The End Of The Special Contract Marriage (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
“Damian Vandermir, you spineless bastard!”
A shrill voice echoed inside the carriage entering the capital.
The speaker was Duchess Vandermir. She was rushing to the capital with her family due to her second son’s sudden marriage announcement.
Fanning herself anxiously, she abruptly turned toward her husband.
“How could he possibly marry Lady Hugo! Doesn’t that girl understand political marriages?!”
“I wouldn’t know. Maybe someone let something slip. Oscar, have you ever said anything careless in front of your brother?”
Duke Vandermir cast a suspicious glance at his eldest son seated opposite him.
Though he had inherited his father’s silver hair and brown eyes, his overall features closely resembled those of the Duchess.
Oscar, gazing listlessly out the window, shook his head.
“It’s been over a year since I last saw that wretch, Father. Guess the sneaky rat must’ve planted a spy in the ducal domain.”
“How utterly wicked! Truly, he’s the epitome of ingratitude and cowardice!”
Though it was pure speculation, the Duchess immediately concluded Damian had planted spies in the main house and flew into a rage.
“Darling, you must go and give Damian a proper thrashing. You know he never listens to me, his stepmother, or Oscar, his half-brother.”
The Duchess clung to her husband’s arm, pleading with a pitiful expression.
She had remarried the Duke seventeen years ago and shared no blood relation with Damian, who was the son of the Duke’s first wife. She had given birth to Oscar with the Duke.
Though she was the mother of the eldest son, she had become a second wife for a simple reason: she and the Duke had been having an affair while the former Duchess was still alive.
Not only had she ultimately borne the first son in place of the rightful wife, but she had also taken the woman’s position after her death.
“If he’s already resorting to such cowardly schemes behind our backs, what will he do once he becomes heir? We absolutely must stop him!”
“I know that well enough. The problem is, it was the daughter of House of Marquis Hugo who announced the engagement.”
The Duke rubbed his temples, looking deeply troubled.
Should the marriage fall through, only his daughter would be made a fool of—so House of Marquis Hugo was adamant about proceeding with the union.
Even if House Vandermir possessed the power and justification to override House Hugo’s wishes and enforce a political marriage, they couldn’t simply manipulate them at will.
After all, House Hugo was among the most prestigious noble families in the empire.
‘Unlike his foolish mother who died a pointless death, Damian is cunning indeed.’
The Duke ground his teeth quietly. Having had a strained relationship with his first wife due to his infidelity, he naturally found his relationship with his second son uncomfortable as well.
Perhaps it was even more so because, as a child, Damian had once openly reproached him.
‘Father, you’re nothing but a coward hiding behind women.’
After uttering those words, Damian had left for his studies abroad, and the Duke had remained estranged from his son for a long time.
It’s only natural for anyone to feel uneasy around someone who stirs their guilt.
“We must persuade House Hugo somehow and make them retract their daughter’s engagement to Damian.”
“Should we try bribing them? Or perhaps scare the girl into backing out?”
“Either option sounds fine.”
The Duke’s smile was handsome and refined, like an exquisitely carved statue—every fine wrinkle adding depth and charm to his appearance.
The Duchess blushed slightly and nodded.
“Understood. I’ll handle it, darling.”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
“Oscar, you must help your mother too.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Oscar replied halfheartedly. The carriage carrying them headed toward the townhouse of House Vandermir, where Damian was staying.
Damian Vandermir stood before the arched gate, intricately wrought in solid gold.
With his hands in his pockets and his chin tilted slightly upward, he watched the ducal carriage enter the estate.
“Sir, Lady Hugo has set out.”
Colin approached from behind and reported quietly. Damian gave a barely perceptible nod.
As the Duke’s family drew closer after alighting from the carriage, he withdrew his hands from his pockets and curved his lips into a cool smile.
“You’ve come a long way—Father, Duchess, and Elder Brother.”
“Indeed, I suffer greatly because of you, my son.”
The Duke responded coldly. Beside him, Oscar yawned widely while the Duchess opened her fan with a displeased expression.
“Why must you always choose the very things that upset your father? Only our innocent family suffers.”
“Even with all that ‘Sword Master’ nonsense, you clearly can’t hide your abnormality. I wonder who you take after.”
Oscar mocked him, lacing his fingers behind his head. A chilly atmosphere settled between them—the first time they’d met since the Duke’s birthday celebration the previous year.
Damian glanced over his family, who treated him worse than strangers, and gave a soft, mocking laugh.
“Well, Brother, I’ve heard so often that I take after Father.”
“What? You dare say that about—!”
“Let’s go inside first. Luncheon is prepared. Lady Hugo is on her way as well.”
Cutting off the Duchess, who was about to flare up, he turned toward the house.
After the Duke’s family composed themselves with forced dignity, unpacked, and descended to the dining hall, Aracila also arrived at the mansion.
“Master, Miss Aracila Hugo is here.”
“I’ll be right back—I’m going to escort Lady Hugo.”
As Damian left with the butler, Oscar finally spoke up, unable to contain himself any longer.
“But isn’t the woman marrying that bastard the social outcast of the capital nobility, some oddball?”
“What sane noble lady declares celibacy and works as a mage? Even without meeting her, I can tell she’s ignorant and ill-mannered.”
Mother and son thoroughly slandered Aracila based solely on society’s gossip. The Duke, glancing disapprovingly around the lavishly decorated hall, chimed in.
“At least they say the eldest daughter of House Hugo is normal—we should arrange a marriage between her and Oscar.”
Just as they were casually matchmaking Iris and Oscar,
knock knock. The door opened with a light rap, and Damian entered with his fiancée.
Their hostile stares instantly faltered—they were stunned. The woman walking in beside Damian was breathtakingly beautiful.
She looked neither strange nor ignorant.
On the contrary, her elegance and grace left all three momentarily spellbound.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Aracila Hugo of House of Marquis Hugo.”
Clutching the hem of her delicate pink dress adorned with daisy motifs, Aracila curtsied politely.
From head to toe, her charming smile radiated refinement and grace.
“Thank you for inviting me here today. It is a great honor to meet Lord Vandermir’s family.”
The Duke’s family snapped out of their daze only when they heard Aracila refer to them as “Lord Vandermir’s family.”
She wasn’t treating them as the illustrious House Vandermir, but merely as the family of the man she was about to marry.
As sharp glances once again focused on her, Aracila took a seat opposite Damian and the Duchess.
Oscar stared at her persistently, unable to believe such a stunning woman would become Damian’s wife.
“So, you’re marrying Damian?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“As far as I know, you declared yourself a celibate. What sudden reason do you have to marry now?”
The Duchess interjected sharply, then immediately put on a friendly smile.
“You see, so many young ladies have deliberately approached our sons in the past. Naturally, we can’t help but be suspicious of your intentions—please understand our position.”
“Yes, Duchess. Of course I understand.”
Despite the unpleasant remark, Aracila simply nodded meekly without showing any sign of offense.
Could she be this docile?
Just as the Duchess wondered this, Aracila spoke again.
“I decided to marry after seeing Lord Vandermir’s face.”
“Cough—!”
Damian, who had been quietly sipping water beside her, suddenly coughed. He quickly dabbed his mouth with a napkin and looked at Aracila.
She was smiling brightly, gazing straight at the Duchess with unrestrained boldness.
“Someone as handsome as Lord Vandermir is rare—I couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity.”
Her unexpected answer left everyone momentarily silent. The Duchess stared at her, flabbergasted.
“Lady Hugo, marriage is no laughing matter.”
“I’m well aware of that, Duchess.”
“To be frank, I don’t approve of you as a match for our Damian.”
She affectionately used Damian’s first name in a motherly tone. Damian’s brow twitched faintly.
“After all, Damian is a knight, while you’re a mage. I’d prefer welcoming an ordinary noble lady into our family.”
“Oh, right.”
Aracila replied indifferently and took a bite of meat.
Flustered by her unexpected reaction, the Duchess’s lips trembled.
“Do you not understand what I’m saying?”
“No, I understand perfectly. But adults don’t need parental approval to marry, do they?”
Under the laws of the Setron Empire, adults only needed one guarantor each to marry.
Usually, family served as guarantors, but friends or even unrelated third parties could also fulfill the role.
“If two people passionately love each other, all they need is to stamp their marriage documents and submit them to the temple. It’s fortunate you came to greet us in person.”
“Lady Hugo! Aren’t you ashamed to make such immodest remarks as a noble lady?”
“No, because love isn’t something to be ashamed of.”
As Aracila spoke with shameless confidence and shrugged her shoulders, the Duchess’s face grew increasingly flushed.
She was simply too infuriating and annoying.
“How dare you answer me so insolently—!”
“I’m only answering your question. If you speak to me like that, I’ll be hurt.”
Cutting off the Duchess just as she was about to shout, Aracila lowered her eyes with a sullen look.
Her stunning yet pure beauty instantly evoked a pitiful air.
Oscar stared at her dumbfounded, nearly drooling, until his mother stomped on his foot under the table, jolting him back to his senses.
“Then I won’t answer anything further. If you have questions, why not ask His Lordship instead?”
Aracila lifted her eyes boldly again and turned toward Damian.
“Let me ask you first, my lord. The Duchess doesn’t approve of me—what about you? Do you dislike me too?”
Damian hesitated for a moment, meeting her clear, lake-blue eyes, then shook his head.
“I do like Lady Hugo.”
He replied softly, then turned coldly toward the Duchess.
“So please stop nitpicking at her. I don’t care if she’s a mage.”
“Damian! How dare you speak to your mother like that! Apologize at once!”
The Duke erupted in anger over such a trivial remark. At the word “mother,” Damian’s expression hardened.
Aracila, glancing briefly at him, raised her hand to mediate between father and son.
“Please calm down, Your Grace. I don’t think His Lordship’s choice of words was wrong at all. Usually, it’s the listener’s interpretation that matters, isn’t it?”
While the Duke’s family was once again collectively speechless, Aracila let out an exaggerated sigh and dabbed at her eyes with her hand.
Notably, not a single tear had formed.
“But it hurts my heart. We’re getting married regardless—so if you dislike me this much, you’ll probably cut ties with us after the wedding.”
“No, who would—”
“Though this may be our first and last meal together, I’ll try to eat as cheerfully as I can.”
Pretending not to hear the Duchess, Aracila deliberately raised her voice and resumed eating.
Clack, clack.
Watching her eat resolutely all by herself, Damian had a sudden realization.
Perhaps marrying this woman would be the wisest decision of his life.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
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Thank you for translating/sharing this. Such an adorable story!