The Grand Duchess Aldrich
Chapters 1. Althaf and Aimee

The extraordinary bustle was seen from both inside and outside the Castle of the most influential noble family in the Empire of Ventumia, the nobles of Aldrich.

The servants were busy pacing back and forth, cleaning every inch of the castle and arranging elegant beautiful decorations to welcome someone.

"Damn! Who put up the green curtains here?!" The butler at the Aldrich residence cursed at the sight of new curtain colors installed in every large window of the Castle.

The butler's eyes glanced sharply at one of the young maids who was pacing around taking care of another job, then his right hand restrained the young lady's shoulder and said,"Tell the maid in charge of the castle's curtain installation, change the color! How could she forget that the Grand Duchess did not like this color?!"

"Ba-good!" the maid replied quickly, then she immediately ran to look for the maid in charge of the curtains.

"Everything, faster! The Grand Duchess will be here in an hour and a half!" shouted the female butler, giving a warning to the other servants.

While in the office of the head of the Aldrich family, sat a man who had a hard, cold, and flat face. The man had a keen eye, not a single girl did not fall for the eagle-like look in his eyes. His hair was pitch black, his eyeballs were black darker than night.

"Your wife will be back in an hour and a half, you don't want to prepare a welcome gift for her?" Asked the red-haired man while putting a smile on the man sitting at the desk while reading his work documents.

"Stop your nonsense," the black-haired man replied coldly.

The red-haired man who heard this laughed lightly, then said, "After a year of marriage it did not turn out to make this castle warm. Althaf, don't you not like women?"

Althaf Aldrich, the head of the Aldrich noble family, the Grand Duke immediately glanced at the cold red-haired man. "It's better to keep your mouth shut and return to the Palace, Crown Prince. Or do you want to stay here? It just so happens that the backyard of this residence is still wide enough for your body."

Issac Cielo, the Crown Prince of the Venetian Empire smiled deeper, then sighed thinly and retorted, "It seems that the constraints of your relationship are on you. How can a woman be comfortable around you if you keep looking this fierce and cold."

Althaf who heard this was silent, the man was not interested in continuing to serve Issac. Issac who found himself ignored again could only sigh, he already knew that Althaf would not listen to his talk about women. What if the woman was his wife, Aimee Aldrich.

Issac walked over to the sofa and took his large black robe, then walked toward the large window in Althaf's study. Before leaping out, the man turned his head towards the Althaf and said, "The welcoming party of the representatives of the Eastern Empire will be held soon, it is likely that Marquess Darrel will make a move."

Althaf who heard that only nodded briefly without glancing.

Meanwhile somewhere else, a woman was sitting elegantly inside her horse carriage. Accompanied by two personal servants from the Earl and Viscount nobles, the two of them chatted in the carriage.

"Grand Duchess, have you heard the latest news about the Grand Duke?" ask one of the yellow-clad maids sitting in front of the woman they call 'Grand Duchess' who is none other than Aimee Aldrich, wife of Grand Duke Aldrich's political marriage, Althaf Aldrich.

"There was no news of the man that interested me" replied Aimee.

Berlanda and Cecilia, both loyal personal servants of Aimee who heard it could only smile faintly. They were already used to Aimee's cold attitude.

When he heard the news, Aimee's eyes that had been closed immediately opened. His extremely cold eyes looked at Cecilia.

"How many women?" aimee asked, starting to respond to Berlanda and Cecilia.

Cecilia shook her head slowly. "I know it less myself, but this rumor always wanders outside unbeknownst to you. No one dares to talk or tell you about this."

"Why not dare?" aimee asked, her left eyebrow slightly raised.

"For fear you will be angry and offended, your majesty" replied Berlanda.

Aimee flashed a smile upon hearing Berlanda's reply, then she closed her eyes again while answering, "Stupid. Even if the Grand Duke had hundreds of concubines in the Castle, I wouldn't care. As long as the concubines obey and do not raise their heads before me, their heads will always be safe."

"Your Majesty the Grand Duchess, we have arrived at the gates of the Castle." A knight from outside the carriage escorting their journey provided information.

That's how Aimee and Althaf's political marriage went, so cold. Both of them were both unconcerned and busy with their own world. Althaf was busy with her work, as was Aimee. Although Aimee was married to Althaf and was supposed to remain silent in the Castle and not do any heavy work, Althaf did not provide any restrictions for Aimee. The man gave freedom to Aimee, because earlier, he himself also did not care about Aimee keep working or silent to be his wife in the Castle. Just like Aimee, if Althaf limited her pace to a career Aimee would not listen and would not care about Althaf's ban.

The door of the horse carriage opened, Aimee got off the carriage assisted by the Knights who had sworn allegiance to her. Knight Louis.

"Welcome back, noble Grand Duchess Aldrich." Greet all the senior servants who had been waiting for his arrival in front of the entrance of the Castle.

Aimee only gave a short nod, she immediately walked inside the Castle without making any pleasantries with the servants.

As Aimee walked in, from the direction of the main staircase, Althaf stood there and stared at her arrival coldly.

Aimee stopped, looking back at Althaf. At this moment, the entire castle's inhabitants could do nothing, they were silent and frozen.

"Welcome back, Grand Duchess," said the blond man standing behind Althaf. The man was Althaf's right-hand man, Daniel Zynx.

"To my workroom after resting." A cold command line came out of Althaf's mouth. Without further ado, the man turned his back and climbed the stairs to go to his study again.

Aimee frowned when she heard Althaf's orders, why did the man call her to his study? The last time Aimee went to Althaf's study, they had a big fight that made the whole servant tremble in fear.

Aimee let out a thin sigh silently, after which continued her steps towards her private room.