The Grand Duchess Escape

Standing in front of the closed room, Asella loosened her grip and took a deep breath.

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When she was about to knock on the door, it swung open, and suddenly a figure dug into her chest, shouting.

“Sister!”

“Mariel.”

Asella’s face lit up instantly.
Mariel looked up at her, her large eyes sparkling.

“How did you know I was standing here?”

“I kinda sensed you’re coming, Sister.”

It seemed like Mariel had been waiting all day for her to come.
Asella patted her little sister’s head gently, still feeling sorry for her.

Until now, they had not been able to see each other even though they were in the same mansion due to Philip’s orders.

The servants had made sure that the two of them had different schedules.
So although Asella had been pacing the premises more frequently than usual because of the wedding preparations, they had never met.

“But Sister, why are you wearing a veil?”

“….Ah, that’s because…”

Although she couldn’t see Asella’s swollen cheeks under the veil, Mariel’s face suddenly became serious.

“Sister, no way, not again…”

“No, Mariel.”

A quick denial, but Meryl was sharp enough to notice.

The child pressed her lips together.
Her eyes were heated, almost on the verge of tears, but she held back so hard that she didn’t shed any tears.

“Come on, let’s go in.”

Asella hurried her by holding her hand.
But Mariel couldn’t take her eyes off her, and as soon as she entered the room, she burst into tears.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“Mariel.”

Asella slowly leaned forward to meet her sister’s gaze and wrapped her hands around Mariel’s chubby cheeks.

“I’m going to be fine, Mari.
You don’t have to worry.
Okay?”

“Okay…”

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Asella sensed that she did not want to embarrass her as Mariel nodded reluctantly.

‘My sweet sister..’

Asella’s heart ached every time she thought of her only sister.

When Adele had given birth to Mariel, her sisters’ father, Claude, had suddenly died of an illness, and by the time Mariel was three years old, Adele had lost her life in the attack.

Unlike her, who had at least some memories of her parents, Mariel didn’t have any.

‘She didn’t have the luxury of being pampered…’

She lost both of her parents at a very young age when she couldn’t even remember their love, and at the age of seven, she had no choice but to leave her sister and be sent to a faraway land.

This made her sensible at too young of an age.
It was pitiful.

Asella rubbed Mariel’s cheek sympathetically.
The child rubbed her plump cheek against the palm of her hand with a smile on her face.
Then, as if suddenly remembering, she shouted.

“Oh! I saw you at the wedding, Sister!”

“Did you?”

“Yes! I was at the very front.
You looked like an angel that came down from the sky!”

“I see.”

Just as Asella’s face was about to be clouded with remorse and guilt, Mariel snuggled against her chest.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Sister.”

For a moment, Asella didn’t know what to say.

She could pass off as many words of congratulations as she needed from a stranger, but she didn’t want to deceive Mariel about her true feelings.

While Asella hesitated to reply, Mariel looked up at her. 

“Sister, you’re leaving to live with His Highness, right?”

At these words, Asella’s got back to her sense.
This was not the time to be doing this.

“Mariel, I actually need to talk to you.”

“What is it?”

“You’re going to the Duchy with me.”

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“What?”

Mary asked with a blank expression on her face.
A smile spread across Asella’s face.

“You’ll be able to take the Academy exam now.”

Mariel’s eyes widened.
She repeated what she had just heard over and over again in disbelief.

Moments later, Mariel stammered and opened her mouth.

“You’re lying! You’re saying this because you don’t want me to be upset, right?”

“Did I ever lie to you?”

“That’s not it…”

Mariel shook her head violently and thought.

‘Sister always keeps her promises, but…’

Mariel’s eyes widened, and after thinking about the conversation for some moments, she opened her mouth.

“Really.”

“Really.”

Her face instantly brightened.

“Sister!”

With a delightful squeal, Mariel jumped into Asella’s arms.

“Does it make you this happy?”

“Yes!” She screamed with a violent nod, and Asella let out a small laugh.

“You shouldn’t cause trouble there.
Understood? Study hard and make sure you pass the entrance exam.”

“Got it!”

“Hehe!” Mariel giggled with an honest smile on her face.

“He did seem like a good person, but it is true.”

Stroking Mariel’s hair gently, Asella hardened at the words she suddenly heard.

“Who do you mean?”

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“His Excellency the Grand Duke.”

For a moment, Asella’s pupils fluttered wildly.

“You’ve spoken to His Excellency?”

“Yes! He told me I was a good girl and patted me on the head.”

Instantly, goosebumps broke out all over Asella’s body.
The shock hit her like a dull hammer to the head.

When the hell did that happen?

Calix Benvito was far from warm or kind.
He was not that kind of a man who would be nice for no reason, not even toward a child.

‘Mariel Chartus’ education might as well be handled by us.’

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

‘Mariel Chartus would be happier with you.’

His words came to her mind like a spark.

‘No way….’

If Calix Benvito was not only targeting herself but Mariel as well.

If that’s what he was really after.

She felt dizzy and unsteady.

“Sister, are you all right?”

Mariel grabbed Asella’s staggering arm and looked up at her with concern.

When Asella saw her sister’s anxious face, she suddenly fought against the fear that was rising in her.

She had to remain calm and make a decision.
If she made a mistake, she could completely screw things up and put Mariel in danger.

She opened her mouth, feigning indifference.

“Mariel, listen to me.”

“What?”

“On your tenth birthday, maybe…”

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Mariel might be able to awaken that ability.
Perhaps she didn’t know if it would actually happen or not, but even for her, her younger sister was brilliant.

“If you do develop a special ability, you must not tell anyone about it.”

“Why?”

Asella swallowed hard.

She couldn’t honestly tell the child that it was dangerous, that there would be people after her life.

“Because it’s important.
You know that important things must be kept secret, don’t you?”

“I can’t tell you either?”

“No.
No.
You can’t tell anyone, even me.”

Who would know where the eyes and the ears of the Duke could be.
It was better not to bring it up at all.

“So when can I tell you?”

“When you are able to protect yourself.”

As she finished speaking, Asella pressed her lips together lightly.

The fact that the only thing she could do to protect her sister was this request was painful.

“I understand.”

Mariel nodded, seeming to agree with Asella’s words.

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

“I promise.”

After she reminded her sister several times of this matter, Asella tried to soothe her heart.

‘We have to be prepared in case something happens.’

There was no such thing as a perfect secret in this world.

If Mariel… 

If Mariel made it and awakened her powers, she could not hide it forever.

Especially with Calix Benvito keeping an eye on Mariel.

She had to find a way.