Chapter 4 – 【 By a Stroke of Chance 】  (Part 1)

“How’s your hangover?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? I feel like I’ve come back from the dead.”

“I warned you that the liquor from the Kingdom of Amal is strong.”

“Those guys who always talk about God the moment they open their mouths drink like pirates. What a contradiction.”

At a gathering under the pretext of socializing, they discussed the royal marriage and trade issues, and the Prince of Amal brought out liquor from his homeland. Cedric was relatively accustomed to strong liquor, but Lahen, who only enjoyed sweet drinks, got so drunk he could barely stand.

As a result, he headed to his bedroom as soon as the meeting ended, and Cedric returned to the townhouse early. Because of this, they didn’t have time for private conversations, and Cedric was called out again early in the morning.

“How can you be so weak with alcohol?”

“I’m not that weak. And it’s better than living like Varen, drowning in alcohol.”

Lahen briefly touched his forehead and added,

“I told Varen to reflect on his actions.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t mind what Varen said.  There was no one pre-determined for this marriage. The only condition was a direct-line princess of marriageable age, but Yuria wouldn’t have been chosen anyway.”

Listening without much thought, Cedric paused for a moment.

“Why is that?”

“What?”

“Why wouldn’t Princess Yuria be considered for that marriage? Isn’t she higher in rank?”

Are you asking because you don’t know? 

Lahen was momentarily speechless. It’s obvious; Cristal is the better choice. Even putting aside looks, Cristal is sociable and capable in everything.

She has deep knowledge in art and music, consistently studies academics, is skilled in horseback riding, and has a sociable personality. In contrast, Yuria was ordinary. Without Cristal, she might have been loved as an unremarkable princess, but that was an unnecessary assumption.

“Well…”

But he couldn’t tell Cedric the truth. How would Cedric feel if he said, “Cristal is too good for you, so we gave you the less valuable Yuria”?

“Yuria has been timid since she was young. She’s very shy. How could she live in a foreign country? She wouldn’t survive.”

This wasn’t entirely a lie either.

“She would probably have refused herself. She’s naturally unambitious and timid.”

Cedric nodded, seemingly convinced by this reason. Unambitious and timid. Yes, his princess was indeed timid. She married a man who only had money, and even when spending that money, she trembled with fear.

She said she was happy to live a life of luxury without working, but when pushed to indulge in luxury, she was scared and didn’t know what to do. Adorably so.

“The prince could have aggressively pursued her, couldn’t he?”

With Cristal around, why would he go for Yuria?

Lahen wanted to maintain his composure, but he couldn’t help but frown in disbelief.

“That prince kept glancing our way the other day.”

“Are you serious?”

“Why would I joke about this?”

“…….”

The prince hadn’t been glancing. Maybe he looked once out of curiosity, but it wasn’t out of any interest in Yuria. To Lahen, the prince seemed to be infatuated with Cristal, and even if not, he didn’t seem like the type to covet his fiancée’s sister.

“You’re mistaken, Cedric.”

By this point, Lahen was genuinely puzzled.

“What’s the deal between you two?”

“What do you mean?”

“You and Yuria. What’s your relationship?”

“We’re married. You arranged it. You must still be hungover.”

Cedric answered as if frustrated, but Lahen was the one truly frustrated. According to the reports from the people he secretly sent to Ritano, Yuria was busy with her lover, Cedric was busy with work, their relationship was distant, and they acted like strangers.

No matter how many times he sent people, the results were the same. 

Were all those people wrong? If not, then did they fall in love in the short time since the rumors of discord started?

Though it’s said that a couple’s quarrel is like cutting water with a knife, what should he call this? It was fortunate they were getting along, but it was still baffling.

“Do you know what Yuria said to me when Varen fell into the pond?”

He didn’t know what had happened in the three years in Ritano, but Yuria had changed. The girl who always held back now knew how to get angry at him.

“She told me to apologize to you.”

“What did you do wrong to me?”

“She said I upset you by ordering you to save Varen. She said I treated you like a servant even though you’re a Count. She was so fiercely angry.”

Lahen clicked his tongue.

“When you go back, tell Yuria I apologized. I don’t want to be at odds with my sister anymore. Got it, Count Roark?”

Cedric’s usually unchanging mouth twitched. Interpreted, it roughly meant, “How adorable my wife is for doing such a thing,” making Lahen frown deeply.

“Why don’t you just laugh?”

He now planned to stop caring about his sister’s marital relationship. He had worried because they seemed to be on bad terms, but seeing how they cherished and took care of each other was sickening.

“Thanks to that, the rumors of discord have disappeared. That’s fortunate. The royal family will continue to support you as planned.”

He was referring to the railway construction rights. It was the ultimate goal Lahen and Cedric wanted to achieve through this marriage. They couldn’t afford to lose the railway construction, which involved numerous interests.

“What about the funds?”

“The funds are not an issue. How about the council?”

“We have just under half the votes on our side.”

In the wake of successive wars, the monarchy wavered, and high-ranking nobles, led by the Spencer family, established the Noble Council. Initially just a communication body, it gradually began encroaching on royal authority.

The wave of republicanism that swept the continent reached the Kingdom of Leusen, and the king was forced to legally recognize the council of nobles.

Lahen then planned to create a royalist faction. The plan began with Yuria’s marriage. By obtaining slush funds from Cedric and opening a path for even illegitimate children with abilities to receive titles. Though no illegitimate child had actually received a title, it was a significant motivation for second and younger sons who were overshadowed by their elder brothers.

Young nobles, who had no options other than being subjugated under their elder brothers or marrying well, began to move. Lahen granted them titles and placed them in the Noble Council, and they supported the young Crown Prince’s reforms.

However, their numbers were still insufficient.

“If not me, is there any suitable businessman?”

“It seems Duke Spencer is planning to step in personally. He has some business experience and a merchant guild under his family, doesn’t he?”

The business had failed miserably, and the trading company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Maybe that was why. Cedric had no doubt that Henry was behind the rumors of discord. He must have tried to drive a wedge between the royal family and Cedric to seize the railroad construction rights.

But thanks to the Princess’s resolve, his plan fell through. It was already endearing that she stood up to the Crown Prince for him. She always did the cutest things.

“Hey, are you listening to me?”

“Oh, I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”

“Well, did you come up with a good idea?”

Cedric nodded briefly.

“I’m thinking of naming the station in Ritano ‘Yuria Station’ or ‘Yuria Leusen Station.’”

If he were to obtain the railway construction rights, it would be thanks to Yuria, so she deserved to have a station named after her. Cedric thought it was a great idea and that Yuria would love it, but Lahen was not pleased at all.

He pondered if he should be sad that his clever subordinate had become foolish because of love, or happy that the object of his affection was his own sister. Lahen couldn’t tell. In fact, he didn’t want to know. Instead, he waved his hand in disgust.

“…Just go to Yuria.”

But if Cedric actually left, Lahen would be furious. They still had many matters to discuss. Cedric wanted to go home quickly.

It was the first time he had been so distracted while handling such an important matter, one that required his full attention. He wanted to hold Yuria in his arms and ask her about her day.

He wanted to listen to his princess whisper softly, and then ask if anyone had dared to touch her inappropriately. Then Yuria would be startled, her eyes wide and shaking her head.

If he used a physical examination as an excuse to lay her down, she would look up at him with a slightly aggrieved expression. He’d make her spread her legs herself. If she didn’t comply, he’d threaten not to loosen her hole and enter her.

Then Yuria would cry out, saying his cock was too big and would tear her hole, her face flushed with arousal, and eventually, she’d spread her legs. Then, as her red petals bloomed open, he’d thrust his tongue inside her like a cock, licking every corner of her hole.

If he teased her about tasting another man’s semen, Yuria would tearfully insist on her innocence while trembling with pleasure, possibly even climaxing lightly.