Chapter 5 (Part 3)

It took Meia some time to understand why Quini was at the Grand Ducal residence, but she decided she could just ask directly.

“Oh my! Lady Meia!”

Quini ran over and bowed deeply in front of Meia.

“Sniff, sniff, I am so happy to see you again, my lady. This old man feels like he could die of joy.”

“Quini, you’re not old. You have to live long enough to paint my children in the future.”

Theodore, standing beside Meia, blushed at the word ‘children.’

“Huh? Grand Duke Theodore, are you sick? Why is your face red again?”

“Oh, no. Let’s sit down first.”

“Thank you for arranging this meal with Quini.”

At Theodore’s gesture, the servants quickly set up a feast on the table.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Quini, overwhelmed with emotion, ate, while Meia smiled quietly.

As the meal was nearing its end, the conversation began.

“It’s thanks to the letter you sent, Quini. If it hadn’t come, I would have stayed complacently at the Mage Tower and run into Prince Demian. Thank you.”

Quini waved his hand at Meia’s gratitude.

“No, it was only what I should have done.”

“But Quini, I’m curious. How did you end up at the Grand Duchy of Florence?”

“Well.”

Quini began to tell Meia about the unfair treatment he received at the Hatzbellua Duchy.

“After an incident where I almost injured my hand, I couldn’t stay at the duchy any longer…”

“Did Cousin Meryl go that far?”

“Agnita was slapped many times. Just for being expressionless! Nanny Yudy was also yelled at, and the servants worked with faces like death. And most importantly.”

“Most importantly?”

“While hitting me, she threw the art supplies you gave me, and they were all ruined! I’m sorry I couldn’t protect them.”

Meia was shocked and asked again.

“I can always buy you better art supplies. Even if things get ruined, your hands must never get hurt. Okay? From now on, protect your hands over any gifts I give you.”

“Understood.”

Meia’s face turned pale and stiffened.

Seeing her face turn white, Theodore asked Meia in a worried tone.

“Are you alright, Lady?”

“I’m actually worried about my people at the Hatzbellua Duchy. Agnita is a maid I’ve taken care of since she was young, she’s like a little sister to me.”

“Agnita missed you so much that she fell ill. But Lady Meryl slapped her, saying she was just wasting food and not working… Everyone misses you, my lady.”

Meia’s anger boiled inside her. She spoke to Quini with a pained expression.

“I have no place there anymore. You know that, Quini.”

Theodore looked at Meia with pity as she spoke.

Tears welled up in Quini’s eyes.

“My poor lady, sniff sniff.”

Meia smiled kindly and spoke.

“It’s okay, Quini.”

Meia looked at Theodore.

“Grand Duke Theodore.”

“Yes.”

“I want to bring a maid who is like family to me from the duchy to the Grand Duchy of Florence. Is that alright? I will vouch for her. She is also Juan’s sister.”

At Meia’s words, Theodore immediately responded.

“Of course. I’ll inform Venable.”

“Thank you, Grand Duke Theodore. For Quini’s matter and for mine.”

Theodore looked at Meia with an even brighter smile.

“No, it’s an honor for me to have a diligent and skilled painter who has worked for a long time in one household.”

Theodore kept smiling beautifully and chose only the sweetest words.

So, in Meia’s eyes, he looked very lovely.

“Grand Duke Theodore, you look very handsome when you smile.”

“You praised me for being handsome when I smile, so I always smile.”

“Quini, do you think so too?”

“He has an exceptionally beautiful appearance, but honestly, compared to David… ahem, I don’t mean that Grand Duke Theodore is unattractive, it’s just that David is extremely handsome, hehe.”

“Quini, really…”

Theodore clearly saw Meia’s cheeks turn slightly red at the mention of the name David.

More beautiful than him? This was a serious matter.

He had to appear the most impressive to Meia. This was a crisis.

Theodore gave a signal to Venable, who was standing on the other side. The signal meant ‘kill the one named David.’

Venable nodded at his signal and went outside.

Who on earth was this David? Who made Meia blush?

Could the reason Meia hesitated about the engagement be because of this David?

An anxious Theodore immediately went to find Aethon and Hemann after the meal.

Consumed by jealousy, Theodore gritted his teeth and said,

“Find out immediately who this David is that was around Lady Meia. Make sure to get a portrait too.”

I’ll judge if he’s more beautiful than me by looking at his portrait!

After finishing his meal, Theodore quickly disappeared, as if he had urgent business.

“Grand Duke Theodore seems very busy. Right, Quini?”

“Well, he is a Grand Duke after all.”

Meia, along with Quini, ate the dessert that Hannah and the maids brought, then cast a sound-blocking spell.

“My lady, why are you suddenly using magic?”

“Juan, come out.”

From the dark shadows, Juan appeared.

“Yes, my lady.”

Seeing Juan, Quini opened his arms in welcome.

“Hoho, Juan, it’s been a long time!”

“Hello, Quini.”

Meia’s gaze turned icy cold as she looked at Juan.

“Juan.”

Juan knelt on his right knee in front of Meia and bowed his head.

“Yes.”

“It seems that Cousin Meryl is doing terrible things to Agnita at the duchy.”

Juan’s hand clenched involuntarily.

“Yes, I heard it from the shadows.”

“Thinking about poor Agnita makes me feel bad. Juan, go to the Hatzbellua Duchy immediately and bring Agnita here.”

“I will bring her.”

Meia brushed her long, silver hair with her hand and spoke to Juan.

“But you can’t just bring her out. If Agnita, who shows blind loyalty to me, suddenly quits without reason, it will seem strange.”

Quini nodded at Meia’s words.

“That’s right. If Agnita suddenly quits working at the duchy, people won’t understand. Agnita endures at the duchy to serve you, my lady. Meryl knows that, which is why she abuses Agnita, knowing she won’t leave the duchy.”

“Quini also left after being beaten. If the maid I cherish disappears after being beaten…”

Meia clasped her hands together and smiled. Her eyes, usually bright, darkened with a cold and murderous glint.

“What will people think?”

Quini approached Meia, who wore a cold expression he hadn’t seen in a long time, and knelt with a face full of rapture.

“Ah! My lady! You look exactly like David. Ah!”

Meia looked down at the kneeling Quini and smiled even more brightly.

“Of course, I do. I’m his daughter.”

Quini felt chills all over his body. Not out of fear, but out of the same eerie thrill he felt when he first met David, causing his body to tremble.

“Ah… David comes to mind. I want to paint this moment immediately and keep it!”

“I’ll gift you a splendid art case. Paint it then.”

Meia looked at Juan and spoke.

“Juan, if you have any objections to my plan, speak up.”

“No, my lady. Our lives belong to you. Even if we die, dying while carrying out your orders is a way to repay your kindness.”

“Don’t forget, you are like family to me.”

***

Meryl was surrounded by many young nobles, including Thomas, at the duchy, laughing joyfully.

“You’re all so amusing.”

“Haha, Lady Meryl’s eloquence, pronunciation, and voice are all wonderful.”

“The more we converse with the beautiful lady, the more enjoyable it is for us.”

In the harmonious atmosphere, Thomas and many young nobles praised Meryl.

“You are truly beautiful, Lady Meryl. If you weren’t the Crown Prince’s fiancée, I would have proposed to you.”

Meryl’s cheeks turned slightly red. Thomas and the young nobles continued their compliments.

“You have an intellectual beauty that cannot be compared to Lady Meia.”

“Honestly, Lady Meia seemed arrogant and haughty.”

Thomas added a word.

“Moreover, she was quite extravagant. As the flower of the social circle, she bought expensive items, inciting vanity among the young ladies.”

Hearing the gossip about Meia, Meryl felt pleased.

“I should have taken better care of and taught my younger cousin… But Meia never listens to me.”

Thomas comforted Meryl with a sympathetic expression.

“Oh, that must have been upsetting.”

“It’s upsetting, but she’s my cousin… It’s my fault for not taking better care of her and teaching her properly.”

“You have such a kind heart, forgiving your cousin…”

“Lady Meryl is truly kind.”

Meryl’s shoulders straightened with pride at the young nobles’ words. She then instructed the head maid to bring the next refreshments and tea.

“Shall we try the next refreshments? There’s a new chef who bakes excellent cakes.”

As soon as Meryl finished speaking, several maids, including Agnita, set the table with tea and cakes. The cakes looked delicious and had a sweet aroma, making everyone smile with satisfaction.

“Lady Meryl, here is the strawberry cake.”

“I don’t like strawberry cake.”

The host of a tea party must know what kind of cakes, sandwiches, scones, and other refreshments are being served. But with her single statement, “I don’t like it,” Meryl revealed that she didn’t prepare the tea party herself.

“Haha… Did you originally dislike strawberry cake?”

“I do eat it, but I don’t particularly like it.”

“I see…”

“Please enjoy it, everyone.”