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“Thank you for being very hospitable. I am also grateful for allowing me to stay in the Duke’s mansion, Duchess, Madam Quillian.”
Until the end, Young Lady Meltain greeted Alice first. Alice kept her mouth shut, thinking that it would be better for her to be quiet.
Madam Quillian had a deep smile as if thinking that Young Lady Meltain was a tough one.
“It’s nothing. Baron Meltain has been loyal to the Duke’s family for a long time, so this is not the least bit difficult. If you need something or inconvenience in the future while you are staying here in the Duke’s mansion, please let me know.”
“Oh, then can I ask you for a favor?”
“What is it?”
“I visited here for the first time when I was young, so I can’t remember the mansion’s structure well now. If it’s alright, can the Duchess kindly guide me? I also want to have a chat with her and tour the mansion.”
“Pardon?”
Already losing her energy from the fight between the two people, Alice widened her eyes and pointed at herself. Why do you keep on pouncing on me?
Alice was rather embarrassed by Young Lady Meltain’s actions, because she didn’t expect her to approach her first. Moreover, her approach was never beneficial to Alice. It felt like her life was being shortened little by little.
“Is there any reason you can’t? Alice!” Madam Quillian called Alice in a sharp voice.
“… Yes, mother.”
“Kindly guide Young Lady Meltain around the mansion. Shouldn’t we treat her well since it has been a long time since she had been to the Duke’s mansion?”
“… I understand, mother.”
“Then I will get going, I’m tired. Young Lady Meltain, see you at dinner.”
“Yes, Madam Quillian.”
After Madam Quillian went back to her room, Alice looked back at Young Lady Meltain, who wasn’t the least bit agitated.
“Then… would you want to come with me? Young Lady Meltain.”
“Yes, Duchess.”
Young Lady Meltain smiled at her brightly. Her smile was somehow eerie, so Alice walked with Young Lady Meltain with an astringent smile.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
“Wow, the flowers are really pretty.” Young Lady Meltain’s voice echoed in the garden.
Looking around the mansion, Alice was now walking through the Duke’s garden with Young Lady Meltain. She was planning to part their ways after moderately showing her around the mansion when Young Lady Meltain looked out the window and grabbed her.
[‘The weather is nice. Would you like to walk to the garden with me? Only the two of us.’]
Her smile was as beautiful as the Goddess of Roses, but Alice realized that Young Lady Meltain had other intentions. The reason she wanted to walk alone with her meant that she wanted to get rid of Maris, who was stuck with them like a surveillant.
What does she want to tell me? She had only admired the beauty of flowers although they had walked through the entire flower garden. Young Lady Meltain’s steps slowed down as Alice swallowed down what she wanted to say and faintly smiled.
“I heard that the Duchess came from the Podoori County family.”
Is she finally talking now? Alice was nervous when Young Lady Meltain mentioned her family.
“Yes, that is right.”
“I was really happy to hear that we both came from the West. I was worried because I didn’t know anyone in the capital, but since the Duchess is also from the West, I’m glad I met a friend from another place.”
Alice responded with an awkward smile to her excited voice.
“…Haha, I see.”
“If it’s alright with the Duchess, I’d like to have a chat with you and get to know each other…. Am I asking too rude of a favor?”
Young Lady Meltain didn’t reply. At that, Alice stopped walking and looked back at her. She was smiling brightly at her, filled with friendliness.
They met for the first time today. If it was the childish, ordinary, and the original Alice Podoori, she might have fallen for the kind-hearted Young Lady Meltain. But the current Alice now has been through all sorts of ups and downs in life.
Liking the person she met for the first time, and to Alice who was no more than Madam Quillian’s person she had a hostile relationship with… that is impossible.
Alice stared into Young Lady Meltain’s green eyes. It was so beautiful that it seemed to have received the main character’s buff with the way it was twinkling, but the reflection on it in every moment was sharp – as if it was gauging Alice.
Young Lady Meltain is probably pretending to be close to her to try and get information about Madam Quillian. Maybe she would even use Alice to make a trap for Madam Quillian.
Alice pondered for a moment, whether or not to show Young Lady Meltain that she wasn’t so foolish. But the time for her to worry about things was short.
Alice said with a smile, “I am very happy to hear that from Young Lady Meltain. Honestly, I was worried that mother was too rude with Young Lady with how much she was staring at you in the lobby earlier.”
Alice lowered her eyebrows and pretended to be timid.
Young Lady Meltain’s green eyes that were slightly on edge, slowly softened. Now, she would think that Alice wasn’t so special for her to be bothered.
As expected, she would consider her as timid and a moderately cowardly person. It was better to turn a blind eye about Madam Quillian than to receive the heroine’s attention.
“No, I was the one who was rude. Let’s talk like this from now on, Madam.”
“That’s great, Young Lady. Ah but today, I think I have to go now. It is now time for me to go and attend to the Duke.”
“Aah…. Does the Duchess attend to His Excellency yourself?”
“Yes. Mother is very concerned about having other people help because the Duke’s body isn’t in its best condition, so I am doing it myself.”
Looking surprised for a moment, Young Lady Meltain comforted Alice with a feeling-sorry look in her eyes.
“You are working very hard. If you encounter difficulties, please let me know anytime. I can listen to your concerns even if I don’t have special abilities.”
Her voice was very sweet you won’t have a choice but be shaken, but it wasn’t sincere. Sienna Meltain – she was just and kind but to her own people only. Alice knew how she can be merciless towards her enemies.
“Then… I’ll be going first, Young Lady.”
Slightly raising the corners of her mouth to say goodbye, Alice quickly walked out of the garden.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
“Haa… I’m quickly losing my energy.’
As soon as she arrived at Kaillus’ bedroom, Alice relaxed and sat down on the sofa as if melting.
She knew Young Lady Meltain was smart and outspoken, but she didn’t expect that she would butt heads with Madam Quillian as soon as she saw her. She even used Alice in the process.
“Young Lady Meltain… she’s rather very straightforward with her words….”
They declared war as soon as they saw each other, so the nerve war between the two of them will be heated more in the future. No, it won’t end with just nerve wars. Something big would probably happen in the Duke’s family when their fight began in earnest – because Young Lady Meltain wasn’t a person who would just overlook the Diorat Duchy. Either Madam Quillian gets kicked out of the Diorat Duchy or be killed.
In the book, Young Lady Meltain didn’t exactly dealt with Madam Quillian, but it was her who pulled Madam Quillian to her downfall. Therefore, she didn’t assume that Madam Quillian would lose to Young Lady Meltain only.
The main character in the book won’t change no matter how fast the flow gets. In particular, she was convinced that Young Lady Meltain was preparing to face Madam Quillian as soon as she arrived in the Duke’s house. She was also sure that Young Lady Meltain would bring about great trouble to the Duke’s family.
“… So, you have to wake up before that happens….”
Alice made a decision as soon as she heard that Young Lady Meltain was coming to the Duke’s mansion – to have the Duke wake up as soon as possible.
She was initially worried about what would happen in the future because of the sudden change of flow of events. That was the reason she was trying to figure out how to survive the upcoming events one by one, but then she was suddenly hit by a realization – that there was no need for her to make such an effort.
Alice’s goal at first was to leave the Duke’s family and survive. Nothing would change even if Young Lady Meltain was to appear. The biggest link to her life is Kaillus and not Young Lady Meltain. And it was said that Kaillus… won’t wake up.
It was only a matter of how she could escape safely from Madam Quillian’s clutches, but at the same time, she had a special ability. That’s right – divine power.
Alice searched books about the temple in the Duke’s library, where she eventually found a way out of Madam Quillian – being a priest.
According to the Imperial Law, there was a special law stating that a priest under the temple’s protection can not be touched even by men of noble birth. Only the Pope is allowed to judge a priest. In other words, it means that no matter if it was Madam Quillian, no one could touch her as long as she became a priest.
“… But the problem is I am married.”