“Did you say you are engaged to His Majesty?”
“I figured you’d find out eventually, so I told you since we met. Why, did His Majesty say something?”
“Yes. Briefly after the meeting.”
“Is that so?”
“He also mentioned considering Alicia as a potential Crown Princess.”
“Did he now? Well, considering the Emperor and the Count were related, it’s possible the news got out.”
“He also mentioned that Prince Harry recently brought it up.”
“Hmm.”
The Duke frowned.
“This wouldn’t be for political reasons. Although the Lancaster Count’s family has a deep history, it wouldn’t necessarily benefit the throne.”
“Doesn’t that make it all the more puzzling? It’s a sensitive time now.”
The Crown Prince had not been decided yet, and the nobles were weighing their options, mostly between two princes.
The Empress was already openly reaching out to prominent noble families for the position of the next Empress.
So Eric thought that Prince Harry wouldn’t mention it at this critical time for emotional reasons.
“What do you think?”
“I’d like to stay as neutral as possible. I can’t afford to plunge the Knights into chaos.”
If Eric, the Knight Commander, makes political moves, it would greatly influence the knights of noble lineage.
Moreover, commoner knights could get involved regardless of their own will.
“But if the Duke of Gloucester moves, you won’t be free either.”
“…”
“Of course, you could use yourself as an excuse to maintain neutrality.”
William was perfectly suitable as the next Emperor.
However, his mother, who was romantically married to the Emperor, wasn’t from a powerful family, and had a weak lineage due to an early death from a difficult childbirth.
On the other hand, Prince Harry’s mother was originally a queen, and because she was pregnant with Harry when she was crowned Empress, there was no issue with his legitimacy.
Furthermore, it was easy for Prince Harry to gather support through his mother, who was a firm and powerful queen.
“Don’t worry. Even though I’m a Duke and a barrier to the royal family, I can protect my daughterinlaw’s family.”
The Duke’s voice was firm.
Just because the Lancaster Count was related to the Duke of Gloucester by marriage, they would receive attention in the noble society.
However, judging by the Count’s character of having little contact with the outside, they probably wouldn’t want that attention.
“The Count of Lancaster can’t create a situation to oppose it.”
“Ah, was that your concern?”
“Of course. What else is important?”
“Oh, right.”
He thought the range of concerns would be greater, but the Duke of Gloucester’s words were reassuring.
Then, the Duchess of Gloucester entered, making a fuss.
“Oh dear, has our son arrived?”
Judging by the promotion from ‘brat’ to ‘our son,’ it seemed the Duchess was in a very good mood.
“Has he arrived?”
“Oh my, I have so much work these days. I feel like even two bodies wouldn’t be enough.”
“Yes, I bet you are. You must be tired.”
“Look at you, talking. Can you only talk politely in front of our Alicia?”
Ignoring his mother’s scolding, he looked around.
“But where is she?”
“Alicia? She had a question for the butler. But why do you talk like that? You’re not still awkward with her, are you?”
“Not awkward.”
“Then why? Are you keeping a distance because it’s in front of us?”
“No, I’ll go find her.”
Feeling that more nagging was coming, Eric quickly left the reception room.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]“Butler, where is Miss Alicia?”
“She went to the library for a while.”
“The library?”
“Yes, she seems to like books. Our library has ancient books and it’s quite big.”
‘So that’s why she didn’t come.’
“But, sir.”
“Hmm?”
“Your address seems very awkward.”
“I’m just showing respect to my fiancée.”
“Respect? Now?”
However, the old butler gently smiled at the uncomfortablelooking Eric and offered a polite excuse.
“It was just an old man’s curiosity, sir.”
“Thank you for your concern, Butler. But don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
Eric nodded to the old butler and made his way to the library.
‘I remember our housekeeper and steward saying something similar.’
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]Eric, who had been sitting at the office desk, frowned upon seeing the housekeeper and the steward approach with serious expressions.
“Is there a problem?”
“Not at all.”
“But why the expressions?”
“Ah, there is a problem indeed.”
Eric’s face contorted once more.
“The issue is the count.”
“Me?”
Eric asked back, dumbfounded.
“Count. No matter what, you are too harsh on the lady.”
“What?”
Eric quickly ransacked his memories, but he couldn’t recall doing anything wrong.
“They say one can pay back debts with words, but your manner of address is too stiff.”
“Me?”
“Goodness, how will it be if you keep calling her like she’s any other man, despite the engagement?”
“I am just being polite.”
“And yet why couldn’t we ever feel that from you? Is it also being polite to call her awkwardly like ‘Hey there’?”
“······.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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