Chapter 78: SURROUNDED BY A HALO OF LIGHT

Chapter 78: SURROUNDED BY A HALO OF LIGHT"As expected, the apple does not fall too far away from the tree."

When Aristia uttered those words, Wade felt as if his heart had stopped beating. Was the princess referring to him? Then, his smile turned bitter. He thought he had a real friend.

Before he could think further, he heard her interrupt Zachary Splane.

"Did Countess Splane not educate her child well?"

His head whipped up in confusion, seeing that the others also looked confused. Then, he watched how she rebuked the boys who were trying to make fun of him. Was the princess standing up for him?

When he heard what she said about his father, he was convinced. The third princess was really supporting him. His face unconsciously lit up.

Apart from that, he also was enlightened about something. That was right. He was the son of the Marquis. Why did he allow these people to bully him? Look how scared they were now.


As he continued to stare at her, she seemed to be shining in his eyes. It was like she was surrounded by a halo of light. The light was almost blinding.

He was hit by the impact of her words. He clenched and unclenched his fists and determination flashed across his eyes.

He was snapped back to reality by the voice of a newcomer.

"What’s going on here?"



It was Ivan who spoke. Liam and Alaric were with him, and a group of children were behind them.

[About time. What took them so long?] Aristia wondered.

As if noticing her gaze, they turned to her and smiled sheepishly.

Aristia sighed inaudibly and turned away. [Nevermind. I’ve taught these brats a lesson. That should be enough.]

She waved her hand and smiled sweetly. "It’s nothing, brother Ivan and brother Liam. We were just having a friendly conversation with Young Master Winston and Young Master Splane."

The surrounding children were speechless. Friendly conversation?

But the princesses nodded in agreement. Even the Anton and Kiran kids nodded.

Seeing their little cousin sister’s sweet smile and the confirmatory nods from the other children, the doubt in the minds of Ivan and Liam dissipated.

Aristia turned to Ian and Zachary with the same sugary sweet smile. "We won’t hold you here anymore, Young Masters. Enjoy the banquet."

Ian and Zachary nodded and turned away to leave with their group. They no longer had that initial pride. They actually felt the princess’s smile was a little scary. But when they looked again, it was still the same sweet smile with no hint of the former scariness. Were their minds and eyes playing tricks on them?

"Excuse me, everyone. I have to see mother," Aristia excused herself and left. She had seen something very interesting. It was time to watch a good show.

***

"I enjoyed our conversation Marchioness. I hope we can get the chance to talk sometime." Viscountess Vasily said.

Marchioness Oswalt smiled in reply and watched the younger lady leave.

"Lady Oswalt, it’s so rare to see you smile nowadays."

’Now, this is the one.’ Marchioness Charlotte Oswalt sighed in her mind. These ladies had no rest, did they? And they wouldn’t allow her to.

***

"Hehe. Is that really so, your highness?" A noblewoman spoke in a bashful manner with her palm in front of her mouth.

"Why, of course, Baroness. You seem to be getting younger." Grand Duchess Amberale said.

"Then I humbly accept your praise, your highness." The Baroness replied.

"Excuse me, Baroness." Catherine said when she noticed something from the corner of her eyes.



The Baroness nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

Catherine walked in the direction she had seen some people some distance away from where everyone had gathered.

An interested smile appeared on her face.

Marchioness Oswalt was always being surrounded by these people. She didn’t need to help the Marchioness and had no intention to. She would do it when she felt like doing it. She just wanted to educate those ladies who always seemed to forget their position.

As she neared the ladies, she heard,

"Marchioness Oswalt. Are you really going to tolerate that mistress’s child in your home?" A noblewoman asked.

Catherine hummed. These cunning ladies were trying to turn the Marchioness against an innocent child. But, she wanted to hear what the Marchioness would say and see how she would react.

"I don’t suppose the Marchioness would know this, considering her maiden home and background, but that child is a threat. What is he steals the position meant for your child as the Marquis’s legal wife, seeing that the Marquis has already acknowledged him." Another noblewoman said.

The ladies seemed to be advising her, but they also used the opportunity to mock her.

"My family matters are of no concern to you. Please be mindful of your words." Charlotte warned.

"How could you say that Marchioness? We are just expressing our concern and goodwill."

"The Marchioness might not even be able to conceive. It has been seven years since her marriage. The Marquis might even have had to marry another lady if the child had not been born. I suppose, in a way, you ought to thank the boy." A noblewoman, who had wanted to get married to the Marquis, mocked.

"Ah, Your Highness." It was only then that one of the noblewomen noticed Catherine.

The others turned around to see the Grand Duchess.

Catherine nodded. "I was just passing by and thought to check on you ladies, to see how you’re enjoying the banquet. You can go on with your conversation," she said with a smile.

The ladies nodded. But why did they feel that the Grand Duchess’s smile was a little cold?

"We are enjoying the banquet, Your Highness." They said to ease the tense atmosphere.

"We were just expressing our goodwill to the Marchioness." Countess Eleanor Splane, a strawberry blonde with light green eyes, said.

"Yes, Your Highness." Viscountess Essylt said with a fawning smile. She felt that the last time the Grand Duchess helped the Marchioness was just on a whim. Which in reality, it was.

However, Viscountess Essylt thought. ’The Marchioness is not of noble birth. I have no doubt her highness shares the same view and will support us. Between us true noble ladies and the Marchioness, there’s no question as to whom her highness will support.’

Catherine turned to her silently.



Viscountess Essylt continued. "We were just educating the Marchioness o—" Before she could finish, she was cut off. She felt that this situation was familiar.

"A Viscountess educating a Marchioness?" Catherine asked in a low voice. "When did it become the responsibility of a Countess to educate a Marchioness?" She asked coldly.

The surrounding ladies stopped and their smiles froze. They knew that, but it was entertaining to mock the Marchioness, especially since she herself did nothing about it.

"Your Highness," Countess Eleanor Splane objected. "She is not a pure noble. She is just a distant relative from one of the side branches of a Viscount family from minor nobility, not even an aristocrat," she didn’t want to accept that the former was higher in status than her despite her background.

The major reason they bullied Marchioness Oswalt was because she was not a noble prior to her marriage to the Marquis.

In nobility, an heir was chosen to take over the title. That heir would form the main branch and carry the title. The other sons who were not chosen would form the side branches and would hold no title, only belonging to aristocracy, unless they belonged to pure nobility. If they were originally from pure nobility, then they’d be given titles under minor nobility and become a main branch themselves.

That was why noblemen married off their daughters to other noble households to become madam of a main branch, and those who couldn’t would marry them off to wealthy merchants and businessmen. That way, their daughters could still remain in the aristocracy even if they couldn’t remain in nobility.

For the sons who weren’t chosen as heirs and weren’t given titles in minor nobility because their family was originally from minor nobility, they would become merchants or open up businesses to support their families. Hence, it wasn’t uncommon that most nobles had relatives who were commoners; either wealthy aristocrats, middle class or poor.

Marchioness Charlotte’s maiden family was distantly related, from her grandfather’s side of the family, to the side branch of a Viscount family from the minor nobles who became merchants to support their families, as most side branches did.

Charlotte lived with her grandfather since young, and he wasn’t even an influential, prominent businessman, which meant he wasn’t an aristocrat. They were almost plain commoners, so that wielded even more disdain from the noble ladies. Especially those who had wanted to get married to the Marquis.

At the thought of this, the ladies became even more resolute, "Yes. The Marchioness does not truly belong in nobility."

While all this was being said, Catherine was watching the Marchioness’ reaction. She turned away in disappointment when Marchioness Oswalt only lowered her eyes without a word.