The news of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess's beauty spread faster than wildfire. It began with the nobles who had seen them enter the palace, then trickled down through servants who worked within Solendreich Palace. By nightfall, the whispers had already escaped into the streets, filling taverns, markets, and alleyways until the entire capital buzzed with speculation.
For years, everyone had been told the same story: the Grand Duke of Borgia was a monster, a cursed creature of demon blood, terrifying in form and cruel in nature. So when servants claimed otherwise, most scoffed.
"The Grand Duke is a woman," someone whispered in a crowded market stall.
"An alpha female?" another asked, eyes wide.
"Yes. The old servants who once served Princess Morwenna swore it. They say the duke has her mother's beautiful face and the demon king's power."
"So it was never an alpha male?" a butcher muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
