Spoiler Duke Ashillean’s Contractual Marriage / The Duke of Ashleyan's Contractual Marriage

Is it true thay ML was killed???
Also, idk about novel, but in manga MC gave him a contract to sign, she asked him if he was okay with what was written and if he wants to write something in and he signed without reading. Maybe it was written there the info about the first child?

 

Omg is this seriously how the ML's life ends? Author-nim who hurt you?

I'm just gonna headcanon that he wakes up in a 9th life and actually gets a happy ending then somehow. I would literally pay to read that story If any fanfic authors are in this thread I am calling you to action

 

omg so the ML died in his child hand for sure????? How about FL??? Didn't she trying to explain to the children?? Omg if this is real I'm not gonna read it. ML been suffering continuously in every life <///3

 

@nilam Bro, I just wanna make sure you’re not talking about my post? I’m asking cause you mentioned some of the stuff I talked about in my hypothetical extra story. (which is all headcanon, I only mentioned possible spoilers incase there was something I actually got right since I haven’t read all the spoilers)

 

Those were headcanons. They didn't happen. ML and FL had a happy ending.

Spoiler: Happy Ending

FL built a monestary beside their castle so that they can meet the child whenever they want. They can even spend nights in the monestary if they want. It's like living in the same castle but having a wall in between. This way the child can live in the monestary but they can see him whenever they want too.

Edit: Well, yeah. It's not a conventional happy ending. I know. As someone said, it's a less bitter one. But it's possibly the happiest it could be without breaking Rubiana's character. Rubiana is, imho, not cut out for passionately romantic love. It's sad for Roymond but if Rubiana suddenly turned into a emotional person like that, it'd just feel out of place. And I think she had enough emotional outburst after Roymond ran away with the baby anyway.
All of this wouldn't have happened if Rubiana didn't make that damn blood oath but c'mon, that already happened in the prologue! She can't reverse what she said.
And I think she thought that she was gonna have a loveless political marriage in the future and couldn't quite imagine herself having a baby back then. That's why she recklessly did it.

But still, it was the best ending they could have in my opinion. Life doesn't always have a perfect happy ending. Of course, other's opinions are still valid. It suits my taste, that's why I think of it as a happy ending.

 

Thank you so much!!! Thank god it’s happy ending

 

Time to edit my original message so it’s as clear as linguistically possible.

 

I am glad you mentioned this, thank you. It was actually that was something I was curious about / thinking about (The fact that the Younger sister would have resentment for the Elder sister despite the fact that they both love(d) one another quite deeply. I expected their relationship to be more or less permanently damaged because of that. - Despite the Elder sister making the right call her sister was better to protect the family and territory.. But understanding something at a logical level is one thing. an Emotional level will still feel abandonment or betrayal and the elder sister Guilt and more Guilt.

You said it wasn't as pure as it once was (I honestly expected that) But as of the side stories [if I recall her child was born in the first side story (?) ] How does their relationship actually wind up as of the up to date side stories.. I was curious if it would repair further.. and Her (Younger sisters) relationship/view with/of her Nephew and the monastery etc ..and honestly her Elder Sister after all this time and all this war etc etc. I was hopeful despite resentment and guilt etc that by the end of all side stories they would have worked through more things.

Maybe im alone in this (which is fine lol) but that doesn't sound happy as much as 'less bitter' Well at least he will know his parents though he will be raised by the Church/Monastery. (with her future children being raised in the castle/keep. ) another perhaps unpopular opinion

Spoiler

maybe if you dont go dedicating your kids before they're born and thus taking away any free will they might have you wouldn't have to start trying to find ways around your declarations later

 

I agree man. Like deadass she fucks her kid over inheritance wise as well as her potential future in anything non temple related (assuming the kid wants to be fully independent) because the only connections the kid has is religious. Granted, the priests probably have business connections in the religious business men but my argument would have no leg to stand on so let’s ignore that /s

 

Yep I agree with you (as I stated) I just can't call that a happy end for the first kid just not as bitter and maybe she should think with something other than guilt when making oaths.

 

Tysm for the clarification, I was about to stop reading because my heart couldn't my take how pitiful the poor ML would be.

 

I think it's unfair to judge MC for selecting her sibling over a contractual husband and for making an oath. Everyone would have done the same for their blood relatives if their relationship is close, it's just that not many real or fictional characters are put in a position where they have to make this type of choice.

I also feel bad for ML for not getting the type of love he wanted to get, but he was the one who proposed a contractual marriage in the first place and agreed to all terms.

Spoiler: Long rumble - no new spoilers

ML didn't think the consequences of his choice through, at that time saving his life was more important than anything else, so he proposed a contract marriage. The same was true for MC when she has made a blood oath to sacrifice her child to make sure she and her sister succeed in their revolt. She promised to give a child she doesn't have yet and is not attached to yet to secure her and her sister's life.

To understand this oath better it's important to understand the historical context. At that time even though kids were considered potential heirs and it was important to have a successor and continue your blood line, it's also true that they weren't valued that much, because women were giving birth to 3-7 children during their lives and it was inevitable that child death rate was very high. And children were often considered as a livestock that can bring profit to a family, so even if MC's child wasn't obligated to spend time in a temple he/she would have been obligated to train as a Duke heir, go to wars or do other stuff that was considered their responsibility even if they didn't want to. This specific situation seems so wrong only because a temple with harsh living conditions is involved. But it's not very much different from any other noble family that was obligated to send their daughters to unwanted marriage if it was requested by their rules or their sons to the battlefield if there was a need. So at the end of a day there was not much free will allowed for a child in general. And all kids were raised with the same mindset, that they belong to their families and that they should help their families to profit.

And lastly back to ML, it is a pity that he thinks he's never been loved properly in his life, but you can't demand feelings from other people just because you think you deserve it. I haven't finished reading MTL, but so far to me it looks like his love for MC is more of a gratitude and a bit of obsession than an actual love of an adult. It is easy to love a talented, beautiful and kind person who treats you well and gives you something you've never experienced before, but when the real struggle begins and you see their real character this is when it's clear if the love is genuine or if it was something else and if you're ready to stay with that person regardless or if you can't stand their real self.

Honestly, in this case it looks like MC is actually ready to accept ML with all his "baggage" and is trying to find a compromise to keep their relationship and feelings, but ML is too selfish and childish to accept and understand MC with all her circumstances and is focusing only on the demand that he should be loved the same as he's loving MC. If he wants to be loved in a specific overwhelming and blind way so badly he should divorce and find another lover instead of playing a victim card. Or he should become a better person who is worth the blinding love he’s dreaming about.

I really hope that as he spends more time with their child he'll be able grow as a person to show a good example of a loving and wise parent. Right now his character is a bit controversial because it's strange for a person who's lived 7 lives to be this impulsive and immature.

 

Sister is an asshole , she did care for fl but she is just a self centered asshole .and well she has lots of problem from childhood also she is obsessed with her ( creepy) ahe even spread rumers about her to stop others from approaching her .but they wont be in bad terms with each other .( Sadly )

The fl herself isn't great either like what kind of an asshole devote life of another person for her own personal gain and thier child at that.

The ending wasn't that happy you can clearly see another manhwa with its story

"My mother sold my life to temple so she can make her creepy sister an emperor and my poor father had no say in it "

 

I can safely say I have loved ones..family at that. I would not dedicate my own first child to 20 years of being raised by a church for them (Woo I get visiting hours). Also I understand history just fine- It less the fact that she doesn't really care about the issues its more of a doing and done. (Until she actually has the kid than suddenly cares (a Lesson in think before you do (or self-regret/guilt) . But I don't recall any major Ducal houses willingly giving up their children to the church unless the blackmail was very impressive. It simply wasn't done. Also history clearly shows not all (hardly any) were raised with the *sole* mindset of belonging to their families - The mindset of either escaping them or ruling them sure. But the mindset of a slave in fancy dress, hardly. Look at large chunks of HRE historically IE... As for free will in verse.. She had free will to seek out her sister and make these oaths .. and the free will to guilt herself to pieces. The free will is still there. Also on another note the Child stuck in her monastery would likely resent all the children not stuck in said monastery. So you still don't avoid conflict.

But as it is indeed fiction (with dragons even) I would hazard of course this child will love her and think shes a great mom etc. As well as its sibling(s) without an eventual fight for the house. etc (hence why I dont usually bring in actual history to this stuff lol)

As for the ML as a 'whole' the FL was not in fact ready to accept all his baggage at the start, she simply thought she was. She didn't know how much baggage he had 7 LT's worth of it. I think you'd be a bit 'messed up' or warped in your own desires / thinking after all the offing being done to you and the knowledge you have (but can't use do your position ). Though I seldom find people proclaiming the FL's in other story purely or overly selfish, after they have gone through multiple 'redos' which were nothing but pain and acting in an extremely similar manner (This is a gender reverse not a genre reverse haha)

As for the Contract marriage it was and remains a simple and oft overused plot device. No hence in debating it. Since it in these stories 90%+ results in a happy marriage since by the time its signed at least one is in love with the other or in this case both.

 

If children had free will to decide their future there wouldn’t have been arranged by family marriages, dishonouring eloped daughters for ruining a family honour and teenage boys being sent to the battlefields as representatives of their families. Classic literature of 18th-19th centuries discusses the topics of a son’s/daughter’s duty, responsibility and sacrifices for a family a lot.

 

I feel most points were dodged.. There was plenty written literature describing various things from roles and stations to most every other topic since the 18th century . your point of 'Everyone would have done the same for their blood relatives if their relationship is close, it's just that not many real or fictional characters are put in a position where they have to make this type of choice.' Still stands to be very likely wrong. In both historical and current contexts.

 

I have to say although I hate MC. I do feel like most her decisions are objectively. (Most being like the two or three I’ve seen). When she saves her sister over ML, she is right because as far as I’m concerned her sister would outright be killed due to being the empress (which would bring more issues as she can’t simply be replaced. She’s too intelligent.) whereas ML won’t necessarily die assuming the rebels are the same as the ones we’ve heard about in the manhwa already. Even the oath I can understand. While the oath has an assortment of issues (such as the fact it was done on a whim, made for superstitious motivations, completely unnecessary, and quite honestly, doesn’t cost her anything because she states she’ll just make the secondborn the head of the family), the oath itself makes sense. She can’t exactly give herself up for the oath because she’s one of the heads of military. As a result no matter, how much time passes she can’t ever dedicate herself to it because her allegiance to her sister would cause her to break it and return active duty.
I still hate her but it’s not like kick-a-nazi kind of hate. It’s more like a political kind of hate where you do understand the other side’s ideals but you don’t agree with them.

 

I would really love to read a novel from a few centuries ago where a person selects to save from death a lover instead of a loved family member and continues to live on like it was a right choice. This type of story could have been written only to make such a lead suffer greatly because of their obviously wrong choice. In an era when family ties had the biggest value and not following strict social norms and your obligation as a member of a family could ruin your life in an instant it would have been an unimaginable scandal if such a person was made a happy lead in a book.

Even nowadays in some cultures it’s frown upon to leave a blood family in favour of a lover, check out people’s reactions to Megxit in GB.

 

I had a reply all typed out but.. honestly..since any further chat on that will be such horrific derailment to the thread itself; I think ill just let it be. @its0k

As for the comments from @I_am_the_two on hating the MC ... I hate several of her choices. Several are logical several are very much emotional. By the end of what I understand (MTL's are always a fascinating journey) I Sympathize far more with the ML than the FL. He was far more willing to actually defend or stand up for the child (especially noting his rather....horrid? childhood) Takes a lot of courage (and perhaps unhealed wounds in their relationship) To go off on her and her sister when had more or less been very much self restrained the majority of the series trying to survive his 8th LT (That and he genuinely loved her too so makes the bitterness in the fight more well 'biting' I also don't really feel their relationship was ever 100% the same after the rebellion and the stuff with her..'blood oath' that even her sister stated was unnecessary if i recall). So he actually gets credit from me for that. Though I never pretended to love the FL or her sister or to be candid most of the cast I just find the story itself interesting as its a good 'reversal'. So... If one wanted to Hate the FL, finding reason to do so is certainly not hard- the same can be said for Liking her. Same with her sister - and for some the ML (the most emotionally 'damaged') character.

 

Personally, I don't feel like its a happy ending. I really feel sorry for the ML and child. Like damn, it's really not fair for them. Imagine living your whole life in the monastery, not having the freedom that could have been granted to you hecause you have to devote yourself for your mom's blood oath. I really wished that FL could have done better. Anyway, so proud of ML for standing up for their child. Also, the side stories are really good! It's not your usual fluffy ones.