I had to re-read this from the beginning since the politics is messy to juggle, but after going through it again, I can sort of sympathize with Harsen going crazy (of course, that doesn't absolve him of his crimes). I wrote a summary of events for some of the politics.
[ Ercella ] is of House Visarde, and is the direct descendant of another country's princess (Beatrice of Ludelsia). House Visarde is known as an information-powerhouse that essentially collects blackmail. Her position is pretty lofty, but she herself has no political power and is used as a pawn. She was not yet an adult when she married and gave birth to Vicente, and died young (mid 20s) to illness. She went back 3 years in time before her death. Her two goals right now are finding a cure for her illness, and preventing both a civil war and a regional war. If war breaks out, her husband and her son will have to fight. She has very little power in her current country of Grania, which doesn't hold women to any esteem.
[ Eshahilde ] is Ercella's elder sister, and Grania's Queen. She later dies during childbirth. Caron (Ercella's brother) who helped put her in power, wants her son Alexis to be the next king. They're in a factional war right now over succession for the throne. The Visardes have many enemies, and that's why they want to stay in power. For the same reason, the attendants of Bernhardt do not trust Ercella because she is a Visarde.
[ Harsen ] is of Ducal House Bernhardt, which is considered the King's Sword. Because he chose to marry Ercella instead of the royal princess, he was forced to go to war during the time his wife was pregnant as punishment, which was shortly after the death of their fathers. It's hinted that he's an illegitimate child, making his position in house Bernhardt shaky---that's why the late Duke, the late King, and even the late Caron wanted to control Harsen by threatening him with Ercella's divorce. In the end he chooses to rebel so that he wouldn't have people use his wife to oppress him anymore; but ultimately still divorced Ercella in case things went wrong so she and Vincent wouldn't be implicated if he were to be tried for treason. He still loves her deeply, but their relationship is strained. To date, he has killed a lot of people just so he could marry her, and stay with her. Ironically, because he chose to marry her, the cost of being married to her meant that he couldn't spend time with her because everyone else wanted him to pay up for the cost of their marriage. After the death of Eshahilde, Caron wants Ercella to leave and cut off Harsen because the house of Bernhardt built up too much bad karma through Harsen's underhanded tactics, despite Caron being a part of the problem, but he is hesitant because of prince Alexis. Eventually after Caron dies trying to protect the young prince, the now-divorced Ercella takes over the duchy as next head of Visarde.
--- Other Background Information:
[ Current King of Grania ] Used the Visardes and Bernhardt to get his current position, but wants to cut them off. He considered replacing them with the fallen Robert house. It's implied he may have loved a lady from the Robert house before marrying Eshahilde, and abused her verbally. He knows Harsen used all means at his disposal to get rid of the Damonshires and Robert. Although Harsen put him on the throne, he intends to get rid of both houses.
[ The Damonshires ] If Harisen hadn't proposed, Ercella would've married into the viscounty of Damonshire by default, because the Damonshires would've helped to support the then Princess Eshahilde. However, because House Bernhardt was an even better offer, her soon-to-pass father urged her to marry. Likewise, for house Bernhardt, marrying a Visarde instead of the princess is akin to saying they want to stay neutral, which angered the late-king and sent him to war. The late Duke Berhardt was also somewhat against them marrying because Visarde has a lot of enemies. During Harsen's time away at war, Duke Bernhardt passed away and Harsen's uncle tried to usurp the duchy. Meanwhile, the teenage and pregnant Ercella just lost her father, and her father in law, and was going through postpartum depression while Harsen is still at war; and also while having no power in the Bernhardt household. Even when Harsen returned, his extended family tried to kill him for the position of Duke, so he had no time for Ercella, worsening her depression. By way of ploy, or convenience, Harsen plots for one of the then king's consort, Bethel Damonshire's downfall, and the previous king offs her head on charges of infidelity. --- putting the then 1st Prince and Eshahilde next in line for the throne. Eventually, after the late-king's passing, the 1st prince succeeds and becomes the current king, and Eshahilde becomes the queen. The other royals in line at the time eventually suicide or fell out of power. Harsen was effectively used to kill off the other royals, leading to the enthronement of the current king. Though he probably had his own agenda for ruining Kasaro (the man who proposed to Ercella).
[ The Gartens ] A ducal household with diplomatic agency. Originally Harsen set up Vicente to be engaged to the young lady of house Garten (Olivia), but Ercella was against a political marriage. But the marriage would be beneficial for the Bernhardt who are under a lot of fire for marrying a Visarde. Ercella instead takes in Adora from baroness Zardea as her lady-in-waiting. Additionally, the Gartens and the Visardes already don't seem to have a good relationship.
[ The Roberts ] A family involved in the succession / queen candidacy that was ruined by the Visardes and Bernhardt when they put Eshahilde on the throne. Incidentally, sir Juan who was the kind noble who spoke to Ercella is from the Robert family. That's why they were shocked when they found out each other's identities. Both her households basically ruined his.
[ Ludelsia ] A neighbouring country past Konrad. A region where women typically are in power. It is said that they are descendants of the creation goddess Ludelsia. It's rumoured that Beatrice fled Ludelsia and married into Grania because she didn't want to marry her half-brother who coveted the throne. Because she was first in line but left, her elder half brother became the king of Ludelsia by default. Additionally, Grania's Princess Hermia (who once proposed to Harsen) was sent off to marry a Prince of Ludelsia by Caron's suggestion.
[ Regional Diplomacy ] There is tension between Grania and the neighbouring country of Konrad over a land called "Azrel" under Grania's control. However Konrad cuts right in-between Grania and other nations, essentially controlling their trade route. In the future before regression, war breaks out between Grania and Konrad.
[ Atinel the Holystone ] A holy stone from the land of Ludelsia that may grant wishes to those containing god's blood. It's implied that someone made a wish to turn back Ercella's time. That's why when she sees the stone in the current timeline, it doesn't seem to have much lustre.
I had to re-read this from the beginning since the politics is messy to juggle, but after going through it again, I can sort of sympathize with Harsen going crazy (of course, that doesn't absolve him of his crimes). I wrote a summary of events for some of the politics.
----------------------------------------------------
[ Ercella ] is of House Visarde, and is the direct descendant of another country's princess (Beatrice of Ludelsia). House Visarde is known as an information-powerhouse that essentially collects blackmail. Her position is pretty lofty, but she herself has no political power and is used as a pawn. She was not yet an adult when she married and gave birth to Vicente, and died young (mid 20s) to illness. She went back 3 years in time before her death. Her two goals right now are finding a cure for her illness, and preventing both a civil war and a regional war. If war breaks out, her husband and her son will have to fight. She has very little power in her current country of Grania, which doesn't hold women to any esteem.
[ Eshahilde ] is Ercella's elder sister, and Grania's Queen. She later dies during childbirth. Caron (Ercella's brother) who helped put her in power, wants her son Alexis to be the next king. They're in a factional war right now over succession for the throne. The Visardes have many enemies, and that's why they want to stay in power. For the same reason, the attendants of Bernhardt do not trust Ercella because she is a Visarde.
[ Harsen ] is of Ducal House Bernhardt, which is considered the King's Sword. Because he chose to marry Ercella instead of the royal princess, he was forced to go to war during the time his wife was pregnant as punishment, which was shortly after the death of their fathers. It's hinted that he's an illegitimate child, making his position in house Bernhardt shaky---that's why the late Duke, the late King, and even the late Caron wanted to control Harsen by threatening him with Ercella's divorce. In the end he chooses to rebel so that he wouldn't have people use his wife to oppress him anymore; but ultimately still divorced Ercella in case things went wrong so she and Vincent wouldn't be implicated if he were to be tried for treason. He still loves her deeply, but their relationship is strained. To date, he has killed a lot of people just so he could marry her, and stay with her. Ironically, because he chose to marry her, the cost of being married to her meant that he couldn't spend time with her because everyone else wanted him to pay up for the cost of their marriage.
After the death of Eshahilde, Caron wants Ercella to leave and cut off Harsen because the house of Bernhardt built up too much bad karma through Harsen's underhanded tactics, despite Caron being a part of the problem, but he is hesitant because of prince Alexis. Eventually after Caron dies trying to protect the young prince, the now-divorced Ercella takes over the duchy as next head of Visarde.
---
Other Background Information:
[ Current King of Grania ]
Used the Visardes and Bernhardt to get his current position, but wants to cut them off. He considered replacing them with the fallen Robert house. It's implied he may have loved a lady from the Robert house before marrying Eshahilde, and abused her verbally. He knows Harsen used all means at his disposal to get rid of the Damonshires and Robert. Although Harsen put him on the throne, he intends to get rid of both houses.
[ The Damonshires ]
If Harisen hadn't proposed, Ercella would've married into the viscounty of Damonshire by default, because the Damonshires would've helped to support the then Princess Eshahilde. However, because House Bernhardt was an even better offer, her soon-to-pass father urged her to marry. Likewise, for house Bernhardt, marrying a Visarde instead of the princess is akin to saying they want to stay neutral, which angered the late-king and sent him to war. The late Duke Berhardt was also somewhat against them marrying because Visarde has a lot of enemies.
During Harsen's time away at war, Duke Bernhardt passed away and Harsen's uncle tried to usurp the duchy. Meanwhile, the teenage and pregnant Ercella just lost her father, and her father in law, and was going through postpartum depression while Harsen is still at war; and also while having no power in the Bernhardt household. Even when Harsen returned, his extended family tried to kill him for the position of Duke, so he had no time for Ercella, worsening her depression.
By way of ploy, or convenience, Harsen plots for one of the then king's consort, Bethel Damonshire's downfall, and the previous king offs her head on charges of infidelity. --- putting the then 1st Prince and Eshahilde next in line for the throne. Eventually, after the late-king's passing, the 1st prince succeeds and becomes the current king, and Eshahilde becomes the queen. The other royals in line at the time eventually suicide or fell out of power. Harsen was effectively used to kill off the other royals, leading to the enthronement of the current king. Though he probably had his own agenda for ruining Kasaro (the man who proposed to Ercella).
[ The Gartens ]
A ducal household with diplomatic agency. Originally Harsen set up Vicente to be engaged to the young lady of house Garten (Olivia), but Ercella was against a political marriage. But the marriage would be beneficial for the Bernhardt who are under a lot of fire for marrying a Visarde. Ercella instead takes in Adora from baroness Zardea as her lady-in-waiting. Additionally, the Gartens and the Visardes already don't seem to have a good relationship.
[ The Roberts ]
A family involved in the succession / queen candidacy that was ruined by the Visardes and Bernhardt when they put Eshahilde on the throne. Incidentally, sir Juan who was the kind noble who spoke to Ercella is from the Robert family. That's why they were shocked when they found out each other's identities. Both her households basically ruined his.
[ Ludelsia ] A neighbouring country past Konrad. A region where women typically are in power. It is said that they are descendants of the creation goddess Ludelsia. It's rumoured that Beatrice fled Ludelsia and married into Grania because she didn't want to marry her half-brother who coveted the throne. Because she was first in line but left, her elder half brother became the king of Ludelsia by default. Additionally, Grania's Princess Hermia (who once proposed to Harsen) was sent off to marry a Prince of Ludelsia by Caron's suggestion.
[ Regional Diplomacy ] There is tension between Grania and the neighbouring country of Konrad over a land called "Azrel" under Grania's control. However Konrad cuts right in-between Grania and other nations, essentially controlling their trade route. In the future before regression, war breaks out between Grania and Konrad.
[ Atinel the Holystone ]
A holy stone from the land of Ludelsia that may grant wishes to those containing god's blood. It's implied that someone made a wish to turn back Ercella's time. That's why when she sees the stone in the current timeline, it doesn't seem to have much lustre.