Logout failed, But Marriage Was Successful - Chapter 1

**Prologue 

Ding—ding—

The sound of bells announcing blessings rang out under the blue sky.

Rose petals, scattered from an unknown source, fluttered beautifully through the air, while the fountain engraved with cherubic angels shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight.

It was a wedding scene so extravagant that there were no words to describe it other than breathtaking. Guests, in awe, couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“I wouldn’t have any other wishes if I could have a wedding like this. It must have taken an incredible amount of effort.” 

“It’s the Bertegnon family. Is there anything they *can’t* do?” 

“I heard the Duke’s love for his bride is extraordinary… It seems the rumours were true.” 

Someone muttered wistfully, only for the noblewoman beside her to gently nudge her in the side—a subtle warning to watch her words.

The woman, chastised, raised her fan to cover her lips. Yet, as if unable to suppress her curiosity, she cautiously spoke again.

“But… when exactly did they start seeing each other? There weren’t any rumours at all.” 

“The Duke isn’t the kind of person to make his courtship public.” 

“That may be true, but still, everything was *too* quiet, wasn’t it?” 

For all the grandeur of the wedding, there was remarkably little information about the bride.  

Bertegnon had claimed that he was keeping her protected until the ceremony, just in case of any unforeseen circumstances. But even that seemed insufficient to explain the complete lack of details.

“Besides…” 

The woman lowered her voice conspiratorially. 

“I heard the bride… has a child.” 

“A child?”

**11:13 

**• 29 

“Oh my, that can’t possibly be…!” 

Everyone gasped, covering their mouths in shock. A man who was both unmarried and from such a prestigious family—why would he propose to a woman who already had a child?

Of course, the Bertegnon family had officially announced that the Duke had “found a love he would never encounter again,” but few truly believed it.

After all, the man in question was Eden Bertegnon—a young duke who neither believed in nor embraced the common notions of affection or love.

And yet, he had spoken of love. Instead of accepting this at face value, most people were convinced that there had to be another reason behind the marriage.

Even today, on the day of the wedding, the bride’s waiting room had been so heavily guarded by soldiers that it was practically sealed off. If she had to be hidden away so thoroughly until the last moment, there had to be a reason.

Just then, the sound of bells signalled the start of the ceremony. The guests, who had been busy whispering their speculations, quickly turned their attention to the wedding aisle as if nothing had happened.

The first to appear was Eden Bertegnon.

His sleek black hair was neatly combed back, and he was dressed impeccably in a tailcoat. He was so breathtakingly handsome that sighs escaped from the crowd.

Some young ladies, still unable to accept the reality of his marriage, clutched their handkerchiefs in quiet despair.

Eden took his place at the altar. Now, it was time for the bride to appear. The guests sharpened their gaze, eager for their first glimpse of the woman the Duke had so meticulously kept hidden.

“The bride may enter.”

At the officiant’s call, the doors swung open.

The first to appear was a beautiful young woman with golden-blonde hair and striking green eyes—a radiant beauty at first glance.

The only problem?

She looked too young compared to the duke.

She couldn’t have been more than fifteen years old.

‘Surely the Duke wouldn’t marry someone that young…?’

Noticing the guests’ suspicious gazes, the blonde girl’s face slowly turned red.

But then, someone emerged behind her.

A woman with violet hair, wearing a lace veil.

A bouquet rested in her hands—**the real bride.**

Because of the hem of her dress, the woman had been keeping her gaze lowered. But as she slowly lifted her head, the crowd instinctively fell silent.

Even with the opaque veil obscuring her features, it was unmistakable—she was a striking beauty, the kind one couldn’t help but be captivated by.

Her red eyes, perfectly complementing her violet hair, carried a faintly cool impression.

And perhaps because of the stark contrast in colour and aura compared to the young girl before her, she exuded an even more mysterious presence.

One might have expected her to be overwhelmed by the weight of so many gazes, yet she simply looked straight ahead, unshaken.

Then, at last, the bride took her first step forward. The blonde girl, serving as the flower girl, followed closely behind.

When they reached the groom, the young girl took a step back, signalling that her role was complete. Then, with a bright smile as warm as sunlight, she whispered,

“Be happy, Auntie.”

As the girl beamed and stepped aside, the woman lifted her gaze.

Eden smiled faintly and extended his hand toward her.

“Come here, Godel.“

Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand in his.

At that, Eden’s smile deepened, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. The soft expression, coupled with the faint flush at the edges of his eyes, made him look every bit the overjoyed groom.

“Nervous?”

“…Of course not.”

She forced a stiff smile as she answered.

But the slight tremble in their joined hands betrayed her.

Eden, having noticed everything, simply smiled in satisfaction.

“That’s a relief. I was worried it might look like I was the only one in love.”

As he whispered those words, he lifted her hand. Then, tilting his head slightly as if seeking permission for a kiss, he murmured,

“Please, don’t make me a pitiable groom. A one-sided love is far too sad.”

“I trust that won’t be the case,” she replied.

Eden smiled, his eyes curving with amusement, and intertwined their fingers—almost as if to insist that he wouldn’t let go until he heard the answer he wanted.

Anyone watching this scene would undoubtedly sigh in longing or admiration.

Eden was that captivating, that breathtakingly beautiful.

But she knew the truth.

She knew just how insincere this man’s affection was.

And she knew that this marriage might very well upend her entire fate.

Even so, there was only one response she could give.

“…Then, of course.”

Godel struggled to answer, but as soon as she did, the smile on Eden’s lips deepened.

He gently pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

“From this moment on, you and I are bound as husband and wife.”

So try to love me a little more.

As his sweet whisper reached her ears, she thought to herself—

I only wanted to see the hidden ending. How did it end up in marriage?

To explain that, we need to go back a little in time.

***

[Thank you for raising me all this time, Father.]

I swallowed dryly at the words glowing on the screen.

Today marked the nth time I had seen this dialogue. By now, I should have grown used to it—but every single time, I couldn’t help feeling tense.

It was inevitable.

The outcome changed every time I played.

But not this time.

I had worked tirelessly to perfect every step. There was no better route than the one I had taken.

My determination had been unwavering, and today, I would finally reach the end of that persistence.

Alright.

Taking a deep breath, I pressed the button.

The screen darkened, and an emotional melody began to play.

*Please, please… 

I clenched my fists.

As the screen slowly brightened, the words that appeared were—

**[~ Concubine Ending ~]**

“Ah!” 

Overcome with frustration, I threw my gaming console across the room. 

“Why?! Why is it *always* this one?!” 

The legendary game **<Hero’s Daughter—How to Become the True Protagonist>**, commonly shortened to *HeroDaughter*, was a famous classic in which a hero raised his daughter.

Since it had fantasy elements, the game featured a vast array of endings. However, each ending was determined by fleeting choices, fuelling the competitive spirit of many players.

Among them, one particular ending stood out as the most coveted—the so-called **Hidden Ending. 

*The problem? Not a single person had ever actually seen it.

According to rumours, there was exactly *one* specific route that led to the Hidden Ending, created by the developers themselves. 

If the rumour had spread, that must have meant *someone* had found it… yet no matter how hard people searched, no player had ever come forward claiming to have reached it.  

Determined to collect every possible ending, players racked their brains in pursuit of the truth. Thanks to the growing intrigue, the game only became even more popular. 

But no matter what tricks they tried, the Hidden Ending remained elusive. The so-called “veterans” of the game grew even more obsessed, sinking deeper into their efforts.

And I was one of them.

I had gone beyond being just immersed in the game—I was practically boiling in it.

And yet, even after all my dedication, this time, I really thought I had done it…!

“*If she had just been a wife, fine! But of all things, why a concubine?! I raised you so carefully!*”

I flailed in rage, venting my frustration.

But my outburst changed nothing.

On screen, my daughter continued speaking, preparing to say her farewells.

Beside her, a burly man with a massive beard and a round belly let out a booming laugh.

Rather than witnessing that miserable sight, it was better not to see it at all.

Returning to the main menu, I let out a deep sigh.

“What is the problem?”

I had raised her with the utmost care, making sure she stayed healthy and never fell ill.

I spared no expense when it came to her education—social dancing, martial arts, music, cooking, etiquette… Whatever she wanted to learn, I made sure she could.

To prevent any stress from building up, I made it a point to talk to her regularly and treated her to plenty of delicious food.

(Of course, all those expenses were covered by her part-time jobs, but still…)

It couldn’t be helped. The kingdom in this game gave the hero nothing but a pitiful pension, barely enough to survive.

Regardless, I had put in so much effort into raising my daughter.

If I thought even one illustration looked decent, I made sure to engage in conversation. I attended every festival possible.

I thought I had done more than enough to foster romance.

And yet… this was the outcome.

“If it had to be something, why couldn’t it at least be the Hero ending?”

The Hero Ending was a fan favourite—a proper, respectable conclusion where the daughter followed in her retired father’s footsteps and became a hero herself.

Had I gotten that ending instead, I wouldn’t have been this frustrated.

But out of all possibilities, why a concubine? Seriously, what was this nonsense?

After grumbling to myself for a while, I let out another sigh.

Getting too emotionally invested in a game wasn’t healthy.

I should take a break.

But then…

“Why do I feel so dizzy?”

十

At that moment, an inexplicable wave of vertigo washed over me.

Had I played the game too much?

This was exactly why staying healthy was important—even for gaming.

I need some medicine…

I tried to move forward, but the only thing that welcomed me was the cold, hard floor.

Thud!

With a loud crash, my vision began to fade.

In that moment, my final thoughts weren’t about my family or even a desperate desire to survive.