I Thought It Was An Arranged Marriage - Chapter 14

The hall where the banquet was held was large, beautiful, splendid, and grand. The hall, lavishly invested in for a single day, showcased the wealth of the grand ducal family without restraint.

The fresh flowers arranged with uniformity yet not blandly, the small jewels used to decorate those flowers, the mouth-watering food, and the high-quality wine even a novice could appreciate—all of these things made the hall seem more like an annex than just a hall, complete with rest areas for breaks.

“Ahem, the Grand Duchess seems to have put a lot of effort into this banquet.”

“Indeed. It looks like they’ve brought all the flowers from the capital.”

“To decorate so lavishly for just a few hours…”

“Well, this is the first banquet hosted by the lady of the Bryant family, so they must have wanted to flaunt their wealth.”

Nobles from the neutral faction were curious and peeking around, and those from the noble faction, who were looking for faults, found nothing to criticize.

If the grand ducal family had thrown such a party by borrowing money due to a lack of funds, it would be a different story. But criticizing them for lavishly entertaining their guests with their own money would only make one seem poor in comparison.

Most guests began enjoying the party while waiting for the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess. They were ordinary people who intended to make the most of the flawless banquet they were invited to. However, those who enjoyed gossiping were eagerly looking around, trying to find something ‘interesting.’

And they found it. Amidst the people having a good time at the joyous party, there was a man drinking alone and a woman looking dejected and apprehensive.

Though the man, being a high-ranking noble, managed to maintain some composure, it was obvious to other high-ranking nobles. His slightly furrowed brow, trembling cheeks, unable to mask his anxiety, and his constant drinking of wine as if his insides were burning.

The woman’s case was worse. She was the youngest daughter of a nouveau riche family, raised like a princess in a provincial estate. Unaccustomed to managing her expressions or reading the room, she couldn’t hide her upset and miserable feelings, clutching her swollen belly.

“Is the young marchioness’s child already that big?”

“It feels like just yesterday they had their wedding.”

“Well, it was a scandal that shook the social circles.”

Naturally, there were those whose eyes gleamed with interest at this sight. It was hard not to notice, especially since this was the first banquet hosted by the man’s ex-fiancée after her marriage.

Of course, in the noble society where arranged marriages were common, engagements breaking off and then getting re-engaged, or even divorces, were frequent. As long as the financial and business agreements were maintained, the marriage itself wasn’t that important. It was merely a means to form stronger alliances, not a necessity.

Despite this, the engagement, breakup, and subsequent marriage of these three were the biggest issues in the social circles. A top-tier groom and bride had gotten engaged, only to break it off two months before the wedding. The man then married a woman of much lower status around the originally scheduled time.

Compared to his ex-fiancée, who married the best man in the empire, the man was harshly criticized as having fallen from grace. And as everyone expected, the young marchioness was pregnant.

“It seems the breakup was indeed the Young Marquis’s fault, judging by his wife’s belly.”

“It’s obvious. But why does she look so upset? She got the man she loved and the high status she desired.”

“If I were her, I’d be upset too, seeing the Young Marquis’s behavior. Still, she should manage her expressions better.”

“The marquis’s family almost faltered; they must be acting cautiously. The Count of Marte must have made some demands. It’s fortunate things worked out; otherwise, breaking off an engagement with a noble daughter would have been disastrous.”

“The power of the Count and the Grand Duke is significant, so the marquis’s family must have worked hard. It’s surprising the Young Marquis still holds his position.”

“I’m very curious about how the Grand Duchess will react.”

“Hoho, me too.”

Whether they were actively curious, mildly interested, or completely indifferent, people gathered in groups, chatting away. Finally, the main characters appeared.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, dressed in black with silver accents, looked like a picture-perfect couple. Initially, people thought they were too stiff to match well together—the Grand Duke, handsome but slightly intimidating, and the Grand Duchess, beautiful but cold. Especially Rosaline, whom everyone thought would be better suited to a bright and charming man like Kallen. However…

“Oh my, they look like a match made in heaven.”

“Did you see that? The Grand Duke actually made that expression…”

The two looked perfect together, and the Grand Duke gazed at the Grand Duchess with a face full of adoration, while the Grand Duchess smiled as if used to it.

As the only full-blooded sibling of the Emperor, an archmage, a war hero, the lord of the North, the pinnacle of nobility, and a wealthy man, the Grand Duke’s marriage had many stories and hidden truths. But what mattered most was clear: this extraordinary man cherished his wife. And the woman was ready to wield that fact like a weapon.

“Thank you all for coming today. This is a gathering to repay the congratulations we received for our marriage, so please enjoy yourselves.”

Rosaline’s voice was firm and dignified, making it hard to believe she was just a Count’s daughter until recently.

While people admired her, they quickly took note. The enormous betrothal gifts, the grand proposal, the equally impressive dowry, and the rushed wedding preparations—all pointed to the Grand Duke being deeply infatuated with the Grand Duchess. Even those who hesitated or spread malicious rumors had to admit it.

But the honeyed face of the Grand Duke seen in person was different from the rumors. While they had heard he was infatuated, no one expected it to this extent.

“Rosaline.”

“Father.”

“You’ve arrived, Father-in-law?”

The Grand Duke, who was informal even with the Emperor, was now showing such respect. Had anyone ever seen him treat someone with such courtesy? Especially to a mere Count.

The Grand Duke had even disrespected Duke Moore, the leader of the noble faction, an elderly man with a white beard. He had once thrown a dagger at him as a warning for displeasing him. Yet here he was, bowing and greeting with perfect politeness.

“Why are you doing this, Your Highness?”

Count Marte looked very flustered. Although they’re not in a lord-vassal relationship, the Grand Duke was the highest-ranking member of his faction. If it were the Grand Duke he knew, he would coldly purge his in-laws if he felt his authority was threatened, regardless of his wife.

He had no intention of boasting about being the Grand Duke’s father-in-law. He only wished for his daughter to be cherished and respected by her husband. But to see him showing such respect in front of everyone was bewildering.

“Isn’t this a formal invitation from a son-in-law to his father-in-law after marriage? Thank you for coming.”

“Your Highness, that…”

“It’s not against etiquette, Father.”

“Yes, dear. If you keep acting like this, you’ll embarrass His Highness.”

“Ahem.”

Countess Marte, Elizabeth Marte, Rosaline’s mother, briefly scolded her husband and naturally received a kiss on the back of her hand from her son-in-law. Lucas raised the corners of his mouth, thinking that Rosaline’s beautiful yet cold expression must have come from her mother.