Chapter 28
‘T-That disgraceful brat…!’
“Haha! So the Madam is here to see the plum tree as well! Don’t stay so far away—come closer and take a look! The blossoms are quite fresh!”
Whether he was clueless or just pretending to be, Marquis Penian approached and led the Grand Madam toward the plum tree.
Since it had come to this anyway, the Grand Madam decided to take a closer look at the new buds sprouting from the branches. If Airie had pulled some cheap trick, she was fully prepared to scold her thoroughly.
However…
‘…It really has come back to life.’
The fresh green buds on the branches exuded vibrant energy. One could almost feel the strong life force emanating from them.
The Grand Madam had no choice but to acknowledge it.
“You’ve done something commendable. Well done.”
With so many people watching, the Grand Madam had to praise Airie—for the sake of her own dignity, if nothing else.
…Of course, it wasn’t entirely without sincerity. After all, she too had wanted the plum tree to be revived.
“Thank you. More importantly, how are you feeling? Are you moving around more easily now?”
However, the moment Airie asked that question with such a bright, innocent face, any feelings of appreciation the Grand Madam had instantly vanished.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, the Madam had been unwell and resting for over a week. Didn’t the Duke know?”
The Grand Madam glared secretly at Airie, who blinked up at her innocently.
You’re going to tattle that I was pretending to be sick—here, in front of all these people? That little fox!
“I had no idea. If Mother was truly that unwell, someone should have informed me…”
Elkious twisted his lips subtly—only visible to the Grand Madam’s angle of view.
“It seems the physician and attendants at the Delphinium Hall neglected their duties. I’ll have to dismiss them for such irresponsibility.”
“That won’t be necessary! I told them not to say anything. You’re clearly busy with official affairs—how could I selfishly call you back and forth?”
“I see. Please don’t do that next time. I shouldn’t be unaware when my own mother is sick.”
His voice was as gentle and considerate as could be—despite being completely devoid of sincerity. That made it all the more irritating. The Grand Madam had no choice but to clench her fists.
But then, a voice was heard—one that absolutely shouldn’t have been here.
“Mother, are you really all better now?”
“…Bell? Why are you here?”
“I was just with Sister Airie. She said the plum tree had new buds, so we came to see it together.”
Standing behind Airie, Veronica peeked her head out shyly, as if hiding behind her, and looked up at the Grand Madam.
Her face was filled with disappointment and frustration. But the Grand Madam failed to notice her daughter’s emotions.
“Sister? Your only sister is Vanessa. How could you—”
Conscious of the people around her, the Grand Madam swallowed her words and softened her tone.
“There hasn’t even been a proper engagement ceremony. Don’t be so hasty. If you’re not careful, your brother and Airie could end up being the subject of scandal. You need to watch your words and actions.”
If she had paid just a little more attention, the Grand Madam would have realized that her daughter was deeply hurt.
But she had completely forgotten that she’d broken her promise to go out into town with Veronica to buy dolls—just to avoid running into Airie.
Veronica had forced herself to accept it, thinking, Mother is sick—it can’t be helped. But now, instead of even an apology, all her mother did was scold her, and that was the last straw.
“The engagement hasn’t happened yet, but it will eventually.”
“What?”
“Brother, you still haven’t had the engagement ceremony. What are you doing? When are you going to do it?”
The Grand Madam was startled by Veronica’s boldness in front of Elkious.
But, unexpectedly, Elkious gently stroked Veronica’s head with a tender hand.
“Soon. I don’t know exactly when, but we’ll definitely have the ceremony. So you can keep calling her your sister.”
Then, his eyes met Airie’s.
She had been standing a little awkwardly but quickly straightened up and nodded enthusiastically when she felt his gaze.
“Of course! We’ll definitely have the engagement and the wedding too! So please keep calling me your sister.”
“Okay! Sister Airie!”
Beaming, Veronica ran into Airie’s arms and hugged her tightly.
The Grand Madam was speechless. She knew her daughter better than anyone.
‘She’s not the type of child to be this affectionate to someone else…!’
So this was where the real manipulation was happening—not with the plum tree, but with her daughter!
A realization hit the Grand Madam like a brick.
‘Don’t tell me… all those morning visits were to keep me stuck in the Delphinium Hall…!’
If she had known Airie was getting close to Veronica, she would’ve dropped the act and dragged her daughter away herself.
Airie must have predicted that and used the morning greetings as an excuse to keep the Grand Madam confined!
‘What kind of cunning little brat is this…?’
Watching Airie surrounded by Elkious, Marquis Penian, and now Veronica, the Grand Madam bit her lip in frustration.
If a sly girl like that became Duchess, the Ludian family would fall apart in no time.
‘I will make sure—absolutely make sure—to get rid of her!’
* * *
“You see? What did I tell you? I said my fiancée would bring the plum tree back to life, didn’t I?”
With a proud smile as if boasting about himself, Elkious raised his glass.
Marquis Penian clinked his own against it, speaking in a mildly reproachful tone.
“You were so sure, yet instead of enlightening your humble servant, you challenged me to a wager?”
“If I had an easy way to convince you, I would have used it.”
The truth was, there was a way.
He could have told him that a spirit had inhabited the nearly dead plum tree, that Airie could see that spirit, and that it had personally requested dozens of sacks of fertilizer.
Then, even Marquis Penian might have been persuaded.
Though, it wouldn’t have been easy. He likely wouldn’t believe that Airie could see spirits in the first place.
“Have I seen spirits before? No, this was my first time. Though… I have seen ghosts a few times. Maybe those weren’t ghosts but spirits?”
Airie had casually said she’d seen ghosts since she was young and treated seeing the spirit now as nothing special.
But this wasn’t something to just shrug off as “Oh, I guess she’s just someone with a rare ability.”
Being able to see spirits didn’t mean she had a special constitution—it meant she had a special bloodline.
“Hey, about the future duchess. If she can see spirits, that means—”
“Keep it secret.”
“Huh?”
“Keep it secret. At least for now. Airie doesn’t want to find her real parents yet.”
“I suppose, no matter what Your Grace had said, I wouldn’t have been convinced.”
“Exactly. My fiancée used a rather unconventional method. Frankly, anyone with common sense would’ve opposed it.”
Elkious took a light sip from his glass and set it down.
“Especially if their job was a gardener.”
Still seated in his chair, he glanced down at Charles, who was kneeling on the floor nearby.
“Mmmph, mmm!”
Gagged and with tears brimming in his eyes, Charles desperately let out muffled groans.
He looked quite pitiful, but the look in Marquis Penian’s eyes as he stared down at him held no sympathy.
“He even left his designated area and lingered near the plum tree all day, didn’t he?”
Not to mention how he had rushed up to Airie’s carriage the moment it arrived.
“He was practically screaming with his whole body, ‘Please suspect me!’ This is why even committing a crime requires some intelligence.”
“Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!”
“I wonder who the unlucky fool was that hired such an idiot?”
Elkious smiled serenely as he looked down at Charles.
It was a smile full of dark anticipation.
