The Samaranch family, the main house of Juan Argones Samaranch, was one of the fairly prestigious families in Catalonia. They were somewhat respected in social circles, managed valuable territories and businesses, and were considered a solid, well-established noble family without any notable flaws. Juan Argones Samaranch was born as the second son of this Samaranch family. However, he didn’t feel any particular obligation to contribute to the family or inherit any shares. In Hiberia, most kingdoms followed the principle of primogeniture, so second sons and beyond were often seen as mere spares, with little inherent value. While this might seem like a disadvantage, it was actually more of a benefit. Even in cultures with divided inheritance, wealthy and powerful individuals preferred to pass their entire foundation to a single heir. So, how could one ensure that everything went to one successor in a divided inheritance system? The answer was simple: eliminate the existence of siblings who would receive divided inheritances. Of course, this didn’t mean physically killing them—no matter what, they were still family, and such extreme measures were unthinkable. The most common method was to donate them to monastic facilities run by religious orders, along with a generous contribution. All monks and nuns had to take monastic vows before being recognized in their roles. Noble second or third sons who joined these facilities, while they might not fully take on the roles of monks or nuns due to practical issues like potential secularization, still had to adhere to monastic regulations during their stay. These regulations included maintaining chastity and not owning personal property. Formally, they had to remain chaste, meaning they couldn’t start families or have legitimate children, and since private property ownership wasn’t recognized, they were excluded from family inheritance. Thus, it was only natural that those who wanted to simplify succession issues would favor monastic facilities. Compared to countries with divided inheritance or those following the Walong Law, which only recognized the “rightful heir,” the situation of second and third sons in Hiberia, where primogeniture was clear, was significantly better. They received nothing from the family but were also free from any significant demands, except in cases of strategic marriages. Juan Argones Samaranch, as the second son of the Samaranch family, benefited greatly from this. Unlike the eldest son, who was groomed to inherit, Juan could focus entirely on his passion for swordsmanship and martial arts. His honed skills eventually earned him the position of guard knight to Princess Maria of Tarragona, making his life relatively well-settled. It wasn’t uncommon for second or third sons of noble families to end up as idle spendthrifts if they didn’t find their path early. Princess Maria of Tarragona, full name Maria Petronila de Hortas, was a bit of an oddball. The stereotypical image of noble daughters usually fell into two categories: either they were ill-mannered or airheaded. To be more specific, some grew up accustomed to looking down on others and being stubborn, requiring serious personality corrections, while others were so oblivious to the world that they lacked even the basic empathy needed to understand others. Of course, not all noble daughters were like this, but such cases were rare, and the majority fit the stereotypes. However, it would be a mistake to interpret this as noble daughters being inherently flawed from birth. Their lives were often isolated from the outside world from the moment they were born until their eventual decline. Unlike men, who needed to understand and manage their subjects as rulers, noble daughters were expected to adapt to social circles before marriage and manage their households afterward, allowing their husbands to focus on external affairs. In one sentence, they were “necessary resources for noble families to exchange influence.” Thus, raised as delicate flowers in limited environments, they naturally grew up ignorant of the world. When they married into other noble families, they passed on what they had learned from their parents to their children. Regardless of their innate qualities, the environment made it almost inevitable for them to grow up either ignorant or warped. However, Princess Maria of Tarragona, who first met her guard knight and charge, defied these stereotypes in many ways. “She was, in a way, a peculiar person,” it was said. Her broad perspective, free-spirited nature, and down-to-earth demeanor were far from the image of a noble daughter raised solely for debut in aristocratic social circles. As a child, she was the leader of the neighborhood kids, playing war games in the village below the lord’s keep. As she grew older, she participated in family-sponsored charity events, donning aprons and headscarves to engage in volunteer work. Instead of a well-manicured garden, the courtyard had a vegetable patch she personally tended, getting her hands dirty. Books she had painstakingly copied, ink-stained fingers and all, adorned the shelves in her room, the reception hall, and throughout the mansion. Compared to the typical nobles who avoided labor and prided themselves on their unworked, white hands, she seemed almost like a different species. Of course, this didn’t mean she wasn’t noble. “On the contrary, she was more noble than anyone else,” it was said. In society, it was said that there were five statuses: the monarch, who ruled the land and held military command; the court nobles, who stayed in the monarch’s court and handled various duties; the clergy, who guided the souls of the people as members of the church; the free citizens, who were responsible for their own status; and the serfs, whose status was tied to the land ruled by the monarch. This classification was generally similar across the continent, with minor regional variations. Princess Maria of Tarragona belonged to the Hortas family, which fell under the category of territorial nobility. As a child born into a noble family, she enjoyed rights that non-nobles couldn’t even approach. But these rights weren’t given for free. Territorial nobles were, in short, leaders of groups. They managed their family members, governed the land and its people, commanded vassals and retainers, and raised armies to fight external enemies. These were the so-called monarchs, the territorial nobles. Princess Maria clearly understood the rights and duties of being born into a territorial noble family. She knew that to protect the interests of her family and the followers who supported her, active participation in the complex community of politics, economy, and culture—namely, the social circles—was crucial. Thus, despite not being one to seek unnecessary authority or dignity, she diligently attended noble social gatherings and prepared for them without laziness. She didn’t always buy new dresses and jewels, but she knew how to stay half a step ahead of trends, adding subtle touches to make the most of what she had. She didn’t wear expensive perfumes but took meticulous care of her body and mind. Her elegance was natural yet refined, a noble quality that no one in social circles could deny, even if they criticized her frugality. Yet, Princess Maria of Tarragona was, at her core, more of a free spirit than a noblewoman. While other noble daughters were “those who could only live that way,” Princess Maria had chosen to live that way herself. A shining person naturally attracts others. Just seeing her makes one aspire to be like her, and being near her brings a sense of peace. One feels that this person is more important to the world than oneself, and that sacrificing one’s life for her would be worth it. For the young Juan, who was merely a second son of a noble family skilled in swordsmanship, Princess Maria was such a presence. The days he spent as her guard knight were the brightest days of Juan Argones Samaranch’s life. But one day, those shining days came to an unexpected end. “King Ramon Berenguer III of Catalonia was seeking a reliable ally at the time.” King Ramon Berenguer III of Catalonia was an absolutist who believed that only an enlightened monarch leading foolish vassals could steer the country in a better direction. Naturally, this created an irreconcilable conflict between the king and the territorial nobles. This conflict deepened as several proposals led by the king’s faction were successfully implemented. King Ramon Berenguer III was aware of this issue. Normally, he might have shown some compromise towards the territorial nobles, but he didn’t. Instead, he boldly sought to turn potential enemies into allies. The marriage proposal to the Hortas family, the lords of Tarragona, was made against this backdrop. “Initially, the Duke of Tarragona was reluctant to accept the proposal.” It was only natural. The union between the Hortas family, the lords of Tarragona, and the royal family based in Barcelona would drastically change Catalonia’s political landscape. Since ancient times, the lands adjacent to the southern sea, the Sea of Tethys, had been a hub of goods and civilization. Their prosperity was unmatched by inland regions, and their wealth was enough to naturally develop markets and finance. Catalonia, among the various small kingdoms of Hiberia, greatly benefited from these geopolitical conditions. Barcelona, the royal capital, and Tarragona, the fief of the Hortas family, held the ports that were the lifeblood of Catalonia’s prosperity. If Barcelona and Tarragona joined hands, the royal faction would monopolize this lifeline, leaving the inland lords and vassals powerless to resist. If approached carelessly, the delicate balance of power among Catalonia’s influential families would collapse, leading to political instability. Naturally, the other nobles were aware of this, and they would surely conspire to prepare countermeasures before or after such an event. Faced with a decision far from trivial, the Duke of Tarragona fell into deep agony. “But ultimately, a parent’s heart tends to prioritize their child’s happiness over other concerns.” The Duke’s political worries began to fade in the face of the crown prince’s genuine feelings for his daughter. Reality hadn’t changed, but sometimes, people dream of romance and take reality lightly. The moment a faint hope that “this person might make my daughter happy” sprouts in their heart, even the most pressing political issues seem surmountable. Looking back, the Hortas family had always maintained relatively close ties with the current Catalan royal family, the Cruz family. Although they hadn’t officially declared themselves royalists, they were tentatively classified as pro-royal, so perhaps not much would change. Moreover, the Hortas family had always had few heirs. The current Duke of Tarragona had only one child, Maria Gloria de Hortas, so this issue also needed consideration. Would he leave the foundation he had built over a lifetime to a distant relative who knew nothing of it, or would he use his daughter’s marriage to the royal family as an opportunity to merge Tarragona with the royal faction in the next generation? He stood at this crossroads of choice. Ultimately, the scales in the Duke’s heart tipped towards the latter, and Princess Maria’s marriage to the crown prince was decided. The events flowed smoothly, culminating in a grand wedding. This union marked the merging of Barcelona and Tarragona, responsible for Catalonia’s maritime trade, and the royal Cruz family with the ducal Hortas family. By the end of the wedding, “Princess Maria of Tarragona” had become “Crown Princess Maria,” and naturally, her guard knight, Juan Argones Samaranch, became “the Crown Princess’s guard knight.” Their marriage wasn’t solely blessed. While the royalists, Tarragona’s vassals, and the Hortas family’s retainers generally welcomed and blessed the union, some among them harbored different thoughts. Among the nobles not aligned with the royal faction, there were many who were inwardly uncomfortable with the union of the two, or rather, the two factions. With King Ramon Berenguer III still alive and vigilant, these feelings didn’t surface openly. But in the shadows, an unspecified number of hidden forces were biding their time, waiting for the right moment. “And foolishly, I didn’t notice any of this at the time.” It was only when Princess Maria married the crown prince and became the crown princess that Juan Argones Samaranch realized he had feelings for her. It was a belated realization. His affection for her, now the crown princess, was something that could never be realized and should never be—a forbidden taboo. Consumed by despair and regret for not realizing his feelings sooner, or for not burying them deep within his heart, Juan failed to notice the dark clouds slowly gathering around the crown princess. Years passed, and the former king of Catalonia passed away. Following the procedures, the crown prince ascended the throne as Ramon Berenguer IV. Naturally, the crown princess, now heavily pregnant, would also rise to the position of queen alongside her husband. On the very day of the coronation, the event that would mark the beginning of all the troubles to come finally occurred.