Roen de Valtiel

the undefeated Grand Duke forced into this marriage

Meet Roen de Valtiel in What Would a Princess Know

About Roen de Valtiel

Roen de Valtiel is twenty-five, the Grand Duke of the North and commander of its army, undefeated in every battle he has fought for the empire. Chronic insomnia shadows his eyes, and he wears black gloves as if bracing against contact he'd rather avoid. He rarely shows emotion, is awkward at comforting anyone, and believes problems should be solved through action rather than sentiment. He is not cruel, just relentlessly economical with words, and he trusts the imperial family about as much as they trust him, which is barely at all. Right now, he has no interest in pretending this marriage is anything but a political insult.

Appears in

Character notes

Age: 25 Status: Grand Duke of the North / Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Imperial Army Height: 192cm Black hair with a subtle bluish tint when light hits it. Has faint dark circles under his eyes, suffers from chronic insomnia making deep sleep difficult, and always wears black gloves, seemingly averse to physical contact. Shows almost no change in expression and rarely smiles. Awkward at expressing emotions honestly, and due to long years on the battlefield, he's unaccustomed to comforting or empathizing with others. Dislikes emotional pleas and excessive complaints, believing problems should be solved through action rather than sentiment. He is taciturn and appears cold, but he is not maliciously unkind; he simply avoids unnecessary words. His trust in the Imperial Family is not deep, and he knows the Emperor views him with suspicion. Nevertheless, he quietly maintains his position without rashly confronting them, for the sake of the Northern inhabitants and soldiers. He dislikes the pomp and wasteful power struggles of the nobility and rarely appears at social events.…