It was clearly a plausible excuse to keep Nelly in the position of wife.

Or should I call it an exaggeration? The fact that he was exploiting Nelly’s kind heart further irritated Grisha’s mood.

The hand stirring the spoon slowly stopped. Grisha’s blue eyes emitted a fierce light.

‘If you so desperately want freedom, that freedom, I can give it to you.’

He just needs to seize the title of Duke Granite.

And as for the method of seizing it…

“Did you hear that rumor?”

What broke Grisha’s contemplation was the voice of a noble lady sitting at a table not far from where he was seated.

Though her tone seemed to be whispering secrets, her voice was loud and clear as if she wanted everyone in the cafe to hear.

Grisha also looked at the noble lady without much meaning.

She said in a voice dripping with interest while fluttering her fan.

“The rumor that Lord Cedar, the Swordmaster, is abusing his wife.”

‘Who’s abusing whom?’

It was so absurd that even Grisha, who didn’t particularly like Cedar, involuntarily frowned.

‘What abuse? He was doting on her quite unsuitably.’

Grisha couldn’t say for certain that he knew everything about Cedar’s character, as it had been a very long time since he last met him.

But even during his time at the academy, stories about Cedar occasionally reached his ears.

After all, the Swordmaster was a subject of interest for magicians.

‘He seems to have thick trust from his subordinates, but it’s closer to admiration for the marvelous power of a Swordmaster, and he doesn’t seem to show any special personal influence on his subordinates.’

Generally indifferent to everyone and dealing with people in a businesslike manner.

That was Cedar Granite.

But the life of Nelly and Cedar that he saw directly seemed quite lovey-dovey.

‘Nelly said that elder brother nags a lot and it’s annoying. That means it’s completely different from the image I’ve heard.’

There’s only one reason a man would show a different side from his usual self.

When he meets a woman he likes.

‘He clearly has feelings for her, so what’s this about abuse?’

Indeed, not all rumors circulating in high society can be believed.

Grisha took a sip of espresso with a bitter smile.

The noble lady’s words quickly gained traction, indicating it was quite a famous rumor.

“I heard that the poor Baron Periway was humiliated in front of many people when he asked about his elder sister’s well-being.”

“Doesn’t Baron Periway only have that elder sister left as family now? Oh my.”

“It seems the story of marrying her out of passionate love despite her being in a vegetative state was a lie after all.”

“Honestly, there were such speculations even when the marriage rumors first circulated. Lord Cedar is a Swordmaster, and the young lady in a vegetative state is a Grand Magician…”

“Given how things have turned out, it doesn’t seem like those rumors were completely unfounded.”

Among the outlandish information, there was also some plausible information mixed in. The poor Baron Periway, huh?

Grisha recalled the beautiful woman who had shamelessly spoken of love while practically selling off Nelly to Cedar in a contract marriage.

Nelly’s younger sister, Diana Periway.

‘It seems that woman has been spreading strange rumors.’

Perhaps she has some lingering attachment to Cedar? Though he didn’t know the reason, Grisha felt even more displeased upon learning the source of the false rumors and twisted his lips.

‘Wasn’t it all because of that woman that Nelly became elder brother’s wife in the first place?’

If he had known then that she was the one who came up with the idea of a contract marriage, he might have burned down the entire mansion with magic.

While Grisha was suppressing the anger bubbling up inside him, the person he had been waiting for at the cafe arrived.

“Young Master Grisha.”

It was the most devoted vassal working to promote him as the duke.

“You’re here. It’s been a while.”

The vassal tried to kneel and give a loyal greeting, but Grisha, disliking the attention, stopped him and he quietly sat down in the chair opposite. He spoke in an emotional tone with reddened eyes.

“I never thought I’d meet you again like this in the capital. I’m glad you’ve returned as a magician. I’m sure the late madam would be pleased as well.”

Becoming a magician is extremely difficult.

But Grisha knew that the vassal wasn’t simply congratulating him for becoming a magician.

Since Cedar is a Swordmaster, they probably think this side needs to be at least a magician to compete.

‘Are they happy that the young master who fled to escape a life-threatening crisis has returned on his own as a magician?’

In other words, the reason he had to flee to the academy in the first place was because his followers couldn’t protect him.

It was largely for this reason that Grisha didn’t harbor thoughts of ‘I must take over all of House Granite!’ out of vengeance when he left the academy.

‘Even when mother was poisoned, they were of no help in determining the truth.’

Grisha just disliked everyone associated with House Granite.

With those feelings in mind, he spoke in a lightly sarcastic tone.

“Madam? You should be careful with your words. That woman is now the duchess, isn’t she?”

“Please don’t say such things!”

The vassal naturally protested vehemently. The main point was that he couldn’t accept a lowborn maid as the duchess.

‘Even so, she’s already the duchess.’

Grisha’s face darkened even more as he recalled Lady Briar, who faced him with her head held high in House Granite.

He asked the vassal.

“How is father’s condition?”

“He’s being cared for by maids who strictly follow that woman’s orders, so even regular vassals find it difficult to approach.”

“Even when I asked to see him, they wouldn’t let me.”

“How can this be! If not you, his son, then who are they allowing to visit him!”

Grisha bit his lip.

In the end, no one knows the exact state of Duke Granite’s health.

Lady Briar was thoroughly hiding him and had completely taken control of House Granite.

That must have been the confidence that allowed her to leave Cedar alone until he returned from the academy.

Thinking about all this made his blood boil. Above all, what gnawed at him was the marriage with Nelly.

‘How dare he so casually take away the one thing I wanted.’

Moreover, Nelly didn’t even truly love him, and he was keeping her tied to his side with some strange condition about staying until she became free.

‘If you want to be free so badly, I’ll help you.’

Grisha clenched his fist tightly. Then he asked the vassal in a serious tone.

“What are the ways for me to become duke?”

“…So you’ve finally made up your mind.”

The vassal’s expression was one of elation.

He too had grown tired of Grisha’s constant indifference. Grisha shrugged his shoulders.

“Elder brother wants to be free, so what can I do? I should set him free.”

The vassal quickly explained the situation.

“The imperial family already knows that Duke Granite is ill and unable to perform his official duties. So they’ve declared that if the heir marries and has a child, they will allow the succession of the duke title.”

“So there’s no change from the situation I already knew.”

The fastest way for Grisha to secure the duke title in the current situation.

Get married and have a child.

“I have some suitable young ladies…”

Just as the vassal was about to bring up that topic, Grisha cut him off and gestured with his chin towards the noble ladies.

“What do you think of that rumor?”

“Pardon?”

They were still gossiping about Cedar.

Cedar, who was handsome and capable with a wife in a vegetative state, was always a topic of interest in high society.

The vassal, who had overheard a bit, quickly understood what rumor he meant and nodded.

“You mean the rumor about Lord Cedar and his wife? I don’t think it’s bad for us. It’s hard to believe that a man who mistreats his wife would perform the duties of a duke well.”

“I see.”

So does that mean if that rumor spreads far and wide, it could put pressure on Cedar to divorce?

‘I hope they separate quickly.’

As he was earnestly wishing for this, the hotel cafe suddenly fell silent.

Wondering what was happening, he looked up to see an unwelcome woman standing there.

“Oh my, fancy meeting you here.”

It was a beautiful young lady with luscious golden hair tied in a half-up style, adorned with a bright pink ribbon.

Her confidently sparkling red eyes needlessly disturbed Grisha’s mood.

Grisha called out to her in a heavy voice.

“Baroness Periway.”

It was Nelly’s younger sister, Diana.

She greeted him with a bright smile.

“It’s nice to see you, Young Lord Granite. It seems not many people recognize you since you haven’t been in the capital long. How fortunate that I can approach you so easily.”

Grisha responded in a gentle tone with a mild smile.

“I’m not very famous.”

“If the first magician to appear in House Granite in a long time, the second son who might inherit the duke title, isn’t famous, then who is?”

“Ahem.”

“Shall we get up from our seats now?”

Those who had been gossiping about Cedar until just now cleared their throats awkwardly.

They had only now realized that he was Grisha Granite.

Grisha shrugged his shoulders as he stared blankly at the surrounding tables becoming vacant.

He also gestured for the vassal to withdraw.

The cafe in the spacious hotel lobby had inadvertently become a private venue for just Grisha and Diana.

Though Diana spoke as if they had met by chance, the entire situation was too coincidental.