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 Du