Chapter 1.2

The decision for Ariana to marry Rowen had been made when she was eighteen.  

Ariana’s father, the Earl of Astaroth, was a typical nobleman who had lived his entire life without ever working. However, the times no longer favored such traditional nobles.  

It was an era where managing estates and selling resources produced within them was no longer sufficient to survive in a rapidly changing world. Factories were springing up across cities, businessmen were rising to prominence, and farmers were abandoning their plows and heading to cities with hope in their hearts. Many noble families who couldn’t adapt to these changes fell into ruin.  

The Astaroth family was no exception. Even the Imperial Family was struggling financially, so it wasn’t particularly surprising. Ariana didn’t blame her father for his incompetence. He wasn’t someone who lived extravagantly or foolishly invested in absurd ventures.  

‘If Father had focused solely on the future of the Astaroth family, things wouldn’t have gotten this bad.’  

The Astaroth estate was incredibly fertile, especially renowned for its abundant wheat harvests. Even though the value of agriculture was declining, people still needed bread to survive. While the income from selling wheat wouldn’t support a life of luxury, it was enough to manage the estate reasonably well.  

However, the reason the Astaroth family’s situation had become so dire was due to the Earl’s personal obsession. He had been purchasing art and artifacts that struggling noble families were selling off to foreign countries. His reasoning was that he couldn’t stand to see historically significant treasures of their nation end up abroad. He believed these items would become precious legacies for future generations and that someone had to protect them.  

But what kind of world was it now?  

It was a world where everyone was too busy trying to survive. While his ideals sounded noble, they were of no practical help in the present. No one shared the Earl’s belief. Instead of cooperating, people were more likely to threaten him, saying, “If you don’t buy it at this price, I’ll auction it off in the Republic!” Even the Royal Museum was reaching out to overseas auction houses to sell its collection.  

“As expected, it seems I was never enough on my own.”  

The Earl of Astaroth sighed deeply. In his efforts to collect these items, he had been forced to sell off parts of the once-fertile land, and the family’s finances had steadily declined.  

“I’m sorry, Ariana. My incompetence has caused you to suffer. I’ve even wronged those who have worked for our family. All because of my foolish convictions…” 

The debt due in just two weeks was around 30 billion. Adding up the payments due shortly after that, the total debt reached 100 billion. In the past, the Astaroth family could have easily handled such an amount, but things were different now. Even if the Earl abandoned his principles and sold all the valuable artifacts in their storage, it wouldn’t be enough to cover the debt.  

“… Father.”  

After carefully considering the situation, Ariana made up her mind and spoke cautiously.  

“I’ve heard that many noble families are overcoming financial crises by marrying into newly wealthy families. Some of them have already approached us with proposals. I’ll marry someone who offers favorable terms.”  

“Don’t be ridiculous!”  

The Earl, who had been despondent, suddenly jumped up in protest.  

“No matter how desperate we are, do you think my convictions are more important than my daughter? Absolutely not. I will never allow your marriage to be handled that way. There’s still time; we’ll find another way…”  

“You know it’s difficult, Father. There’s no more land to sell. We must at least keep this mansion.”  

“…”  

“Besides, Rowen came to see me recently. He said he knows everything about our situation.”  

“… Rowen?”  

At the mention of Rowen, the Earl’s reaction shifted slightly.  

Rowen was the son of Palvin Green, a pawnbroker who had been a close friend of the Earl despite their difference in status. Palvin had an exceptional eye for art and artifacts, and he and the Earl had shared a mutual understanding. As the son of such a man, Rowen naturally had the Earl’s goodwill. Though they had lost touch after Palvin’s death three years ago, Rowen had always treated the Earl and Ariana with respect.  

“Could it be that Rowen…”  

“Yes. He proposed to me.”  

Ariana nodded calmly.  

“Uncle Palvin became very wealthy through his pawnbroking business, and Rowen inherited all of that wealth.”  

“Yes, it’s the largest pawnshop in the capital, if not the entire Empire.”  

“He said that if he marries me and becomes a son-in-law, he’ll resolve our family’s debts. With Rowen’s wealth, we can handle the immediate debts and continue to protect the valuable artifacts and relics.”  

“But…”  

“You remember, don’t you? Rowen is quite handsome. He’s tall, too. When I saw him recently, his golden hair seemed to shine even brighter. And the way his hands trembled as he proposed—it was kind of endearing.”  

“Ariana…”  

“Noble marriages are always calculated, aren’t they? Love isn’t something we can afford to consider. With such a suitable match, there’s no reason to hesitate.”  

Ariana had been born and raised as the daughter of a noble family. She understood the ‘duties’ imposed on noblewomen better than anyone. As an only daughter who couldn’t inherit the title herself, she had always known she would have to enter into a strategic marriage with a man willing to become a son-in-law.

“But Rowen is a commoner. Of course, Palvin was my friend, and I know Rowen is a decent fellow, but…”  

There were no laws in the Empire prohibiting marriages between nobles and commoners. As long as the Emperor approved, any marriage was valid, and their children could inherit titles. However, regardless of the legality, if Ariana married a commoner, people would undoubtedly gossip about her.  

Nonetheless.  

“The world is changing, Father. We must adapt to the changing times.”  

Ariana spoke firmly.  

“I’ll marry Rowen. It’s my choice.”  

***

Ariana ground her teeth as she walked down the corridor, leaving the couple’s bedroom behind.  

‘Rowen, that bastard.’  

When they first married, Rowen had seemed like a wonderful man. His radiant blonde hair and warm green eyes made him an attractive figure, and no woman would dislike a man who acted as sweetly as candy. On top of that, he had always treated Ariana with utmost devotion, enough to completely ease the worries of her father, the Earl of Astaroth.  

But after her father passed away and Rowen inherited the title of Earl as a son-in-law, his attitude gradually changed.

“Account books? Do I really have to review such things? Managing the family’s affairs is the wife’s responsibility. I’m busy earning money. Handle these trivial matters yourself and stop bothering someone doing important work.”  

“I’m going hunting with Marquis Felix today. You know how influential he is. This is a perfect chance to build a connection with him, and you want me to ruin it because of your birthday? Tsk, women. They just can’t distinguish between major and minor matters.”  

“How is this mansion being managed? Did you think I’d be satisfied with this level because I’m from a commoner background? If you can’t bring in money, at least manage the household properly.”  

His true colors, once hidden, began to emerge. Rowen seemed determined to find fault with Ariana and diminish her authority and dignity. He had assumed that once he became the Earl of Astaroth, he would easily command the family, but when the retainers continued to follow the Countess Ariana more than him, he became furious.  

Regardless of his commoner background, Rowen was an outsider, a son-in-law who had married into the family. Ariana, born as the daughter of the Earl, had lived her entire life as a lady of the house. Their circumstances were fundamentally different.  

Trust was something that could be earned over time. If Rowen had quietly fulfilled his role, people would naturally come to respect him as the Earl. However, instead of handling the internal affairs himself, he left everything to Ariana while demanding loyalty from the retainers and acting out, making it impossible for him to gain genuine respect. Furthermore, Rowen’s habit of saying, “You all live off the money I earn!” only caused the retainers to bow their heads in front of him while gossiping behind his back.  

Ariana didn’t let such situations slide. After all, Rowen was the Earl of Astaroth and her husband. If the retainers looked down on him, it was equivalent to them looking down on her. Thus, she called them aside and sternly reminded them to respect Rowen. But Rowen, instead of appreciating her efforts, accused her of trying to act as the head of the family.  

Naturally, the couple’s relationship was far from harmonious. They only felt like husband and wife on the obligatory nights meant to produce an heir; otherwise, they were practically strangers. Unable to find validation within the household, Rowen frequently went out, seemingly enjoying drinking and entertainment with young noblemen.  

Still, Ariana respected Rowen as the Earl and her husband. After all, it was true that he had brought in the money to save the crumbling family and preserve her father’s ideals.  

‘But behaving like this?’  

Ariana had tolerated Rowen’s actions so far because they were within the bounds of reason. Complaints and indulgence in entertainment were things she could laugh off. But having an affair with his foster sister and planning to make the illegitimate child the Young Master of Astaroth was something she couldn’t forgive.  

‘Divorce is the only option.’  

However, as Rowen had pointed out, the enormous penalty was a problem. If Ariana initiated the divorce, she would have to compensate Rowen five times the amount he had spent on the marriage.  

‘Five times.’  

The debt Rowen had paid off for the Astaroth family amounted to 1 billion. Five times that would be 5 billion.  

‘Five billion…’  

Even thinking about it was overwhelming. The funds Ariana had slowly saved through small jobs and the trust fund her father had left her before his death wouldn’t come close to covering such a massive amount.  

‘Paying such a fortune to a man who cheated and is being kicked out?’  

If that happened, Rowen might lose the title of Earl but would live the rest of his life in luxury with a substantial fortune. That was absolutely unacceptable.  

‘I’ll repay the debt Rowen resolved for our family, including interest. That’s only fair.’  

But compensating 5 billion as per the penalty clause was out of the question.  

‘In fact, I should be the one receiving a large settlement.’  

Unfortunately, the marriage contract had been drafted in a way that was disadvantageous to Ariana. At the time, the Astaroth family’s position had been desperate, so there had been no other choice. Ironically, if she fought legally, Ariana, the victim, would end up in a disadvantageous position.  

‘And then there’s the issue of the title.’  

Even if she managed to divorce Rowen and drive him out, there would be no one to inherit the title afterward. Since women couldn’t inherit titles, the Earlship might end up in the hands of an unrelated outsider.  

Clearly, this was a situation that required a brilliant divorce strategy.