Marriage Contract

But the fate took a different turn for Max when he was viciously attacked and cast into a desolate valley by the guards of Jack Alstrain, the third son of Duke Nicholas.

The reason for Max's beating was because Jack was jealous of a him because of a girl in their family showed some kindness to him. Max, who believed that his wretched life was coming to an end, was instead given a chance to live.

As Max was tumbling in to the abyss, an elderly man materialized out of nowhere and rescued him. The old man claimed to be a spirit of one of the ancestors of the Alstrain family, who had long since passed away and left only a remnant soul behind.

The old man appeared and made Max his inheritor, helping him to awaken his mana core and granting him magical powers. Overjoyed by his newfound strength, Max was also given all of the old man's treasures, but on the condition that he will fulfill a favor for old man.

Upon his return to the Alstrain family, Max kept to himself and concentrated on improving his strength. He had already obtained a medicine from the old man to save his mother.

His biggest obstacle now was acquiring resources, as he couldn't obtain anything from the Alstrain family since only an official heir candidate was entitled to a monthly allocation of resources.

The old man refused to give him any resources to improve his strength, insisting that he should be self-reliant.

He know exactly what to do, to achieve a his goals. Max's victory over one of Duke Nicholas's sons was the talk of the whole Alstrain duchy, and news of it spread quickly.

Surprisingly, the Duke summoned Max for a meeting and made a proposal.

Duke Nicholas proposed a deal to him: he would be recognised as an official heir candidate and recommended for enrollment in the magus academy if he agreed to marry the heir of the black dragon Duchy.

Max didn't know why he was chosen for this task over his half-siblings, but he accepted the offer. After all, the wedding was not happening anytime soon.

Duke Nicholas would recommend him personally to attend the Magus Academy. This was a remarkable opportunity for him, and it came as a result of his hard work and dedication.

He saw this as a chance of a lifetime. He knew that resources were abundant in the academy, as long as one could earn contribution points. In contrast, without any strong backing from the Alstrain family, it was impossible to obtain anything of value within the duchy.

With ample time on his hands, he planned to uncover his father's motives and strengthen himself enough to take revenge on the Alstrain family for their past injustices that had caused him and his mother great pain.

He found himself in the academy, gazing at the girl who seemed to be present yet unnoticed by everyone. He had no particular thoughts about her except for his desire to find a way out of the marriage contract.

He held no affection for her whatsoever and he don't want to become a chess pawn of his father.

He anticipated a loud scream from Kathleen, and his prediction came true.

"What! My mother did that? There's no way she would use me as some sort of marriage bargaining chip. You're lying, right?" Kathleen exclaimed, her words stuttering.

"Please, Miss Kathleen, calm yourself. Let me explain. There might be a solution to this." Max spoke softly while keeping a watchful eye on Kathleen's reaction. He had no interest in being stuck with someone like her.

His goal was to bring down the Alstrain family, take revenge on Duke Nicholas, and become the new Duke himself.

He inwardly smiled as he observed Kathleen's panicked expression. 'This girl is too innocent.' He thought to himself. 'She seems to think that everything is over and started panicking. Maybe it's easy this way for me.'

"What do you mean? I have no say in the Duchy's affairs. Even if I dislike this engagement, my mother will likely impose it on me. The black dragon Duchy is in a precarious situation, and this alliance with the Alstrain duchy could be a way to gain a new ally for my family."

"As the heiress to my duchy, I am duty-bound to bear the responsibility and support my family, even if it means marrying someone I do not care for." Kathleen explained in a trembling voice, on the verge of tears.

"It's not true that you must sacrifice yourself for your family. You have the freedom to make your own choices and determine who controls your life. Your mother shouldn't choose a life partner for you without consulting you first, Miss Kathleen. That's why I need your support to break this unwanted marriage contract." Max spoke at length about freedom and life, hoping to persuade her to his side.

"What can I do to help?" Kathleen asked.

"Just stay quiet for now and act as though you've accepted the marriage contract. When I need your help, be there for me. If I can become the main heir candidate of the Alstrain family, then there's a chance we can call off the marriage contract." Max replied.

"Miss Kathleen, I assure you that my intentions are genuine. I don't want to take advantage of you or force you into anything. I believe in love and I would only marry someone if I truly love them, not because of any obligation or political gain. You have my word." He said with a gentle tone as though he was not trying to manipulate the innocent girl infront of him to gain a potential ally in another duchy.

"I accept the deal " Kathleen said, composing herself after their emotional conversation. Once they had discussed the details of the marriage contract, Max departed for the classroom, unaware of the subtle smirk on Kathleen's face that emerged after his departure.