Edel felt that today, he had been both unfortunate and fortunate.
He was unfortunate because, after what had happened today, he had clearly realized that the goddess of his dreams would belong to someone else. He could never win her, nor did he dare try. In near despair, he had accepted reality and no longer dared entertain any hopes regarding Roxie.
Among the nobles competing in this royal capital, there were countless people more outstanding than him and of better birth. As the son of a duke who only dared throw his weight around within his family's territory, he had no redeeming qualities here at all. He did not even dare provoke a viscount anymore.
That alone would have been one thing.
After all, when it came to Roxie, Edel had long recognized the cruel reality. He knew he could never obtain the Kingdom's Treasure, so he had shifted his target long ago and only wanted to fulfill the marriage agreement arranged by his family and marry another Princess.
Yet even in that matter, he had made no progress whatsoever. That was the true misfortune.
As he walked through the streets of the royal capital, recalling how he had just gone to Ria's chambers to request an audience only to be turned away at the door, and how he had failed even to obtain an audience with the King and could only leave in disgrace, Edel was filled with rage and resentment.
"The royal family must be looking down on me. They never intended to honor the marriage agreement, did they?"
Edel could see that much.
That was precisely why he felt so furious.
"I am the son of a duke too. The blood of the Hero runs through my veins as well. What right do they have to look