Chapter 57
And then he turned his body and called the chief attendant and the attendants over there.
As they, who had been on standby, rushed over, Aidan commanded.
“Escort the queen and the princess outside the castle.
Tonight, they will return.”
At his unexpected response, Mother and Helia widened their eyes.
To confirm whether they had misheard, they asked again.
“Tonight? It’s so late at night; are you saying you’re going to drive us out?”
“Yes.”
He spoke and then frowned.
“If the carriage departs around now, they should arrive in Altomole by tomorrow.
It must be uncomfortable for the queen and the princess to be in the same castle as a man with an evil soul.
More than anything…”
He gritted his teeth.
A rough breath escaped from his mouth, loud enough for Floria, who was sitting right next to him, to hear.
“I don’t know what I might do to you, so get out immediately.”
His hands were those of a man accustomed to fighting.
Clenching his scarred hands, Aidan growled.
“If you don’t want to find out what a fierce tyrant can do.”
His low voice was stronger and more frightening than ever before.
Even though the voice wasn’t directed at her, Floria’s body trembled.
Helia barely opened her mouth and whispered in a trembling voice.
“This… this is absurd.”
“Anyone who insulted the Grand Duchess has no place to stay in this castle.
Leave immediately.”
“…”
“No one can dare say such things to my Floria.”
It was a voice that allowed no rebuttal.
It was humiliating.
Floria’s face flushed red, feeling as if Aidan had discovered her family, who only cared about money.
However, Mother and Sister Helia remained shameless to the end.
After being suddenly expelled, they returned to the guest room to pack their belongings.
Even then, they hurled curses filled with resentment at Aidan for driving them out in the middle of the night.
“Driving out guests in the middle of the night is something only beasts do.
How could he do such a thing?”
“Beasts? He’s worse than a beast.”
“Since we’re in a position to ask for money, even if I tried to speak well of Floria or the Grand Duke, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
As expected, they’re of the same level.”
Their loud voices reached Floria’s ears as she stood downstairs to see them off.
Anger bubbled up inside her, twisting her insides.
She had never felt this way before, but she wanted to shout and get angry.
Unaware of Floria’s feelings, Mother and Sister boarded the carriage, huffing and puffing.
Although Floria was also angry with them and never wanted to see their faces again, she couldn’t help but stand at the castle’s entrance to see them off as they returned to their distant homeland.
Aidan, of course, did not come out.
That was a relief.
If Mother and Sister begged him once more, she would feel like dying—or killing.
Mother and Sister, who gracefully boarded the carriage, stared intently at Floria, who stood with a cold expression.
Perhaps realizing that she had no intention of helping, they opened their mouths again with a sneer.
“You’ve become just like them. No, you were always like that.
We saw it very well.
Live well among those uncultured, beast-like people.”
“If I can’t marry Grand Duke Lionel, I will resent you and your husband for the rest of my life.”
Still, Mother and Sister poured insults on Floria and the Grand Duke, as if their anger hadn’t subsided.
It wasn’t the first time her family had said such harsh words to her.
‘Who did she take after to be so unattractive?’
‘If only she had been a boy, she might have been tolerable.’
She was used to such words.
By now, her heart had developed calluses, and she wasn’t particularly hurt.
However, the words directed at Aidan were too sharp for Floria to bear.
Aidan had refused for a valid reason.
Even after hearing that reason, they still said such things.
Floria raised her head and looked at Mother and Sister.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m happy here.”
Her voice came out clearer than usual.
Perhaps surprised by her unyielding voice, Mother’s mouth stopped moving.
“This place is better for me than Altomole.
Maybe it’s because I’m a terrible person.
Since this place is so terrible, it’s better for you two, who are cultured, not to come again.”
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SadBeech