The Goal Is To Be Self-made – chapter 1

“Your Grace, please marry me.” Violet Hale asked calmly.

She was a beautiful woman with light blonde hair and red crimson eyes, but she did not look like a lady who confessed earnestly because of overflowing love.

At that, Grand Duke Sheldrick Etzel knew that her true purpose was not to propose a romantic marriage.

“Pardon me, but I do not understand.”

Sheldrick was genuinely puzzled.

Violet Hale was about to get married to Cassard, the Crown Prince of Arnold Empire.

The wedding was only a month later.

Cassard Arnold was indeed an elegant prince. He was handsome and kind, and he was destined to become an emperor someday.

If a person were asked to pick the best groom in the empire, anyone would pick him as their top priority.

As soon as he reached adulthood at his 16th birthday, people began to wonder who would obtain the position next to him.

Numerous dignified ladies from prominent families were also mentioned as candidates for the Crown Princess vacancy.

However, in the end, it was Violet, a girl who had just had her coming-of-age ceremony at the age of 16. She was the stepdaughter of Duke Basel, who possessed both strong military power and wealth.

The Imperial family and the Duchy. Two great families were united.

The capital was already crowded with people who had come to witness this grand wedding.

Aristocrats, as well as commoners, were very excited about this splendid event.

It was even spread widely that the reason for the young Duke of Etzel, who hardly ever traveled out of the empire’s eastern territory, appeared in the capital was because he had received a wedding invitation from the Emperor himself.

But how could one of the main stars of this great wedding make such an absurd proposal?

“I know this is a sudden request. But provide the current situation, you are the only one who can help me.”

“Why do you think I am the only one?”

“The wedding is only a fortnight away. Now, if I say I do not want to marry the prince, who would listen to me?”

That brought the case, she came to the Duke in hope of finding her way out of it, even that meant having to recklessly pose an unreasonable demand.

“Since Duke Etzel has the right of a meritorious retainer, I would like you to use it to welcome me as your wife.”

At the word ‘meritorious retainer’, Sheldrick frowned.

6 years ago.

Sheldrick’s father, the former Duke of Etzel, was killed while defending the Emperor from assassins blended in a hunting competition.

His only successor, Sheldrick, was only 13 years old at the time.

The Emperor comforted the young Duke who had just succeeded the title. And in commemoration of the loyalty of Etzel’s predecessor, he issued a decree of meritorious retainer to the Etzel family.

The right to be forgiven of any sin and to be granted any request.

Violet was suggesting he used his precious privilege to help her.

“It is not like I’m going to live with Your Grace for the rest of my life. I just want you to preserve a safe place for me for a few years until I acquire complete freedom.”

“I will not ask why the Miss wants to hold a wedding with another man when there is only a half month left until your marriage with the prince. It has nothing to do with me anyway.”

Sheldrick smirked and looked at Violet.

“But I want to ask you this. Why did you think I would help you? Only because the Emperor has granted our family the right of meritorious retainer that I am obliged to help you?”

The two were not close at all, they were not even acquainted to begin with.

This was because Duke Sheldrick Etzel seldom visited the capital.

He always stayed at the Eastern Grand Duchy, even during the social season, when all the nobility gathered in the capital.

He had no contact with Violet, who had never left the capital because she was raised by her mother, who was called the flower of society. And given that her mother was a star in the social world at the capital, she was also stuck there with her.

Of course, he heard a lot of rumours.

Violet’s mother, Lady Adeline, was a famous socialite.

Everyone loved Lady Adeline for her beautiful appearance and pleasant personality.

In a conservative aristocratic society, thanks to her gorgeous look and popularity, she was never once criticised even after having married four times.

Violet was the daughter she gave birth to in her first marriage.

Ever since Violet was young, people frequently said that she would be as beautiful as her mother, no, she would be even more beautiful than her when she grew up.

Did she think of me as a fool who could be easily deceived by her beautiful look?

He knew that there were also baseless rumours circulating that ‘Unlike the predecessor, the current Duke of Etzel estate is stupid, that’s why he only remains in the Grand Duchy to hide it’.

Violet must have heard the rumours too.

He speculated that she brought up this proposal as she thought it would be easy to handle a so-called foolish young master.

But the words soon escaped her lips were something he had never expected.

“I know how to help the Grand Duke.”

“You asked for my help a while ago, and now you want to help me?”

“Let’s support each other.”

“Support each other?”

“Yes.”

How can a little girl help him?

It must be nonsense.

But Violet’s eyes were glinting with confidence.

Sheldrick was somehow shaken by that gaze.

As the Grand Duke gave a slight nod as a gesture for her to continue her speech, Violet parted her lips.

“The Duke is said to come here to attend the Crown Prince’s wedding. But in fact, you are looking for someone for that ‘certain task’. Isn’t that right?”

Sheldrick’s face stiffened.

It was because the girl had just hit the nail on the head.

“I know a competent doctor, who is especially knowledgeable when it comes to infectious diseases. Is this enough to use the meritorious retainer’s right?”

It was basically a question, but it did not sound like the girl was waiting for an answer.

She seemed already convinced about how the outcome would be like. And that conviction was not wrong.

The young Duke’s eyes were filled with surprise.

There was now a deadly plague going around the eastern Grand Duchy.

It had already been more than a month, but even the true nature or the source of the disease had not been identified.

Grand Duke Etzel, who was anxious, hurriedly came to the capital in seek of a doctor that could cease this epidemic. 

However, it was not easy to find a doctor with such skills.

If it had been a simple matter, there would have been no need for the Duke himself to come forward in the first place.

Above all, everything was top secret, but Violet was well aware of this.

In all honesty, she could not help but know, because…

This world is inside a game I played.