“This is unacceptable!”

The man standing in the defendant’s dock glared at the judge’s bench with bloodshot eyes. It was Baron Douglas, who had amassed great wealth by exporting crops harvested from his territory.

“The abolition of slavery has been passed, and the prohibition of slavery is already enshrined in the constitution. Yet you brazenly engaged in human trafficking under the guise of trade ships?”

“They were not slaves, but employees!”

“How brazen of you to say that when there are no records of proper wage payments. Moreover, the ledgers discovered contain detailed accounts of human trafficking alongside crop sales. With testimonies from those who escaped your plantation, do you still intend to deny it?”

Faced with irrefutable evidence, Baron Douglas shut his mouth. He had to admit his guilt but somehow needed to reduce his sentence. He couldn’t let go of the wealth he had accumulated all this time.

“…I was wrong. I foolishly sought cheap labor. Please show leniency. I will donate all the ill-gotten gains.”

Baron Douglas changed his stance. His fierce demeanor disappeared, and he pleaded for the judge’s mercy with tears in his eyes.

However, such shallow tactics did not work at all on Grand Duke Ellios, the most stern chief justice in the empire.

“Even if you hadn’t said so, we were planning to confiscate your ill-gotten wealth. Further pleading is meaningless, so I shall deliver the verdict.”

The trial of a wealthy nobleman for illegal slave trading had been making headlines in the newspapers for days, and everyone in the courtroom held their breath waiting for the verdict.

“Baron Douglas, who violated the constitutional spirit of guaranteeing basic human rights through slave trading, has betrayed the moral duty of noblesse oblige. Therefore, all his titles and territories are hereby confiscated. His attributed assets shall also be seized and returned to society.”

“This can’t be!”

Baron Douglas grabbed his hair and collapsed to the floor. Although he wouldn’t lose his freedom of movement, having his title and property confiscated meant a life no longer as a nobleman was as good as not living at all.

Caeron descended from the judge’s bench without even glancing at Baron Douglas.

As he was leaving the courtroom, an attendant approached him to deliver a message.

“Your Grace, Sir Gregory said he has an urgent message for you.”

“What is it?”

“He says Lord Shade of the Hilburn ducal family is now at the grand ducal residence.”

Caeron’s eyebrow twitched at the attendant’s words.

I’m sure I told them not to pay attention to him…

The attendant beside him froze in tension at the cold anger that flashed across the Grand Duke’s face.

“Let’s depart. As quickly as possible.”

The Grand Duke ordered in a sharp voice as he got into the carriage. The attendant shuddered and quickly nodded.

Caeron’s face was expressionless as he looked out the window with his arms crossed. Only his index finger tapped steadily on his arm, as if unable to hide his impatience.

.

.

.

The Grand Duke’s carriage arrived at the grand ducal residence faster than usual. As soon as the attendant opened the door, Caeron immediately stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the entrance.

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

As he received greetings from the lined-up servants, Caeron spotted Aidel standing directly in front of him. And Shade beside her as well.

Seeing the two standing side by side, Caeron’s brow furrowed deeply, unable to hide his displeasure.

Noticing his glare, Shade awkwardly waved with a forced smile.

“You’re here. We’ve been waiting for quite a while.”

“…I don’t recall inviting you.”

“Haha. I brought a surprise wedding gift secretly.”

Though he had expected it, Shade explained with a flustered face at the much colder reception than anticipated.

Seeing the subtle tension between Caeron and Shade, Aidel hesitated for a moment before speaking in a careful voice.

“Shade has brought a precious gift. Since dinner is also prepared, how about we talk over the meal?”

After glancing at Aidel’s expression, Caeron nodded reluctantly upon seeing the awkward smile on her face.

“Alright. Let’s move to the dining room then.”

As Caeron was about to take a step forward, he turned and held out his hand to Aidel. Hesitating for a moment at his sudden action, she took his hand.

Pulling Aidel to his side as he grasped her hand, Caeron sharply eyed Shade standing behind them.

Shade’s shoulders flinched at the piercing gaze that clearly warned him not to dare come closer.

‘Is this really the Grand Duke I knew…?’

Shade blankly stared at the backs of the two walking ahead with a dumbfounded expression.

It seems the unexpected part isn’t the Grand Duchess-to-be… but the Grand Duke.

Chuckling at this unfamiliar side of his friend, he shook his head and slowly followed them to the dining hall at a distance.

“Lord Shade has brought precious ancient books as a wedding gift. They’re either first edition prints or original manuscripts written by the authors themselves.”

Aidel smiled gently, still grateful even as she thought about it again.

Shade smiled back at her, but quickly lowered the corners of his mouth when he received a knife-like glare directed at his face.

A ‘clink’ sound was heard as Caeron’s knife touched his plate. It was a tiny noise that wouldn’t be audible unless one was paying attention, but the sensitized Shade heard it clearly.

Hearing that sound, which the Grand Duke, who usually displayed impeccable dining etiquette without making any noise, had undoubtedly made on purpose, Shade’s face momentarily turned pale.

Cold sweat beaded on Shade’s forehead, feeling as if the knife Caeron was holding might fly at him at any moment.

“Ancient books… I suppose you raided the ducal library. Duke Hilburn’s white hair will grow even more.”

Recognizing the meaning behind the sarcastic remark, Aidel asked with a worried expression.

“Oh dear… Would accepting this gift cause trouble for the Hilburn ducal family?”

“Not at all. My father gave his permission. Besides, it’s a gift to celebrate the grand ducal wedding. Even if we gave the entire ducal library, it wouldn’t be enough.”

Shade glibly covered it up, but in truth, he hadn’t actually obtained Duke Hilburn’s permission. Noticing Shade’s slightly trembling pupils, Caeron snorted.

Though displeased with his fox-like friend trying to win the favor of the Grand Duchess-to-be, seeing Aidel sigh in relief beside him, he decided not to press the matter further.

“By the way, where are you planning to go for your honeymoon after the wedding?”

Shade changed the topic, trying to avoid the Grand Duke’s still displeased gaze.

“Honeymoon?”

Aidel’s eyes widened at the mention of a honeymoon. While they had been preparing for the wedding, she hadn’t thought about what would happen after the ceremony. Since it was a marriage of convenience…

“Now that the railway has been extended, you can quickly reach most resorts without taking a carriage. The hot spring region of Lapland territory or the beach resorts on the Andros Islands would be nice.”

Seeing Aidel’s face, which suggested she hadn’t thought about a destination, Shade introduced some typical royal and noble vacation spots.

“You’re also welcome to visit the country house in Hilburn duchy. If you two come, I’d gladly vacate the mansion for you.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Caeron immediately cut him off. Though Shade offered to vacate the country house, there was no telling when that mischievous man might make an unexpected visit.

As expected… Shade grinned, having thrown out that last suggestion knowing it would be rejected.

“Actually… I’ve never been on a trip before.”

“You’ve never been on a trip?”

Shade asked in surprise at Aidel’s confession. Even Caeron looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“It’s difficult to travel alone… I should have gone with family, but we never had a family trip.”

She smiled bitterly. At her expression, Caeron’s gaze deepened as if in thought. Shade looked at her with sympathetic eyes before asking in an intentionally bright voice.

“If you go on a trip this time, where would you like to go? Is there anywhere you’ve always wanted to visit?”

After pondering Shade’s question for a moment, Aidel answered in a small voice.

“Um… the sea. I’ve never seen it before. I’d like to see the sea I’ve only encountered in maps and books.”

Shade clapped his hands at her words.

“That’s perfect. As it happens, the Ellios grand duchy extends all the way to the edge of the sea, so you could combine your honeymoon with an inspection of the territory.”

Aidel’s face brightened at the prospect of seeing the sea she had longed to view.

Moreover, she had been wanting to visit the Ellios grand duchy. While handling administrative work from the territory recently, she had wanted to see the actual lives of the people there.

Caeron gazed intently at her spring-green eyes, brimming with life and expectation.

“If that’s what you wish, we shall do so.”

At the Grand Duke’s permission, she nodded vigorously with a broad smile. Caeron smiled with satisfaction, seeing her looking as excited as a child before a picnic.

‘A honeymoon…’

In fact, this was a topic Caeron hadn’t given much thought to either. All the big and small matters necessary for the wedding progression had been outside his concern.

For him, this contract marriage was strictly for his own benefit. After all, it was a marriage proceeding due to mutual interests aligning.

Even if it seemed materialistic, what he expected was to possess her completely through legal means. To fully satisfy this blind, base desire for her that bordered on vulgar and crude.

He thought that was all, but…

Looking at the woman’s clear eyes shining with expectation, her cheeks flushed pink, he felt a strange emotion.

It was a complex feeling of wanting to fulfill the anticipation in those eyes and wishing that such a gaze would continue to be directed at him.

‘A brief respite wouldn’t be bad either.’

Caeron stroked his chin, deep in thought.

His mind was soon busy recalling where the most beautiful sea view could be found within the Ellios grand duchy.

Above all, it had to be a place where they could focus solely on each other… a space for just the two of them, without anyone’s interference.

‘That place would be good.’

Having thought of a suitable location, Caeron called Gregory to his office after the dinner ended, a satisfied expression on his face.

Gregory’s eyes widened in surprise as he listened to the Grand Duke’s instructions, but he soon nodded.

“Yes. I will prepare everything as you instructed.”

Recalling the honeymoon location for which the Grand Duke had ordered all preparations in advance, Gregory rubbed the back of his neck with his palm.

‘His Grace… has made up his mind firmly.’

He could sense the Grand Duke’s resolute will to have time solely for the two of them, without any interference from anyone.