Sihon sighed, apparently perplexed. And he appeared to be thinking about what to say, but after a while, he said something unexpected.
“I’m sorry, Lydia, but the way you said it, I don’t think it’s going to be easy to break off the engagement right now.”
The Duke of Sihon Blair is engaged to the daughter of Marquis Amaranth. The marriage can no longer be continued because one of the marriage parties has died.
What could be a more legitimate reason to end the engagement than this?
Even the emperor who forced the marriage of the two families would be forced to reverse his decision if the truth was revealed.
However, he claims that he is unable to break the engagement in this way.
Lydia’s voice trembled as she came up against the unexpected barrier.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
The Duke of Sihon Blair was desperate to end his marriage.
She would gladly give her cards in this situation. Even the man who should be the happiest about the news questions the premise of the reason for the breakup. She was terrified that the terrible possibility of pretending not to know would come true.
Lydia’s defensively turning to the other side to the truth rendered Sihon speechless.
During dinner at the Duke of Blair, she apparently listened to him. The fact that Marchioness Maeve Amaranth, like Lydia, is allergic to peaches.
Of course, as a marriage partner, we can’t help but think about it, even if it’s only a remote possibility. Lydia and the marchioness Amaranth have a mother-daughter relationship, and there may have been a misunderstanding due to an unfortunate incident.
Lydia was also fed up with the prospect of Maeve being her biological mother at the time.
Of course, she will find it difficult to accept because she has been severely abused by Maeve and has grown up believing she is an illegitimate child.
Besides, she doesn’t want to be concerned with other issues as much as she has endured that difficult time with a determination to escape the marquis of Amaranth.
Lydia’s situation was clear to Sihon. Nobody would believe it if it turned out that the people who hated each other were a family.
However, the risk of asking the emperor to annul the marriage, believing that she was only an illegitimate child, was too great for Sihon. If it is later discovered that she was a legitimate child, his plans will be foiled.
I was thinking to myself, ‘Is it really wrong to believe that you can be real child?’
However, Lydia would find it difficult to confirm the truth at this time.
Sihon was lost for words for a long time and had no choice but to wander around.
“I mean… it’s only now that I’ve discovered your true identity and the deception of the Marquis of Amaranth. We still don’t have the evidence.”
“Ah yes.”
Lydia swept her startled chest when Sihon explained clearly.
Sihon spoke calmly after confirming Lydia’s truth.
“I believe in you, but we need a good reason to persuade others.” But all I have now is your testimony. If His Majesty the Emperor interrogates the Marquis of Amaranth to confirm the facts, he will, of course, jump and say no.”
“I doubt His Excellency the Marquis will admit it.”
“As a result, we need to find some solid evidence to make an excuse in order to increase our chances of winning.” For example, evidence of Arwen Amaranth’s death six years ago, testimonies from the people of the land who know you are the marquis’s illegitimate child, and testimonies from officials who allied with the fraud. It won’t be easy, as it was inside the marquis, but it’s not impossible.”
“I see.”
At that moment, the tension was released, and the tears she had suppressed fell.
Lydia wiped her wet eyes quickly with her sleeve. It’s a delicate atmosphere that could shatter if you get too close to it.
Sihon gently placed Lydia on the bed while pressing her thin shoulder.
“I’ve been holding the patient for far too long.” I guess I went overboard when you wasn’t feeling well. Get some sleep. Don’t be concerned. “Everything will be fine.”
“yes.”
Lydia gave a brief response before closing her eyes and burying her face in her pillow.
Sihon leaned against the wall and took a deep breath after leaving the room, careful not to make sound while closing the door.
Sihon’s first priority in breaking up the marriage, like Lydia’s, was to reveal her identity and the marquis’s plot. After that, they went their separate ways, hoping not to cross paths again.
But now I’m not so sure. Is Lydia’s knowledge of the truth accurate?
Sihon abandoned the existing plan as soon as his doubts surfaced
As a result, he must now devise a plan B.
In fact, he had already planned a few things for Plan B.
From destroying the prospective bride’s reputation and establishing grounds for disqualification, to tilting the marquis to the point where he does not deserve to have a son-in-law with the Duke of Blair, and finally removing his marriage partner, as a last resort if there is no other way.
However, when the Duke of Blair realised he had left her with permanent scars, he was also deserving of being discarded as a man.
If that’s the case, how can you end the marriage without hurting her or incurring the Emperor’s wrath?
It was extremely difficult to satisfy both conditions.
There was only one thought that occurred to me.
To tie her to the imperial family.
Prior to his return, the second Prince Daniel expressed interest in her. But by then, the couple had already married.
Maybe it was because they weren’t in a real relationship? Daniel approached her in secret and treated her well. Of course, she turned away from Daniel’s heart at the time.
Arwen was concerned about retaining her position and valued dignity as much as she made bloody efforts to assume the form of a nobility until she safely became Duchess Blair, after the daughter of the Marquis of Amaranth.
Even if she didn’t have a proper marriage with her husband, she couldn’t harm her reputation by having an affair.
However, the fact that she was unloved by her husband and attracted the wrong man harmed Arwen’s reputation.
Even low-ranking nobles bet on ‘when the duke’s wife will be handed over to the second prince.’
The Viscountess Hudson was one of them. Of course, the chatty lady could not escape the noble’s wrath.
Arwen summoned the Viscountess Hudson and slapped her in the face with a fan until she told herself of the rumours she had spread.
Then she got down on his wife’s knees and publicly confessed and apologised for her sins.
In fact, Sihon was surprised to see her frail appearance after returning.
That’s how depressing it was.
I’d rather do the same to those who bully me as she did before my return. What has she been going through all this time?
And I think I finally understand why such a frail and depressed young lady had to transform into such a ferocious and sharp figure.
Anyway, I’m not sure what she thought of the second prince Daniel at the time.
However, it was true that the second Prince Daniel was interested in her and that she occasionally interacted with his assistance.
Emperor Lexus, who forced the marriage of the two families, regretted the mixed marriage because he favoured the second prince.
He said bitterly, as if passing by before the return, ‘If I had known Daniel would be interested in the Duchess, I would not have engaged them when I was young.’
Perhaps, in this life, if the beloved son’s heart and the woman he desires are confirmed before the marriage, the emperor will overthrow the order to marry them.
That was the possibility Sihon hoped for.
If there’s one thing that bothers me, it’s that the 2nd Prince Daniel is also an unusual individual.
Daniel was only nice to people he liked, regardless of their social standing. And others were treated as if they were inanimate objects.
Daniel once barged in on the Duke of Blair with a security force.
It is said that while having dinner at the Duke’s house at the Duchess’s invitation, he discovered that scented candles that cause infertility were lit in the Duchess’s room.
Using this as an excuse, Daniel immediately fired the maid and two other maids who were involved in the process of purchasing and lighting the scented candles in question.
The young viscountess Charlotte Payla, a distant relative, was then appointed the duke’s maid.
It happened while Sihon was going down to his territory to settle the situation because there was a flood in the Duchy of Blair and a dam burst at the time.
When Sihon returned to the capital after hearing the news, the case had already been closed.
Daniel’s plan was to place his own person next to her.
After hearing all of the security forces’ briefings and the butler’s report, Sihon had a good understanding of the situation.
There was no reason for the maids to induce her infertility. The maids are well aware that Sihon is not in a marital relationship with her.
The evidence presented by the security forces was inconclusive as well. There was no order to prove that the maid and two maids ordered the scented candles in question until now, and there was no witness that the maid and two maids visited the scented candles store.
Other maids who were not involved in the case consistently denied it, claiming that they saw the scented candle in the Duchess’s room for the first time that day.
Nonetheless, because of Daniel’s influence, the execution was carried out immediately before the trial of the three servants.
Daniel lightly affirmed when Sihon refuted based on the inferences.
It is true that I did my own play. I cleaned it up because it was annoying, what’s the problem?
Of course, it was recognized only in private without legal effect.
Daniel was a man who would do whatever he could to achieve his purpose.
He had no qualms about blaming someone for something they didn’t even do, and he was unconcerned about the kind of misfortune they endured if it weren’t for those he cared about.
I couldn’t predict what the unruly man would do to Lydia before falling in love with her.
As a result, Sihon decided to construct a bridge between Lydia and Daniel while they were still engaged.
If they are happy with each other, they will gradually prepare to end their engagement, but if Daniel treats Lydia recklessly or she shows signs of reluctance, he plans to protect her under the guise of their engagement.
Prior to that, it had to be established from the premise that Lydia was indeed the daughter of the Marquis of Amaranth.
it is an interesting way for a love triangle to form lol He is the one that starts it before he changes his mind later lol
… this man is unbelievably funny. Congrats bestie, you played yourself. So fucking hard! If this was solely from Lydia’s pov, 100% the prince would be the true male lead!