After they left, the head butler who was escorting the knights from count Rolfe told me his report saying that some knights from count Rolfe's estate were sold out to Mheodure and are currently spying on the nobles here in Vanifi.
And that there rouge knights just now who came with the count's family.
He was able to easily get all this information thanks to the scented candles that had hypnotic effect.
"Your teacher sure is scary"
"But you don't look like you are terrified, my lady"
To think that the head butler in the place I am living in is actually the former head of the shadow knights. Not to mention, the one who taught John everything he knows about torture.
"By any chance... is the head maid...?"
"No. As far as I know, the head maid, Miss Maria is a daughter of a fallen viscount family which is why she started to work here in the palace to live"
That somehow eases my mind.
Two hours passed by and a carriage from the Theano ducal family arrived.
"I greet the duchess of Theano, Duchess Leah von Theano as well as Sir Frederick, Lady Isabelle and Lady Cecil"
The duchess looked at me with disgust as if she was seeing dog shit in a stone bridge on her outing. Meanwhile, the two ladies were looking at me with curiosity and a bit of mischief in their eyes.
The four stood still as they held up their chin high, except for Sir Aiden.
"...."
I guess Sir Aiden is being forced to this, huh.
They are not even greeting me.
"Let's go in for dinner shall we"
We went inside and headed for the dining room. In the table, there were a variety of exotic food that were prepared in the table. To be more precise, it was all eastern dishes that I made.
"These are dishes that I personally made. I hope that it is to your liking"
Except for Sir Aiden who already knew how amazing the food taste like, the other three were looking at the food in the table with a conflicted expression.
If their expressions were to be put into words, it would probably be like "What kind of abomination are these?" or "Are these even food meant to be serve to a human?"
We started eating.
Even with my explanations, Sir Aiden was busy helping his family to know what the food were and how to eat them.
"This is what you call... curry and this is rice?"
"Yes. That is chicken curry and that one is rice Lady Cecil"
Lady Cecil took a spoon and ate the curry with rice. She then smiled as she continue to eat the dish.
"It is like stew but... the flavor and aroma is deeper"
"Yes, and that is thanks to the combination of spices that were mixed in while I cooked it"
I personally wanted it to be spicier but they wouldn't be able to eat any if I did as I wanted to. To begin with, I wouldn't even mind other people if they can't eat the food I made but Sir Aiden's family is an exception to that.
Our dinner continued as we chatted over trivial things as the Theano family were in awe as they saw Phoenix with its majestic appearance.
And once again, thankfully, there were no food that were wasted when he came in after blowing a gust in the middle of the table.
The duchess was keen and did not took the bait I prepared to be an argument which was the food I prepared.
"Isn't it a good thing that nothing happened, baroness?"
"I'm sorry, but shouldn't you be with your family, Sir Aiden?"
After eating dinner, Sir Aiden was the one who escorted me back to my room instead of John.
In a way, Sir Aiden is even more annoying than John. John has an abnormal spatial awareness while Sir Aiden has heightened senses which also allows him to determine whether someone is lying or not.
And even if I am used to keep a poker face while lying, it won't be enough to actually fool Sir Aiden which makes him even more annoying to deal with.
"I told my mother in advance that I wanted to talk with your for a while after the dinner"
"Talk about what?"
Sir Aiden knelt down with both of his knees on the ground and bowed exactly ninety degrees.
Why do people in this world keep kneeling down?
"I want to thank you, lady Dianna for the things you have done for my and her majesty's relationship to be like this"
I didn't really do anything serious though.
"If it wasn't for you, I would have never be able to held her majesty at night due to my insecurity and sense of responsibility"
I don't think I needed to hear that part.
"That is why I am utterly and sincerely grateful for what you did, lady"
Seriously, I only did it for the drama as a bonafide connoisseur of romance who would even stop and watch if there was a girl who caught her lover cheating even if I'm late for my appointment.
It was interesting to change the story line a bit, but...
"No need to thank me. I only hasten what was bound to happen. However, do keep in mind that no matter what happens you two are also bound to fight"
Sir Aiden laugh after I spoke.
"I know. Lovers always quarrel"
He was laughing softly, holding back his urges to laugh loudly like how he would normally laugh, with his eyes close as he tear tears of joy.
His feelings for her majesty, the idol look up to, are genuine. The scene in front of me was a man who was thankful for being alive thus far to reach this point in life. Like how someone reap what they sow after all the hardships he has been through.
Without a doubt, Sir Aiden is currently the happiest man in the world.
To see love bloom right in front of me is incomparable to how what I feel when I would read novels.
Sir Aiden left after his eyes went back to normal. Unlike how he was in my room just now, he was poised and dignified. That was the air or the energy one could feel as he walks back to the room where his family is at.