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Chapter : 5
What did I just hear?
Marriage? With Raiden?
Frea’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected words. Her blue pupils trembled slightly.
To think such words would come from Raiden’s mother, Savanna.
Did anything like this happen in the original story?
No. No, it didn’t. Not at all.
She had come to say good things about Astella in order to persuade Savanna, but had returned empty-handed. It took several more meetings after that to finally convince her.
And now she was suddenly being asked to marry Raiden.
As Frea stood there, utterly flustered and unable to say a word, Savanna gently took her hand.
“I’ve always wanted a daughter like you. I’ve long thought it would be wonderful if you became my daughter-in-law.”
Savanna was smiling kindly, but for some reason her gaze was filled with determination. Gripping Frea’s hand tightly with both of hers, she continued slowly.
“The only one who can save my son… the only one who can save our family… is you.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
Save whom? And what?
Frea couldn’t understand Savanna’s words.
I can save Raiden?
It wasn’t as if Raiden was in danger right now. And what did she mean by saving the Bethelheim ducal family?
Her thoughts grew tangled. Everything had been going fine until now—so why was it going wrong again here?
This is the third time.
A week after she possessed this body, then two months later. The intervals were long, but unlike before, this wasn’t something she could brush off easily.
Would following the “original story” even work anymore? Biting her lip, Frea spoke.
“Lady Savanna, I only came today to persuade you, on Astella’s behalf, to approve her marriage with Duke Bethelheim.”
“I know. I know you came to connect the young lady of House Binok with Raiden.”
“Then why would you say something like that to me?”
At her question, Savanna slowly released her hand and replied with a hardened expression.
“The young lady of House Binok… can never be united with Raiden.”
“Why not? Is it because you don’t think well of Astella?”
In the original story, Savanna cited Astella’s upbringing in an orphanage and her lack of refinement as a noble lady.
She said that no matter how much she dressed her up and taught her etiquette, her vulgar origins still showed.
To some extent, it made sense. After growing up for about sixteen years in a harsh orphanage, how could all those flaws disappear the moment she entered a ducal household?
In the end, the original Frea asked Raiden for help and brought the Duke of Binok and Astella’s brothers along, using her “ducal bloodline” as leverage to gain approval.
Savanna, who had refused even the Duke of Binok’s testimony, only accepted Astella after seeing clear proof that she was truly of House Binok’s blood.
Her appearance, so like the late duchess. And House Binok’s special power. Astella has both.
The “Blessing Aura,” passed down only through the direct line of House Binok, said to descend from the blood of an ancient dragon.
It was a power different from magic that used mana. Unlike magic, which required spells or magic circles, this power could be wielded without anything at all, yet produced similar effects.
Of the five attributes, each person could use only one. Controlling its vast energy was difficult, but its destructive power was extraordinary.
Those in the ducal family’s direct line who could use it were stronger than ordinary people, didn’t die from minor wounds, and recovered quickly even if injured.
Though it varied by individual, they could share their power with others, bringing about mysterious effects—improved health, stronger mana, or even better luck—hence the name “Blessing Aura.”
More than seventy percent of House Binok’s rapid rise to fame compared to other ducal families was thanks to this power.
When Astella reluctantly demonstrated the Blessing Aura before her, Savanna finally nodded.
No matter her past or her shortcomings, as long as Astella possessed the Blessing Aura, she was undeniably a true daughter of a duke.
I’ll have to use that card earlier than planned.
Originally, she would have brought the Duke of Binok and Astella to show her, but here it seemed better to make the first move.
Carefully watching Savanna’s reaction, Frea spoke.
“Lady Savanna, could you listen to me a little more? If what troubles you is Astella’s unclear identity and past, we can prove that she is truly of House Binok’s blood.”
“…And how would you do that?”
“Astella possesses the Blessing Aura that only the ducal direct line can inherit. She can’t control it well yet, but it’s clear proof of her lineage. Especially since her attribute is the same as the late duchess’s—”
“The light attribute. I already know that.”
“…What?”
At that moment, Frea’s eyes widened.
Savanna knew Astella’s Blessing Aura attribute?
How could she?
It hadn’t been made public, either officially or privately.
House Binok only revealed a direct descendant’s attribute after they could perfectly control their power. Until then, they weren’t allowed to use it freely, either internally or externally.
Only after passing the Duke of Binok’s strict test could one use the Blessing Aura openly.
Astella couldn’t yet control her power properly, so she couldn’t take the test or use it in front of others.
She must have used it once at the orphanage before coming to the ducal house, but only one close friend knew about it.
Frea’s thoughts were in chaos.
There was no way Savanna should know. What was going on? Had she investigated behind the scenes?
It’s not impossible, but the Duke of Binok would have thoroughly silenced everyone. That information shouldn’t have leaked.
She might have learned about Astella’s life at the orphanage, but not her Blessing Aura attribute—the Duke of Binok had completely blocked that information.
So how did Savanna know?
Seeing Frea’s obvious shock, Savanna spoke with a strange smile.
“I know most things about the young lady of House Binok. More than you do now.”
“……”
“It doesn’t matter whose blood she carries, whose daughter she is, or what power she has. No matter the reason, she cannot be united with my son.”
Each word struck Frea’s ears sharply. From Savanna’s icy gaze, she could tell.
The honor of being the empire’s only ducal young lady, the status of being the Duke of Binok’s daughter, even possessing the Blessing Aura—none of it meant anything to her now.
…The original story had completely gone off track.
Frea’s face turned pale. It felt as if the ticking clock had suddenly stopped.
There had been small deviations once or twice before, but she’d thought it was fine. Had she been wrong to overlook them? Or was this simply too big a variable?
If this was the case, then everything she knew about the original plot was useless.
What should she do? She needed to think of her next move, but her mind froze.
As Frea’s eyes began to lose focus, Savanna continued.
“And no matter what the young lady of House Binok may be saying or doing, Raiden does not love her.”
“…What?”
“He has never once spoken to me about marrying her.”
“What do you mean…?”
Raiden didn’t love Astella?
And he’d never even mentioned marriage—then did that mean the two of them weren’t actually together?
Astella definitely said she became Raiden’s lover.
They’d gone on several dates, and she came to the imperial palace almost every day to see him.
So many people had seen them walking together happily on Central Hill.
Stunned by what she couldn’t believe, Frea asked again to be sure.
“Are you truly saying that Duke Be—Raiden has never spoken to you about marriage, Lady Savanna?”
“That’s right.”
“But Astella clearly told me she and the duke had become lovers. Are you saying that isn’t true?”
“Not at all. In fact, Raiden came to me saying he was troubled because the young lady of House Binok kept rejecting him whenever he sought her out.”
“…My goodness.”
