What If?

Jeanette & Claude

And I know it's his own flesh and blood but can I don't think Claude cares much for the blood in his veins considering his family as in his father and brother. Family wasn't some loving thing in Claude's book. So when Athanasia was born and the news of Diana's death, Claude we all know did an entire massacre. Probably killing them all because they couldn't live up to Diana and the servants and maids well I don't know he was sad.

And honestly after all the pain he went through this was probably by far the worst he went through. So this was his breaking point. He decided to freeze his heart with black magic and then forget Diana with black magic. Which we know is dangerous because says only the most powerful wizards use black magic only once and that's to freeze there hearts from making rash decisions.

And so life went on with his life and we're going to through Athanasia's first life in which she was killed.

And going through his life was very dull. After Athanasia was five he completely forgot about her and Diana. Also his heart was frozen he felt nothing. So when Athanasia appeared around him when she nine he felt nothing. And yes I'm sure he still knew he technically head a daughter with some mistress but I think that's all he knew because he had to know something still.

But I just gotta say real quick how sad it is at how he tried to get rid of her going the lengths he did but still kept a few reminders because he didn't want to completely let go of her in a way like still wearing Sidonna clothing all the time (where Diana is from), and always drinking her favorite tea, also keeping Athanasia alive at first. I mean Athanasia was the only heir to the throne, Claude didn't have any mistresses to have any more children there had to be some assassins that came for Athanasia yet, her life was very peaceful when it came to others going for her head.

So here when she appeared her mana we know no longer is there because Lucas ate Blackie but Athanasia we know looks very very much like Diana. And I think that's what slowly damaged the black magic around Claude. The features of Athanasia familiar to Claude yet the black magic clouded his head and heart and so it just gave him a awful headache to even think about it. That's why he absolutely hated when being around her.

And when Jeanette came along I think she made his headaches and pains go away(like in the manhwa). So I don't think he ever cared for her, she was simply convenient in almost every way. Her eyes shows she's part of the imperial family and as long as he didn't deny her she'd easily be accepted as Empress as Claude and the Alpheus household would back her and even if Jeanette wasn't the most competent empress she'd have Ijekiel. And Athanasia who he always neglected there was no doubt she would be a good empress as her only teacher would really only be Lily, the nobles wouldn't respect her because she is part commoner and the fact he never acknowledged her himself. The only thing Athanasia was good at was being a proper Princess but she was to meek to be an Empress in the lovely Princess timeline.

Because of this of course Claude would favor more Jeanette, it makes his life easier. And when the opportunity came to have a valid reason to end the thing that would cause him pain and endangered the thing that made his life easy, he used the opportunity to end it. Killing Athanasia was something like the Black magic in Claude winning in getting him to get rid of of the biggest thing that remained that would cause him heartache. And I think the reason why the black magic became even stronger was because of Jeanette.

So don't get me wrong Claude is messed up, but he went through a lot of trauma and theres many reasons why he is messed up. But he is capable of change as we see the manhwa.

But anyways instead of killing her in this story and Athanasia still having magic. That's why Claude started changing slowly towards Athanasia was because actually being around her more. Like the trial where she was strong and brave not meek like usual was suppose to be like Diana that took a hit at the black magic in Claude which made him curious because it just felt strange. And so he forces himself around her and slowly his memory is coming back and I mean very slowly. So while his grief slowly also comes with his memories he has to take his time to adjust with everything he's done and decide what he should do now with everything that he has done. And you read what he does.