Chapter 25

It was still early in the morning; the time when the servants would wake up and begin their chores.

They were in the middle of their preparations for the day when their eyes rolled back into their heads because Asella was running across the hallway.

“What’s going on?”

Asella spent most of the day in her room. Even when she roamed around the mansion, there was hardly a sound of footsteps.

Not a single person would feel her presence around. They would just be startled to find her walking past them.

And now, they saw her running! She was even holding onto the hem of her skirt with both hands so she could run a bit faster. It was no wonder they were astonished by the scene.

Meanwhile, Asella wasn’t paying attention to other people’s eyes.

All she could think about was that she had to get out as fast as possible. Her breathing became so heavy and out of breath, by the time she was able to reach the mansion’s entrance, as she struggled to find air, she spoke one word.

There stood the person whom she had wanted to meet, even in her dreams.

“Mariel!”

“Sister!”

With her silvery cotton candy hair fluttering in the air, Mariel was cradled in Asella’s arms.

She hugged her little sister who, unbeknownst to Asella, had grown so much. She gently patted the head of the child with the silver hair and blue eyes that looked just like her own.

It had been exactly three years since Asella last saw her.

“…How have you been?”

She could barely speak as she struggled to hold back her tears.

“I’m well. What about Sister?”

“Me too.”

Asella held her sister’s hand in hers. She wanted to go to her room as soon as possible and tell her what she couldn’t tell in front of all these eyes. However, Mariel asked anxiously, pulling her hand slightly.

“Sister, what about our father?”

“It’s okay. He’s not here right now.”

Asella reassured her worried sister and went back to her room, closing the door behind her.

They were lucky.

If Philip and Anthony had been in the house, it would have been difficult to spend time alone with Mariel.

They had been away for two days on a business trip, and the problem seemed to be quite serious, so they hadn’t been able to return until now. On the other hand, Mariel, who was scheduled to arrive around tomorrow morning, arrived earlier than expected.

The timing was perfect.

“You’ve grown up, Mariel.”

It had been three years since Mariel had left the Marquis’ residence in the capital.

She hadn’t seen her since then. Phillip had refused to give her permission, using the excuse that Mariel was undergoing medical treatment.

The then seven-year-old Mariel was now about to celebrate her tenth birthday.

Asella carefully stroked her beloved sister’s plump cheek as if she were touching the most precious thing in the world. Then, Mariel looked up at her and smiled.

The sight of Mariel’s innocent blue eyes that curved in a cute way naturally warmed Asella’s heart. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, but they were not awkward; it was as if they had always been together.

Then, suddenly remembering her sister’s last letter, Asella began to talk to Mariel.

“Mariel, what about your studies? Are you working hard?”

“Yes! It’s really, really fun. It’s really interesting.”

She answered confidently, bringing her hands to her mouth as her lips formed a circle. As Asella nodded her head, Mariel pressed her mouth to her ear and whispered.

“Mrs. Etmant says I’m the smartest kid she’s ever taught!”

The Marquis’s villa to which Mariel had been sent to was in Elven, a beautiful scenic resort city.

It was known for its beautiful scenery and year-round pleasant climate, which attracted visitors from all over the empire.

Thanks to this, although Elven was not very large, it was quite wealthy with various tourist incomes.

Since there were so many people coming and going, the rumors were quick to spread.

Philip couldn’t help but be aware of them, as people took a lot of interest in the young Lady of Chartus family after she had moved down there to recuperate.

It was for this reason that Viscountess Etmant, a well-known educator in the region herself, was chosen to take over Mariel’s education.

It was a bitter pill for Philip to swallow, but he could not bear the thought of people talking about how he was neglecting his sick stepdaughter by sending her away from home.

“She said if I do well, I can get into the Academy!”

“The Academy?”

The Academy was an institution that gathered the Empire’s most famous and brilliant talents.

Since it was a place where talent was recruited solely by ability, not everyone could enter just because they were aristocrats. If they had the ability, even commoners were given the opportunity.

Asella praised Mariel happily. Then she asked a few questions, in a way that the child did not notice.

‘There’s a possibility.’

And before long, she realized that the child was much more clever than she had thought.

“Mariel, do you want to join the Academy?”

Mariel couldn’t answer immediately and hesitated.

When Asella urged her gently, the child’s words finally came out honestly.

“Actually, I wrote to Father and told him what she said…”

Before she could hear the rest of the story, Asella could fully grasp what Mariel would say next.

“But I didn’t get a reply.”

“…”

“Even if I asked him again, he wouldn’t allow it anyway, would he?”

Mariel’s shoulders slumped as she finished speaking.

Looking at her deflated sister, a part of Asella’s heart ached.

“Mariel…”

Asella was just about to reach out her hand to the groaning child.

The door suddenly slammed open with a bang.

Startled, Asella turned her head away. Philip was standing near the door, very angry. Her heart skipped a beat.

She hurried to hug Mariel, who was terribly frightened. The child’s face turned pale with fear when she saw Philip.

“Take Mariel away now.”

Philip distorted his face and ordered the maids standing behind him.

“Father, wait a minute, please listen to me.”

“Shut up.”

Asella barely opened her mouth, but only threats came back.

“Why aren’t you taking her out right now?”

“Sister!”

“Mariel!”

Several maids came up and took Mariel away from Asella. Asella showed a feeble gesture of resistance, but that was it.

“Asella Chartus, I thought I taught you not to make me repeat myself.”

Philip warned.

As soon as her thin fingers that held Mariel loosened, the maids disappeared with Mariel, as if they had been waiting for her.

Philip’s cold voice fell from above Asella’s stunned face as she looked at the door through which her sister had left.

“I was going to arrange a proper meeting with you to sit with Mariel when she arrives, but you couldn’t resist and did this.”

“…”

Philip ordered the servant around.

“She is not allowed to take a single step out of this room until the wedding day, nor is she allowed to see Mariel.”

Asella went pale. Her frail body wobbled as she lost her balance.

“If you defy my command one more time, you will never see Mariel again.”

Philip smiled faintly as he stared at Asella. Asella, feeling as if her hair from the top of the head to the tips of her toes were frozen, clenched her fist desperately

“It’s been a while since I’ve had to discipline you.”

Philip’s eyes gleamed viciously as he looked down at Asella. He intended to tighten the reins and muzzle on Adele’s daughter for the last time, whom he had tamed for so long.

* * *

In her dream, Asella was walking through the garden.

Her vision seemed more restricted than usual. The beautiful trees in the garden seemed larger and more massive for some reason.

She reached for a tree and stopped when she saw a small, chubby hand. As she slowly lowered her gaze, she saw short legs and shiny, black Mary Jane shoes.

“This is…”

Asella hurriedly spun around.

At that moment, her vision turned red.

“No!”

The child’s body stiffened as she realized that something terrible had happened.

There was no time for this. She immediately pulled herself together and headed back the way she had come.

Her little feet kept kicking the ground without stopping. Tears poured endlessly from her young face as she called out to her loved one.

“Mother!”

Her most beloved person in the world.

Her beautiful and dignified mother.

“A…se…lla”

When she finally found her mother, Adele was in critical condition.

The family crest on Adele’s heart was soaked with blood and no longer visible. Her uniform, which had been as white as a snowfield without a speck of dust, turned bright scarlet red.

Her vision was so blurred that she could barely see her mother. Wiping away her tears with her arm, she called out urgently for her mother.

The white hand, soaked with blood, cupped Asella’s small hand. Several moments later, the child’s hand felt the touch of her mother losing its warmth, and became as cold as metal. Asella remained silent as her mother’s voice became hoarse.

“…Benvito… beware of him…”

Adele’s mouth moved as she whispered something to her.

“…P-Promise me… please”

Adele smiled faintly as her daughter nodded despite the terrible circumstances of her mother.

It wasn’t long before blood gushed from Adele’s mouth as she coughed bitterly.

“Mother..!”

As Asella felt her mothers grip loosen, her spirit fell into deep darkness once again.

****