《Nothing Lasts Forever》


 Prologue

    Stories start from the beginning. No one gets to ¡®cut¡¯ to the most interesting part.


    ¡°AGHH!¡± A tortured scream echoed throughout a castle during a storm that yearned for the world''s destruction.


    ¡°Push! Just a little more!¡± A handmaiden lay next to a woman with a face that, normally as fair as can be, was red enough that those witnessing it might believe the blood vessels in her face were exploding.


    ¡°I CAN¡¯T ANYMORE!¡± The woman screamed once more and made a final attempt to birth the child. As the child came out, thunder resounded throughout the kingdom. The baby¡¯s birth was the most ominous moment in the history of the empire.


    ¡°Congratulations! It¡¯s a beaut-¡± The handmaiden started to rise with the baby in her arms before her face turned pale and she fell to the ground. The newly born baby remained safe as a slim pair of arms caught it.


    ¡°Y-You-¡± The woman who had just given birth watched in horror as this stranger cradled the baby.


    ¡°Shh. You¡¯ll disturb the child. I felt it. She is the one who will bear suffering for an eternity. We should all be grateful, but mortals may never understand the realm of the gods.¡± The stranger stayed in the dark, so their features were unknown, but their delicate voice revealed them to be a woman. The strange woman kissed the child¡¯s forehead as the mother watched in horror. The strange woman was speaking in riddles. Surely her child would not suffer? And how could a mother not understand her daughter?


    BANG


    The door was opened with brute force and a man in armor appeared. ¡°Evelynn! Our child-!¡± The man rushed in but froze when he saw the woman holding his child. He was the only one who saw her features that evening, and he would never forget them for as long as he lived. He watched the woman¡¯s lips curl into a sneer.


    The woman cackled as she loosened her grip on the baby and it floated to its mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Truly a pity. I warn you both to raise her wisely and with caution.¡± The woman left those final words before she disappeared in a flash of light.


    ¡°Herman¡­¡± Evelynn, the mother of the child and the wife of Herman, the man who stormed in, gasped as she felt her body weaken. Herman rushed towards her and grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Evelynn! Please! Hold on! A priest is coming!¡± Herman begged her. She was his wife. The one who truly cared for him and the one he truly cared for. He couldn¡¯t lose her, and he couldn¡¯t watch her die in front of him while he remained powerless.


    Evelynn tried to breathe, but she felt the strength leave her body. From the moment the child landed in her arms, Evelynn realized something was incredibly wrong. But this is her daughter, and she loves her unconditionally. ¡°Name¡­ Lesa¡­ Her name¡­ Please¡­ Her-¡± Evelynn died with a whisper. Her body went slack, but her daughter remained carefully protected in her embrace.


    ¡°No¡­ No¡­ Please!¡± Herman screamed as he grabbed Evelynn¡¯s body which was losing warmth fast. Herman sobbed as he realized that she was truly gone. But his wife had left a piece of herself here, his daughter, Lesa. ¡°I will take care of you Lesa. I won¡¯t let any harm come to you.¡± A part of Herman loathed his daughter as without her his wife may have lived, but he also acknowledged that Evelynn gave her life for this child, and this child was hers and the only proof that remained of their relationship.


    Several men rushed into the room through the broken door. ¡°Duke!¡± They froze as the scene in front of them registered in their minds. The Duchess was dead, the handmaiden was dead as well, and their lord was kneeling on the floor. The child was nowhere to be found.


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    Herman turned and glared at them. ¡°You¡¯re too late.¡± He stood up and faced his soldiers, revealing to them that his child was safe. ¡°Prepare to depart.¡± Herman calmly stated and marched out of the room past the soldiers with Lesa in his arms.


    ¡°Wait! Duke! Where are we headed?¡± The men hastily followed after their lord and his newborn child.


    ¡°The palace.¡± Herman continued walking without missing a beat. Those who didn¡¯t know him would assume that he didn¡¯t care the slightest about his wife as she had just died but he¡¯d left her body on that bed without a single glance back.


    The commander of the soldiers paused and ordered a few of the soldiers to go and fetch the Duchess¡¯s body so she could have a proper burial back at her home. He understood that Duke Herman wasn¡¯t thinking straight out of grief. He just watched his wife die in front of him. The shock was likely too great for him to even register that she was gone. The burial would be a way to honor Duchess Evelynn as well as give the Duke closure on his wife¡¯s death.


    Swiftly, the duke jumped on his horse and started heading towards the palace. He would occasionally glance down and stare at his child. She was newly born, so there was little hair on her head, and her eyes were still closed. Herman wondered if she would look like him, with black hair, amber eyes, and sharp features, or more like her mother, with deep caramel-colored hair, bright blue eyes, and more soft and delicate features. Herman could feel his eyelids tremble at the thought of Evelynn. He kept repeating to himself: She¡¯s dead. She¡¯s dead. She¡¯s dead. But his heart couldn¡¯t accept it. He held hope. He would arrive home and she would be there, that all of this had been an illusion, but the child in his arms was a clear reminder that this was reality.


    As Duke Herman arrived at the palace, the King walked to greet him. ¡°Duke Herman! Did you accomplish your mission?¡± Herman clenched his fist. The emperor was a kind-hearted man, but he was weak. If the emperor was stronger, would his wife have survived? Silver hair that shone in the sun and light purple eyes that were said to hold a sacred power. The emperor fit the appearance of a royal, but his demeanor was out of place.


    ¡°I did what you asked. I vanquished the commander of the enemy forces.¡± Herman jumped off his horse and kneeled while maintaining a stable balance with his child in his arms.


    ¡°Stand! Stand! This is a wondrous occasion! I remember you said you had a wish before you left?¡± The King probed. He wondered what a man like Duke Herman von Carstein could desire so much he left his pregnant wife.


    Herman clenched his jaw. He left so he could bring honor to his wife and child. He wanted to fulfill the wish that Evelynn had for their child. ¡°Your Majesty, King Vicar, you are generous and wise, and I implore you to grant two wishes of mine.¡± Herman wanted honor for Evelynn as well as her wish to be fulfilled.


    ¡°Interesting! Let¡¯s hear it!¡± King Vicar smiled. Herman had been his friend for a long time, and he had no qualms about granting an additional wish for him.


    ¡°My first wish¡­ I wish for a holiday to be celebrated on my wife¡¯s birthday every year to celebrate her kindness. I want a royal decree declared to officiate this event.¡± Herman stared at King Vicar.


    ¡°I shall grant your first wish,¡± Vicar waved his hand at an attendant to grab a royal decree. ¡°Now, what is your second?¡±


    Herman gulped and made eye contact with King Vicar. ¡°My daughter¡­ Lesa von Carstein¡­ I wish for her to be engaged to the Crown Prince, your eldest son, Ernest Hal Anselmet.¡± Evelynn¡¯s wish for their child was for them to be happy, and Herman believed that their child could obtain happiness by becoming the empress and wielding ultimate power over the nation. Power brought benefits and these benefits led to happiness. He wanted his daughter to have every advantage possible to find happiness.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ An engagement to the crown prince¡­ This is not a decision that I can make lightly. I will make my decision after your daughter, Lesa von Carstein, has turned five years old.¡± King Vicar nodded and smiled.


    Herman nodded back. ¡°Thank you. I must be going now, Your Majesty.¡± He knew the King had postponed making the engagement official, but this was for the best as it gave him time to solidify his daughter¡¯s status and nurture positive feelings between their children. Announcing it at this moment could be seen as hasty and make his daughter¡¯s position as the Crown Prince¡¯s betrothed unstable. It would also be seen as favoritism as one of his wishes had already been granted. Herman was not an unreasonable man, and although the King was weak and kind-hearted, he was no fool.


    Herman secured himself back on the horse and headed towards his home. Lesa had been sleeping peacefully in his arms during this whole ordeal, and a small smile was on her face. To truly suffer, one has to know what happiness is.

 Chapter One

    A tiny girl sat on a small chair in a garden that was filled with golden flowers. She hummed as she poured tea that she had made herself into a cup. Her hair was silver and looked as if it was weaved with the essence of stars and the moon. Her eyes were a shade of gold that seemed to sparkle when one looked into them. A smile was on her face as she sipped the tea she had just poured. She was alone and unsupervised in a garden that was as big and complex as a maze, but the girl behaved as if this was normal. Duke Herman Carstein¡¯s only daughter, Lesa von Carstein, was unattended by any maids and didn¡¯t even have a personal guard. Lesa was celebrating her fifth birthday today. The teddy bear her father had gifted her a few days ago sat across from her. Her father was a nice man, and he cared for her, Lesa was sure of it. Thinking of her father made a gentle smile appear on Lesa¡¯s face. Her father promised to always love her and be on her side no matter what, and he was all she had as her mother passed away when she was born.


    When Duke Herman Carsein returned to his manor with only his newborn daughter, all of the servants immediately understood. Duchess Evelynn had passed. She always had a weak body, and she knew having this baby was a risk, but she wanted a child more than anything. All the servants swore to serve Lesa von Carstein with their utmost loyalty. Until her hair started to grow, and it matched neither her father¡¯s nor her mother¡¯s, it was an unnatural silver, and her eyes that seemed to be brown slowly became brighter and brighter and turned into a brilliant shade of gold. Although the servants swore to serve her, they were unnerved by her appearance. Silver hair and golden eyes weren¡¯t natural, and she took after neither of her parents. Although her features were soft, they didn¡¯t align with her mother¡¯s delicate features. The servants may have distanced themselves, but Herman attempted to open his heart to this child. His and Evelynn¡¯s child, but the more he looked at her, the more he felt a hole in his heart slowly spread. His daughter was proof that the love of his life was gone, and she had sacrificed her life for their daughter, so why couldn¡¯t he love her? Why wasn¡¯t she enough? Herman was haunted by guilt and distanced himself from his daughter, but he still sent everything she could ever need or want directly to her room in the manor.


    Lesa was ignorant of all of this. She knew people cared for her, even if they weren¡¯t always around her, and she didn¡¯t want to cause a fuss. Adults don¡¯t like fussy children. If she behaved her best, then her father would come to see her more often, and she would make friends with the servants. Lesa was certain of this, but she was turning five today, and deals were made.


    Herman sat in his office doing paperwork. He was noticeably exhausted. His hair was unkempt, his clothes were wrinkled and worn loosely, his eyes were bloodshot and his face seemed to be discolored from the lack of sleep and nutrition. He glanced at the calendar. Today was his daughter¡¯s fifth birthday, and today was a day that he could fulfill Evelynn¡¯s wish for their child. She would be betrothed to the crown prince, and then their daughter would be happy, and once she was happy, he could join Evelynn in the afterlife. ¡°Eve¡­ I miss you¡­¡± Herman sobbed as he pulled out a ribbon that he had gifted Evelynn. She was so happy she nearly cried, and all from receiving a ribbon. Evelynn was his one and only. She would never be replaced. Herman¡¯s only solace was that she would never have to endure this pain. At least Evelynn had left first, so he was the one who had to suffer, not her. But if Evelynn had survived, would she have done a better job raising their daughter Lesa? Herman couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Tell me what to do¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ All you wanted was her happiness, but I can¡¯t be around her anymore¡­ I can¡¯t do this without you Evelynn¡­¡± Herman hunched over his desk. Although today was Lesa¡¯s birthday, it was also the fifth year since Evelynn had passed away. The only reason Herman was alive was that he wanted to survive for his daughter. To fulfill his promise to his wife. Once that was done, he could leave. Herman clenched his jaw and held back his tears. Today was the first step towards his daughter¡¯s happiness.


    ¡°Sir.¡± A servant knocked on the door. Herman straightened his clothes and tried to appear somewhat presentable.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Herman sat up. He knew what this was about. His Majesty Vicar had sent word that the engagement between their children could now proceed, and he had likely now sent an official invitation for his daughter to go to the castle and meet the


    Crown Prince Ernest Hal Anselmet.


    ¡°An invitation has arrived from His Majesty Vicar.¡± The servant, Vikki, said while maintaining an indifferent expression to Duke Herman Carstein and his disheveled appearance.


    Duke Herman nodded and stood up. ¡°Prepare my daughter, Lesa, for a trip to the royal palace.¡± Vikki nodded and exited the room. Herman then went to take a shower and clean himself up.


    Lesa was in the garden, walking around, when she ran into a maid. The maid''s name was Amber. She was a very kind soul, but still hesitant when it came to Lesa. ¡°Miss,¡± Amber slightly curtsied. ¡°Your father has announced that you will be visiting the Royal Palace with him, and you must be prepared.¡± Amber tried to smile gently, but the smile came out awkwardly.


    ¡°The Palace! With father!¡± Lesa was overjoyed, and a dazzling smile appeared on her face. She grabbed Amber¡¯s hand and started running toward her room. The smile on her face was beautiful, but Amber got chills from the touch of this child.


    Once Lesa arrived in her room, she hurried her maids to choose an outfit for her. A casual outfit that she wore every day wouldn¡¯t do. Amber took more of a background position, and the personal maid of Lesa, Darcy, chose a deep blue dress. The design was a simple flutter dress. The skirt came down to right below Lesa¡¯s knees, and there was a white ribbon attached to the chest area. The outfit was very simple and modest, and Lesa worried it wouldn¡¯t be enough for a visitor to the Royal Palace. She decided to have the maids do her hair up into two braided buns, and put on a white jacket over the flowy sleeves of the dress. Lesa hoped this was enough to present herself to her father and whoever she was seeing at the castle.


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    The maids took Lesa to the carriage that was outside of the house. Duke Herman wasn¡¯t there yet, but Lesa decided to wait for him on the steps. The maids urged her to sit down in the carriage, lest she get tired, but Lesa was sure her father would arrive soon.


    Lesa was correct, her father arrived five minutes after her. He was wearing a white shirt with black pants, and his hair was wet. There was a sword attached to his hip. He was extremely casual, but he was dashing enough to pull it off.


    ¡°Father!¡± Lesa hurriedly curtsied and approached her dad. It was her birthday, and she wanted to see her father and hear him wish her a happy birthday.


    Herman felt his eyes burn as his stomach churned as Lesa approached. Why? Why was he disgusted by his own daughter? It made no sense to him. Herman bit his tongue and smiled at his daughter, willing himself through the pain. ¡°Lesa, my wonderful daughter. Happy fifth birthday.¡± Lesa smiled so wide it seemed her face would stretch. Herman didn¡¯t see any similarities between Lesa and his wife, nor any similarities between himself and Lesa, but he was certain that Lesa was his daughter. He couldn¡¯t understand why he couldn¡¯t be near his daughter, but he would try his best for this was his child with his beloved Evelynn.


    ¡°Father! Thanks so much! I heard we¡¯re going to the palace! Is that true?¡± Lesa was so excited that she was bouncing around, and her cheeks were becoming flushed, but she was so happy she couldn¡¯t contain herself.


    ¡°Yes, the king has summoned us. I¡¯m sure he wants to congratulate you on your fifth birthday.¡± Herman smiled back at his daughter. She might be painful for him to be near, but she seemed like such a bright child. He was sure she would attract the love of others and be happy. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the carriage now.¡± Herman lifted Lesa and placed her on the opposite side of the carriage from him. Sitting across from Lesa didn¡¯t hurt as much as he thought it would. Maybe if he spent more time with his daughter he would gradually open his heart to her.


    Lesa fidgeted, she wasn¡¯t sure what to talk about. She hadn¡¯t seen her father for a while, and she didn¡¯t do much. She didn¡¯t know what he did either, and what do families normally talk about? As Lesa racked her brain, Herman stared out the window and pondered how to improve his feelings towards his daughter.


    The pair ended up sitting in silence for the whole ride to the castle. Herman exited the carriage then raised his arms to Lesa and she jumped into his arms. Lesa cherished this. Her father caught her and was spending time with her. What more could she ask for? They approached the gates, and Herman left his sword at the entrance and was immediately allowed in. Although he rarely appeared in public anymore, no one dared to underestimate the Duke of Carstein. Lesa looked around the palace in wonder, the Duke¡¯s manor was very fancy, but the imperial palace had more.


    After a short walk, Duke Herman and Lesa arrived in a glass greenhouse. The flowers inside looked as if they were frozen in time. Not a single petal was withered or dehydrated. Lesa was amazed. She loved flowers, especially ones that were gold, her eyes were just pulled towards them. Duke Herman approached a table where the King Vicar, the Queen, and their eldest son were sitting. Lesa immediately followed behind, she was excited to meet new people, but anxious as they were royalty.


    Duke Herman bowed. ¡°Your Majesty, King Vicar. Queen Sonia. Crown Prince Ernest.¡± He kept his greeting simple and then sat down. Lesa gulped and discreetly wiped her hands on her dress as she curtsied. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be in the presence of your majesties.¡± Lesa breathed a sigh of relief. She had not messed up. She sat down next to her father, across from the crown prince.


    ¡°Thank you both! I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± King Vicar said this but made sure to stare at Duke Herman. Everyone knew he no longer cared about anything after his wife passed away. He was living for his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s a treat to have the Duke of Carstein and his esteemed daughter join us for this tea party. I hope our discussions are meaningful.¡± The king gave a gentle and knowing smile. Duke Herman¡¯s face remained indifferent.


    The Queen smiled at Lesa and handed her a pastry. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely adorable. I do not doubt that you¡¯ll become a stunning young woman one day.¡± It was strange. The King, Queen, and Crown Prince did not have any aversion towards Lesa.


    Lesa smiled gently and blushed. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Lesa took the pastry and held it in her hand, but did not attempt to eat it. She felt it was too precious. The Queen gave this to her, along with a compliment.


    ¡°Of course dear. Treat us like family.¡± The Queen smiled at the young girl. She approved of Lesa. She was gentle and modest so far, and she was from a good family. Although she was young, she would grow into a wonderful woman who would be fit to rule the kingdom.


    Ernest indifferently stared at the girl. She was cute, he would give her that, but he didn¡¯t feel any strong attraction or positive feelings towards her. They could be cultivated with time though. Ernest smiled, ¡°Lesa, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m only one year older than you, so if you need any assistance with schoolwork you can come and ask me.¡± Ernest decided to extend an olive branch. This girl was the most likely to become his wife in the future, and he wanted to have positive relations.


    Lesa blushed and looked away. ¡°Of course!¡± She wasn¡¯t used to such kindness, and she¡¯d never been close to any boys near her age. But Ernest was a handsome little boy. He had royal features, silver hair that seemed to shine with the sun, and purple eyes that had specks of color in them. Although they both had silver hair, Lesa¡¯s seemed softer and more delicate, closer to white, whereas Ernest¡¯s was closer to gray and seemed sharper.


    Duke Herman paid attention to the interaction between his daughter and the royal family. She seemed pleased, and the boy seemed like a decent one. This was a good choice for Lesa. She would be happy here. ¡°Your Majesty Vicar, long ago we made a promise. Do you remember that promise?¡± Duke Herman stared intensely into King Vicar¡¯s eyes.


    King Vicar sighed. He wanted the children to get a little closer, and develop more feelings, but if this was what Duke Herman wanted, then he would cooperate. ¡°Yes. I believe your daughter would be an excellent marriage partner for my son.¡± The King smiled at Lesa.


    ¡°Marriage partner?¡± Lesa was shocked and elated. She didn¡¯t think she would get married yet, but she knew that when people got married, they loved each other unconditionally, and were always there for each other. She had heard about her parent''s marriage, and she wanted a bond like that with someone. Lesa was starved for attention but was unaware of this. ¡°Your Highness Ernest?¡± Lesa glanced expectantly toward Ernest. If he agreed, then they could be together forever. He would love and cherish her and always be on her side.


    The Crown Prince Ernest got up and kneeled in front of Lesa. He grabbed her hand and smiled ¡°It would be my honor to have Lesa von Carstein as my marriage partner.¡± This was a grand romantic gesture between two children who had no idea what they were in store for.

 Chapter Two

    ¡°Ernest!¡± Lesa giggled and ran towards the boy who was sitting beneath a tree that was located outside of Duke Herman¡¯s manor reading a book. Her hair moved in the wind, and against the blue sky, it almost looked like clouds. Her eyes were sparkling as she was excited to meet with Ernest and spend time together. He was her future marriage partner and her only friend.


    ¡°Lesa, you shouldn¡¯t run.¡± Ernest smiled softly, but inside he was frustrated. The girl he was supposed to marry, the future empress of the empire, had to be graceful, but this girl was clumsy and seemed to lack manners and common knowledge as a duke¡¯s daughter. His father told him to get to know her better, so he came over here but went to sit by the tree because it was too stuffy inside for him.


    ¡°Ah! Sorry, Ernest!¡± Lesa smiled brightly and sat beside Ernest underneath the tree. ¡°You must like reading, Ernest!¡± Lesa wanted to talk, no one at her house would talk to her, and she was longing for a conversation. Maybe they could even play a game, or she could hold a real tea party with him instead of with her stuffed teddy bear. ¡°I like reading too, but I haven¡¯t read many books.¡± Lesa wasn¡¯t lying. She did like reading, but she wasn¡¯t given many books besides ones that her tutors would deem ¡®necessary¡¯. And she didn¡¯t know that there was a library as no one had ever informed her that the Duke¡¯s manor held one.


    ¡°I do like reading. Why haven¡¯t you read many books? Doesn¡¯t the Duke have a library?¡± Ernest decided to engage in small talk. Although he didn¡¯t like this girl that much, she would be his wife, so he had to learn to coexist with her, and small talk was part of that.


    ¡°A library? I didn¡¯t think we had one. No one has ever told me about a library.¡± Lesa muttered, but her eyes were sparkling as she was excited to visit the library and read more books. She had a large amount of free time with no way to spend it as the servants were scared of her, and her father never came to see her.


    Ernest stared at Lesa. He had heard that the Duke adored his wife, and loved his daughter, but maybe those were rumors. How could the Duke¡¯s daughter be unaware of what was in the manor she was living in? Was she being bullied by the servants? Where were her maids and her personal guard? He¡¯d assumed that they hadn¡¯t been around because it could be seen as rude around the Royal Family, or because they were within Duke Herman¡¯s territory, but what if she didn¡¯t have any in the first place? Ernest wondered if this marriage had been a mistake. Was Lesa a pawn that the Duke was using to expand his influence? The duke did suggest a marriage immediately instead of letting them get to know each other. The more Ernest thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Lesa was ignorant though, so maybe she would just tell him what he needed to know. ¡°Lesa,¡± Ernest smiled sweetly, ¡°I¡¯m a bit thirsty, where is your personal maid?¡± Ernest asked this first as it was the most subtle.


    ¡°Personal maid? Are you talking about Darcy?¡± Lesa tilted her head. She had maids, but she wasn¡¯t entirely sure what a ¡®personal¡¯ maid was. Ernest¡¯s expression froze. What was she being taught that she didn¡¯t even know what a personal maid was? With this, he was sure his guess was true. The duke neglected her daughter, and she wasn¡¯t cared for in this mansion. This marriage was a plot to overthrow the imperial family. Ernest was raised in the palace where he was taught to analyze everyone and everything and be prepared for any plots, so his misunderstanding would only get deeper until he saw something that proved otherwise.


    ¡°Lesa, I¡¯m feeling a little cold, I think we should go inside.¡± Ernest¡¯s gentle smile was gone, and his expression was cold. Lesa got chills. This face was one she¡¯d never seen from anyone before. Although people showed discomfort, no one had ever shown hostility to her so blatantly.


    ¡°O-Ok.¡± Lesa glanced at the grass and stood up. She started walking towards the manor, and Ernest followed behind her with a gaze focused on her back.


    Once they were inside, they sat in a parlor room used to greet guests. A maid came and brought them pastries. Before she could leave, Ernest asked her, ¡°Could you call the Duke here please?¡± Although Ernest was a child, he was still the Crown Prince, so the Duke had to show him due respect.


    ¡°Father? Why do you want to see him?¡± Lesa stared intently at Ernest. Had she done something wrong? Would he break off their engagement already? It had barely been a few days. Lesa¡¯s face paled. Was she that bad? Ernest couldn¡¯t be near her for more than a few days? Her mind raced. If he broke off the engagement, would her father be disappointed? He said he loved her, but he never visited her, and he probably never would if Ernest ended the engagement.


    Ernest just lightly smiled and sipped the tea the maid had brought. The silence terrified Lesa.


    The Duke arrived in a few short minutes. He was hesitant to be near his daughter, but his wife¡¯s wish was Lesa¡¯s happiness, and he would make sure to do everything he could to ensure her marriage to the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± The Duke bowed. ¡°I heard you wanted to speak with me?¡± He stared directly at Ernest without a second glance at his daughter. Lesa¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach, and Ernest was even more sure of his guess, but he couldn¡¯t break an engagement over an assumption he was making.


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned for Lesa¡¯s safety. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that she didn¡¯t have a single guard watching her. I¡¯m also worried about the education of a candidate for the future empress. She was unsure who her personal maid was.¡± Ernest decided to directly show his concerns to the Duke.


    Duke Herman nodded. His expression was grave. He¡¯d assumed Vikki would take care of everything flawlessly, but Lesa wasn¡¯t being educated properly, considering she didn¡¯t know who her personal maid was, something that even toddlers were taught, and she wasn¡¯t protected. The Crown Prince was right that he had been neglecting Lesa as he didn¡¯t personally take care of her affairs. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to show such a situation to Your Highness. I will have a test for the guards soon, and I will make sure to reevaluate the tutors that are teaching Lesa. Who is the future empress.¡± Duke Herman made sure to accentuate his words. Ernest had said ¡®candidate¡¯ which was a direct threat that he was considering breaking the engagement off, which Duke Herman could not allow.


    ¡°I will make sure to regularly check to make sure Lesa is being well cared for.¡± Ernest smiled. The Duke may have said he was going to assign a guard and take care of Lesa¡¯s education, but actions spoke louder than words, and just because he took care of these things that he specifically pointed out, it did not mean that Lesa wasn¡¯t a pawn to the Duke.


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    The Duke bowed again. ¡°I must return as I am busy with paperwork. Lesa, make sure to properly host our guest.¡± Duke Herman glanced at his daughter for a second before he turned and left. The Prince was sharp, and if his daughter married him, she would be safe. He was a Duke, so Lesa would be safe, and the Crown Prince could not afford to offend the Dukedom too terribly.


    After Duke Herman left, Lesa glanced at Ernest. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Lesa was still young and naive, so she directly asked Ernest instead of beating around the bush. He had given her the cold shoulder, and then gotten her a personal guard and a more proficient education. She didn¡¯t understand. Did he hate her? Was this against his will? He might have been forced into this by their parents. He said he was honored, but maybe he just said that.


    ¡°Lesa. You are my marriage partner, nothing can change that,¡± unless the Dukedom had a fall from power or she committed a terrible crime, ¡°so I want to make sure that you are properly protected and cared for. I will always be on your side.¡± Ernest smiled brilliantly. He may not have any feelings for Lesa, but he did pity her a little. She seemed unaware of the situation around her, and the fact that she was likely a pawn for her father. She did seem like a kind girl. She was just ignorant and naive, but maybe that was for the best.


    A tear rolled down Lesa¡¯s cheek. ¡°You will¡­ Always be on my side?¡± Lesa felt moved. She didn¡¯t understand why. Her father had said he loved her, and her maids showed her respect and kindness, but the words that he would always be on her side reached deep into her core. Lesa was lonely, she knew that, and she just sought comfort in Ernest¡¯s presence, but if they could be more than acquaintances, and if he truly wanted her around, maybe she could be happy.


    Ernest was a little shocked that Lesa cried. She had been smiling for the most part since he¡¯d met her, but she was still a child, so it shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise that she was crying. ¡°Yes. I will always be on your side, Lesa.¡± Ernest was just saying it lightly the first time, but after seeing her cry, he felt a strange way and wholeheartedly meant it the second time he said it.


    Lesa felt like crying, but she didn¡¯t want to because she was so happy. She smiled more sincerely than she ever had in her life, ¡°I¡¯ll always be on your side too Ernest!¡± and she truly meant it.


    Ernest had to go home shortly after their heartfelt promise to each other. Lesa was a little lonely without him, but she knew he would be back, and now their relationship as friends was different, it was deeper. She couldn¡¯t stop smiling.


    ¡°Darcy!¡± Lesa ran into her room and called for Darcy. She wanted to be smarter so she could keep up with Ernest and talk with him more, and he said they should have a library.


    ¡°M-Miss?!¡± Darcy was a little startled to see Lesa run into the room. She hurriedly hid her hands behind her back.


    ¡°Darcy! I want to go to the library!¡± Lesa didn¡¯t notice Darcy¡¯s strange behavior and only thought about going to the library.


    ¡°I will guide you there right away Miss!¡± Darcy fidgeted nervously and made a strange smile.


    Darcy quickly guided Lesa to the library and then left as soon as she could. ¡°I have to prepare your meal for the night, Miss! You know the way back, right?¡± Darcy asked Lesa and Lesa vigorously nodded her head. She didn¡¯t want to be a burden.


    While Lesa wandered around the library looking for interesting books, Duke Herman was interrogating Vikki. ¡°Vikki, what is this?¡± Duke Herman threw several papers toward Vikki. It was the budget for Lesa and the ledger of how her money was spent. There was also the inventory of her clothes and the current amount of food she had. It didn¡¯t add up. Money was going somewhere, and it wasn¡¯t toward his daughter. Vikki was in charge of Lesa, so any oversight was a mistake on her part.


    ¡°I apologize Duke. I have been careless.¡± Vikki kneeled on the floor and shouted words of apology. She had also neglected Lesa because she was uncomfortable around the child and trusted that the servants would never betray the Duke, even if the leash on them was loosened a little.


    ¡°Find out who it was. Immediately.¡± After Vikki rushed out to search the maid¡¯s rooms for the culprit, Duke Herman crushed the papers in his hands. He couldn¡¯t believe this. Evelynn¡¯s child. His child. Lesa was being robbed of her money. Since she was born someone had been stealing, and he¡¯d been too busy wallowing to properly pay attention to his daughter. Duke Herman punched himself in the face. Once. Twice. Three times. His fist froze on the fourth. He should stop. He was hurting himself. Evelynn would be sad. He just had to be better. Pay more attention to his daughter, be a better father, and be more responsible. How dare he slack off because of his own difficulties?! Duke Herman¡¯s chest felt stuffy, and he almost punched himself again but held back because it was already obvious, and any more would cause issues in the future. Someone may have made a mistake by stealing from his daughter, but ultimately, he was the one who let it happen. He missed Evelynn, but he had to start paying more attention to Lesa. Even if it hurt him. Lesa didn¡¯t deserve to be neglected anymore.


    Vikki returned a few moments later. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Duke¡¯s bloody face, but she kept her mouth shut and her expression controlled. ¡°I have found the culprit.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Duke Herman grabbed his sword and headed out of his office with Vikki following closely behind him.


    ¡°We found several jewels in Darcy Higgin¡¯s room,¡± Vikki said. She could feel the bloodlust radiating off of the Duke. He marched toward the room that Darcy was currently in. Vikki had already caught her, and she was tied up on the ground. Tears were in her eyes, and she was trembling.


    ¡°Please! Duke! It wasn¡¯t me! It really wasn¡¯t!¡± Darcy insisted it wasn¡¯t her.


    ¡°We found the jewels on you.¡± The Duke didn¡¯t want to listen to any more of her nonsense.


    ¡°NO! You don¡¯t understand!¡± Darcy struggled and screamed.


    ¡°You can explain it to someone else.¡± The Duke swung his sword, and Darcy¡¯s head left her neck. Her last expression was a face that was shocked and wronged.


    The Duke ordered the men in the room, ¡°Clean this up,¡± and he left immediately to check on his daughter. She was in the library right now. The men saluted and proceeded to take the body and clean the floors. Soon it would look like nothing ever happened.


    Lesa sat in the library humming, unaware of everything that had happened. Soon her dad would arrive and tell her Darcy had quit unexpectedly, and she would get a new personal maid. She would remain blissfully ignorant about the horrors done toward Darcy.


    Amber wandered through the halls to her room. She collapsed on her bed. She sighed in relief as she pulled jewels out of her pocket. Darcy had been getting closer and closer and had found several of the jewels she had hidden, but it ended up working out perfectly because Darcy was blamed for her crimes and she was off scot-free. She hid the jewels underneath the floorboards in her room, and mumbled to herself, ¡°I deserve these jewels. That child is evil. She¡¯s evil. I take care of her, so I deserve something for my troubles.¡± Amber mumbled over and over again. She was paid a generous wage by the Duke, she knew that, but she wanted to escape her life as a maid, so she stole Lesa¡¯s jewels. It¡¯s not like the Duke truly cared for the child, he had ignored her until now. His pride had probably been hurt because the Prince called him out. Everything was going to change because of the Prince, and Amber decided that she should quit and leave while she could. She felt little guilt for Darcy¡¯s death.


    Bad things happen, and good people get hurt. Lesa would learn this lesson sooner or later. But for now, she remained happily unaware.