Izuku Midoriya³

The throne room was shrouded in such a heavy silence that no one dared to breathe. Izuku Midoriya stood before his parents, convinced that this would be the day they would officially announce his engagement to Countess Alice Matsumoto.

"Izuku." The queen's voice was solemn. "The council has made a decision. To guarantee peace between Aldaria and Aethera... you will marry the Duchess of Aethera."

Izuku's heart stopped beating for a moment.

"That...?"

The enormous doors of the hall opened with a bang.

A tall figure advanced with an almost unreal elegance. She wore deep blue silks embroidered with silver, and a long white veil completely concealed her face. Not a single feature was visible.

It was an ancient tradition in Aethera: no betrothed could gaze upon the face of their future spouse until after the first night in the castle. Breaking this custom was considered an offense capable of starting a war.

The nobles began to murmur. Aethera was known as the Kingdom of the Frozen Mountains. A place that in Aldaria they called, with disdain, the Kingdom of the Savages. They said its people were cold, brutal, and governed by laws as old as rock.

The mysterious figure stopped in front of the throne without bowing its head.

The Duchess Metzli.

"No!" Izuku's voice broke the silence. "I'm not going to marry a stranger! Much less someone from Aethera! I love Alice!"

Alice stepped forward, her eyes filled with tears.

"Your Majesty... please..."

"Silence." The king's voice was sharp. "This marriage doesn't unite two people. It unites two kingdoms."

Izuku turned his gaze toward the figure covered by the veil. He couldn't see its face. He couldn't guess its expression. He only felt those hidden eyes fixed upon him.

And, without having exchanged a single word, they had already become enemies.