Chapter 1.1

“This time, the top scorer in the written exam is the Young Duke of Bristol again.” 

The Royal Academy. This institution was established for nobles who would not inherit a title. The quality of education was so renowned that even those with titles enrolled here to study various disciplines. 

Every semester, exams were held, and the list of rankings from first to one hundredth place was posted on the bulletin board. Among the names, one person always stood out. That person was Cedric, the eldest son of the Bristol Ducal family. 

A member of one of only five ducal families on the continent. A once-in-a-century genius who might only appear every ten years. With his exceptional appearance and talents, it was no surprise that he stood out from the entrance ceremony. 

He had never once missed the top spot in the rankings, making him a well-known figure within the Royal Academy. 

Cedric was very popular, but he was also known for not letting female students get close to him easily. While he was polite and courteous in casual conversations, he never formed close relationships with anyone. 

Ironically, his cold and aloof demeanor only made him more appealing to the young ladies. They thought he was much more attractive than a man who easily let women into his life. 

To someone considered perfect in every way, there was only one flaw attached to his name—his fiancée, Ophelia. 

Ophelia Granville. The eldest daughter of the Granville Count family, she was a plain noblewoman with nothing remarkable compared to Cedric. 

Her hobby was collecting herbs, and she had an interest in herbal medicine. Well, maybe she was a bit obsessive about it? Regardless, she was an ordinary noblewoman with an interest in medical studies. 

Though she had achieved some minor success, enough to secure her own research lab, her grades were never outstanding enough to stand out like Cedric’s. As a result, she was constantly compared to him. 

Even their appearances were vastly different, making her yet another subject of comparison. It wasn’t that Ophelia was unattractive—it was just that Cedric was exceptionally handsome. 

Unlike Cedric’s silky blonde hair, Ophelia’s hair was severely coarse and stubbornly curly, with no shine to it. If she didn’t take care of it regularly, she couldn’t even step outside. 

Her thick, tough black hair was difficult to manage. If only she had less hair, she might have been able to style it neatly, but her abundant volume made it impossible. As a result, her hairstyle was always the same—two braids tied into twin tails. 

If she tried a ponytail, her hair would puff up like a lion’s mane, so the only way to reduce the volume was to divide it into two. Even then, the size of her hair was noticeable, revealing just how much volume she had. 

When standing next to Cedric, her unruly curls stood out even more, and just being seen together made her a target for ridicule. 

From her appearance to her family background, and even her academic performance, there was nothing Ophelia excelled at compared to Cedric. Most people believed the two of them were completely mismatched. 

With all the gossip surrounding her, Ophelia chose to avoid drawing attention altogether. 

She wore oversized glasses, even though she didn’t have poor eyesight, to hide her face. She also covered her head with a cloak to conceal her unruly curls. 

People were less interested in Ophelia herself and more interested in the fact that she was Cedric’s fiancée. By hiding her face, she could temporarily avoid their stares. 

However, exceptions were made during special occasions like today. Whenever Cedric drew attention, Ophelia was inevitably dragged into the spotlight as well, which annoyed her to no end. 

“What rank is the Young Duke’s fiancée this time?” 

“Somewhere slightly above the middle.” 

“Ugh. That’s it? Is there anything she’s good at?” 

“Well, she did get a research lab.” 

“Isn’t that just because the Bristol Ducal family sponsored her?” 

The students of the Academy thought of Ophelia as an unworthy fiancée who only enjoyed the benefits of the Bristol family. 

As if that could ever be true!  

It was true that the Bristol Ducal family had made significant contributions to the Academy, but the research lab Ophelia received was solely due to her own efforts. However, whenever her name was associated with Cedric, even her achievements were belittled. 

How could the Duke of Bristol support Ophelia before they were even married? But they didn’t care about the truth. What mattered was the perceived difference in their levels. 

Simply because she was Cedric’s fiancée, Ophelia endured countless humiliations. From the moment she entered the Academy, it had always been this way. 

‘That young lady is the Young Duke of Bristol’s fiancée.’ 

‘She’s more ordinary than I expected.’ 

‘What luck she has. If not for the friendship between Earl Granville and the Duke of Bristol, she wouldn’t have even been engaged to him.’ 

If she dressed up, they mocked her for trying too hard. If she kept her appearance simple, they called her plain. They constantly demeaned and belittled Ophelia. 

What did they want from her? 

Ophelia couldn’t argue back because, deep down, she shared the same thoughts. Compared to Cedric, she was an embarrassing fiancée. 

I didn’t want to get engaged either! Then why? Why do I have to endure such hurtful words because of an engagement I never wanted? 

If Ophelia had feelings for Cedric, she might have felt less wronged. But she had no feelings for him, so why did she have to suffer such indignities? 

They assumed Ophelia wanted to be engaged to Cedric, but that wasn’t the truth. She had been tricked into this engagement by her father. She was a victim just as much as Cedric. 

The root of all these problems was her father. If not for him, she wouldn’t have to endure such humiliation. 

Compared to the prestigious Bristol Ducal family, the Granville Earldom was an ordinary noble family. Despite this, Earl Granville and the Duke of Bristol were close friends who often enjoyed drinking together. 

One day, during one of their usual drinking sessions, they conspired to plan something outrageous, and the tragedy began there. 

‘When Cedric becomes the head of his family, I’d like your daughter to support him as his wife.’ 

‘I’d be delighted if my daughter became the Duchess of Bristol!’ 

‘Then, why don’t we finalize it right now?’ 

‘That sounds like a great idea.’ 

What had started as a lighthearted joke during a drinking session soon became reality. Neither Ophelia’s opinion nor Cedric’s was considered. 

‘An engagement? It’s a good thing.’ 

When she was young, Ophelia simply thought it would be nice to be engaged to Cedric. That was because Earl Granville had always told her so. As a naive child, unaware of the ways of the world, Ophelia was easily deceived by her father’s words. 

It wasn’t until she grew older and fully understood the meaning of engagement that she realized she had been tricked by her father. 

From then on, Ophelia persistently pleaded with Earl Granville to annul her engagement with Cedric. However, no matter how much she begged, her father showed no intention of breaking it off. 

‘Father, I want to annul my engagement with Cedric!’ 

‘What’s your reason?’ 

‘We don’t have any feelings for each other. I think it’s unreasonable to remain engaged under these circumstances.’ 

‘Relationships between men and women are unpredictable. Even if you’ve grown distant now, you could always grow closer.’ 

‘No, that will never happen.’ 

‘If you’re not ready for marriage, I’m willing to postpone the wedding. But breaking off the engagement is absolutely out of the question.’ 

Although he maintained a smile, Earl Granville’s attitude was firm, to the point where his smile felt almost menacing. Talking to her father was like talking to a wall. 

How could he do this to me?! 

Even when she cried her heart out in the Countess’ arms, it was no use. Her mother also agreed with her father. 

‘Your father must have his reasons.’ 

‘But still, how could he do this to me?!’ 

‘Ophelia, listen carefully. I also agree with your father to some extent. Cedric just doesn’t realize your charms yet. Once he gets to know you, he’ll fall for you.’ 

‘That’s impossible! Cedric has no feelings for me at all!’ 

‘You never know with matters of the heart. One day, he might see how charming you truly are.’  

Both of Ophelia’s parents had completely different thoughts from hers. Even though she knew things wouldn’t change no matter how much she tried to convince them, Ophelia relentlessly pestered Earl Granville to annul the engagement.