The next day, Duke Astoria, who belatedly realized that Ariella had gone out and returned, questioned her about where she had been.
Ariella said that she had been to the atelier and showed the newly brought dress as proof, but the suspicious Duke did not believe Ariella’s claim with that alone.
Then, an unexpected person stood by her side.
“Yes, that’s right. Yesterday, the young lady went to the atelier she usually visits.”
It was none other than the coachman, Henrik, who testified.
‘Henrik was the person Calsian planted in Astoria.’
That’s why Calsian was able to arrive at the scene of the attack at the right time.
Ariella let out a hollow laugh as she saw Henrik, who had come out of the Duke’s office, smiling and giving her a thumbs up.
It was absurd to see him smiling so happily after selling information to another family, but thanks to him, she was able to avoid being beaten on her leg, which hadn’t even healed yet. It was thanks to the Duke, who had heard Henrik’s testimony, that he had withdrawn his suspicions and let her go.
‘Unexpected. Given his mood, I thought he would have used violence regardless of where I had been.’
To just confirm that she had been to the atelier and let it go. It was unlike her father.
And the reason for that generosity was revealed in less than a few hours.
“Arrie. There will be a dinner with Baron Turner soon.”
Ariella knew very well what it meant to have a dinner with someone she had never interacted with before.
It meant that Duke Astoria had finally found someone to sell his daughter to.
“-Baron Turner, you say.”
“Yes.”
But she hadn’t expected the target to be a man in his fifties who had already been married twice.
She thought he would have chosen someone more decent, even if he was worried about appearances. It seemed that Astoria’s situation was much more urgent than she had thought.
The forces supporting the Crown Prince were in crisis due to the recent hotel attack. Even though they had somehow managed to hide the fact that Aaron had become impotent by making full use of Astoria’s power, the Crown Prince’s image was greatly damaged just by being involved in such an unsavory accident.
The nobles still suspected Aaron’s s****l function, and the commoners made fun of the imperial family, who should have been revered. The New Church, Solarem, also lost followers because it was a religion associated with the Crown Prince.
To make matters worse, even the wine business that Duke Astoria had ambitiously started was facing difficulties.
As a result, Duke Astoria had resorted to such measures in his haste.
“Baron Turner has a fairly large territory, so it won’t be embarrassing for you to live there. The territory may be poor, but you can cultivate it well. Don’t you think?”
The blood of the territory’s residents living in that poor territory will fatten Astoria’s belly. Ariella thought so as she faced her father. Then, like a virtuous lady, she replied.
“Yes, of course. If my marriage can help Astoria prosper, what does the level of the territory matter?”
The Duke narrowed his eyes as if surprised when Ariella readily bowed her head.
Even he thought that Baron Turner was just an igLizzynt man with only money, and his appearance was so unsightly that he didn’t suit his daughter at all.
Since Ariella had been showing unfamiliar behavior recently, he had expected to hear an unpleasant answer this time as well, but contrary to expectations, she was very obedient.
“It would be a lie to say that I’m not upset about marrying Baron Turner… But I’ve learned a lot now, Father. From now on, I won’t cause you any unnecessary worries and I will fulfill my duties.”
Ariella quickly added, lest Duke Astoria become suspicious.
Duke Astoria smiled contentedly at her words that she would behave obediently because she was afraid of being beaten.
If he had known she would be so docile, he would have used a whip instead of a cane sooner. He regretted it.
At that moment, a young man sitting on the sofa in the corner of the office suddenly burst into a bright laugh.
“Wow, our sister. Are you finally getting married?”
When she slowly shifted her gaze, David, who had a pleasant smile on his face, came into view.
Yesterday evening, David was released from his long confinement and became a free man. It was thanks to the Duke, who felt a sense of crisis due to the Crown Prince’s attack, that he was released from confinement earlier than scheduled.
‘He came out right on my turn, how kind of him.’
She chuckled as she looked at David, who was spinning around without knowing his future. His face was so plump from eating so well during his confinement, it was good to see.
“Of course, I have to. It’s a daughter’s duty to marry a man with the best conditions and repay the family.”
