Chapter 155: Chapter 155
Knock knock
"Your Highness, I have arrived with the Lady’s tea."
The arrival of the servant was not heard by the Crown Prince, whilst the Lady did notice the call, turning in his direction in wonder to his silent gazing.
"... Your Highness?"
"..?" — ’Are you not going to answer?’
Tilting her head, she inquired, displaying lovely curiosity in her eyes.
"... I–"
Knock knock!
"Your Highness? Is there a problem?"
The second call brought him out of the trance, causing a shiver to shake his trunk before answering.
"... Come in."
His head had slightly turned to the side in order to permit the servant’s entrance and, casting his eyes on her again, he found the Lady facing him from the distance.
Meeting her eyes, Zeleskiaz knew, that his entranced behaviour had been noticed by the Lady... For her pupils were unmistakably titillating in amusement at his demeanour.
"... Come closer my Lady, Your tea is here."
’Fufufu, Sure~... Don’t drool in it though. I can see the thread by your mouth from here, hottie~’
Chuckling to herself, incredibly entertained by his adorable distraction, Marianne walked to the lounges giving him a playful glance as she took her seat.
"..."
Their shared silence was joyful for the two.
For the first time, Zeleskiaz felt glad to be taken off guard in his life, for the fluffy appearance of a lovely blush in her cheeks was that delightful.
*******
Crash! Bang!!
"Kyah! My Lady! Please!! Ack!"
Slap! Thud!
"My lady! Ah!! No!"
Whack slap! Slap slap!
"Shut up! D*mn b*tch!! Louisa!!! This is all you’re useful for!! So shut that rat’s mouth and stop whining!"
"Ack! M–My L–la–... Dy... Plea– se... Cough!!"
"That d*mn woman!! What has she told the Prince!! Useless!!! That useless rubbish, freakish mute h*re!!"
"Cou–gh.... La–... There..sa...!"
"Just like this! I’ll kill you, Marianne! Haha... Ha... Tsk!"
Her maid had fainted from her strangle, causing the Youngest of the Sylfinnier’s to wake from her rage.
"... Debra."
"!!! Y–Yes? Lady Theressa??"
"Wake her up and take her out of here. Her appearance is disgusting."
"Yes! Immediately, my Lady!"
Rushing to her coworker, the other young maid kneeled by her side trying to control her fright before the situation she was put through by their Master.
"Louisa... Louisa... Please wake up! Louisa!" — The maid hurriedly whispered, desperate for her friend to wake up.
"Cough! Blegh-! Co–ogh cough!!"
"Ah! Louis–!!"
"You are noisy!! Take her away already!!!"
Gasp!
The furious master’s hiss made Debra jump as the half-conscious Louisa tried to regain the air the Young Lady had sucked in her attack.
Hurriedly, Debra took the fainting, yet still alive Louisa by the arms and dragged her as well as she could, out of the bedroom their Master resided.
... Close...
"Unsightly bugs... They can’t endure even a bit..."
The Youngest ranted, portraying a revolted expression at the unpleasant overreaction of the two maids that served her.
"... Sigh... That b*tch’s blood is all over my nails now... How disgusting."
Lifting her hand to feel her well-kept nails as she tried to compose herself, Theressa noticed rests of a red shade on the edges, making her scowl in disbelief at the audacity of her servant to stain her delicate hands with her filthy commoner’s blood.
"..."
’Filthy woman... Marianne... I truly wish it was your neck that I made bleed just now.’
Recalling her indifferent attitude as the Prince oust her from his bureau, Theressa’s hatred emerged again.
’... "Entertaining conversation"... What can you talk about with that dumb woman?! She barely learned how to walk, and you find her "entertaining"???’
"That witch must have done something... She’s too dull to be this liked by the Royals..."
Pondering on nonexistent reasons for the pure child’s successful welcome by the Palace, the evil sibling amassed greater resentment towards her.
’Mother was right about her... She is a vicious woman that has ties with the dark beings..... Otherwise, this doesn’t make sense.’ — She inwardly stated.
Theressa moved to recall Elenaide’s words... those she began to hear from an early age... The moment she became interested in her older sister.
— That child is not good, darling. She will deprive you of everything... Just as she did with me whilst I bore her monstrous being. —
’She’s right... I can’t believe I once wanted to be like her...’ — Theressa thought.
"..."
As in any Realm... Evil roams between its residents...
And in most cases... the evil arises thanks to the abundance of ignorance and lack of responsibility humans harvest in their actions...
Theressa’s vile personality had been rooted in her by the ignorant and irresponsible adult her mother was... Along with the manipulative works of her brother whose psyche had been already perturbed by other means...
As well as the one who had planted the wicked into her, Theressa was ignorant of the truth.
The truth that her sister was not vicious, that as well as she wanted to grow close to her, the real Marianne wanted the same.
Even at this time, Theressa was utterly ignorant to the honest value her sister gave her in life... that, although she had acted devilishly against her for years... She still tried to accomplish her young wishes to protect her little sister... Only that... she could solely do so now with the foreigner’s kind help.
It is a truth that Theressa will not see as long as her sights are blinded by her young, manipulated mindset... Yet it is still unknown to us what the new future her sister will bring upon her shall be.
"I wonder now... Seeing that Marianne has done as she wants with these people... Is it the only way for me to approach him... to stay fixed by her side?"
Not forgetting her objective, Theressa pondered on her next steps. Although the idea of sharing her valuable time doing as she was initially told to as a condition for accompanying her sister to the Palace, was not to he liking, the Youngest of the Duchy was determined to acquire her fantasies involving the heir to the Throne.
"Sigh... There seems to be no way around it... As the main guest, she’s bound to have more opportunities to meet my Prince."
Convinced that her chances narrowed in these circumstances, she resigned herself to enduring her older sister’s presence in hopes to attain some alone time with the Crown Prince.
Making her way to a near chair, she touched the expensive material it was made of, instilling a nasty smirk in her expression before taking a seat on it, satisfied by the malicious idea she conceived to entertain herself as she did what her Father brought her here to do.
’I suppose it is not that much of a waste of time if I can get her to understand her place in the meantime... It seems she needs to be reminded from time to time that... Failures are eyesores that should stay hidden away for the sake of others’ happiness.’
"... Since brother Paul is not here... I can be the one to give you the lesson, Marianne."
Enjoying the thought of inflicting harm on Marianne, Theressa displayed a joyful smile. Any who witnessed, if ignorant of the motive for her delight, could have mistaken her expression as lovely and innocent since its portrayer was a young girl.
*******
"...."
"..."
"..."
Three men were seated at the spare delegate’s bureau assigned to the Duke of Sylfinnier.
Orland was silently working at his borrowed office in the Main Palace, feigning serenity at the two visitors that had followed him once their breakfast with his daughter had come to an end thanks to the Crown Prince’s desires.
"....."
His admirable expression was menacing to scowl as he gave a glance at the two seating on the guest’s settles, awkwardly averting their gazes from crossing with each other in restless silence.
’Maurice... You told him he could stay with you for today... Do you plan on torturing him all day like this?’
"... Not only a useless Emperor..." — Orland mumbled in annoyance.
"Yes? Do you need something, Duke?"
"... No, Your Majesty. I was only wondering if it is truly alright for you to be here."
"Is there a place I can not be in my Palace? Hah! Do not speak nonsense, Sir."
"... Right." — ’The carpet would soften the fall of your head very well... I wonder if that also will seem like nonsense to you, Maurice.’
"...!?"
Fwip
Turning his head in a fast movement thanks to the sudden chill he felt down his spine, Francois met the smiling face of his old friend.
’Why??! Why do you want to kill me this time?? I’ve done nothing!!!’
Their telepathy was as accurate as ever, and with the smooth signalling with his eyes, the Duke conveyed one of the motives for his irritation.
Pointing to the timid child, slowly digging himself into the couch out of nervousness, Orland raised a brow, criticising his friend’s attitude.
’Act like a father for once. Get to know the child you barely helped to bring to this world. Try being less pathetic, Maurice.’
"!!"
Scandalized for what he could read in those deprecating eyes Orland was staring at him with, Francois glanced at the fidgety child play with his tiny fingers, obviously ignorant of what to do when in the company of the two most powerful Leaders of the Empire.