I go out of the room. Seeing one servant, I order, "Call my father. Tell him he needs to see this."
The servant nods, turns around, and leaves. Hmmm… I am getting more and more used to ordering people. I glance back at Gavin. He lifts Aiko and places her on my bed. Carefully, he also deposits the cup of hot chocolate on the bedside table.
"You will need this as proof," he says to me. "Get a sample before your father arrives."
I nod as I do what I'm told. I pull a chair closer to the bed. Aiko is only sleeping, but I am not sure how long she will sleep. As Gavin said, I have little control over the output of my magic.
"I will make myself scarce. See you tonight."
Then he goes out of the window. He will probably stay at the greenhouse in the meantime. Besides, I don't think that Duke Dunnett supports Lyrica's monster collection hobby.
I wonder what my previous human sex slaves are doing? Gener, Eric, Peter, Raulo, and Chris. I let them stay here for a while and specifically requested the maids to make sure they are getting properly fed. I hope they are getting healthy too. I still haven't found a home for them, but soon I will.
And I wonder… do they also hate Lyrica to the point that they will kill her? Should I visit them again? Should I tell them that I put Aiko into a deep sleep because she tried to poison me? Are they really being forced to have sex with her? Or do they enjoy it since they share the same hatred for me?
I groan. There is too much to do, but too little time. Ah! I miss Calais.
The door bursts open and Duke Dunnett comes in. He closes the door and strides towards me. He is furious. I can see it in the way he glares at me, the way he strides towards me. His fists are closed and his jaws are clenched.
"You wild, evil daughter of mine!" he screams. He raises his hands to hit me, but stops when he meets my eyes. "I don't know how I am able to raise a hideous girl like you!"
I look away from him. "It's exactly your lack of upbringing that made me like this," I answer.
"You! You wicked girl! You even betrayed the only handmaid who can last serving you!"
"Lower your voice and sit in front of me," I castigate.
I know that Lyrica does not act like this towards his father. But I am past that. I know that I will never earn his love for Lyrica. So it's about time he understands that his daughter is different now.
"You have no right—"
"Father!" I raise my voice and turn my attention back to him. "This is not how a Duke, such as yourself, should behave. I know you hate me, but I need you to be civil, at least."
He glowers at me, but he knows that I am making sense. If we are going to have a conversation, it starts with him, lowering down his voice. And besides, the Duke is only around forty years old, and I am, in reality, thirty years old on the inside. There's not much of a difference in our age and maturity.
He pulls a chair and sits opposite me. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Aiko tried to poison me."
He starts to get up, but I raise my hand to stop him.
"She's only in a deep sleep. I did not kill her."
He glances at Aiko's form and back at me.
"I am letting go of my sex slaves and she doesn't like that. She enjoys them," I add.
"You are referring to only the human slaves, right?" he asks.
"No, I am also referring to the monsters I collected until this day."
I watch the anger in his face turn into surprise. "Why would you do that? I thought you were marrying General Calais. Did you change your mind and want to join the Queen selection instead?"
"I am still marrying Calais."
"Then why? He knows you have sex slaves, and he still offered marriage to you, which means he accepted it."
"I will be leaving this house once I get married. Are you willing to take care of them?"
He looks disgusted.
"So, you are just planning to let them die," I state. "Or probably you are going to massacre them?"
He glares at me. "Then, what do you need now?"
"I need money," I respond.
"I already give you your allowance for this month."
"That's not what I mean. I am going to sell my stash of jewelry to get the money I need to rehabilitate my slaves. I will sell everything I have that is of value. What do you think is the best way to earn the most money from it?"
He snorts. "Are you serious?!"
"I am."
"Are you bored with all your shiny little things that you want new ones?"
"I told you it's for the rehabilitation of my slaves. Besides, I can get new ones in the future."
"You want to put General Calais in debt? That man might be living comfortably, but he is not that rich. His funds can get depleted."
"Father, please. Just advise me of the best way to earn." And maybe start seeing me with clear eyes. I am no longer the same Lyrica.
He stares at me, deciding if I am serious or not. I was relieved when he finally says, "Hold a banquet and do an auction. I will send you an assistant later to help you with the preparations." He crosses his legs and adds, "So what are you going to do with your maid?"
"Is there a place we can send her for rehabilitation?"
"None. Prison or death. That's the only choice for someone who tried to poison her mistress. So where's the proof?"
I point at the cup of hot chocolate behind him. When my father stares at it, I feel nervous and become grateful that Gavin recommended earlier to get a sample and hide it before my father arrived.
"I will ask someone to take her and get statements from you," he says instead. "Is that all?"
I nod. He stands up. But before leaving, he whispers, "I felt a couple of monster auras for the past few days. I hope that whatever you are doing, it will not tarnish the Dunnett's name."
"It will not, Father. I assure you."
"You seem to be cleaning up your life. Is this really because of Calais?"
"I am doing it for myself. I am just exhausted of it all."
"Ha!" My father snorts. "If only I knew the General could influence you, I could have asked him to marry you already. The two of you should have not stayed engaged for such a long time."
It will not happen, though. Lyrica does not like Calais before I possessed her body, no matter how handsome he is. They only stayed engaged because Lyrica does not want to be troubled by suitors and extra eyes. And Calais is in love with his childhood friend, so he doesn't want mothers to come to him, offering him their daughters.
"But Lyrica," Duke Dunnett whispers. "This will be the last time I will help you clean up your mess. Any more than this and you will be on your own."
"I understand, Father," I answer, bowing a bit to him.