HPBUY Chapter 51

Jeremiah frowned as if it were an absurd speculation.

“What is there to be reserved about? We’re about to become family.”

“Privately, she’ll be the Prince’s new mother. Wouldn’t unnecessary rumors spread if you become too close?”

“You already know. We’re merely meeting to discuss the ceremony. Are you ignorant about these matters because you’ve never married?”

Though Jeremiah sneered, Declan showed little reaction.

“I’m well aware of how dangerous it is for men and women of similar age to have secret meetings in bedrooms at night.”

The smile slowly faded from Jeremiah’s face. He soon let out a deep sigh.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I have no feelings for the Imperial Princess. I have no intention of putting her in a difficult position.”

Unlike his ill feelings toward the Grand Duke, there was no need to create unnecessary misunderstandings. Honestly, he didn’t want to take a submissive attitude toward the Grand Duke either. He was merely being careful about his actions, knowing how the current situation might appear to others.

Jeremiah quickly changed his stance and explained today’s situation.

“We’re simply becoming family, and since the Imperial Princess doesn’t know much about Parma, I only meant to offer close assistance. It seems this has caused a misunderstanding. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“You’d better be.”

Though his lips curved into a smile, his voice was laden with hostility. Jeremiah narrowed his eyes at this. He had put effort into his apology, but the other’s response was far from satisfactory.

While Jeremiah stood frozen, not fully grasping the meaning, Declan gave a brief bow and passed by him.

Belatedly understanding the implications, Jeremiah furrowed his brow. When he turned around, the Grand Duke had already disappeared. With obvious irritation on his face, Jeremiah glared in the direction the Grand Duke had gone and quietly cursed.

‘Crazy bastard.’

They said he was a war maniac, but somehow, to him, the man seemed crazy about something else.

****

Still having work to handle, he headed straight to the study after changing clothes. He placed the pile of pending documents on one side of the table and took out his pen. However, even as he read through the documents, the words wouldn’t properly register.

After two hours with no progress, Declan irritably put down his pen.

‘I have been pushing myself lately.’

He let out a light sigh and poured rum into an empty glass.

He held the glass in one hand and picked up the pen again with the other. One glass became two, and two became three. As the intoxication gradually set in, the speed at which he turned the document pages noticeably slowed.

After a few more drinks, his hazy gaze had already strayed from the text in the documents. Instead of the document contents, the earlier conversation echoed in his mind like an afterimage.

[If you keep up that arrogance, you’ll meet the same miserable end as your parents.]

A miserable end, huh.

Sneering, he let out a low laugh.

It was truly laughable that the Duke would mention his parents’ death while speaking of arrogance. Even the Emperor, who was most deeply involved, had declared it an ‘unfortunate accident.’

Declan poured more rum into his glass. His heavily intoxicated hand couldn’t even pour properly. He spilled about half on the table, but he was too drunk to notice.

Instead of wiping up the spilled drink, he slumped heavily back in his chair. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he thought.

But what if.

If that hadn’t happened, would many things have been different? He couldn’t quite imagine what life would have been like if the carriage accident hadn’t occurred.

If they had lived peacefully, could things have started differently with her?

Continuing his string of useless hypotheticals, he recalled his family members who had left his side long ago. Father and mother. Aila and Soliet.

His eyes closed as he silently repeated these names that no one called anymore.

****

In his childhood, Declan’s life was extremely monotonous.

The Grand Duke and Duchess, who had unusually married for love among noble families at the time, were ordinary parents who remained faithful to each other without keeping any consorts and deeply cherished their children. Declan, born and raised in a loving home, was likewise an ordinary boy.

If anything, he was quite diligent. He never neglected his duties as the heir to the Grand Duke’s family for a moment. He was the complete opposite of his younger sister Aila, who frequently feigned illness to skip lessons.

And naturally, the relationship between siblings with such opposing personalities wasn’t particularly beautiful.

“You’ll definitely be unpopular in social circles, brother.”

At this sudden curse, his gaze lifted from the book he was absorbed in. Meeting an equally colored but clearly displeased gaze, Declan raised one eyebrow. Aila snorted roughly.

“What’s so great about a man who stays cooped up in his room all day reading books? There will be many knights from the Imperial Knights at social gatherings.”

Speaking while lying on the sofa and swinging her legs idly, she suddenly clasped her hands together with a dreamy expression.

“They must be as beautiful as knights in fairy tales. Just thinking about meeting them at a ball… ah, it’s so romantic even just imagining it.”

Her squealing while kicking her feet in the air looked terribly silly. Declan, watching his sister with disapproval, snapped irritably.

“I don’t care how girls see me. As long as I don’t meet an empty-headed girl like you, I’ll be fine. Whatever.”

“What did you say?”

When Aila flared up, Declan stuck out his tongue with a mischievous expression. Just then, a large hand firmly pressed down on Declan’s curly hair.

“Ah!”

“Why mention it if you’re not interested?”

A man who strongly resembled Declan pressed down harder on his son’s head while smiling playfully.

“Your mother and I are very curious about who will become your match.”

“Hmph. Acting like such a bookworm, will he ever even properly talk to a woman in his life?”

Aila spoke dismissively while lying on the sofa. Declan narrowed his eyes at his sister.

“Alic. Don’t you have piano lessons soon? Why are you still here?”

Suddenly finding herself in the line of fire, Aila opened her eyes wide in disbelief. Then she looked at her father with the most pitiful expression she could muster, as if asking for help.

But today, even the Grand Duke showed no mercy.

“Aila. You shouldn’t keep your teacher waiting.”

He sat down on the sofa where Aila had been lying and spoke in a deliberately stern tone. Failing to get the desired response even from her trusted father, Aila pouted.

However, Aila wasn’t one to waste effort on lost causes. Instead of dragging it out longer, she got up from the sofa with a sulky face.

Yet it seemed she couldn’t leave just like that, still feeling unsatisfied.

“Yes, yes. The nuisance shall disappear now. Young Master. Your Grace. Do enjoy your cozy time together.”

Aila sarcastically quipped with a prim expression and stuck out her tongue at her brother.

Declan frowned, but their father seemed to find it purely adorable as he just laughed heartily. Declan gave him one sulky look before lowering his gaze back to his book.

‘You’re too soft on Aila.’

The Grand Ducal couple was far from being authoritative parents. While they were somewhat strict with Declan due to his position as heir, even that was extremely lenient compared to other noble families.

Even more so with their young daughter Aila, who wasn’t even the heir – they doted on her so much that even Declan, who was equally loved as their son, sometimes felt jealous.

While nobles typically entrusted their children’s upbringing to governesses, the Grand Duke’s family was an unusual case.

Although they did have a governess, on weekends the couple personally took their children traveling to all sorts of places – mountains, seas, and various regions – which resulted in an extremely close bond between parents and children.

Separate from their close relationship, the Grand Duke wasn’t particularly fond of his son being buried in books in the study all day.

Being naturally cheerful and leading social circles, he was always busy worrying about his son who had the complete opposite personality. Even that somehow made Declan feel like his efforts weren’t being recognized, so he couldn’t feel grateful.

As he was fiddling with his book in an irritated mood, drops of red liquid suddenly fell onto the pure white paper.

While Declan was still confused, not fully grasping the situation, the Grand Duke urgently lifted his son’s face.

“Oh dear…”

He quickly pressed a white handkerchief to his son’s nose. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“You’ll ruin your health this way. This happened because you’ve been reading books all day without a break.”

At his father’s concerned voice, Declan pouted.

“What can I do? Unlike Aila, I’m not in a position to slack off carelessly.”

The Grand Duke’s gaze narrowed as he looked down at his son. Declan didn’t back down either, returning the look with an irritated face. A silent battle of eyes continued between father and son for a moment.

Soon after, the Grand Duke heaved a deep sigh as if admitting defeat.

“I suppose that’s how it must be, Young Master.”

“…Now even Father is mocking me?”

The Grand Duke silently laughed while holding his son’s chin with one hand and pressing the handkerchief to Declan’s nose with the other.

“There, all done.”