Chapter 8

Asella’s room was in the most secluded part of the mansion. It was a small, shabby room with large trees covering the windows and no proper sunlight.

The corridor, which was not maintained properly, smelled disgusting. The dust that had been lying on the floor stuck to the hem of his pants, making him frown.

“How annoying.”

He muttered in frustration.

This marriage was just a deal anyway. They were buying and selling people. The arrangements were over already, and he had taken all he could get.

All he had to do was to hold a proper ceremony, make it look convincing in the eyes of the public, and hand over Asella.

“Does he want to look like a good fiancé?”

As far as he was concerned, Calix Benvito had paid for the wedding, so there was no reason to give her a gift.

He does not know why he would go to all this trouble to send an engagement gift.

As he was mumbling, Philip’s eyes caught sight of Asella’s room. The maids were entering with Rebecca’s clothes.

A few moments later, a maid came out of the room and told Philip with a dark expression on her face.

“My Lord, the clothes do not fit her.”

Rebecca preferred flashy, revealing dresses that would allow her to show her alluring figure. Needless to say, it looked good on her, but it was very difficult for others to pull it off.

Philip clenched his teeth and ordered.

“Adjust the lining, cut it up, make it fit somehow.”

“Sir, but…”

The maid was about to say something, but as soon as she met Philip’s deadly eyes, she stopped talking.

“… I will do my best. “

The clothes were so big that the hem and sleeves had to be shortened, and there was so much room in the bosom area that the only way to fix it was to sew it.

The maid rushed off to find sewing tools.

Philip watched her, gritting his teeth.

‘You’re annoying me right until the end.’

Adele’s two daughters had always been a thorn in his side.

Mariel was still too young, so he was able to send her off to a faraway place. He was relieved from one at least, but every time he saw Asella, it would provoke his nerves.

He felt the urge to lock her away in a secluded monastery at least several times a day.

The only reason he couldn’t do so was that he was sure that the aristocrats would criticize him.

The look of annoyance in Philip’s eyes turned uneasy as he stared into Asella’s room.

‘I just have to pull it off this time somehow.’

The wedding was in a month at most. As soon as Asella was married, Anthony’s succession would be a matter of fact.

‘We must make this marriage happen, no matter what it takes.’

The Chartus Marquisette had to be inherited by his son, and Anthony’s biggest obstacle was Asella.

She had a legitimacy that Anthony could not attain. She had even been educated to be the successor until Adele’s death, so she was the person Philip had to be most wary of.

He stepped on her mercilessly so that she would never be able to retaliate, stripped her of everything she deserved to enjoy, and deliberately excluded her from all family matters whether it was large or small.

But what the high and mighty aristocracy of the empire traditionally valued the most was lineage. Because of the legitimacy of that bloodline, Anthony’s position has not been consolidated yet.

Philip had no choice but to put his life and death on Asella’s marriage.

“My Lord.”

“What is it?”

“We managed to make it work.”

Philip’s lips curved up into a satisfied smile at the maid’s report.

“All right. Take her to Rebecca’s room and get her ready as soon as possible.”

“Yes, My Lord”.

“Oh, and…”

Philip stopped the maid as she entered the room again.

If Asella spoke nonsense in front of Ryzen Kadan, his plan might fail. But as long as Philip held over Mariel, she would not act rashly. However, he could not afford to let his guard down.

And since he had disciplined her excessively earlier, he needed to make sure she would behave properly.

“Make sure she keeps her mouth shut and doesn’t say anything stupid. Even a rat will bite a cat’s tail if he’s pushed into a corner.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

A wicked smile stretched across Philip’s face.