Afterwards, high society was abuzz with talk of Blair’s marriage prospects.

Tea times for noble ladies and ladies-in-waiting, as well as clubs for noble men, were all astir with discussions about the princess’s potential match.

“Who will be the extremely lucky bastard to become the companion of our noble and beautiful princess?”

“Well, it certainly won’t be you.”

“What? What do I lack?”

“Do you even need to ask? The princess has eyes, you know. She wouldn’t choose someone like you.”

“What did you say, you bastard?”

“Hey, but is marrying the princess really such good fortune? You’d essentially be marrying into the imperial family. If your wife has a strong personality, you’d have to live meekly even at home.”

“But she’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

“Tsk tsk, you fool who only looks at outward beauty.”

“And you? Did you court the extreme Aristé because you saw her inner beauty?”

The young nobles attacked each other verbally using Blair as a weapon while playing card games.

Deep down, they all wanted to marry Blair, yet they disparaged her. Underlying this was a base mindset born from the deprivation of being unable to attain what they desired.

In the next room, Johan, who was playing billiards, clicked his tongue as he overheard their conversation while waiting for his turn.

As he positioned himself with the cue stick, he asked Herdin:

“What about you?”

Herdin, who had just finished his turn and was wetting his throat with a nearby glass of alcohol, looked at Johan as if to ask what he meant.

“Marriage, I mean. You’ve returned after achieving great feats in the war. I hear rumors that notable ladies are lining up in front of the Duke’s residence. Aren’t you going to get married?”

Marriage.

Following the old men of the family, now Luth and Johan were bringing up that topic again.

After the victory banquet the other day, Luth had asked if there were any suitable young ladies, but Herdin hadn’t answered. To begin with, the only person he had taken notice of was Blair.

Before he could answer, Johan’s turn ended. Herdin picked up the cue and positioned himself, finally giving an indifferent reply.

“Well…”

“Or is there perhaps a lady you’re waiting for?”

Herdin didn’t answer, focusing on the ball instead.

“Anyway, you should start setting your sights on a suitable young lady soon. Once you’re off the market, other men of Ardel might have a chance.”

Herdin didn’t understand why he should consider the circumstances of those fools who were falling behind in the marriage market, but he didn’t bother to argue against it.

The game ended with Herdin’s victory.

Johan, who had been losing consistently today, grumbled.

“You heartless bastard. You won’t let me win even once.”

“The game is only fun when you win with your own fair skills, right?”

“Yes, yes. It’s all my fault for lacking skill.”

As the two were finishing the last of their drinks, the voices of the young nobles could be heard again from beyond the arched doorway.

“Still, that guy who becomes the prince consort will have it good.”

“Why are you bringing that up again suddenly?”

“She’s breathtakingly beautiful. When else would you get to sleep with such a woman for life?”

“You crazy bastard. As expected of someone who only pursues outward beauty.”

“I think her inner beauty would be just as great. She probably has a warm heart too…”

Johan’s expression hardened as he heard them snickering and speaking lewdly.

As Herdin’s friend, he didn’t particularly like the imperial family, but regardless of that, he didn’t appreciate their words mocking Blair.

“Her Highness the Princess should find a match soon, so these idiots will stop talking about her… Hey, where are you going?”

Leaving Johan behind, Herdin walked out of the room and approached the young noble who was speaking lewdly. He then kicked the noble’s chair, toppling it over. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the young noble fell with a crash.

The mouths of the watching nobles, as well as Johan who had followed behind, gaped open in shock.

“What the hell, all of a sudden?”

The young noble, looking ridiculous sprawled on the floor, got up angrily but closed his mouth upon meeting Herdin’s cold eyes.

“My foot caught on the chair as I was passing by.”

The space where they stood was wide. There was plenty of room to pass without bumping into the chair.

Moreover, Herdin’s action just now could hardly be described as his foot catching on the chair; he had clearly kicked it.

“What kind of nonsense—”

Before the young noble could finish his protest, Herdin stomped on the fallen chair. With each kick, the chair splintered into pieces.

Herdin’s eyes were terribly indifferent as he mercilessly trampled the chair, which made it all the more chilling.

The nobles stared blankly at Herdin with terrified expressions. With each crack of the chair, they felt as if their own legs were being broken.

Finally, Herdin’s kicks stopped after thoroughly destroying the chair.

“The chair was there, so it’s the fault of the chair that caught my foot, right?”

Herdin went back into the room, grabbed his jacket, and calmly walked past the frozen nobles.

“What’s wrong with him suddenly? Isn’t he completely crazy…?”

Ignoring the nobles’ whispers behind him.

Herdin left the club, had a waiting staff call for a carriage, and lit a cigar.

It wasn’t the first time they had verbally harassed women, but this time it particularly disgusted him.

She was a woman who had nothing to do with him, so he should have just thought of them as pathetic and ignored it as usual, but he had unnecessarily stirred things up.

Though he was belatedly annoyed at his uncharacteristic behavior, he didn’t regret it.

Soon, the carriage arrived.

Luth greeted him when he returned home late. He immediately brought documents.

“Your Excellency, there are urgent documents that need your review—”

Before Luth could finish speaking, Herdin snatched the documents he offered and ordered:

“Compile a list of noble young ladies for me.”

Blinking at his lord’s sudden command, Luth belatedly understood its meaning and his face brightened.

He didn’t know what wind had blown to make Herdin, who hadn’t budged despite his endless urging, finally seem to realize his duty as the head of the family, but he felt relieved nonetheless.

“What kind of young lady do you prefer? It would be easier to narrow down candidates if you could specify conditions like family background or physical preferences.”

“Anyone.”

“Pardon?”

“I said anyone is fine.”

Herdin, who answered halfheartedly about choosing his own wife as if it were someone else’s business, immediately headed to his office.

It really seemed like anyone would do.

Because I don’t even know what I want myself.

* * *

When news spread that Herdin was looking for a marriage partner, all the nobles of the empire with daughters of marriageable age flocked to the Duke’s residence.

And there was someone who was even more eager than them.

“I hear you’re looking for a marriage partner? The capital is abuzz with talk of who will become the mistress of the Delmark family.”

Upon hearing this news, Ivan summoned Herdin to the imperial palace faster than anyone else.

“How about Blair as your partner?”

Herdin’s hand, which was holding a teacup, paused for a moment.

The moment he heard those words, he wondered if he had anticipated this outcome from the moment he ordered Luth to find a marriage partner.

No, perhaps… he had deliberately led things to this point.

While Ivan’s attitude, which hadn’t deviated at all from his expectations, was disgusting, paradoxically, the proposal that didn’t stray from his predictions was welcome.

“Although there have been unfortunate incidents between the Delmark family and the imperial family, quite some time has passed, hasn’t it?”

“…”

“I think it would be fine to settle the bad blood between us at this point. I believe there’s no better way to restore the relationship between the two families than marriage. What do you think, Duke?”

On top of that, he added the condition of approving an increase in Delmark’s military forces.

Ivan spoke as if this marriage was a favor bestowed by the imperial family solely for the honor of the Delmark family, while hiding his true intention of absorbing Delmark’s influence.

However, even though his motives were obvious, Herdin didn’t feel inclined to refuse.

The calculation was simple.

What he would give to Ivan was the position of Duchess, which someone would have to fill anyway, and Delmark’s influence.

What he would gain from this deal was an increase in Delmark’s military forces, and as a bonus, a woman to fill the position of his wife.

Moreover, she was also the only witness to the fire at the Empress’s Palace ten years ago.

There was no reason to refuse these terms.

Herdin answered with that conviction:

“I accept that marriage proposal.”

* * *

The wedding preparations proceeded smoothly.

There was much talk both inside and outside about the union of two families that had been openly hostile, but Herdin ignored it.

And so, the grand wedding came to an end.

Herdin, who entered the bridal chamber first, moistened his lips with the wine placed on the table as he waited for his new bride.

This would be the first time he would properly face her since the victory banquet.

There had been no occasion to see her during the wedding preparations. Some men, whether for show or sincerely, would visit their brides-to-be and act like lovers, but that was irrelevant to him.

Though they had been together throughout the wedding ceremony and reception, they were surrounded by others and had no proper time to talk to each other.

My wife. Mine.

He quite liked those words.

He had stolen the future of a woman who could have been happy by another man’s side and forced her to sit beside him. So that the last remnants of guilt would make her miserable for the rest of her life.

Just as he was beginning to wonder what expression she, now his wife, would make upon seeing him, her husband, a knock on the door broke the quiet stillness.

“Come in.”

Even after his permission was given, a brief moment passed before the door opened carefully and Blair entered.

Wearing a nightgown that revealed the curves of her body, she approached him with steps feigning composure, though her eyes betrayed her obvious tension.

Then, taking a deep breath to calm herself, she abruptly asked:

“Shall I undress…?”