The End of First Love - Chapter 6

“Duke Baker, thank you for inviting me today.”

(I don’t recall inviting you.)

Staring at the man in front of him, Duke Baker swallowed a sigh that almost escaped his lips.

Now was not the time to let his guard down in front of Heinz. He had noticed for a while now—despite the ever-present smile on Heinz’s face, his eyes remained completely devoid of warmth.

“Standing around is pointless. Sit.”

“Excuse me.”

Heinz sat on the opposite sofa, still wearing that same unchanging smile. Now, how much of this man’s true intentions could he uncover?

“So, what is this formal discussion about? We see each other every day. Whatever it is, the royal palace’s office should have sufficed, no?”

“Heh, Duke, you’re quite the cunning man. There’s no way we could discuss Lady Elizabeth’s engagement in that office, where anyone could be listening. Ah, so that’s why you’ve avoided personal talks with me for the past six months.”

“Hmph. Elizabeth was just recently cast aside by Prince William. Her wounds have yet to heal—talking about a new engagement now is out of the question.”

“You say that, but you never intended to let her marry the second prince in the first place, did you?”

His quiet remark made one of Duke Baker’s eyebrows twitch, but he pretended not to hear it. It struck too close to home, and it pained his chest.

Truth be told, he never intended for Elizabeth to marry that foolish prince. Among the Four Great Duke Houses, his was the only one with a daughter. By all rights, Elizabeth should have been engaged to the Crown Prince. However, it was Elizabeth herself who had insisted on the second prince’s hand. At the tender age of ten, she had fallen for Prince William and was utterly fixated on becoming his fiancée. Duke Baker hadn’t been able to dismiss her wishes outright, so when the offer for the Crown Prince’s betrothal came, he had countered with the condition that she would only marry the second prince.

He had hoped it was merely a fleeting infatuation and that Elizabeth would eventually come to her senses. Ten years passed, and yet, she remained blindly devoted to Prince William. It was enough to give even her own father a headache.

Just thinking about his daughter, still secluded in their territory, made him want to hold his head in his hands.

“…Is Lady Elizabeth still recovering in your territory?”

“Yes. But she can’t stay like this forever. It’s been six months since she withdrew from society. If this continues any longer, her future will truly be ruined.”

“A reasonable assessment. The rumors about her have died down. But wouldn’t you say she needs something to reintroduce herself into society?”

“And by ‘something,’ do you mean an engagement with you?”

“There’s no better way, is there? A marriage between the neutral Duke Baker House and the Crown Prince faction’s Duke Schwein House—it would turn high society upside down. The gossip about Lady Elizabeth would disappear in an instant.”

“Is your goal to throw the aristocracy into chaos? To dismantle the balance of power? What exactly are you scheming?”

“Haha, I’m not scheming anything. I simply wish to fulfill my dream. A dream I’ve had since childhood.”

“To hell with your dream! Don’t drag Elizabeth into it!”

“That, I cannot do.”

“Heinz… enough! Whatever you’re planning, I won’t let you involve Elizabeth. This engagement—”

“Duke Baker. Even if you call off the engagement, I will not give up. I will have Elizabeth. That is absolute.”

“You—!”

The warmth vanished from Heinz’s expression. His sharp gaze sent a chill down Duke Baker’s spine.

(So the rumors were true after all…)

Several years ago, around the time Elizabeth’s engagement to the second prince was officially decided, a major incident nearly brought the royal palace’s operations to a standstill. Back then, the Crown Prince and the second prince each handled different royal affairs. During that period, a trade negotiation with another country, entrusted to the second prince, was driven to the brink of collapse.

The Crown Prince had intervened and quickly resolved the issue, preventing a disaster. However, that incident marked the beginning of the second prince’s decline—his political influence dwindled, and eventually, he was removed from royal duties altogether.

At the time, the incident was dismissed as a result of the second prince’s negligence. However, there were whispers that someone had orchestrated it behind the scenes to oust the second prince.

If Heinz had been the one pulling the strings… If his goal had been to force the annulment of Elizabeth’s engagement to the second prince…

Back then, it had seemed like a ridiculous theory. But now, seeing the sheer force of Heinz’s presence, Duke Baker couldn’t shake the thought that it might have been true all along.

(Does Heinz… truly love Elizabeth? Impossible…)

“My apologies, Duke. It seems I let my impatience get the better of me. After all, I’ve been waiting for six months.”

The pressure in the room vanished as Heinz returned to his usual composed demeanor.

“Hmph. What’s six months? Heinz, I don’t know what you’re after, but I will never approve of an engagement between you and Elizabeth. I refuse to make her a pawn in some political game. I want her to marry the man she truly loves and be happy. That is the decision of House Baker.”

“Then, if Lady Elizabeth herself agrees to the engagement, will your house also accept it?”

“That would be the case. But I doubt you could sway her heart. No one in our family has been able to turn her away from Prince William. You have no place in her heart.”

“…You truly are a troublesome man.”

For a brief moment, Heinz’s irritation flickered across his face before his usual smile returned.

“Well, the future is uncertain. Who knows? Perhaps Lady Elizabeth will come to see me differently.”

“You’re as arrogant as ever.”

“Haha, if I gave up from the start, I’d never be able to claim her. Perhaps it’s time for you to start letting go, Duke.”

“You insolent—!”

“Oh, one more thing. As things stand, I am at a disadvantage. I have a request. Allow me to spend one week in your territory with Lady Elizabeth.”

“What!? She is an unmarried woman!”

“I wouldn’t ask to be alone with her. How about we invite her friends, Lady Iris and Lady Miranda, along with their partners? I’m sure Lady Elizabeth would love to see them again. Also… I will share something you would no doubt be interested in—how to make a marriage between two ducal houses possible.”

(What!? Does Heinz have a way to silence the royal family?)

“Are you truly planning to secure the king’s approval for your marriage to Elizabeth?”

“Of course. I have already laid the groundwork.”

His usual smirk disappeared, replaced by an unwavering determination. Duke Baker could feel it—Heinz wasn’t just after an engagement. He was serious about building a future with Elizabeth.

(So this is his dream…?)

“I see… A marriage between ducal houses? I have no interest in such matters. If it is necessary, you will handle it. I will not tell Elizabeth that you are a suitor. Is that acceptable?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Very well. I will send a fast messenger to the territory.”

“Thank you. I will arrange my arrival for a week from now.”

“One last thing. Why did the Crown Prince faction prevent Elizabeth from hearing about Prince William’s affairs with other women? His mistresses were all daughters of the Crown Prince’s allies. Surely, you could have used them to poison Elizabeth against him?”

“Duke Baker, I believe you already suspect the answer. There is always a perfect moment to break an engagement. Now that all the pieces are in place, it was finally time to act.”

“Father, how did your discussion with Lord Heinz go?”

As Duke Baker returned to his chambers, his son, Riddle, greeted him.

“Elizabeth has certainly caught the eye of a cunning strategist. The title of next Prime Minister is not just for show. I must hurry and write to Elizabeth and Milia in our territory.”