Duke Ashillean’s Contractual Marriage

always pray for her well-being with her name before talking about Anishia.
Being loved even at her death, Anishia was loved by the highest person sitting in the highest position among the people she met while she was alive.
Though it was questionable whether it can be called ‘love’, but anyway. 

The King that was ruling the Aden Kingdom was called a tyrant even though he was also a descendant of the Ainnus Royal Family who  was blessed by Gods.
The tyrant had a knack not only for brutally killing people, but also for discovering beautiful women.
Count Graham barely dealt with the tyrant using flattery.
Their family became a fattened pig after sucking up to the King. 

(T/N: The phrase ‘fattened pig’ means that Count Graham’s family became rich and powerful because they suck up to the King using flattery.
)

Only after becoming an adult, the pretty Anishia caught the tyrant’s eyes.
The tyrant got drunk and took her.
Anishia was too terrified to refuse, so she had to endure a terrible night.
The tyrant was wild, unruly and sadistic in nature.
When he saw something weak, he had no intention of letting go of it.
Anishia’s delicate and innocent appearance further ignited his sadistic nature.
He dragged her to his bedroom, and Anishia was unable to get out of that room for three consecutive days. 

Belatedly hearing of that news, Count Graham and his three sons rushed to the Imperial Palace, and was only able to see Anishia’s face three days later coming out of the King’s bedroom alone.
Count Graham and his three sons doted on his only daughter and their only sister Anishia, buying anything she wanted and even the four strict men would pause their job just for her.
They were even willing to throw away their gloves for Anishia’s honor. What should have they thought of after seeing Anishia coming out of the King’s bedroom? What behavior should they have shown her? 

It was a question without an answer, but they shouldn’t have at least pushed the poor woman back to the King’s bedroom.
The same Count Graham and his three sons who doted on Anishia so much, saw that the King’s taking her innocence as an opportunity – an opportunity to get closer to power, a chance that the next great King would have Count Graham’s blood flowing in him. 

The mother of the poor Anishia turned a blind eye from her husband and sons who tried to use her daughter as a tool to gain power.
She didn’t curse them nor scold them, but turned a blind eye.
It was an affirmation of her silence.  

[‘Our family has no other choice when I think about the future of our sons… and Anishia too.
Everybody already recognized that kid that she has become the King’s wife, but if she was to become the King’s woman even if she doesn’t become the Queen, we can still be associated with a good family.’] 

The family pushed Anishia back into the king’s bedroom.
The King already had a Queen and had several sons and daughters with her. 

The First Prince grew up to be the instant and righteous heir to the throne.
Although he was lying flat on his face while avoiding his father’s ferocious eyes, his heart was full of resentment and anger towards his father.
The loyalists were only waiting for the First Prince to become the King.
On the other hand, Count Graham and his three sons were confident that they would be able to slander and get rid of as many as they can of the King and Queen’s children, if Anishia was continuously favored by the King. 

To that extent, the tyrant was unpredictable and ruthless.
Knowing well the end of those other women dragged into the King’s bedroom, and how often and easily the King changed his mistress over the years – still, Count Graham had false hopes. 

[‘Her body was tainted after all.
Having received  the King’s favor, this is the way for Anishia to learn about governing and become the Queen.’

‘That’s right, Father.
This is all for Anishia.’

‘Anishia will recognize our hard work later.’

‘I hope Anishia can hold on to His Majesty’s heart for a long time.’] 

Their cowardly and cruel words became sharp arrows that pierced Anishia’s heart.
It was because they were afraid of the King.
The truth was that they also didn’t want to let her go, but they had no choice but to send her to the King.
She had to protect herself so in the end her family wouldn’t be sad and desperate.
That’s why for her family, she had to endure those hellish days all by herself. 

Thinking so, Anishia experienced greater despair than she had felt on the first day of being dragged into the king’s bedroom.

[‘I am not dirty.
I am not defiled!’]

Anishia screamed, but her father and brothers only covered their ears.
When her love for her family shattered, the only power keeping her alive, she lost her will to live.
She became a living doll. 

She didn’t rebel nor cry even though her very own family pushed her back to the King’s bedroom or the tyrant forced her to do anything.
The King quickly lost interest in such an Anishia.
He threw her out with her thin undergarments instead of making her his mistress or the Queen. 

The tyrant wandered through the royal banquets in search of the next victim.
Anishia was dragged through the back door of the Imperial Palace and shivered with her bare foot until she managed to get a carriage and return to the Count Graham’s mansion.
Anishia was ill for two months after returning to the Count. 

After barely opening her eyes, her family surrounding the bed was shouting of joy instead  of despair, and cheers instead of screams. 

“Child, you have a child.
Anishia, you have the child of the King!”

Anishia fainted again as soon as she heard the words of Count Graham.