“I don’t know how such a family can exist.”

“Even in a great family like the Hersher family, someone who stirs up trouble appears from time to time.”

Light and darkness coexist. Where there is light, there is darkness behind it.

Clea thought of Lloyd and Aria in that darkness.

“Of course, no one would have thought that such people would suddenly burst out from everywhere.”

The children of both the Duke’s and Grand Duke’s families are all in an abnormal situation. From the Empire’s perspective, there was nothing to gain.

No less than the Percy Grand Duke family and the Hersher Duke family.

Everyone in the Empire knew how important positions these two families held.

When those responsible for the next generation are incompetent, internal chaos is bound to ensue.

‘Fortunately, the current Emperor and Crown Prince are capable.’

If they too were incompete

nt, the Empire would have entered a dark age.

Perhaps that’s why Clea felt Admund’s existence to be even more dazzling.

In the original work, he was the one who steadfastly protected the Empire.

Even in that difficult situation where Lloyd inherited the Grand Duke title and Aria became the Crown Princess.

‘By the way, what will happen to those two in the future?’

After the Hersher father and daughter’s meeting, Clea looked forward to what would happen next.

She was also curious about how Duke Hersher would react when he learned the truth of the incident, and what Aria would do when everything was revealed.

While Clea was enjoying thinking about such things, a welcome guest arrived.

“Admund.”

“I heard Aria came to visit.”

Seeing him gasping for breath as if he had rushed here, Clea briefly looked at Rupia.

Understanding Clea’s gaze, Rupia immediately left her seat.

As they were left alone, Clea quietly approached him.

“Did you come all the way here because you were worried?”

“How could I not be worried? I heard that after Aria, even Duke Hersher met with you.”

Clea smirked at Admund’s worried expression.

It was ridiculous that he was so worried, knowing full well that she wasn’t the type to be pushed around by anyone.

“Admund, this is the Imperial Palace. And did you forget about the wedding invitation we sent recently?”

The Imperial family sent out wedding invitations without even going through a single noble assembly.

There would probably be no one who didn’t know what this meant.

In the meantime, if it became known that the father and daughter of the Hersher Duke family had come and gone again, it was natural that various rumors would spread.

Considering Duke Hersher, who had to be careful with his actions, it was quite predictable what kind of humiliation he might have experienced here.

“Clea, Oberon told me. What happened to you on the terrace.”

“So Oberon told you about that.”

Although it was something she did to let Aria know her position, the one who was actually surprised was someone else.

“I understand well enough why you did such a thing, but don’t forget your promise.”

Admund said as he carefully approached and embraced her.

Clea had not forgotten what promise he was referring to. It hadn’t been long since they made that promise.

Thinking that he had every reason to be worried, Clea carefully whispered to Admund.

“I’ll try harder from now on. Even if it’s to protect this body that you love.”

“What I love is you yourself, Clea.”

Clea’s heart swelled at those words of love.

Although she had heard it countless times from him before, today it seemed to seep in even more strongly.

“Wasn’t there anyone opposing our marriage?”

“How could there be? Whose marriage is it?”

The companion of the Empire’s Crown Prince.

In this era, there was quite a lot to be gained through marriage.

How much can one believe that no nobles rebelled against the Crown Prince’s marriage, which could be used politically in many ways?

If that were true, it would be a very romantic thing, but Clea wasn’t one to believe in that level of romance.

‘There’s no way there wasn’t even a single opposition. I’m currently a commoner.’

Even the current Empress faced fierce opposition just because she came from a viscount family. Yet she herself was now even less than that, a commoner.

How could it be this quiet when marrying such a person?

Clea’s curiosity grew.

Even in a time of strong imperial power, it would be impossible to completely block all the words that would burst out, so she wondered how he had managed to persuade them.

“Tell me the truth.”

“About what?”

“You’ve done something about my status, haven’t you?”

“Why do you think that?”

Admund, who had been holding Clea, suddenly became alert.

He tried to hide it somehow, but it was difficult to avoid Clea’s eyes.

“Which family is it?”

“I can’t tell you that yet.”

In the end, he admitted that he had indeed done something about her status.

However, he resisted with the intention of not revealing which family it was until the end.

“You’ll find out soon enough anyway. So wait until then.”

As he said that and leaned in for a kiss, Clea said incredulously.

“You don’t expect me to let this go with just this, do you?”

At her provocative attitude, Admund smiled and whispered.

“I must satisfy the Crown Princess-to-be enough.”

* * *

“Why on earth did you go there!”

“It’s not like I can’t go there.”

“It’s a place you should never set foot in again!”

“Father!”

Aria’s plan didn’t end with meeting Clea.

She intended to talk with Admund as well and then visit Bawyn.

But Aria’s plan was completely shattered when she met Duke Hersher.

Duke Hersher caught Aria, who was trying to meet Admund, and headed home.

It’s not that Aria didn’t resist while being dragged home, but no one would disobey the Duke’s absolute orders.

I don’t even know how many nobles we encountered in the process.

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, they raised their voices.

“How could you say such things in that place, Father? How could you use honorifics for that woman!”

“She’s going to be the Crown Princess! Their Majesties have already agreed to it!”

“That child can never become the Crown Princess!”

For Aria, it wasn’t entirely baseless.

Given that Clea’s life was terminal, if she died, the position of Crown Princess would eventually go to someone else.

But the problem was the basis. If she mentioned that Clea had become terminal due to a curse, would the Duke believe her words?

With curses being passed down only as legends, very few people believed in them nowadays.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it, fearing her family might consider her mentally unstable if they heard it.

The Duke continued, saying he had expected this.

“Marry Lloyd. You heard it too, didn’t you? That you and Lloyd are well-matched.”

“Did that sound like a compliment to you, Father?”

It wasn’t a compliment to anyone’s ears.

Judging by recent rumors about Lloyd, he didn’t match Aria at all.

The rumors about Lloyd were related to Curtis Street.

Not only did he roam that street, but he allegedly even gambled and got into debt there.

Moreover, a significant portion of the money he used there reportedly included funds from the Grand Duke’s family.

So there were rumors circulating, demanding explanations as to whether the Grand Duke’s family was also involved with that place.

Normally, the Duke would have kept his mouth shut and quietly observed the situation. He didn’t want to get involved and have the sparks fly to them as well.

But now they were in no position to be picky.

“It’s the highest position next to the Imperial family.”

“I don’t like him. Rather than marrying that man, I’d rather marry Viscount Rockin.”

“Do you know what you’re saying right now?”

At the mention of Bawyn, the Duke looked at Aria with wide eyes.

He was so perplexed that he couldn’t even feel angry anymore.

No matter what, he wanted to exclaim in shock at how she could mention someone who was merely a viscount.

At the same time, the Duke had a terrible thought.

Could it be that that sinister and dangerous man had stolen Aria’s heart?

But Aria had only brought up Bawyn because she found Lloyd so distasteful, not because she had any particular feelings for Viscount Bawyn.

Aria knelt down and said.

“Please help me, Father.”

“I’ve already helped you a lot.”

The Duke was sick of being asked for help.

How much effort had he put in to allow Aria to meet Admund?

From various dresses to all sorts of accessories, the Duke had bought everything she asked for.

Although the Hersher family’s finances weren’t so dire as to struggle with just that, it wasn’t entirely without impact.

The investment made with joy, thinking of the day she would become the Crown Princess, had turned into a huge failure.

“Is there nothing else you want to tell me?”

Aria knew what the Duke was asking. He was inquiring about what had happened during her meeting with Clea.

Aria’s mood was at rock bottom, beyond the worst.

“No.”

“Then I too have only this to say to you. Stay in your room for the time being.”

Come to think of it, Aria had really done something unthinkable.

It would be right to scold her properly so that she would never do such a thing again, but the Duke, like the Duchess, had never properly scolded Aria.

So Aria had to be led to her room by the servants, without realizing her mistake at all.