"W-What?"
"Only then can Claude become my rightful heir."
"Rightful? How can that be? He has no connection whatsoever to the Valerian house."
"Yes. Rumors have already spread that I had a relationship with a young woman in the eastern region about eight years ago. Coincidentally, that woman gave birth to my child."
Lina was left speechless, unable to believe what she had just heard. Without even needing to ask, she knew that the young woman in question was herself, and the child born outside the territory was her son.
"So remember this," Caelis continued. "From now on, the child's father's name is Caelis Iceberg Valerian. And the child's name will be Claude Iceberg Valerian."
Lina felt anger surge inside her chest. The man had decided everything unilaterally, without even asking her opinion. Claude's biological father was Klain, and his biological mother was Rhea. Lina herself was merely raising the child in place of his birth mother. She wanted to protest, but for a moment she could not even find her voice.
"I am not willing to become your wife," Lina said at last.
Caelis snorted and replied in an indifferent tone. "Wife? You are not worthy of becoming the Grand Duchess of the North. Simply think of it as a business arrangement. I will give you anything you desire as compensation."
"Didn't you hear me? I am not willing to become your wife—nor your grand duchess." She clenched her fists tightly and stared straight at him with a defiant expression. "I would never let you control my son's life, however you please. I am grateful for your hospitality during these past few days, but it is time for us to leave."
Suddenly, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply.
Several ice spikes burst out of the ground, rising like frozen spears and enclosing them both. While most humans would have been unable to endure such extreme cold, Lina managed to remain standing because her primary magical attribute was snow with cold essence.
Even so, she could still feel her body trembling slightly. And that fact shocked her. Never before had cold temperature made her shiver like this.
This was the first time.
Lina tried to calm herself by reminding herself that most of her powers were currently sealed. That was likely the reason her body reacted this way.
"Did I give you permission to leave?"
"Are you threatening me?"
"That's right," Caelis replied calmly. "You have no choice but to become my wife."
Lina turned around and glared at him with burning hatred. "I would rather die than be forced into such a marriage."
Caelis's expression remained unchanged, yet deep within his heart, he felt a flicker of admiration for this woman.
How loyal she is to her partner. My brother did not make a mistake in choosing her.
Caelis slowly took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, every ice spike surrounding Lina melted instantly. The temperature in the air also returned to normal.
"I will not touch you, and I will not separate you from Claude. Consider this a contractual marriage. You may choose the date of our divorce whenever you wish."
Lina quickly realized that even if she removed the seals on her power and fought with everything she had, defeating this man would not be easy. This was evident from how effortlessly he dispelled the freezing air and the countless ice spikes scattered across the floor.
She had always believed herself to be among the strongest individuals in the world. Of course, she knew there were still people stronger than her—such as the Grand Mage, the ruler of the Magic Tower, or the Grand Master, a legendary sword master who had reached the realm of near-divinity.
But she had never imagined that she would encounter someone on par with those figures while she was still in her mid-twenties.
After carefully weighing the situation—and thinking about her son—Lina decided to listen to the Grand Duke's proposal before rejecting it outright.
Keeping her expression calm and unreadable, Lina spoke again. "I don't care about the glory of becoming a Grand Duchess, nor about countless riches. The only thing I want to know is... Can you truly remove the black scales on my son's body?"
"Yes," Caelis answered.
"If the scales disappear completely, will it harm him in any way?"
For a brief moment, Caelis did not answer. Instead, his golden eyes fixed on her intensely, as if trying to see through her very soul. "Do you not know your husband's identity?" he asked quietly.
Lina's brows furrowed. Her suspicion that this man somehow knew Klain grew stronger. "Do you know his father?"
"No."
The answer came immediately—firm, calm, and emotionless. It was impossible for Lina to determine whether Caelis was telling the truth or lying.
"I will be honest with you. I only know Klain as a kind man who sincerely loved his wife. Aside from his name and personality, I know nothing about him. He never spoke about his family, nor about where he came from." She told him what her sister had once told her about Klain.
"Then I will also be honest with you. I have never met Klain. However, it is certain that he came from the Dragon Clan."
Lina felt as though her heart had stopped beating when she heard that unexpected revelation.
"The scales on Claude's shoulder are dragon scales that have been contaminated by impure energy," Caelis continued, unaware of the turmoil raging within the woman before him. "All dragon-blooded newborns must live in places rich with sacred beast energy. Otherwise, black scales will appear and gradually erode their vitality."
Lina felt her vision blur slightly. Dark spots swam before her eyes, yet she forced herself to listen carefully to every word the Grand Duke spoke.
"Fortunately, you brought him here before he turned ten. Otherwise, even I would not have been able to save him."
Lina clenched the fabric of her clothes so tightly that her fingernails dug into her skin. She struggled to calm herself, forcing the shock and confusion aside as anger slowly took its place.
This man only wants an heir.
That was the thought echoing repeatedly in Lina's mind.
Whatever reason drove him to such desperation that he was willing to claim another man's child as his own heir, Lina knew one thing for certain.
This man would never love Claude the way she did.
To the Grand Duke, her son would merely be a tool—something to be used according to his own needs.
"So… that is why you chose my son? Simply because he is a descendant of your clan?"
Caelis frowned slightly, surprised by the sudden anger in her voice. Had he unknowingly said something that provoked her?
However, before he could respond, Edgar suddenly ran toward them with a panicked expression.
"Your Grace! My Lady! There's something wrong with the young master."
Fever.
That was the first thought that flashed through Lina's mind.
Without hesitation, she rushed toward her son's room. Her heart twisted painfully when she saw him writhing in agony.
"Mama… it hurts… hic… it hurts…"
Just as Lina was about to cover Claude with a blanket, Caelis suddenly grabbed her wrist and stopped her.