On the third day of January in 1524, Rowan woke up in his bed, but something felt off. He noticed something soft and real next to him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Elira, naked, lying beside him. To make matters worse, the room didn't seem to be the guest room; it felt like Lady Elira's room. As he uncovered the blanket, he saw that the bed was stained with blood. Rowan's heart sank as he concluded it must have come from Elira, but he couldn't remember what had happened the night before.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was Elira's maids, announcing they were about to enter. Panic surged through Rowan as he shook Elira awake. "Lady Elira, please wake up; this is very urgent."
When Elira finally opened her eyes, the maids entered the room and gasped at the sight of Rowan and Elira sleeping naked in the bed. Rowan's heart raced at the thought that his life was over for having touched the Grand Duke's daughter. However, instead of anger, the maids and the head maid bowed and exclaimed, "Congratulations, my Lady!"
Elira, now fully awake, smiled and said, "Good morning, everyone, and good morning to you, my love." Despite Rowan's reluctance, they took a bath together, had breakfast, and then headed to Elira's office. Rowan insisted on an explanation of what had really happened. "You don't need to be surprised; it's like this," Elira began.
After several hours of explanation, Rowan felt both shocked and angry. He was angry because Elira gave him her virginity while he was intoxicated. The shock came from discovering her unique abilities related to her left and right eyes. According to Elira, she could see Rowan's future, and there was one guaranteed outcome that would grant her a True Happy Ending. She admitted that the future she saw was what made her fall in love with him. However, it was also his true nature—his way of speaking, his responses, and his ability to go with the flow—that made him a perfect match for her. It felt as though Rowan and Elira had been destined to be a loving couple even before they met.
Rowan asked, "Lady Elira, how will your parents feel about your actions? Are they aware of what is happening?"
Lady Elira replied, "In truth, they would be happy. They always express regret for not being able to help me after I awakened my ability. They've encouraged me to follow my heart. No, my mother mentioned that it was her intuition as a woman that led her and my father to decide on a temporary leave."
After an hour, Rowan found himself facing a greater responsibility. Lady Elira stood before him, bowing her head. He instructed her to stop. "Rowan, I'm sorry for what I did. I promise I do not see you as a political tool. I foresaw a future with you that would make me happy, but my future has nothing to do with my true feelings. I fell in love with you at first sight when we had dinner last night." She stepped closer to Rowan and kissed him, her smile revealing her affection for him.
Rowan, now fully aware of his feelings, blushed deeply, struggling to contain the love she was expressing. His usual stern demeanor broke down, revealing a boy experiencing his first crush, unable to look directly at Elira. "Okay, that's enough. I understand, so please let's keep some distance," he said.
However, instead of distancing themselves, Elira moved even closer until they were sitting side by side, resembling a couple. After navigating the twists and turns of recent events, Rowan decided to stay at Brightmoor Territory for another week, during which he met the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess. He informed them that he would take responsibility for Elira's actions, although he also blamed himself for certain reasons that seemed out of his control.
In the second week of January 1524, Rowan and Elira left Brightmoor Territory together, using a Magic Transfer to travel to Rowan's Wintermere Territory. As they departed Brightmoor, the Grand Council, led by the Grand Duke, took decisive action. He initiated a thorough purge of corrupt individuals who had been exploiting commoners and those seeking justice against such wrongdoing. This bold move was also motivated by the Grand Duke's desire to protect his daughter from the prying eyes of other noble households that held grudges against the Brightmoor family and sought to take advantage of her.
During the third and fourth weeks of January 1524, the Grand Duke's purge of the wicked continued. Grand Knight Edmund de Brightmoor mobilized 500,000 soldiers for this operation. His actions were so impactful that the Kingdom of Unified Crowns decided to join the efforts led by Lord Edmund. The common people rejoiced at the noblemen and noblewomen who delivered them proper justice. Over 100 individuals from various noble households were executed for their unjust deeds and for acting as spies for other kingdoms.
During those two weeks, Lady Seren, Rowan's mother, was delighted that her son had found a wife and began planning the wedding preparations. Despite this, Rowan inquired about her relationship with the Brightmoor Family, but Lady Seren avoided answering, as she was not yet ready to share the truth. Rowan understood and decided to wait for the right moment to ask again.
While his mother, sister, and Elira were engaged in their usual chatter, Rowan prepared to lead his commanding force of 7,500 soldiers in military drills to enhance their skills, mastery, and command structure. However, during this period, another conflict arose. Two lords had declared territorial warfare, specifically targeting the Wintermere Territory. The reason for the conflict stemmed from their personal feelings toward the Grand Duke's daughter. Rowan could understand their motives, as his partner, Elira, was a strikingly beautiful woman and ranked among the top ten most beautiful young women in the Kingdom of Unified Crowns.
Consequently, Rowan accepted the challenge of war, recognizing that the lords could not relinquish their selfish desires for something that was already taken. Upon arriving at the designated area, Rowan experienced a sense of déjà vu; he noticed that the Lord of Frostvale and the Lord of Northreach were poorly equipped, relying on a band of mercenaries for their forces.
As Rowan and his army marched toward the two lords, they could see how significantly outmatched they were. Rowan's forces were fully equipped in armor and wielded high-quality weapons, with every soldier being an Intermediate Level Aura User and Mana User. Faced with this overwhelming power, the Lord of Frostvale and the Lord of Northreach promptly declared their surrender.