Arnold, who would lose a lifetime of honor in an instant, was incredibly unfortunate because his claims were objectively quite valid.

Because, Valter Ertman had inherently little interest in women.

“Think about it. Was it just for a day or two that I tried to pair him up with someone just to keep him at home?”

Arnold was not a mere knight.

He was an experienced former family head, well-versed in the ways of the aristocrats.

That’s why he could respond quickly when something happened to Lutus, and even during the years when social activities were constrained due to the Emperor’s pressure, he had been able to maintain Ertman soundly.

And after Arnold experienced the pain of erasing his own son from the family registry with his own hands, he immediately tried to find Valter a fiancée.

[Dash] Forget it. This isn’t child’s play.

It fell through due to Valter’s own opposition.

From then on, Arnold would bring up marriage to Valter whenever he got a chance, but Valter always found a way to evade him.

[Dash] I’ll soon be knighted and have to go to the battlefield, what need do I have for a fiancée to wait?

[Dash] A lady from the capital won’t be familiar with the Ertman Duke’s territory. I don’t like it.

[Dash] A lady from the Duke’s territory would find life in the capital hard. There’s no need to make her suffer needlessly.

In the end, he even went as far as asking about Valter’s ideal type.

[Dash] Ideal type, you say? I prefer a woman who is younger but more experienced and skillful than me. Of course, she should be superior to me in status and education, bold enough to speak her mind anywhere, but also pure and easily embarrassed. A cold and indifferent but kind and affectionate personality would be even better.

[Dash] … Just live alone for the rest of your life, you bastard.

[Dash] As you say.

Arnold threw up both his hands and feet.

“Wouldn’t it be understandable if he at least had a girlfriend? Has anyone ever heard that guy date?”

“Apparently not.”

“Exactly! Not just women, but he should meet some men too, but he doesn’t!”

Be it friendships or romantic relationships, Valter had none.

If he had any shortcomings, one might think it was for that reason, but Valter voluntarily did not socialize with anyone.

‘No, he does have shortcomings…’

That guy’s personality.

His already unsociable grandson became even more inhuman after his father Lutus ran away.

On the surface, he looked fine, but all aspects of him had turned mechanical.

Yet, how could one blame Valter?

His father ran away after having an affair, and his mother filed for divorce immediately after, returning to her parents’ home, and not contacting even once after that.

Of course, even before all this, Valter had been exceptionally unsociable and irritable. It just became worse.

“Why I’ve left him alone all this time is partly because I feared he’d go awry, but also because I felt sorry for any woman who’d have to marry such an unfeeling guy. What sin would that lady have committed?”

“…You are objectively strange. Any woman would be thrilled to become the Duchess of Ertman.”

“That’s better, then.”

If someone married Valter hoping to become the Duchess of Ertman from the beginning, she could probably live contentedly, no matter how Valter turned out.

Besides, Valter, who is already uninterested in family matters, doesn’t need to be forced into a marriage that would make his relationship with his wife even worse.

For such reasons, Arnold had left Valter on his own up till now.

But as a result, he was going to marry the 4th Princess due to the Emperor’s schemes!

“I absolutely cannot tolerate this! I must go to the capital immediately and tell His Majesty that I can no longer accept this unjust treatment!”
“Wouldn’t it be better to look into it a bit more? There might be a reason.”

“If there was a reason, they would have contacted us! No need to look any further! Fumbling around will ruin everything; get ready now!”

…

So it was, in the present.

Arnold stood in the capital, fully armored.

The immense drive and execution that made him a veteran remained robust despite the wear and tear of time.

[Walther will surely try to dissuade me, so I must bypass the Duke’s residence and head straight for the imperial palace. I’ll lodge at the Wellington Hotel for now.]

And just like earlier with Yanick, nothing could deter the resolute Arnold.

Had Arnold been five years younger, he would have shrugged off the clingy Yanick with one hand and gone straight to the imperial palace.

But as one ages, they soften, so they say.

He couldn’t ignore the weeping, clinging Yanick, granting him a brief five minutes to reconsider.

With a stern face, Arnold moved further into the hall.

His mind was filled with thoughts about the 4th princess, who was reportedly engaged to Walther.

[It’s pretty clear. It’s likely a marriage arranged by the Emperor. If she is a princess, her nose will undoubtedly be up in the air.]

And since she is royalty, she would have no reason to favor Ertman.