Liam truly believed that. If the Young Marquis of Addis was the most sought-after suitor in high society, this new match was an unattainable flower on a cliff. In terms of status, power, wealth, personal ability, and looks, he was superior to the young marquis. Moreover, he was the leader of the Emperor’s faction, which included the Marte Count family.

Lucas Bryant, the Grand Duke of Bryant, and the much younger half-brother of the current Emperor, was the one proposing.

A newly discovered magic stone mine in the Viscounty of Cherda had made the already wealthy Viscount even richer. The Emperor wanted to bring the currently neutral Cherda under his influence. The safest way to form an alliance was through marriage. Hence, Lucas pushed for a marriage alliance between Addis and Cherda.

It was a well-known secret in high society that the eldest daughter of Viscount Cherda had a crush on the Young Marquis of Addis. Rosaline, uninterested in such rumors, was unaware.

Thus, when their marriage was broken off for political reasons, a new marriage was proposed. And Lucas Bryant proposed to the now-single Rosaline. The Marte Count family, being a major force in the Emperor’s faction, needed to be appeased.

That was the official reason. But there was more to the story.

Five days ago, Grand Duke Bryant secretly met with Marquis Addis and Count Marte. The purpose was to instruct them to break off the engagement for the reasons mentioned above.

Naturally, the Addis family protested. Despite the wealth, replacing the renowned Count Marte’s daughter, known as the pure white rose, with the daughter of a nouveau riche Viscount was unacceptable. But their objections quickly subsided.

“What is this…”

“I had to inform you once I received this.”

Grand Duke Bryant had presented documents detailing Kallen’s recent activities. Evidence of him frequenting a brothel. Count Marte, upon receiving the documents, was furious.

He had known Kallen had a fondness for women. But as a lifelong head of a noble family, Liam believed it was inevitable for a man destined to be a family head to enjoy women and even keep a mistress or two.

Though he hadn’t kept any mistresses himself, he knew most men did. He thought his daughter, educated as a noble and destined for a political marriage, would understand that a man like Kallen might have a mistress or two.

But a brothel was different. A place of debauchery where anyone could enter, and anyone could be there. The idea that his son-in-law frequented such a place was unacceptable. Clenching his trembling fists, Liam continued.

“The Marte family will gladly accept this.”

“Count Marte!”

“Marquis, shouldn’t you first check the Young Marquis’s health?”

“Count!”

But the Marquis had no choice but to accept the humiliation and shame. Count Marte was right. Given the evidence of Kallen’s brothel visits, it was necessary to check his health for the sake of the family’s future. A serious sexually transmitted disease could be catastrophic.

Both the Marte and Addis families were key supporters of the Emperor. If Kallen’s actions endangered Rosaline, the relationship between the two families could deteriorate. Given that it was Kallen’s fault, the marriage had to be called off.

While the Cherda family was wealthy, that was all. Even if Kallen’s fault was revealed, the marriage alliance with Cherda would allow them to enter high society, so it wasn’t a loss.

As the matter was being settled, Grand Duke Bryant handed Count Marte another envelope. The pink envelope, scented with roses, contained a neatly written proposal.

“If we end it like this, Miss Marte’s position will be awkward. But revealing the Young Marquis’s fault would cause significant losses. This is the cleanest solution.”

“But, Your Highness…”

Even the usually composed Count Marte was taken aback. But the Grand Duke was firm.

“This is the best solution. For all three of us. Maybe even for Viscount Cherda.”

It was true. The Grand Duke had long been of marriageable age. As the Emperor’s only full brother, he was close to the Emperor and led the Emperor’s faction, but there were always dissenters.

The age gap between him and the Crown Prince was only two years. This made him cautious about marriage. The noble faction was out of the question, and there were no suitable emerging powers among the neutral faction.

Within the Emperor’s faction, Rosaline was the most appropriate match. Among the powerful noble ladies of marriageable age in the Emperor’s faction, there were the current Crown Princess, Duke Eustace’s daughter, the fiancée of the third prince, Marquis Evienne’s daughter, and Count Marte’s daughter, Rosaline.

With her engagement broken, Rosaline was the best match for Grand Duke Bryant. Both Count Marte and Marquis Addis understood this.

Thus, Rosaline’s new marriage was decided.

02.

The social circles were abuzz. The first topic was the sudden change in Young Marquis Addis’s bride, just two months before the wedding. It was more than enough to fuel the gossip of the idle rich.

Even though it was a political union, the promising, handsome Young Marquis of Addis and the pure and graceful Lady of Count Marte, like a white rose, had garnered much attention and envy. But now, with such a sudden breakup and the wedding proceeding as scheduled with just a change in the bride?

“Could something have happened to Lady Cherda?”

“Oh my, that’s possible. Lady Cherda’s pure love for Young Marquis Addis is well known…”

“But would a noble lady really cause such a scandal?”

“Hmph, Young Marquis Addis has the bold demeanor of a hero. You never know.”

“Well, Young Marquis Addis is known to be fair and kind.”

Despite the various euphemisms, the conclusion of the social circles was clear: ‘Amelia must have thrown herself at Kallen, whose relationships with women are complicated, and ended up pregnant.’

“Lady Marte is so beautiful and kind; she will surely find a new match soon.”

“Didn’t Young Duke Eustace often praise Lady Marte’s elegance?”

“At the New Year’s ball two years ago, Lady Marte looked as fresh and elegant as morning dew.”

The secondary topic was the mixed sympathy and ridicule directed at Rosaline. A fool who lost her excellent fiancé to a mere viscount’s daughter. Though beautiful, she was now a single twenty-year-old, facing harsh ridicule.

There were many of suitable status for her, but they were older and unlikely to consider a woman who had broken off an engagement, especially from ducal or marquis families. Young Duke Eustace’s admiration for Rosaline at the New Year’s ball was before she became engaged to Young Marquis Addis.

The ridicule from those who once envied her was sharp. But it didn’t take long for those mocking voices to change completely.

“Oh my, have you heard?”

“Grand Duke Bryant sent a marriage proposal to Lady Marte!”

“My goodness, from Young Marquis Addis to Grand Duke Bryant. She’s truly the Empire’s white rose.”

“The saintess who could melt the heart made of ice was the white rose. How romantic.”