I Am The Evil Duchess

XXV

Teal...

It's the color of the eyes that looks right back at me, at this moment...

"Sister, are you alright?"

A sweet voice that almost sounds like a melody of the angels. Her dirty figure didn't hide her characteristics as the Heroine...

The child was wearing nothing but dirty tattered cloth. It's as if she's one of the children in the slums.

"Perhaps, are you Asrid?"

Her eyes sparkled for some reason, the corner of her lips curved upward and her eyes formed like a crescent moon.

Asrid smiled at me.

"Sister knows Asrid?" She said with her cheerful voice. But, is she talking in a second-person point of view?

"Yes, my son mentioned that you will be attending my birthday party." I smiled at her but then she pouted.

"Sister is sick, so she couldn't come."

eh? what?

"Really? Why?"

"Although sister promised to brother Calix that she will come, sister fell sick yesterday, and here I am to deliver the message."

This child is not the Heroine?

"I see, it's a shame. But what is your name child?"

Her smile disappeared and she looks up at the sky as if searching for her response there.

"Hmm."

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Well, my sister told me that if a stranger asks for my name, I should say that my name is Asrid. So sister, my name is Asrid."

I frowned a little.

"But you have your name, why would you use your sister's?"

"The only thing she said was, if I did that, I'll be spared..."

Spared? Spared from what?

"It's because we've been living in the slums. There are a lot of bad guys there who stole the money that we got from the good people who pitied us. Then several days ago, a man with a hideous cape came to us saying that Asrid would be saved and live a good life, but what he said to me upsets me."

"How so?"

"He said that I'd definitely die at the age of six, two years from now on."

Two years... In the novel, the House of Verena welcomed their foster daughter. That is Asrid at the age of six.

"Asrid is my twin! She's really powerful! She always let me watch her play with the sun on her palm! One day when the bad guys in the slum beat me up, she used that sun to cure my wounds, it was fascinating!"

She's talking about her sister's Divine power.

"By the way sister, my name is Astherielle Riazze and my older sister is Asridielle Riazze."

If I am right, Asrid is trying to save her little sister?

"I'm sure that both of you are getting along well." I smiled at her.

"Yes!" She chirped.

Her eyes lowered down to my belly.

"Oh, the baby is being grumpy."

Her little hands touched my belly, her teal eyes glowed and her hands on my belly emitted a light.

My stomach was aching a little a while ago before she showed up, but now all I can feel is warmth inside my stomach.

"Listen, baby, don't make any trouble for your mommy alright! I punish naughty babies!"

Rielle scolded Derrick, it was a cute scene to see.

"Thank you, I feel better now thanks to you."

"You're welcome sister, I'm good at handling children, my dream is to be a teacher in an orphanage and help my sister while she's working as a nun when we grow up."

"Then, I should go and see brother Calix, I know he's been waiting for me."

She started to walk away from me and walk toward the bridge. I planned to watch them for a while. I saw how my son smiled at Rielle, but then the corner of his mouth pulled down.

I decided to get up and return to the party. I got back safely and everyone was looking for me.

"By the way sister, have you read the letter from the Empress?" My sister asked. I frowned, I haven't received any letters from anyone since I got back here.

"I'm afraid that I haven't received any letters."

"Hmm is that so? Then maybe your husband, the Duke has it? Isn't all of the letters addressed to noble wives have to pass through the head of the family? It depends on the husband if he'll allow privacy." She calmly said before sipping her tea.

Is Regan hiding the letters addressed to me? I asked myself inside of my head.

"Wife."

Speak of the devil...

He was approaching me and when he was already in front of me, he gently held my waist before bending a little for a kiss on my forehead.

"Oh my, I must excuse myself. I also need to have a kiss on my forehead." Cordelia teased before walking away and going to her husband.

"I'm sorry, it took too long for the Emperor to discuss the situation from the south." he apologized as he stared at my frowning face.

"Did something happen? why are you upset?"

It's because of you!

That's what I wanted to say out loud, but it would be embarrassing to cause a scene on my birthday.

"It's nothing, our little one is just unusually behaving today."

He smiled at my stomach before kneeling and then he pressed his ear against my bump.

"You're behaving like an angel aren't you? you little devil."

I grab a fist of his hair before shaking my hand.

"A-Ahh! ouch! ouch!" he yelped.

How dare he call my angel devil? Don't you know that I'm so disappointed that he will look exactly like you!?

When I felt that I'm already satisfied with his hair condition, I stopped.

I saw Cordelia approaching us while carrying her baby.

"My baby, say hello to your Uncle and Auntie."

I looked at my husband and waited for his reaction. He's just looking at little Aneisha.

"I'm sure that if we have a daughter after the little devil, she would look exactly like you too."

I and my sister gasped in embarrassment.

This man!

I was about to scold him when I saw Calix from his back. I quickly approach him when I sensed that something is wrong with my son.

"My baby, what's wrong?" he look at me, revealing his disheartened face.

"I'm sorry mother, I can't  introduce my friends on your birthday..."

After saying that, he quickly runs away...

Calix...
  
  

   
    
    
    
    
June 24, 2022
LizzannaWrites