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However, that doesn't mean they can completely escape the family. As long as they carry the family name, it is safe to say they belong to that house. If the house calls, the basic rule is that they must run to them regardless of where they are.
Of course, in Rahan Norwich's case, it was a bit different. He had never received a single benefit from the Norwich family since birth.
Furthermore, a long time had passed since he was appointed as a knight of the Grand Duke of Lacheize. Thus, it was uncertain whether Rahan Norwich would obey if the Norwich family summoned him.
But the matter of marriage was different. While a normal marriage is meaningful as a union of two people, in the marriages of great houses, the recognition of the family was also viewed as important.
A marriage conducted without the family's permission might not be revocable, but if it wasn't recognized, the party involved was bound to suffer great hardship.
In fact, there were frequent cases of nobles who fell in love with a woman from another house and married without permission, only to be kicked out of their family.
In such cases, some might say that keeping the love is all that matters. That is the talk of someone who doesn't know how cold noble families can be. A noble kicked out of their family became a commoner.
The woman who had loved him enough to risk marriage changed her attitude as easily as flipping a palm. Claiming she had no need for a husband who wasn't a noble, she divorced him.
It might seem strange at first glance, but that was the nature of nobles. One could love a noble youth without a penny to his name, but once he became a commoner, even a casual association became a disgrace.
In the end, they lost both their family and their love.
‘Lady Norwich could personally visit the exiled Rahan Norwich and erase him from the family tree.’
Herbert Achen, of course, welcomed that tip.
Some said that such customs had become obsolete since a princess several generations ago fell in love with a low-ranking country noble and married. But that only applied to small and medium nobles.
To be erased from the family tree meant becoming a commoner.
If the man Iris Achen married became a commoner, her succession to the title would become impossible.
‘But can't Grand Duke Yvette Lacheize grant him a title?’
‘It's too late after he becomes a commoner. If he is a commoner for even a single moment, your niece's status is also downgraded, and she immediately loses her right of succession. If she has already inherited the title, the title would be passed to someone else.’
Of course, if a divorce was requested and approved because of that, Iris Achen's right of succession would be revived.
However, there was no knowing how long the divorce process would take. That depended entirely on the Emperor's judgment.
Furthermore, the lost title would then return to Herbert.
In the current situation, since Iris Achen had not received the title she was supposed to for some reason, there was room to dispute the right of succession.
But if it was a title lost due to her own mistake, Herbert Achen had no reason to give it back.
‘And then you can take in the poor Iris Achen and send her to the Imperial Family.’
To others, it would look like a generous uncle forgiving a cheeky niece who had even fought over succession with her uncle and sending her as the Prince's consort.
In exchange for the wisdom Prince Elio provided, he requested one of the most fertile territories of House Achen. It would be incorporated into the Prince's private property under the guise of Iris Achen's dowry.
Naturally, a marriage tie with House Achen would also be formed.
‘Well, shall we say it's a picture where both you and I become happy.’
With that, Prince Elio co-signed Herbert Achen's letter to the Norwich Margraviate.
This was in case the Margrave of Norwich refused House Achen's request. Since they supported Prince Elio anyway, there was a possibility they would cling only to the Prince to solve their food situation.
“They say to meet Rahan and make it clear that the marriage cannot be recognized.”
Akim spoke, swallowing his humiliation. Even so, interfering with another family's family tree was an outrageous act, so Herbert Achen's letter was written very cautiously.
The words were so roundabout that a stranger might have understood it as a suggestion to meet Rahan Norwich, catch up after a long time, and celebrate the marriage grandly.
Lady Norwich's eyes clouded with rage. She was a woman born as a high noble who had lived her entire life as the mistress of the Margraviate. Moreover, she had once been a female leader who commanded the entire North.
“How dare they….”
If only those Desolate Snowfields hadn't melted, such humiliation would not have occurred. The snow covering the Desolate Snowfields was said to be Eternal Snow that had not melted for a thousand years.
But at some point, that snow began to melt sporadically. The rounded hills, once smooth from the wind carving the snow, began to be stained with the color of yellow ocher….
“…If only it weren't for that bastard of a demon.”
It had been since she gave birth to Rahan Norwich twenty years ago. Akim closed his eyes tightly.
Even so, they had no other choice.
They had to meet the flesh and blood they had discarded long ago.
* * *
They say a late-burning fire is the most fearsome.
Once the dam broke, there was no stopping. The two clung to each other incessantly. Because the air was constantly heating up, there was no need to burn logs in the fireplace. It felt as if summer had already arrived in just a few days.
“Ah!”
It was only the time the sun was beginning to rise, but Iris had been awake for a while. It was her mistake to just leave him be because the touch groping her waist was ticklish and tender.
The calloused hands, faintly smelling of pine resin, brushed her hair back and stroked her shoulders as if she were lovely, before stealthily slipping inside her loosened buttons to knead her soft breasts.
She thought that was just a sleeping habit, but the touch grew bolder, sliding between the folds of her skirt to grope her deep flesh. Simultaneously, he nipped at her nape.
It tickles, ahaha, she tried to push him away, but before she knew it, Iris was pinned beneath Rahan, being embraced.
She didn't know how many days it had been like this since the first night. Rahan embraced Iris so much that she wondered if he was the same man who had pushed her away at first.
“Hng….”
It was still overwhelming whenever the man pushed deep inside. But now, unlike the first time, her insides quickly became wet and welcomed him.
As she responded to the waist movements that advanced and retreated repeatedly, a dizzying sensation enveloped her.
“Rahan…. Aren't you sleepy?”
Perhaps because she had become quite skilled, she asked the man who was moving softly and slowly. Rahan paused immediately and arched an eyebrow.
“Is it hard? Should we stop?”
“It's not that….”
“It seems hard.”
As she wrapped her arms around his waist to pull him back just as he was about to withdraw, Iris burst into laughter at her own state.
Rahan, who had been confused, also laughed and leaned toward her, overlapping their lips. After a short kiss, the familiar pleasure followed.
At first, she had doubted why Eridrahan had made humans this way. But after a few days, Iris became very accustomed to accepting Rahan.
Not only that, she liked it. Every time Rahan pushed in up to his roots, a satisfaction she had never felt before enveloped Iris. She wondered if this was what fulfillment felt like.
Rahan's movements grew more intense. Then, in an instant, he dug deeper into Iris's hips, as if they couldn't possibly fit any closer.
After the sound of fleshy skin slapping together—thwack, thwack—he stopped, exhaling a long breath. Unlike his frozen body, the pillar buried inside twitched heavily, ejaculating within Iris.
“Ha….”
Had she really become accustomed to this in just a few days?
As she usually did, Iris patted Rahan's shoulder. The man laughed, wrapped his arms around her waist and shoulders, and lifted her onto his thighs.
They were still joined below. Iris playfully hugged the man's neck and whispered, looking into his eyes.
“Do you know we haven't stepped a single foot outside the house for days?”
“Not a single foot. We lit the fire in the hearth and fetched water.”
“That's all it is.”
Laughter broke out again. Truly, the two mixed their bodies every time their eyes met.
They usually ate only what was in the house. Even then, Rahan grumbled, saying, ‘I need to feed her more,’ but he himself was the one dying to stay stuck to Iris.
Eridrahan had taught that laziness was the thing to be most cautious of. Was it okay to just lie down all day like this?
Of course not.
“Still, we should eat something decent today.”
Leaving Iris, who was roughly tidying her clothes, Rahan pulled up his trousers. A man after sex usually acted like a sated predator. Meaning, he was slow.
But last night, the last of the meat stored in the cabin had run out.
Of course, that wasn't the only urgent matter. Though he had ignored it for days while spending the nights with Iris, there was still an unresolved problem.
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