“It’s Seton, Your Grace.”
Only then did Adrian remember that he had summoned Seton.
“Come in.”
No sooner had permission been granted than Seton appeared before him. He’d teleported—too impatient to bother with doors, it seemed.
“What’s the emergency? You even summoned me.”
Adrian subtly furrowed one brow at the blunt tone.
The man before him overlapped with the one from earlier—the Seton who had sat sipping tea with an elegant smile, every bit the refined nobleman. Now, he looked casual and indifferent. But Adrian knew all too well what that smile with upturned eyes had meant.
Contempt.
And Ione had beamed at it, completely unaware.
“Hm?”
“Seton.”
“Yes, I’m right here, Your Grace.”
“I’m glad you haven’t forgotten who I am.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The chill in Adrian’s voice didn’t go unnoticed. Sensing something off, Seton cautiously asked again.
“Don’t forget who I am... and who Ione belongs to.”
The warning was clear. Seton’s face tightened for a brief moment, but he quickly shrugged it off with a smug,
“So what?”
Still, the tension around his eyes lingered.
“So, what is it? You didn’t call me just to flex your status as a married man, did you?”
His attempt to change the subject was obvious, but Adrian let it slide. Seton was smart—and for now, this was enough.
“It’s simple. I just wanted to tell you not to place the seal on the Grand Duchess until I give further instruction.”
“Huh? I mean, that’s not—wait, what?! You don’t want me to mark her?”
Adrian casually flipped a page in his document while Seton stared at him in disbelief.
“Why not?!”
“What do you mean, why not?”
“No one in the North goes unmarked! Are you trying to get her killed? Mark her!”
“I thought you’d be pleased I said not to.”
“If something goes wrong, the North will take the blame. If we fail to manage a bride sent by the Emperor, it’s all on us!”
“Oh dear. That’s your reason? How grim. Still, no.”
“Why?!”
Seton’s outburst was expected. But Adrian, unbothered, leisurely turned another page.
“What’s the reason?”
“Haven’t you heard from Benson?”
“Hard to hear anything when I only arrived last night and barely had a cup of tea.”
“It’s winter. Everything is chaos. But you seem awfully relaxed.”
I spent the night breaking a Jaeger’s nest
, Adrian thought, letting his words drip with sarcasm.
Did Adrian just… mock me?
Seton thought in disbelief.
“Anyway,”
Adrian continued,
“The Grand Duchess developed a fever on her second day here. The mage responsible for cresting happened to be away, so Benson gave her a medicine infused with black herb extract.”
“And?”
“She didn’t wake up for ten days.”
“What?!”
Even Seton’s shocked tone didn’t stir Adrian’s composure.
“She was practically dead. Her pulse was so faint I had to use my power to confirm she was alive.”
“That’s impossible! Black herb doesn’t have side effects like that!”
Seton was genuinely confused. As far as he knew, black herb’s mana was harmless—even infants could ingest it safely.
“How could something like that happen?”
“Her body shut down like a hibernating beast, minimizing all functions.”
“That’s insane!”
“Denying what’s happened won’t undo it.”
“Agh...”
Seton ran his fingers through his red hair, tangling it in frustration.
“This is serious. There’s no other explanation?”
If it really was due to black herb, then cresting her with raw mana would be impossible.
The plant’s mana wasn’t meant to bond with human bodies—it was like spraying perfume on someone; the scent lingered, but it didn’t
become
part of them.
If she reacted like that to the herb, direct mana infusion could be deadly.
Adrian smiled faintly.
“With a body like that, do you think you can still mark her?”
That smile was gentle—but to Seton, it was terrifying.
This is bad.
Seton resisted the urge to grimace.
If the Grand Duchess had a disqualifying condition, the Emperor would replace her without hesitation. Adrian might not care for a bride chosen by imperial will, but this wasn’t how to discard her.
The title of Grand Duke had always belonged to one blessed by the dragons.
That power had been kept separate from imperial influence for a reason—to prevent mankind’s greed from twisting it.
But if a precedent like this was set...
The Emperor might soon believe it his right to appoint Grand Duchesses as he pleased.
Adrian must make the Emperor realize: only a partner the Grand Duke truly accepts has any meaning.
That meant the Grand Duchess couldn’t leave the North because of this.
Either Adrian had to reject her himself, or she had to flee after being deemed incompatible.
Whatever the outcome, it had to be decisive—so no one would dare propose a replacement again.
“So what now?”
“Who knows. This is a first, even for me.”
“Your Grace, winter without a crest is too dangerous.”
Monsters breed in winter—growing violent, massive, and endlessly hungry in preparation for laying eggs deep in the earth.
Monster attacks always peaked in the harshest cold.
“You’re still planning to lead the subjugation campaign?”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes. The operation will proceed as planned.”
The North was already in chaos due to his frequent absence—thanks to the Emperor summoning him constantly.
The reason for that was obvious.
The Emperor wanted to pressure Adrian into settling down with a bride.
But if they kept waiting, the North might actually fall to a monster surge.
“But you can’t just leave the Grand Duchess like this.”
“Of course not.”
To the monsters, she was a sweet, unmarked treat.
She didn’t smell like a monarch, so she probably seemed delicious.
Even the triple fortress walls and dense protective barriers wouldn’t stop starved, desperate beasts.
In the entire North, she was the only 'edible' being.
Monsters would tear through everything to get to her.
Without a crest—or Adrian guarding her—she’d be dead.
“So... are you staying behind this year?”
“No. I’m leading the campaign. You of all people know how chaotic things have gotten from my absence.”
Adrian gestured toward Seton’s still-bandaged hand.
Seton let out a long sigh.
If Adrian’s not staying, does that mean... he really plans to send her away?
“Wait. Are you really giving up the Grand Duchess so easily? She was a gift from the Emperor—”
“Who said I’m giving her up?”
Adrian pointed at Seton.
“I’ll assign
you
as her bodyguard.”
Later…
Benson left Ione’s room and went straight to Adrian.
“Your Grace, I have something to report regarding the Grand Duchess. May I speak with you?”
“Well, well. Look who it is—Benson?”
For once, Benson didn’t respond to Seton’s teasing. His face was too grim.
“You usually send word first. This must be serious.”
“Please, even if you’re busy—spare me a moment.”
“You don’t mind?”
Adrian asked Seton.
“Go ahead, Your Grace.”
“What is it?”
Though hesitant at first due to Seton’s presence, Benson finally spoke when Adrian assured him it was fine.
“Your Grace, the Grand Duchess’s condition was indeed caused by the black herb.”
“Confirmed?”
“If I’d been more thorough in reviewing her itinerary, this might have been avoided.”
“What are you talking about?”
Both Adrian and Seton exchanged sharp looks.
“Wait—Your Grace, you didn’t know?”
“Know what?”
“The Grand Duchess traveled from the Clarke estate to the capital, and from there to the North—all in a single day. By warp.”