Naturally, those with such power became the first royal family.

From generation to generation, those who possessed the power succeeded to the throne, and the successor of the golden rule soon became evidence of a noble lineage.

But as time went on, the power weakened. Moreover, since technology began to surpass the power of the golden rule, the way to use the power of the golden rule also quickly faded away.

Naturally, the prestige of the golden rule also lost its power compared to the past.

Still, there were those who were obsessed with the fact that they still possessed that power.

They were the nobles of Denerthum. And Aelfrie’s father was a person who was particularly obsessed with the golden rule.

Up until his ancestors, the Count of Aradis was born with the faint but golden rule. But with Aelfrie’s grandfather’s generation, the power completely disappeared, and from then on, the family rapidly declined.

Of course, the reason for the decline was that both his grandfather and his father were incompetent people addicted to gambling.

Naturally, Aelfrie’s father did not want to admit his incompetence, so he thought that the decline of the family was because the successor of the golden rule did not appear.

That thought soon turned into an obsession. He thought that if the golden rule flowed back into the Aradis lineage, the family would also revive.

There was only one way to return the power of the golden rule to the family. It was to marry someone with a strong golden rule and have a child.

But on the whole continent, the golden rule had been exhausted for a long time. Even recently, most of the royals were born without the golden rule.

The few remaining strong owners of the golden rule were from families that the Count of Aradis couldn’t even look up to.

The Count of Aradis did not give up.

After continuing to search, he finally found the person he wanted. A woman from a poorer noble family, who possessed the golden rule.

Usually, such people were quietly offered money by great noble families and brought in as the second or third wife.

However, the woman had a fatal weakness. It was that her body was so weak that it was difficult for her to have children.

“It’s not completely impossible. I don’t need many. If I can get even one, that’s enough.”

The Count of Aradis sold the rest of his estate, handed money to the woman’s father, and married her.

A year later, Aelfrie was born.

Although it wasn’t a male child, the Count was happy to have a child, and he requested the academy to check how much golden rule the child had.

“It’s not there.”

“What are you talking about? Why would her child…!”

“You know that being born to parents with the golden rule does not necessarily mean being born with the power. Anyway, this child is not a successor of the golden rule. Of course, the timing of power manifestation varies for everyone, so you’ll have to watch until she’s 3, but there have been only three cases in history where it manifested after 3. So don’t expect too much.”

The person from the academy left, as if they had no more to see. The Count was greatly disappointed.

“How much money have I invested in getting a failure?”

Even before she was born, hadn’t he boasted loudly at gatherings with other nobles?

Because of that, the child had already gained the name Aelfrie, named after the most powerful successor in mythology, and it had even been recorded in the noble roster.

But she’s not a successor to the golden rule.

It didn’t end there. Not long after giving birth, his wife left the world.

The Count was furious.

“Ingrate. If she had any shame, she should have given birth to at least one more child with the golden rule!”

He wanted to abandon the child too, but he couldn’t.

If a child whose name was already on the noble roster died before adulthood, the parent would be punished. Moreover, he didn’t know if the golden rule might manifest just before she turned 3.

The Count of Aradis waited for 3 years after entrusting the child to a reasonably hired wet nurse. But the hope he had each time returned in disappointment.
Eventually, Aelfrie did not manifest the power of the golden rule until she was three years old.

And that year, Count Aradis went to a countryside estate of a lower noble who gambled with him, and brought back a woman who caught his eye, making her his Countess. She became Aelfrie’s new mother.

Aelfrie grew up painfully under a father who was ashamed of her, and a stepmother who saw her as an enemy who had squandered her husband’s fortune.

The reason why Aelfrie could at least grow up with minimal treatment was because her name was listed in the nobility register.

Because she could be married off as a noblewoman and fetch a lot of money.

‘She probably didn’t expect to not be sold like this.’

Recalling her reputation in society, Aelfrie shook her head and gripped a book titled ‘Golden Rule’ in vain.

“Please move aside.”

Then, a library staff member spoke in an annoyed voice from behind. Aelfrie appeared to be in the way of organizing books.

“I’m sorry.”

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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