Chapter 1 – Arrange Marriage (Part 2)

They judged that if a child born of the bloodlines of both families were to be born, the resentment and grudges towards each other would decrease. So, as soon as the decision was made, the King immediately summoned the Duke of Dveshi and the Duke of Loden.

“How can the two most prestigious families, boasting the greatest traditions in the kingdom, behave so disgracefully?”

Before getting to the main point, he scolded them first.

“We apologize.”

“We are ashamed.”

Even while apologizing, an invisible intense spark flew between the two dukes. It was a situation so tense that a fight could break out immediately if someone provoked the other.

Feeling as if he were in a wild jungle, on the brink of a bloody fight, the King wasted no more time and got straight to the point.

“I want the Loden and Dveshi families to achieve harmony through marriage. I will prepare the wedding, so you decide which child to marry.”

The Duke of Loden and the Duke of Dveshi both showed startled expressions at the absurd order. Usually unable to concede their differences, their opinions were the same only in times like this.

“How can you ask me to have my child marry the young master of the Loden family?”

Duke Dveshi was the first to protest. He couldn’t send his beloved daughter to that shameless family.

“I feel the same way. How can you ask me to form a bond with those ignorant people of the Dveshi family?”

The Duke of Loden also protested in the same manner.

“I want the two families to form an alliance and work even harder for the kingdom.”

“An alliance all of a sudden? This is too unfair, Your Majesty.”

“This is too harsh.”

“Must I point out the marriage partner to stop your protests?”

But with just one word from him, further protests became impossible.

“Oh, dear!”

Duke Dveshi clutched his head in the carriage on the way home. The thought of having to send one of his two beloved daughters to the Loden family felt like his heart was being torn apart.

If he had known this would happen, he would have held back his anger a little… He regretted it, but it was already too late.

Duke Dveshi felt pathetic for not being able to refute the King’s words because of his guilt. As a result, he was seething with anger.

“Did something happen?”

Entering the mansion with a gloomy expression, the Duchess of Dveshi looked at him with worried eyes.

“Well, it seems there were so many people complaining that His Majesty, unable to endure it any longer, ordered our family to reconcile with the Loden family by becoming in-laws.”

“Is that true? You should have stopped Raymond earlier. He took out his frustrations on the Loden family because he couldn’t marry the Crown Princess.”

After explaining the situation to the Duchess of Dveshi, she rebuked her husband, who spoke in a self-deprecating tone. It was natural for her to look displeased, and he couldn’t say anything in response.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have stopped Raymond too.”

“So what are you going to do?”

The Duchess of Dveshi’s eyes were filled with resentment toward her husband.

“We can’t disobey His Majesty’s order, so there’s nothing we can do. I think it’s better to talk to Annette…”

Even among children born from the same womb, there are those who catch your eye more, and for Duke Dveshi, that was Sophia.

Although she was the most beautiful among the four siblings, taking after him, he had a strong desire not to send off his youngest daughter, who still seemed like a child in his eyes.

He didn’t want to send off his eldest daughter, who was already of marriageable age, so he had only held an engagement ceremony and delayed the marriage as much as possible. But now he had to send off his second daughter first… It was absurd.

“Annette already has a fiancé.”

“That’s true, but… Anyway, I plan to talk to Annette first.”

“Do you think Annette will listen to you?”

“I plan to persuade her first.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t send Sophia first, so Duke Dveshi felt the need to persuade Annette, who was of age.

Although it was troublesome to break off the engagement, His Majesty’s command took precedence, so if he explained the situation, the other family would understand.

After finishing the conversation with the Duchess of Dveshi, Duke Dveshi sighed deeply and headed to Annette’s room. Knock, knock, he knocked cautiously, and Annette opened the door.

“Father? Is something wrong? You don’t look well.”

“It seems you have to marry the young master of the Loden family. What do you think?”

Annette, who had been looking at him with concern like the Duchess, immediately changed her expression upon hearing about the marriage.

“Do you mean that Loden family?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not getting married! Why me when Sophia is here?”

As expected, Annette was startled and refused. It was a natural reaction since there was no reason to break off her engagement and marry the young master of the Loden family, but Duke Dveshi tried to persuade his daughter a bit more.

“I understand how you feel, but isn’t Sophia still young? So how about you get married?”

“She may look young to you, but she’s already an adult. She’s old enough to get married, isn’t she?”

“That’s true, but since you’re of marriageable age, Annette, I want you to marry the young master of the Loden family.”

“I said no. If it were the third son, the Loden Knight Captain, it might be different, but they wouldn’t present him as a marriage candidate, would they? If they decide on him, then call me!”

Duke Dveshi’s face twisted upon hearing that his daughter had once harbored feelings for a child of the Loden family.

“Are you saying you had a crush on that Knight Captain?”

“Yes. But what does it matter? It’s a love that won’t come true! Don’t worry. I’ve already given up. So don’t force me and leave my room!”

A one-sided crush! If he had known Annette harbored feelings for the Loden Knight Captain, he would never have suggested marriage to her.

“Yes, you’re right. They wouldn’t present him as a marriage candidate, so I shouldn’t have suggested marriage to you.”

Leaving Annette’s room in a huff, Duke Dveshi immediately headed to his second daughter Sophia’s room.

What if Sophia also had feelings for the young master of the Loden family?

With a face full of dark clouds, he sighed deeply and carefully knocked on her door.

Knock, knock.

“What brings you here at this hour? Oh? Did something happen?”

Sophia, who had greeted him with a bright smile, quickly darkened her expression.

“Have you ever had feelings for the young master of the Loden family?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why would I? Why are you saying such terrible things?”

Sophia shook her head vigorously. Seeing her reaction, the Duke felt a bit relieved.

“Well, you see, you have to marry the young master of the Loden family.”

“What are you talking about? You’re joking, right?”

Like Annette, Sophia was in shock and couldn’t believe her father’s words. How could she suddenly be told to marry into a family she had despised as a family of demons?

“I wish it were a joke. But it seems you have to marry due to His Majesty’s decision.”

When the word ‘His Majesty’ came out of the Duke’s mouth, Sophia realized that her father wasn’t speaking lightly.

Really, marry someone from the Loden family? She had lived her life trembling with anger at the mere mention of the ‘Lo’ in Loden, so how could she marry?

“Do I have to get married? What about Brother Liam? He doesn’t harbor any ill will towards the Loden family.”

The children of the Dveshi family were educated from a young age about how bad the people of the Loden family were.

So, almost all members of the Dveshi family were hostile towards the Loden family, but there was one exception. That was the second son of the Dveshi family, Liam Dveshi.

Having risen to the position of Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights solely through his outstanding swordsmanship, he was a close friend of Killian, the third son of the Loden family and Captain of the Royal Knights.

‘Don’t associate with anyone from the Loden family!’

No matter how much Duke Dveshi told him not to associate with the Knight Captain, Liam didn’t listen to his father and acted according to his own thoughts. So, if anyone were to be matched with the Loden family, it seemed he would be the best fit.

“The Loden family has only three sons. So, either Annette or you must marry the young master of the Loden family.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Sophia remember that the Loden family had no daughters. She had heard it before but had forgotten because she wasn’t interested.