Responses
1. Male Lead is a royal prince turned Grand Duke of Tessen. He is the youngest son of the previous emperor and the youngest brother of the current emperor.
2. The "mother" is not biological but someone wedded into the family. A step mother. She became "Duchess of Tessen" and it is implied that as the new Duchess, she was cursed to become old looking. That is why ML does not want to marry FL.
3. It is implied that The former Emperor made The ML Grand Duke of Tessen around 14 years old (the last time he didnt feel any pain) and that is when ML became cursed. (Anybody who inherits Tessen becomes cursed).
This makes me think the story might be a bad rendition of the novel. Not that I've read it mind you. But holy hell where are we? ML, I don't even remember your shtick coz suddenly your mother is...cursed? What? You're related to the Emperor how again? Did they already mention what he's after? And, MC...huh? Where you at in life too? Why did she need to choose ML again? There was nobody better? Really?