Battle Divorce! - Chapter 1

Chapter 1.1

Marriage is a crazy thing.

Dressed in a wedding gown with a veil atop her head, Daisy forced a smile onto her lips and straightened her back, trying to ignore the painful cramp building up.

“Isn’t that bride the illegitimate daughter of Count Therese? She’s quite pretty.”

“So what if she’s pretty? She’s about to become a widow nonetheless. It’s just pitiful.”

“Indeed. It’s no better than selling off your own daughter.”

The murmurs of the guests reached her ears, loud and clear.

Sorry, but I actually prefer it this way.

In the life Daisy had imagined for herself after retirement, there was no place for a husband.

[ Become Maxim von Waldeck’s wife in name only. ]

That was the last mission given to her as a secret agent. Nothing more.

Maxim von Waldeck, the royal family’s hunting dog.

The man who would become Daisy’s husband today was doomed to be cannon fodder in an unwinnable war. Before his deployment, a formal wedding was required for the sake of his title’s succession, but no noblewoman was willing to step up and become an early widow.

And so, this chapel became Daisy’s final mission site. All she had to do was wait for her beloved husband to die in battle, and a hefty reward would soon land in her hands.

The wedding that would soon turn her into ‘Daisy von Waldeck’ was about to start.

‘Late to his own wedding. Unbelievable.’

With the groom’s spot still empty, Daisy stood all alone in front of the officiating priest. She must have looked utterly pathetic to any onlookers. It didn’t help that the fancy wedding dress and tall heels (clothes which she never wore) made her feel like she was being punished.

The wedding dress had been a hasty purchase, and it was made of lace that came all the way up to her neck. It was perfect for making Daisy look like a pure and innocent bride, but the problem was, it was too tight around her chest.

So, in a rush to make the dress fit looser, she had to squish her br**sts into a smaller bra, but now it felt like there was a weight in her throat, even though she hadn’t eaten anything.

‘I feel so suffocated in this, I might just throw up.’

She was already desperate for a divorce, and the wedding hadn’t even started yet. But she had to bear it—for a husband worth a million gold.

Had this been her real husband, she would in no way tolerate this, but this fake husband came with the highest price tag of any target Daisy had ever dealt with.

‘Since he’s going off to war to die, I guess I can let this level of humiliation slide.’

Thinking about the payout that would soon hit her account, she felt herself growing a bit more lenient.

‘He’s not going to stand me up, is he?’

With growing anxiety, Daisy glanced toward the entrance. This mission wasn’t just about the huge reward—her hard-earned retirement fund was at stake, too.

‘Please just make it here safely. My million gold…’

Out of sheer nerves, Daisy fidgeted with her fingers. She should’ve brought a bouquet, but she had skipped that step in her rush.

Just as her anxiety reached its peak, the doors to the chapel slammed open with a loud BANG!

A tall man in a military uniform strode in, a halo of light shining from behind him. At first, Daisy thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but as he came closer, she realized the truth.

Her husband was an extraordinarily handsome man.

‘Jeez, no one told me he’d be this good-looking.’

They say beauty and short lives go hand in hand. Did a man who was about to become cannon fodder, thrown into the hellfire of war, really need to be this handsome?

What a waste for the country.

He had the strong, sturdy build of a soldier. His broad chest and wide shoulders made the uniform fit him perfectly.

His jet-black hair and cool steel-gray eyes were chilling.

‘He’s… cold.’

There wasn’t a hint of expression on his face. Daisy wasn’t easily intimidated, but the dangerous aura he gave off made it difficult to meet his gaze.

It made sense, though. He was about to be sent off to war, and on top of that, a woman he didn’t even know had suddenly appeared, claiming to be his bride. Of course, he’d feel awkward. Daisy understood her husband’s situation.

“Here.”

In a few long strides, her husband reached her side and handed her something.

“Take this.”

Startled, Daisy automatically accepted it.

It was a small bouquet made of daisies. It was simple and far from the lavish kind you’d expect at a wedding. Even though this was just a formal ceremony, it looked like he’d prepared it to complete the occasion.

‘That’s cute.’

In truth, she preferred this modest bouquet of wildflowers over something flashy. The stiffness in her face finally began to dissipate.

Once her husband arrived, the simple wedding ceremony proceeded.

“I declare before our honorable Lord that these two are now husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

The officiant recited the wedding declaration and motioned for the bride and groom to seal their vows with a kiss.

A kiss?

Her husband was about to leave for war without even spending their wedding night together. There was no way he would actually kiss her. Besides, this was Daisy’s first kiss, and tossing it away like this felt like a waste. Yet, his impossibly handsome face was moving closer and closer.

‘W-what…?’

She hadn’t expected a kiss in this purely formal wedding. Was he really that strict about following protocol? Maybe, as a soldier, he was a stickler for the rules.

‘Alright, fine. I’ll just think of it as kissing my million gold.’

Once she thought of it that way, it was easier to accept. It was just a kiss, and at weddings, it was usually a simple peck on the lips—a light touch, and that’s it.

‘Haah… at least he’s ridiculously good-looking.’

Having her first kiss with such a handsome man—well, at least it wouldn’t be the worst first kiss ever, she thought, trying to calm herself as she squeezed her eyes shut.