Chapter 4 (Part 7)

During the meal, Theodore listened happily to Quini’s stories about Meia.

Theodore also shared his experiences with Meia.

Quini enjoyed listening to his stories.

“A serving girl tripped and dirtied a noblewoman’s dress at the next table…….”

“Our Lady Meia has a kind heart. That’s why all the servants loved and respected her.”

After the meal, Quini told Theodore.

“Even though it’s a contract position, I will paint a splendid portrait of you, Your Grace.”

He nodded vigorously and finished his meal happily.

Venable, Hemann, and Aethon, who had been watching Theodore eat, sighed in relief.

Venable offered to show Quini to his room. Quini asked him a question.

“When I was offered the position, I was told there was no resident painter at the Grand Duke Florence’s residence. Why is that?”

Venable replied to his question.

“There was a resident painter when the previous Grand Duke and Grand Duchess were alive……. But after they passed away, the painter couldn’t overcome his grief and left. We haven’t had a painter since.”

“I see.”

Venable smiled bitterly and looked away. Seeing his moist eyes, Quini didn’t ask any further questions.

* * *

Meia checked her magic bag once again. After thoroughly inspecting it, she stood up and sat down several times, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.

She never had to pack or prepare anything herself. The servants always took care of everything.

Being out alone like this, she realized how difficult it was to pack and organize things.

She even felt a newfound respect for the servants. She looked around the room she had been staying in once more. Despite her efforts to clean, she wasn’t satisfied.

“The room is a mess.”

She tried her best to clean, but she didn’t know where or how to start.

Meia had never cleaned anything in her life. Leaving home, she learned a lot and felt grateful for the life she had taken for granted.

“Cleaning is hard, really hard.”

Still, Meia struggled to clean diligently. However, the room became even messier.

‘I can’t believe I can’t clean.’

Meia’s pride was slightly hurt by the fact that there was something she couldn’t do. Indeed, one should not be arrogant.

She decided to abandon the thought that she could do everything well.

Puring came looking for Meia, who hadn’t left the room as she tried to clean.

“Cleaning is difficult.”

“Haha, in such cases, use magic. By properly applying water and wind magic, cleaning a room becomes easy.”

“Really?”

“Spiritists can clean very easily with the help of spirits, but we wizards are not spiritists. So, we have to use applied magic well, but it can be a bit tricky to control.”

Puring taught Meia a bit about cleaning using magic. Meia, satisfied with the lesson, finally finished cleaning the room and came out.

She had to leave before Prince Demian arrived at the Mage Tower.

Initially, she hadn’t planned to leave the Mage Tower until the day before her coming-of-age ceremony, but she realized once again that life doesn’t go according to plan.

“I knew things were going too smoothly.”

No one could easily enter the Mage Tower, and it was very safe. But Demian would be the type to build a house in front of the Mage Tower and wait until she came out.

She couldn’t stay in the Mage Tower forever, and she had to return to Carpen for her coming-of-age ceremony, so she had to leave the Mage Tower. If she did, the first person she would meet upon leaving the Mage Tower would undoubtedly be Demian.

Meia decided to accept the request from the Grand Duke Florence but thoroughly examined the requests that came into the Mage Tower, wondering if there might be a better magical request.

And while she was in the Mage Tower, she found herself missing Theodore terribly.

The image of Theodore, with his bright, black eyes, following her around with a wide smile, repeatedly came to mind. His eyes sparkled with intelligence, and his words always felt sincere.

“Have you finished your preparations, Lady?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Don’t worry. The Mage Tower never reveals the location of a wizard recklessly. Especially, it’s impossible to find a wizard who has gone out on a request.”

The Mage Tower, which has its own will, prioritizes the safety of wizards.

So, no one can know where a wizard has gone. Even if Prince Demian comes to the Mage Tower, he will confirm that she isn’t there and leave.

The use of teleportation is equal for everyone. Of course, if you pay more, you can change the order, but there are hardly any people who waste their time because of money.

It takes an average of a week to come to the Mage Tower from the Carpen Empire.

Unless someone gives up their turn.

Meia called Juan.

“Juan.”

A shadow flickered, and Juan appeared.

“Yes.”

“I’m going to the Grand Duke Florence’s territory.”

Meia was well aware that Juan didn’t like Theodore.

Pointing to the entrance with her left hand, Meia said.

“If you don’t want me to go to the Grand Ducal residence, you can return to the Ducal residence. Aren’t you worried about Agnita?”

Juan stood up and said.

“Since you saved my younger sister, she has become healthy and strong. So, I’m not worried. And it’s my job to stay by your side.”

“You know why I’m saying this, right?”

“Yes.”

Theodore had once hugged Meia without her permission.

Just thinking about that made Juan dislike him immensely. So, he wished Meia wouldn’t go to the Grand Duke’s territory. But…

“If you walk into hell, it is my duty to lay a carpet on the path for you to walk comfortably.”

At Juan’s loyal response, Meia smiled brightly.

“Right. Don’t forget that you and Agnita are both family to me.”

“But the Grand Duke Florence seems a bit sly. Hugging you suddenly and his gaze too.”

“It didn’t feel unpleasant.”

“Understood. If that is your wish. But if he does anything without your permission again…”

“Juan.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t speak too hastily. This is something I should handle. Even though we are like family, there is a boundary to straightforwardness.”

At Meia’s words, Juan, flustered, knelt down.

“I’m sorry. I overstepped.”

“I know why you’re like this. It’s because you’re worried about me.”

Juan bowed his head even lower to Meia.

“He would never force me to do something I dislike. If he were that kind of person, I wouldn’t even dine with him.”

“Understood.”

***

Crown Prince Patzraelli had been suffering from headaches lately. The reason was his fiancée, Meryl.

She constantly meddled in his affairs, and it was basic for her to disrupt his work daily by asking him to drink tea with her.

Most of all, their conversation didn’t match. She couldn’t even do basic mental arithmetic.

<I’ll just bear good heirs.>

That was all Meryl thought about.

When he was with Meia, they communicated well in all aspects, including politics, but Meryl was not like that at all.

As a result, he often kept his mouth shut, and it exhausted him to soothe Meryl’s tantrums.

He could endure all of this. But what Patzraelli couldn’t stand was this:

“Do you know what your fiancée did to my daughter?”

“Tell me, Earl Ryuiel.”

“At my daughter’s tea party, she poured hot tea on a servant my daughter cherished, causing burns. I could tolerate that, but my daughter cried because of it. Yes, thanks to your fiancée, Meryl Hatzbellua.”

Earl Ryuiel ground his teeth as he spoke to Patzraelli.

Viscount Richter, standing beside him, added.

“The servant of Earl Ryuiel’s daughter was burned. In our house, your fiancée slapped a maid, and my daughter was so shocked that she didn’t leave her room for a while. It broke my heart to see that.”

“Hmph, in our case, the gardener was slapped. She said it was because he didn’t manage the rose thorns properly.”

“I heard she even cursed at Marquis Ferzen’s daughter. Our family requested an apology, but there was none.”

“Is that why Marquis Ferzen isn’t here?”

Most of the conversations Patzraelli had with the nobles who supported him were about Meryl.

And none of it was good.

Earl Gubbler spoke to Patzraelli.

“I’ll speak frankly. It would be good if you could control your fiancée, Your Highness. Our family has decided not to invite your fiancée to any more tea parties or other events.”

“What do you mean?”

“She called the mansion and the garden my wife lovingly maintains old-fashioned. No sane person would invite her again.”

“My daughter trembles at the sight of Lady Meryl, so we can’t invite her.”

“I don’t have a daughter, but the way Lady Meryl treated my wife was very displeasing.”

Even those without daughters, and most fathers with daughters, spoke with anger, and Patzraelli had to endure it all.

His hands clenched, and cold sweat ran down his back.

It wasn’t just that. When the Empress tried to hold another tea party with Meryl, Earl Gubbler, representing others, made a bombshell statement.

“I’ve come to represent the others’ opinions. All the ladies and wives whom the Empress usually invites have refused to attend any tea party with Lady Meryl.”

The Empress, listening to Earl Gubbler, stood up.

“Do you know what you’re saying!”

“I know what I’m saying. Empress, please educate Lady Meryl well. Lady Meryl keeps causing conflicts with all the ladies and wives.”

The Empress had to listen silently to Earl Gubbler’s words.

“Because of Lady Meryl’s behavior, everyone wants to avoid her. Honestly, we miss Lady Meia. Why did you change the fiancée!”

“When I heard that Duke Hatzbellua was planning to betroth Meryl to Demian, I had no choice.”

“The fiancée has already been changed, so there’s nothing we can do about it, but I’ve conveyed our intentions to you, Empress. If Lady Meryl doesn’t attend the party, everyone is willing to participate.”

“Leave. This tea party is canceled.”