The inside of the estate was no less beautiful and extravagant than the Duke’s own grand holdings.
The sheer grandeur that the sorceress displayed began the moment she introduced her four utterly beautiful wives to him.
Nobles often kept mistresses, but they were rarely acknowledged officially—not because they lacked the means, but due to the social stigma.
However, for sorceresses and sorcerers, such social conventions seemed to hold little sway.
Their kind was revered and held in high regard by both the royal court and the common people.
As Jason Lysander, the Duke, tasted the exquisite wine offered to him by Sienna-Rose, he realized he had been gravely mistaken in his previous assessments of her.
He had always thought that while Sienna-Rose was known as a sorceress, she paled in comparison to Silas Greymere, the renowned sorcerer in the north who had constructed the formidable barrier around the Duke’s own estate.
Yet, seeing the sheer purity and strength of the ward blanketing Sienna-Rose’s domain, the Duke began to suspect that he had unfairly stereotyped her, perhaps biased by the fact that she was a woman, not a male sorcerer like Greymere.
“Lady Sienna-Rose,” the Duke inquired as they stepped into the opulent reception room, “may I ask who constructed the barrier around your estate?”
“I did,” Sienna-Rose replied evenly.
“I strengthened it just a few weeks ago before I left for the mines.”
The Duke’s eyebrows rose in surprise, his respect for the sorceress growing with each passing moment.
It seemed he had much to learn about the true extent of her abilities.
“Well, do you mind building the same barrier in my estate?” Jason asked, his tone laced with a hint of hopefulness.
Sienna-Rose graced him with a warm smile.
“Of course, I can even build it to cover your whole territory to keep your people safe,” she replied, her voice brimming with confidence.
She knows that she possessed a truly vast wellspring of manna within her.
Building a protective barrier to encompass the Duke’s entire domain would be a trivial task.
After all, she had already expanded the barrier around her own estate to include the lands of the late Baron Campbell, who had been her wife Haley’s late parents.
Which is now her protection since she married Haley, and her older sister wants nothing to do with the territory.
“You will do that?” the Duke asked, his surprise evident.
“Absolutely, your grace,” Sienna-Rose assured him.
“Now, let’s all have a seat. I’ll have my maids and servants ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. If you’d like to retire to your rooms first, we can certainly do that. Or, if you prefer, my wives would be delighted to give your grace a tour of the hot springs. It’s good for the skin and—.”
Before the sorceress could continue, the duchess interjected, her eyes alight with interest.
“Hot springs, you say? Good for the skin?”
“Yes, your Grace.” Olivia, one of Sienna-Rose’s wives, nodded, a serene smile gracing her features.
“The hot springs here are truly quite remarkable.”
“Olivia, right? I think we met a few years back—you’re the Marquis Ashburn’s younger sister, are you not?” The Duchess Penelope said, recognition dawning on her face.
“Yes, your Grace. Ian von Ashburn is my older brother,” Olivia replied politely.
“I’m now Olivia Miller, the sorceress’ wife.”
Penelope’s smile widened as she heard Olivia’s words.
“I am, your Grace,” Olivia replied, her expression radiant.
The connection to her former social circle and the duchess’s warm reception seemed to please the young woman greatly.
The Duke observed the interaction with growing interest, sensing a budding rapport between his wife and the sorceress’s companion.
Perhaps this visit would afford opportunities for more than just business negotiations.
With a discreet glance at his son Alessander, the Duke could see the young man’s gaze repeatedly drawn to the captivating women before them.
“I think I saw you a few years back at Erebus Citadel—you’re the actress. The famous one,” Alessander said, his eyes transfixed on the beautiful red-haired woman.
“I was Claire Bishop then, but that life in the Citadel no longer suits me, your Grace,” Claire replied politely.
“I’m no longer Claire Bishop. My name is Claire Miller now—I’m the sorceress’ wife.”
There was a note of proud defiance in her voice that did not go unnoticed by the young nobleman.
“What suits you, then?” Alessander pressed, unable to hide his disappointment.
“Being the sorceress’ wife,” she responded firmly, her gaze unwavering.
Sienna-Rose couldn’t help but grin, hearing her two wives introduce themselves so confidently with her own surname.
Alessander’s eyes then shifted to the woman with the striking pink hair.
“And how about you, my lady?”
“Sophia Miller. I, too, am the sorceress’ wife,” she replied tersely, her politeness tinged with an underlying wariness.
The Duke knew his son had taken particular notice of Sienna-Rose’s two wives, especially the red-haired Claire and the pink-haired Sophia.
“And I’m Haley Miller. My father was the former Baron Campbell—his territory is now under the protection of my wife, since I am the sorceress’ wife and my older sister wants nothing to do with it,” Haley interjected, her words polite but dripping with a sarcastic edge.
“Is there anything you wish to ask us, as the sorceress’ wives, your Grace?”
The Duke quickly cleared his throat, stepping forward to deter his son from probing any further.
“No, that will be all,” he replied, ready to continue the discussion and explore the full scope of Sienna-Rose’s hospitality.
Not long after, the Duke, his son Alessander, and Sienna-Rose decided to visit the winery and explore the sprawling vineyards.
Meanwhile, the Duchess Penelope and her daughter opted to go with Sienna-Rose’s wives to the hot springs.
Immersed in the rejuvenating waters, the wives felt themselves relax and their energy replenish.
With Sienna-Rose absent, they could indulge in the tranquility without the sorceress’s overpowering presence or her endless stamina.
“Ah, finally I can feel my energy returning,” Claire muttered contentedly as a maid gently massaged her head.
“I know exactly what you mean,” Sophia replied shortly, her eyes closed as she sipped a tonic.
Olivia remained silent, seated beside the Duchess, but the warm embrace of the hot springs was just as restorative for her.
Because this afternoon, the supposed relaxing bathing in the hot spring has transformed into a passionate, unbridled indulgence with Sienna-Rose.
“What are you all talking about?” the duchess asked, curious.
“Our wife, Sienna-Rose Miller,” the four women replied in unison, now that Haley already knows what she will face tonight.
“Get me a tonic as well,” Haley requested to one of the maids.
“Excellent idea,” Olivia chimed in. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Penelope chuckled, observing the harmonious dynamic between the four women.
There was none of the typical jealousy or animosity one might expect—they spoke as if they were all in this situation together, with no one trying to assert their importance or dominance over the others.
“How is it possible that all of you are so peaceful, with no jealousy between you?” the duchess inquired.
“Jealous of our wife?” Olivia asked, as if the question itself was peculiar.
“Yes, of course. Who else?” Penelope pressed.
“Well, if Sienna-Rose were like other sorceresses or spouses with multiple mistresses, we might be jealous,” Haley explained.
“How so?” the Duchess sounded perplexed.
“Sienna-Rose is unlike any other person. I don’t know how to describe it, but after she woke from her weeks-long coma, she became a completely different person,” Sophia began.
“Before, she was disinterested in us, but now she’s incredibly passionate and attentive. She gives us equal attention and opportunities to pursue our own interests and passions. She hasn’t set any boundaries or demanded that we act a certain way as the wives of a sorceress. She let me continue managing my parents’ merchant guild; she’s being supportive of it even.”
Claire chimed in, “Our wife even lets me continue to sing, which has always been my first love. can sing without having to hide who I am. She didn’t feel ashamed; she fully supported me to do what I loved the most. Singing has always been my first love, and she can accept that. She doesn’t feel ashamed of it—she fully supports me in doing what I love most.”
“And unlike other nobles, even my previous husband, Sienna-Rose, encourages me to pursue my interest in winemaking,” Olivia added, her voice filled with gratitude.
“She always asks for my opinion before making decisions about the winery. I feel appreciated, respected, and loved. If it had been my late husband, he would have dismissed my desires immediately and demanded that I be a ‘good wife’ to him. But not Sienna-Rose—she doesn’t want a subservient wife; she wants a partner.”
Haley’s words were tinged with a hint of insecurity.
“I’ve always felt insecure.
I mean, Lady Olivia is a marquis’s sister.
She’s pretty and wise.
Then there’s Sophia, the merchant guild’s daughter.
Being a merchant is in her blood; she’s good with numbers and negotiation.
And to make my insecurity more complex, she has to have Claire Bishop, the most famous actress in the kingdom, as her wife.
But Sienna-Rose has never made me feel inferior.
She assigns tasks that align with my strengths and even assists me in managing my sister’s affairs.
And Lady Olivia, as the first wife and a noble, has never looked down on us or tried to undermine us.
That’s why the four of us can coexist so peacefully.”
“Awww…” Penelope gushed with emotion as she listened to the wives’ heartfelt explanations.
She watched as the other three women embraced Haley, comforting and reassuring her.
Penelope’s brow furrowed slightly as she contemplated the wives’ words.
“I don’t really know if I can be as accepting as the four of you if the Duke has a mistress,” she admitted.
Olivia inclined her head respectfully, though her tone held a hint of firmness.
“Pardon my insolence, your Grace, but if your husband is not capable of acknowledging and introducing his other wives to others, you cannot truly understand what we feel.”
The duchess considered Olivia’s perspective, her gaze reflecting a touch of wistfulness.
“I suppose that’s true. My husband has always been quite traditional in that regard—if he has any mistresses, he will keep them carefully concealed from society.”
Claire nodded empathetically.
“That must be difficult, your Grace. To have your husband’s affections divided, yet never be able to truly be a part of his life in the way we are with Sienna-Rose. If he has a mistress.”