The Duke's Flower is Precarious (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
The ivory ball of the highest quality spun fiercely across the billiard table and collided with another ball. Watching its dazzling trajectory, Shade let out a low whistle.
“Your Highness truly is unbeatable.”
Kaeron stood upright, cue in hand, after completing the final stroke of his victory. Shade handed him a glass of whiskey that had been sitting on the table.
“To His Grace the Duke, a cold-hearted man who shows no mercy—even to an old friend returning after a long absence.”
Kaeron gave a faint smile at Shade’s playful remark and took the whiskey glass.
At the townhouse of Duke Hilburn, a homecoming party was being held for the young Marquess Shade Hilburn, who had just returned from his Grand Tour.
Knowing Kaeron’s fastidious temperament and dislike for noise, the two were catching up in a private billiard room set aside just for them.
“You haven’t changed a bit since before your tour.”
“Not changed? I’ve learned so much. Especially that the world is vast, and beautiful women abound.”
Shade grinned, his eyes crinkling mischievously. To outward appearances, the heir of House Hilburn was a refined and charming gentleman—but he was equally famous in society as a libertine who never turned away any woman who came his way.
“From the way you lavish attention on women, it seems Duke Hilburn’s gray hairs are growing just as fast.”
“My father is simply too vigorous—that’s his problem. But speaking of vigor, tell me in detail about the news that made you rush back mid-tour, Your Highness.”
Shade couldn’t contain his curiosity about the woman who had captured his old friend—the future Grand Duchess. Unlike himself, Kaeron had never shown interest in women. He’d coldly rebuffed even those who approached him, leaving onlookers shivering at his icy demeanor.
As a Grand Duke who already possessed unmatched status and wealth, Kaeron had no need for a political marriage—if he didn’t desire an heir, Shade had assumed he’d remain single for life.
Thus, when news of the Duke’s engagement reached him while he was still touring the Lisandro Empire, he simply couldn’t believe it and doubted his own eyes.
The very next day, he hastily packed his belongings and decided to return immediately to the Jupiter Empire—despite having grown quite fond of Lisandro’s high society.
‘That young lady was rather a shame to leave behind…’
Shade felt a pang of regret, recalling the Viscountess from the Lisandro Empire whose skin had been unusually soft. The sight of that demure, kitten-like woman transforming into a sharp, fierce wildcat in bed had been quite thrilling and entertaining.
“I heard you even left behind a woman you favored in Lisandro because of this sudden engagement news.”
“Surely such women weren’t only in Lisandro—you must have left one in every country you passed through.”
“Haha. I’ve always been a philanthropist, haven’t I? Unlike me, I’m dying to know who managed to capture the heart of His Grace—a man as ruthlessly self-centered as you.”
The eldest daughter of House Fleur, whose very name was still unknown… was apparently named Aidel—different from the Fleur daughter he remembered.
Shade recalled the Fleur young lady who had made her debutante appearance at the Founding Day Ceremony two years ago, just before his Grand Tour.
At the time, the sixteen-year-old daughter—named Rozeline—had been as fresh and vibrant as a rose in full bloom. Though he hadn’t seen her since leaving the Jupiter Empire, he’d heard she’d since blossomed into a leading figure of high society.
“I only know one Fleur daughter—Rozeline. They say the future Grand Duchess is her elder sister—so why have I never seen her in society?”
“According to the Countess, she’s extremely shy. Probably because she never wished to appear in public herself.”
“Extremely shy? Could it be… that she avoids going out because of her looks?”
Surely not… His Grace, a being of near-perfect form, possessed exceptional aesthetic sensibility. It had even crossed Shade’s mind that perhaps Kaeron’s standards were so impossibly high that no other woman could ever meet them.
“Come on, tell me already! Not even a single photograph in the papers—I’ve been dying of curiosity.”
“Don’t concern yourself with it.”
Kaeron cut him off sharply, his gaze icy as he watched Shade press for answers. Narrowing his eyes at Kaeron’s defensiveness, Shade stroked his chin.
“Hmm… I’ve never seen Your Highness this defensive before.”
Defensive? That word seemed utterly unfitting for the Duke.
Shade had known Kaeron since his days as a prince. Better than anyone, he knew how Kaeron had reigned as an apex predator among his peers since boyhood.
Whether it was horseback riding or shooting—pastimes noble youths typically prided themselves on—or even billiards, chess, and cards, Kaeron had never once been seen to lose.
Later, once he came of age, he’d grown so bored of always winning that he rarely participated anymore—only grudgingly doing so when someone insisted, and even then with obvious irritation.
‘I’m really curious now… about the future Grand Duchess.’
It was fascinating to see Kaeron—someone who had never known defensiveness—react so sensitively over something as minor as showing interest in his fiancée. It was as if he were fiercely guarding something exclusively his.
Shade resolved to visit the Grand Duke’s residence soon—under the pretext of delivering a wedding gift, of course—though he was already smirking at the thought of perfectly timing his visit when Kaeron happened to be conveniently away on business.
“I’d thought anyone bold enough to enroll at Imperial University couldn’t possibly be shy. That’s quite unexpected.”
“She’s full of surprises.”
Kaeron recalled the day they’d signed the marriage contract. Whenever he remembered her confident declaration that she’d do her utmost to ‘raise a worthy heir,’ his body would involuntarily tense without his noticing.
Each time he caught himself burning with the eagerness of a greenhorn, impatient to hold the wedding and hasten to their wedding night, he’d scoffed at himself in quiet mockery.
He wondered—if and when he finally held her in his arms—would this blind, consuming thirst truly be quenched? The thought both intrigued and excited him.
“A woman full of surprises—sounds promising.”
Shade nodded, thinking again of the Viscountess he’d left behind in the Lisandro Empire.
“Those quiet, demure women are always the most thrilling when they turn passionate in bed.”
Shade whispered the words with a smooth grin at the corner of his mouth. One of Kaeron’s eyebrows arched upward.
“Enough of your nonsense.”
“My apologies. You glare like that, and it’s terrifying.”
Laughing carelessly under Kaeron’s sharp glare, Shade swiftly changed the subject.
“Ah, by the way—I heard Lisandro’s Third Prince is coming to study at Jupiter Imperial University.”
“The Third Prince?”
“Remember him from the diplomatic delegation? The Empress’s twin princes.”
Kaeron recalled his time in the Lisandro Empire. He remembered Princess Ophelia, who’d stood along every path he took while he stayed at the imperial palace. There was also her twin brother—the prince.
“Didn’t you tie with him in the shooting competition? He looked like a bookish scholar at first glance—everyone was shocked.”
Now Kaeron remembered clearly.
‘Rainian Biele de Lisandro.’
The Third Prince—son of the Empress, who abstained from the imperial succession struggle and lived quietly in the shadows. At first glance, Kaeron had assumed Rainian’s gentle demeanor matched the rumors of his frail constitution.
But during the friendly shooting competition, Rainian had shed his sheep’s disguise and revealed himself as a fierce predator. Every time Kaeron’s shotgun struck its target, Rainian followed with perfect precision of his own.
Only when they ran out of prepared pigeons did the match end in a draw. When Rainian approached afterward to shake hands, his usual gentleness had vanished entirely, replaced by a sharp, intense gaze.
He’d gripped Kaeron’s hand firmly and murmured lowly:
—“Your skill is truly impressive. Still, I hope you consider that your seemingly casual shots might unintentionally wound others.”
—“What do you mean by that?”
Rainian’s silent gaze had shifted toward Princess Ophelia, who had been secretly watching the match. When Kaeron’s eyes met hers, she flinched and quickly hid herself.
Her behavior was markedly different from her usual tenacity in seeking him out. Come to think of it, she hadn’t appeared before him lately. The timing of that change…
‘Was it then?’
There had been a Marquess’s daughter who persistently courted him during the delegation’s visit. Desperate, she’d knelt before him and begged for his love, saying she’d rather die than be rejected once more.
—“Please accept my love. If you leave, I might truly die.”
—“Is your life worth so little? How pathetic. Whether a cheap life like yours lives or dies is of no concern to me.”
Shocked, the Marquess’s daughter had collapsed to the ground—but Kaeron had coldly turned his back. Then, he’d noticed Princess Ophelia watching the scene.
Her face had gone deathly pale, as though she herself had received the blow. From that moment until his departure from Lisandro, she’d avoided him completely.
Kaeron’s eyes sharpened like daggers as the memory ended.
“A sudden decision to study abroad… It seems the imperial succession struggle in Lisandro has intensified.”
“Exactly. The Empress must have made a move. Even though the Third Prince kept quiet, she couldn’t ignore him.”
“Indeed… he’s far more suited to the throne than the Empress’s First or Second Princes.”
Kaeron nodded, recalling the First Prince’s arrogant recklessness and the Second Prince’s lecherous indulgence.
By contrast, the Third Prince Rainian—though outwardly harmless—was like a crouching beast, biding his time in silence. Clearly, he was a man fully capable of wielding imperial leadership once he chose to rise.
Among predators, recognition came with a single glance. Kaeron couldn’t help but wonder if such a man would truly remain hidden forever.
“Keep monitoring developments in the Lisandro Empire. The political landscape will shift once the Emperor changes.”
“Worry not, Your Highness. Isn’t that precisely why I’ve been enduring all this hardship?”
In truth, though Shade had ostensibly embarked on his Grand Tour to broaden his horizons, his real purpose was to assess the political climates of surrounding nations and consistently report back to Kaeron.
As a high-ranking noble of Jupiter, the young Marquess could easily infiltrate foreign high societies to gather intelligence. Especially since charming, sociable young noblemen like him often coaxed confidential family secrets from noblewomen without resistance.
“The Third Prince is far more formidable than he appears. If he comes to Jupiter, plant spies around him.”
“Understood. However… Your Highness.”
Shade’s playful expression suddenly turned serious. Lowering his voice, he asked earnestly,
“How long will you remain content playing kingmaker?”
To Shade, Kaeron was not only a close friend—he was the true sovereign he believed in. Shade still couldn’t accept that a man so clearly fit to be Emperor had abdicated the throne to his younger brother.
Kaeron stood as the backbone behind young Emperor Pascal—still too inexperienced and immature—overseeing everything from internal politics at the peak of the nobility to foreign diplomacy. There was no realm in which he did not exert influence.
“Not yet.”
Kaeron shook his head quietly. His blue eyes deepened, lost in thought.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
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.