I Refuse To Be A Character In A Novel - Chapter 27

A few weeks later, news reached the dukedom about her sickness.

The rumors sounded quite serious.

However, the girl recovered after a few weeks and held her coming of age party soon after.

As expected, several proposals were sent for the Marquis’ beautiful daughter.

One of them was from Duke Argentine asking her hand for his son.

Another one was from Klain Krauser.

Zachary, who inquired about the young man, found out that his status was lower than he had expected.

Baron Krauser’s second son, Klain Krauser was not a very suitable partner for Erna Heissentein.

He was an attendant at the Ludemia academy with excellent grades, but he had no title to inherit and most definitely wouldn’t be able to provide the young lady of Heissentein the luxury she was used to.

Surely the Marquis wouldn’t waste an opportunity of a solid union over a man with an unclear future.

No matter how soft of a spot he had for his daughter, the kingdom’s chancellor was thoroughly political.

Less than a week later, an answer was sent back to the Argentine dukedom.

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Spring came and a small wedding was held in the capital.

Unlike his first impression of her, the woman he married was quiet, docile and easily embarrassed.

The image of the girl in the ballroom slowly faded as if it didn’t exist.

For the first few months, the two of them shared a relatively good relationship where they only had to meet at dinner and during a set date of the month.

A boring marriage like calm water that wouldn’t stir.

Zachary was still satisfied.

‘This is better.’

Who knows how an uncontrolled emotion would have affected his rational judgement.

Zachary married Erna because she was his best choice.

His father’s choice.

And Erna married him because he was her best choice.

Underneath her shy attitude, she was a person with a purpose.

She was smart enough to choose him over a fleeting crush.

Women in Rasmodia had few ways to protect themselves and insure their future, the easiest way was to marry a rich husband and a powerful one to lay on.

Zachary didn’t dislike it, he had respect for people who took advantage of what life offers them.

After all, opportunity is to cease when it comes.

Just like he married her for a purpose, she married him for her own good.

‘We were the same.’

‘We knew the life we had to live and accepted it.’

She also didn’t meddle in his affairs or ask for his attention.

Thus, Zachary concluded that this was a good marriage.

✰✰✰✰✰

When his wife was found out pregnant, she became ominously silent.

The doctors said that she was in good health but a poor state of mind.

In short, she wasn’t very fond of the creature growing in her womb.

Since his wife was too young and frail, Zachary thought it was understandable to some extent.

Truthfully, he was as surprised at the news as much as she was.

Neither of them thought that they would have an heir so soon as they had only been together for a few times that could be counted with one hand.

Nonetheless, they were expected to provide an heir sooner or later, so it was welcome news.

However, his wife’s attitude made it so that even he who was indifferent feared for her health.

In a passing attempt to get her out of her room and under the advice of her own mother, Zachary ordered the butler to make arrangements for a splendid greenhouse in their territory back in Massila.

Zachary didn’t even bother to argue why the Marchioness who treasured her daughter didn’t even visit her.

Surprisingly, it worked.

His wife was interested in herbs and plants and she accepted his gift with pleasure.

Less than a year into their marriage, Jonas was born.

Zachary had an heir because he was supposed to.

Just like he got married because he was supposed to.

It was his duty.

However, for the first time in his life Zachary felt an emotion he didn’t know he possessed.

“Would you like to hold him, Your Grace?”

The small life that was supposed to be insignificant felt heavier than he thought.

‘A life that was made of my own flesh and blood.’

It was a strange feeling, but somehow pleasant.

An emotion deprived from a sense of duty.

His wife seemed to feel differently.

Zachary let out a tired sigh at the scene that unfolded before him.