Arianthe, who had stepped back when pushed by Lucien, leaped like a nimble deer, grabbing Lucien by the collar. Then, without giving him a chance to scream, she toppled Lucien backward and sat on his stomach.

“Don’t call me a girl! You naughty brat! Like a little worm! Apologize right now! I said apologize!”

“Ouch! Stop it! Ouch! It hurts! Gosh!”

Lucien, being relentlessly punched by Arianthe’s fist, squirmed helplessly. Since their body sizes weren’t significantly different, Arianthe couldn’t endure for long as Lucien vigorously struggled from below.

“Ah!”

This time, Lucien managed to flip Arianthe and sat on her. As he forcefully pulled her hair, Arianthe, despite crying out in pain, managed to twist her body and fiercely bit Lucien’s forearm.

“Ouch! Oww! It hurts! You darn girl!”

“Stop calling me a girl! Just stop!”

Arianthe’s palm smacked Lucien’s cheek with a slap. At that very moment, the two children fell apart. Arianthe was caught by Meiana, and Lucien was restrained by Bridget. They writhed around, still groaning and resisting while being held.

“Lady! Please stop! Lady!”

“Oh my, this young lord is really strong! Unbelievable!”

The calm Duke’s garden turned into chaos as if a war had broken out. Sensing that something was wrong from a distance, Cedric and other parents rushed over.

‘Absolutely insane.’

Meiana thought. Arianthe was still trying to break free, wriggling in Meiana’s arms. Lucien, on the other hand, struggled mindlessly, groaning and resisting while being held by Bridget.

“Lady, please stop!”

“Oh, this young lord is really strong!”

Cedric approached, trying to mediate the situation. Arianthe, still groaning, twisted her body as if she couldn’t stand it anymore and kicked forcefully.

“He called me a girl! I didn’t cheat, but he said I did!”

Arianthe shouted, and Lucien retaliated by swinging his fist back. The two children, growling at each other, seemed ready to clash again. That’s when Cedric intervened with a stern voice.

“Both of you calm down!”

Upon Cedric’s words, Arianthe and Lucien immediately flinched and stopped struggling. However, their clenched fists were still trembling, and their strained breaths remained the same. Moreover, their glares at each other suggested that a spark might still ignite.

“What’s this behavior, Arianthe? Being so disrespectful to guests who accepted our invitation.”

Cedric spoke, and Arianthe looked up at him with a tearful expression.

“Lucien! Oh my, this unruly boy! What’s the meaning of this, Lady! You must apologize immediately!”
Cedric’s father, Count Felix, roared loudly at Sailerus, Lucien’s father. Unlike his eldest son who was lean and small, Count Felix had a massive build. His mustache, twisted neatly under his nose, was visibly trembling from his extreme agitation.

However, Lucien was not at all daunted by his father’s scolding.

“Father! She hit me first!”

Upon hearing this, Cedric’s gaze turned towards Arianthe. Although he didn’t reprimand her verbally, his silent gaze alone was enough to quiet the audience.

After maintaining silence for a while, Cedric asked, “Arianthe, is what Lucien said true?”

Arianthe, with tearful eyes and a trembling lower lip, replied, “Lucien pushed me first.”

At that moment, Sailerus spoke up, “Your Grace, what Arianthe said is correct. Lucien… he pushed Arianthe, claiming she cheated. That’s why Arianthe got angry…”

Although Lady Alt seemed somewhat uneasy, she didn’t think Sailerus was lying. After all, Sailerus had never lied before. Besides, most of the attending parents were aware that Lucien had a mischievous side and could sometimes behave quite badly.

Count Felix, Lucien’s father, delivered a hefty slap on his son’s buttocks.

“Doing such things! You should know you’ll stay indoors for the rest of the summer! Apologize to the Lady right away!”

“Father!”

“Even so!”

Lucien received another smack on the buttocks before grudgingly murmuring an apology. Arianthe’s eyes were fixed on him, and tears streamed down her face.

“Quickly!”

When his father urged him with a stern voice, Lucien, still pouting, spoke in a muffled voice, “Sorry for pushing… I, I’m sorry.”

Tears also rolled down Arianthe’s cheeks. Sailerus, who had watched the scene unfold, sighed deeply, realizing the gravity of the situation. Cedric spoke with a heavy sigh directed at Arianthe.

“Arianthe, you should apologize to Lucien as well. And you’re grounded for a week. This time, you’ll face consequences.”

Could there be anything more despairing for a seven-year-old than being grounded for a week? It wouldn’t be as bad as the sky falling right now… Arianthe’s face turned crimson with shame.

“Quickly.”

However, Arianthe couldn’t defy her father’s angry tone. With her lips pursed, she muttered a small “Sorry.”

In the awkward silence that followed, Lady Alt stepped forward.

“It’s common for children to fight while playing. But more important than the fight itself is apologizing to each other afterward.”