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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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Chapter 13 – The Right Marriage Partner
Finding the right marriage partner.
That was the goal of most noble young ladies as they attended countless social gatherings.
However, the young lady sitting calmly before Phillip, sharing her story, was different from the usual noble ladies.
“I don’t really know what a happy life after marriage is like, or what happiness as a wife and a mother means.”
Knowing that Philip had already understood her intentions, Selina confessed honestly.
“My mother passed away when I was six years old. Her health deteriorated after giving birth to me, and she suffered greatly until her last day. My father was always out, searching for medicine for her and working to earn money for her treatment. I rarely saw them share a tender moment.”
Phillip sipped his tea quietly.
‘She didn’t have a happy childhood. But despite that, she seems to have grown up well-educated and well-mannered.’
Recalling a moment from her childhood that had deeply shocked her, Selina continued.
“Exactly one year after my mother passed away, my father brought home someone he intended to marry. That person is the current Countess Flora of Arsene.”
Philip thought to himself, noticing the slight frown on her face as she spoke.
‘She’s not close to her stepmother, and this is her way of saying it.’
Nodding in understanding, Phillip asked, “But you had a fiancé, didn’t you? Even then, you didn’t want to get married?”
“That was a condition I accepted when I was fourteen, in order to become the Acting Head of the family.”
“So what you want is to continue working at the merchant group. You think you won’t be able to run the Arsene merchant group if you get married and become a member of the Grand Duke’s family.”
“Yes. That’s why I can’t get married.”
Seeing Selina’s firm words and gaze, Phillip thought for a moment and asked, “What if I told you that you could continue to run the Arsene merchant group independently even after marriage?”
Surprised by Phillip’s proposal, Selina questioned, “Is that even possible?”
Philip thought it was adorable how Selina’s eyes widened in surprise, and he answered her kindly.
“My lady, the world is vast, and there are still many things you don’t know yet. If you truly want to become a merchant group leader, you need to see and learn more. There are countless families where the husband and wife run separate businesses. Ask your father, Count Arsene, too. If he’s willing to appoint his daughter, not his son, as his Acting Head, he must have seen and heard a lot already.”
Phillip smiled warmly and continued.
“Honestly, my dream is to see my son marry the person he loves, have children, and live a long and happy life. That’s the only way I can face my late wife with pride in the afterlife.”
“I…”
“But I understand why you wrote this contract, Lady Arsene. I can imagine the thoughts that went into writing each word. As a father, I shouldn’t say this, but…”
Philip paused for a moment, then made a serious suggestion.
“How about changing this from an engagement to a marriage? Marry my son and live together for two years without getting a divorce. I won’t ask you to have children, and I won’t force you to be a housewife. Just try it for two years.”
“…”
“Through this you can achieve what you want, Lady Arsene, and Janus can live happily for two years. It’s not a bad deal. If you want a divorce after two years, bring the revised contract to me then. I’ll help you get the divorce you want.”
Selina’s heart wavered.
‘I was just planning to have a short engagement with the Grand Duke to improve my bad reputation…’
She needed public opinion to shift in her favor – the idea that a woman engaged to the beloved Grand Duke couldn’t be a true villain.
She thought that having Janus by her side would make people more likely to believe her when she and Eric revealed the truth later.
‘Marriage…’
Seeing Selina’s hesitation, Philip drove the point home.
“Shall we make a bet? I’ll bet that you won’t bring the contract back after two years. If I lose, I’ll give you the most fertile land in our territory, Lady Arsene.”
* * *
The following evening, Count Arsene entered the room where the Emperor was having dinner.
“Oh, Count Arsene. Welcome.”
“I heard Your Majesty summoned me and came right away, but were you in the middle of your meal?”
“I had a busy schedule today, so I couldn’t eat until this awkward hour. Would you like to join me?”
Although he said that, the Emperor had already prepared this meal, knowing that Count Arsene had not yet eaten.
There were many dishes, mostly Count Arsene’s favorites.
Count Arsene also noticed the table setting and immediately realized.
‘It seems His Majesty has a favor to ask of me.’
Thanks to this intuition, he was able to survive by the current Emperor’s side.
On the battlefield, he sacrificed his shoulder for the Emperor and eventually put down his sword.
Afterward, he took the initiative to handle troublesome matters before anyone could even mention them.
Not only that, but every time he boarded a merchant ship, he brought mysterious items from other continents to the imperial family, making Dale Arsene an irreplaceable figure.
“I hear you’re busy with the joint venture these days?”
“We’ve been preparing for three years, and it’s on the verge of collapse, so we’re struggling to salvage it.”
“Oh dear. The other party in this venture… Isn’t it the Patel family? They have no foresight. I permitted the marriage between the two families for their future prosperity, but they broke off the engagement. What’s wrong with our Selina that they would throw away such good fortune? Shall I punish them instead?”
The joint venture hadn’t completely fallen apart yet, so the Emperor’s intervention was troublesome.
Knowing the Emperor was saying this deliberately, Count Arsene bowed his head and spoke.
“Your Majesty, you don’t have to go that far for someone like me. The two families will work together to resolve this matter.”
The Emperor took a sip of water and then said what he had prepared.
“Honestly, the rumors circulating in society about Selina these days… They really upset me. How could they know her better than I do, who has watched her grow up? Selina is a kind and sensible girl. I would gladly welcome her as my daughter-in-law.”
At those words, Count Arsene looked up in surprise.
‘Daughter-in-law?’
“Why are you so surprised? We talked about this in passing before. The little ones adorably refused snacks, saying they didn’t like each other, and we laughed it off. But they’re not at the age to mindlessly refuse anymore.”
Beside the chuckling Emperor, Count Arsene couldn’t bring himself to smile.
The Count hastily lowered his head and said,
“Your, Your Majesty. Back then, it was fine to joke like that because the children were young, but it’s different now. Our family… is too humble. The thought of my daughter as the Crown Princess is quite frightening.”
“Indeed, if she marries my son, her status would surpass yours. It must be daunting. Hahaha.”
“Your Majesty.”
Count Arsene looked up, his eyes pleading for the Emperor to take back his words, but the Emperor calmly replied,
“Hearing that the lovely girl was jilted, I couldn’t help but worry. How could she find another suitable partner after this? I’m merely trying to ease your concerns.”
“Selina is…”
‘If she goes to the imperial family, it’ll be a path filled with thorns. This distance from the imperial family is just right. We can’t get too close, nor too far.’
“She’s not ready yet.”
“What are you talking about? Selina is 17 years old.”
“I understand, Your Majesty, but… There’s someone else in our family who should marry before Selina. It wouldn’t feel right to prioritize her happiness over his.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue in disapproval at Count Arsene’s excuse and asked,
“Are you talking about your stepson?”
“Yes. He came to the mansion with Flora when he was young.”
“Your commoner wife must be quite envious. Selina must be having a hard time at home.”
Count Arsene forced a smile and remained silent.
“But you’re only seeing one side of the coin. Think about it. Wouldn’t it be easier for the nobles to accept your stepson’s commoner background if he were the Crown Princess’s brother?”
Count Arsene’s heart sank.
‘Such persistence means the Emperor has made up his mind. Is there a specific reason why he wants Selina?’
He felt sick to his stomach but forced himself to nod in agreement.
“We’ll skip the engagement and proceed directly to the wedding.”
The Emperor excitedly laid out his plans, but Count Arsene heard nothing.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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Chapter 14: The Engagement Proposals From The Imperial And The Grand Duke’s Families
When Selina entered the room after hearing that her father had returned from the Imperial Palace and was looking for her, she found Flora, Brandon, and Sebastian already gathered.
“Come and sit,” said Count Arsene.
“I didn’t realize this was a family meeting,” Selina replied, taking a seat.
After a long silence, Count Arsene abruptly asked, “Selina, have you found a new fiancé yet?”
“Ah, yes. I just met with him today to discuss it further.”
“Really? Did he say he would get engaged right away?” Count Arsene asked, his face suddenly
brightening.
Selina was slightly taken aback by her father’s sudden excitement but answered calmly.
“Actually, a slightly different topic came up…”
Count Arsene immediately grabbed Selina’s shoulders and exclaimed, “You must get engaged this month, no matter what! Marriage would be even better!”
“What?” Selina asked, bewildered.
Before she could fully grasp the situation, Flora interjected, barely suppressing her joy.
“What about the Acting Head of the family position? You won’t be Acting Head after you get married, right?”
“We haven’t even decided on marriage yet. You’re getting ahead of yourselves,” Selina retorted sharply.
“No, this is not rushing things. Selina, listen carefully.”
Count Arsene looked into Selina’s eyes and said, “Get married as soon as possible and find a secure foundation. There’s no more time. The only way is to get married quickly.”
Count Arsene’s words stemmed from his concern about the imperial family’s interest in Selina, but unaware of the circumstances, Selina misunderstood her father’s intentions.
She gently pushed away her father’s hand from her shoulder and said with hurt in her voice,
“So you never intended to give me the family, did you? Was appointing me as Acting Head just a temporary amusement before I quietly marry into another family?”
Realizing his mistake, Count Arsene hurriedly tried to explain, “Selina, that’s not it. I…”
“If that’s not it, Father,” Selina interrupted coldly, “then please don’t force me into marriage. I will marry when I want to, and to the person I choose.”
Just then, a knock was heard at the door.
“Come in,” Count Arsene said.
Butler Ben entered, carrying an envelope with an ornate design.
“This is a letter from the Imperial Palace addressed to Lady Selina.”
Count Arsene’s expression hardened, but Selina, oblivious to his reaction, opened the letter in front of her family.
“It’s a summons to the palace tomorrow morning.”
“Did you cause some kind of trouble? Why is the palace calling for you?” Flora asked, alarmed.
“I don’t know either,” Selina replied.
Then, a realization struck her, and she turned to Count Arsene.
“Do you know something, Father? Is that why you just told me to get married?”
Count Arsene replied urgently, “Let’s talk privately in my office.”
The Head of the family’s office was a place reserved solely for the Head of the family, their trusted advisors, and the Acting Head.
Upon hearing this, Flora cried out sharply.
“Count, this is truly hurtful. Sebastian is already eight years old, yet you still treat us like outsiders. When will we be considered a true part of this family, privy to its important discussions?”
“I will tell you everything you need to know separately. There’s no time now. Selina, come with me.”
Saying this, Count Arsene led Selina to the head of the family’s office.
“So you’re saying His Majesty intends to make me the Crown Princess?” Selina asked, incredulous.
“Yes. He summoned me today and told me so. And now, seeing that he’s asking for you tomorrow morning, there must be something more to this. Otherwise, there’s no reason for him to act so suddenly. I need to know what’s happening so I can eliminate the cause, but I have no clue.”
Selina felt dizzy as she considered the repercussions of the Emperor’s plan.
‘Because of someone, I’ve become a villainess.’
If Selina was summoned to the palace tomorrow and received an imperial order to marry Eric, she would undoubtedly be ostracized from society.
‘They’ll whisper that I, who have been hindering the love between Lady Hazel and the Crown Prince, have finally resorted to dirty tricks to become the Crown Princess. Even if the truth comes out later, no one will believe it. I’ll have to give up my goal of inheriting the family.’
She shook her head as the image of Brandon sneering triumphantly, believing he had finally taken over the Arsene family, flashed through Selina’s mind.
“You’re against me becoming the Crown Princess, aren’t you, Father?”
“Of course. I want you to maintain just the right amount of acquaintance with the royal family, as you have now. What are you going to do? If the discussion with your chosen suitor went well, you could go to His Majesty tomorrow and tell him about it…”
“That won’t work.”
“What do you mean?”
Selina hesitated for a moment before revealing, “The suitor I found… is Grand Duke Justia.”
“What? Why him of all people…”
“I was only thinking of getting engaged. I planned to break it off once my reputation improved.”
“Do you think engagements are so easily broken? And even if you were desperate, how could you consider him…”
The Emperor’s animosity towards Grand Duke Justia was a sentiment that dared not be uttered, even in hushed whispers.
An emperor jealous of his nephew’s power.
One wrong word could lead to immediate execution.
However, that didn’t mean the Emperor’s resentment was a secret.
Selina knew that the Emperor didn’t look favorably upon the Grand Duke’s family.
‘I only intended for the engagement to be temporary, but if this happens, it’ll look like the Grand Duke has stolen me away from the imperial family.’
Seeing Selina’s troubled expression, Count Arsene asked, “Did the Grand Duke agree to this?”
“He was the one who initiated it. To be precise, he proposed marriage.”
“Proposed? When did he have the time, busy as he is with the war?”
“Right before my previous engagement was broken off.”
Count Arsene fetched a bottle of liquor from a cabinet in his office, poured himself a glass, took a sip, and sat down to think.
‘Why Grand Duke Justia, of all people? If Selina goes to him now… His Majesty will think I’ve sided with the Grand Duke. Could it be that His Majesty heard about this from somewhere else? Is he trying to prevent me from forming an alliance with the Grand Duke?’
The Count rubbed his face with his weathered hand and asked, “Were you close enough with the Grand Duke for him to propose?”
“No, if that were the case, you would have known. I was at the academy, and he was on the battlefield, so we never really met.”
“Then why did he propose to you? Does the Grand Duke have a reason for wanting you?”
Count Arsene’s question jolted Selina’s mind.
‘Yes, even if I don’t know why, I need to find out the reason. There must be a real reason behind both the Grand Duke’s family and the imperial family’s sudden interest in me.’
Seeing Selina’s hesitation to answer, Count Arsene spoke.
“I let your broken engagement with Young Master Patel slide because I knew you weren’t truly in love with him. You may not understand, but I married the person I loved and lived happily. Perhaps because of that, I don’t want to see you marry someone you don’t want and live unhappily.”
“Father…”
“Even if the Grand Duke proposed first, I would naturally oppose it if you don’t truly want him. While joining the imperial family isn’t ideal, rushing into a marriage like this is certainly not the answer.”
The Count sighed and continued, “What I said earlier about getting married was a slip of the tongue when I didn’t know it was the Grand Duke’s family. This can’t happen.”
“Does that mean I’m stuck marrying Eric?” Selina asked.
Count Arsene couldn’t answer
Selina knew well that no one could easily defy the Emperor’s will.
“I’ll find a way to solve this,” Selina said.
“What are you going to do? Selina, Selina!”
Leaving behind Count Arsene, who was calling her name anxiously, Selina flung open the office door.
Flora, caught red-handed eavesdropping at the door, flushed with embarrassment.
But Selina didn’t have time to deal with her stepmother’s antics right now.
“Move aside,” she snapped.
Selina pushed past Flora’s shoulder and quickly ran towards the east wing.
‘The reason why the Emperor and the Grand Duke want me. I will uncover the truth.’
Donning a wide-brimmed hat to conceal her face and carrying the contract she had received back from Phillip, Selina left the mansion.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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