Chapter 80

Ash and Baron Lakia had a big fight.

All because of one woman. Lady Nordic had a headache because of it.

She told Ash to give up on Meia, but he had no intention of doing so.

<I don’t want to give her up.>

He pretended not to care, but in reality, he was greedy for her.

‘What’s so special about that woman?’

In the end, an angry Baron Lakia refused to give the love potion meant for the Grand Duke.

“Ash! Apologize to Baron Lakia!”

“I refuse.”

Lady Nordic ultimately failed to obtain the love potion for the Grand Duke.

Baron Lakia declared he would only leave with Lady Meia in his hands.

“I came to the Grand Duke’s house because he called me. Whoever becomes the Grand Duchess is none of my business. And did you entrust the love potion to me?”

At those words, Lady Nordic snapped.

“Aren’t I keeping silent about the human trafficking?!”

As soon as Lady Nordic finished speaking, Baron Lakia retorted.

“The moment you mention human trafficking, it won’t be me who gets killed by ‘those people,’ but the Nordic family. Please be careful with your words.”

Just then, there was a knock, and a maid entered. She said that Theodore was looking for Lady Nordic and then withdrew.

“Let’s continue this conversation after I return, Baron Lakia.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

Lady Nordic went to the office at Theodore’s call.

“Lady Nordic.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“You don’t need to manage the household anymore. So you should return now.”

His words made her feel like she was on the edge of a cliff. But even if she fell, she couldn’t back down.

If she didn’t manage the household, she would become poor again.

Lady Nordic spoke urgently.

“Are you saying you’ll continue to let a foreign lady manage the household, Your Grace?”

Theodore felt nauseated by Lady Nordic’s shamelessness.

The obvious desires wrapped in the guise of goodwill made him feel sick and disgusted.

“She’s not a foreign lady. She’s the future Grand Duchess of Florence.”

Lady Nordic was greatly taken aback by Theodore’s declaration.

And she seemed to observe something different about him than usual.

Something cold and chilling. His gaze was like a sharp scissor cutting through paper.

“Nothing will change.”

Suddenly being called to the office, only to be told not to worry about the household and to go home, left her feeling frustrated.

The change in his demeanor was concerning, but Lady Nordic was more annoyed.

Whether it was seating Diana as the Grand Duchess, continuing to manage the household herself, or driving Meia away!

She hadn’t achieved anything she wanted yet, which made it even more frustrating.

“The position of Grand Duchess is not one that just anyone can take.”

“You’re speaking out of line.”

With a single icy remark, Lady Nordic bit her lip.

Theodore’s eyes, cold and devoid of warmth, stared at Lady Nordic.

“A majority of the vassals must approve. I’m concerned if a foreign lady can receive that approval.”

Theodore said nothing. This only increased her frustration and anxiety.

Lady Nordic bit her lip and continued speaking.

“Then I’ll hand over the household duties and return. Is that okay, Your Grace?”

Until just now, she was talking about a foreign lady and showing her surprise, but now she’s talking about handing over duties.

Honestly, there’s no need for a handover because Meia is doing such a great job.

Theodore knew that Lady Nordic was only talking about a handover to buy time.

But he had to pretend not to know, so he nodded and gave a sign of agreement.

Then he spoke in a flat tone.

“I will never forget the many efforts you have dedicated to the Grand Duke’s house,  Lady Nordic.”

Lady Nordic tried to hide her regret over the money she embezzled, answering,

“I will come running to help with the Grand Duke’s affairs whenever you call.”

*

Agnita was exercising the greatest patience of her life.

“Lady Diana, your skin is as soft and fair as marshmallows. Even calling it beautiful is an understatement.”

“Isn’t it, hoho.”

Agnita spoke in a clear voice that Diana liked to hear.

“Meia is just putting on an act and relying on makeup. She starves herself for four days just to fit into a dress! She’s a very determined woman.”

“Even her looks are determined.”

Agnita struggled to calm her trembling hands and continued to speak ill of Meia.

Gossip? She wasn’t doing it because she wanted to. She was only following the orders of her beloved lady.

<Agnita, you’ll have to become Lady Nordic’s maid for a while.>

Upon hearing Meia’s words, Agnita knelt with tears in her eyes.

<Please tell me what I’ve done wrong, and I’ll fix it. Just don’t abandon me, my lady.>

Could it be that I was caught conducting the 62-item fiancé test I had newly added for Theodore?

I was confident I wouldn’t get caught… Could it be?

Agnita shed tears in front of Meia, showing her sad eyes.

<Agnita, I wouldn’t abandon someone who is like family. I have a mission for you. It’s something I must entrust to the person I trust the most.>

Trust!

With that one word, Agnita stopped crying and started smiling brightly, then soon put on a gloomy expression and said,

<I don’t want to leave your side, my lady.>

<Agnita, Lady Diana is trying to kill me.>

<Trying to kill you, my lady?!>

<She’s really trying to kill me. She’s jealous because I received a dress gift from the Grand Duke. She’s aiming for the position of Grand Duchess. She believes she can only become the Grand Duchess if I’m gone.>

Agnita staggered at Meia’s words. She stared at the ground with a face full of anger.

<How dare she, my lady.>

Just thinking about it made her anger whirl like a typhoon. That ugly, orc-like face without makeup dared to aim for our Lady’s life!

<What should I do, my lady?>

Meia wiped away the tears on Agnita’s cheeks and spoke.

<Just place the cheese on the mousetrap.>

<Cheese on the mousetrap?>

<Setting up the mousetrap is easy, but placing the cheese on it is not. If you place the cheese wrong, you’ll have to reset the trap.>

<Yes.>

As she tucked Agnita’s hair behind her ear, Meia spoke with a seductive lowering of her eyebrows.

<Agnita, you’re my person. My people mustn’t make mistakes.>

<Yes, my lady, leave it to me.>

Meia smiled alluringly and whispered into Agnita’s ear as she approached.

And now.

Bang! Slam.

Lady Nordic burst into Diana’s room, yelling.

“Goodness! Mother, what’s wrong?”

“Diana, I’m so angry I could go mad!”

“What happened?”

“The Grand Duke…”

Lady Nordic was about to speak when she noticed Agnita. She shut her mouth and gave Diana a look.

“Mother, this child is fine. She recently joined the Grand Duke’s house and was pitifully abused by Meia.”

“If she was abused by Lady Meia, then she’s a girl who served Lady Meia.”

“That’s right, Madam. She hit me and said she didn’t like me, then kicked me out.”

“Mother, Agnita is so pitiful, and she has many wounds on her body.”

Agnita showed Diana the wounds she got from practicing swordsmanship with Juan at night. She let them imagine whatever they wanted.

She had to think of nothing. That’s the only way to endure this moment.

She desperately wanted to place the cheese on the mousetrap and return to Meia.

To do that, she needed to gain their trust.

“She’s quite useful and quick-witted. I’d like to make her the head maid when I become the Grand Duchess.”

“Lady Diana.”

Agnita, acting with eyes sparkling with greed, knelt.

“Lady Diana, you truly suit the position of Grand Duchess. If, by any chance, Lady Meia becomes the Grand Duchess, I’ll have to quit here.”

Agnita covered her face with her hands and bowed her head. She yawned repeatedly, squeezing out as many tears as she could.

“If Lady Diana becomes the Grand Duchess, I won’t have to quit, right? I have an older brother who isn’t in his right mind. He needs someone to take care of him. My poor brother, sniff…”

Imagining her older brother Juan, who wasn’t in his right mind, Agnita looked sad, and Diana reached out to her.

“I’ll make you the head maid when I become the Grand Duchess.”

“My ldy…”

“I need to talk to Mother, so could you step out for a moment?”

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Agnita answered Diana with bright eyes and left.

After a short conversation with Lady Nordic, Diana’s face was dark.

“My lady, do you have any worries?”

“No.”

Diana was anxious about what Lady Nordic had said.

Baron Lakia was furious with Ash, asking if he had entrusted the love potion to him.

‘I need the love potion to become the Grand Duchess…’

It’s an essential drug for consummating with Theodore.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“I’m out of medicine for my brother, who isn’t in his right mind, so I need to go to the physician. Can I go for a moment?”

‘Medicine?! Physician?’

“Is the physician good at making medicine?”

Agnita confidently replied.

“The physician is so skilled that he came to Florence. They say there’s no medicine he can’t make, and that’s true. The medicine has been effective, and my brother’s condition has improved a lot lately.”

Agnita said with a bright smile.

“They say there’s no medicine he can’t make. He’s a master of herbal combinations.”

Diana thought. 

If he’s a physician who makes medicine, wouldn’t making a love potion that men can’t resist be a piece of cake?

“Agnita, I’m not feeling well these days. Could I meet that physician?”

Agnita showed a worried face and was flustered.

“My lady, where are you unwell?”

“Instead of me suffering here, bring the skilled physician you mentioned.”

“My lady, he has unsightly burn scars on his face and can’t move…”

“Does he not come even if a noble calls?”

“Yes… he’s skilled but reclusive…”

“Then can you arrange a meeting with him for me?”

“I’ll ask. Then may I go?”

If there’s no love potion, Diana can find someone who can make it. She felt she had been overthinking it.

Diana laughed out loud and happily.

“Okay. Go and ask. If this goes well, Agnita, you will be the head maid.”