Chapter 44

She almost yelled a ‘No’. Fortunately, she was able to compose herself and swallowed the words that were about to escape her mouth in the back of her throat. Fortunately, her face was covered by a veil.

‘Mariel..!’

She couldn’t manage her expression very well. Her teeth clashed and clicked together. Her whole body shivered as if she felt a chill of fear that went deep into her bones.

Her mother’s last words began to fill her head as she continued to speak, coughing up blood again and again.

‘Beware of him… Benvito…’

‘Pr-Promise me… Please’

‘Be careful around Calix Benvito.’

‘Promise me that you will survive and protect Mariel.’

Her mother left this last wish with her as she took her last breath.

However, none of those promises followed.

She had married Calix Benvito, struggled to keep herself alive, and Mariel was still in Philip’s hands.

She felt terrible about that, and for the past month, she couldn’t even dare to recall happy memories of her mother.

‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’

‘I can’t take Mariel away with me.’

One day, Calix Benvito would kill her.

She had no idea when that time would be, and if she took Mariel, even the child’s safety would be uncertain. The Grand Duke was more dangerous than Philip.

She felt dizzy from the chaos of her thoughts and dazed as if she’d been thrown into the demon’s enormous claws.

‘Pull yourself together, Asella.’

She finally managed to pull herself out of her reverie.

Even if she had to give up everything else, she had to protect Mariel.

‘Even if it meant giving up on me.’

When Asella’s trembling lips finally parted, she didn’t know what to say.

“No, you can’t!”

Philip screamed.

With Mariel in hand, he could continue to extract the sweet juice from Asella.

In any case, now that Asella was the Grand Duchess, she would be useful in many ways. As long as Mariel was with him, Asella had no choice but to accept his demands.

No matter how much Asella cared for Mariel, whether she was her biological sister, Philip was still Mariel’s legal guardian, and he had custody of the child.

“Don’t worry! We’ll do our best to help Mariel pass the Academy’s entrance exam…”

“You’re testing my patience.”

Calix’s face oozed annoyance along with boredom. He ruffled his jet-black hair and continued speaking.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Philip.”

“Wh-Wh-What are you saying?”

“I find the sound of animals barking quite unpleasant and difficult to listen to.”

Philip’s face instantly reddened at the words, which lacked even the barest amount of courtesy. But he couldn’t even open his mouth in front of Calix.

The knights of Benvito remained surrounding them. It was very easy to imagine a scene where a single word from the Grand Duke would cause dozens of blades to strike simultaneously.

Finally, Philip grew silent, and Calix turned to face Asella.

“Asella, tell me what you want. What do you want me to do?”

The moment she met his persistent gaze, she realized that she could not avoid answering. Her clear light blue eyes trembled.

‘You’re the one who killed my mother.’

There was only one piece of evidence that her dying mother had handed it to her before she let out her last breath. It was a button with a strange pattern engraved on it.

But obviously, it had a close connection to her death.

In any way…

“Do you want us to take your sister along?”

How could he, who was only fifteen years old at the time, do such a thing?

At first, she couldn’t believe it.

But then, three years later, the previous Grand Duke Benvito, who had been in good health, died mysteriously. After assuming the title of the Grand Duke, Calix Benvito became the leading figure in countless victorious battles.

Her doubts were becoming more and more convincing.

‘I can’t take Mariel with me. It’s the right thing to do…’

Asella, who made up her mind, finally parted her lips.

“I thank you for the kindness and compassion you have extended to my sister and me, but-“

“Asella.”

However, the words she managed to speak were cut off in mid-sentence.

“It’s better if we take your sister with us.”

He said as if he knew how she would respond.

“You’ve been apart for so long.”

“…Your Excellency.”

“If you want, I can arrange for her room to be right next to yours so that you can see her any time you want.”

Asella couldn’t understand Calix. He was trying to convince her as if he had to take Mariel.

But why?

Her suspicions grew, and her fears amplified.

It was then that Asella was about to shake her head in haste at the chilly sensation that crept up the top of her head.

“Mariel Chartus would be happier with you.”

His voice was low and calm, even intimidating in a way that was impossible to resist.

There was no way she could defy his will, nor could she take Mariel to such a dangerous place.

Asella bit her lip.

At that moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of regret; she shouldn’t have brought up Mariel in the first place. She had tried to give her sister wings, but she had ended up choking her.

The bitterness of the shame that she had ruined everything with her rash action was too much for her to handle.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Asella couldn’t take it anymore and closed her eyes tightly. That’s when it happened.

“Asella.”