TGDHC Chapter 161

Warning

Posted by Freya, Released on January 12, 2026

Chapter 161 – Warning

Lucion lay back diagonally in a long-backed chair, staring out the window.

The lace curtains on the open terrace door swayed slowly in the wind.

The northern air slipping inside his shirt was quite cold, but instead of closing the door, he lifted the bottle of strong liquor on the table and drank straight from it.

As the clear liquid slid down his throat, his neck burned sharply.

‘What am I even doing here?’

Lucion covered his tired eyes with the back of his hand.

From the beginning, coming to Blenheim had never been his choice.

— ‘Go and seduce the Grand Duchess.’

Princess Pelianes had spoken casually, as if asking him to deliver greetings.

— ‘Your looks work well enough, don’t they? Make it so the divorce happens because of her fault.’

She said it was a waste to give up marrying the Grand Duke.

— ‘And if I refuse?’

— ‘How could you refuse? A sister who kindly placed a child with weak blood on the prince’s seat is asking you.’

In the end, a dog with a leash around its neck could not disobey its owner, and Lucion had come to Blenheim.

From a young age, Lucion had been noticeably beautiful.

If he had been born noble, everyone would have adored him.

But unfortunately, he was the king’s illegitimate child, and people treated even his beauty as proof of his low birth.

‘Must be because his mother was a dancer. Look at those vulgar eyes.’

‘Did you see him smile? He’s already trying to seduce people.’

They whispered that his future would amount to nothing more than being some noblewoman’s lover.

Then Lucion met the Grand Duke of Blenheim, a man surrounded by rumors just like himself.

‘That bastard’s face is pretty decent for a man too.’

Yet no one mocked or sneered at the Grand Duke, even though he was Lucion’s age.

The Grand Duke was authority itself.

Guards and knights alike barely dared to breathe in his presence.

Of course they wouldn’t.

He was imperial blood and the only legitimate heir of the Grand Duke’s house.

And on the night Lucion had been imprisoned for insulting him, Lucion finally realized something.

He envied him.

At the very least, he no longer wanted to live like this.

The moment he was released with Count Pacio’s help, Lucion went straight to the princess.

— ‘Acknowledge me as a member of the royal family. In return, I’ll do everything I can until you take the throne.’

— ‘You’ve got some nerve. I was just thinking I needed a pretty face anyway.’

Because of her authoritarian attitude, the princess lacked support compared to her uncle, and she accepted his offer.

Since then, Lucion had never once disobeyed her.

Until the king died and he officially received his title, the princess held his leash tightly.

But to seduce the Grand Duchess…

‘My sister truly never fails to make me miserable.’

From the moment he first saw her, Lucion genuinely liked the Grand Duchess.

He liked that she held no prejudice against him, and that she didn’t look at him with the suggestive gaze other noblewomen did.

The more they met in Blenheim, the deeper his feelings grew.

The Grand Duchess was intelligent and witty, someone easy and delightful to talk to.

And yet she was always warm and lovable.

— ‘Are you angry at me because the princess couldn’t marry Loic because of me?’

How could he explain this feeling?

This boiling heat twisting inside his stomach.

Now that he had received orders to seduce her, every bit of interest and affection he showed became deception.

How could the gods be so cruel to him?

He had only wanted her for a moment, yet now even speaking to her had become a sin.

Was he angry?

Maybe.

The thought that if the Grand Duke had married his sister as planned, Lucion might have had his own chance, tormented him endlessly.

‘Could we have become husband and wife?’

Lucion imagined himself attending a ball in the imperial capital.

At first, he would enter the hall as usual, bored.

Then he would notice a woman with pale blond hair elegantly pinned up.

The moment he saw her sparkling blue eyes, he would fall in love at first sight.

Seeing her smile, he might be drawn to her as if possessed and ask her to dance.

Just exchanging a few light jokes while dancing would be enough to know how lovely she was.

He would feel an irresistible urge to kiss the inside of her white wrist.

Lucion could easily imagine himself asking for another meeting before the dance even ended.

But in his imagination, he never once heard her answer.

Every time, a black-haired man appeared from somewhere and stepped between them.

— ‘I’m the lucky one. The Grand Duke is a very gentle man.’

‘I could be a much gentler husband than the Grand Duke…’

As his face twisted in frustration—

Bang!

The door flew open violently, nearly breaking, and Loic strode into the room.

Before Lucion could even lift his head, a strong hand grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up.

“Why did you dare say something like that to the Grand Duchess?”

Eyes blazing with killing intent stared at him.

‘Ha, this trash is gentle?’

Lucion roughly knocked Loic’s hand away.

“You’re lucky she still hasn’t seen your true nature.”

“Speak. What are you plotting?”

“Why? Did I say something I shouldn’t?”

With a scoff, Lucion dropped back into his seat.

“My sister still can’t sleep properly because of the betrayal she feels.”

At that, Loic took a deep breath, forcing his anger down, and sat across from him.

“Don’t be ridiculous. The princess knows very well that this marriage was political, with no feelings involved.”

“That’s exactly why she’s angrier.”

Lucion lifted the liquor again and took another drink.

“Ruining a grand plan over petty emotions—she was lamenting how useless men are.”

“So the princess sent you?”

Loic’s eyes flashed coldly.

“To make me divorce again?”

It wasn’t just a guess.

Lucion had to admit—Loic’s instincts were sharp.

“Wouldn’t that be the wise choice for a Grand Duke?”

Instead of denying it, Lucion shrugged.

“Son-in-law of the King of Rondoris or son-in-law of Marquis Freis. No need to even compare which is better.”

Loic watched him quietly, then slowly leaned forward.

“So what? If I divorce her, you think you’ll get a chance?”

His voice was chillingly low.

The moment Lucion met his gaze, he flinched.

Loic’s black eyes had turned a vivid gold.

“Why? You think if I divorce her, you’ll have a shot? Because she treats you kindly, you think you can do something?”

His pupils stretched vertically like a dragon’s, glaring as if ready to kill.

A gaze filled with deep, heavy killing intent—warning an enemy daring to covet what was his.

Lucion shut his mouth, unable to reply.

“…Annette is soft-hearted.”

Loic gripped the armrest of the sofa, forcing a calm expression.

“She cares about stray dogs, and even a single flower wilting in a vase.”

His grip tightened—and crack.

The armrest shattered with a dull sound.

“So when she gives even a grain of kindness, trash like you appears, forgetting your place.”

When Loic opened his hand, the broken pieces fell to the floor.

A grain of kindness.

The words hit too close, and Lucion burst out,

“Your place? Then do you really think you’re such a perfect match for the Grand Duchess?”

“No.”

Loic narrowed his eyes.

“No matter what man you bring, he’d still fall short of Annette. So it’s better that I stand beside her.”

His low voice was thick with unmistakable obsession.

“She walked into this marriage herself. The temple notarized the vows, and legally, I am her husband. Do you think I’d let Annette go for something as stupid as “for Blenheim”?”

“The people of the territory would love to hear that.”

“Of course they would.”

Loic smiled faintly, victorious.

“Because thanks to Annette, the North has changed this much.”

Watching Lucion sneer, Loic continued calmly,

“Honestly, it doesn’t even compare to a political marriage with Rondoris. In that sense, yes—I should thank the princess.”

“……”

“So stop dreaming and behave yourself. Go back and perform some opera or something.”

Now fully relaxed, Loic slowly stood.

“And if you bring up the princess in front of Annette one more time—”

“Spare me the cheap threats about cutting wrists.”

Seeing Lucion clench his fist, Loic curled his lips into a cruel smile.