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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Wedding Preparations (4)
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The Duchess had her maid conduct a background check on Aracilla. There's no one in this world so pure that you can't find a speck of dust if you shake them out.
Besides, given her dazzling appearance that drew the eyes of many men, she must have had some troublesome romantic entanglements at some point in her life.
What returned to her, as she eagerly awaited the investigation results, was a single sheet of paper. Moreover, the content written inside was not what the Duchess had hoped for.
She had asked for information to paint her as a promiscuous vixen, but all she got were stories of her beating up men.
"Is this truly all there is?"
"Yes, Your Grace. Lady Hugo is celibate by nature, so she has never dated other men, and as a social outcast, she has never caused any incidents worth mentioning."
The Duchess sighed. The fact that she didn't socialize much and thus had few incidents was similar to Demian. How could they be so alike in the very aspects she found distasteful?
Furthermore, the instances of her beating up men all had justifiable reasons, making it awkward to find fault.
"Are there really no men around her with whom she could be linked in an inappropriate relationship?"
"The closest male she associates with is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but..."
"Are you telling me to provoke a member of the Imperial Family now?!"
The Duchess flared up. No matter how desperate she was, involving the Crown Prince could easily backfire.
The maid, shrinking her shoulders, fell silent, and the Duchess sank into thought.
'Should I create a scandal for Demian instead? No, that blockhead is just as free of romantic entanglements. I need to make Aracilla Hugo give up on this marriage...'
It was then. A maid rushed in urgently, calling out to the Duchess.
"Lord Vandermir is here!"
"What? Now?"
"Yes, he's at the door."
The Duchess glared at the mahogany door, then nodded. The maid opened the door, and Demian entered with a leisurely stride.
"What brings you to me today?"
"Yes, I came seeking advice regarding the marriage."
"...Advice?"
The Duchess scrutinized her stepson from head to toe, her eyes screaming, 'Is this brat insane?' What kind of trick was this?
Demian, with his hands clasped behind his back, approached and casually tossed an envelope onto the table. It was the list of wedding gifts he had given to Aracilla. The Duchess frowned, looking from the documents to him and back again.
"When problems arise between families due to marriage, what do you think is the wisest way to resolve them?"
"Why are you asking me that? If it's about the wedding gifts, I absolutely..."
"It would be to seek out an elder who can persuade everyone at once and request their mediation."
Cutting off his stepmother's words sharply, Demian looked down at her with chilling eyes. The wedding gifts were just the beginning; it was clear she would make countless unreasonable demands afterward.
Demian intended to act preemptively before Aracilla, unable to endure it, fled from the contract marriage.
"So, I was thinking of visiting His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, the greatest elder in the Empire. What are your thoughts, Your Grace?"
"You...!"
The Duchess pointed a finger at him and sprang to her feet. There was nothing more embarrassing than having family conflicts over excessive wedding gift demands become known to the Imperial Family.
Moreover, the Emperor was aware of the two families' arranged marriage agreement. Even if he chose to intervene, it would be difficult to object.
"As it happens, I am already scheduled for an audience with His Majesty soon."
"Are you threatening me right now?"
"How could that be? I merely hope that Your Grace will exercise self-restraint before our family matters are exposed to the public and cause embarrassment."
Demian strode closer, leaned his head toward the Duchess, and whispered,
"Wouldn't it be troublesome if rumors spread that you're being tyrannical towards the bride of a second son you barely care for?"
"Huh...!"
"I've already cut the wedding gift list in half myself. If there are any more jewels or dresses you desire, speak to my father."
His red lips curled into a slight smirk. The Duchess glared at his dreadful face as if she could kill him, a face that resembled her husband's even more terribly.
Demian slowly stepped back, his smile vanishing, and spoke with an impassive expression.
"The boy who could do nothing when you broke his cherished toys no longer exists. Now, I will protect what is mine, by any means necessary."
The Duchess swayed under the killing intent radiating from his golden eyes. Her legs trembled uncontrollably. Demian looked at her indifferently, gave a silent bow, and departed.
Supported by a maid, the Duchess sat on the sofa, grinding her teeth.
'Don't make me laugh, Demian Vandermir! Do you think I'd be intimidated by threats from the likes of you?!'
She sharply shouted at the maid.
"Send a letter to Aracilla Hugo at once!"
* * *
Frederick unfolded the letter that had arrived with a gift. After the ball, there had been no further contact between them, until Aracilla suddenly sent it.
"To Frederick.
I don't know why you're mad, but get over it. I don't have many friends as it is, and I don't want to break up with you right before my wedding.
If I did something wrong (I honestly don't think I did... but it feels like you're just pouting for no reason...), I apologize.
Reply when you're feeling better.
- Aracilla."
Frederick chuckled at the typically Aracilla-like letter, then his mood soured at the word "wedding."
With a shadowed face, he rose and went out to the garden. The attendants, sensing his mood, kept their distance as they followed him.
Warm sunlight and vibrant flowers adorned the path he walked, but the atmosphere around the Crown Prince was utterly gloomy.
'No matter how I think about it, I don't understand. I've replayed it hundreds of times, and I still can't accept it.'
Frederick furrowed his brow, as if in pain. When had Aracilla secretly dated a knight and even decided to marry him?
Even if she was inherently uninterested in others and didn't readily reveal her inner thoughts, it was difficult to comprehend that there had been absolutely no sign of this.
'Even Paula didn't know.'
He recalled the conversation he'd had with Paula yesterday. When he asked if she knew about Aracilla's marriage beforehand, she had replied:
'I didn't know Aracilla was seeing Lord Vandermir either. She only told me after the marriage was decided! When I asked, she said she fell for his looks. That's a strange reason for her, isn't it? And it's odd that they're getting married when they haven't known each other for long.'
This was truly unbelievable. Aside from the Hugo Marquisate family, the people closest to Aracilla were Paula and himself.
Yet neither of them knew?
Furthermore, Frederick always kept a keen eye on the men around Aracilla. He ruthlessly fended off those who dared to covet her, not knowing their place.
How had Demian Vandermir managed to avoid his radar and date Aracilla?
'It's strange. Something must be going on.'
His intuition, having watched Aracilla for a full seven years, screamed.
Frederick, walking with a narrowed brow, inadvertently turned his head and stopped when he spotted a man emerging from the audience chamber.
Shining silver hair, sharp yet delicate features, eyes brighter than pure gold, and a uniform embroidered with the Red Hawk emblem.
It was Demian Vandermir.
Frederick gazed at Demian, who walked with broad shoulders squared and a straight posture, then called his attendant in a low voice.
"Jackson, investigate Demian Vandermir from head to toe. And assign someone to Aracilla separately to report on her movements."
"Yes, Your Highness."
If Demian Vandermir was a dangerous man to Aracilla, it was his duty to step in and remove him.
Frederick firmly believed that as someone who had endured years as Aracilla's friend, he had that right and obligation.
* * *
It was Philip, the current Magic Tower Master, who scouted Aracilla for the Magic Tower. He was the man who had held the position of Magic Tower Master for the longest period in history.
He had gone to the academy to give a special lecture, recognized Aracilla's talent when she was a second-year student, and swiftly took her on as his disciple.
He then worked her hard, taught her magic, and now stood as Aracilla's most steadfast ally within the Magic Tower.
"Ho ho ho. I initially thought you'd gone senile, Aracilla. Though it's me who's at the age for senility."
Philip stroked his beard as he had tea with his cherished disciple, just the two of them.
They were having tea in the Magic Tower Master's chambers on the top floor of the Magic Tower.
"It feels like just yesterday you boldly burst into my research lab and told me to hand over the Magic Tower Master position because you weren't going to get married. And now, marriage. Ho ho ho."
Because of the unspoken custom that married female mages could not continue to work in the Magic Tower, let alone become the Magic Tower Master, Aracilla had told her master exactly that in her late teens.
Thinking his laughter was as peculiar as ever, Aracilla shrugged and replied,
"It's not a serious marriage. We're getting married because we both want something, and we'll divorce once we achieve it."
This was a secret she had kept from everyone, but she was being honest with her master for the sake of the Magic Tower Master position.
She couldn't afford to be excluded from the competition for the next Magic Tower Master because of this contract marriage.
"Ho ho, what exactly do you want from that knight?"
The Magic Tower Master's eyes, narrowed to thin slits, gleamed sharply. Aracilla didn't answer, instead sipping her tea.
"Do you know that people are already calling you the second coming of Lexy Ritterson?"
"Which bastards? Are the ones who can't say a word to my face excitedly running their mouths behind my back?"
That was true. Everyone knew Aracilla's personality, so they were afraid to act out in front of her and gossiped behind her back.
"Ho ho ho. Aracilla, if what you gain from him isn't more valuable than your future, why not give up?"
"It's more valuable than my future."
Her sister's life was more precious than anything in the world.
Even if it meant abandoning the easy path to becoming Magic Tower Master and taking a much longer route, Aracilla had no intention of giving up this marriage.
"We'll divorce as soon as Lord Vandermir inherits the ducal title. We won't have any children in the meantime. He'll also try to gain the ducal title as quickly as possible, so it won't take long."
"What if your heart changes and you want to maintain the marriage?"
"With that insufferable knight?"
Aracilla scoffed. No matter how handsome or impressive he was, a man like Demian Vandermir was out of the question for her.
"I'm far too precious to do that."
"Ho ho, don't be so certain. The human heart is a powerful thing that even magic cannot control."
"My work is more important than love. I have no intention of ruining my future with such trivial emotions."
Philip smiled contentedly at her resolute answer.
"Ho ho, that's right. That's my disciple."
He was growing older, but he could still hold on. He could take his time to choose a successor.
He wanted to pass this position on to the most capable disciple possible.
There would be no problem as long as Aracilla Hugo truly divorced him.
'As long as Aracilla doesn't truly fall in love like the others.'
However, Philip, who had lost disciples to love several times before, couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
