The Past Life of the Arrogant Grand Duke of the North - Chapter 1
Main Story:
The Past Life of the Arrogant Grand Duke of the North
Late at night, the Grand Duke and his heir stepped into the depths of House Arrogance’s manor.
A transparent orb placed atop a marble pedestal emitted a mysterious light as it welcomed father and son.
In the Grand Ducal household, there was a secret ritual passed down through generations—an awakening of a past life, performed in the year the heir turned sixteen. It was a ceremony known only to the family, hidden from the rest of the world.
“Place your hand on that orb.”
At the Grand Duke’s instruction, the heir cautiously placed his hand atop the orb. The once-transparent orb turned crimson. After glowing red for a long while, the orb eventually returned to its transparent state, and the heir withdrew his hand.
“Tell me what you felt.”
“It was… as if heat was surrounding me from all sides, and my entire body was tightly constricted. I also felt a constant vibration.”
The Grand Duke, who had fallen into brief contemplation at the heir’s words, smiled with satisfaction.
“The past lives of the men in our House are almost always swords. I was the same. What you felt was likely the sensation of piercing through an opponent’s body. And that vibration—it seems you experienced the swordsmanship of an advanced knight who uses vibrations.”
‘Is there really a reason for a sword to stay inside a body for so long?’
The thought did cross the heir’s mind, but he nodded at the Grand Duke’s words.
“Over the next few days, the memories of your past life’s sword will stimulate your aura. Keep your body clean and focus on your training.”
“Yes, Father.”
And so, the heir dedicated himself to training in the practice arena reserved exclusively for him.
He had thought it would only take a few days, but the training dragged on.
A month passed.
At last, the doors of the training ground opened. The heir who emerged no longer bore any trace of his once gentle image—he had become a sharp, gleaming blade.
The Grand Duke, overjoyed, began passing down the advanced swordsmanship that had been handed down through the family for generations.
The heir further honed the techniques he had been taught in the training ground. Then, after three months—
“I’ve learned to imbue my sword with aura.”
At the heir’s words, the entire Grand Ducal household erupted into a celebratory atmosphere. To be able to infuse aura into a sword—a condition considered the mark of a Sword Expert—at the young age of sixteen.
Even in a household renowned for its swordsmanship, it was an unprecedented feat.
But that joy did not last long.
The heir began expressing difficulty in interacting with people.
In particular, he would feel nausea whenever women came near. Even the wet nurse and the maids who had cared for him for years.
Even his own birth mother was no exception.
The Grand Duke let out a sigh, speculating that perhaps the sword that was the heir’s past life had not been an ordinary blade.
“Father. Please send me to the Wall.”
The heir’s eyes shone with desperate sincerity as he asked to be sent to the battlefield guarding the northern borders against demonic beasts. In the end, the Grand Duke had no choice but to send his only heir.
Compared to the current environment, where many women—including daughters of other noble families who frequently visited—were present, it seemed better for him to learn to control his sword on a battlefield where women were nearly nonexistent.
He had already mastered most of the high-level swordsmanship passed down in the Grand Ducal household. Gaining experience in real combat would only serve to sharpen his skills.
“Indeed. To govern this vast North, one must possess a heart of iron and blood.”
And so, it had been four years since the heir voluntarily left for the battlefield. The Grand Duke summoned him back for his coming-of-age ceremony.
Typically, a noble’s coming-of-age ceremony, when they had no betrothed, was often an occasion to seek a marriage partner. The heir’s case was no different.
Invitations were sent to the daughters of every noble house in the North.
Because the Northern Grand Duke’s family had always married within the northern region, nobles from other areas simply sent gifts to celebrate the coming-of-age.
Even the Imperial Family sent a trove of jewels. Carriages came and went endlessly from the castle, preparing to welcome the young master for the first time in years. All the tailoring shops in the North let out delighted screams as they were flooded with orders.
