The Stepmother Has Left - Chapter 4

Cassia shut her eyes tight.

 

‘Was that what you said to me on purpose? I didn’t even know that. Did I just pass by?’

 

Her hands trembled, and she clenched her fists tightly.

 

“…If this is really true, then why didn’t Diana talk about it to me?”

 

“She wouldn’t want to put the people she loves at risk.”

 

“Because it could be too quick to say something and put that person at risk,” the Duke replied.

 

Cassia’s heart sank into hell.

 

Not even her tears came out.

 

The strength in her legs drained out.

 

She slumped to her floor as if toppling over.

 

It was regret that it flooded in.

 

Diana’s expression, which was not usual, was stamped on her mind.

 

Cassia should have asked when she thought it was strange.

 

She shouldn’t have moved on like that casually.

 

Those were her last words. Perhaps Diana had a foreboding of her own death, and those were the last words she wanted to leave to her only friend.

 

Cassia felt like hating herself.

 

She didn’t notice it in advance.

 

She inadvertently overlooked her friend’s appearance, which was different than usual.

 

Cassia’s expression became empty.

 

Her voice echoed through the silence.

 

“Are there any chances of you getting married again?”

 

“…Lady-”

 

“Please be honest, Sir. What about the remarriage story that Diana wrote in her diary?”

 

“It’s not impossible, though.” The Duke licked his dry lips as he thought.

 

“Your Majesty has long wished to forge a stronger bond with the Duke, and he has already talked about marriage once in the past.”

 

Cassia had heard from Diana. In the past, the imperial family proposed a political marriage to the Duke, but he, who loved Diana at that time, rejected the proposal and married Diana.

 

That is it.

 

“But… I’m not going to get married.”

 

“How can you guarantee that? Once again, if Your Majesty the Emperor orders it, there will be a limit to holding out. Besides, if you’ve already rejected the marriage proposal once, this time around, you’ll receive the imperial hatred.”

 

“Even after marrying my wife, I have always been loyal to the imperial family. Your Majesty will understand the situation.”

 

“Sir, you know better that it won’t work. On top of that, what if Diana’s death was an imperial conspiracy…?”

 

Axion couldn’t answer. He was shaking as much as Cassia was.

 

Soon he sat down on the office chair.

 

He seemed just as shocked as Cassia was, and he couldn’t hide it easily anymore.

 

“Take care of my family, Cassia.” Diana’s words echoed through her mind.

 

She stared blankly at the Duke.

 

“…Your Grace.”

 

“I will become the Duchess,” Cassia spoke calmly.

 

The Duke’s eyes widened.

 

Silence passed once again.

 

Cassia was still looking calmly at the Duke.

 

“…What did you say now?”

 

“Until the children are all grown up, I’ll be the Duchess in place of Diana.”

 

Axion had a look of disappointment on his face. In fact, it was a bit impulsive, but once Cassia spat out the reason, the possibility was sufficient.

 

If you’re looking for someone to replace Diana anyway, Cassia was the best fit.

 

Somehow, it seemed to persuade him, and she continued.

 

“…As you can see, I’m not married yet, and I’m quite familiar with the Duke’s family. I’ve also heard about the situation in the estate through Diana. If I were to sit in the Duchess’ seat, even superficially, you should be able to turn down the proposal.”

 

If there had ever been a man she had met, she would have seriously thought about marriage.

 

But she had never been in a relationship before, and it was the same back then.

 

They asked why she had no dating experience.

 

Well… she didn’t really have anything to say.

 

It just happened by chance.

 

Was it because she never had a chance to be in a relationship or get married, or because she didn’t really want to?

 

As such, there was nothing much she had to give up for this marriage.

 

Perhaps it was a rationalization, originated from the desire to somehow fulfil Diana’s secret request.

 

“It’s not possible.” He flatly refused.

 

“Lady Benette, you’re shocked, but you have to be careful. I can’t leave you with such a burden. And unless we know why Diana died, it could be dangerous for you to sit in the Duchess’ seat.”

 

“At least I don’t have many people to protect like Diana. My parents also passed away, and the ties with the family were cut off a long time ago.”

 

“…But.”

 

“Your Excellency, please do your best to protect me. As much as I couldn’t protect Diana.”

 

His eyes went blank again.

 

A look in despair.

 

It was challenging to deal with all the reality. Both of them were the same. As long as they don’t know why Diana died, as he said, it’s true that it could be dangerous for her to sit as the Duchess. But for that part, she wanted to trust him.

 

He must be regretting not protecting Diana like she did.

 

“And if someone was aiming for the Duchess itself, then when the attack would be on me, I could conversely figure out how Diana died.”

 

There were no witnesses to the wagon accident. Diana, the maid, the coachman, and even the horse all died on the spot, so everyone died out of the blue and everyone was in great shock. And if someone killed Diana for the seat itself, such a risk would come to Cassia as well.

 

If she uses it in reverse, she will be able to figure out who tried to kill Diana.

 

And more than anything.

 

“Can you see this?”

 

Cassia showed him Diana’s diary. It had a message written on it, asking for the safety of her family.

 

“Above all, if you were me, would you be able to easily overlook these words?”

 

Her heart sank miserably, and her voice trembled slightly as she looked at him.

 

“You admit it, too. That I was all close to Diana.”

 

“It was a serious request from her, and I passed on it casually.”

 

Had she felt strange there and had asked Diana just one word, things might have been different.

 

It may have been that Diana had confided in the danger she was going through and tried to overcome it all together. But she couldn’t. Her friend knew this was the fate she had to face.

 

Only after finishing this task will she be able to let Diana go. It wasn’t until then that she would finally have the right to cry for her dead friend. The Duke’s expression became complicated, as if the situation was going unexpectedly.

 

“I’m not saying I’m going to sit in Diana’s place for the rest of my life. Because I have my own life.”

 

“Please write a contract. So that when the children are all grown up, I can leave the mansion at any time. Then Your Excellency will feel less burdened, and I will be able to take care of my life when the time comes.”

 

Axion did not answer easily. He just looked at Cassia and sighed in vain.

 

Perhaps he, too, felt terrible.

 

“… Let’s think about it.”

 

“Think about it and give me a call. My decision probably won’t change.”

 

After she spoke firmly, Cassia left the room with the diary.

 

Tick, the sound of the door closing resounded, and she realized it.

 

That the world she had been living in so far has been firmly shattered.

 

***

 

A few days later, the Duke visited Cassia’s house.

 

With a firm expression as if he had finished his worries, “Okay, I accept Lady Benette’s offer.”

 

He held out the contract he had written before Cassia, asking her to check to see if the conditions were good and make corrections if needed.

 

Cassia accepted his contract and quill. She looked down at the contract.

 

[Contract]

 

[1. Cassia Benette decides to become the Duchess of Whidrian.]

 

[2. Cassia Bennett agrees to live as Duchess for at least seven years, until the children reach adulthood.]

 

[3. After successfully fulfilling the contract, Cassia has the power to divorce. The Duke of Whidrian must respect Cassia’s decision.]

 

[4. If Cassia Bennett chooses to divorce, the Duke of Whidrian will fund her to live her life as prosperous as she wishes.]

 

“Not bad.”

 

In addition, it is not a bad offer to say that he will provide financial support for the rest of their lives. There was nothing she really wanted to add. As she was about to sign with a quill, the Duke blocked her hand.

 

“You need to know that the decisions you make now may make it harder than you think.”

 

Cassia looked at him and continued.

 

“It’s going to be a formal marriage. Everyone associated with the Duke will oppose you. As children enter puberty, it is likely that they will have a hard time accepting you, and neither will I be a good husband. We will do our best to provide cover, but Lady Benette could be in danger.”

 

“…”

 

“Besides, the forces that killed my wife may not reach out to the Lady, and there may be no results. Still, are you confident that you won’t regret it?”

 

Axion looked at Cassia like that and asked.

 

She smiled while looking at him.

 

“I can regret it. But I might regret not making this choice more, right?”

 

“I’ve already made up my mind.”

 

It’s at least 7 years anyway.

 

If it’s too hard, she just has to close her eyes and ears somehow and hold out for just seven years before the children reach adulthood.

 

Doesn’t the contract also state that it is until the children grow up?

 

Of course, it’s not a short period of time, but rather she wanted to make the choice she wanted to make than just live. Even if it was hard, she had to endure it, it was a must-have choice to let Diana rest well. This was both a choice for Diana and a choice for Cassia. A choice for herself that did not hear her friend’s last request properly, so she did not prevent the possibility of her death even by a little.

 

Of course, the Duke will do his best to protect her, but if he doesn’t protect her… Then she’ll just die.

 

Smiling, Cassia signed the contract.

 

She continued, looking firmly into his eyes.

 

“I look forward to your kind cooperation, Duke.”

 

‘Diana, if it’s for you…’

 

‘…I will willingly jump into hellfire myself. For you, my dear friend.’