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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

This chapter contains graphic violence, readers' discretion is advised.

With those words, Yuraon moved the blade of his sword like a skillful butcher, cutting off one of Valon's hands.

The air was instantly filled with the sickening metallic smell of blood that was dripping heavily from the fresh large wound, marring the pristine white surface of the snow with its bizarre crimson ornaments. Valon's desperate and loud cries echoed around the cold castle walls, his pained groans and gasps for air resembled those of a trapped, wounded animal.

Reveling in the prince's continuous anguish, the young king seized his other wrist and looked back at Aideen, whose glowing dragon eyes were firmly fixed on Valon's suffering grimace.

"My Lady," Yuraon finally asked again, "What will be the punishment befitting the crime of emotional torture and physical abuse?"

The Punishment, Part II