CHAPTER 2

"You will sign a marriage contract with my eldest daughter," the elderly man said with a grand and oppressive presence, seated before me.

"I see." I smiled serenely as I savored the green tea that the old butler, known as Fred, had kindly served.

The room Fred had led me to was imposing, larger than any chamber in my own residence, filled with luxuries and ornaments. One might call it extravagant, but only because my fortune pales in comparison to the Duke's.

"You seem remarkably calm for someone about to take the daughter of the most powerful Duke in this realm into your home," the elderly man remarked, his icy blue eyes assessing me coldly.

With his impassive face and eyes as cold as ice, I can only imagine what goes on in his mind at this moment.

To him, I must appear as a pitiful insect, a mere viscount, utterly unqualified to dream of such a union with the precious jewel of his family, Duke Armes Aurora's eldest daughter, Juliane Aurora. I have no qualifications to dare to aspire to such a match, and yet here I am to take her.

It's intriguing how this situation unfolded, but not hard to fathom. The Duke wishes to rid himself of his unwanted daughter, the one considered the black sheep of the Aurora family. The only recorded descendant in their history born without magical power, incapable of bearing offspring. For lesser families, this wouldn't be an issue, as not everyone is born with a mana core. However, for the Auroras, where magic runs in the blood, it's a disgrace. Never before had a member of the main family been born without a magical core.

For smaller noble families, this would be a minor concern. Not everyone is born with a mana core, and it wouldn't cause a family crisis. However, for the Auroras, deeply rooted in magic, it's a stain on their lineage. For the Duke's eldest daughter, the shame is even greater.

Moreover, Juliane's marriage was decided long before her birth, destined to be the future wife of the heir prince. There was still hope she might bear an adequate heir. However, Juliane never managed to conceive, unlike the prince's mistresses and other wives. As a useless woman, unable to procreate, her value vanished completely, and she was returned to the Aurora family.

On top of being devoid of magical power, Juliane is infertile.

They say the Duke was furious, but his hands were tied, for he was the one to produce a defective daughter. He could only punish his daughter to a certain extent; perhaps the thought of killing her crossed his mind, but it would be a shame for him. Perhaps a marriage with a lesser family was a solution, but with all counties already occupied and nearby, rumors about his useless daughter would continue to circulate. To put an end to the matter, the Duke opted to send his daughter as far away as possible. That's where my father came in. Why not marry her to me? A simple viscount living as far away as possible? A land on the border with the Horiental Empire, our enemy neighbor, where frequent invasions resulted in significant losses...

I was nothing but a perfect scapegoat, allowing the Duke to rid himself of his daughter forever and pave the way for a large-scale war.

Hahahaha.

Irritating. Irritating. Irritating. Irritating.

I bite my tongue hard until I taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth, a way to calm myself.

I sigh.

"Hmm? I think the Duke has misunderstood me. I'm nervous, of course, but I'm trying to hide it. Besides, I know I'm not the ideal candidate to marry Miss Juliane. And she'd need to adapt to the climate of our viscounty. It's scorching hot in the summer and freezing in the winter." I start with a slight smile, but then adopt a concerned expression to hide my true emotions.

"At least you understand your place. Even though my daughter is a burden, she's still far above your reach." The Duke sneers.

I could retort to that insult. Oh, how I wished to retort...

"You needn't worry about her adaptation either. With time, she'll get used to it, as she'll spend the rest of her life on your lands." He states firmly, gesturing to Fred.

Fred understands and nods, then brings out some documents and hands them to me along with a quill and inkwell.

It's the marriage contract.

"You can read it if you wish, although there are no downsides for someone like you."

I simply smile and take a few minutes to read through all the clauses. It's a carefully drafted document to ensure the Duke's daughter is never seen by him again. The marriage contract would be valid for a lifetime, and in addition to taking his daughter, my family would receive a generous sum of money, as well as labor slaves, among other provisions.

"Here..." I signed the contract without hesitation, as there was no room for negotiation here.

"Hmph," the Duke grumbled, then fixed his gaze on me, letting a vague threat show through. "Now, take her from here and never bring her back to this house. I don't wish to receive news... I hope you understand!" He warned me.

"Of course, Duke," I replied with a smile, bowing, and then followed the butler Fred. He led me down a different path, not the same one we came through. When we finally arrived, I noticed a grand golden gate, next to which stood my carriage, my maid, and my knights. Besides them, there was another carriage loaded with luggage. It seemed we would be saving at least a month of travel.

However, the most striking aspect was the two women who would accompany me. The shorter one wore a well-fitted maid's uniform and had pointed ears, much like Artiz, along with dark skin.

And the second woman, the... wife.

The useless daughter of the Aurora family.

Juliane Aurora. She was exactly as the rumors described...