The Iron God Claims His Brother's Ex

“I stood in the grand throne room, waiting to marry Crown Prince Gideon. As a "Dragonless" noblewoman, this marriage was my only security. But the doors opened, and Gideon walked in holding my cousin Clarisa's hand. In front of the entire court, he asked the King to elevate her, a "Dragon-born," and turned to offer me the humiliating position of his secondary consort. "I know this is unfair, but you will still be a member of the royal family," he said, expecting my tearful gratitude. I refused and walked out, but when I returned home, my nightmare only worsened. My grandmother, father, and aunt surrounded me, furiously cursing me for ruining their royal connections. "You ruined this marriage! Go apologize to the Crown Prince and accept his arrangement!" my father roared. For eighteen years, my family had treated my "commoner" mother like dirt, while secretly draining her massive merchant dowry to fund their lavish, aristocratic lifestyle. Now, they wanted to sell me off at a discount just to keep their status, completely disregarding my dignity. They really thought I was just a weak, obedient girl who would swallow this ultimate betrayal and let them hollow out our lives forever. They were dead wrong. I didn't shed a single tear. Instead, I took over my mother's estate, called in every single debt they owed us, and watched the debt collectors strip our manor bare. As my mother finally handed my father the divorce papers, I ordered a custom "Dragonslayer Gold" sword. It was time to pay a visit to Gideon's deadliest rival-the Iron-Blooded God of War.”