Duke Ashillean’s Contractual Marriage

“I am telling you all this for your sake, Louis. The House of the Scholars had been destroyed, so where else can you return but us, Graham Family?”

Would he threaten me that I wouldn’t enter the family if I don’t listen to him?

“For the sake of my family and for you, I am giving you the highest place a man can rise.” Count Graham spoke proudly, as if Louismond had already obtained the position of the Emperor’s husband.

‘No, who says I will do as you say?’

Kkung, Louismond covered his head and groaned.

“We are talking about the King – no, the former King. Did you forget that I was an illegitimate child?”

“How can you say it like that? You are of course the jewel my daughter left behind.”

“Just saying that won’t make the fact that I was the former King’s illegitimate son disappear. But are you saying that you are bringing me to the Emperor who killed the former King?”

Was my maternal grandfather such an idiot? How can he carelessly jump in when he didn’t have any idea there was a pit of fire in front of him with only his greed in power?

‘D**n it. You jump in on your own, why are you dragging me in?’

He could vividly imagine himself crawling inside the Emperor’s bedroom and being decapitated by either Duke Dominent or Duke Feltharg. His yet to be decapitated throat felt cold.

“The Emperor killed the King and the Royal Family who inherited the blood of Ainnus as soon as the Battle of Dawn was over. Can you leave me alone for just one day? Don’t you think that will incriminate the proud Graham Family?”

Louismond said cynically as he glared at Count Graham, who was about to push him to his death.

‘No, why is this kid so smart?’ Count Graham was perplexed in his heart, but it soon calmed down.

He was a tyrant’s loyalist, but he quickly changed his course and became the new Emperor’s loyalist that he even survived. He wasn’t easily shaken by the whining of his grandson.

“Worry not. Her Majesty promised that he would sever all your ties to the world, and that she wouldn’t kill you with your courage to enter the House of Scholars.”

“….”

Saying that the Emperor won’t kill me and making me her husband aren’t the same thing, so how can you be so confident?

As Louismond stared at him with a cold expression, Count Graham hastily opened his mouth, “Listen, that would be the day at the opening celebration of the Empire.”

The Emperor rarely descended from a high platform and mingled among the nobility. The three Dukes were naturally following behind her. The nobles, regardless of rank, rushed to the Emperor in order not to miss this opportunity.

[‘Your Majesty, shouldn’t you now think of an heir to pass on to you this great achievement? When are you going to welcome your husband?’]

One day, a foolish Count pretended to be loyal and shouted. The people at the banquet hall naturally froze at once. Discussing the succession with the young Emperor – this was a remark that could be considered treason depending on the Emperor’s intentions.

Having experienced the reign of tyranny in the past, the nobles of the Kingdom of Aden couldn’t even breathe properly and became terrified. Everyone was frightened and looked at the Emperor.

[‘Oh dear, why did such a question didn’t come out?’] Callena smiled as she opened her mouth.

Heok, the nobles exhaled the breath they had been holding back.

[‘It is also the duty of an Emperor to establish his successor. I have no intention of neglecting that duty, but I think it will take some time to find a suitable companion.’] Callena said as she pointed to Cadric and Rudante who were following her. [‘I see this kind of face every day, so how can it be easy to find a companion I am satisfied with? Isn’t that right, Duke Ashillean?’]

[‘You are right, after all, a man should have a face.’] Rubiana faced them with a blunt face.

That day created a new hobby for the nobles – the hobby of searching the continent and presenting all kinds of handsome men to the Emperor.

“Louis, the position of the Emperor’s concubine is yours!”

Count Graham dreamed of turning his life around as a hobby, trying to shove Louismond into the Emperor’s bedroom.

Louismond tasted an indescribable feeling.

But it didn’t matter what Louismond was thinking.

Three days later, Louismond was caught by the servants while he was sleeping, decorated him, and put inside the carriage which will bring him to the Imperial Palace to meet with the Emperor.

“Oh my, did Count Graham have any grandchildren? I heard that all your three sons have no children yet.”

The supreme being who sat on that high place – Callena looked down at the two of them with interest.

‘Lies.’

Louismond still remembered what Rudante told him.

[‘You ask me why Her Majesty wants this?’]

He obviously said that.

“He is the only jewel my daughter has left behind.” Count Graham answered in a clear voice and poked Louismond to his side.

“Ugh.” Louismond groaned and shook his head.

It was Count Graham’s grand plan to reveal Louismond’s handsome face – to be suspected of – to the Emperor and make them fall in love at first sight. Louismond looked up without permission and looked into the Emperor’s eyes.

“…!”

He had goosebumps all over his body.

‘You’re telling me those were the eyes smitten with men?’

Goodness gracious, those weren’t the eyes that were greedy for handsome men, but rather, those were the eyes of a hungry lion playing with a rabbit in his hand.

‘Crazy.’

Louismond bowed his head again.

“Louis, what are you doing? You must show Her Majesty your beauty in detail, hurry!”

Count Graham didn’t give up and continued to pinch Louismond’s side. He pinched him so hard that it was so painful tears watered his eyes, but Louismond never lifted his head.

The back of his neck still felt cold – he felt like the cold blade was pressing against it. It really felt like his neck would be cut off. All he could think of was his wish her gaze would turn to hunger – if she was only a little less hungry.

‘Are you going to cut my neck at once?’