The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 121: Who Is A Noble?

Chapter 121: Who Is A Noble?

"Your Grace... A child wouldn’t have changed his true nature..." Adeline rushed to say, she knew exactly what she was thinking. A child cannot fix things! It certainly wouldn’t have fixed the relationship between her and her ex-husband!

The Duchess frowned and continued, "Do you think that if I had given him a child he wouldn’t have..."

"Done what he did?" Adeline completed her sentence.

The Duchess smiled in such a sorrowful manner that Adeline couldn’t help but feel the melancholy. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who can say? But it doesn’t matter now, does it? The man I once loved is gone, replaced by someone I barely recognize. And I can’t help but wonder... was it my fault? Did my choice push him to this madness?"

She wanted to yell that it wasn’t her fault but she wanted to first let the Duchess finish venting.

Adeline shook her head firmly. "It wasn’t your fault. He made his own choices. You can’t blame yourself for his actions."

The Duchess looked at her, a flicker of surprise in her eyes as if she hadn’t expected such wisdom from someone so young. "Perhaps you’re right. But guilt is a stubborn thing. It clings to you, whispers in your ear when you’re alone."

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth. Finally, Adeline spoke again. "You said you wanted to pass the Duchy to someone worthy. Not by blood, but by merit."

The Duchess nodded. "Yes. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Why should a title be bound by blood when it can be earned by those who truly deserve it?"

Adeline hesitated, then asked the question that had been on her mind. "Do you think... That someone like Dimitri could be worthy?"

She was aware of what the Duchess thought about those without titles. She hadn’t mistreated Dimitri, but she wouldn’t have considered him for anything just because he wasn’t from a noble lineage.

Adeline didn’t intend to make the Duchess declare Dimitri as her heir or anything. She just wanted to know if the Duchess changed her world view, she wanted the Duchess to have an open mind.

The silence stretched, and just as Adeline began to worry that she might have overstepped, the Duchess leaned back in her chair.

She tilted her head, her expression a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Do you know what it truly means to be noble, Adeline?" she asked softly, her tone filled with contemplation. It was like she was thinking about the question too.

Adeline blinked, caught off guard by the question. "I... I guess it means to have a title, land, and responsibilities."

"That’s what society says. Titles, land, and acting elite... But what do you think Adeline Kendrick?" She propped her head up on her hand and waited for the child in front of her to answer.

Adeline didn’t know what to say so she stood still like a statue hoping the Duchess would ignore her and keep talking. With wide eyes, she just stared at the Duchess...

"..."

Thankfully it worked! The Duchess didn’t probe any further or force her to answer.

The Duchess’s smile grew slightly, though there was a glimmer in her eyes. She was clearly excited about this topic of conversation. She lifted up her index finger and spoke.

"A fair answer. But let me tell you something. Nobility, at its heart, is about character. It is about upholding principles, protecting those weaker than yourself, and having the strength to act with integrity, even when it’s difficult. I fully believe that only nobles should lead."

Adeline’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the Duchess’s words. "Then... Why is it only those born into noble families who get to lead?"

The Duchess’s expression darkened momentarily, and she tried to take a sip of her wine before answering but frowned as it was completely empty!

"That, my dear, is the flaw in the system we’ve built. Once, long ago, nobility was not something inherited by birth alone. It was earned... Through acts of valour, service, and the trust of the people. Titles were given to those who proved themselves worthy. But as time passed, the bloodlines became sacred, and the notion of earning one’s place faded."

She scoffed lightly, her gaze flickering to the window where the moonlight slowly seeped in. "Now, half of the nobility are nothing more than leeches, content to rest on the laurels of their ancestors. They hold power, but they lack virtue. They are not worthy of the titles."

What she said was the truth, there were many corrupt nobles who did not care about their people, they were only interested in abusing their authority and accumulating their wealth at the cost of everyone else’s well being.

This just filled Adeline with rage. She hated that by being a noble she would have to be associated with those kinds of people. As much as the commoners disliked the nobles, this was a system that had been ingrained into their minds since a young age.

They dare not challenge the system, they could only stay helpless.

Adeline’s head drooped. "But... We are nobles too. Doesn’t that make us part of the same system?"

The Duchess let out a dry laugh, swirling the wine in her glass. "Oh, we are very much a part of it. But that doesn’t mean we have to agree with it. I have seen the flaws firsthand, and I know change is necessary. That is why I am so particular about choosing an heir. I will not pass on my title to someone simply because they share my blood."

The Duchess was truly an inspiration. Adeline was glad she met someone like her. Although she approached her in hopes of gaining her favour, she was glad that she formed a friendship with her.

"So... Dimitri..." She wouldn’t be biased against Dimitri, right? She knew that it wasn’t her place to push, but she couldn’t help but do it anyway.

She just wanted to secure Dimitri a solid future!

The Duchess raised an eyebrow, studying Adeline closely. "Why are you so concerned about him, Adeline? Is this about him, or is it about your own sense of fairness? Are you guilty for having privileges he doesn’t?"

Adeline hesitated, unsure how to answer. She thought about Dimitri’s unwavering loyalty, his resilience in the face of adversity, and his dreams of proving himself. She was also guilty about her position in this world.

She was a privileged young lady she knew that, but in the same world, there were people who were starving... She couldn’t enjoy what she had knowing she had the power to change things but didn’t.

To the people here, it was normal, but to her, someone who came from a modern society where nobility didn’t exist... It just felt wrong.

"It’s both," she admitted finally. "Dimitri has worked so hard to become the person he is. He doesn’t have a noble title, but he acts nobler than most of the people I’ve met. I just... I want people like him to have a chance."

Would it be wrong of her to wish this? Should she just conform to the role thrust upon her? No, she was brought here for a reason. And although she still didn’t know why, she would carve a place for herself in this world.

Only a few get the power to implement change, she will prove herself worthy of being a noble.