Lyra sighed uncomfortably when she saw her two maids staring at her all this time. She was like a clown who was jumping silly to entertain the audience. She knew she was being ridiculous right now, at least after she grabbed Duke Kleo's hand a moment ago, but she wasn't putting on a show.
"If you guys want to say something then just say it!" Lyra put down the needle and thread in her hand. She had to find activities for her spare time while being detained in the palace.
If other nobles could ride horses, watch an opera, hunt, or do anything else then she was different. Shee was not allowed to leave the palace building, even just to set her feet on the grass to sunbathe. The sun that day was luminous and warm.
Ella and Gena looked at each other awkwardly.
"We didn't mean to inconvenience you, My Lady," said Ella earnestly.
"We just wanted to confirm if you needed anything?" continued Gena. They were currently in a common room within the palace, which had been an empty, unused one.
However, after Lyra's arrival yesterday, Duke Kleo personally ordered the maids to clean up it to become a common room, where Lyra could use it to do whatever she liked.
It has a strategic location, with windows overlooking the lake not far from the palace, as well as overlooking the outskirts of the flower garden.
"Your eyes can't lie," Lyra commented. "You and all the servants in the palace are looking at me with strange and suspicious eyes. So hurry up and confess when I give you guys a chance." Her hands folded in front of her chest, her beautiful face looked up as if challenging.
"We were just wondering how you got so close to His Grace, My Lady," Gena answered quickly as if she didn't want to suffer the slightest consequence. After all, Lyra had been very good to her, to them, except when she was about to run away from the palace. "You even held his hand earlier."
"And His Grace is not mad at you," Ella added. "It may look like we are interfering. But we certainly wonder, bethink how bad His Grace is about touching of any kind with women. I hope that doesn't misunderstand you, My Lady."
Lyra took a deep breath, already predicting what Ella and Gena would say to her. "You guys still haven't got the information why I have to stay in Wereal?"
Gena and Ella shook their heads together.
Lyra sighed again, looking tired and gloomy. Her body stretched out to lie on the enormous cushion beneath her, letting the sun's rays sting her cheeks. "So he postponed his announcement?" she whispered to herself.
"We are glad you are here, My Lady," Ella admitted. "Ever since you were at Wereal His Grace rarely gets angry. Even Vivi could be free from punishment, which would never have happened if you hadn't stopped His Grace this morning." Vivi was the maid that Duke Kleo nearly executed that morning.
"To be honest we are still in mourning as our friend was just executed a few weeks ago for the same mistake." Gena looked down, almost in tears. Her face reddened.
Lyra looked sadly at them, suddenly remembering Tania. Uh, how was Tania doing? Was Mr. Pinn going to sell her? While Lyra was still stuck in Wereal and couldn't do anything, time kept going on. Three months would be about to pass and she had to pay off the compensation for the fire.
"I feel guilty that Vivi got into trouble due to having to stay in my room last night. She looked sleepy so she bumped into Duke Kleo. I did it spontaneously. I'm, to be honest, really scared of him too," Lyra said honestly.
"But even so His Grace looks doesn't matter if you touch him, My Lady." Gena glanced at Ella as if sending a signal about something. Her face was leaning forward as if she wanted to whisper so that no one would hear her words. "Do you and His Grace not have a special relationship ?"
Lyra's face suddenly turned red. "O-of course not. We don't have any relationship."
"Oh really?" Gena looked up at the ceiling, thought about something, and was disappointed. "I think you guys have a special relationship."
"You're the only one that's ever been brought to the Wereal after all, My Lady," Ella added.
"Indeed if I had a relationship with him, what would you do?"
"Of course, we will support it!" Gena jumped with joy, clapping her own hands. "Because I can see that only you can appease His Grace's wrath. Wereal will be a very peaceful palace."
Snorting, Lyra looked up at the ceiling, then got up to sit down because the sun was too bright for her eyes. "Don't you know how angry he was last night at me? He also ignored me today. You can't expect anything from me. Even I can't contain his anger towards me." Her hands cupped her face glumly. "If only I can impress him, maybe he can forgive me."
A smile flew from Ella and Gena's lips. They looked at each other then nodded without saying anything. Then they came to their knees.
"We can help you, My Lady!"
"Is that true?" Lyra almost choked with shock.
…
As Ella and Gena had promised, they ended up helping Lyra to impress Duke Kleo. They gathered information on what things could make him happy and impressed, then what items and gifts he might want.
It wasn't hard to get all that information, so they immediately returned to Lyra with beaming faces. Then they mentioned what the duke had always liked.
"So His Grace likes grilled meat with spices. He also liked the variety of unique and sharp weaponry, books on history and economics, hunting equipment, and last but not least the praise of Lady Helen. However, we do not recommend the last one because it is a very sensitive topic for him."
Lyra had been excited at first, really eager to impress Duke Kleo so they could make peace. However, after learning about the things he liked, her courage suddenly subsided.
"What is it, my lady?" Ella asked after noticing the look on Lyra's face. "Did you suddenly change your mind to impress His Grace?"
"It's not like that," Lyra shook her head weakly.
"Then what, My Lady?" continued Gene.
"The problem is… the problem is that I can't cook."
"Oh, you can still give His Grace other gifts. Books are the only gifts that are easy to find, right?" Ella's eyes were too excited, Lyra couldn't bear to disappoint her.
But Lyra had to tell the truth, no matter how bad it was? "I… I don't have the money to just buy books," she said, looking down like a child who had made a mistake.
Gena and Ella gaped, looked at each other, then slumped to the floor as their efforts were in vain. "There's no hope, My Lady," said Gena, shaking her head in frustration.
"We won't be able to help you buy books for His Grace because we definitely won't have enough money. We thought… we thought…"
"I'm not nobility," Lyra admitted, causing Gena and Ella to look up quickly in shock. "I'm just a commoner."
"Then… then how come you were brought to Wereal?"
"Actually… actually I have the sin to do on Duke Kleo. And now he's even angrier with me." Lyra fiddled with her fingers nervously. "I was anxious that later he decided to execute me. Is…is there no other way for me to be forgiven?" Her face looked up at Gena and Ella, begging for help.
"I thought of a way," Ella stammered.
Lyra and Gena turned to her quickly.
"What's that?" Lyra asked nervously and curiously.
"I don't know if this method will work, but I'm just thinking about it," continued Ella. "S-seems His Grace is interested in you, My Lady." Her voice stuttered and nearly cracked. "I-if you can seduce His Grace then maybe…"
Lyra took a few steps back as if to reject Ella's suggestion.
"O-of course that might be really scary." Ella chuckled nervously. "But I thought maybe it could be a way. I-I see His Grace looking at you special."
"I think so too." Now Gena snorted. "Everyone at Wereal thinks the same. Especially after what happened this morning, His Grace looks at you very special, My Lady. If you might seduce His Grace and make his heart flutter, maybe he will forgive you."
'Seducing Duke Kleo?' thought Lyra, shivering.
***