Ramiro froze, his eyes wide open. "Give you the Ignis?" he echoed, his tone laced with disbelief and a hint of panic. His villainous aura flared instinctively as his mind raced. "You're joking, right?"
"No," Luzia replied matter-of-factly. "At first, I was planning to steal it, but this is way easier." She leaned back, nonchalantly inspecting her nails as if she hadn't just dropped a bombshell.
Ramiro choked. "You—you what?!" he sputtered, leaning forward like he hadn't heard her correctly.
"You heard me," she said, meeting his wide-eyed stare without a hint of shame. "It'll be safer with me. Think about it, Father. If someone tries to steal it while you're at the Magic Tower, you'd feel terrible, wouldn't you? This way, I'll guard it. Problem solved."
Ramiro blinked, his mind trying to comprehend the sheer audacity of his ten-year-old daughter. "Luzia, you're ten. The Ignis is one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence, not a teddy bear you can keep under your pillow!"
"Exactly," Luzia said, as if that proved her point. "You trust me, don't you?"
He opened his mouth to protest, but Luzia leaned forward suddenly, grabbing his arm and lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "As for the second favor..."
Ramiro leaned in despite himself, his curiosity piqued. Her lips brushed near his ear as she whispered her next words. Whatever she said made his eyes widen in shock. He pulled back, looking at her as though she'd just proposed turning the kingdom upside down.
"You're full of surprises," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
"Well?" Luzia said, folding her arms and tilting her head impatiently. "Do we have a deal or not?"
Ramiro sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "I might be able to accept the second favor," he admitted reluctantly, "but the first—"
Luzia cut him off with a dramatic sigh, her expression falling into a picture of pure heartbreak. "So you don't trust your own daughter?" she asked, her big eyes shimmering with mock sorrow.
Ramiro flinched as if struck. His heart wavered at the sight of her forlorn expression. "It's not that I don't trust you," he muttered defensively. "It's just… you're ten. And it's the Ignis."
"Fine," Luzia said with a heavy, exaggerated sigh. "Then add more magical locks to it. Emergency purpose, you know? Since you clearly think I'm incapable." Her tone was sharp, but her sad puppy-dog eyes delivered the final blow to his resolve.
Ramiro clutched his chest dramatically, as though wounded. 'Why is my daughter so manipulative? And why does it work?'
After a long pause, he smiled nervously. "On second thought…" He exhaled, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "How about we do both?"
Luzia's sharp eyes lit up with triumph, though she quickly masked it with a smug, knowing smirk. "Good decision, Father. I knew you'd see reason eventually."
Ramiro slumped in his seat, wondering for the hundredth time how he—a supposedly intimidating villain—had been so thoroughly outmaneuvered by a ten-year-old. "I think I'm raising a little tyrant," he muttered under his breath.
"Correction," Luzia said, standing up and brushing imaginary dust off her nightgown. "You're raising an efficient problem-solver. Big difference."
She gave him a final, pointed look before adding, "Well, goodnight, Dad," and turned to leave the study, her footsteps light but purposeful.
Ramiro watched her retreating figure, a small frown tugging at his features as he mulled over her request. 'Giving her the Ignis is even more dangerous,' he thought, rubbing his temples. 'But at least it's temporary. I guess that's why she asked for that second favor...' He couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself. 'At least she knows how to make a deal, even at ten.'
Ramiro's gaze followed her until she reached the door and left, then, suddenly, a realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
'I didn't ask for a goodnight kiss!'
His eyes widened, and for a brief moment, he sat frozen. 'How could he have let that slip?' His mind raced, but by the time he recovered from his shock, the sound of Luzia's footsteps had faded down the hall.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 'It's probably for the best'he muttered to himself. ' Maybe next time...'
But still, the thought nagged at him, like a tiny, annoying itch he couldn't quite scratch. He glanced at the door one last time and mumbled, "Goodnight, Luzia..."
The silence of the study seemed to answer him with an odd kind of finality.
The next morning...
Ramiro was locked up in his study, poring over redevelopment plans for Sunshine Orphanage. Papers were scattered across his desk, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him.
Meanwhile, in Luzia's room, the atmosphere was entirely different. She sat in front of her vanity mirror, her sharp eyes fixed on her reflection as Cecilia carefully styled her hair.
Luzia's thoughts churned as Cecilia's fingers worked deftly, braiding sections of her hair into a neat yet elegant style. 'Everything is almost ready now. I can finally fish out the person helping Ivan and expose them both at the same time.'
Her gaze flickered to the faint glow of morning light filtering through her window. The fact that I couldn't see them in my vision could mean they're using some kind of invisibility magic… Either way, they'll definitely ensure Ivan steals the ignis on that day.'
A small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. She tilted her head slightly, watching Cecilia's focused expression in the mirror.
The trap has been set.
A knock came on Luzia's door, interrupting her thoughts.
"Come in," she said, her tone composed.
Aurelio stepped inside, carrying a regular chest in his arms. "A gift from the lord, my lady," he said, his voice formal as ever.
Luzia's sharp eyes caught the chest's reflection in the mirror. Her lips curled into a slight smirk. But what truly piqued her interest was Cecilia's expression—her maid's face had gone pale, her hands frozen mid-motion in Luzia's hair.
'Hmm… why is she so shocked?' Luzia wondered, her keen mind already filing away the reaction for later analysis.
Feigning annoyance, she turned her gaze lazily toward Aurelio, her performance flawless as always. "Ah, why is he sending gifts now?" she said with a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, he's too much sometimes."
Without giving him another glance, she waved a hand dismissively. "Leave it in the closet. I'll deal with it later."
"As you wish, my lady," Aurelio replied, bowing slightly before moving to do as instructed.
As Aurelio exited the room, Luzia's gaze lingered on Cecilia's reflection. The maid, who had frozen in surprise for a moment, quickly masked her emotions and resumed her usual calm demeanor as she continued to style Luzia's hair. 'Interesting… very interesting,' Luzia thought.
When Cecilia finished, Luzia stood up and turned toward her, smiling brightly. "I like this hairstyle very much! I look very pretty. Thank you so much, Cecilia!"
Cecilia's face softened, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "I'm glad you like it, my lady."
Luzia's smile softened briefly before fading into something more calculating as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Hmm… something's missing," she murmured.
"Like what, my lady?" Cecilia asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"Flowers," Luzia declared with a small nod, her expression brightening.
"Flowers?" Cecilia echoed, her eyes widening.
"Yes. I really like flowers, and I want one that matches this dress. Can you get it for me? From the garden?" Luzia asked, her tone sweet and her eyes pleading.
Cecilia blinked, caught off guard by the request. "Huh? Alright, I'll do that, my lady," she said after a pause, bowing slightly before turning to leave the room.
As soon as Cecilia left, a sly smile crept across Luzia's face. "Perfect," she whispered to herself.
She adjusted her dress and walked to the door, stepping out of her room. The quiet click of her heels echoed softly in the hallway. As she made her way down, she noticed Lady Beatriz approaching from the opposite direction.
Beatriz's face lit up with recognition, and she quickly dipped into a respectful bow. "Good morning, my lady."
"Good morning, Lady Beatriz," Luzia replied with a warm smile.
"Are you heading to see his lordship?" Beatriz inquired politely.
"No," Luzia said, shaking her head lightly.
Beatriz tilted her head in mild confusion. "Then…?"
"I'm actually looking for Elena," Luzia said, her voice measured.
"Oh, Elena is in her quarters," Beatriz replied.
Luzia's brows furrowed slightly, feigning surprise. "Why is that?"
"She mentioned going for a walk last night," Beatriz explained, "and apparently, she caught a cold because of it."
"Last night?" Luzia repeated, her thoughts racing. That's when I bumped into her...
Her lips curved into a polite smile. "Alright, thank you, Lady Beatriz. Then that means I should see how she is doing. Could you lead me to her quarters?"
Beatriz blinked, surprised at Luzia's request, ' Oh my ...the young lady is so thoughtful .' she thought as she smiled softly
She then nodded. "Of course, my lady. Please follow me." She turned and led Luzia down the hallway, her pace steady and formal.
As Beatriz led her through the hallways and down a narrow staircase, Luzia kept her expression neutral while her mind worked quickly. 'Why is she lying about the cold? She didn't go out last night...'
They reached a modest wooden door at the far end of the servants' quarters. Beatriz knocked gently.
"Elena, are you awake?"
A faint voice answered, "Yes, come in."
Beatriz opened the door and stepped aside for Luzia to enter.
Elena was sitting on her bed, wrapped in a shawl, her cheeks flushed slightly. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Luzia. "M-My lady? What brings you here?"
Luzia walked into the room and waved Beatriz off. "Thank you, Beatriz. I'll just speak with Elena for a moment. You can return to your duties."
Beatriz nodded before bowing and leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
Luzia turned to Elena with a small smile, though her gaze was sharp. "You don't look so unwell, Elena. A little pale, perhaps, but not bedridden. Tell me, how are you feeling?"
Elena fidgeted with her shawl. "I'm fine, my lady. Just a bit of a chill from last night."
Luzia's smile didn't waver as she took a step closer. "I see. But tell me, Elena, were you really feeling unwell, or was it something else that kept you in bed today?"
Elena froze, her hands gripping the edge of her shawl. "I-I don't understand, my lady."
Luzia's voice dropped to a whisper, her gaze sharp. "You don't need to lie to me. After all, I bumped into you last night."
Elena's face turned ashen, her lips parting in shock. "My lady, I—"
Luzia held up a hand, her tone calm but commanding. "I just need to know one thing—were you following someone?"
Elena hesitated, her fingers gripping the edge of her blanket tightly. Her eyes darted nervously before she finally gave a small nod. "Yes, my lady. I was following someone… but I didn't know who they were."
Luzia's eyes narrowed, her expression unreadable. "So you couldn't see their face?"
Elena shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. "No, my lady. I mean… it was a face I didn't recognize."