That night, after returning from the ball around three o'clock, Anning dropped Christina off at her home, then went back to his own place and saw that Vanni was still waiting for him.
Anning: "It's late, and as a servant, you have to get up early tomorrow. You can go to sleep first."
"That won't do, if a servant goes to sleep before their master, it would be neglecting their duty."
Anning: "I don't have such a rule here, sleep when you need to."
Although Anning said this, seeing Vanni waiting for him still felt quite nice.
In his previous life, Anning, living alone and working, would not have anyone waiting for him at home, and each time after work he would return to an empty and quiet house.
If in his past life he had come home to see such a cute maid like Vanni waiting for him, his happiness would definitely have greatly increased.
Unfortunately, in his former life, this was just a fantasy unless future technology in robotics made significant breakthroughs allowing household maid robots to become everyday items; otherwise, such a scenario was almost impossible.
But realizing this dream in this life was not so bad.
Vanni observed Anning closely, then suddenly said, "Actually, you're quite happy to see me waiting for you, aren't you?"
"Uh, indeed." Anning admitted, "But, to differentiate the matters, I would prefer you wait for me because you are worried, not because of a servant-master obligation. I hope we can be friends, not master and servant."
Vanni clicked her tongue: "Friends, huh... Interesting, you actually want to be friends with a servant."
"Is that not okay? In my eyes, you are also a lovely woman, so isn't it natural for one to want to be friends with a lovely woman?" Anning responded.
Vanni: "But I am a maid."
"I am a son of a leatherworker. Besides, that perception is not correct, everyone should be born equal."
"You've been listening to Mabuli's speeches too much."
"Let's just go with that, but from now on, don't consider me as your master, but as a friend. Alright, it's getting late, you have to get up early tomorrow, right? Go to sleep, go to sleep!"
Vanni didn't leave: "I need to prepare your bed, are you planning to sleep now?"
"Yes, I am planning to sleep now, just prepare it casually."
Vanni picked up the candlestick on the table: "Then please follow me upstairs."
Moments later, Anning finally lay down in bed, holding the candlestick, and gently said: "Good night, Mr. Frost."
"Good night." Anning said.
That whole day, he was indeed very tired, so he quickly fell into a deep sleep, then he dreamt of Reginald's father, Marquis Li Xia'er, fiercely sending him to the court, accusing him of murder.
The Duke found a lawyer to defend the Marquis, but the lawyer turned against him in court, claiming that the Marquis was among the nobility, and nobility was justice.
Consequently, Anning was sentenced to death and immediately executed by hanging.
Anning dreamt all the way of being on the gallows, then he puzzledly asked the executioner: "Shouldn't France be using the guillotine?"
The next moment, the gallows transformed into a guillotine, and Louis XVI personally adjusted the settings of the guillotine, then gleefully said to Anning: "This new guillotine I invented is absolutely painless, very efficient!"
Then, Anning was placed on the guillotine, and the dream ended there.
Anning suddenly sat up, finding himself covered in sweat.
He thought back on the content of the dream, thinking to himself that it wouldn't do, he needed to find a reliable lawyer.
At least find one who wouldn't be biased due to the status of commoners or nobles.
Although it was unlikely that the Marquis was actually going to accuse him of murder, it was always good to be prepared for such a situation.
Speaking of lawyers, Anning suddenly remembered a person who later, during the French Revolution, because of often providing legal assistance to commoners and accumulating reputations, was selected into the National Assembly.
This person was named Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre.
At this time, Robespierre should be studying for his bachelor's degree at the law school, exactly in Paris!
Robespierre's grandfather and father were both lawyers who had experiences in helping commoners in court, and seeking him out in such times would definitely be reliable.
A bit later, Robespierre would return to his hometown Aras, where he would work as a lawyer and judge until the Third Estate was convened in 1789.
Anning made up his mind, got out of bed, and got dressed.
Vanni, as if timing it intentionally, knocked on the door just as Anning finished putting on his trousers and shirt.
"Come in!" Anning said.
Vanni walked in, glanced at Anning: "Breakfast is ready, would you like to have it in the bedroom?"
"Can I go somewhere else to eat?" Anning asked back.
Vanni said, "The Duke said yesterday that if you would like to have breakfast together, you can come over."
Anning shook her head, "I would rather not disturb the Duke's family life."
Vanni nodded, turned around, and soon came back carrying breakfast.
This morning there were eggs, bread, and smoked ham slices, much more lavish than yesterday's breakfast.
Anning commented, "Is it my imagination or has the standard of my meals improved?"
"It's the Duke's idea, you are now a distinguished guest of the Duke," Vanni replied.
Anning shrugged as he put on his last piece of clothing. After Vanni set down the breakfast, she stepped forward to help Anning neaten his attire.
Anning said, "By the way, I plan to visit King Louis University this morning, can you arrange a carriage for me?"
Vanni asked curiously, "Why are you going there?"
"I need to find a lawyer. The Queen's close friend, Lady Longbale, mentioned at yesterday's ball that Reginald's father will surely be furious and definitely come to Paris to seek justice for his son."
Vanni said, "Wouldn't it be easier to use the Duke's lawyer? The Duke has acknowledged the outcome of the duel, and he wouldn't allow a provincial Marquis to boss around his guests."
Anning raised his eyebrows. Logically, that made sense, but last night's dream was rather unsettling.
Anning could even recall the sensation of the guillotine's lock around his neck.
Moreover, as part of a future fence-sitting plan, it wouldn't hurt to get to know Robespierre in advance.
Before entering the second half of 1893, the Jacobins were still somewhat reasonable. Later, due to dire circumstances, they had no choice but to initiate the Reign of Terror.
Escape to the battlefield before the Jacobins start their Reign of Terror, dodging that chaotic era strewn with bloodshed and slaughter.
Thinking this, Anning told Vanni, "I need to find a lawyer willing to defend peasants against nobles."
Vanni asked, "Do you know such a lawyer?"
"No, I don't know any, that's why I'm going to look for one," Anning replied.
Vanni looked at him doubtfully, "Start looking now? Can you even find one? You might as well ask Mr. Mirabeau for help; that drunkard has a lot of connections in Paris."
Anning queried, "Did you just call Mirabeau a drunkard?"
"It's the truth," Vanni assertively said, "and Mirabeau always gives Miss Christina those lecherous looks."
Anning inquired, "Really?"
Vanni affirmed, "Yes! And he also—"
"He gives you lecherous looks too?"
"That, he does not, but that makes it even more infuriating."
That's even more infuriating!
After sharply critiquing Mirabeau, Vanni seriously said, "But he indeed has a wide network of contacts. He might know a lawyer who is willing to take cases for commoners against nobles."
Anning thought for a moment and felt going directly to King Louis University might not necessarily put him in touch with Robespierre; asking Mirabeau first for a referral seemed more reliable.
So, he asked Vanni, "When will Mr. Mirabeau come to the Royal Palace?"
Vanni answered, "He lives nearby, and his house is also a property of the Duke."
"Well, then I'll visit him this morning..."
"You should have a servant send him a message first, saying you want to visit."
"Can you send him the message?"
"It's customary for a male servant to run such errands, who lets their maid do these things?"
Anning remarked, "You are my only maid, and there are no male servants?"
"We can have the Duke's stable boy do it," Vanni suggested.
Anning replied, "Then please find the stable boy to send a message to Mirabeau that I intend to visit him this morning."
Vanni nodded, "Alright, I'll do that."
Anning sighed with relief and sat down at the table to enjoy the lavish breakfast of the day.