November of the Sainted Year (Second Civil Month)

By late afternoon, Rozen had dispatched precisely two letters via Teleportation Spell in order to reject Edouard's proposal and to dissolve their engagement without delay. One letter was addressed directly to Edouard, and the other to his parents.

Both letters were formal correspondence and bore the seal of Rozen's newly acquired title as Duchess of Verkesiozo. They arrived separately, just as the sun began to set.

The letter intended for Edouard came as an unpleasant surprise and gave rise to considerable unease. In it, Rozen firmly refused his offer and urged him, in unequivocal terms, to marry Rakaelle instead. Given her status as a Saint Candidate, Rozen's rejection and her words, especially if they were ever voiced in public, would carry dire consequences and would, in effect, corner Edouard into making Rakaelle his First Wife.

The official correspondence sent to Edouard's parents was formally addressed to the Duke of Kyenzemel but included a duplicate intended for Lady Selserika, which was delivered separately through a Magic Pentagram.

By the time the family had gathered for dinner, all three recipients had read their respective letters and drawn their own conclusions.

The Duke of Kyenzemel had held back his reaction until late in the evening. However, as the dinner progressed, he finally allowed his anger to erupt and began chastising Edouard for his mishandling of the entire situation. He specifically condemned him for proposing to Rakaelle before even informing Rozen, despite being fully aware of how closely related the two women were. Rozen and Rakaelle were family. Edouard had no excuse for ignoring the harm he would cause.

Distressed, Edouard sought support from his mother, Lady Selserika. Yet it quickly became evident that she had changed her opinion of Rozen.

The reason for this shift in sentiment was not entirely clear to him, though he suspected it was tied to the contents of Rozen's official letter. He could not imagine any other cause for such a sudden change of mind. Perhaps his father had already spoken to her? Edouard was aware that the two had conversed in his father's study prior to the evening meal. But he had not learned more.

His younger siblings, Kenry and Megane, appeared so thoroughly intimidated by their father's rage that neither dared to utter a single word.

Their uncle, Hereil, was even more reticent than usual, maintaining a silence so absolute that it drew notice.

Edouard brooded bitterly, convinced the man must think him a fool. As a mere Baron by title, born of a father from a lower class, Hereil's path through life had been notably arduous. To him, advantageous connections outweighed nearly everything else, including family.

Finding himself isolated and with no reliable support, Edouard had no recourse but to plead his case alone. He explained that the situation was not entirely his fault and emphasized the efforts he had made to persuade Rozen. He further detailed how he had included her within his social circle, how he had invited her on multiple occasions to join him and his mother, and how he had ensured she was always made welcome. By contrast, Rakaelle had never received such treatment and had barely met with his mother and siblings during her rare visits to the Family Estate.

Unfortunately, that final statement left a deep impression.

The Duke's expression darkened with fury upon learning that Rakaelle had been brought to his Estate without his knowledge. He glared at several members of the family, all of whom suddenly appeared conspicuously guilty. Edouard, his mother, and his full siblings all understood how damning the situation now appeared. They had overlooked a Saint Candidate in favor of a lowly Gentlewoman.

Stolen novel; please report.

Edouard's uncle, Hereil, let out an audible sigh of exasperation. The Duke looked utterly incensed, and with good reason. Their family had deceived him.

***

The Duke quickly regained his composure and proceeded to explain that Rozen had remarked repeatedly, in her letter, on Lady Selserika's increasingly cold demeanor, noting that she seemed to resent Rozen for her position as Edouard's fiancée. The Saint Candidate also noted that Lady Selserika appeared genuinely convinced that Rakaelle was a more suitable match.

Rozen had stressed, throughout her correspondence, that she could not envision taking Rakaelle's place under such circumstances, and she had implied more than once that a significant portion of Edouard's family did not wish to see her become part of their household.

Edouard was astonished by Rozen's account of his mother, for Lady Selserika had always been kind in his eyes, and the Saint Candidate was also known to be more generous in her interactions. Maybe, he had missed something.

The Duke scoffed at his apparent surprise, mocking his naivety, and reminded him that Rozen was a Saint Candidate possessing an extraordinarily vast Noble Domain and an even greater territory under her governance. She was an Arch-Duchess Level, her Magic and Mana far surpassing even that of the King.

Compared to her, both Edouard and his father were insignificant in terms of magical power, Nobility, and political influence. Thus, for Lady Selserika, an Over-Viscountess, to harbor condescension or contempt towards Rozen must have seemed utterly ludicrous to the Saint Candidate.

The Duke went on, pointing out that Rozen's father, as she had reminded them in her letter, was not only over Count-class but he would soon be fully reinstated in his Noble status once he was finally placed under her jurisdiction. Within her territory, she had the power to freely bestow Count titles, as such ranks were exceedingly low in comparison to her station.

Lady Selserika grew visibly unsettled upon hearing this. Her posture became rigid and her eyes glistened as she discreetly sniffled. She had missed that particular passage after only skimming through half the letter, and now fully regretted it.

Edouard found himself unable to respond. He knew all too well that his father had endorsed the engagement with Rozen from the very beginning, largely motivated by the value of her Sainted bloodline.

Now, all Edouard could offer in his defense was the superior Mana compatibility he had with Rakaelle. And so he did.

The Duke regarded his son with a weary expression.

"Mana compatibility is a fine thing, my son," he said quietly, "but you appear to have forgotten something crucial."

Edouard asked, "What is it, Father?"

His father answered evenly, "That your mother is only an Over-Viscountess. Regardless of your own power, if you pair yourself with a woman of barely Countess standing, whose mother hails from the low Gentry no less, it is improbable you will ever sire a Ducal heir."

Edouard replied, "No, it cannot be. Our compatibility would make it possible."

At that, Uncle Hereil snapped at him. "That is a myth. The blood of all Noble families has thinned, your father's included. May I remind you, our mother was merely a Marchioness. Our family is not a pure Ducal bloodline because of that. Your father was fortunate to be born with power great enough to make him a Duke. However, that does not change our blood's lower power."

Edouard froze in place, stricken, while his siblings glanced around the room as though seeking support, only to discover there was none to be found.

The Duke sighed. "There is also the matter of Rozen's territories, which are larger than our entire Region. I am not even addressing the issue of her God Blessings, nor the advanced Magic and Mana her lands are known for. You foolish boy, allowed yourself to be seduced by a pretty face that did not make you feel inferior. It must wound your pride that your betrothed is physically and magically stronger than you. Worse still, she specializes in Knight combat skills."

Edouard blanched. He had not wished for that humiliating truth to be brought up again.

Lady Selserika turned to her son, astonished by such a revelation. However, the look of shame on Edouard's face left no doubt as to the veracity of the Duke's words.

She then turned back to her husband and asked sharply, "What is that supposed to mean? That cannot be true. She is just a frail woman with potion-making skills."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.