The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce

22

Despite his troubles, Alter calmly reflected on the original content of the work.

The pureblood vampires weren’t a major part of the original story, and they often clashed with Brillié.

Even if he was the male lead, to Brillié, he was undeniably a threatening presence.

Perhaps their deaths now would ensure Brillié’s safety.

‘Would there be a problem if vampires didn’t exist?’

After much thought, Alter harbored doubts.

The pureblood vampires certainly had interactions with Brillié, and there was an emotional exchange depicted.

However, the fact that Brillié’s blood was coveted remained unchanged, and even that exchange stemmed from pity and a sense of alienation.

Overall, it’s nothing but a nuisance to Brillie, but do I really need to leave him be as the male lead?

‘Now that I think about it, it seems only Brillie is at a loss…’

“Um… when did you start using magic?”

Brillie hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously.

Even Alter’s father was unaware that he could wield magic.

Meaning, he had received no such information from the Duke of the North.

Of course, it was possible that Alter had kept it a secret from the Duke as well, so it couldn’t be concluded rashly.

“I originally intended to keep it a secret. As you can see, my body can’t handle it. I didn’t want to give others false hope.”

“Ah…”

Brillie finally understood Alter’s psyche.

If it became known that a scion of the Ducal family had a talent for magic, society would undoubtedly take interest.

And if Alter were encouraged by those around him, he would inevitably find himself in troublesome situations.

What if, in a moment of desperation, he used magic and collapsed? Would that not lead to baseless rumors?

“You must be curious about why I used magic?”

“Don’t you trust me? It’s not like you don’t know my abilities…”

“It’s not that I doubted your abilities. But… I was there beside you. In such a situation, you could have been hurt trying to protect me.”

“…”

Brillie tried to say something but then gave up.

He hadn’t even swung his sword at the monsters, yet he was leading with worry and anxiety.

If he had a bit of faith in me, he wouldn’t have collapsed, coughing up blood.

Why couldn’t he wait until I took action?

“If I use magic, I can attack from a distance. But wielding a sword means I have to get close to the enemy. You, Brillie, were in more danger than I. Do you still think I was wrong?”

“Did you think I hadn’t considered that? If you had waited a little longer, I would have handled it.”

“What if you got hurt… or worse, died? Should I just blame myself then?”

“That’s…”

Brillie couldn’t accept the words but couldn’t deny them either.

From Alter’s perspective, the instinctive thought of danger must have surfaced.

Given the circumstances, he couldn’t rely on me, so he must have intervened reluctantly.

“I won’t say I did the right thing. But Brillie, you weren’t hurt, and I ended up bedridden for three days. Isn’t that enough?”

“So it’s okay as long as I’m not hurt? Someone else can collapse and spit blood? Why do you get to decide that alone?”

“The situation is urgent…”

“Shouldn’t you be more careful if you know your own condition? What will you do if you die? Do you think I’d be at ease seeing you like that?”

“…”

Alter finally closed his mouth and cast his gaze downward.

For Brillié, that decision was not easily acceptable.

She was unaware that pureblood vampires were after her blood, or that the number of enemies she had to face had increased compared to the original work.

Moreover, her own overwhelming power meant she didn’t even consider the possibility of defeat.

“Don’t do this next time. I really thought you were going to die.”

Brillié murmured slowly with a sorrowful look in her eyes.

She could recover quickly even if she got hurt a little.

But for Alter, her fiancé, even a minor injury could be life-threatening.

That’s why she should be more careful with her body, but did she really have to push herself so hard?

“Yes. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“You should lie down today. It won’t do any good if it gets worse, right?”

“I can still move…”

“Just lie down. You understand, right?”

“…”

Alter hesitated for a moment, then nodded his head.

Brillié was staring at him with a cold gaze.

She seemed ready to force him into bed if he didn’t listen.

‘This is a bit troublesome… What should I say to Duke Ilenath?’

***

Cadeon felt a bit relieved upon hearing that Alter had awakened.

If he hadn’t, it would have caused a conflict with the Northern Duke.

And if things got worse, the Emperor himself would have had to step in to mediate between him and the Northern Duke.

‘I can’t even say anything. It happened while trying to protect my daughter…’

Cadeon stood in front of Alter’s room, lost in thought.

He had never heard that the youngest son of the Duke’s family could use magic.

Moreover, it was difficult to blame him since he was attacked while out with his daughter.

‘But they said his magic was exceptional, didn’t they? He must be talented.’

Kadeon knocked on the door slowly and entered the room.

Kadeon had already grasped the entire course and outcome of the incident through his connections.

Since the mage who investigated the scene had given his opinion, it had to be considered somewhat credible.

“Oh… You’ve come?”

Brillie, who was sitting by the bed, recognized Kadeon first.

Alter tried to get up belatedly, but Kadeon immediately waved him off.

“Stay as you are. I just came by for a moment.”

“Ah, yes…”

“Brillie. I would appreciate it if you could step out for a bit.”

“… I’ll be outside.”

Brillie wanted to argue about what was being said behind his back, but this time, he chose to comply quietly.

He was partly to blame for Alter’s injury.

He didn’t want to cause any strife, not even a verbal fight with his father.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better. I think I could move now… but they told me to keep observing a bit longer, so I’m still lying down.”

“It’s best to do as they say for now. If it worsens, it won’t be good for either you or me.”

“… That is true.”

Alter was fully aware of Kadeon’s concerns.

If a problem arose with him, it would inevitably lead to a clash with the Great Duke of the North.

That’s why he was trying to take every precaution to avoid controversy.

“I won’t say anything about this incident. Neither you nor Brillie could help it.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“So, you must be honest with me too. How much magic have you learned?”

“Learned, you say? I’ve only read books, hardly ever used it in practice.”

“You knew you could use it and still went through with it at that moment?”

“Yes. I thought my fiancée wouldn’t be swept up in my magic.”

“…”

Kadeon continued in silence, yet he couldn’t bring himself to agree.

Just as he said, Brillie was unaffected by Alter’s magic.

Nevertheless, the fact that he had cast such an extensive spell meant it had to be manipulated with considerable precision.

“Using magic is forbidden, isn’t it?”

“I thought I could endure it a bit since my condition has improved compared to before. But… the outcome wasn’t good.”

“There are levels to magic, aren’t there? Didn’t you exert yourself too much?”

“Perhaps that’s why I couldn’t get up for three days. I used it thinking I had to survive.”

“Hmm…”

Kadeon compared the words Alter had said and finally came to understand the situation.

Alter has excellent magical talent, but his physical body is not whole, which brings its own limitations.

That’s why he had avoided using magic, but when faced with the beasts, he had no choice but to give it his all.

As a result, he bore a tremendous burden and couldn’t wake up for three days.

“There was no other choice, was there? If my daughter had to fight to protect you, it must have been tough.”

“I thought it better that I collapse for a moment than for my fiancé to get hurt.”

“Hmm… So that’s what happened.”

Kadeon looked at Alter quietly for a while and then sighed.

This incident had caused various complications, but it was not possible to blame anyone.

He thought it best to explain things well to the Duke of the North.

“Duke Ilenath, what do you think about letting this matter rest as it is?”

“… You mean to keep it a secret from Duke Radiant?”

“It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just that both my fiancé and I were unlucky. I don’t want to cause trouble for you, Duke Ilenath.”

“It can’t be hidden for long. Those who need to know, already know… Eventually, Duke Radiant will find out too.”

Kadeon didn’t want to stir up controversy.

If something needs to be hidden, it must be dealt with so that it never comes to light.

If that’s impossible, it’s better to disclose it as soon as possible to avoid any misunderstandings.

“I’ll handle it myself. You should focus on recuperating.”

“… Understood. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t scold my fiancé. It was my own doing, and my fiancé is not at fault.”

“How could I reprimand you? My daughter is suffering more.”

“…”

Alter solemnly accepted the meaning behind those words.

Brillie must have explained the situation at that time to Kadeon.

Since she admitted her own fault, Kadeon probably just listened quietly.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Cadeon no longer inquired and rose from his seat.

It was an affair that Brilly and her fiancé had caused, and he ought to bear the consequences.

It was a marriage of strategy for the family, with negotiations with the Duke of the North as a precondition.

“…One last question. Have you developed feelings for my daughter?”

Cadeon, reaching for the doorknob, turned around instead.

Alter was momentarily taken aback but replied composedly.

“I have not developed feelings. She is merely… someone I am engaged to.”

“I see.”

With that, Cadeon finally opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Brilly glanced sideways at Cadeon before swiftly entering the room.

‘…Was it a sense of responsibility that drove him? But it need not be so.’

Cadeon stepped forward with skepticism.

Even a hint of responsibility could be drawn from affection.

If one only wishes to love, to be loved, they would strive to do anything.

‘Affection… it arises before one realizes, and even after realization, it does not fade.’

Cadeon too had once harbored affection for a person, as a human being.

But it was a fleeting emotion, and eventually, he succumbed to reality and inherited the title of Duke.

He regretted that choice and blamed himself, but now even that was a faded memory.

‘Reconsidering the broken engagement might be necessary. Who knows? Perhaps that affection could bring about a change.’