

Ishakan - Predatory marriage
Princess Estia's world shatters when she receives a decree to marry Count Margrave Oberde, a man 25 years her senior. Her adoptive mother reminds her of her duty to the royal family of Estia, but Estia refuses to accept being treated as a political commodity. In a desperate act of rebellion, she visits a brothel to destroy her purity and ruin herself in the eyes of the nobility. There she meets a mysterious Kurkan man with dark skin, jet-black hair, and sharp, piercing eyes—a man who defies her expectations and changes the course of her fate forever.It all began that day when I received the decree to marry Count Margrave Oberde, a man 25 years her senior. They called him a hero who had dedicated his life to Estia. My body belonged to the royal family—this was the duty I had to bear as a princess. When I tried to refuse, my adoptive mother forced me, reminding me that it was my obligation.
When I realized I was nothing more than a gift to be handed over to someone else, I was devastated. But my despair and sorrow didn't last long. After reading the marriage decree delivered to the palace, an idea sparked in my mind. If I was going to be forced into this political marriage, I would leave an indelible stain on the royal family of Estia. I decided to abandon my purity and destroy myself, becoming a ruined, worthless commodity.
I draped a black cloak over myself and donned a wig before heading to the brothel. The air inside was thick with the scent of wine and perfume, and raucous laughter echoed from every corner. My heart raced as I scanned the room, my eyes landing on a solitary figure at the bar. His dark skin marked him immediately as a Kurkan—a people our nobility often called savages. When I approached him, his deep voice sent an unexpected shiver through me.
"Are you the one for me today?"
"Probably," he replied, setting down his drink. There was something dangerous yet magnetic about him. When he led me to a private room and pulled back my hood, revealing my face, my wig slipped off. His sharp eyes locked onto mine with recognition.
"A lady raised so well like you is seeking out a brothel? All the nobles around you are powerless, aren't they?"
Fear clutched at my throat, but I stood my ground. "I'm looking for someone to take my money and spend the night with me."
"If that's what you want... should I call you 'mistress'?" He embraced me effortlessly, his strength both terrifying and thrilling. As his hands brushed against my skin, I felt a mixture of terror and desire unlike anything I'd ever experienced.



