This compilation includes all of that content. Shane added.

Reform too…? It was clear that the things Valentin would have to do as Duchess after marriage were not simple.

[You don’t need to worry too much.]

Are you saying this is someone else’s problem…? How can you say don’t worry after seeing this? The small Valentin in his heart shouted timidly while flipping over the table. Of course, only in that small and narrow heart.

[The Duchess of Haddington, who is currently actively helping with the wedding, will take charge of the education.]

[Huh!]

That’s even more of a problem…! Valentin unknowingly made a strange sound and sat down as soon as the name of the Duchess of Haddington came up.

The Duchess of Haddington. She was someone he had been introduced to recently for full-fledged wedding preparations.

Reynard explained that she was his father’s cousin and like a sister who grew up together under the same wet nurse as the current Duke of Dennox.

The Duchess he actually met had an upright appearance and a straight personality worthy of being called the matriarch of a great noble family. She also used the speech of the upper class perfectly without any gaps, and Valentin had never heard such a perfect accent of Western dialect before. She had a face that looked like she would take out a cane if you slurred your words or pronounced ‘t’ carelessly.

Moreover, even though she had married into another family and lived there for much longer, she had tremendous pride in the Dennox ducal family, which was her essence and starting point. As if there might be another grand Dennox surname attached after her name… If she could use the Dennox name as a middle name besides her married family name, it was a pride that would make her use it in large capital letters for every signature.

To receive education on these enormous number of things from such a person…

She was already someone who lived saying “Keep your posture straight. Straighten your back!” while pointing out minor things like how Valentin held his teacup whenever they talked and exchanged opinions.

He could almost hear the voice of the Duchess of Haddington saying, “The ducal family must show its dignity through face and body.”

Valentin put his hand to his forehead, feeling like his head was about to spin.

[Valentin, are you okay?]

Cecilia, sitting next to him, asked as she saw Valentin’s shocked face. Before he could answer, shaking his head, Shane’s next business poured out.

[What I gave you earlier are things you’ll perform in the duchy, and this is what I’ve prepared.]

[What is this now?]

Here’s another thick stack of documents.

[These are the requirements from the current imperial family for the ducal family welcoming a new member.]

[The ducal family?]

[More precisely, these are things for the Duchess-to-be to perform.]

From the imperial family? Not only the duchy, but what else do I have to do regularly at the imperial palace?

[His Majesty the Emperor wishes to form a closer and more intimate relationship with the ducal family than now. But my superior… Um…]

He cut his words short, but it was obvious what he was trying to say.

[My superior, Colonel Dennox, has some aspects that are… very… no, slightly unsuitable for maintaining and working on such a close and social relationship with the imperial family.]

That will and effort to somehow package his superior, who was about to get married, in the best way possible. The beads of sweat on Shane’s forehead were speaking for that.

[His Majesty knows this well, so he hopes that the Duchess-to-be, who is more adept at socializing and grew up in the capital, will play such a role as a bridge or glue in the future…]

As he kept packaging and speaking indirectly like this and that, it seemed even Shane himself had lost his way on how to conclude this request that was not really a request.

Moreover, the packaging was excessive. He expressed it as being adept at socializing, but everyone present knew that wasn’t true. He probably said it that way just because Valentin was relatively better than Reynard…

[Yes… I see…]

Valentin answered vaguely in a way that would have made the Duchess of Haddington frown if she had seen it. In other words, the ending was too long.

Should I show in person how much one can stumble in social circles even if they were born and raised in the capital… Valentin’s dizziness was compounded by a headache.

Wouldn’t this be like proving that I’m an idiot with no smooth social skills…? This kind of thing would suit someone like Evener Luwin who’s an expert at showing off… Valentin was now about to take on all these tremendous tasks in life that he had never imagined and didn’t suit his aptitude.

To have to jump into the center of the great noble social circles where every single word needs to be said indirectly and complexly with hidden meanings… Could there be anything more horrible in the world…

Just imagining it made him feel like his blood was freezing.

As if his business wasn’t finished even after handing over the thick booklet and stack of documents to Valentin, Shane pushed up his glasses and said. The lens flashed dangerously for a moment as it moved.

[The press will pay a lot of attention from now on.]

[Reporters?]

[Yes. The Dennox ducal family is shrouded in mystery. Moreover, outsiders and reporters couldn’t easily approach due to their unique intimidating aura.]

Well, who would fearlessly ask for an interview from a superior alpha who looks like he might hit you just for speaking to him, and who would secretly dig into the personal life of someone with military status? It would be fortunate not to be misunderstood as spying on the military and reported.

[But now that there’s a relatively approachable target, attention will focus here. Especially the public will be even more curious about the Duchess-to-be.]

In fact, he had heard from Dalton that they had recently chased away a few reporters snooping around the Viscount’s residence. It might get worse after the wedding. Moreover, if tabloid reporters rather than proper journalists started following him, it would be truly terrible. Now he might become gossip fodder not just for social circles but for the entire empire’s citizens.

[Even if you go to small tea parties or gatherings, there will be many people watching your every move. Please show impeccable behavior, even if not as much as the Colonel.]

It was suffocating.

As the position had been vacant for a long time, more tasks were waiting for Valentin than if he were becoming a prince consort. Shane was now explaining that although the spouse of royalty and the spouse of a ducal family receive the same attention, due to its rarity, more people’s interest and gazes would be focused on him.

That night, Valentin carefully read through the booklet Shane had left in his bedroom. And sitting at his desk, he organized urgent matters first on blank paper and memorized them.

Although it was a blinding task that made him dizzy, the ship had already sailed.

He had chosen marriage, and that marriage came with numerous duties and responsibilities. As it was more of a marriage between families than between individuals, he couldn’t be negligent. It was a grand wedding that stirred not only social circles but citizens on the streets and even the imperial family.

On the day Shane visited, Valentin fell asleep like that, slumped over his desk.

*

“Phew…”

Thinking about that time naturally made him sigh.

Valentin spoke to himself while looking at the dust particles still dancing in the air of the groom’s waiting room.

“It’s really tiring…”

The current silence was so precious.

Valentin quietly gazed at the elegant light coming through the window and gently sat down in the chair. His back had started to ache from standing for so long.

After receiving enough pheromones, symptoms like morning sickness and headaches had largely disappeared. But fatigue still remained, unlike before the pregnancy. They say pregnant people tire and fatigue easily, and he was really experiencing that firsthand.

Maybe because of the changed body condition… Pregnancy was still overwhelming.

‘If it were like usual, I could have handled this schedule without difficulty.’

No, in fact, this marriage itself was overwhelming.

The pregnancy was just an excuse. In reality, he was struggling with the weight and responsibility of this marriage, and momentarily blamed his physical condition. Valentin was startled at himself for momentarily using his weakened stamina as an excuse and stroked his belly.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to resent you…”

He muttered very quietly.

“It’s just that I’m too small and foolish…”

Someone who wanted to live freely like the wind was given an excessively big position and burden. He had lived his whole life being wary of people’s gazes, fearing the future of the original story, but now he was in a position watched by the entire empire’s citizens… Having to be in a position where he couldn’t comfortably make even a glance or gesture, having to suffer through all sorts of tasks every day in that position, having to live a life trapped in a standardized frame. In fact, that was what was overwhelming… In his weak heart, he had needlessly blamed his body.

Of course, most people would want such a life.

Those who want a position to sit at the top of everyone, those who want excellent honor, those who want a position to leave their name in history books. How many people would want to become like that? It was a position everyone would covet and desire.

But he was not such a person.

Not only was he not such a person, but he had too small a heart. In fact, he always jokingly called himself a ‘small heart’, and it was true and sincere. Valentin imagined a small boy sitting on a huge throne. The image of a ridiculous little person, completely buried under a cloak and crown too big to fit properly, with his face all covered.

‘Everything really isn’t easy…’

Just because he had made a decision didn’t mean he immediately became a person suitable for this position.

He was just frantically dragging his body here and there, busily running around to perform the given tasks.

He sighed deeply, thinking about how difficult it had been lately because of wedding preparations. Still, being alone in a quiet space seemed to alleviate some of the stuffiness.

Soon he will stand before Reynard and the Archbishop to make his marriage vows. The thought made him nervous.

Knock knock knock.

The door opened slightly with a light knocking sound.

“Valentin, I’m coming in now.”

It seemed time was almost up while he was lost in various thoughts.

The Viscountess entered with only Madame Delacroix and Dawson. And as she helped Valentin up from the chair, she said soothingly:

“Marquis of Valkyries brought this for you.”

With those words, Dawson, who was standing behind, opened the box he was holding and brought it before Valentin’s eyes. Inside the velvet box, a dazzlingly shining tiara was emitting light.

“It’s the crown worn by the first Duchess when she married.”

At the Viscountess’s words, Madame lifted the tiara and carefully turned it to show even the inside. The large blue color caught the eye first.

“It’s a blue diamond. Not something common like sapphire or topaz.”

“This is the jewel called ‘Light of the Great Ocean’. I’ve only heard about it, it’s my first time seeing it in person too.”

The large blue diamond named ‘Light of the Great Ocean’ boasted a size worthy of its grand name. Valentin gaped at the jewel larger than a walnut. And the clear diamonds surrounding it and covering the entire body of the tiara. Each of these was also so large in teardrop shapes that they would be rare individually, and each jewel alone would be unimaginably valuable. But the presence of the central blue diamond was so great that they were merely playing the role of accompanying decorations.

It was a platinum crown entirely encased in such brilliant and clear diamonds. The circumference was larger and wider than ordinary tiaras, but the height was low and the shape simple. Except for the jewels, there were no decorative aspects in terms of shape.