The Grand Duke is Obsessed with the Fake Villainess Chapter 13

[Translator – Kie][Proofreader – Starfall]

Chapter 13: The Right Marriage Partner

Finding the right marriage partner.

That was the goal of most noble young ladies as they attended countless social gatherings. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

However, the young lady sitting calmly before Phillip, sharing her story, was different from the usual noble ladies.

“I don’t really know what a happy life after marriage is like, or what happiness as a wife and a mother means.”

Knowing that Philip had already understood her intentions, Selina confessed honestly.

“My mother passed away when I was six years old. Her health deteriorated after giving birth to me, and she suffered greatly until her last day. My father was always out, searching for medicine for her and working to earn money for her treatment. I rarely saw them share a tender moment.”

Phillip sipped his tea quietly.

‘She didn’t have a happy childhood. But despite that, she seems to have grown up well-educated and well-mannered.’

Recalling a moment from her childhood that had deeply shocked her, Selina continued.

“Exactly one year after my mother passed away, my father brought home someone he intended to marry. That person is the current Countess Flora of Arsene.”

Philip thought to himself, noticing the slight frown on her face as she spoke.

‘She’s not close to her stepmother, and this is her way of saying it.’

Nodding in understanding, Phillip asked, “But you had a fiancé, didn’t you? Even then, you didn’t want to get married?”

“That was a condition I accepted when I was fourteen, in order to become the Acting Head of the family.”

“So what you want is to continue working at the merchant group. You think you won’t be able to run the Arsene merchant group if you get married and become a member of the Grand Duke’s family.”

“Yes. That’s why I can’t get married.”

Seeing Selina’s firm words and gaze, Phillip thought for a moment and asked, “What if I told you that you could continue to run the Arsene merchant group independently even after marriage?”

Surprised by Phillip’s proposal, Selina questioned, “Is that even possible?”

Philip thought it was adorable how Selina’s eyes widened in surprise, and he answered her kindly.

“My lady, the world is vast, and there are still many things you don’t know yet. If you truly want to become a merchant group leader, you need to see and learn more. There are countless families where the husband and wife run separate businesses. Ask your father, Count Arsene, too. If he’s willing to appoint his daughter, not his son, as his Acting Head, he must have seen and heard a lot already.”

Phillip smiled warmly and continued.

“Honestly, my dream is to see my son marry the person he loves, have children, and live a long and happy life. That’s the only way I can face my late wife with pride in the afterlife.”

“I…”

“But I understand why you wrote this contract, Lady Arsene. I can imagine the thoughts that went into writing each word. As a father, I shouldn’t say this, but…”

Philip paused for a moment, then made a serious suggestion.

“How about changing this from an engagement to a marriage? Marry my son and live together for two years without getting a divorce. I won’t ask you to have children, and I won’t force you to be a housewife. Just try it for two years.”

“…”

“Through this you can achieve what you want, Lady Arsene, and Janus can live happily for two years. It’s not a bad deal. If you want a divorce after two years, bring the revised contract to me then. I’ll help you get the divorce you want.”

Selina’s heart wavered.

‘I was just planning to have a short engagement with the Grand Duke to improve my bad reputation…’

She needed public opinion to shift in her favor – the idea that a woman engaged to the beloved Grand Duke couldn’t be a true villain.

She thought that having Janus by her side would make people more likely to believe her when she and Eric revealed the truth later.

‘Marriage…’

Seeing Selina’s hesitation, Philip drove the point home.

“Shall we make a bet? I’ll bet that you won’t bring the contract back after two years. If I lose, I’ll give you the most fertile land in our territory, Lady Arsene.”

* * *

The following evening, Count Arsene entered the room where the Emperor was having dinner.

“Oh, Count Arsene. Welcome.”

“I heard Your Majesty summoned me and came right away, but were you in the middle of your meal?”

“I had a busy schedule today, so I couldn’t eat until this awkward hour. Would you like to join me?”

Although he said that, the Emperor had already prepared this meal, knowing that Count Arsene had not yet eaten.

There were many dishes, mostly Count Arsene’s favorites.

Count Arsene also noticed the table setting and immediately realized.

‘It seems His Majesty has a favor to ask of me.’

Thanks to this intuition, he was able to survive by the current Emperor’s side.

On the battlefield, he sacrificed his shoulder for the Emperor and eventually put down his sword.

Afterward, he took the initiative to handle troublesome matters before anyone could even mention them.

Not only that, but every time he boarded a merchant ship, he brought mysterious items from other continents to the imperial family, making Dale Arsene an irreplaceable figure.

“I hear you’re busy with the joint venture these days?”

“We’ve been preparing for three years, and it’s on the verge of collapse, so we’re struggling to salvage it.”

“Oh dear. The other party in this venture… Isn’t it the Patel family? They have no foresight. I permitted the marriage between the two families for their future prosperity, but they broke off the engagement. What’s wrong with our Selina that they would throw away such good fortune? Shall I punish them instead?”

The joint venture hadn’t completely fallen apart yet, so the Emperor’s intervention was troublesome.

Knowing the Emperor was saying this deliberately, Count Arsene bowed his head and spoke.

“Your Majesty, you don’t have to go that far for someone like me. The two families will work together to resolve this matter.”

The Emperor took a sip of water and then said what he had prepared.

“Honestly, the rumors circulating in society about Selina these days… They really upset me. How could they know her better than I do, who has watched her grow up? Selina is a kind and sensible girl. I would gladly welcome her as my daughter-in-law.”

At those words, Count Arsene looked up in surprise.

‘Daughter-in-law?’

“Why are you so surprised? We talked about this in passing before. The little ones adorably refused snacks, saying they didn’t like each other, and we laughed it off. But they’re not at the age to mindlessly refuse anymore.”

Beside the chuckling Emperor, Count Arsene couldn’t bring himself to smile.

The Count hastily lowered his head and said,

“Your, Your Majesty. Back then, it was fine to joke like that because the children were young, but it’s different now. Our family… is too humble. The thought of my daughter as the Crown Princess is quite frightening.”

“Indeed, if she marries my son, her status would surpass yours. It must be daunting. Hahaha.”

“Your Majesty.”

Count Arsene looked up, his eyes pleading for the Emperor to take back his words, but the Emperor calmly replied,

“Hearing that the lovely girl was jilted, I couldn’t help but worry. How could she find another suitable partner after this? I’m merely trying to ease your concerns.”

“Selina is…”

‘If she goes to the imperial family, it’ll be a path filled with thorns. This distance from the imperial family is just right. We can’t get too close, nor too far.’

“She’s not ready yet.”

“What are you talking about? Selina is 17 years old.”

“I understand, Your Majesty, but… There’s someone else in our family who should marry before Selina. It wouldn’t feel right to prioritize her happiness over his.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue in disapproval at Count Arsene’s excuse and asked,

“Are you talking about your stepson?”

“Yes. He came to the mansion with Flora when he was young.”

“Your commoner wife must be quite envious. Selina must be having a hard time at home.”

Count Arsene forced a smile and remained silent.

“But you’re only seeing one side of the coin. Think about it. Wouldn’t it be easier for the nobles to accept your stepson’s commoner background if he were the Crown Princess’s brother?”

Count Arsene’s heart sank.

‘Such persistence means the Emperor has made up his mind. Is there a specific reason why he wants Selina?’

He felt sick to his stomach but forced himself to nod in agreement.

“We’ll skip the engagement and proceed directly to the wedding.”

The Emperor excitedly laid out his plans, but Count Arsene heard nothing.

[Translator – Kie]

[Proofreader – Starfall]