After being stripped of his title, Carrion Astarian is given one final chance to prove he deserves the throne: leave the capital, build a stable household, and choose a wife to demonstrate his judgment and leadership. While the court expects a noble alliance, he shocks the empire by selecting a barbarian princess from the northern tribes. The princess, Y/N, is not flattered but offended, believing she was chosen only because no noblewoman would accept a disgraced prince. Seen as outsiders by the empire, both she and Carrion enter the arranged marriage with suspicion, setting the stage for political tension and mutual distrust.