Esdeath Mariette!

The evening didn't take long to turn into night. Especially at the academy, where the sun always seemed to set a little earlier than usual. The mornings came quicker too, as if the sky was in a hurry to change its colors.

Inside Esdeath's dorm room, the atmosphere was warm and peaceful. Her mother, Charlotte, was lying on the bed with little Selene cuddled beside her. Charlotte's soft voice filled the room as she read stories and poems to the small child. Selene listened quietly, her sleepy eyes blinking slowly.

Esdeath, on the other hand, was sitting alone in a small wooden chair in the corner of the room. Her arms were crossed, and her expression was a mix of boredom and frustration.

"I feel like an outsider in my own room…" she thought with a slight pout. But even more than that, her mind was troubled. "I hid all the jewelry, expensive clothes, and things that could catch Mother's attention… Now it'll take forever to get them back out again." She let out a tired sigh.

Her thoughts only got heavier. "I have so much to do… I need to be faster at combining and refining essence stones, improve my battle strength, make new killer moves… And I still haven't checked what I got after the second arc!" Her head was starting to hurt just from thinking about it all. But with her mother staying over, she couldn't exactly pull out magical tools and start training in the middle of the night.

So, she just sat there in silence, her eyes watching Selene and Charlotte without really seeing them.

Charlotte noticed that Selene had finally fallen asleep. A gentle smile spread across her face as she brushed the child's soft hair. "You've really got a cute daughter," she whispered with warmth in her voice, then added with a playful smirk, "But not cuter than mine was."

Esdeath gave a small chuckle, but didn't say anything. She wasn't in the mood for a heart-to-heart.

But Charlotte wasn't done. Her eyes narrowed a little as she turned to her daughter. "Still, I'm a little upset with you," she said. "Selene told me you never read her stories or spend much time with her. You just let her be by herself? That's not how a mother should act. You'll be eighteen soon, and some girls your age already have kids of their own!"

Although she doesn't know… Esdeath was already eighteen. She lost a few months of her lifespan just to become stronger.

As if reading her mind, Charlotte's voice softened a bit. "It's good that you became an awakened," she said. "Maybe if you keep doing well like this, someone will want to marry you someday."

Esdeath's eyes sharpened, and her voice suddenly turned cold. "I don't want to marry just anyone—"

Her mother blinked in surprise at her sudden anger. But before the mood could grow worse, Esdeath took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "I mean… we'll see what happens in the future. There's no need to think about that now," she added quietly.

The room fell into a gentle silence again, broken only by the sound of Selene's soft breathing as she slept.

But then came a sudden knocking sound at the door.

Esdeath stood up, confused. "Who's coming at this hour? Predictor?" she thought, feeling a bit uneasy. She slowly opened the door—and her eyes widened in surprise.

Her father, Nyx, was standing there with a big grin on his face.

"SURPRISE!" Nyx said cheerfully as he stepped into the room.

Even Charlotte looked shocked. She sat up quickly on the bed and leaned against the wall. "Woah! Weren't you busy with work?"

"Of course I was," Nyx said with a chuckle. "But Lady Mariette's head maid, Miss Lorraine, came to me. She opened a teleportation portal and said Lady Mariette herself had summoned me!"

Esdeath blinked. "Lortell summoned Father?" Her heart skipped a beat. There could only be one reason why Lortell would want to talk to both her parents at once.

But before she could finish the thought, someone else appeared in the doorway.

Lortell Mariette had arrived.

She bent slightly to step inside—taller than the doorframe, her presence filled the room instantly.

Charlotte and Nyx quickly stood up, their expressions stiffening. They bowed with deep respect. After all, Lortell was no ordinary person. As the daughter of the Archduke, her status was incredibly high. If she asked them to kneel, they would have done so without question.

But Lortell simply gave a light, graceful laugh. "There's no need for that! You two are older than me, after all."

"Still," Nyx and Charlotte said together, "not bowing to the Archduke's daughter is a great disrespect."

"Okay, okay," Lortell smiled, waving her hand gently, "but please, sit down. I want to talk about something important."

Esdeath quickly offered the wooden chair she had been sitting on earlier. Lortell accepted it with a nod and sat down gracefully. Meanwhile, Nyx and Charlotte settled on the edge of the bed, their faces clearly nervous. They didn't know where to look—sometimes glancing at each other, sometimes looking at the floor.

"No need to be nervous," Lortell said softly, trying to make things feel more comfortable.

She turned her head slightly and reached out to gently hold Esdeath's hand, pulling her a little closer to her side. Then she looked at Nyx and Charlotte with calm, serious eyes.

"I'll get straight to the point," she said. "I want to marry your daughter."

Silence fell across the room like a heavy blanket.

Nyx and Charlotte's eyes shot open in disbelief. Their mouths opened slightly, but no words came out at first.

"W-what?" they finally managed to say together, their voices shaking.

"I know what you're thinking," Lortell continued in a calm, understanding tone. "You're wondering where this came from, how it happened, or if I'm just playing some kind of joke."

She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in.

"But I'm completely serious. My eyes have been on her for a long time. I promise to make her happy."

Then, placing a hand on her chest, she made a vow.

"She'll be my one and only wife. I swear on my name—I will never take any concubines, and I will never even look at another girl."

Lortell slowly stood up and walked closer to Charlotte. Her tall figure seemed calm, but her voice carried deep emotion.

"This isn't just about Esdeath," she said softly, placing her hand gently on Charlotte's shoulder. "It's about both of you too. I lost my real mother when I was only thirteen… You were like a mother to me. No… you both are like parents to me."

Charlotte's eyes widened with surprise, her mouth slightly open in shock.

"I… I didn't know we meant so much to Lady Mariette…" Nyx's voice cracked as tears began rolling down his cheeks like a river. "Sob… sob…"

"Hehehe… I knew Esdeath's parents would be easy to deal with," Lortell laughed secretly in her mind, but her face showed a soft and caring smile.

Then, she pulled out a folded piece of paper from her coat. "I even made a list of what I'll provide," she said proudly. "It includes things like a beautiful honeymoon, daily kisses, cuddles, emotional comfort, and much more. Honestly, it's a pretty long list!"

Before she could unfold it, Charlotte suddenly hugged her tightly, tears in her eyes.

"No need to go that far… You can think of me as your mother from now on. It's an honor," Charlotte said with a shaky voice. But then she slowly pulled back. Her smile faded.

"But…" she paused, looking down with regret, "I've learned my lesson. I can't make my daughter marry someone without her consent." Her voice was filled with pain. She still remembered the time she tried to arrange a marriage for Esdeath—and Esdeath had drunk poison and nearly died.

She never wanted to make the same mistake again.

The room went quiet. Then, slowly, all three—Lortell, Nyx, and Charlotte—turned to look at Esdeath.

Their eyes seemed to ask: "Do you agree?"

Esdeath's face turned bright red, but she nodded so fast it looked like she was about to create a windstorm. Her cheeks were warm, and her heart was racing.

That reaction was more than enough.

"Well… there's still one big concern!" Nyx suddenly spoke up. "What will people say? Two girls marrying… it's not common! What if others look down on her? I don't want my daughter to suffer more!"

Lortell let out a long sigh and then smiled.

"Did you forget who your daughter is marrying?" she said with confidence. "Just leave everything to me. I'll make sure not even one person dares to say anything!"

She gently placed her hand on Nyx's shoulder.

"I'll even organize a grand marriage ceremony. It'll be unforgettable!"

Nyx looked surprised but happy and nodded.

But Charlotte shook her head.

"No, don't make it grand," she said honestly. "We'll only feel out of place. Just keep it official—at the church—with a few guests. That's more than enough."

"If that's what you want, then I'll respect it," Lortell nodded with a smile. "Actually, I've already planned a party for tomorrow. I'll announce the marriage there!"

Then, she turned toward Esdeath, leaned in quickly, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Not in front of my parents!" Esdeath squeaked, her whole face turning red like a tomato. She looked down, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"I'll be going now," Lortell said, waving her hand. "Don't forget to come to the party tomorrow!"

And just like that, she stepped out of the room, leaving Esdeath behind… and alone with her very curious and emotional parents.

Nyx and Charlotte jumped up right away.

"When did this start?"

"How long have you two been hiding this?"

"Who proposed first?!"

"Is this because you were angry when I said about your marriage?"

Both of them grabbed Esdeath's shoulders and shook her back and forth, bombarding her with questions like a storm.

Esdeath just sat there with a blank face. She didn't know what to say anymore.

"Shut up! I'm Esdeath Mariette now,"

she said sarcastically, trying to act serious. "Show some respect!"