“You dare laugh at me?” Carloi could not believe that nobody like Maxineirah had the nerve to ridicule him. His face flushed in anger and gritted his teeth
“I am not the only one who laughed at you. Did you not hear?” Maxineirah said in sarcasm.
“You brat! You are just an insignificant unloved daughter!” Carloi was easily pissed.
Maxwell’s ears throbbed and not a second passed after hearing that, his face had darkened.
“Watch your mouth!” Maxwell was enraged and grabbed Carloi’s collar albeit there was a height difference.
“Brother!”
“Maxwell!”
Both Grenchant and Maxineirah tried to stop the angered Maxwell. Everyone was startled. Carloi immediately moved on, clutched Maxwell’s smaller hands than his and shoved them away forcefully.
Maxwell was stronger than him but if Carloi did that, he could not protest. He could not just beat him now and there, right? Or his father would know.
The training field was desolate because the Knights were to practice in a different place that day so that no one could look after them so they were free to cause trouble. But at the same time, not.
“Even if I am an ‘insignificant unloved daughter’, it is none of your business! At the least, that ‘bastard of a brother’ of yours that you keep on looking down on is better than any of you. Go home! How dare you cause trouble in our territory?!” Maxineirah shouted while supporting her furious brother.
She would not let anyone ruin her family reputation!
Carloi realized what he did and backed down, trembling. How should he explain what happened to his family? They were all looking up and hoping for him to finally enter the distinguished House of Ducal.
Carloi retreated. He kept on biting his fingernails on the way back. He should not have done that!
He should have kept his patience and did not say anything. He was wrong!
The Viscount and Viscountess heard what happened, not long after, they received a letter from the Duke himself. The letter was full of intimidation from the Duke. He did not even cover his curses on the letter.
The Viscount was in fear of Duke while his blood was boiling of anger for the youngest who came back not just with failure but shame and disaster.
“Just what have you brought back?!” the Viscount asked as he hit his child with his cane.
“Oh my, Frite! Carzon! Stop hitting your son!’’ The Viscountess was teary-eyed seeing her child being beaten by her own husband. She was trying to reach her husband’s arms to stop him but the Viscount shoved her away.
“You luckless child! You were given a chance to prove yourself but that b*stard brother of yours did better than you. Ha!” The Viscount had filled out his rage by beating his son.
The older brothers could hear them from the neighboring room and could not help but to shudder in silence as they thought only the same thing, ‘If it were me, I would have done better.’
But no one would be able to tell what comes next.
The next day, the Viscountess brought his youngest son to the Duchy.
Carloi kept his head down all the time after seeing the three children. He was ashamed of what he did and said yesterday. He was sure that they were still mad at him and there was no way they would forgive him.
He was hiding behind his mother who had the guts to talk to them. He feels like the bruises in his face and arms were visible because he could feel them throbbing in pain from last night.
“We greet you with prominent Graces. I believe we already met at my third son’s coming of age banquet.” The Viscountess said full of pride that made the three of them speechless. No wonder where the son got his prideful attitude and thick face.
“Pardon my son’s rudeness yesterday. He still does not know better so in the future, please guide him well. Drensc -I mean, Drelle wanted to become a priest that badly so he could not wait anymore to enter the Church. Instead of him, I think my fourth son is the most suitable to be your playmate. Please accept him.” The Viscountess said so abruptly in a manner they could not refute her words.
If they were to refute, they might turn out rude when she said it like that.
She was just not suggesting but she was pushing her son too much that it looked like she was declaring it.
There was no ounce of sincerity in her apology. And did not even apologize to Maxineirah. Did she not hear what her son did exactly?
Is this what she called her ‘apology’?
How very RESPECTFUL that Maxineirah wanted her past self back and treated the Viscountess also in a very RESPECTFUL manner.
Maxineirah could not rebut even if she wanted to, her brother and Grenchant were present at the moment.
Just because there were no adults around that could defy the Viscountess does not mean that she could just do anything she wanted with them.
Maxineirah has seen so many people hungry with power, wealth and honor in her past lives, she could do something but what could a child like her right now could do?
“Thank you for the welcome, Your Graces. We will come back next time.” The Viscountess thought that the children agreed to everything that she said because none of them complained and just stood in silence.
‘Silence means yes, no?’ That was what’s running through her mind while they were leaving.
The Viscountess and her son left with all smiles that anyone would think that something good happened in their visit when the truth was it was just what the Viscountess assumed.
“Mom, is it alright that we left just like that?” Carloi was worried. It was just a short time but the three of them did not have a good look on their faces when he tried to lift his head up.
He was more afraid of Maxwell’s dark expression as if he would devour them alive.
It was as if he had a glimpse of hell and saw a devil in flesh. Also, for a moment he thought he saw some of Maxwell’s veins on his forehead bulging just like any monsters who were angered.
“Of course! Did you not see their reaction? They did not show any disagreement!”
‘But they did not show any agreement either.’ Carloi thought.
“It was a good thing I came with you but your father is too much. How can he beat you up like this?” Viscountess asked in a grudging manner as she looked at her son’s bruises and gently caressed them.
Carloi remembered what happened yesterday and could not help but to shiver.
“Do not worry son, this will not happen again anymore because the next time you go to Zachrono’s Estate, you will be the official playmate and your father can never do this to you anymore. He will have to watch his actions from now on. Does that not sound good?!” Viscountess Ystradgynlais said excitedly and had dreamy eyes as she leaned on the window to look outside.
Even though his mother assured him, he could not fathom the feeling he was feeling in his chest at that moment. He felt like something bad would happen, his father would not beat him up again, would he?
Lunch came shortly after the mother and son left the Estate. Maxineirah went to her room looking obviously bothered by something. She suddenly left while they were focused in the middle of training.
Kathelina who was looking at the side, followed behind her back but because of thinking too much about what happened earlier, Maxineirah did not notice that she was being followed by her personal maid out of worry.
She reached her room and lied down on her stomach as she buried her place on the plump pillow. She even forgot to close the door so Kathelina was able to enter and the one who closed it.
Kathelina marched towards her Young Lady and stopped next to her bed. She kneeled down to level Maxineirah’s bed.
She could see her excess fats on her face as her face was pressing onto the pillow.
Maxineirah looked so adorable even though she was bothered.
Kathelina poked her cheeks and asked in a gentle voice, “Is there something making you upset, My Lady?”
Maxineirah shook her head. She was worried that if she told Kathelina about what was bothering her, she would tell it to the Duke immediately, thinking that it would ease her worries.
Although she was right about that, she does not want to pass her problems to her father. She should be independent because she has been living different lives.
Kathelina did not want to force her Little Miss so she changed the topic.
“Oh, it is already lunch. Shall we go down, Miss?” Kathelina asked.
“No. I will be staying here.” Maxineirah replied in a low voice.
Kathelina sighed. She stood up to leave to help with the lunch preparation.
Her Young Mistress was always as stubborn although she sometimes acted more mature than her peers her age.
“I will bring your lunch here, then.” Kathelina said as she closed the door.
Kathelina arrived at the kitchen but found out that the other maids already brought out the food to the training ground so she prepared her Young Lady’s lunch instead.
With the pushcart, she left the kitchen but on the way to her Lady, she met Maxwell on the hallway along with Sir Halnois.
“Kath! Where is my sister?” Maxwell asked childishly in akimbo.
Kathelina forced a smile as she answered, “Upstairs, Young Lord”.
Maxwell nodded his head and noticed the pushcart in front of Kathelina.
“Is that for Maxine?” Maxwell wondered.
“Yes.”
Maxwell approached and offered to bring her sister’s lunch instead.
Kathelina told Creston to guard their Young Lady from outside the room.
He reached Maxineirah’s room and entered without knocking. He believed that he need not to knock anymore since it was his own sister’s.
He was rude but Maxineirah did not mind because her attention was somewhere else.
Maxwell saw her facing back and forth, Worry was evident to her face and he knew right away what was bothering her sister’s mind.
The Ystradgynlais Viscountess and her son, Carloi.
Anger started to well up in his chest. How could they worry his precious sister?!
He really hates people like them!
Grenchant left earlier right after lunch since all of them three lost their interest after the visit of Viscountess. They were able to retire earlier because none of the Knights or Albinio was guarding them since they were all absent.
Maximus was so busy with his paperwork that he did not know what happened, for he actually could not come at lunch.
Around 6 in the afternoon, Maxwell paid him a visit.
Maximus caught why his son, who does not come to his office, came.
Of course, it was because of Maxineirah.
“Dad! What are you doing?! Maxwell thought his father was naive as he started rambling on.
“Do you not know that Drelle’s ugly stepmom visited?!” he insulted.
“Watch your words young man.” Maximus warned. Although he knew the Ystradgynlais were unpleasant, they were still nobles.
“You do not know what they did to Maxine, Dad! Right now she is bothered by her words! She could not even eat properly.” Maxwell’s words ignited his father’s fury and his thoughts immediately changed about the Ystradgynlais.
“What a f*cking despicable woman!” Maximus commented so fast after hearing his son that made Butler Heinrich uneasy.
‘Your Grace, your words…’ Butler wanted to say but he shut his mouth tightly. It was not good to be involved in his Master’s rage or he might not sleep well at night because of work.
“Tell me everything!” Duke Zachrono demanded.
At night, Maxineirah was lying on her bed, staring at the high ceiling of the room, her mind was off to somewhere far away.
Maxwell was already wearing his pajamas but his worries for his sister did not vanish even after consulting his father about the matter.