“Lady Aidel.”

“…Ah! Sir Gregory.”

“His Highness the Grand Duke wishes to see you in his office now.”

“What is it about?”

Aidel composed her expression and asked Gregory. Gregory whispered in a low voice that only she could hear.

“He wishes to discuss the contents of the marriage contract. It seems he intends to draw up the contract.”

“Ah…”

Judging by how he spoke secretly lest others hear, it appeared Gregory was the only servant who knew about the Grand Duke and her contract marriage. Aidel nodded.

“I understand. I’ll go right away.”

Presumably, the Grand Duke had met with her father, Count Fluor, to discuss the marriage. Including the part about the contract marriage…

Aidel’s gaze hardened with firm resolve. It was just as well that they would draw up a contract. It would state that their relationship was merely a contract.

When Aidel entered the Grand Duke’s office, Caeron, who was sitting on the sofa, nodded.

“Sit here.”

Aidel sat down across from him and looked at the document on the table that the Grand Duke handed over.

“Is this the marriage contract?”

“That’s right. In addition to the basic marriage contract contents… it also includes the parts you and I specifically discussed.”

Aidel carefully examined the document.

Typically, when nobles marry, they draw up a marriage contract. It outlines their responsibilities to each other and property arrangements.

‘Three years after marriage, divorce will be agreed upon unconditionally regardless of reason.’

The difference was that it included pre-agreed upon terms for divorce. Aidel nodded in agreement with the contents.

“I have no objections to what’s written.”

“Did you really check everything? I’m sure you’re interested in the part about agreed divorce… but you should look closely at the other clauses too.”

“Aren’t the other clauses just the basic obligations included in marriage? I know that much.”

“Basic obligations… Can you really fulfill those obligations?”

Caeron asked her with a meaningful look. Aidel found his repeated questioning a bit strange. The duties of a Grand Duchess were already something she understood, including what was in the manual.

“A Grand Duchess has duties to manage the Grand Duke’s household, resources, and assets… as well as obligations to raise an heir.”

“I know that too.”

Aidel nodded confidently. Seeing this, Caeron’s eyes narrowed.

“You agree to raising an heir as well?”

“Of course. I’m confident I can do my best.”

At those words, Caeron’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. To say so confidently with such an innocent face that she would do her best to raise an heir…

Caeron thought she was a woman with a bold side, contrary to her delicate outward appearance. His deep blue eyes gleamed with interest.

“…I look forward to it. Seeing you do your best.”

He had nothing to lose. To be honest, he had asked in advance thinking she would try to avoid sharing a bed to produce an heir.

The best way to possess a woman who was quick to flee from his gaze was to bind her with the pretext of a Grand Duchess’s duties.

Of course, he had no intention of having her bear an heir to the Grand Duke’s house when she would divorce in three years. It was enough just to satisfy his thirst for her sufficiently.

“I’ll do my best.”

Meanwhile, as Aidel signed the contract, she firmly made up her mind. Looking at the formalized contract, she resolved not to waver before him any longer.

She decided to focus only on her duties as Grand Duchess, as stated in this contract.

There was no problem with performing administrative work as Grand Duchess like now. Rather, she enjoyed learning new things by applying in practice what she had only learned from books.

‘I’ll be able to do well in raising an heir too.’

She was determined to do well in sharing the knowledge and experience she had gained while taking charge of the Grand Duke’s administration for the heir’s education.

Although she herself could not directly teach the Grand Duke’s heir since she would leave in three years, she thought it could be passed on if she documented it.

It was a dangerous fantasy between an innocent flower who was completely unaware that ‘raising an heir’ implied ‘producing’ one, and a man who intended to fully indulge in the flower under this pretext.

At this time, they could not know how great a storm this difference in their thinking would cause from the very first night after the wedding.

The warm early spring sunlight shone into the octagonal glass gazebo.

The man’s long fingers brushed over the text made vivid by the sunlight as he turned the page.

The man lying on a comfortable chair reading a book in a light linen shirt looked peaceful, as if time had stopped.

“Rainien!”

Breaking the quiet moment flowing languidly, a woman hurriedly entered the gazebo.

“You’re here? Ophelia.”

“How can you be so calm at a time like this?”

Ophelia slightly furrowed her brow, displeased by his serene face in contrast to her own rough breathing.

Rainien’s gaze fell on her disheveled hair, which suggested she had rushed here. He rose from the chair and gently stroked her light brown hair that resembled his own.

“You ran here in your dress again? This is why you get called the imperial filly.”

“Filly or whatever! How could I not run?”

Ophelia clenched her fists as if enraged.

“Why do you of all people have to go? Why are they bothering you when you’re living so quietly here!”

Rainien looked at his twin sister, who differed from him only in gender. Her pale blue eyes were clouded like a misty lake. In contrast, though he had the same eyes, his were calm like a still lake.

“Don’t be upset. I’m fine.”

“This is all because of the Empress! She must have whispered in His Majesty’s ear!”

She roughly wiped her eyes and scowled deeply.

“Whether it’s the 1st Prince or 2nd Prince, it doesn’t matter who becomes Emperor, so why do you have to suffer for no reason?”

“Well… I actually think it’s for the best.”

Rainien, the 3rd Prince of the Lisandro Empire, turned to look at the main palace where the Emperor resided.

He had been thinking he wanted to leave this suffocating imperial palace anyway.

As the time for imperial succession approached, an invisible power struggle was swirling like a whirlpool within the palace.

He had never been interested in the imperial throne to begin with, and had lived separately in a detached palace since childhood.

It seems he was still quite a hindrance to the Empress’s faction, even living inconspicuously like that. Seeing how far they went.

“To suddenly receive an imperial order to go study abroad at Jupiter Empire University… Does it make sense to leave next week? And it takes at least three years to graduate!”

Three years… That was enough time for the imperial succession to be settled. Thinking the Empress had found quite a clever excuse, Rainien smiled wryly.

The Jupiter Empire and Lisandro Empire shared a border. As close neighbors, they maintained friendly relations and exchanged delegations. While nobles occasionally studied abroad, it was the first time for an imperial family member like him to go.

“I’ve wanted to experience Jupiter Empire culture too. I personally prefer their culture.”

He especially liked that the Jupiter Empire practiced monogamy starting with the imperial family. At least he wouldn’t have to deal with half-siblings like himself.

Unlike Jupiter which had long ago declared itself an empire, the Lisandro Empire, formed by uniting several kingdoms, had a short history as an empire.

To stabilize imperial authority, marriage to former royal families was most effective. As a result, the imperial family had several imperial consorts from various families in addition to the Empress, and he and Ophelia were among the children of imperial consorts.

“What will I do if you leave… Should I go with you? If I ask His Majesty, he might let me!”

“But Ellios Grand Duke is in the Jupiter Empire, is that okay?”

At the words ‘Ellios Grand Duke’, Ophelia’s body stiffened. Her eyelids trembled as she recalled the image of that ice-cold man.

Caeron Roman de Ellios.

The noblest and most overwhelming, yet proudest and coldest Grand Duke of the neighboring Jupiter Empire.

Now when she thought of him, the pounding she felt came from fear, not excitement.

“…I won’t go. You go alone.”

As if she had never insisted on going together, Ophelia changed her words. She shook her head firmly with a deeply frowning face.

She must have temporarily lost her mind when Rainien said he was suddenly leaving. Seeing how she forgot that Ellios Grand Duke would inevitably be one of the people she would face if she went to the Jupiter Empire.

“You really must dislike that Grand Duke.”

Finding her sulky expression cute, Rainien laughed out loud. Ophelia glared at him as she pouted.

“Don’t laugh. You don’t know anything.”

“Why do you dislike him so much? You used to like him.”

Clearly, Ophelia had fallen for the neighboring country’s Grand Duke at first sight when he visited as part of a delegation a few months ago. She had kept trying to catch a glimpse of him while he stayed at the imperial palace.

Rainien still vividly remembered the Grand Duke’s appearance when he first saw him at the banquet. He was a strikingly handsome man who drew gazes even from afar. Thanks to that, the young ladies who usually clung to him drifted away, which he found welcome.

One of the many young ladies who didn’t know what to do upon seeing Ellios Grand Duke was his sister Ophelia. She who usually ran around the palace with a boisterous personality became incredibly docile in front of the Grand Duke.

But at some point, Ophelia began busily avoiding the Grand Duke. She stayed holed up in her room until the moment the delegation left.

“Don’t tell me you confessed and got rejected?”

“…Ha! A confession?”

Ophelia snorted self-mockingly.

“A love confession to such a man… He’s a man who doesn’t know the emotion called love.”

She thought he would probably be that way for life. Until she heard the shocking news from the Jupiter Empire recently.

“For such a man to marry…”

“Ellios Grand Duke is getting married?”

“You didn’t know? It’s causing an uproar now. Women who fell for his looks without knowing his true nature are crying and making a fuss.”

“Who is he marrying?”

“I heard it’s with the eldest daughter of Count Fluor’s family in the Jupiter Empire. Apparently her face isn’t known since she never participated in social activities.”

Ophelia clapped her hands as if remembering something.

“Ah! Come to think of it, I heard that future Grand Duchess is entering Jupiter Empire University!”

“The Imperial University…?”

Rainien’s eyes widened at the news that a noblewoman, and the future Grand Duchess at that, was entering university in the Jupiter Empire with its strict and conservative noble culture.

“And she even got the top score for admission to the School of Administration. Honestly, as a fellow woman, I find her impressive.”

Ophelia’s eyes shone with admiration as she thought of the future Grand Duchess she hadn’t even seen. But soon she frowned and lamented.

“Why on earth is such a woman marrying someone like Ellios Grand Duke? Living with a man like that, her body and heart will freeze solid.”

Recalling those deep blue eyes that froze others without emotion, Ophelia shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself.

“A Grand Duchess entering the Imperial University… She certainly seems extraordinary.”

Rainien stroked his chin with curious eyes. He thought he’d like to meet her at least once if he went to the Imperial University. A gentle smile like a breeze brushed across his lips.