The Jilted Noble Lady's Windfall

Chapter 5

Your Imperial Majesty, the Commander of the Archique Knights greets you on behalf of the Grand Duchess and hopes you will play a role in the diplomatic relations between our two nations that is no less active than that of the previous emperor. Lucius, the leader, possessed a face that could captivate countless people. His posture was erect, yet unlike the gladiators of the arena, he did not possess an intimidating physique that made others step back in fear. Instead, he radiated a refined beauty.

Had it not been for that dazzling mane of red hair, Lucius might well have been the star attraction at a church festival.

Odin's young emperor had heard a little about this illegitimate son of the Grand Duchess of Archique.

At fourteen, he joined the Archique Knights; at fifteen, he entered the Matar Page Training Camp; at seventeen, he succeeded as Archique Knights' commander and became the second-youngest Matar Sacred Knight in history.

Were it not for his illegitimate birth, any ruler would have considered appointing this exceptional heir as successor. Yet despite Lucius's remarkable talents, the Grand Duchess of Archique remained indifferent toward him. This did not, however, prevent the Grand Duchess from employing the bastard son in positions of trust and, to some extent, advancing his career.

“Your Excellency, I deeply regret the state of our nations' friendship,” Odin's young emperor replied, lowering his gaze to deflect Lucius's sarcasm while cautioning him against elevating their betrothal to matters of state diplomacy.

Had Archique Grand Duchess or Marianne been present, they would have declared the young emperor's words mere sophistry.

After all, the boundaries of royal marriages had always been blurred. Yet no one would believe Odin's late emperor had truly betrothed his only son to Marianne out of gratitude toward Grand Duchess Archique.

“Your Majesty, you possess a tongue fit for a diplomat.” Lucius was several years older than the young Emperor of Odin, and since the latter was still a minor, Lucius towered nearly a head above him visually. This height difference left the young Emperor with an irritating sense of being looked down upon.

Tsk! He wanted to gouge out this man's eyes.

Odin's young emperor maintained his gentle, elegant demeanor, but as he drew closer to Lucius, he murmured in a voice only they could hear: “You look like you want to punch me in the face.”

Lucius's golden eyes met the emperor's cloudy pupils, his expression unapologetic. “If you weren't emperor, I'd punch you in the face.”

“That would be a shame,” Odin's little emperor replied, still wearing that infuriating smug look. “After all, no matter how much a stray dog wags its tail at its master, it'll never become a house dog.”

In that moment, the unmasked Odin little emperor was nothing short of nauseating in Lucius's eyes.

“Go back to Archique with your master!”

“Filthy bastard.”

………………………………

“Are you certain nothing's been left behind?” Lucius watched Marianne's servants carry the belongings she intended to take back to her homeland. He took the parasol from the butler's hand with effortless ease, shielding Marianne from the faint sunlight. “You'd better be thorough—I have no desire to turn back midway.” "

“Rest assured, I'd rather not face the little Emperor Odin's displeasure either.” Marianne glanced at Lucius's handsome features, needing no prompting to guess what he'd told the young emperor. “If anything's truly missing, you'd have to ask the little Emperor Odin himself.”

“Why?”

“Because what I left out was a slap.” Marianne saw, unsurprised, the slight surprise in Lucius's eyes, and explained slowly: “Before you arrived, I slapped the little Emperor Odin across the face. I deeply regret it now, because I should have slapped him again to make both sides symmetrical.”

Lucius realized he shouldn't have foolishly worried about Marianne's mental state. After all, she was the child of the Grand Duchess of Archique, inheriting her mother's innate thirst for power.

Rather than fretting over a carefree half-sister, Lucius felt he should focus his attention on himself.

After all, the heir to the Duchy of Archique and the Count of Calda was neither Lucius nor Marianne—whose engagements had been broken off three times—but the only legitimate son of the Grand Duchess of Archique and the Count of Calda.

A prince both Lucius and Marianne detested.

—Henry Lorraine Archique Dunawa.

“Before seeing you, I thought Henry would be the one to fetch me.” On the journey home, Marianne locked eyes with Lucius, who was unusually not riding a horse.

Abigail, who had been accompanying Marianne, couldn't stand the paladin's nauseating aura and had volunteered to join the coachman, weeping in the wind. This gave Lucius the perfect opportunity to share a private word with Marianne.

The Grand Duchess knows you and His Highness Henry don't get along. She also doesn't want Odin to witness Archique's mockery, so she sent me instead. Lucius appraised Marianne from head to toe, adding with a hint of resignation, “Can you guarantee you wouldn't have argued with Henry if he'd come to fetch you?”

Marianne propped her right cheek, retorting meaningfully, “Can you guarantee Henry won't be the one to start the verbal a***e?”

“If he doesn't insult you first, what's the point of him coming to fetch you?” Lucius blurted out instinctively, only to realize he sounded like a self-contradictory fool.

“Never mind. Let's not dwell on this unpleasant topic.” “Lucius sighed and casually asked, ”What are your plans now?"

Though Marianne had her parents' support and wealth to rely on, in traditional society, a noblewoman rejected three times was a complete failure, an object of pity to countless people.

Even if she lived more lavishly and glamorously than some duchesses, what good would it do? No major noble would ever consider marrying a lady rejected three times! And nobles of too low a rank, even if willing to marry into the Archique of Aquila, wouldn't catch Marianne's eye.

Besides, the Grand Duchess of Archique and Count Calda had a legitimate son—there was no need to favor her son-in-law's family.

“Why ask about matters I haven't even considered myself?” Marianne remained more composed than Lucius had anticipated. “Life unfolds day by day. Who can foresee what the future holds?”

“But right now, there is something I wish to do immediately.”

Just as Lucius thought he and Marianne had nothing left to say, she suddenly remembered something. Her eyes brightened as she declared, “When we pass through Saigant, I want to visit Odin's largest slave market.”

Lucius: “If you wish to buy slaves, you can have the broker deliver them to your door.”

“No,” Marianne declined. “Agents can't read minds, so they wouldn't know what I truly desire. Besides, part of the fun of browsing is discovering hidden gems.”

Having been involved in the Archique family business since childhood, Marianne knew that some owners always reserved their best stock for VIP clients who visited in person, rather than agents who might resell them.