloth, 'Ataz', that Blue North brides had worn for generations, showing her origins.
“There is a reason why Lidan is here.”
The Blue North was able to move fast because of Lidan, and Aden was angered by his plan to lure Ilyin to his side.
He frowned as he contemplated things after Idith left.
***
Aden found out about his new bride just a few days ago when Milo from the Red Delroses, who ran the Ecid merchant group, got in touch with him.
He had said he needed to tell Aden something face to face, so Milo spoke to Aden when he returned from the war.
“Her name is Ilyin Arlen,” Milo informed him.
Aden was surprised by Milo's words, as he thought no woman would agree to these absurd conditions.
Milo, who was known as Ecid in the empire to facilitate transactions and remain silent about Biflten, gave Aden a letter.
The sender was Ilyin of Arlen.
Seeing the letter surprised him.
“Did anyone respond to this request?”
"Yes."
The letter was short and written perfectly:
[Hello, I am Ilyin from the Arlen family.
I sent this letter through Ecid, as I don't know any other way.
I have read your letter and recognize the conditions.
If I have no reason to be refused, I will be your bride.]
“How did she know you were Ecid?”
Milo's face was serious when Aden questioned him about there being a leak.
"I don't know.
I investigated the Arlen family, but there was nothing strange, except that the viscountess suffers from madness and talks nonsense."
Aden looked down at the letter again, as this information didn't help him much.
Normally, a letter would talk about the weather or something unnecessary about the cold.
However, his letter was straight to the point, which Aden appreciated.
The Arlens had nothing remarkable about them and the Viscountess's illness was the only thing that stood out about the quiet estates.
As he was ill, Ilyin de Arlen was unable to enter society.
Therefore, her face was not well known and she had no portraits that showed her at her age.
Waist-length silver hair, deep violet eyes, and a thin frame.
Aden only knew this about her appearance and if it was true, Biflten would welcome her as his bride.
The fact that she was well known or close to the Imperial family would complicate things.
One thing stood out though, there were no informants involved.
Aden tapped the wooden table with his index finger, a habit he had when thinking.
The viscountess's daughter discovered the relationship between the Ecid group and Biflten without any informant and she must have one of the three families or a high-ranking empire family behind her.
Aden looked at the information Milo had given him and thought that the three families were irrelevant.
The report was very clean and one Biflten would recognize another.