The Duke's Flower is Precarious (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
“Aidel-sama.”
“……Ah! Sir Gregory.”
“His Grace the Grand Duke wishes to see you in his study right away.”
“What’s the matter?”
Aidel, having composed her unsettled expression, asked Gregory. He leaned closer and whispered in a voice only she could hear.
“He wishes to discuss the marriage contract. He likely intends to draft the agreement today.”
“Oh…….”
The fact that he brought it up so discreetly, as if worried someone might overhear, suggested Gregory was the only servant aware of the arranged marriage between the Grand Duke and her. Aidel gave a nod.
“I understand. I’ll go right now.”
She guessed the Grand Duke had already met with her father, Count Fleur, and discussed the marriage arrangements—including the terms of their contractual union.
Aidel’s eyes hardened with resolve. Drafting the contract was, in fact, for the best. The document would clearly state that their relationship was purely contractual.
When Aidel entered the Grand Duke’s study, Kaeron, seated on the sofa, gave her a slight nod.
“Come sit here.”
Aidel took the seat opposite him and looked at the papers the Duke had placed on the table.
“Is this the marriage contract?”
“Yes. Aside from the standard marriage terms… it also includes the specific points we discussed.”
Aidel carefully examined the document.
In noble marriages, a marriage contract was typically drawn up as a matter of course, formally outlining mutual responsibilities, obligations, and property arrangements.
‘Three years after marriage, both parties shall agree to divorce unconditionally, regardless of personal circumstances.’
What set this contract apart was the pre-agreed clause on divorce. Aidel nodded, indicating her agreement with the terms.
“I have no objections to the contents.”
“Are you certain you’ve reviewed everything thoroughly? While I assume the divorce clause is your primary concern… it might be wise to examine the other clauses carefully as well.”
“Aren’t the other clauses just standard obligations included in any noble marriage? I’m already familiar with them.”
“Standard obligations, you say… Are you truly confident you can fulfill them?”
Kaeron studied her with a meaningful gaze. Aidel found his repeated questioning slightly odd. After all, she had already thoroughly reviewed the official guidelines outlining a Grand Duchess’s duties.
“A Grand Duchess is responsible not only for managing the Grand Duke’s personnel and material assets… but also for producing an heir.”
“I’m well aware of that as well.”
Aidel nodded confidently. At her assurance, Kaeron’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“So you agree to the clause regarding heir production as well?”
“Of course. I’m confident I’ll do my very best.”
At her words, Kaeron’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. To declare so earnestly, with such an innocent face, that she would do her best to produce an heir…
He thought, despite her delicate appearance, she was indeed bold. His deep blue eyes gleamed with interest.
“……I’ll look forward to seeing you do your best.”
For him, there was nothing to lose. Truthfully, he’d asked ahead of time because he suspected she might try to avoid sharing his bed for heir production.
If he wanted to claim this woman—who always seemed eager to flee from his gaze—the best method was to bind her firmly under the obligation of being Grand Duchess.
Of course, he had no intention of letting her bear the heir of House Elyos before their divorce in three years. He merely wanted enough time with her to fully quench his thirst.
“I’ll do my best.”
Meanwhile, Aidel firmly resolved in her heart as she signed the contract. Seeing the formal agreement in writing, she vowed never to waver in her feelings toward him again.
She would focus solely on fulfilling her duties as Grand Duchess, precisely as outlined in the contract.
Handling administrative duties as Grand Duchess posed no issue for her. In fact, she found joy in applying the knowledge she’d previously only read about in books, learning something new every day.
‘I’ll surely manage the duty of heir production well too.’
She resolved to share all the knowledge and experience she’d gained managing the Grand Duke’s household affairs for the sake of raising his heir.
Although she knew she wouldn’t be around after three years to personally teach the heir herself, she believed leaving behind thorough written records would ensure her guidance endured.
Thus began a dangerous case of mutual misunderstanding: a naive flower utterly unaware that “producing an heir” carried implications beyond mere upbringing, and a man planning to exploit that very innocence in the name of duty.
At that moment, neither knew just how great a storm their conflicting interpretations would unleash on their wedding night.
[This is the timeline separator]Early spring sunlight streamed warmly into the octagonal, glass-paneled gazebo.
A man’s long fingers trailed over crisp, sunlit print as he turned a page.
Lounging in an armchair in a light linen shirt, the man reading peacefully seemed suspended outside of time.
“Rainian!”
The calm was shattered as a woman rushed into the gazebo.
“You’re here? Ophelia.”
“Is this really the time to be so relaxed?”
Ophelia frowned slightly, displeased by his serene demeanor—so unlike her own labored breathing.
Rainian set his book aside, his gaze falling on her disheveled hair, tousled from her haste. Rising from his chair, he gently smoothed the chestnut locks so similar to his own.
“You ran over again in your dress? No wonder they call you the imperial filly.”
“Filly or not, do I look like I had a choice?”
Ophelia clenched both fists, her frustration evident.
“Why does it have to be you? Why must they disturb you when you’re living so quietly here?”
Rainian looked at his twin sister—his mirror image in every way save gender. Her pale blue eyes, like a mist-covered lake, shimmered with distress, while his own, identical in hue, remained as calm as still water.
“Don’t be upset. I’ll be fine.”
“This is all the Empress’s doing! She must have whispered something in His Majesty’s ear!”
She wiped her eyes roughly, her face contorted with indignation.
“It doesn’t matter whether the first or second prince becomes Emperor—why must you, of all people, suffer the consequences?”
“Well… I actually think it’s for the best.”
Rainian, third prince of the Lisandro Empire, turned his head toward the main palace where the Emperor resided.
He’d already been longing to escape this suffocating imperial palace.
With the imperial succession drawing near, invisible factions within the capital swirled into a vortex of power struggles.
Having never cared for the throne, he’d lived apart in the secondary palace since childhood.
Apparently, even his mere existence—seemingly insignificant—had been enough to unsettle the Empress’s faction, prompting such drastic measures.
“A sudden imperial decree ordering me to study abroad at Jupiter Imperial University… Do they really expect me to leave next week? And I won’t even graduate for at least three years!”
Three years… That was ample time for the imperial succession to conclude. Rainian gave a faint, amused smile—clearly, the Empress had found a clever excuse.
The Jupiter Empire and Lisandro Empire shared a border. They maintained amicable relations and regularly exchanged diplomatic envoys. While noble students occasionally studied abroad, no imperial prince had ever been sent before.
“I’ve always wanted to experience Jupiter’s culture myself. Personally, I rather prefer it.”
He especially admired Jupiter’s imperial tradition of monogamy. At least he wouldn’t suffer the headaches caused by half-siblings like in his own family.
Unlike Jupiter, which had declared itself an empire long ago, the Lisandro Empire—formed from the union of multiple kingdoms—had a comparatively short imperial history.
To stabilize imperial authority, marriages with former royal houses had been essential. Consequently, the palace was filled with empresses and consorts from various noble lineages. Both he and Ophelia were children of one such consort.
“What am I supposed to do without you…? Maybe I should go with you! I’ll ask His Majesty—he might let me!”
“What about Grand Duke Elyos in the Jupiter Empire? Are you sure you’d be comfortable?”
At the mention of “Grand Duke Elyos,” Ophelia froze. The memory of that icy, arrogant man made her eyelids tremble.
Kaeron Roman de Elyos.
The noblest, most formidable, yet unbearably arrogant and cold Grand Duke of neighboring Jupiter.
Now, whenever she thought of him, her heart raced—not with excitement, but with fear.
“……I’m not going. You go alone.”
She changed her mind as abruptly as she’d suggested going together, shaking her head vigorously with a deeply troubled frown.
She must have been momentarily out of her senses at the news of Rainian’s sudden departure—otherwise, she wouldn’t have forgotten that going to the Jupiter Empire meant inevitably meeting Grand Duke Elyos.
“You really do despise that Grand Duke, don’t you?”
Finding her sulky expression endearing, Rainian laughed aloud. Ophelia shot him a reproachful look, sticking out her lips.
“Don’t laugh. You don’t understand anything.”
“Why do you dislike him so much? You used to adore him.”
Just months ago, when the neighboring empire’s delegation visited, Ophelia had fallen for the Grand Duke at first sight. During his stay at the palace, she’d gone out of her way just for a glimpse of him.
Rainian himself still remembered clearly the Grand Duke’s first appearance at the banquet. Even from afar, the man’s sculpted beauty drew every eye. It had been a relief, actually—usually clinging noble ladies finally stopped pestering him.
Among the countless noble ladies flustered by Grand Duke Elyos had been his sister Ophelia herself. Normally boisterous and energetic, she became meekly obedient in his presence.
Yet, all of a sudden, she began actively avoiding him. When the delegation departed, she’d locked herself in her room and refused to come out.
“Did you confess your feelings… and get rejected?”
“……Ha! Confess?”
Ophelia gave a derisive snort.
“Confessing love to a man like him… He doesn’t even understand what love is.”
She’d once believed he’d remain that way forever—until she recently heard a shocking rumor from the Jupiter Empire.
“Him, getting married…?”
“Grand Duke Elyos is getting married?”
“You didn’t know? Everyone’s in an uproar over it. Women who fixated on his looks without understanding his true nature are now sobbing in despair.”
“To whom?”
“I heard it’s the eldest daughter of Count Fleur of the Jupiter Empire. Since she’s never appeared in society, no one knows what she looks like.”
Ophelia suddenly clapped her hands together, remembering something.
“Oh! Now that I think of it, I heard his fiancée is enrolling at Jupiter Imperial University!”
“At the Imperial University…?”
Given Jupiter’s strict and conservative noble culture, the news that a noblewoman—especially the Grand Duke’s fiancée—would attend university widened Rainian’s eyes in surprise.
“Not only that—she placed first in the Faculty of Administration. Honestly, as a woman, I found that quite impressive.”
Ophelia’s eyes sparkled with admiration for the future Grand Duchess, though she’d never seen her face. Then, her expression quickly soured with regret.
“Why must a woman like that marry someone like Grand Duke Elyos? Living with a man like him would freeze her body and soul solid.”
Remembering those emotionless, ice-blue eyes that could chill others to the bone, Ophelia shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.
“A Grand Duchess attending Imperial University… She’s certainly no ordinary woman.”
Rainian stroked his chin thoughtfully, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. He realized he very much wanted to meet her once he arrived at the university. A gentle, breeze-like smile brushed his lips.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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Can’t wait for second prince to die . How dare he touch grand Duchess with his filthy hand.
I hope Kareon kills first prince . But maybe that’s not going to happen because of diplomatic relations between kingdoms. If at that moment aidel would have remained unconscious ,second prince definitely would have died .It’s unfortunate , that bastard should have died on spot.
I am blushing even though I don’t know what withdrawal symptoms is.