Chapter 1

Guided by the hand wearing a spotless white glove, I stepped down from the luxurious carriage. Before me stood a mansion so grand it was more like a castle, its facade blindingly opulent. At the front entrance, the butler and the other servants of the castle lined up, bowing their heads in unison.

Such treatment made me feel a bit uneasy.

Actually, anyone would feel uneasy.

It was scary and unsettling.

For a great noble, this might be a standard welcoming ceremony, and today could be a particularly special day. However, I wished for a more discreet welcome.

Today was a special day.

It was my wedding day.

I was marrying one of the most powerful men in the country.

However, this powerful man preferred a low-key lifestyle, so the wedding was for family only.

There was no reception.

It was a simple wedding.

The man escorting me, with his spotless white gloves, remained calm in the face of this grand welcome, while I had a distant look in my eyes. He was tall enough to balance well with me, even in heels, and he was a handsome man that any woman would desire, not to mention wealthy. His deep crimson hair and eyes were the colors of the ducal family, giving him a passionate appearance, but he was quite cold and distant.

But that was part of his charm! It had captivated many young ladies.

This man, who had both power and wealth, was a bachelor. Who would secure the position of his wife had been one of the most watched matters in recent years. He was twenty-seven, in the prime of his life and career, and a serious workaholic.

However, he was not unhealthy, and even from the way he leaned against me, it was clear he had a well-trained body. Under his clothes, he probably had a beautiful physique. I wasn’t a pervert, but just imagining it might make me nosebleed. I could understand why the young ladies had squealed with excitement.

According to rumors, he was even stronger than a professional soldier. When I heard the reason, I was convinced.

This man, who had never hidden his aversion to marriage, finally decided to settle down, perhaps because he was tired of the persistent marriage pressure from his relatives. He chose a suitable partner and finally paid his dues.

The chosen partner was a woman who, upon seeing, everyone would exclaim, "Is she really the one?!"

In other words, it was me, much to my own surprise.

I always carried multiple layers of wrinkles, my hair and skin were in poor condition, and while my dress was decent, it did not match my appearance. I was a woman mocked in society, and this was a fact, not out of self-pity. Indeed, I was the daughter of a family with a long history, and as a marriage partner, I was somewhat appropriate. My lineage traced back to the royal family, and even before the royal family began, my family had protected the current territory. To be honest, there were not many families as old as mine.

In other words, my ancient lineage was my only selling point. Frankly, I could not provide a dowry that matched the duke's wealth. In fact, the only woman who could match the young lord of this prosperous and wealthy ducal family was a princess of the royal family.

And, in fact, this princess was nineteen this year, in the prime of her marriageable age. Rumors suggested she had her eyes on the duke. Many believed that political marriages were common for princesses, but our country was one of the most powerful and militarily strong in the continent. In other words, the princess had the freedom to choose. Compared to other insignificant countries, there was no one better than the young lord of this ducal family. He was one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the country. While the royal family had a budget with reporting obligations, the duke could handle money freely, making him, in a sense, wealthier than the royal family. There was no need to justify this.

Furthermore, compared to other countries, the ducal family had the influence of a nation, making it clear why no country would want to marry into it. The duke was the only choice. Even without his power and wealth, he was an exceptionally handsome man with overwhelming charm!

Of course, as a bachelor, he must have received proposals. He had skillfully avoided them until now, but I could easily imagine that he did not want to marry the princess. For a workaholic, nothing was more painful than having someone interfere with his private life. While a typical noble lady could be ignored due to the duke's higher status, the princess was a different matter.

As the youngest daughter among four children in the royal family, the princess was doted on and raised with great care. If such a sheltered princess were to marry, it would be better to settle down quickly.

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