The Heir's Secret: 1-10 Prologue

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The Heir's Secret

The one who controls the chessboard never considers how the pieces have their own will. But before the wheel of destiny turns, she never cared.

Info

Style: No dress-up component Required: Duke Cyrus Goodwill Lv. 8 Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Eternal Memorial

Eternal Memorial

Dialogue Choices

There are no dialogue choices in this stage.

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Fourteen years later.

• Servant: Duke Cyrus, please slow down, I can't keep up!

• The young servant, dressed plainly, complains as he leads a horse behind Cyrus.
• Cyrus inherited the duke title after Duke Hernando passed away.
• She has issued many beneficial policies since taking office, including a ban on horses in the marketplace.
• As a result, even the distinguished Duke, the owner of the Duchy of Langston, has to walk home.

• Servant: What kind of bad luck is this again?

• He has been with Cyrus for a long time, and although she doesn't express her emotions readily, the servant has learned to sense her feelings.
• Since the passing of Duke Hernando, the atmosphere in the residence has shifted noticeably. The once somber halls have come alive, as if infused with vitality.
• The servant complains because he knows Cyrus won't blame him.
• Cyrus pauses in her steps, casting a sidelong glance at the young man with a smirk on her face.

• Cyrus Langston: How about I give you a different job?

• Servant: Oh, no need to trouble yourself, Duke Cyrus! I love my current one very much!

• The servant laughs sheepishly and falls silent.

• The doorkeeper hears the commotion from far away and rushes out to greet the Duke, who left a month ago.

• Doorkeeper: Duke Cyrus, you're finally back!

• Cyrus Langston: Has anything caught your attention lately?

• The doorkeeper replies in a low voice.

• Doorkeeper: Two people have been patrolling outside the residence every day. They dress inconspicuously and seem really secretive.

• Doorkeeper: I did as you said and didn't send anyone to investigate.

• Cyrus Langston: Well done.

• A familiar figure in a neatly pressed uniform and a monocle approaches and takes Cyrus' cloak, just as he did all those years ago.

• Mr. Walter: Duke Cyrus, you have a guest waiting for you in the foyer.

• Cyrus Langston: Got it. Thank you for managing the residence while I was away.

• Cyrus notices Vanessa fiddling with the foyer's sculptures and ornaments.

• Cyrus Langston: You aren't here just to visit, are you, Vanessa?

• Startled, Vanessa almost knocks over an ornament.

• Vanessa: Whoa! You startled me! You could've at least made some noise or something.

• Cyrus's expression turns stern as he speaks about the seriousness of the situation.

• Cyrus Langston: Prince Victor is watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to make a mistake so he can force me out of office.

• Cyrus Langston: If you get caught, Prince Derick's trust in me will be lost.

• Vanessa shakes her head in response to Cyrus' words.

• Vanessa: You nobles are always so serious and uptight. As a physician, I prefer to enjoy life a little more.

• Vanessa: Anyway, I'm here with the information you requested.

• Vanessa: Here are the profiles of eligible ladies from noble families.

• Vanessa pulls out a stack of documents and places them in front of Cyrus.

• Vanessa: Duke Cyrus, these documents weren't easy to find.

• Vanessa: The duchy has jurisdiction over seventy-three cities, and there are over two hundred eligible noblewomen, regardless of the size.

• Vanessa: It's not easy to uncover their scandals as they keep them well hidden.

• Vanessa: But I have my ways.

• Cyrus Langston: What did you find out?

• Vanessa: Some nobles have started to set up private colosseums for gladiatorial contests.

• Vanessa: Although it's a risky business, they have earned a fortune from it. I'm concerned that if we don't act soon, others might be encouraged to do the same.

• Cyrus Langston: Seems like my punishment was just a slap on the wrist.

• A few years ago, Cyrus ordered the prohibition of gladiatorial contests within the duchy's borders, and setting up private colosseums became a serious crime.
• After the law was enacted, many nobles were caught, and the rest kept a low profile. However, over time, the nobles went back to their old ways.

• Vanessa: They're too greedy.

• Cyrus Langston: I'll handle this later.

• Cyrus' gaze falls on the documents in front of her.

• Cyrus Langston: How many people have you found?

• Vanessa: Twenty-three.

• Vanessa: As requested, the candidates aren't valued in their family, and their families have no other influential backing after their decline.

• Cyrus Langston: Who do you think is suitable to be my wife, Vanessa?

• Vanessa widens her eyes and waves her hands.

• Vanessa: Duke Cyrus, please, I don't want to be involved any further.

• Vanessa: I already feel guilty enough for helping you with this.

• Vanessa: It's a known fact that all the ladies want you as their husband, but that's only because they don't know your true identity.

• Vanessa: If she becomes your wife, the rest of her life will be ruined.

• Cyrus's slender fingertips unconsciously tap on the table without speaking.
• Vanessa discovered Cyrus' true identity by accident. Cyrus intended to get rid of her, but she sensed the special relationship between Vanessa and Prince Derek.
• Taking advantage of Vanessa's kindness, Cyrus uses her as a bargaining chip to make Prince Derek oppose Prince Victor.
• Cyrus has never let her guard down over the years, even though Vanessa has already considered Cyrus her friend.

• Vanessa: Forget it, I know you have no choice.

• Vanessa: Just remember to be nice to your future wife, whoever she is.

• Cyrus Langston: Got it.

• Cyrus watches Vanessa leave and then looks back at the parchment on the table.

• Cyrus Langston: Sorry, I have no other option.

• Vanessa has sorted the information of eligible candidates according to their hometown, with the thickest pile belonging to Leto.

• Cyrus Langston: (With so many ambitious nobles seeking to gain favor with the Langston family, I'm not sure they can be trusted.)

• Cyrus Langston: (Besides, they'd be too close for comfort.)

• Cyrus' secret could be exposed if the chosen candidate were to discover her true identity.

• Cyrus Langston: I must find someone with no connections to nobility and who is not located in Leto.

• Cyrus Langston: Port Luke, Oakcove Town...

• Cyrus spots a familiar word and immediately skips to that stack.

• Cyrus Langston: Sierce...

• Cyrus flips to the first page and finds a brightly colored oil painting depicting a shy girl with a smiling face.
• The girl's ancestors were local gentry with an older brother, and her parents were antique dealers who had been involved in many lawsuits over buying and selling counterfeit goods.

• Cyrus Langston: That's good. Her family has no connections with anyone in Leto.

• Cyrus Langston: However, the legal disputes involving her parents can become a topic of gossip, allowing those with ill intentions to take advantage of the situation.

• Cyrus shakes her head and continues reading.
• The personality of her fiancé doesn't matter much. Even if she's hard to deal with, once she's at the Duke's residence, Cyrus will have many ways to keep her quiet.
• But Cyrus knows that she needs to carefully consider the potential bride's family background since it will be a factor she can't control.

• Cyrus Langston: They were eventually exiled to Sierce. Although they held a high title, their descendants were not good at managing the family's estate and were fond of gambling, ultimately leading to its downfall.

• Cyrus Langston: Her two older sisters are married and no longer keep in contact with their parents.

• Cyrus flips to the previous page where the candidate's information is recorded.

• Cyrus Langston: Dahlia Joyce, twenty-two years old.

• Cyrus Langston: Likes drawing and reading. Quiet, timid, and doesn't speak much.

• Cyrus Langston: It would be easier if this were her true personality.

• She flips back to the page with the candidate's portrait.
• The lady sits gracefully on the bench, with a slight smile on her lips that doesn't reach her eyes.
• Despite the painted façade, Cyrus senses a sparse and firm determination etched between her brows.

• Cyrus Langston: Timid? That expression tells me otherwise.

• Cyrus doesn't continue reading and closes the file.
• She plans to let Mr. Walter take care of this when the time comes.
• She prepares to dispose of the parchment when her fingers catch on a slightly raised saddle stitch.

• Cyrus Langston: (That's Vanessa's code.)

• Cyrus repositions the markings left by Vanessa, carefully unraveling the saddle stitch to uncover a row of letters impressed into the paper, revealing the hidden message she had left for her.
• Victor has already started.

• Cyrus Langston: (I must act quickly.)

• Cyrus Langston: (The collapsed abandoned mine from the last experiment will be a good excuse.)

• Cyrus throws the parchment into the fireplace and watches until all the papers are burned before leaving.

• Cyrus' entourage has finished their preparations and now await her orders.

• Mr. Walter: You have just returned, Duke Cyrus. Do you need a few more days to rest?

• Cyrus Langston: There was a mining accident in the Northern Mountains. No casualties, but the cause is still unknown.

• Cyrus Langston: The mine has been shut down for too long.

• Mr. Walter immediately understands the gravity of the situation.

• Mr. Walter: That mine is expected to provide ninety percent of our minerals.

• Mr. Walter: If we don't start production soon, the losses will be incalculable. And the King may blame us.

• Cyrus Langston: Exactly. I must attend to this matter immediately.

• Cyrus Langston: Mr. Walter, I entrust the residence to your care.

• Mr. Walter: Leave it to me, Duke Cyrus. Have a safe journey.

• Cyrus makes another calculated move on the chessboard called Tara Kingdom.
• Everyone and her surroundings are nothing more than pawns in her quest for victory.
• But who says that chess pieces must always be arranged, utilized, and abandoned?
• Perhaps even the most insignificant piece on the board has its own will and purpose.

Ending [Prologue]