The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce

8

There were all sorts of rumors and speculations about the youngest son of the Duke of the North.

That he was suffering from an incurable disease and wouldn’t last a year, that he was on his deathbed, that he was unremarkable in appearance, and so on.

After all, Alter Radiant had only just revealed himself for the first time, and it was unlikely he had met anyone.

“He must not have come of age yet. The body can be trained, after all.”

Lang was optimistic about Alter’s future.

Right now, he was too weak to do anything, but staying in the capital would bring gradual improvement.

And after that, if he worked on his physique, even his small frame would soon become robust.

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“Even Brillié might have been a bit shaken.”

Brillié, for one, had a negative view of her fiancé.

She had never met her betrothed and her goals were clear.

But with such an appearance, emotional changes were inevitable.

“Even a man would find him handsome; if a woman saw him…”

“Have you come to meet my fiancé?”

“No, I’ve come to see Duke Ilenart.”

“You must be close to Duke Ilenart.”

“I’m just here on a brief visit. I happen to serve in the same knighthood as Brillié, so I’ve seen the Duke quite often.”

“I heard you’re the next Sword Saint. You must be quite skilled.”

“I wouldn’t say skilled. There’s still much I need to learn.”

Lang humbly responded while observing Alter’s appearance.

No matter how many times he looked, he couldn’t help but admire him.

Even amidst it all, she managed to exude a pitiable yet composed atmosphere, inadvertently inspiring a sense of reverence.

“I hope you will continue to treat my fiancé well. As for me… I don’t think I can take on that role.”

“…”

Lang startled, deciphering the meaning behind those words.

She was too fragile, unable to protect her own fiancé.

Thus, she was entrusting this task to the next Sword Saint, her direct superior.

“You must have realized when we shook hands. My body is not normal. With this body, I can’t do anything.”

“… But as Brillié’s fiancé, you shouldn’t say such things.”

“I can’t pretend to be strong. A lie that’s easily exposed is nothing but vile.”

“There is such a thing as a white lie.”

“My goodwill is worth next to nothing. If it’s mistaken for malice, it would only trouble me.”

“Brillié can distinguish between goodwill and malice. Don’t you trust Brillié?”

“It’s myself I don’t trust. I don’t want to give my fiancé false hope.”

“Marriage is built on mutual trust. Why would you discard that trust?”

“It’s a marriage of convenience. So, my trust becomes worthless, doesn’t it?”

“…”

Lang felt an instinctive repulsion but was inevitably engulfed in silence.

No noble could assert their pride in the face of a marriage of convenience.

One must stoically accept it to contribute to the prosperity of their family, avoiding any controversy.

“However, there might be a cancellation, so don’t take it too hard. All you have to do is wait.”

“Do you have to be so cold?”

“It’s not coldness. It’s the reality given to me. My fiancé probably thinks the same.”

After meeting with Lang, Alter inadvertently mentioned breaking off the engagement.

She didn’t want to get entangled in a love triangle over Brillié.

So, she had to act swiftly and erase her presence first.

Who knows when she might encounter Lang again? She wanted to end it all this time.

“… It seems we think differently. Brillié isn’t that cold.”

“Just because he’s my fiancé doesn’t mean he’s any different.”

“You’ll soon understand what’s different. Even if it’s a marriage of convenience, Brillié won’t neglect it.”

“…”

Alter, though puzzled, did not bother to argue.

He had already mastered the original story and was well-versed in Brillié’s character and actions.

Such a passive attitude was displayed, yet it was unlikely he felt any responsibility towards the arranged marriage.

“Would you consider visiting our knight order sometime? I would really like to show you our members training.”

Lang suddenly thought of something and made an unexpected proposal.

Alter hesitated for a moment, but saw no reason to refuse outright.

“I’ll stop by when I have the time.”

“Yes. Then, we shall meet again at that time.”

Lang bowed slightly and immediately turned away.

There were things about Alter that piqued his curiosity, but he hadn’t anticipated such an extreme reaction.

No matter how strategic the marriage was, could one really be so passive?

‘A wise choice, perhaps… but one must have some principles.’

Of course, he was somewhat in favor of Brillié’s annulment.

However, Brillié’s fiancé was a noble scion who had not even come of age yet.

To top it off, the fact that he had even mentioned annulment was beyond comprehension.

‘He’s underestimating Brillié.’

Having heard Alter’s words, Lang was certain of it.

Brillié must have appeared to him as a knight with a strong will, hence he judged her to have a resolute character.

But Brillié, the vice-captain of the Setinos Knight Order, was not so heartless.

‘One must understand the mindset with which Brillié wields her sword.’

***

Brillié looked out the window for a while before turning her head belatedly.

She had been curious about what one does inside the mansion, given that she hardly ever went out.

But the person in question only strolled around the mansion or walked through the garden.

‘What’s that? Why not just go outside?’

Brillié found it disagreeable but faintly guessed the reason.

After all, she had lived in the northern territories all her life, and life in the capital was a new experience for her.

Moreover, with her frail constitution, venturing out of the mansion seemed more dangerous.

‘Should I strike up a conversation? No, why bother?’

Brillié kept pondering, yet occasionally glanced out the window.

The fiancé is always accompanied by a butler or maid, yet they cannot meet with family.

Moreover, without anyone to call an acquaintance, they were essentially buried in solitude.

‘I’m the only one who would talk to them…’

“Are you thinking about your fiancé?”

“Why would I think about them?”

“You’ve been looking out the window continuously.”

“It’s just that things keep moving, so I end up looking without realizing.”

Brilliere casually made an excuse and then drew the curtains.

Brilliere’s personal maid, Edith Milash, seemed to be taking notice and soon opened her mouth again.

“There’s some talk among the maids about your fiancé.”

“…What are they saying?”

“They say it’s comfortable to deal with someone so composed and quiet. And that they’re good-looking, which makes serving them worthwhile.”

“Hah… I guess that’s better than being ugly.”

“And there’s a bit of a youthful charm, isn’t there? It seems some people like that.”

“It’s because they’re actually young, what’s this about youthful charm?”

“Hey, at 18 years old, they’re grown enough.”

“Do you still say that after seeing them?”

“I think they look fine. What about you, Brilliere?”

“I don’t want to get married at all. What am I supposed to do?”

Brilliere was quite burdened by the thought of Alter.

Of course, it wasn’t unheard of to marry before coming of age, and they were indeed of marriageable age.

However, they had a task that needed to be finished, and Alter had accepted this marriage reluctantly.

“But you can’t just not do it, right? Maybe you should try to get along?”

“You say that because it’s not your business. I’m going crazy here.”

“If it were me… I might have been a little excited?”

“Excited about what?”

“They’re so petite. Handsome, with a mature side too. Isn’t that great?”

“Just say it’s your type, why don’t you?”

“Eh, my type is a bit more manly…”

“Tsk! Why am I even talking to you.”

Brillie waved her hand dismissively and inadvertently turned her gaze toward the window.

But the curtains obstructed her view, preventing her from looking outside.

Of course, she could draw back the curtains, but her petty pride wouldn’t allow even that.

“Sigh… You stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Where are you going…”

“Don’t ask about everything. I’m not going outside.”

Brillie answered brusquely and left the room.

Edith watched her leave blankly, then softly murmured to herself.

“You could just be honest… Are you that embarrassed?”

***

Alter, as always, was wandering around the mansion.

Moreover, wherever he went, a butler or maid followed, but this time, he had instructed them to keep their distance.

Being too close felt like being watched, so he took the minimum necessary precautions.

‘The sunlight is nice. It makes me feel languid.’

Alter, faintly fighting off drowsiness, moved his feet again.

Basking in the sunlight seemed to improve his condition slightly.

He wasn’t sure if this would solve the fundamental problem, but perhaps it was worth the effort.

‘If I were to go outside like this…’

Alter stopped slowly after encountering someone.

The person gestured to the following maid, who bowed her head and promptly disappeared.

In the end, Alter was left alone to face the person.

“Uh… What are you doing here?”

Brillie, feeling awkward, spoke first.

Just watching from inside the room made her anxious.

So, she had come out of the mansion to approach Alter.

“I was just taking a walk. Aren’t you supposed to be at work, fiancé?”

“The director told me to take a break and come back. So… that’s what I’m doing.”

Brillie didn’t explain the reason for her leave.

After all, it was a vacation given by Lang to take care of her fiancé.

Was there really a need to tell Alter the reason?

“Did you come out here because of me? If that’s the case…”

“No… No, I just wanted to take a walk too. Now that I see, you seem to come out this way often, don’t you?”

“Hmm… There is a reason I take walks. Would you hold my hand?”

Alter extended his right hand naturally without much thought.

Brillie hesitated for a moment but then gently touched the tips of Alter’s fingers.

A strange and chilly sensation began to rise from his fingertips.

“…It’s cold.”

“Being in the sunlight like this makes the coldness bearable. That’s why I take walks often.”

Hearing this, Brillie unconsciously curled her fingers.

Then she grasped Alter’s right hand fully, confronting a deeper chill.

Not only that, but Brillie’s hands were now enveloping Alter’s right hand.

“How about now? Does it feel a bit warmer?”