New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 63: HAD A FEW TRICKS UP HER SLEEVES

Chapter 63: HAD A FEW TRICKS UP HER SLEEVES

The Marquis was pulled out of his reverie when he saw his wife and the daughter of the Grand Duke get up from their position in front of the pond.

He watched them walk away side by side and stayed in his position for a while, staring off in the distance.

Meanwhile...

Aristia and Charlotte were heading back to the banquet hall. Just as they reached the entrance of the garden, she halted in her steps.

The Marchioness also stopped, looking on curiously when Aristia suddenly held both of her hand in her small ones.

"Remember, Charlotte. Do not allow yourself to be depressed over anything, be it a man or otherwise. Good riddance to him!" She exclaimed, referring to the Marquis and throwing her arms up in the air.

This left the Marchioness both shocked and amused. She wondered how a child was saying all this.

Nevertheless, she smiled, "Good riddance to him."

She was still awed, finding it hard to believe. Had the tyrant princess actually comforted her? She was indeed feeling a whole lot better than before.

They resumed their walk back to the banquet hall.

Aristia had called Marchioness Charlotte by her name and without the title because she was speaking to her on a woman to woman basis. Plus, Charlotte’s situation created a strange ache in her heart that she tried to ignore.

She had little to no experience with love and relationships, but she was speaking from the experience of her sister in-law.

When her brother first met Suzy, she was wary of him. Her boyfriend had been cheating on her and trying to gaslight her. She was being emotionally blackmailed. It was hard for her, but she eventually broke up with him.

It was some time after her breakup when she met Elliot. It had been some time since her breakup, but it seemed as if the wounds left behind refused to heal.

Elliot persevered and she accepted to be friends. What started as friendship developed into something deeper and now they were happily married. Though there were little quarrels here and there, they still made up in the end. It was normal for fights to happen in relationships. Nothing was perfect, after all. It was people who keep relationships together. They could either choose to mend or break their relationship.

Aristia could still clearly remember the times she visited Suzy. They were the times when Suzy was about to give in to her depressive thoughts and insecurities. She didn’t even know if that was a coincidence.

Back then, she had said the same words she had used to comfort Marchioness Charlotte to Suzy.

Fortunately, her sister in-law was able to move on and be happy and she hoped the same for the Marchioness. She wasn’t going to advise her to leave the Marquis. First, she didn’t know the whole situation, and second, that was the Marchioness decision to make.

She was the one in the marriage, not her. The Marchioness could choose to forgive him or not. But as a couple, it was their responsibility to work out a better solution, it wasn’t her place to interfere.

However, there was mention of Marchioness Oswalt in the novel. It was said that she had a weak constitution. She was said to have died in the novel some time after her husband’s affair was revealed.

[What a sad fate. Will she die this time too?] She hoped not. She already liked Charlotte.

Before they reached the banquet hall, Aristia waved goodbye at the Marchioness but didn’t enter the banquet hall. After walking for a little while and making some turns, she took a turn at one of the corridors and walked to a door.

On opening it, she found members of her family in the indoor balcony. Her father and uncle were standing and the rest were sitting with worried looks on their faces. It seemed they were done meeting with the envoys.

They turned to see her enter, relief clouding their features.

"Tia, where have you been? Papa and uncle were just about to order the guards to search for you." Beatrix whispered.

"Tia, we were so worried. Why didn’t you take Adeline with you or tell us where you were going?" Catherine asked in a voice dripping with worry.

"I’m sorry for making you all worry." Aristia apologized sincerely, feeling bad.

She knew she was at fault for not telling them where she went and taking so much time. They were obviously very worried.

"It’s fine. Now that you’re here, let’s take our seats." Fedor said.

Both Catherine’s and Wilson’s eyes seemed to tell Aristia that she had a lot of explaining to do.

The family took their seats again. The envoys had joined the banquet. For the first day of the banquet, the royal family would not make an appearance.

They would just stay in the indoor balcony if they wished to. The Aristocrats would socialize with each other and the envoys. It was just like a sort of social gathering before the main event to be held the next day.

The old monarch and his wife did not join them in the balcony. They remained in their wing of the palace.

Aristia searched the hall yet again with her eyes, before they stopped on Marchioness Charlotte again. She was standing alone and all by herself this time. Looking away from her, her eyebrows rose when she saw a handsome young man enter the hall.

[Who might that be? He’s got deep red, almost black hair and forest green eyes.] Her guess was confirmed when she saw him look around and stop when his eyes landed on the Marchioness.

[That must be Marquis George Oswalt.] Aristia hummed to herself.

She sat up even straighter when the Marquis started to move toward the Marchioness.

Aristia noticed that even though the aristocrats pretended to be engrossed in their conversations, they were actually paying attention to the Marquis and the Marchioness.

After all, they couldn’t let go of a chance to witness some gossip first hand.

This was the first social event the Marchioness had attended ever since she found out about the Marquis’s affair. The only reason she attended was because this banquet was being hosted by the king himself, being the kingdom’s anniversary, and it was mandatory that all the nobles attend.

So, there was basically no more news about the Marchioness. The aristocrats wondered if any drama would unfold now.

Aristia also noticed that her parents, along with the King and Queen, were paying attention. After all, they had probably heard of the Marquis’ affair. It wasn’t news anymore.

The envoys also watched curiously, sensing the slight tension in the air.

The Marquis paused in his steps when he saw that Duchess Alistair Anton together with her sister, Marchioness Avery Eldridge had moved forward, coincidental or not, and were now having a conversation with his wife.

He decisively changed direction midway to the other side where noblemen were also conversing.

[It looks like.. he was worried the Marchioness was alone and wanted to accompany her.] Aristia didn’t know what to feel about this or whether it was as she thought.

The banquet continued and after some time, the banquet ended and the aristocrats left. The envoys were led to the chambers prepared for them within the royal palace, as they would need to attend the banquet on the day of Amberale’s founding.

Aristia waved goodbye to her maternal uncle’s family, the Antons. She caught sight of the marquis helping a small figure get into the carriage before the Marchioness, but she didn’t get a clear view as the marquis’s body blocked him.

[Is that the Marquis’s illegitimate son?]

The Marquis held a hand out for his wife, but she did not take it. Instead, she held on to the side of the carriage and used it as support to climb into the carriage.

Unladylike as it was, it just showed how she didn’t want to make contact with him. Marquis Oswalt didn’t show any reaction. He followed after her and entered the carriage.

Aristia waved goodbye to the marchioness and received a wave back.

She smiled and turned around, but her smile froze when she found her parents staring at her with arms folded and an unamused expression on their faces.

"Uh-oh." She gulped.

"Uh-huh." Catherine nodded.

Alaric giggled innocently.

[Sometimes, I’m not sure if Alaric is on my side or not.]

They returned to their residence in the palace, Wilson’s wing of the palace before he left.

"So, young lady. Care to tell us where you went while we were meeting the envoys?" Wilson asked with his arms folded.

"No...?" When her parents continued to stare at her pointedly, she added, "Isn’t an answer?"

"It isn’t." Catherine deadpanned.

"Fine," Aristia resigned to her fate. "I was on my way to the garden when I met the Marchioness."

"Is that so? Why would you go to the garden? Or you followed the Marchioness to the garden?" Catherine exposed her immediately.

"Hehe." Aristia chuckled nervously.

When it looked like her parents wanted to say something more, she interjected. She had some tricks up her sleeves.

She secretly pinched herself.

"I’m sorry Mama, sorry Papa. It’s just.. the Marchioness looked so sad in the banquet hall. I didn’t know why but I couldn’t bear it," she pouted her lips and blinked. Her eyes turned watery as if she was feeling pain from the Marchioness pain. However, it was just the physical pain of pinching herself.

"Oh, come here, my baby," Catherine spread her arms, already melting at her daughter’s tears. With how mature Aristia had been acting these past few months, she missed her daughter acting like a child.

Aristia didn’t hesitate to go in for a hug.

She noticed Wilson continue to stare at her. His eyes seemed to say, ’Don’t think that is going to work on me’.

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