Astariol was a god who descended to save humanity.

It was said that Astariol’s powers followed the wishes of the mother who carried him for ten months.

Since the mother was the closest person to Astariol, his powers were meant to grant her wishes.

His power was <possession>.

This meant that his mother desired something she could not have.

Ashel’s mother found this reality painful. She lamented her own heart that longed for the love of a husband she could never have.

“No, I didn’t wish for such things. I didn’t wish for such things!”

Eventually, the mother started having seizures every time she saw her son.

After hearing from the doctor that his mother’s symptoms would not improve quickly, his father allowed her to raise Louis instead.

Though it was more out of indifference than permission.

And his mother could not endure even that indifference.

She was a woman who was born as the eldest daughter of a suitable count family and grew up receiving love and attention from those around her.

To her, an indifferent husband and an inhuman son were akin to a nightmare.

Ashel understood. In his mind, at least.

On the day his parents returned as corpses, he closed his mother’s eyes with his own hands and said:

“I’m glad you are at peace now.”

If life was a nightmare, then perhaps death was a relief.

He could only pray that she found rest now that she had escaped from her son.

Thus, love remained an unknown entity within him.

Something unattainable, never experienced, understood yet not understood. An emotion that clearly existed in this world yet did not exist in his own.

Until he met Charlotte.

And after meeting Charlotte, he came to understand love to some extent.

He still didn’t know exactly what it was.

Because what he felt for Charlotte didn’t seem like proper love.

“… are you insane?”

When such a response returned to his first proposal, he calmly agreed.

“I think I might be.”

The love his mother mumbled like a spell was gentle and warm.

A gentle and kind communication. A heart like the spring sunlight that bloomed flowers.

However, what he felt for Charlotte was something more violent.

A miserable desire that trampled over his life, shattered his values, and overturned all common sense, dragging him down to his lowest.

This couldn’t be love, could it? Charlotte deserved something better.

“It’s because of the magic that you’re not in your right mind.”

“No, it’s not.”

“No, it is. I… I’ll do something about it. I did something I shouldn’t have.”

Words crumbling under guilt.

He quietly asked, looking at her haggard face.

“Did you cast a spell without knowing what kind it was?”

The woman froze as if stabbed.

“Even now, you don’t know what kind of spell it is. I am the one affected by that spell. Who among us do you think understands it better?”

After a silence like broken glass, the chair was roughly pushed.

Charlotte, who suddenly stood up from her seat, babbled incoherently.

“Rest for a few days, bang your head against the wall a few times, and if you’re still not sane, come find me then. Got it? I’ll be researching a way to fix it.”

He asked honestly.

“Do I have to do that to see you again?”

The woman flinched and stopped.

She looked at him with a face stained with distrust and suspicion and muttered to herself in agony.

“Oh, really. Oh, crazy, ha, I must be crazy…”

“Do you have something to say?”

“… don’t really bang your head.”

“…”

“You have a face worth preserving, so cherish it.”

“…”

“I didn’t think a face like yours was my type. Is it some magic that makes us see each other as the most attractive?”

She continued to mutter to herself with a confused expression.

“No, but whether it’s illusion magic or transformation magic, it can’t deviate too much from the original form…”

It wasn’t that he deliberately didn’t answer.

In fact, he barely heard what she was saying. It was the first time he couldn’t fully hear what someone was saying from such a distance.

But how could he stay sane when Charlotte herself was coming closer?

Transparent green eyes. Charlotte’s eyes, close enough to reflect his purple ones, were looking at him.

The overwhelming sensation of the whole world leaning towards him.

And then…

Charlotte’s hand came closer.

His breathing slowed, and his body stiffened.

Slender fingers brushed against his frozen eyes.

Slowly, gently, as if observing.

Following that insignificant touch, flames arose. His heart, already crawling in the abyss, burned alive, as if seeing a living hell.

“It’s strange.”

You’re right. It’s strange.

But the strangest thing is me.

The fact that I find even the hell you give me joyful and want to live in this hell forever is the strangest.

Charlotte unconsciously let out a deep sigh.

He swallowed it eagerly.

If only he could keep this breath locked in his lungs until he died.

Scattered breath, brilliant words, unyielding character.

He wanted to possess everything of Charlotte that he couldn’t have. Only then did he fully understand his mother.

But the difference between him and his mother… was that she eventually gave up and found a substitute, while he did not.

Charlotte repeatedly rejected his proposals, and he repeatedly proposed.

Because nothing else mattered if it wasn’t Charlotte.

“… who did you say you wanted to marry?”

“You must be out of your mind, Constantine.”

He didn’t bother to respond to such words. Was there any point in paying attention to such things?

He was too busy figuring out a way to get Charlotte to accept his proposal to waste his attention on unnecessary matters.

“Ashel, I… heard something absurd.”

“…”

“The fact that you proposed to some woman without telling me was surprising enough, but that the woman… in question is… that woman? Really?”

When his aunt barged in after being away for about four months on a luxurious cruise, he had no particular reaction.

He expected it.

“Ashel, you are not in your right mind because of the magic. Since it’s the work of a mage from the Tower, so…”

“I was going to inform you anyway. Since you are here, I will tell you myself.”

“… what?”

“The assets of the Duchess of Chelsiers, which you have privately used, belong to the Duchess. Now that there will be a proper owner, please return them.”

During the chaotic time of his parents’ sudden deaths, when every minute and second was precious, he gave up some of the Duchess’s assets and rights to his aunt out of annoyance.

Even ten years later, this person hadn’t let go of it.

He had left it alone because it was a bother, but now that he was getting married, it needed to be settled quickly.

His aunt’s face contorted instantly.

“What are you talking about? That’s mine!”

“It was never yours to begin with.”

“I’ve been managing it for ten years…”

“Since when did taking all the profits and demanding more become management?”

That was not usually called management.

Perhaps his words hit the mark.

His aunt became even more agitated.

“… are you going to drive out the person who raised you for the sake of some witch?”

He quietly asked back.

“Do you really believe that?”

Seeing his eyes, the other hesitated.

“She is not someone a person like you can speak about recklessly, and you did not raise me.”

“I… I… for ten years…”

“What have you done in ten years?”

Silence.

“I will give you one last chance to be treated as the Duke of Chelsiers’s aunt. Leave now.”

Lady Declamen returned to her hometown.

Her greed was immense, but she was also very fearful.

She must have worried about how ruthless he could be, even to a hollow aunt-nephew relationship.

However, she only delayed returning the assets, dragging it out slowly. After he sent Louis with a final warning, everything was returned.

Except for the Duchess’s ring.

Louis spoke cautiously.

“… she said that since she is your elder, she would like to attend the wedding and present it to the new Duchess in place of the late Duchess.”

“Do you believe that nonsense?”

“No. I was just worried about what people might say if Lady Declamen didn’t attend your wedding.”

Whether she came or not would be a problem either way.

When he frowned, Louis spoke more earnestly.

“Too many people have already said they won’t come. If Lady Declamen doesn’t come too…”

So, Ashel decided to tolerate her one last time. And Lady Declamen really did come to the wedding.

Who knew with what nerve, but it would have been fine even if she hadn’t.

Those who saw were busy talking about what crazy thing Charlotte did, and those who didn’t see didn’t believe it anyway.

In any case, he eventually married Charlotte.

So, he was satisfied.

Until he faced the greedy face filled with stubbornness upon returning to the duke’s mansion.

“Was it so hard to leave the Duchess’s ring and leave?”

The sight of her standing in front of the entrance, as if blocking Charlotte’s path, was annoying.

Out of courtesy, he asked once, only to get a counter-question in return.

“Do you really want to take… that mad woman as your wife after such a ridiculous wedding? That woman is not suitable. If your mother were alive, she would surely oppose it.”

There was no point in talking.

As he gestured to the servants to drag her away, Charlotte, who had been watching from a distance, approached.

She had been ablaze with anger at the wedding hall, but now… Charlotte looked tired and worn out.

Her last remaining fury burned out, leaving only ashen fatigue.

“Move.”

“…”

“…”

Her first words in that gloomy voice.

He simply stepped aside. As the woman who approached with an irritable expression spoke again.

“Didn’t you hear? Move.”

As always, looking directly at Lady Declamen.