Chapter 1

“Get married.”

Graham Norman Hayworth, the eighth head of the Sutherwick Duchy, one of the three great noble families of the Empire, and a veteran who had rendered meritorious service in the Alselvador War, declared to Cedric Hayworth, his eldest grandson, who had been summoned before him. Cedric, who was listening quietly, raised one eyebrow in surprise.

“…Have you become senile in your old age?”

“This rascal has no words he can’t say to his grandfather.”

“You suddenly called a tired person here and said such a thing, how else am I supposed to take it?”

Cedric rubbed the bridge of his nose with a weary hand.

He was on his way back from receiving a report on the handling of the large-scale fire that had occurred at Auden’s textile factory. He had been dealing with the aftermath all night without even closing his eyes to rest, identifying the casualties among the factory workers and planning their compensation, determining the loss of machinery and textiles, planning the reconstruction of the factory, and connecting the logistics route to secure supplies until normal operations resumed.

He had signed dozens of reports all night, and dozens more were yet to be processed. From Cedric Roden Hayworth’s perspective, this was definitely not the time to discuss such a significant matter as marriage.

“Get married. I can no longer tolerate a successor in his late twenties roaming around as a bachelor.”

“Unfortunately, Katarina is a staunch believer in remaining single.” Cedric answered nonchalantly.

Katarina Rossum was the name of the former countess he was currently seeing.

After the death of her first husband and a spectacular divorce from her second, Katarina had firmly declared that marriage would never again be a part of her life. This thirty-year-old beauty, with numerous lovers, was proudly reigning as the queen rose of high society.

By ‘numerous,’ it meant that Cedric was not Katarina’s only lover. He wasn’t even her first, and the two were far from being affectionate lovers whispering sweet nothings. Still, if Cedric had to walk down the aisle right now, Katarina was the most likely candidate. And she would surely burst into laughter the moment he proposed, kick the ring box away, and then kick Cedric away too.

In fact, she’d say, “In the end, you were just another predictable man.”

“Who said anything about Kate?”

Graham naturally used Katarina’s nickname.

The high society was both vast and narrow. It was only natural that Katarina was acquainted with Graham. So much so that they got along too well, and he was worried that she might suddenly appear as the Duchess of Sutherwick one day.

“Then who, when, where, and how am I supposed to marry?”

Graham frowned at his blunt and rude words. He moved his lips to say something, but Cedric, shrugging his shoulders, spoke faster.

“Shouldn’t you at least kindly explain the details, Your Grace?”

“You never give up until you have the last word, do you?”

‘That’s why I dote on him,’ Graham thought, suppressing a laugh while pretending to be displeased. Among his seven grandchildren, Cedric was the most like him.

He had a tall and sturdy build. And his face, whoever he resembled, was very handsome. Naturally, women followed him like ants chasing aphids. Graham, who had been a notorious playboy in his youth, was very pleased.

Moreover, it was needless to say how intelligent and capable he was. He naturally attracted talented people around him. He knew how to pick the best of the best, and not just fast-talking cronies or empty carts that make a lot of noise, which most parents attached to their children as companions.

Graham, who had experienced all sorts of hardships, knew that this was a great talent. If he were to marry off one of his grandsons to Lyla’s granddaughter, Cedric was naturally the obvious choice.

Graham concealed his true feelings and put on a solemn voice as he asked, “Do you know the Langton Viscount family?”

“Yes, I do. It’s a historic family. You were also long-time friends with the late Viscount, Grandfather.”

‘And it’s also a family that has completely fallen,’ Cedric thought, but didn’t bother to add. What good is a noble lineage? The Langton Viscount family, at least in his memory, had never enjoyed prosperity.

The indicators that measure the power of a noble family are largely two: legitimacy and wealth. The former depended on how long a pure bloodline was maintained without any impure blood seeping in, and the latter, as the name suggests, depended on the amount of accumulated wealth. The Langton Viscount family had no equal in terms of legitimacy, but in terms of wealth, saying they were poor was an understatement.

It wasn’t because of extravagance. Rather, they led a simple and modest life, giving all they had generously. But their biggest problem was their luck. The Langton Viscount family’s financial luck was the worst. Their territory, which disdained commerce due to strong aristocratic pride, was particularly vulnerable to disasters. In the midst of this, the Langton Viscount compensated the tenants for their losses with his own money whenever any disasters arose.

‘Noblesse oblige.’

TL/Note : Noblesse oblige is the idea that the upper class have gifts to offer the rest of the world, and those poor, marginalized underprivileged people should be grateful recipients of this beneficence. It’s a generosity that’s common within a hierarchy system.

They acted as if they would die with their backs straight without losing their pride. Even when a bad harvest reduced their income, they lowered the rent for tenants rather than raising it. They didn’t stop their charitable work despite the deficit.

If you skinned Langton, you would only find honor.

If you pricked their veins, you would only find blue blood.

“There’s nothing to eat even if you pick at their bones.”

It was a sarcastic remark about the Langton family’s inflexible foolishness. That’s the kind of household they were. The Langton Viscount family.

“Yes. There’s a daughter in that Langton family who’s past her marriageable age. Her name was… let’s see, Hayley Langton, if I remember correctly. She must be around twenty-three or twenty-four this year.”

Graham stroked his beard, recalling the young girl he had seen decades ago. She had dazzling platinum blonde hair. She was an innocent child filled with the radiance of spring sunlight, just like Lyla.

“Marry that girl.”

“If it’s a marriage for political reasons, there are many better options,” Cedric replied indifferently.

Langton had too many shortcomings to stand beside Sutherwick, and more so in marriage.

Their territory, poor.

Their power, non-existent.

Their wealth, non-existent.

Their honor. Ah, they have that.

But even if they did, it was useless to the Sutherwick Duchy. How many feats had the Duchy accomplished? They could play Ddakji with the medals they received from the royal family. Trying to use another family’s honor would only add a few more Ddakji.

TL/Note: Ddakji – a traditional South Korean game played with folded paper tiles where players attempt to flip their opponent’s tile by throwing their own at it.

“If this marriage, which is to be forced upon me against my will, must happen, then please find me a more suitable match, one of higher standing. And while you’re at it, please include the other person’s personal information, like a self-introduction, and portrait. I’m quite busy these days, too busy to spare time for every matchmaking session arranged by an old man as his pastime.”

“The aftermath of the fire needs to be dealt with, and I also have to inspect the territory. Recently, there has been rampant pillaging by disbanded mercenary groups on the western outskirts. It’s necessary for me to investigate it for myself. I can bet my money that the mercenary group’s mischief is my uncle’s doing. I’m sick and tired of cleaning up after my uncles and cousins.”

Having finished speaking, Cedric slowly rose from his seat. The old Duke’s metallic voice sounded loudly behind him.

“Your lily isn’t pure white.”

Cedric stopped abruptly.

The lily was the crest of the Sutherwick family. A single lily grasped by a hawk’s talon. The whiteness of the flower symbolized his lineage. More precisely, his grandfather was hinting at his mother’s origins. The muscles in Cedric’s jaw tensed visibly. The young duke, gritting his teeth, turned to his grandfather with an icy gaze.

The old duke smirked, “What? Are you going to flip the table again?”

“I’m not a fifteen-year-old kid anymore. I won’t do that.”

At the sound of his grinding teeth, the old duke smiled slightly. Even though Cedric pretended to be composed, the old duke could clearly see the clumsy side of the young heir in his twenties.

‘You brat, no matter how much you act superior, you’re still in the palm of my hand.’

Graham concealed his rising amusement by pretending to stroke his beard.

“Sit down. This conversation isn’t over.”

“If you’re going to talk about my mother, then stop.” Cedric interrupted.

“I’m not blaming you or your mother. It’s just that your uncles and cousins, who have gotten a bit too big for their boots, have been quite noisy lately.”

Cedric’s mother, Yvette, was a former theater actress. Naturally, she was a commoner and moreover a foreigner. She was not a citizen of the empire. She was a peerless beauty with a mysterious charm, it was impossible to discern which ethnicities she was mixed with, and in what proportions.

When his father, Alexander, announced their marriage, everyone said he was crazy. Indeed, the father Cedric remembered was half-mad. He understood, at a young age, that this was love. This was what blind love was. If it wasn’t for love, the future duke would never have married an actress of unknown origins.

“I consider you to be my only heir,” Graham said solemnly.

Cedric knew this as well. Otherwise, why would he live like this? He could have lived a dissolute life, throwing away his duties as everyone expected, and ruining himself with alcohol, drugs, and the pleasures of life. The reason he didn’t was to show them…

To show his relatives that no matter how much they mocked and disdained his half-noble blood, it was all in vain. The duchy would eventually fall into his hands, and his grandfather, Graham, would personally hand it over to him.

“However, even I know that things won’t be easy if the other children raise questions about your legitimacy. It’s a headache.” Graham frowned.

It was partly his fault. As a sensible duke in the past, he had staunchly opposed his eldest son, Alexander’s marriage. But in the end, he yielded to his son’s stubbornness, but that was only after Yvette’s belly was already quite large.

Alexander’s only son, Cedric, was born just two months after the couple’s wedding ceremony. Gossip spread like wildfire. The whispers about foreign blood mixing into the ducal family were the least of it. Rumors circulated that it remained to be seen whether Yvette’s child was truly a member of the ducal lineage.

Coincidentally, Cedric resembled his mother much more than his father, except for his blue eyes. Although the Sutherwick ducal family was known for its piercing blue eyes, were there really no other men besides Alexander with such eyes?

Cedric’s father, of course, flatly denied the allegations and affirmed that he would not overlook the misconduct of such misleading journalism. However, even if it seemed to die down on the surface, those dark rumors didn’t disappear entirely. The controversy surrounding his mother’s infidelity was like poison held in his teeth, a skeleton in the closet, and a label that would likely follow him for the rest of his life.

“That’s why Langton is a perfect match. They have the one thing you lack.”

Even the mockery of the Langton Viscount family was tinged with the word ‘honor.’ The Langton family had maintained its pure lineage for thirteen generations, without the family name ever changing. It’s extremely rare for a family to maintain a direct lineage for thirteen generations.

Even the royal bloodline shifted to a side branch and changed its crest five generations ago. The Sutherwick duchy, in its eighth generation, was also considered one of the most noble families in the Empire. Moreover, all the spouses that married into the Langton family had always been of noble birth. In terms of noble blood, they were more pure than many ducal families. Therefore, if it was about proving lineage, there could be no better way than marrying a member of the Langton family.

Cedric sighed. The increasing discord among his relatives was equally troubling. The growing undercurrent of whispers from behind the scenes was also a fact. Graham’s words weren’t wrong.

“…I thought I was doing quite well.”

“You are doing exceptionally well, without a single flaw.”

However, they were a ducal family, a pillar of the nation. They were a family considered more powerful than the king. They were the focus of media attention and public scrutiny. They were in a position where even the slightest hint of instability had to be completely suppressed immediately.

“The Langton family is subtly showing a willingness to repay the favor. Even though I told them not to consider it a debt, they seem to have too much pride.”

Graham clicked his tongue. Duke Graham Hayworth of Sutherwick was close friends with the previous Viscount, Morgan Langton. Due to this connection, Graham had given financial assistance to Langton several times.

Viscount Langton accepted Sutherwick’s help only after swearing that he would repay the favor. If Sutherwick desired the payment of the favor to be an alliance between their houses, Langton would surely agree to Sutherwick’s request.

“Understood. I’ll propose marriage.”

Cedric, who had briefly fallen into thought, nodded.

“Really?” Graham responded with a brightened expression.

“Yes.”

“Excellent. Then make sure to visit the Viscount as soon as possible.”

The old duke clapped his hands together, producing a dull sound. He was pleased that his grandson had accepted the marriage so readily. Knowing his grandson’s terribly stubborn nature when he chose to be, it was even more gratifying.

“However, I have one question, Grandfather.”

“What question?” Graham frowned at his grandson’s blunt tone.

“Is that really the only reason?”

“What are you talking about?” Graham inquired.

“Is there truly no other reason… why you wish for this marriage to happen?”

“Have you lost your mind? Why are you talking nonsense?”

“Well, according to Grandmother…”
Graham’s nerves tightened at the grandson’s slow, trailing voice.

“…What did your grandmother say?”

“She said that the late Lady Layla Langton, the former Viscountess Langton, was extremely beautiful in her youth.”
Cedric raised the corners of his smooth lips into a picturesque smile.

“And that a hopelessly foolish man, beyond any remedy, fell head over heels for her, suffering so badly from lovesickness that he lost his appetite and couldn’t eat.”

Graham clamped his mouth shut at Cedric’s smoothly flowing words. His eyelids twitched.

“But Lady Layla already had a deeply affectionate fiancé, and to make matters worse, her fiancé happened to be that idiot’s best friend and rival, so he couldn’t even confess his feelings and just suffered in silence.”

Cedric shook his head slightly, as if in pity. Graham’s eyelids twitched again slightly and his hand clenched tightly into a fist.

“And to top it off, on the wedding day of Viscount and Viscountess Langton, he even secretly hid in a room and wept like a grown man at a funeral, sniffling into his sleeve.”

This time, Cedric let out an exaggerated sigh. Graham’s head lowered just a little.

“She said it was incredibly difficult to take care of such a useless fellow at that time, so she slapped his back to bring him back to his senses. She said she wouldn’t do it again, and that he should just live alone. That’s what Grandmother said.”

“Damn it… damn it all…” A groan-like curse finally escaped the duke’s lips. Yet, the face of the grandson standing before him remained utterly indifferent.

“Perhaps, Grandfather, you might know where this crybaby coward of an idiot lives—”

“Yes, that idiot is me, you brat! What are you going to do about it?!” A thunderous roar echoed throughout the room.

The Duke of Sutherwick’s face was flushed, his breathing heavy. His gaze, which was fixed on Cedric, was as fierce as a tiger’s.

Nevertheless, the young duke’s expression, met by that fierce gaze, remained completely undisturbed. Cedric pulled up one corner of his lips into a smile.

“Clap, clap.” A half-hearted clapping sound followed.

“Indeed. My esteemed grandfather never fails to meet my expectations.”