Chapters 3 through 12 of the light novel introduce Sallysha Maoni, an eighteen-year-old adopted daughter of a count, known for her beauty and nicknamed "The Azure Rose." She was taken in by the Maoni family at age ten from a farming background. The narrative also introduces Cecilio Ahamas, the twenty-eight-year-old Margrave of Ahamas, a brave and upright man with a past broken engagement. Prince Philip, the twenty-year-old Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Titalia, is a kind friend to Sallysha. Elena Magritte, a seventeen-year-old viscount's daughter, is a cheerful and bright girl who greatly admires Sallysha.
The story begins with Sallysha waiting for Prince Philip in a secret meeting spot, weaving a flower crown. She encounters a man who reveals Prince Philip is attending a victory celebration for a recent conflict. Sallysha, unaware of the conflict's scale, offers the man her flower crown as thanks for bringing peace. This man is later revealed to be Cecilio Ahamas, and the celebration marks the end of a significant battle near the border.
The narrative then shifts to a later time, where Sallysha attends Prince Philip's engagement announcement to Elena Magritte. Despite her beauty and years of preparation to become the Crown Prince's bride, Sallysha's plan has failed. She reflects on her past, being adopted solely to secure a royal marriage, and her unrequited affection for Prince Philip, who is genuinely in love with Elena. During the announcement, a sudden attack occurs, and Sallysha instinctively shields the royal couple, sustaining a severe back injury.
After recovering from her near-fatal wound, Sallysha finds her prospects grim. Her adoptive father, Count Maoni, who had invested heavily in her education to make her a queen, is displeased. With her beauty marred by a prominent scar, marriage proposals are scarce. Count Maoni arranges a marriage for Sallysha with the elderly Count Scachini. However, on the day of their meeting, Cecilio Ahamas, the Margrave of Ahamas, unexpectedly arrives. He reveals a prior arrangement and proposes marriage to Sallysha, much to the surprise of Count Maoni and Sallysha herself. Cecilio, a powerful figure from the northern border, had learned of Sallysha's plight and, recalling her kindness from their earlier encounter, intervened. Despite her concerns about her scar and her deception, Sallysha agrees to the marriage, as Cecilio had already dealt with Count Scachini.
Sallysha travels to Ahamas with her maid, Nora. The journey is long, and Sallysha worries about Cecilio discovering her scar and rejecting her. Upon arrival at the formidable Ahamas Margrave's residence, which doubles as a fortress, she is greeted by Cecilio. He appears to be a capable and kind man, though his appearance is more akin to a soldier than a nobleman. He arranges for her to stay in comfortable quarters and assigns her a personal maid, Clara. Sallysha is deeply anxious about revealing her injury, fearing it will lead to her abandonment. The chapters conclude with Sallysha contemplating her situation, torn between her desire for honesty and the fear of losing her precarious position.
