The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce

32

***

Hillise had become Alter’s exclusive butler, running errands for him.

The tea brought at teatime, the drugs brewed from expensive herbs, simple grooming and clothing recommendations, book purchases, financial management, and more.

It was almost like getting a glimpse into Alter’s daily life, and now she could respond perfectly anytime, anywhere.

“I’ve brought the books you requested.”

“Huh… there aren’t as many as I thought?”

“Yes. There were hardly any places selling them. They were quite expensive, and most weren’t in good condition.”

Hillise solemnly answered and placed the books on the table.

Most bookstores hardly sold such books, likely due to a taboo against curses.

This meant scouring the capital and even seeking help from the head butler to finally obtain them.

“People might think it’s strange… as if I’m planning to do something bad.”

“If they knew about Mr. Alter’s circumstances, most would understand.”

“While understanding, they’d still avoid it. Who wants to be around someone cursed?”

Alter gave a self-deprecating smile as he flipped through the books.

Curses are filled with malice, craving the suffering and ruin of their target.

Such dangers are known, hence the unverified prejudices arise.

“… Curses spreading is quite rare. The magic has to be of a high level, and it puts a lot of strain on the caster. And if it had spread, the members of the Grand Duke’s family in the northern territories would have been harmed first.”

“You’re right, but people don’t care about that. They just think curses can spread.”

“People tend to believe what they see first.”

“Exactly. That’s why I’m keeping it a secret.”

Alter closed the book without further inspection.

For now, the social circles were quiet, but eventually, rumors of being cursed would spread.

He wouldn’t be able to enter social gatherings, and the Duchy of Ilenath would be subject to all sorts of slander.

“I think we’ll hear about the engagement being called off soon. Don’t you think so?”

“How could I possibly entertain such thoughts?”

“Is it really impossible? It’s not like breaking off an engagement is difficult.”

“…”

Hillrise agreed with the statement yet couldn’t break the silence.

The possibility of breaking off the engagement hadn’t disappeared, but the atmosphere of the ducal house remained unchanged.

Duke Ilenath continued to observe the two, while Brillié subtly took care of her fiancé.

Perhaps they were choosing to ignore a potentially problematic reason and proceed with the wedding as planned.

“Ah, I will go and prepare the medicine.”

“Then, shall we just take the medicine and go for a walk?”

“Yes. I will have it ready.”

Hillrise hastily made an excuse and slipped out into the corridor.

Ideally, as Alter had said, the situation should have been set for breaking off the engagement.

But something was increasingly amiss, and now, there was no room for doubt.

‘If one is frail and cursed, it would be right to break off the engagement. But why…’

Duke Ilenath and Brillié must be aware of Alter’s curse.

If things continue this way, the secret will undoubtedly be revealed, causing an uproar in the social circles.

They must be fully aware of the losses that would entail, so why don’t they intervene?

‘If they are looking elsewhere…’

Duke Ilenath must have had his eye on the assets and military power of the Northern Archduke.

He had solidified his wealth with specialty products and even received command of the regular army from the Emperor.

Of course, he wasn’t comparable to the Emperor, but among the nobility, he was certainly influential.

‘The youngest son has a talent for magic.’

Recently, a great mage had visited the ducal residence.

The purpose was to meet Alter, and rumors had circulated that he wanted to take him as a disciple.

If the great mage acknowledged his potential, surely Duke Ilenath would show interest as well.

‘And Brillié… perhaps…’

Hillrise hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.

Alter may lack masculine charm, but he possesses a remarkable appearance and a gentle nature.

On the contrary, Brillié is honing her swordsmanship, so perhaps she prefers traits opposite to her own.

‘After all, it seems I cannot have Brillié for myself…’

Alter finally received the custom-ordered item he had requested.

With only one day left until Brilly’s birthday, it was a close call to completion.

He had entrusted the work to a skilled blacksmith, but he couldn’t rest easy until he had seen the final product.

‘Is it well-made?’

Alter unwrapped the cloth and carefully opened the lid.

Inside the wooden box lay a slender dagger.

Its appearance was quite elegant, yet it was too simple to be merely decorative.

‘Indeed, you get what you pay for.’

Alter grasped the hilt of the dagger and gently drew it out.

A silver streak of light flashed as the blade was revealed from its sheath.

The edge was sharply honed, seeming ready to slice at the slightest touch.

‘The size should fit Brilly…’

Alter examined the dagger from all angles before setting it back inside the wooden box.

Not only knights but also soldiers make sure to have a secondary weapon in advance.

In case they lose or damage their primary weapon during combat, they rely on the secondary one to escape the predicament.

‘Carrying two swords can be cumbersome.’

Knights typically use swords, spears, or bows as their primary weapons.

Spears are bulkier compared to swords, and bows require arrows and a quiver.

Considering portability and the presence of magic, a sword becomes the practical choice, and usually, they fight with just one in hand.

In other words, a dagger is most efficient for unimpeded movement and for seizing the element of surprise.

‘It could be used for throwing… If it penetrates deeply, the attack will be effective.’

Alter had requested the dagger’s creation with practicality in mind.

Of course, from a noble’s perspective, a more ornate and dazzling appearance would be desirable.

However, Brilly was a true knight and did not obsess over lavishness.

Therefore, the finish was simple yet neat, with particular attention paid to the blade.

‘But something’s missing. It’s too plain as it is.’

After a moment of contemplation, Alter reluctantly made a decision.

The blade of this dagger was forged from the finest iron ore, enhancing its synergy with magic.

Thus, infusing it with magic could imprint it with a unique attribute.

“If it’s a gift, it should be something special.”

Alter began to draw magical power from within, slowly releasing it.

With a low concentration of magic, it’s impossible to capture its essence.

But his magic had been vouched for by the Archmage, so it should possess the appropriate concentration.

“This should be fine. It’s not like I’m casting a spell or anything…”

Alter imbued the dagger with magic and took a deep breath.

A faint chill flowed from the blade, then quickly subsided.

Now, each time it reacted with magic, the ice attribute would manifest, enhancing the dagger’s potency.

“Is this too extravagant for a gift? But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

Alter sheathed the dagger and placed it in a wooden box.

He then retied the cloth and restored it to its original appearance.

Perhaps it was time to find the right moment to hand this dagger over to Brillié.

“Even if she doesn’t like the gift, I hope she’ll find it useful.”

Considering Brillié’s skills and her destiny as the protagonist, there wasn’t much to worry about.

But with himself added to the equation, the future might change a bit.

Above all, having already experienced such a variable, he couldn’t help but be wary.

“Hmm… I wonder if she’ll still use it after the engagement is broken off. That’s something I don’t know.”

***

Despite it being her birthday, Brillié spent the day as usual.

She armed herself lightly, grabbed her sword, and left the mansion for the headquarters of the knights.

As a child, she attended birthday parties without a second thought, but now she realized even that was meaningless.

If she wasn’t going to inherit a title, perhaps it was best to maintain only the essential connections and lead a peaceful life.

“I don’t care about birthdays. What’s important is achieving my goals.”

Brillié reminisced about the past as she rode in the carriage.

She had slipped away from the mansion the day before her nineteenth birthday.

She had plenty of money and headed to the frontlines in the northeast without hesitation.

Disguised, she joined the fight against monsters and soon crossed swords with the enemy.

“I had prepared a lot… but it ended too quickly.”

Brillié had fought against the Dullahan troops at that time.

As a mercenary, she had no one to help her, and everything was unfamiliar.

But in a single stroke, he slaughtered the Dullahan horde, and even the one called the Death Knight fell, defeated in vain.

As a result, all eyes turned to him, and his true identity was inevitably revealed.

‘I fought so much with my father then. I even thought about leaving the estate…’

Brillie arrived at the estate and immediately stepped down from the carriage.

Her work for the day was done, and now she only had to receive modest celebrations.

The dinner would be quite lavish, and luxurious gifts would fill the room.

‘Becoming a Sword Saint within a year… hmm…’

Brillie entered the mansion, lost in thought.

She was still active as a knight, but soon she would have to hold a wedding ceremony.

She couldn’t delay any longer; a decision had to be made, one way or another.

‘Become a Sword Saint and do as I please, or spend just one night and end it all.’

The former was the best option, but realistically, it required a lot of time and effort.

The latter was just pushing it to the extreme and leaving it to fate.

Just spending one night wouldn’t result in a child, after all.

‘I can continue training after getting married, right? I’ll think about children later…’

“Uh… are you off work?”

Alter approached Brillie and started speaking with an awkward tone.

Brillie stared blankly at Alter, then suddenly noticed something in his hand.

“Yes, I’ve just returned. But what is that?”

“Oh, it’s a birthday present. Isn’t it your birthday today?”

“You came for that? Please, come in.”

Brillie promptly opened the door and welcomed her fiancé.

Alter hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

“You could have told me. You didn’t have to bother with this…”

“But I am Brillie’s fiancé, how could I just stand by and do nothing?”

Alter placed the box he was carrying on the table and slowly turned his gaze.

Brillie observed Alter’s gift and then approached the table.

“Can I open it now?”

“Yes, you may.”

Brillie unwrapped the box’s cloth with anticipation.

Up until now, the only birthday gifts I had received were luxury items meant for a noble lady.

Perhaps Alter would bring something a little different.

From noble mtl dot come

“This is… a dagger.”

“I… prepared it as a secondary weapon… I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

Alter was confident about the gift, but he couldn’t help observing Brillié’s reaction.

She might find the dagger’s appearance unsatisfactory, or inconvenient for actual combat.

Maybe he should have crafted a standard longsword instead.

“I really like it. It’s not just decorative… and the blade is sharp. How did you think to bring something like this?”