yoojee

Aideen Ruan, though a royal princess, was always unwanted due to the circumstances of her birth. Born blind to a hostage concubine, she possessed an intriguing beauty; however, her disability rendered her utterly useless to the royal family.

Even when the struggling Count Crueder reluctantly agreed to take Aideen as his wife to secure the royal dowry, her life failed to improve. A year into their marriage, Aideen's inability to produce an heir sealed her fate. The princess was destined for exile to the Temple, consigned to spend the remainder of her days in isolation and abandonment.

Contrary to her anticipations, instead of the Temple, Aideen found herself within the cold walls of Duke Tillian Valentine's castle. Duke Valentine, the last scion of the once-revered Valentine family that ruled the Kingdom before the "Fratricide Rebellion", now presided over the desolate Northern lands.

Faced with fear and confusion, Aideen expected her life to perpetuate its cycle of misery, only to discover that Duke Valentine might hold the key to a new opportunity, a chance at a life she had never envisioned.

"You bewitched my body and soul. Put an intoxicating spell on me, shackled my heart to yours with your magic. If I could exchange my eyesight with you, I would do it just to make you see what a man dying from love looks like."

Saved By The Mad Duke

"Your Grace, you have been wearing quite a grim expression since early morning. Is something troubling you?"

Stanis scrutinized his lord's dark countenance once more, his curiosity piqued by the unusual distress. It was evident that from the moment the man stepped out of the castle, he exuded an invisible yet ominous aura of gloom, unsettling to anyone who dared to glance at him even briefly.

Upon hearing his assistant's observation, Tillian flinched, tightly clutching the reins of his horse, suddenly aware of his own expression. He furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, releasing a long sigh.

"Nothing of real consequence, but I seem to have inadvertently created another awkward situation between the princess and myself."

"What did you do this time?" Stanis inquired, his tone heavy with exasperation.

Another heavy sigh escaped Tillian's lips.

"I didn't do anything wrong per se, but... Aideen saw the letter from my mentor the other night."

Woe Is Me!