A young woman whose well-shaped, beautiful face carried a smile filled with longing sat on a couch—arms on the windowsill, eyes slightly quivering but fixed on the raindrops trickling down the glass.
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It was drizzling outside and from this high vantage point, she could see people inside this massive castle going about their activities.
Her long gray hair cascaded down to her slender waist, slightly revealed by the gown she wore, which revealed a good section of her back.
Since she wasn’t going out, Mary saw no need in dressing conservatively. The joy she once had when she arrived in the Dukedom of Mormonts vanished after the news of her brother’s death and the tales of the wonders of the Ashbourne territory.
The Evergreen olive oils became sought after so hungrily because over a hundred thousand civilians in Ashbourne County had advanced to the bronze rank without training for one day!
These were people who were doomed to remain as ordinary iron-ranked civilians! When nobles heard of such a miraculous oil, they began to purchase huge quantities for themselves but Ashbourne County had shut down sales and closed their borders.
For the past two months, no one had heard of anything other than the ongoing war on the Great Dividing Wall.
It was said that Count William had gathered the forces of the Wildlands and sought to claim Ashbourne County, starting from reclaiming his city, Tiberias.
Mary recalled Asher’s looks when he sent her off and her eyes moistened.
It was recently that she understood the burdens of a noble because now that she was the last member of the Ashbourne household, the eyes of ravenous noblemen were on her.
Several nobles, from viscounts and counts in Mormonts and beyond, were after her hand in marriage… all to claim the county for themselves.
And the Mormont household restrained her from escaping to Ashbourne County because of the ongoing war.
Knock! Knock!
Mary turned toward the wooden door. She stepped down and approached the door, wrapping her hands around the knob and pulling the door inward.
Standing out was a castle guard clad in gambeson.
“My Lady, your presence is requested.” The guard bowed his head.
Mary sighed. “Wait, let me put on a cloak.”
…
Boom!
“Lady Mary Ashbourne has arrived!” A guard declared as the doors were pushed open and Mary walked into the dining hall, her luxurious cloak dancing behind her.
Seated on the long dining table were Yuna, Kohath, and Lady Jessica.
Mary noticed the possessive light in Kohath’s eyes and his supposed gentlemanly smile, which gave her goosebumps.
Lady Jessica, Kohath’s mother and the Duke’s second concubine, smiled amicably. “Come, dear, sit beside me.”
Yuna pulled the chair beside her. “I brought her into this castle.”
She glared at Lady Jessica. Clearly, Lady Jessica wasn’t her mother.
Mary’s shoulders came down, a sign of relief as she sat beside her friend. They both smiled at each other before averting their gaze to the sumptuously prepared meals carefully arranged on the white linen-covered table.
While slicing the steak on a white plate, Kohath cleared his throat.
“Have you considered my request? A union with a marquis such as I will guarantee the rise of your household.”
Mary squinted and Yuna dropped her cutleries. “Do you want to force her to marry?!”
Kohath smiled. “Little sister, you are protected by us but Lady Mary has to make a choice to keep her household alive. The count has had great success so far and would soon conquer the Great Dividing Wall if she doesn’t make an alliance to strengthen the Ashbourne domain.”
Yuna frowned.
“I’ll speak to the Duke. I’m sure he’ll be able to help.”
Kohath chuckled. “Go on then.” The confidence in his eyes made Yuna apprehensive.
“Dear, don’t you want to help build from where your late brother stopped?”
Lady Jessica tilted his head, her tone soft as she gazed at Mary’s conflicted face.
“My brother…” Her eyes flickered as she recalled his expression and gait. “… Can’t be dead.”
Lady Jessica’s expression changed abruptly while Kohath slammed his cutleries on the table.
“It’s all over, Tenaria. Even the newspapers in the Sacred Flame Empire have had it as their main topic for months and do you know why?”
Kohath got up. “Because he was killed by a top assassin and every soldier in his castle was wiped out. His death was the most dishonorable death recorded in the history of nobles since the New Age!”
Mary ground her teeth but refused to utter a word.
“If you refuse to be of use to this household, we cannot guarantee that we shall continue to shelter you.”
“You do not speak for this house!” Yuna retorted furiously.
Kohath ignored her. “I’ll say this one more time… Your brother, Count Asher of Ashbourne County, the white wolf, is dead and buried! He rots while we speak!”
Kohath turned heel and left.
…
Thousands of kilometers away, inside the walls of a temple, a man whose eyes have been closed for almost a month opened them.
His vibrant golden eyes shone.
This man was none other than Asher Ashbourne, the white wolf of the north!
He blinked.
The first thing he saw was Sirius lying before him and below the altar were Lord Winter and Isaac conversing.
“Lord Winter.”
Hearing his voice, both men turned toward the altar.
“Y… You’re alive?!”
Asher raised an eyebrow. “Was I supposed to be dead?”
Lord Winter shook his head and began to laugh. After Sirius possessed the wolf they caught and they watched the body transform until it looked exactly like how Sirius was in his spirit form, they expected Asher to awaken, but his life force kept depreciating.
An hour ago, they considered him dead but because of Sirius, no one could go remove his body.
And to their greatest surprise, the man they considered dead was speaking.
Isaac’s pupils dilated when he sensed Asher’s force. “Not only did you traverse the realm of the dead but you also came back stronger. What are you now, Achilles, the man who has walked the land of the dead?”
Sensing recognition in Isaac’s voice, Asher smiled, stunning both Lord Winter and Isaac. The Asher they knew barely smiled and when he did, it wasn’t the good type.
Asher caressed the sleeping wolf. “It’s time to return to the confines of the throne.”