Valeri was in front of the big door which led to the duke's study room. She was a bit nervous but thinking about having the diamond lifestyle she cannot back down. The duke was the golden ticket for her long playful life. She entered the room with confidence. She bowed her head elegantly, "this humble daughter of yours pay respect to your grace, the duke of Enges."The duke was surprised and asked her to lift her head.
Valeri was also shocked to see the duke who was believed to be a very cold and dangerous person. He was sitting on his chair emitting a cold yet elegant aura. When she was reading novels before, she found that the duke was a very handsome person and now she can agree with where she got her good looks. She was in her thought when she heard the voice, "How are you feeling?" Valeri was surprised at first since he was not the type to concern for others. She replied, "Due to my grace and mercy, I have recovered from my fever."
"That's good to hear." He looked at Joseph. Joseph immediately grab the letter and gave it to Valeri. "this letter is from the imperial family." The duke said. Valeri took the letter and was looking the dragon crest which was the symbol of Lumus (light dragon).
"You are going to be 10 years old soon and it is your time to go to the capital and receive the blessing and get your own ring." The duke said with a straight face.
Valeri was confused at first but remembered that they have the custom to go to the capital when they reach the age of 10. "Yes, your grace. I will follow your order and prepare to leave for the capital." Valeri look at her father and "Do you have another order for me?" She said. Duke said, "No, you can leave." She bowed and bid farewell to her father.
After she left the butler asked, "My lord, why are you sending her to the capital so soon? You can delay the departure." The butler asked in confusion. All this year after the death of the formal duchess, the duke emerges himself to work and only shows little attention to his first daughter. But now he was interested in Valeri.
The duke has a smirk on his face, "Joseph, you already know, I can't say no to the imperial family." He stood up from the chair and look at the girl who was leaving with her maid. "The caged bird has changed. She is behaving opposite of her nature. Her eyes have greed, greed for power. It's amazing to see her trying to hide her sharp claws and curry favor." After he saw Valeri had left the garden, he looks at the butler and, "Joseph, she is someone out of the league and has to find her own destination. I just want to see how the imperial family, who is hungry for more can control her lava flame that can melt an iron" "It's just amusing. Just by thinking." He said and was smiling.
"As you wish, your grace, I will immediately prepare for the lady's departure." The butler said and left the room.
Butler's POV, "It's been a long time since I have seen my master smiling after the duchess's death. He was only focusing on his work and ignoring his children, especially the young lady. Well, the duchess's death was an accident and the lord keeps blaming himself." sigh, "still the lady has changed, she used to tremble at the sight of the duke and always used to hide. She was a pampered little lady and had issues dealing with her temper but now she is calm like water. What happened to her drastic change?... Well, I don't know if the change is for better or worse. As the descendant of Blaze, I don't think she can control her anger for a long time. I can only pray in the future, for the youngest person in the history of Ararin to obtain a ring."
Joseph was in his thought when he felt something. He looks around and when he notices no one, a pattern appears and he disappeared in thin air. In a dark room where the light cannot escape, Joseph receives a call from an unknown person. Joseph took out the crystal ball and place it on a table.
"Give me some good news." The unknown person told him. Joseph, bow his head and answered, "the hidden bird is, out of the cage and will head toward the imperial family." The person behind the crystal ball was happy to hear the word. "My lord, what should I do now? Should I make her disappear" Joseph asked.
"No, you don't have to do anything, just stay at duke palace and keep an eye on duke's family... An immature bird is easy to handle but it's amazing to hunt a mature bird. Seeing them struggling is so satisfying. Let her be fully mature before we hunt." The person replies.
Joseph, "My lord, she is a burning lava who got a ring at the age of 6. Don't you think it is a bit risky to let her find the truth? What if she became more powerful in the future."
The person, "Haha... Joseph, don't make me laugh. Valeri may be young but I want to make her realize that she is powerful and can raise high and high until she is so high. Then I will throw her to the pit bottom from the top and won't it be amazing? And by the time she realizes it will be so late... Ha... You know the power of love is so sweet than honey. It makes people blind that no one will realize the spread of venom. Just relax and look for an amazing play that I will perform. And you already know that my calculation is never wrong."
"Yes, my lord, I will follow your order and stay at duke palace." Joseph reply.
That person, "Joseph don't worry, I will contact you frequently and when everything is finished you can come to my side. Just endure for a few more years."
"Yes, my lord" He replied.
Communication was cut off. The other side, "The longer and harder the struggle, the sweeter the revenge."