The Grand Duke's Dilemma
Yulken had been feeling a deep sense of frustration lately, as the number of headaches plaguing him only seemed to grow. Even for a man who wielded power among the top three in the Empire, he was not immune to blades thrust from within. Perhaps it was precisely because his position was as unassailable as a fortress that he was more vulnerable to enemies from inside.
This is troublesome.
He had only one blood relative, a daughter he cherished more than anything. Though his own foolish actions had kept them apart for over fifteen years, a certain boy’s help had recently begun to narrow the distance that once seemed destined to remain parallel forever. As a father, it brought him immense joy to see his daughter meet someone she loved and grow into a mature woman. It pleased him even more that the man she had given her heart to was someone Yulken himself viewed favorably.
In fact, he had practically pushed the boy forward, urging him to confess his feelings to her without delay. That man was originally the heir to a minor baronial house called the Bilhark Family, one of the vassal families under the Robeheim domain. For now, he remained in the Robeheim household as Ariel’s friend and attendant, but such an arrangement could not last indefinitely.
Thus, when Yulken heard that the two had gone from childhood friends to lovers, he made the announcement to the vassals within the family. Their original positions had been somewhat ambiguous, and he wanted to use this opportunity to clarify them. However, that announcement became the spark that ignited everything.
Yulken had anticipated some backlash, but the storm that followed was fiercer than he had expected.
“Haa, my head hurts.”
Seated at his office desk, he furrowed his brow and shook his head while muttering to himself. Yet to Elpelt, who assisted him, those words could not be ignored.
“Is it because of the young lady and her lover?”
“Yes. No, to be precise, it is not because of those children.”
“I misspoke. Indeed, what fault could two mere youths possibly have?”
Elpelt hurriedly bowed his head and admitted his mistake. Just as Yulken said, the two young people bore no fault whatsoever. The real problem lay with the internal enemies of the family who sought to judge another’s love through the lens of lineage and prestige.
“Sir Vincent makes no effort to hide his intentions. He is far too blatant.”
“He has always been steeped in pureblood ideology. You know this well, Your Grace.”
“I do. I know it all too well, and that is the problem.”
Vincent Rolan. He was a figure of considerable standing within the Robeheim family—not merely some old man relegated to the background, but one of the veteran warriors who had once dominated the battlefield. However, his temperament was foul, and despite sharing Yulken’s experience of rolling through battlefields, he had drawn an entirely different lesson from it. That lesson was an uncompromising belief in pureblood supremacy.
It stood in complete opposition to Yulken’s own outlook, shaped by war and suffering against foreign tribes in the frigid northern plains—an outlook that valued individual ability over family name. Having learned that an incompetent ally was more dangerous than a capable enemy, Vincent’s convictions had only hardened over time, leading him to openly cast out those whose family prestige he deemed unworthy. While the foundation of his reasoning was understandable, the outcome was nothing short of disastrous.
“However, to dismiss Sir Vincent…”
“That is out of the question. Moreover, he is a man whose family has served this house since the previous generation.”
Though he was older than Yulken, his prestige remained formidable. A considerable faction within the family maintained close ties with him, and his position was firmly entrenched. To cast him out simply because he tried to drive a wedge between his daughter and her lover? Even Yulken could not act so recklessly—unless the man had plotted rebellion.
“This is complicated. It would have been better if they had already held the ceremony.”
Sometimes, even if it was merely a formality, there was a vast difference in the “justification” one could present to others depending on whether a wedding had been held or not. If Edgar had already become Ariel’s official husband through a formal ceremony, the situation might have been different. Even then, people like Vincent would still have tried to undermine them, but Yulken would have been able to take decisive action openly. As things stood, however, he wanted to marry the two off quickly to resolve the matter, yet the conditions simply did not allow it.
“Indeed. At times like this, tradition proves quite burdensome.”
“Yet we cannot simply discard it.”
“If it were nothing more than empty formality, Your Grace’s personality would have demanded its removal without hesitation.”
“You know me too well.”
According to Robeheim family tradition, the heir could formally take a marriage partner exactly three months after their coming-of-age ceremony. This was not due to some arbitrary house rule, but because of a certain danger inherent in their bloodline. They were born with a unique mana known as Mana of Domination, which acted as a poison to anyone not of Robeheim blood. Its power was so immense that if it invaded another’s body, it would destroy them from within.
However, when nobles of the great houses held their wedding ceremonies, the couple would exchange and inscribe each other’s mana upon their bodies. If someone received the Mana of Domination from a member of the Robeheim family at that moment, their body could not be guaranteed to survive. That said, even those born with the Mana of Domination would eventually learn to control it completely—more precisely, their bodies would naturally come to understand how to convert that overwhelming power into ordinary mana. This process generally took about three months around the time one reached adulthood. That was why the family estimated that three months after the coming-of-age ceremony was the appropriate age for marriage.
“…It was the same when I was courting my wife. I wondered when I could hold the ceremony and make her my bride. I waited with such anxiety.”
Yulken spoke while showing the back of his right hand, covered by a glove. A black pattern was engraved there—not the crest of the Robeheim family, but a different design. It was proof that he had made an eternal vow with Helene.
“As expected, Your Grace and the young lady have many similarities.”
“So it seems. Perhaps blood truly cannot be denied.”
They were remarkably alike. Both were drawn to the person themselves rather than their family or prestige. Once they decided someone was theirs, they would hold on no matter what. They were stubborn, hated losing, and were not entirely honest with themselves. Yulken had always thought it fortunate that his daughter did not resemble him, but now that the lid had been lifted, it was harder to find the differences than the similarities.
“Her face and appearance resemble her mother so closely. Thanks to that, when we gather as a family, I feel as though I am holding flowers in both hands.”
Yulken suddenly smiled, his doting nature on full display. Elpelt gave a wry smile, realizing he had made a mistake. He knew better than anyone how deeply his master loved his family. At this rate, the man would talk for at least two hours. With so much work still left to do, he could not afford to let that happen. Though it was presumptuous, he decided to cut the conversation short with a complaint.
“To boast about your family in front of a vassal who has no marriage partner of his own… You are too cruel, Your Grace.”
“Then whose fault is it that you have remained a bachelor at your age? I distinctly remember warning you.”
“What could I do when no woman caught my eye?”
“Tsk. Your standards are too high. Though I suppose I am not one to talk.”
Even Elpelt had to concede a point to Yulken when it came to high standards. To be precise, Yulken’s tastes were simply very specific. His wife Helene’s beauty was, of course, unparalleled, but what had truly captivated him at the time was her gentle and warm presence. That personality, which always put others first, had been his ideal from the very beginning.
“How about letting me introduce someone to you even now?”
“Is it not too late? Besides, it would be better for me to devote myself to caring for the Robeheim family as if they were my own wife and children.”
In other words, work was his love. Yulken smiled.
“That is a welcome sentiment for me. Though your parents must be exasperated.”
“Not particularly. They said that since there is already someone to carry on the family line, I should simply focus on my duties.”
“They are generous people.”
Even so, as parents, they surely would have preferred their strong son to take a wife. Watching his vassal, who had never become a parent and thus could not understand that feeling, Yulken shook his head and turned his gaze back to the pile of documents.
“By the way, Your Grace, what will you do if this matter reaches the young lady’s ears?”
“…Do not even speak of such a thing. I have already ordered my wife to keep silent as well.”
“She is far too perceptive. She will quickly sense the ominous atmosphere. Moreover, that child is always by her side.”
“……”
Yulken belatedly recalled the face of the maid who stayed by Ariel’s side and widened his eyes in alarm. It was entirely possible. Though young, the girl took after her mother Shephy—she was quick-witted and had long since learned to read the mood of the household. Furthermore, as a servant, there were conversations only servants could share. Shuri would undoubtedly notice and make full use of that fact. If so, uncovering this unsettling situation would not be difficult.
“…Do you think that child has already found out?”
“I cannot say. However, what is certain is that if that time comes…”
“I do not even want to imagine it. It does not matter if my own incompetence becomes known, but this is too heavy a burden for her to bear.”
To think that hidden enemies within the family were trying to undermine her lover. Though it was not meant to belittle Ariel, Yulken found it an unbearable reality to accept.
“If you notice any sign of her catching on, tell me. I will need to speak with her separately.”
“Understood. So you have no intention of telling her in advance.”
“As an inadequate father, I should do what I can. Even if I speak to her later, it will not be too late.”
With those words, Yulken seemed unable to focus on his work any longer. He irritably tossed his pen onto the desk and leaned back in his chair as if ready to collapse into it. There was still a long way to go before the day ended. At this rate, he wondered if he would even manage to clear the backlog of official duties.