"So... the Marchioness vents her anger towards the maids?"
"Yes, she also keeps an eye on the kid's nanny. She's been on her guard since the night she found out Lane's disappearance."
"Lia? hmm... so that is why you did not bring her here."
Cervi came back home a few days after the tea party Wren attended. And of course her parents didn't know that she was doing her own investigation on Marchioness Farlon... yet.
It is only a matter of time before she realizes that her parents know about her secret investigation, and it's because her mother is listening behind her.
"Aha! I knew you were doing something behind our backs." she felt a cold sensation behind her ears, shivering as she realized the voice belongs to, it was enough for her to be rooted in her place.
Her mother only grinned as she rested her chin on her hands, watching her daughter, "Mom, since when are you here?"
"Ever since your spirit reported. I know everything." it is true. The Duchess has someone look after Wren and report everything to her.
after she learned that the spirit is nowhere to be found in the mansion is where she realized that her own daughter must have given him a mission. Then, when Cervi came home it was only a matter of time to give his report to Wren.
still, with her smile on her face, Wren misunderstood her by thinking that she may be angry because of this. However, that is not the case.
"I understand you want to help, but you at least ask us, you should rely on us,"
"are you going to let me?"*
of course not. Among the other things she knows about her parents is that; one, her mother almost does not let her do anything relating to danger or complicated. Second, his father lets her do anything, but will suffer from his mockery after failing to do her plan and Lastly, both her parents think that she will have another accident.
she suffered for the last 2 years trying to help her parents since she knows the plot however they won't let her.
"Cervi, you said that his nanny is being surveilled by Lady Farlon. Why?"
Cervi thought carefully before answering her question, "Marchioness is always wary of that maid based on everyone and she's already had a hunch that the maid hides her son somewhere."
she nodded and said, "I see, I see... then we should avoid the risk of exposing our relationship with her."
"Mom, are you the one who put this idea on the maid?"
"What? No, she was thinking about it, but then I said I have another great plan for her," Wren squinted her eyes and asked in low tone, "you made a deal with her!"
the duchess smiled before saying, "In exchange for protecting and getting out the young heir of Farlon, she will find some physical evidence inside and give it to us."
Wren raised an eyebrow after hearing her, "Then does she know about the thing behind the shelves?"
"No. Probably not, only a few days ago that I learned about it."
Besides that, the maid is also looking for something that she chose to be left behind. Suddenly, someone knocks on the door lightly as he strode inside saying, "I can help you with that, mother."
Their eyes grew big after hearing Caesar's voice. Seeing him in person after half a year is kind of a new feeling. For all the times he was locked in the academy, this is the first time they seen him in long hair—tied at the back and with glasses.
Wren is struck with the thought of this as someone else and not her brother. She couldn't accept it for only 5 seconds and instantly regained her composure. Of course her brother has changed and this is one of them.
"Since when have you come home?" her mother asked as stared at her own son, "Earlier. I already gave my father the documents about Maquis Farlon."
the mother and daughter duo has their eyes clouded with confusion. Caesar then answered them with patience, "I have some of the documents that you needed for the smuggling as well as the embezzlement and some shady activity."
"Shady... activity?" the duchess asked once more while innocently tilting her head. Which Wren had inherited. Caesar is also confused with this, since he thought her mother also knows about the shady activity.
"Mother, both the Marquis and Marchioness have been doing..."
"slave auction." Caesar and the duchess look at her with wide eyes. The person in charge though was not aware of the fact that she said out loud the memory that had emerged.
Caesar walked over to her and asked, "Where did you learn that?"
Surprised has taken her over as she nervously bit her tongue.
"Damn it, why do I have to say this out loud?"
She was panicking over, although he was concerned where she learned this so fast. On the other hand, he learned most of the stuff when he was just 5 years old that he just shrugged it off.
"It's fine. Anyway what she said is the truth. We followed the map that was hidden on his vault. Underground we saw some of the kids with bruises being held in different cells."
the children there mostly came from kidnapping and were sold off to other nobles. This slave auction was banned 33 years ago and punishment for this is stripping of your title and will face execution.
"Where... are they hiding this?"
"Underground of the Hotel."
The Duchess' ears perked up after he answered her question. That hotel has been running around ever since the late Marquis had his title.
She never thought that this would be the base of the Slave auction. She immediately felt the anger boiling in her nerves. That Hotel is one of his treasures. Seeing that it was being tainted is just... disgusting.
He was proud of it whenever they talked about it in the past that the Duchess even helped him with his problems there. Learning about it makes her want to get everything from them.
Caesar noticed her mother's face said, "The Current Marquis uses the hotel since it has been where some of the high-ranking nobles stay."
For what Wren thought this is efficient and very wise. Not only could he gain potential buyers, but also several connections around the empire or outside.
"he sure has a business-like mind..." Caesar glanced over his sister who was once more mumbled with her thoughts.
Apparently he does not find her sister odd since he thought this is another normal because they had his genes, pertaining to his father. Both of them had that kind of attitude and thinking.
"master, you cannot follow his footsteps," Wren blinks before looking at Cervi, "What?"
"even if you did follow his steps. I will still obey you." he said thoughtfully as Wren is trying to comprehend where this is coming from. Despite it sounding as a sincere word of loyalty it hides an insult.
With thinking of it for a short, rational mind, she finally understood why he said that, "You are thinking wrong..."
"You should do it then, do not worry. Father is here to fix the mess you made," his sentence and his unfaltering smile is bothering Wren as she stares at him.
"There is something wrong with these people"
the duchess also seems to understand the atmosphere, she hides her chuckle and says, "You can kidnap Prince Zairon if you wish," Wren's mouth hangs open with the nonsense her mother spouted.
she mumbled, "Unbelievable," that thought made her shiver and felt cold water dripped at her head.
Even Caesar is openly showing his frown. It has been years and he still doesn't like the prince with a reason that seeing him displeases him, "You can commit every crime you want except mother's suggestion. It isn't worth it."
The duchess pouts and says, "How come? I think it will be funny though."
"There is nothing funny when those princes are involved," Wren nodded with this statement. Since she still remembers how she will die at the hands of Zairon.
Though, she cannot deny that there are some subtle changes with him every time they meet.
"Brother!" Astreia who was passing down the hallway saw Caesar inside the room since the door was not closed.
Wren glanced over Boaife and Cervi. Both of them shook their heads, "is there something wrong?"
Caesar asked, her mother answered it before Astreia clings to Caesar, "there was an intruder in her room a few weeks ago and there were no traces of anything related..." suddenly there were cracks underneath him.
he was not informed about this, "That is why we have to be careful since there might be a rat hiding here." Wren calmly said as she drank her tea.
"Is something wrong? Brother?"
"Astreia, eat with me, okay? These are very good since we got them in some patisserie in town." she laid on the table the very colorful cakes as she pointed the chair in front of her.
true enough, Astreia's attention shifted to the cakes as she happily ate some. Caesar calmed down after and pats Astreia's head before going out, "I will rest first. I have not slept well these past few days."
"alright, brother."
"Thank you for the gifts, brother!!" it is the reason why Astreia entered the room. Their mother smiled as she also headed out quietly, leaving the two kids eating their food.
she headed out to the office where the Duke is.
---------------------------------------------------
"what happened to Lia?!" my ears are burning. I wonder why this kid has come into my room and this was the reason, no?
father must have told him Lia's circumstances and decided to come here and ask me questions. He set this up to find my afternoon ruined and his plan worked.
"First, get off my bed." I said as I rose from my sleep with heavy eyelids.
I am sleepy and yet I found myself in front of him with his pink messy hair. God damn it. He sure has good genes. Good thing he came down with a sniffle before I came down to wash my face in the Bathroom.
"Wai---"
"Kyah!" I instinctively kicked him out of the bathroom and closed the room with a bang. How could he follow me inside the bathroom?! That really has woken me up!
"Wren what happened?!" It was Boaife's voice and a loud pound behind the door.
"You shouldn't follow a lady inside a bathroom~" and of course that is Adara with her being playful.
Ever since the effects were lifted they are constantly going outside and it is a pain in the head. I can't rest well at all!
"What?! Why would you go inside the bathroom as well?!"
"She did not answer me and I ... I thought that she would answer me there!"
a long silence happened and a foreboding moment has occupying my mind as well as my heart when two sudden outbursts of laughter echoed and passed here.
"You have my points here."
"Same, I give you my blessing. I hope you win."
I can already see their amused and satisfied smirking even though they are behind the door and apparently I can also imagine Lane's face right now.
damn those spirits. They can't possibly think of that kind of thing to bet. After a few moments, I already dressed and am eating my breakfast with Lane who was pouting still even munching his food.
I say he improved seeing he looking much like a squirrel right now.
"Where are the others?" I asked a maid behind me and she answered, "The Duke has gone to the Imperial Palace, her grace is staying with young miss Joelle..."
I chewed on some blueberries. Apparently, Aunt Mavis has gone to visit someone and her kids have been holed inside their rooms as punishment because she found out that Yessenia tried to steal something from her and Azi knows about it.
The twins were also beaten up by their mother while I was having a bath earlier. Apparently they still refuse to go back to the academy. Resulting in me being left alone with this kid. Somehow, this is far too coincidence.
"What happened to Lia?" he repeated with crumbs over his lips, as I reached to wipe it out across the table I felt some annoying gazes behind me.
"W...wh... get away!"
I frowned, I reflexively turned into a sister mode... "Pardon me, It is a habit of mine." I said and acted like nothing had happened as I ate some more fruits.
"Wha..."
I always did that with Astreia and Joelle that I forgotten Lane is older than me. Well, he is growing well these days that I will forget about the first time I saw him.
"Oohh... he is also red"
"How amusing"
does he hate me wiping the crumbs enough to make him turn red? Somehow I recalled Zairon's look and the way he spoke after is like he has been controlling his anger.
[A/N: This stupid character of mine!!!]
anyway, I should answer him already.
"Lia has been under suspicions in which your mother sent someone to keep an eye on her. We cannot contact her or else she may die."
his spoon fell on the floor with his wide open eyes, "what?"
I sighed. I too, also have this same reaction, but then it already happened. I gestured to some servant to clean it up and give him another spoon before continuing what I was saying.
"she finds it suspicious that you disappeared at night. Lia is the most suspicious of all since she always looks after you and the one who was in that building most of the time. After all..." I stopped and stared at his eyes.
There is another reason why the Marchioness suspects the old maid and that reason is...
"after all, that woman was also the nanny of your father."