The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce - The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce chapter 14

14

“…”

Alter was momentarily buried in silence, overwhelmed with confusion.

It didn’t seem like a joke, nor could any special intent be discerned.

It was as if he was earnestly trying to engage in a psychological battle with himself.

“Why do you think I can’t do it? I’m not swayed by such things.”

Brillie spoke leisurely, yet her gaze was icy firm.

Honestly, she didn’t want to be tied down by marriage, but she couldn’t be outdone by her younger fiancé.

Therefore, she spoke with a somewhat strong tone, trying to protect her own pride.

“There are many better matches than me. I only got engaged because of my lineage. You’re not unaware of that, are you?”

“I am aware. But if you approach it that way, I’m no different. I got engaged for my lineage too, didn’t I?”

“… Miss Brillie, you are skilled in swordsmanship, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I suppose you could say I have some expertise.”

“In comparison, I have no talents to boast of. Isn’t there anything else?”

“Does having talents make a marriage work? Isn’t marriage about having a heart for each other?”

“Getting married without any preparation is harmful to both parties. That’s why people date before marriage and consider each other’s conditions.”

“I don’t think the conditions are lacking. If my health is poor, it will recover over time, and talents can be learned later, right? But why do you only think of the negatives?”

As Alter pressed on, Brillie countered more fiercely.

Alter wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t something that needed to be said to her.

No matter how much one faces reality, one cannot live without ideals.

That’s why, even while feeling pity for Alter, she intended to overturn his values first.

“That’s the reality.”

“Reality isn’t everything, is it?”

“Then why did you get engaged to me?”

“It’s because of the immediate benefits that we’re tied by engagement.”

“That’s exactly what reality is, isn’t it?”

“If I were bound by that reality, I wouldn’t have been able to take up the sword. Will you still blame reality?”

“…”

Alter knew of Brillié’s resolve, so he couldn’t bring himself to argue.

Unbound by the status of a duke’s daughter, she chose her own path.

She proved her skills and merits, and now she proudly served as a knight.

Brillié must have faced many restrictions too, and at that time, she was in a similar position to his own.

“Mr. Alter, I fully understand the situation you’re in. I won’t say that you’re completely wrong. But… we can’t just give up, can we? It doesn’t matter if you’re not my fiancé. As long as we’re alive and breathing, shouldn’t we try to do something?”

Hearing this, Alter was momentarily persuaded.

While revealing his own will first, he subtly shook the other’s heart.

Perhaps it was Brillié’s advice that had stirred his desire to survive.

“…I haven’t given up. I was just talking about breaking off the engagement.”

“I’d rather you didn’t talk about breaking off the engagement anymore. I don’t want to get angry over such matters.”

“Hmm… Understood. If it bothers you, I should refrain from mentioning it.”

In the end, Alter had no choice but to accept Brillié’s request.

She was quite resolute, and she had solid grounds for her stance.

Above all, he didn’t want to become hostile with Brillié, so he had to step back first.

“But… are you really okay? You look pale.”

“I’m better than this morning, but is there a problem?”

“Look at this. You were already pale, but now you’re even paler.”

Brillié took Alter’s left hand and examined it closely.

She had never seen such pale skin, still cold to the touch.

Even then, the bluish veins were clearly visible, stirring a sense of pity.

“Uh… I don’t feel any difference…”

“Can’t you see? Your hands seem colder now.”

“My hands have always been cold…”

“How can that be right? A person’s body is supposed to be warm!”

“…”

Alter felt a warm touch and inadvertently let out a chuckle.

He must have misjudged Brillié’s character.

If he had known she could show such tender-heartedness, he might have chosen to stay quiet.

“Huh? Did you just laugh?”

“Yes? I’m not sure if I did…”

“You know how to smile, so why were you just standing there?”

“I really don’t know. I’m not even sure if I was smiling…”

“Try to smile more often. It makes you look even more handsome.”

Brillie gently chided Alter, holding his hand firmly.

Indeed, it’s better to at least wear a smile than to be frozen in an expressionless state.

It was such a pity to see such a beautiful face always clouded with gloom.

“I’m not particularly handsome…”

“Oh, come on! When someone says that, you’re supposed to just listen, not keep interrupting.”

“…”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Do you really want to get scolded by me?”

“I don’t think I’m of an age to be scolded…”

“What do you mean, no? Why are you worrying about things even I’m not?”

“From a realistic point of view…”

“There you go with ‘reality’ again. Didn’t we agree not to talk about that?”

“That was about the breakup…”

“It’s all the same thing!”

“…”

Alter had many objections, but he chose to hold them back for now.

Arguing with Brillie would only add to the confusion.

Above all, Brillie was trying to encourage him, so he felt he should be a bit understanding.

‘From here on, there’s nothing I can do…’

In the end, Alter had no choice but to look forward to meeting the crown prince.

Of course, it should be Brillie who makes direct contact, but even that was hard to gauge at the moment.

Perhaps he should diligently attend social gatherings to draw out the right scenario.

‘Hopefully, luck will be on my side, or the royal family will host a banquet.’

The crown prince occasionally attends the nobles’ social gatherings.

If it’s an event hosted by the royal family, the direct royal lineage will naturally be involved.

So, depending on the situation, there might be a chance to encounter the crown prince.

‘I guess I have no choice but to wait a little longer…’

***

Hillise was precisely carrying out Brilly’s request.

While she was away, she was to closely monitor her fiancé’s behavior.

Of course, she had been observing Alter all along, but now there was a valid reason for it.

“…There’s nothing particularly noticeable.”

Hillise had already memorized Alter’s routine perfectly.

A small meal, a brief tea time, individual reading, conversations with the butler or maids, walks around the mansion.

He never deviated from this pattern, and had never caused any trouble so far.

“It seems he just wants to be quiet.”

Considering his behavior, it seemed he was pursuing a peaceful life.

Here, one could stay quietly without being disturbed by anyone.

Moreover, compared to the northern territories, the environment was comfortable, enough to make even a frail body feel languid.

“If the engagement is broken, he might have to return, so maybe he’s trying to enjoy the moment.”

Hillise deduced Alter’s psychology and made a judgment on her own.

There was no point in watching any further, but unforeseen situations could arise at any time.

Moreover, he had recently been confined to his room with a cold, so she had to consider the risk of illness in the future.

“But if my prediction is wrong…”

Neither she nor anyone else knew the thoughts of Duke Ilenat.

Even if he had a plan, there was no guarantee it would go smoothly.

If things continued to get tangled, they would eventually return to square one.

“How should I delay the wedding?”

Of course, it was Brilly and Alter who were getting married, but the heads of both families would decide on that.

If even one of the heads opposed, the marriage could not take place.

In other words, an event or person capable of changing Duke Ilenat’s mind had to appear.

“Perhaps someone as significant as the Crown Prince or a great noble.”

Only a very few could surpass the power and influence of the Grand Ducal family.

At the same time, they would have to show interest in a marriage alliance for their unmarried child.

Perhaps Duke Ilenat was still pondering and looking elsewhere.

“Then the conclusion must come from a social gathering…”

***

Alter attended the social gathering following Brilly.

Precisely, it was Brillié who was persuaded by Lang’s suggestion, and Alter reluctantly agreed.

However, Alter didn’t particularly mind, as he had already anticipated attending the social gathering.

‘It’s also important to let them know about me.’

Among the scions of the Grand Ducal family, he was the only one who had visited the capital.

In the current situation, he represented the Grand Ducal family and had to show behavior befitting his status.

Especially since the rumors about him were distorted, he had no choice but to reveal himself and verify the truth.

‘It’s not like there are too many people. As for food, I just need to be selective…’

Alter had been the center of attention since he entered the social gathering.

With Brillié and Lang by his side, it was bound to arouse curiosity.

From noble mtl dot nete

Thanks to that, he could perfectly introduce himself without having to speak much.

“Is he the scion of the Northern Grand Duke?”

“The Grand Ducal family’s scion? Why did he come all the way here?”

“He’s marrying the lady of the Elenath family, isn’t he?”

“Oh, right. I had forgotten about that.”

“Wow… But he does look quite fine.”

“The rumors said he was so emaciated, only bones were left?”

“Do you believe all that? It could be just a baseless rumor.”

“Seems like it was just a rumor. He really stands out, huh.”

“Should we try talking to him?”

The nobles showed interest in Alter, gathering around him one by one.

He was the elusive scion of the Grand Ducal family, and even his appearance was extraordinary.

Especially the noble ladies, while sneakily glancing around, bombarded him with questions.

“Haven’t you had your coming-of-age ceremony yet?”

“Yes. It seems I’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

“How’s your health?”

“It has improved a lot since coming to the capital.”

“Have your siblings married?”

“My younger sister is about to have her wedding.”

“What’s the Northern region like?”

“It’s very cold. It snows… Everything freezes over. Sometimes, monsters or barbarians appear, but the Northern army keeps them at bay.”

Alter responded to each question without showing any signs of displeasure.

Leaving a good first impression could dispel all the wrong rumors.

Moreover, correcting the prejudices against the ducal family could be of some help to his father.

“You speak quite maturely. Couldn’t you speak a bit more comfortably?”

“Since it’s my first time meeting everyone, it’s proper to speak formally.”

“Aw, come on. That doesn’t suit your handsome face.”

“You’re too stiff. Why not try calling me ‘sister’?”

“If you speak more casually, everyone will like you.”

“That might be a bit difficult…”

Alter was flustered but tried to respond calmly.

Lang, who was beside him, thought it might be time to step in.

However, the lady, who had returned from talking with an acquaintance, did not hesitate at all.

“It seems you’re quite interested in my fiancé. I hope you’re not making any overly personal requests? Surely you wouldn’t do that. We are engaged, after all.”