'She must have been in so much pain, I didn't know what to do when I heard the sound of that slap echoing through the room. I was scared!'
"Irene does that hurt? Do you want me to replace you until you get better?"
"No need, I'm perfectly fine!"
'Even though Irene tries to show that she is strong and that did nothing to her, I can see that she is hurt and needs to be alone. I wish I could cheer her up somehow. '
"What does she think she is, haa?! Since she came, we are obliged to serve her, a lowly girl who we don't even know where it came from, as our lady. Who does she thinks she is to treat us in that way, we have to do something to show her the place she deserves. Or better, we should let her go on like this, since she is just a poor and uneducated girl, she will show her real face in the end and give us a good show. Haha, don't you think so too Irene? "
"… That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, don't forget that!"
"Irene !!"
'What is the matter with her, I just wanted to cheer her up! '
Unlike Piera who thought that was funny, Irene had something else in mind. She was angry with herself and Raeliana for what happened, but there was nothing she could do about it.
'That girl… she looked like a completely different person !! She has never asked us for our help, even when she needed to get ready to go out. She always has that face that is lost and doesn't know what to do, she has always been indifferent to everything we say to her, she made it easier to be neglected and ridiculed. But today she had a different aura, like an irritated beast who wanted to eat us... Why am I thinking about that? Piera is right, that lowly girl doesn't know with who she is messing with. Her slap, a little while ago just caught me off guard, next time I will be more careful. '
[And here I was, thinking that you lost your mind and would do a terrible job handling this matter. That was good! Childe, you didn't kill her nor make her respect you, and I know quite well that she will not change her behavior just from a slap that you gave her, so what did you gain from this?]
'That wasn't for nothing Raphael, since she was thinking so highly of herself, a slap in the face can make her think that it was just an illusion she had created to lie to herself and her sister. And as long as I had the opportunity, I could enjoy myself seeing the fear they had in their eyes. '
I don't know if she got my message, but she still tried to act like nothing happen. Still, even after those proud tears, she is going to search for Spencer. Doing things out of anger and abandoning her duties as a personal maid, is not going to help her self-confidence against me, and she will be the one who will lose in the end.
She was the one that thought I was stupid and easy to fool, just because I appeared out of nowhere and his grace began to treat me as part of the family. Everyone will have suspected that something was wrong, but because I have no contact with most of the staff, I can only watch the behavior of my two maids.
They openly expressed their dislike, mostly Piera who is so stupid that she thinks no one has noticed that she doesn't like me, but since the butler says nothing and his grace doesn't meet her, things had remained the same and my behavior made that worse. They started to neglect me, ironize everything about me and didn't follow my orders. Maybe they forgot that they were commoners themselves before working here and now they think highly of themselves when they are in front of me.
But fortunately, I don't need to kill them, that would be a risky move since I don't have anything here. Even if they don't change their behavior and continue to do the same, maybe I should start and create a show, with them as the main actors. I will make them so jealous and irritated with me, that sooner or later they will fall with their own two feet inside my trap.
That will be satisfying! But first, I have to talk to Spencer, I need to find something useful from him before I go to his grace. Because I know that even without our approval, he will do something to make us accept on our birthday.
[Childe, he is here !!]
'Who is here?'
Before I could process my thoughts, I heard a knock on the door. Someone had come and from Raphael's words, that someone was a man. How could he distinguish it?
"My lady, I heard that you asked for me, may I come in?"
'So my guess was right, Irene did go to in find him and told him I wanted to talk. Well, that makes my job even easier. '
"Of course, come inside!"
Let's start all over again. Now I don't need information about my origin, as long as I know that what has been written in history by humans, is just how they saw with their own eyes the time when Rapha ruled as a tyrant. I do not have to hurry, it seems that after every step I take, I can look at events of the past, and this time I found some valuable information.
What I want from Spencer now, is just an idea of the sudden acceptance, his grace made to Mireyan and him. If he has plans for me, then they will both be used against me, or maybe he is really looking for an heir, but for that it must be only Mireya, so what role does Spencer play in this?
"You have to be more careful about your servants, but more on that little one who doesn't know how to shut her mouth."
"Why, is something the matter?"
'That pathetic maid of mine, apparently it will not be long before Piera gets herself into trouble, and Irene will follow her as a collaborator. Hehe! '
"A little while ago one of your maids came to me, she had a bruise on one of the cheeks and after she told me what she had to say, she left. The other one was a bit revolted, and she forget I could hear her even as they were walking away. She was talking about… "
"… I don't need to know! I don't care what they do after leaving this room, so they can talk about whatever they want."
I don't recall a moment when Spencer was loyal to me! At first he despised me, not long after he became my ally and we both ran away. I never asked him why he took care of me, but I liked that someone stood by my side. Even in the countryside, they were no sign of loyalty or friendship either, it was just a reason for survival.
"Ahem! So how can I help you? "
'I think I like his angry face more! The look of him now, so calm and collected just like before when he worked as a butler always make me bitter. I enjoy more the time when I can make fun of his expressions! '
"Spencer do you want to take a walk with me in the garden?"
"Huh !?"
But unlike before, now I feel a little closer to him, probably because he and Mireya are the only ones I know and trust in this mansion. I appreciate that he didn't abandon me and that he took care of me even though he might have done otherwise. He scolds me and gives me valuable advice, and even teaches me part of the etiquette that I lack.
I like this feeling, it is warm and melancholy, it makes me stronger to protect my people. And Spencer is one of them, just like a big thoughtful brother, that always picks a fight with his little sisters, I have accepted that this is his way of showing his love to others, and I guess he thinks the same.
"So, why did you ask for me?"
"Sigh, Spencer! "Why don't you relax a little, I will tell you why I need you, but first change that expression on your face, we both know that you don't see me like a lady!"
He didn't do as I told him, that made me sad, but maybe he understands that I myself wasn't calm and this was not just a friendly walk! I needed to think about how I would ask him for pieces of information and a walk would buy me enough time, but he thinks differently. I don't want to sound pushy and let him know that I only look for him when I see him useful, I also want to be needed and hear him talk to me. But it's difficult!
"It looks like winter is approaching, maybe I should ask his grace to give you a few days off and go visit someone, he probably misses you a lot!"
'I don't know why I am saying this, it was not what I thought. He may get the wrong idea. I just needed some time, but now I'm creating a mess. He will start to hate me and eventually leave without saying a word! just say that you need information damn it! '
"A-after the birthday party, then you will have more free time, maybe then…"
"... My lady, tell me what you want from me!"
'Why is he so calm? He must hate me, tell me that you hate me, please! To tell me that I hurt him and that I made him recall a sad memory. He has never been able to go to Raon's grave all these years, because he is in the marquis's lands, and I proposing something like that is…disrespectful, rude! '
"Then I will stop beating around the bush, maybe is better for everyone that I don't continue! I want you to tell me everything you know about the connection between marquis Winter Corttes and duke Xeron Phelter."
"What?!!"
"I need to know all about them!"