DSMBL Chapter 31

Chapter 031

It had been a long time since the gates of Isteria had opened.

Rumors had spread that something unfortunate had happened to Duchess Charlotte. People whispered that a woman who loved parties so much had shut her doors and avoided the public, which must mean something serious might have occurred.

But now, the gates of Isteria were wide open, as if to prove everyone wrong.

And what’s more, Charlotte, who was always alone, appeared this time with Cassius.

“…Maybe nothing bad happened. Couldn’t they just be enjoying a late honeymoon?”
“Perhaps. I’ve never seen them look this close before.”
“Me neither.”

The nobles’ fans began to flutter faster, as the rumors from the north that had been circulating started to settle down. Charlotte and Cassius looked strong together, and there was no room for anyone to interfere.

A group of brave noblewomen approached Charlotte.

“Duchess, it’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has. How have you been?”

At her response, the noblewomen froze awkwardly for a moment.

“…Are you unwell?”
“Pardon?”
“You seem different than usual.”
“Oh, no. I’m perfectly fine. Do I look better?”

The noblewomen chuckled lightly, adjusting their tone to suit Charlotte’s mood.

“I heard you haven’t been hosting any parties or going out much. You’re not unwell, are you?”

As the noblewomen closely observed Charlotte, others around them listened attentively.

As they observed Charlotte, they wondered, If it wasn’t for Charlotte, it could be their daughter, their niece, their friend—or even themselves.

There were many who envied Charlotte’s place beside Cassius, a seat they had long coveted.

Even though Charlotte had hosted numerous parties over the past six months, she had always been aloof, which made others suspicious. Furthermore, Cassius didn’t seem very interested in Charlotte, so many wolves were hoping for a new opportunity.

Then, suddenly, Cassius approached Charlotte and placed his arm around her shoulder. The group of women, who had been eyeing Charlotte, flinched and stepped back.

“Not at all. Thank you for worrying about Charlotte’s health,” Cassius said quietly.

 “Thankfully, she’s fine. We were simply spending time together as newlyweds.”

“O-oh, I see.”

The women replied, taking a step back. They had no words to counter Cassius, who was firmly holding Charlotte.

Moreover, Cassius was not an easy person to tease. His cold and steadfast gaze was like the walls of the northern fortress.

“Is there something else you’re curious about?”

“Well… next month is my husband’s birthday, Your Grace. We’re planning a small party, and it would be an honor if both of you could attend.”

one of the women asked, her voice full of intention.

Although Charlotte and Cassius had appeared to be getting along, would they continue to do so in the future? This could be temporary, and they were simply putting on an act. Cassius’s lips twisted into a cold smile. but before he could reply, Charlotte spoke first.

“The Duke is a busy man. If he attended every party, who would defend the north?”

Her tone was icy as she continued, “Would you take care of the snow beasts or the monsters’ invasions? If so, perhaps he could spare the time.”

“Ahem!”

“As far as I know, the Duke has never attended such gatherings before. Why the sudden interest now?”

Charlotte’s cold response left the noblewoman speechless.

Even Cassius looked at her with surprise. He hadn’t expected Charlotte to shut her down so decisively.

If Charlotte had wanted to, Cassius might have considered attending. Not because he enjoyed parties or had a special bond with the host, but because he now understood the kind of treatment Charlotte had faced in the northern social circles.

Perhaps Charlotte now understood Cassius just as much as he understood her.

“If you want to go, I’ll accompany you, Charlotte,” Cassius said softly.

Charlotte blinked, quickly calculating her response. Then, for the first time, she affectionately looped her arm through his and leaned her head lightly against it.

“I don’t want to attend that party, Cassius. It would be a waste of your time.”

Cassius’s eyes widened at her unexpected closeness.

But he was quick to adapt to the situation.

“Understood. If there’s ever a party you want to attend, just let me know. I’ll make time for it.”

“Thank you, Cassius.”

The rejected noblewoman’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.

It was a pivotal moment when Charlotte’s status in the northern social scene shifted dramatically. People began to see her in a new light.

***

Meanwhile, after Theo’s first lesson, Lorencia met with Janice. At Janice’s signal, Lorencia followed her into an unused empty room.

“So, how did it go? Did you do well? Do you think you can win that child over to our side?”

“Ugh. There’s someone glued to him like a guard dog. What do you expect me to do?”

Lorencia muttered irritably.

“Lorencia. Did you not expect some obstacles? Did you think everything would be handed to you on a silver platter?”

“You’re the one who promised to make me the Duchess. And you’re the one who broke that promise.”

“I’ve done my best, Lorencia! I’m still doing my best. Without me, do you think you’d even be the tutor for the Duke’s household?”

Lorencia’s face turned red. Janice was right. With her low social standing and lack of education, she wouldn’t have secured this position without Janice’s help.

“…The Duke is very fond of Theo. You’ll have plenty of chances to see him. Things aren’t going well with the Duchess right now, so getting close to Theo is key. One word from that child could change everything.”

“Fine, fine. I get it,” Lorencia snapped before storming out of the room.

As she walked through the garden to cool her temper, her eyes fell on the outdoor banquet hall.

“What’s going on there?”

The lights were still on late into the night.

As Lorencia moved closer, she saw people laughing and chatting inside.

“Oh.”

It was the legendary outdoor banquet hall of Isteria, a place renowned even in the capital.

Anyone who had attended one of its events would never forget the experience.

And amidst the crowd, Lorencia saw him—the Duke of Irtesia.

She would never mistake the face she had memorized countless times from portraits, imagining him as her future husband.

But standing beside him was another woman—Charlotte Irtesia!

She was the daughter of Count Solovice. Though the Solovice family had fallen, they were once a prominent house, far above Lorencia’s reach.

Lorencia clenched her fists tightly. On the surface, the people in the banquet hall didn’t even know she existed, but she knew her—that woman, Charlotte.

Charlotte, who always seemed bored despite having everything. There were plenty of women wealthier and more powerful than Charlotte, but it didn’t matter. Just the fact that Charlotte stood beside Cassius made her a target of Lorencia’s hatred.

“Why does she have what I don’t?”

It was infuriating.

Thinking about the once-great Solovius family now, Lorencia felt she was no less than Charlotte.

“I’ll take it all away from you,” she thought.

The woman laughing so brightly on the other side of the hall filled Lorencia with a burning resentment. It wasn’t for any grand reason; simply because Charlotte had the things Lorencia desperately wanted.

“It’s mine.”

Lorencia whispered the words under her breath. She believed that if she kept saying them, one day they would become true. The gap between where she stood and where Charlotte stood was enormous, as if mocking Lorencia’s circumstances.

But in her imagination, she had cut Charlotte out of the picture and inserted herself in her place.

It was a perfect fit.

She was confident she could do better than Charlotte—much better.

Lorencia’s lips curved into a bitter, determined smile.

“It’s mine,” she repeated, her voice tinged with longing.

The handsome man who seemed to have stepped out of a portrait, the dazzling dresses, the luxurious life—they all tempted her to the brink of madness.

Everything she saw on the other side of the banquet hall felt like a treasure chest she was desperate to claim.