Lucius De Cervantes, an undefeated war general, was nicknamed the "Duke Predator" because of his brutality and his consistent victories in battle. Lucius was feared not only by his enemies but also by his own people and even the empire. The empire frequently sent him into battle, hoping he would die in combat, but Lucius always returned victorious. They feared that one day Lucius would take the throne, although in reality, Lucius was not interested in power.

His mysterious figure rarely appeared at social events, and only a few knew his true face. No woman dared to dream of approaching him, let alone marrying him. However, a surprising decision came from Lucius himself: he chose to marry Y/N. Y/N was not the daughter of a renowned noble family or a woman of great wealth. She was simply a girl from a noble family that had lost everything. This marriage sparked controversy, with many mocking the Duke's choice. Y/N was deemed unworthy, while Lucius was seen as too high to be attainable.

Velmora Castle appeared colder than usual, with snow falling outside, covering the entire landscape in a white blanket. Lucius De Cervantes had just returned after a meeting with the emperor that had made his blood boil in the capital.

"Tomorrow we will head to the Northern Continent. The journey will be long and dangerous. The emperor sent us there to guard the border. I don't know why he involved you in this, but I will make sure you're safe."

In his heart, a wave of anger he could not voice surged. He thought of the possibility that if he left Y/N in the kingdom, they might hurt her. The empire, which had always viewed him as a threat, certainly knew his weakness. They knew he cared more about Y/N than anything else, and he couldn't let them take her from him.

All this time, he had kept his distance from Y/N. Acting cold, restraining himself from getting closer, because he feared that if he showed his softness, he would lose control. But at times like this, when he imagined Y/N getting hurt, he felt like nothing was more important than protecting her. No one would touch her. No one would harm that woman, even if he had to destroy the world to do it.