“Oh my god, look at that sparkle.”
“I never thought I’d see the Glory of the Goddess in a wedding hall.”
“I thought I was mistaken.”
“Did you hear that it was an engagement present?”
“Before. I can’t tell you how surprised I was.”
“Well, rumors can be unreliable, can’t they?”
Asella Chartus- no, rumors of the new Grand Duchess, now Asella Benvito, had circulated even before the wedding.
Nobles were a race that pretended to be honorable and clean on the surface. Still, they loved gossip more than anyone else, regardless of age or sex.
The topic of many social gatherings often began with a bad word about someone and ended with an accusation.
As such, Asella, who had taken her position next to the most coveted man in the aristocratic society of the Harmenian Empire, Calix Benvito, was forced to be on their cutting board from time to time.
Naturally, the majority of the rumors were not good.
“I got the wrong idea because I heard rumors saying that she didn’t even have a dowry ready.”
“I mean, does the Benvito family need a dowry in the first place?”
The story of Philip’s refusal to provide a dowry spread through the servants’ mouths in the mansion. As Asella predicted, it only made the rumors grow worse.
Of course, it was before the wedding.
“But His Excellency, the Grand Duke, really cherishes her…”
“Did you see how he kissed her on the forehead?”
“Yes! Also, what he said after that while everyone was watching! I’ve never seen him acting kind and gentle in my life.”
The same thought passed through their heads at the same time.
“Come to think of it, I heard it was love at first sight.”
“I saw the article come out too. I didn’t think it was possible.”
Although it was rarely the case, even among the nobility, marriages were not always arranged for political reasons.
A relationship based on love and affection…
Of course, such a case was very rare enough to be talked about over and over again and maintain the news headlines for weeks.
But those who witnessed the kissing of Asella and Calix wondered if perhaps this union was that kind of marriage.
He was a Grand Duke known for his lack of mercy, cruelty, and ruthlessness in the way he handled things.
‘But it seems that the great Calix Benvito had an exception for this rule.’
This fact alone was a reason enough for them to try to look good to the new Grand Duchess.
* * *
Asella was preoccupied with the congratulations being showered upon her.
In fact, all she had to do was listen to the people around her whispering and nod her head a few times. But there were more than one or two such people, and after a few repetitions of this, a feeling of intense exhaustion washed over her.
Last night, she was filled with anxiety and had a restless night. Early in the morning, she was taken by the maids to prepare for the wedding, a long bath, fixing her hair, makeup and wearing the wedding dress.
In the midst of the constant tension, without a moment’s rest, her overworked body ached.
“Asella.”
It was Calix who came to her rescue
At the sound of Anthony’s angry, hoarse voice, the only person who remained unconcerned was Asella. She stared at the heir to Chartus, whose breath was ragged with anger.
Her brother, Anthony Chartus.
Philip had told her he was a distant descendant of Chartus, but Asella did not believe him.
‘Sounded just like something that Philip would do.’
A fact that even Philip didn’t know was that Chartus was a family that thoroughly oversaw even the illegitimate children born to the Chartus family. The reason behind it was pretty obvious; this was how rare and precious their descendants were.
‘Asella, Currently, the only people who have inherited the blood of Chartus are me, you, and Mariel.’
The last of those illegitimate descendants died out almost a hundred years ago. It was a story that Adele had told Asella directly when she was still alive.
So it was easy to guess the circumstances of Anthony’s birth.
He was probably Philip’s bastard son.
“Get lost now!”
What was so upsetting about this situation?
He could live the rest of his life under the name of Chartus.
He would be called by the name of Chartus until the day he died, and even after death, he would continue to be called by the name of Chartus.
“Please let go of that hand.”
“What?”
Anthony asked back in disbelief. Asella turned her gaze away from Cecile, who was staring at her pleadingly, and repeated the exact words as if confirming them.
“I told you to let go of her hand.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“You’re picking on innocent people.”
Asella answered with a composed look on her face.
Anthony’s face immediately distorted, and he nervously let go of the maid’s wrist.
With a short cry, Cecile was thrown to the floor, terrified, and curled up against the wall in the corner.
Anthony’s mouth twisted up in a comical way.
“That’s ridiculous.”
A grim look appeared on his contorted face. Anthony took a threatening step forward, and the servants backed away.
But Asella did not flinch. She only raised an eyebrow at the unpleasant scent of alcohol coming from Anthony.
Anthony’s sense of judgment was disturbed by her attitude.
He was always alone, always pretending to be noble, dignified…
And there stood the noble and blessed Asella Chartus.
Just standing by her side, he felt as if his shabbiness had been thoroughly exposed.
Despite years of abuse and harassment, he had never been able to defeat her completely. It often felt like she was arrogantly looking down on him from a high place, even when he made her kneel before him.
Each time she did that, he felt dirty. It felt as if he was rolling in filthy mud.
He took everything away from Asella, but he couldn’t get rid of his inferiority complex.
“You’ve been quiet for a while, but now it seems like you forgot your place.”
Harsh words, not lacking in the slightest, came out of his heated brain.
“Why? Just because you think you’re the Grand Duchess, something has changed?”
However, Asella, who was used to hearing worse swear words, calmly replied.
“I. am. the. Grand Duchess.”
“What?”
“The marriage you and father forced on me made me the Grand Duchess.”
Anthony’s raised his eyebrows.
‘What game is she playing now?’
“Oh my god, look at that sparkle.”
“I never thought I’d see the Glory of the Goddess in a wedding hall.”
“I thought I was mistaken.”
“Did you hear that it was an engagement present?”
“Before. I can’t tell you how surprised I was.”
“Well, rumors can be unreliable, can’t they?”
Asella Chartus- no, rumors of the new Grand Duchess, now Asella Benvito, had circulated even before the wedding.
Nobles were a race that pretended to be honorable and clean on the surface. Still, they loved gossip more than anyone else, regardless of age or sex.
The topic of many social gatherings often began with a bad word about someone and ended with an accusation.
As such, Asella, who had taken her position next to the most coveted man in the aristocratic society of the Harmenian Empire, Calix Benvito, was forced to be on their cutting board from time to time.
Naturally, the majority of the rumors were not good.
“I got the wrong idea because I heard rumors saying that she didn’t even have a dowry ready.”
“I mean, does the Benvito family need a dowry in the first place?”
The story of Philip’s refusal to provide a dowry spread through the servants’ mouths in the mansion. As Asella predicted, it only made the rumors grow worse.
Of course, it was before the wedding.
“But His Excellency, the Grand Duke, really cherishes her…”
“Did you see how he kissed her on the forehead?”
“Yes! Also, what he said after that while everyone was watching! I’ve never seen him acting kind and gentle in my life.”
The same thought passed through their heads at the same time.
“Come to think of it, I heard it was love at first sight.”
“I saw the article come out too. I didn’t think it was possible.”
Although it was rarely the case, even among the nobility, marriages were not always arranged for political reasons.
A relationship based on love and affection…
Of course, such a case was very rare enough to be talked about over and over again and maintain the news headlines for weeks.
But those who witnessed the kissing of Asella and Calix wondered if perhaps this union was that kind of marriage.
He was a Grand Duke known for his lack of mercy, cruelty, and ruthlessness in the way he handled things.
‘But it seems that the great Calix Benvito had an exception for this rule.’
This fact alone was a reason enough for them to try to look good to the new Grand Duchess.
* * *
Asella was preoccupied with the congratulations being showered upon her.
In fact, all she had to do was listen to the people around her whispering and nod her head a few times. But there were more than one or two such people, and after a few repetitions of this, a feeling of intense exhaustion washed over her.
Last night, she was filled with anxiety and had a restless night. Early in the morning, she was taken by the maids to prepare for the wedding, a long bath, fixing her hair, makeup and wearing the wedding dress.
In the midst of the constant tension, without a moment’s rest, her overworked body ached.
“Asella.”
It was Calix who came to her rescue
At the sound of Anthony’s angry, hoarse voice, the only person who remained unconcerned was Asella. She stared at the heir to Chartus, whose breath was ragged with anger.
Her brother, Anthony Chartus.
Philip had told her he was a distant descendant of Chartus, but Asella did not believe him.
‘Sounded just like something that Philip would do.’
A fact that even Philip didn’t know was that Chartus was a family that thoroughly oversaw even the illegitimate children born to the Chartus family. The reason behind it was pretty obvious; this was how rare and precious their descendants were.
‘Asella, Currently, the only people who have inherited the blood of Chartus are me, you, and Mariel.’
The last of those illegitimate descendants died out almost a hundred years ago. It was a story that Adele had told Asella directly when she was still alive.
So it was easy to guess the circumstances of Anthony’s birth.
He was probably Philip’s bastard son.
“Get lost now!”
What was so upsetting about this situation?
He could live the rest of his life under the name of Chartus.
He would be called by the name of Chartus until the day he died, and even after death, he would continue to be called by the name of Chartus.
“Please let go of that hand.”
“What?”
Anthony asked back in disbelief. Asella turned her gaze away from Cecile, who was staring at her pleadingly, and repeated the exact words as if confirming them.
“I told you to let go of her hand.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“You’re picking on innocent people.”
Asella answered with a composed look on her face.
Anthony’s face immediately distorted, and he nervously let go of the maid’s wrist.
With a short cry, Cecile was thrown to the floor, terrified, and curled up against the wall in the corner.
Anthony’s mouth twisted up in a comical way.
“That’s ridiculous.”
A grim look appeared on his contorted face. Anthony took a threatening step forward, and the servants backed away.
But Asella did not flinch. She only raised an eyebrow at the unpleasant scent of alcohol coming from Anthony.
Anthony’s sense of judgment was disturbed by her attitude.
He was always alone, always pretending to be noble, dignified…
And there stood the noble and blessed Asella Chartus.
Just standing by her side, he felt as if his shabbiness had been thoroughly exposed.
Despite years of abuse and harassment, he had never been able to defeat her completely. It often felt like she was arrogantly looking down on him from a high place, even when he made her kneel before him.
Each time she did that, he felt dirty. It felt as if he was rolling in filthy mud.
He took everything away from Asella, but he couldn’t get rid of his inferiority complex.
“You’ve been quiet for a while, but now it seems like you forgot your place.”
Harsh words, not lacking in the slightest, came out of his heated brain.
“Why? Just because you think you’re the Grand Duchess, something has changed?”
However, Asella, who was used to hearing worse swear words, calmly replied.
“I. am. the. Grand Duchess.”
“What?”
“The marriage you and father forced on me made me the Grand Duchess.”
Anthony’s raised his eyebrows.
‘What game is she playing now?’
