The Beloved One!

Chapter 24

"Tazanna, what kind of contract did you sign?!! A contract where that ungrateful thing could have a clean divorce?!!" The retired Duchess chided. "What were you thinking, child?!!"

"Mother, it was only being fair to Cousin Anzor since he loves Ellen-san and that he did not wish to marry me in the first place. It was a contract beneficially for both sides." Tazanna answered, explaining her reasons.

"Beneficial, she says?" Emma asked herself incredulously. She stroke her hand noisily on the table. "Beneficial where child?! The Morley Family went back to being just a plain Ducal Family, one like many others! Plus there is a child between you too!! Had you never thought about what would have happen if you two had a child?!! Look at what your thoughtless actions did to Lila!!! Look at what your thoughtless actions done to the Morley Family!!!"

"Mother, that-"

"-I do not wish to speak to you now, child! If only I had given birth to a son instead of you!!!"

Pain prickled through Tazanna's heart. This was the first time her mother had ever spoken to her like this. "I will give you time." She quickly departed from her mother's study.

Emma threw the teacup at the door once Tazanna had closed it. Horrible memories of the past flooded through her mind, especially those of her childhood.

"Emma." The retired Duke entered, avoiding the broken glass shards.

The blonde haired woman walked towards her husband, her forehead leaning against his chest. Her voice was weak. "That child." Her cracked as she started to cry, her emotions mixed with sadness and anger. "She is following in the footsteps of my mother, allowing for women of lowly origins to step over her head and and her child's head. Their personality practically mirrors each other."

Vincent patted her back.

The scenes of her mother's deathbed came to mind. She had be timid and weak and had been done in by the concubines in her father's backyard. "She's allowing for them to scheme against her until she is left ghastly pale, skeleton-like, son-less with some unknown illness without anyone to care for her." Emma said without much thought. "What wife?! What legitimate child?! That woman is a mistress who could only be a concubine and her daughter illegitimate, ready to step on the heads of Tazanna and Kalila!!! Those two will not stop until there is nothing left them, never satisfied." Teardrops slid down her cheeks, one hanging on her chin.

"Do not worry. We will not left that happen. Tazanna will not have the same outcome as your mother, same with Lila."

She eagerly said. "Yes, they cannot end up like my mother! They can't!"

••••

With his hand on Alice's diary, he murmured. "Mother in the eyes of the public, Tazanna's and I sham contract marriage has come to an end. Your contract marriage with father-" He stopped for a few seconds, sensing a familiar mana signature.

He heard three knocks on the door and allowed her to come in.

"Couuusin Anzor-" After entering the study of the Archduke, before Iduna could complete her statement, he asked.

He knew this tone of hers. "-What do you want?"

Iduna stopped, blinked then pouted. "That's rude. But you know, Cousin Anzor you are my favourite cousin." She dragged 'cousin'.

"3 seconds." Anzor held up three fingers.

Iduna gasped and said in one breath, zooming through her words, "allow me to be the teacher for little Ash in etiquette, art, sewing and music! It's impossible for BenBen to teach her those!"

Anzor thought about it for several seconds. Even though this relative of his acted this way, she was highly skilled in the areas of art, sewing and music that she had received awards. For the etiquette part even though she had only used it when she wanted to, she was also skilled in that thanks to the Lady-in-Waiting of the late previous Queen. And the Bell Family's side occupation.....

"Fine."

"Couussin Anzor, I love you so much! But I love BenBen more!!" She stated.

"Yes, the whole capital knows you love Ben."

"The same with you and Ellen-san. Oh!" She voiced, recalling something then clapped her hands together once. "Papa Al said, he would like to see little Ash."

Papa Al was Alfred Marshall. He had been the Viscount of the Marshall Family. Papa Al was the father of Esme Morley, the Archduke's grandmother. He was Anzor's great grandfather and Ashnah's great great grandfather. Even in old age, he had always regretted allowing his daughter to marry into the Morley Family. He had done all he could to spoil Alice who was in the Morley Estate, but she had died too young. Because of this, even with the Marshall Family only having the title of Viscount, he had fought so hardly to obtain custody of his daughter's grandchild, Anzor Morley, but as expected, he had lost in court.

"He also says he has some goodies for her." She inquired. "Speaking of seeing little Ash, where is she?"

••••

If Ashnah Morley was not in her bedroom chamber, the classroom or with her mother, anyone within Alice Estate would know that one can find her in the library.

Anzor had even bought four ship loads of books to add to the library collection for her.

She was reading on one of the topics that she had never studied before and never even knew had existed, divine power.

After the Demon King had been defeated eight hundred years ago, because of the destruction he had done on the entire human lands, there were little to no records on divine power. Because of Anzor Morley's connections he had been able to purchase all he could on this subject along with demonic powers since the two powers went hand in hand.

Divine energy was entirely different from magic. It was more closer to demonic energy even though the two were complete opposites. Divine energy was direct power from god, Brahma himself.

He had utilized this energy to create the now missing holy sword. Once a human made a contract with the holy sword, he/she could use divine powers with the cost of losing his/her magic forever.

Divine power was element-less and had no properties, meaning that it could be shaped however it's wielder desired, to bring about any kind of action with the proper incantation. It was not un-limitless like magic. The same was said about demonic powers.

Closing the book, she leaned her back against the chair. "That's all they have."

Then she heard a voice, "Princess, I have returned to your side."