"Young master, I have prepared everything according to your wish," the maid bowed respectfully and returned to her place.
The servants have set up the table on the terrace for them. The afternoon sun was mild but pleasant and Cassiel and Violet could enjoy the food while breathing the fresh air. It was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but with the amount of food on the table, calling it afternoon tea would be also an understatement.
Despite the maid's behaviour being nothing but polite, Violet couldn't miss the disapproval gaze that she was showering with it.
It was unheard of for a commoner like her to sit at the lord's table, they probably thought that she was trying to seduce the young duke by getting close to his brother.
There was nothing that she could do but ignore it.
"Here, Ciel, take this spoon," she handed him the utensil. "Did you miss the food from the restaurant that much? Our chef took extra care preparing this."
"Yes!" He nodded with a smile and happily ate the spoonful of the stew. Violet tore off the bread and served it to him. She made sure he always had enough close to his hand, so he could eat without a pause.
The boy was growing well, and he also spent a lot of energy on the swordsmanship training. It was necessary to keep him well-fed. But seeing his chubby cheeks moving right now, Violet was not worried about his well-being.
"Ciel, did you meet with Lia recently?"
"Why?" He asked uninterested.
"Well, you need to have friends your age… And you two get along so well at my place…"
The real reason she mentioned was that after seeing Noah and the Duke of Belleville today, she decided to not follow the events of the book anymore. Cassiel and Ophelia should have a strong bond before reaching adulthood. This way, that red-haired imp won't be able to damage them.
"I don't like that tomboy," he murmured, but Violet dismissed his feeling as dishonest to admit his inner fondness.
Ophelia still visited her every day, but Cassiel's times with them were shortened considerably. He had to take more inheritance lessons and even visited the royal academy to spar with the knights. But as the visits from the little duke decreased, the orders for the food from the restaurant increased, and as the delivery girl, Violet was able to see him almost daily.
"Finish it all, Ciel. I will stop by the Duke's office first…"
"You are leaving already?" The boy dropped his spoon in disappointment. "Do you have to go and see Nathan?"
"It's only proper for me to greet the duke… since he is the one paying for my trip here and all this food," Violet replied to him. Besides, she also had a secret agenda by keeping a watch on him.
"I will see you later, Ciel," she waved to him and followed the maid to the main house. As soon as they left the terrace, the atmosphere changed abruptly.
Cassiel pushed the bowl of soup away.
"Butler," his previous warm tone was nowhere to be found as the chill affected even the sunlight.
"Yes, young master," the man standing nearby replied swiftly.
"That maid… fire her."
"P-pardon me?"
"Didn't you hear me?" A single piercing gaze from the twelve-year-old boy shook with even the experienced worker who dealt with the noble's whims every day. "That maid who left just now, fire her. And everyone else who dared to treat Violet with disrespect. Be it the gate guards, servants in the house or gardeners, everyone who looks down on her will be removed right away.
"T-hat… Young master. The matter of employees is for His Grace to decide…" The butler was sweating profusely.
The spoon in Cassiel's hand cracked and was broken into pieces.
"I understand!" The butler quickly bowed, realizing his mistake. "I will fire that maid right away!"
Even if this matter was brought before the Duke, Nathaniel would just say to do as his brother wished.
"And throw the food away… It's inedible," Cassiel stood up and left the shocked servants on the terrace alone.
Violet followed after the maid who treated her like an air. The atmosphere between the two was heavy and not a single sound could be detected between them. In the end, it didn't really matter to Violet, and she just overlooked the rude behaviour. In terms of standing, the maid in the Duke's palace was a much more respectable position than a waitress at the local restaurant.
"Your Grace, miss Violet has come," the maid announced her arrival and Nathan's secretary let them in.
"Your Grace…" Violet made a curtsy when they were left in the office alone.
"Please, miss Violet… between the two of us, such a courtesy is unnecessary…" Nathan quickly offered her a seat on the sofa.
"Then, my lord, please call me by my name only."
However, for the proper and polite Nathaniel, calling someone by name was too much of an intimate act. If he can't do it, they will be back to the beginning.
"Did you meet with Cassiel?"
"Yes, we had a meal together… Just watching him eat is a joy, he finished almost everything," she explained to him.
Nathaniel's had a weird expression as he heard her, but he did his best to not show anything. His brother was the king of pickiness. He was so difficult to please that it was almost unbelievable that he was still alive with the amount of food that he usually consumed.
"There is also some food for you, Your Grace," she pointed at the basket she bought with her.
"Ah, that's very kind of you, you should have given it to the butler. It must have been heavy to carry it all the way…"
"Please, don't worry about it. I will just put it here. Eat it later when you are hungry," Violet took the box and went over to his working desk. She found the empty spot and put the basket on. However, from her standing place, she could see the contents of the trash bin.
On top of the discarded papers, there was a tissue full of blood.
Violet turned to the duke in shock, but the man was calmly drinking his tea, not noticing her discovery.
It's too early…
The mysterious disease that will cause his death several years later has already started.
Ophelia, Cassiel, Crown Prince Noah, the Duke of Belleville, and the death that will trigger the unfortunate events, everything was already set in place.
Now, it was Violet's turn to make a move.
"Your Grace… Nathaniel… May I suggest something?"
"Of course, miss Violet… I'm always happy to hear your advice," Nathaniel showed her that she doesn't need to be afraid the voice her thoughts.
"In my opinion, Cassiel needs more friends around his age. There is a girl that I can recommend to become his study partner, her name is Ophelia Ellington," she tried to put some ideas onto him.
"Ellington? Is she the young lady from the viscount's house?"
"Yes, that's her… She is staying in the town with her nanny right now and visited my place when Cassiel came over. They get along well… She is a bright child who will definitely be helpful to him."
"That's … a brilliant idea, miss! I also wanted for him to have more contact with his peers, but I didn't even know that he was already a friend with someone!"
Yes, everything is going according to her plan. Bringing Ophelia to the duchy early, there is no way someone can separate them in the future.
Violet is going to challenge fate itself.
She refused to be a bystander.
Her role was now a director.