Cassandra Hagedorff was born to a father who was the heir of the Ducal Family and a mother from a merchant family.
Though her mother came from a reasonably prosperous merchant family, she could not even become a consort solely due to her commoner status, and thus held the position of a lover.
Nevertheless, her father’s affections were genuine. He provided his favorite villa as their residence, spent more time with Cassandra and her siblings than at the main family residence, and showed them true affection.
This did not change even after her father officially became the Duke.
Her father provided his daughter, who was facing unfair treatment, with an education befitting a noble. In response to her father’s expectations, the girl was always at the top in both academics and sports. Even when she was subjected to gossip about being the child of a lover, or of commoner blood, she remained dignified and even befriended those who gossiped about her.
She also became close with other girls of the Ducal Family, coming to be admired like an older sister. Before long, no one cared about her birth. This was because Cassandra was more accomplished than any of the other children of the Hagedorff Ducal Family.
Those who did not find this favorable were the main wife and consorts. They were of noble birth, as were their children.
They repeatedly subjected Cassandra to persistent harassment. The girl remained unfazed. She felt no fear towards those who could do nothing directly.
Most importantly, knowing she was loved by both her parents made her strong. However, her mother was not so fortunate.
She gradually became mentally ill due to the harassment. The more her daughter showed her excellence, the more she was loved by her father, the more the harassment increased, and the more her mother became exhausted.
Eventually, she could no longer get out of bed, her body also fell ill, and she passed away. Her mother lamented leaving behind a daughter who had not yet come of age, but more than that, she was relieved that her heart could finally rest due to her exhaustion.
As if to deliver a final blow to Cassandra, who had lost her mother, dead animals were delivered. This happened more than once. They were repeatedly sent by the main wife and consorts as offerings to the deceased mother.
Cassandra, who had remained unfazed by the harassment until then, was crushed by this. When her father noticed and became enraged, the dead animals stopped being sent, but the mistreatment of the girl who had lost her mother did not end there.
No one attended the funeral. It was just her father and daughter, along with some servants. The main wife and consorts had threatened them, preventing them from helping. Amidst this, the fact that the daughters of the Ducal Family with whom Cassandra had befriended visited to bid a final farewell was her only solace.
After this incident, her father flew into a rage, even expelling his wives from the main family residence. However, this only served to increase the reasons for Cassandra to be hated.
The wives, expelled from the main family residence, should have engaged in ugly disputes over whose son would become the successor, but they joined hands due to a common enemy. If Cassandra had simply collapsed, they would have found their next enemies and engaged in ugly displays. But that did not happen.
What saved Cassandra was a boy who claimed to be a friend of her mother and a descendant of a fallen kingdom.
From him, she learned that her mother and she were not merely commoners, but blood relatives of a priestess who had once served the Progenitor. She also learned that the blood and power of the great Progenitor flowed through her own veins.
After that, Cassandra became engrossed in magic. Until then, she had only had a slight talent and had not pursued it, but her encounter with the boy descended from the Progenitor awakened her magic power and talent for magic.
Her father rejoiced as if it were his own affair. To prevent his rival wives from using it as a reason to cause trouble, he kept her identity as a magician a closely guarded secret.
She studied magic under Clawence, who was both her mother’s friend and her wet nurse. Through her introduction, she also met the young man who would later become her fiancé.
Only when she was engrossed in something could she distance herself from the grief of losing her mother.
However, malice would once again bare its fangs at Cassandra.
When her fiancé became a Court Mage at a young age, half-joking and half-jealous harassment began, claiming he was too good for her. The young man paid it no mind, but the girl, who did not want to end up like her mother, pleaded with her father and unilaterally canceled the engagement.
As an apology, the Duke worked diligently for the young man, making his family his successor. And before she knew it, the young man was recognized by the King and became his trusted confidant.
Although the engagement was broken, the young man remained Cassandra’s ally. Thanks to the power of the Court Mages, the main wife and consorts had calmed down, but then, her father passed away.
In his will, her deceased father designated Cassandra as the next head of the family.
The main wife and consorts, of course, strongly opposed this. However, this will was an official document delivered to the Royal Family and could not be overturned. Thus, the main wife and consorts resorted to rash actions to eliminate Cassandra.
Fortuitously, the woman who was targeted was protected by both a Former Court Mage and a current Court Mage. Few could pass through them and take her life.
Assassins were defeated and captured one after another. If they could be made to talk, the main wife and consorts could be brought to justice under the law, but Cassandra did not approve of this.
Concerned for her, the young man loudly argued that the main wife and consorts should be judged, but he was not heard. Gradually, a rift formed between the two, and it was only a matter of time before their relationship distanced.
However, with a Former Court Mage protecting her, even if the two of them became one, they could not harm Cassandra.
Ultimately, she defeated her half-brothers, who had grown impatient and attacked her directly, with her hidden magic, and seized victory.
Afterward, the brothers defeated by Cassandra are held captive in a state of magical slumber. They are hostages for the main wife and consorts. She had ignored their repeated pleas to return their sons.
The pleas continued for years, but finally, the main wife and consorts, who had given up hope for their children’s safety, sent assassins again, urging them to at least kill Cassandra.
This was the current situation surrounding Cassandra Hagedorff.
