Chapter 1

A young woman dressed in a simple one-piece dress stepped out in front of the main gate of the Count Phsilin estate.

Beneath her beautiful golden hair, her fair skin was flushed red from the sunlight, but what captivated people most were her brilliant blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence.

Cradled in her arms was a diploma—the proof that she had graduated at the top of her class from the Academy.

Livenya Phsilin.

She was beautiful, brilliant, and admired by everyone who knew her.

Yet her return home was anything but grand.

Neither the butler nor the household’s few remaining maids came to greet her. Only the servant girls who had once been close to her hurried outside to welcome her.

“Miss! You’ve finally returned!”

Even though the maids approached her without the formal restraint expected of servants, Livenya simply smiled warmly.

“It’s been a long time, everyone. Here’s my diploma. Right now I look like a complete mess, so I’d really like to take a bath first.”

“A mess? Not at all! You always look like a fairy!”

The maid’s heartfelt praise brought an easy smile to Livenya’s face.

Unfortunately, the pleasant atmosphere didn’t last.

The moment Livenya stepped into the mansion’s entrance hall, the butler blocked her path.

“Miss, the master wishes to see you. This way.”

“Butler, Miss has only just arrived. She should rest first—”

The butler shot the maid a sharp glare.

The maid immediately shrank back. Livenya gently patted her shoulder as if it were nothing.

“Let’s go.”

“I’ll escort you.”

Unlike the anxious maids, the butler led the way with an icy demeanor.

It was only natural.

He belonged to Countess Phsilin—Livenya’s stepmother.

Eight years earlier, after Livenya’s birth mother died, her father’s second wife had entered the household and changed nearly everything. The butler, the heads of every servant department, even the stable master had all been replaced.

Count Phsilin, Livenya’s biological father, was utterly infatuated with his beautiful new wife. He treated the only daughter of his first marriage like an unwanted burden while doting exclusively on the children his second wife had borne him.

Livenya hardly cared.

She had long since realized her father was not a man worthy of admiration. The count and countess’ behavior was laughable, but it had never disappointed her.

One day she would be married off for political gain and leave this house anyway.

What was the point of longing for affection?

The butler led her to the drawing room.

Inside, the count and countess sat together chatting pleasantly.

The moment they saw Livenya, they both cleared their throats awkwardly.

“So, you’ve returned.”

Livenya stepped gracefully inside and spoke at once.

“It’s rather improper to receive a family member living in the same house in the drawing room.”

“Well, these days…”

“That’s a custom from the Kingdom of Kivan. Cultural exchanges with Kivan may have increased recently, but blindly copying even their etiquette is hardly appropriate.”

“Livenya, it’s been so long since you’ve seen your family, and instead of greeting us warmly, you’re already lecturing us.”

“A lecture? Hardly. I was merely pointing out that Father’s behavior is discourteous.”

Her voice was nothing like the gentle tone she had used with the maids.

It was cold.

The count and countess frowned in irritation before quickly replacing their expressions with forced smiles.

Livenya let out a quiet scoff before taking a seat on the sofa.

“It seems you want something from me?”

To begin with, it was unlike the count and countess to summon her at all.

She had expected them not even to remember that she was graduating, yet they had sent a luxurious carriage to the Academy and even served her expensive tea upon her return.

It was suspicious.

“Don’t be so impatient. Have some tea first.”

“No. Please make this as brief as possible. I’m exhausted. In case you’ve forgotten, I spent three straight days traveling by carriage and only just arrived.”

The countess covered her mouth with a delicate laugh.

“My dear, didn’t we send you the finest carriage available? Surely you can spare a little time for your father and mother.”

Livenya sighed.

She had repeatedly asked them to get to the point, yet they continued to drag things out.

Just as she pressed a hand against her forehead and began to stand, Count Phsilin hastily rose from his seat and urged her back down.

“Livenya, just hear me out. You’ve received an incredible number of marriage proposals! From truly prestigious families! There are even two outstanding matches!”

“Marriage proposals…”

She murmured the words without the slightest excitement.

She was sixteen.

An age when girls often dreamed of romance and marriage.

Perhaps she might have done the same if her father had shown even a little care toward his sickly first wife.

Instead, Livenya had learned far too young that marriage was simply another form of reality.

That didn’t mean she intended to avoid marriage altogether.

Though she had graduated first in the Academy, noblewomen couldn’t find employment—not in the Imperial Palace, nor even with merchant guilds in the provinces.

If she wanted to escape this suffocating household, marriage was her only option.

“Go on.”

“First, there’s Marquis Camil…”

“The seventy-year-old man?”

Livenya answered before he could finish.

“He’s certainly wealthy. So your idea is for me to live like a decorative doll until he gets tired of me and throws me away? And the second proposal?”

She had no intention of speaking politely to the count and countess.

After all, they intended to profit from marrying her off.

It wasn’t as though they would kill her.

Count Phsilin’s face turned crimson with rage, but despite clearly boiling inside, he didn’t raise a hand against her.

Ordinarily, he would have shattered several teacups by now.

“The second proposal is… well…”

He hesitated before continuing proudly.

“The House of Duke Baldwin wishes to establish ties with our family.”

“…What?”

Livenya stared at him in disbelief.

“As far as I know, Duke Baldwin’s family has only one son. Surely you’re not suggesting I marry the late duke… or his widowed duchess?”

“Of course not. The one you’ll marry is that son…”

“The one who turned eight this year?”

She looked utterly horrified.

“You’re asking me to become the kind of trash who marries a child?”

Even under her disgusted gaze, Count Phsilin remained shameless.

“What’s wrong with marrying at eight? Noble children do it all the time.”

“When both parties are children, perhaps. I’m sixteen.”

“What difference does an eight-year age gap make? Marquis Rye married a wife twenty years younger than himself, and they’re doing just fine.”

“Because Lady Rye is well over thirty. There’s an enormous difference between marrying another adult and marrying a child.”

Her argument was perfectly reasonable.

But the count had reached the end of his patience.

“Then go marry the seventy-year-old old man instead!”

Unlike her husband, the clever countess knew exactly how to persuade Livenya.

She gently rubbed the count’s shoulder before speaking softly.

“Livenya, my dear. Listen to me.

“This marriage isn’t as unreasonable as you think.

“You know that the previous Duke Baldwin died in an accident. His only son is just eight years old, and the duchess is gravely ill. The doctors say she doesn’t have much time left.”

The mention of the duchess softened the sharpness in Livenya’s eyes.

She may act clever, but in the end she’s still just a sentimental girl who can’t forget her dead mother, the countess thought.

Seeing the opening, she continued.

“Not long ago, the Duchess of Baldwin invited me to visit. She looked so close to death… and she begged me.

“She said you were intelligent and kind.

“She asked if you would take care of the ducal household.”

After quietly listening, Livenya finally spoke.

“So… because appointing me as a mere steward would cause resistance, you want me to become the duchess through a marriage in name only.

“That way I’ll have enough authority within the household to manage it.”

“Exactly!”

The countess smiled brightly.

“The agreement is that when the young duke turns twenty, he’ll give you a generous sum of money, and the two of you will divorce.

“So this isn’t the sort of… strange marriage you’re imagining.”

Ah.

Now she understood.

The reason the count and countess had brought her this proposal was simple.

The duchess had promised a large payment after the divorce.

They assumed that once Livenya received the money, they would naturally be entitled to a share of it.

And while they were at it, having a daughter who was a duchess certainly wouldn’t hurt their own status.

Livenya remembered the Duchess of Baldwin from her childhood.

Her late mother and the duchess had been close friends who held private tea parties together every year.

She was a gentle woman who knew etiquette well… and she always treated me kindly.

Even if Livenya had graduated first in her class, entrusting an entire ducal household to her would normally be impossible.

The duchess had likely placed her faith in Livenya because of her friendship with Livenya’s mother.

Livenya tapped a finger thoughtfully against her thigh.

After a moment, she reached her decision.

“Very well.”

“I’ll accept the marriage.”

In any case, she had no desire to marry some stranger, bear children without love, and spend her life changing dresses just to attend endless tea parties.

The duchess was the only person who helped Mother when she was ill.

I’ll repay that kindness.

Then, when Heinrich turns twenty, we’ll divorce, and I’ll finally be free.

After all, wasn’t it said that a divorced woman enjoyed far more freedom than one who had never married?

“You’ve made the right decision.”

The countess deliberately emphasized the word “we.”

“When the duke turns twenty, we’ll all enjoy tremendous wealth.”

Livenya lowered her eyes obediently, hiding the mocking smile she had worn moments before.

“…Yes.”

“I’ll wait until then.”

Though I have no intention of ever returning to this house.

And so, on her wedding day, Livenya met her little groom.

She had secretly worried that he might burst into tears, insisting that he didn’t want to marry a woman eight years older than himself.

Instead…

Her little groom, Heinrich, was astonishingly mature for an eight-year-old.

His bright ruby-red eyes, set in a fair, delicate face, were so adorable they almost didn’t seem real.

Wearing a white bridal veil, Livenya bent down so they could exchange rings.

After slipping the ring onto the white glove covering her finger, little Heinrich gently clasped her hand and whispered into her ear.

“My lady… I’ll take responsibility for making you happy.”

For a split second, Livenya nearly screamed from how unbearably adorable he was.

She somehow managed to suppress it and smiled softly instead.

“I will too.”

“I promise I’ll make you happy.”

For the sake of this precious little groom’s bright future twelve years from now, she silently vowed that she would absolutely divorce him when the time came.

But that promise was shattered in an instant.

“Highni…”

Livenya felt her breathing growing fainter.

Her entire body had gone numb and cold.

The earth beneath the slope where she had fallen seemed to carry the scent of death itself.

Eight years had passed since their wedding.

Today was Heinrich’s Academy graduation ceremony.

On her way from the duchy to the Academy, her carriage had been involved in a terrible accident.

She wasn’t afraid of dying.

I graduated at the top of my class.

Please come to my graduation ceremony and honor me with your presence.

—Your husband, Highni.

The only thing she regretted…

…was that she would never be able to congratulate Heinrich on his graduation.