Meiana said, “Guide Master Swan to his room. And when his luggage arrives, help him unpack… I will accompany the Lady for a moment.”

With a bang, the door closed.

Upon hearing the sound of the door closing, Ariante released Meiana’s shoulders with all her strength. Even when she was put down, she remained quiet, but her face, which had been filled with anger, still showed annoyance.

Meiana, pulling out a small chair from the tea table, said, “Please sit, Lady.”

Without answering, Ariante rolled her eyes and turned her head away.

“Do you not want to sit?”

Meiana lowered her chin and stared at Ariante. The child seemed to hesitate for a moment, glancing around, but ultimately decided to be stubborn.

“No, I won’t sit.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Meiana put the chair back in place.

“Okay. Then, you can just stand and listen.”

At that, Ariante, for some reason, looked at Meiana with a wounded expression.

Although she displayed a stubborn attitude, Ariante seemed worried about how Meiana would react. It seemed like she was ready to leave her alone in the room rather than face Meiana.

However, instead of leaving the room, Meiana sat down in front of Ariante. She looked into the child’s eyes, filled with confusion and uncontrollable emotions.

“Lady, Master Swan is visiting this house for the first time. He’s a guest. When Lord Cyrus or other friends come, you welcome them. Why are you treating Master Swan like this?”

Ariante, at Meiana’s words, pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose. It seemed like the child was considering for a moment, but she decided to stick to her stubbornness.

“He’s not my friend. Cyrus and the others are my friends, but he’s not my friend. I don’t want to be friends with him. Tell Venti to do it. Or Bridget. Or Ivi. Meiana doesn’t have to.”

Ariante’s voice echoed sharply as she stomped her foot. However, Meiana did not give up and said, “Master Swan can also become your friend.”

When Meiana tried to hold her hand, Ariante forcefully swung her arm to shake it off.

“I don’t want to! I don’t want to be friends with him. Cyrus, Umbrose, and Chroni are my friends! He’s not my friend! I don’t need him!”

The child’s voice echoed, accompanied by stomping feet. However, Meiana persisted and said, “If I were in Master Swan’s position, I would have been very sad.”

Ariante, with a somewhat irritated expression, stared at Meiana. Her eyes seemed to ask what she meant.

Meiana continued, “Lady, Master Swan is here for the first time, and he is a guest. When you welcome Lord Cyrus and the others, why do you treat Master Swan like this?”

Ariante, with a wounded expression, snorted and glared at Meiana. It seemed like a question, demanding an explanation.

Before Ariante could answer, Meiana spoke.
“When I first came here. If, back then, the Lady had been close to other maids and said she didn’t need someone like me… I would have felt sad and hurt. I can do a lot for the Lady too. We can go for walks together, play games, and I can make beautiful clothes for you. If you had rejected me and said I was not needed, it would have been very painful.”

“No, I won’t do that to you! He’s different from Meiana!”

“It’s not different. Master Swan probably has the same thoughts as me, right? Becoming friends with the Lady, riding on swings together, running together, playing hide and seek… If you say you don’t need me because you have other friends, it would be very sad.”

Ariante’s lips moved hesitantly. The child now precisely understood what Meiana was trying to say. A thorn grew in her heart.

“Still, I don’t want to. I want to be close with him.”

Meiana nodded her head.

“Yes, that would be nice if you got along. And it would be even better if you called him ‘Swan.’ Lady, the more friends, the better. It’s more fun when several people play together, right? Have I ever lied to you? No, right?”

“Well, even if you haven’t… But still…”

Ariante, her words trailing off, extended her lips. Tears welled up, and her cheeks turned red. She was angry, not only at the unfamiliar boy Swan but also at Meiana. Ariante instinctively realized that it was a time when she couldn’t give in.

Meiana would never back down from this issue, and probably neither would her father. Ariante had no way to express it, but she knew that the two of them were her everything. Even if it was something she couldn’t tolerate because she disliked it, Ariante understood that if they said it was right, she had to follow.

Tears finally rolled down Ariante’s eyes, threatening to burst into tears. As Meiana wiped her tears silently, even more tears streamed down, full of sorrow.

“But still, don’t hold hands with him… Hold hands with me.”

Meiana’s eyebrows dropped. When she faintly smiled, Ariante’s small body suddenly rushed towards Meiana like it was collapsing, heading for her embrace.

“Promise to keep playing with me. Promise to stay with me.”

Meiana, holding the small body close, patted Ariante’s back lightly.

“Don’t worry, Lady. I will always be by your side. Nothing will change. I promise.”

Meiana, in the midst of crying, lightly kissed Ariante’s forehead. Then, she gently shook the child like a baby, who was still sniffling.

“Now, you need to change your clothes. Teacher Ash will be here soon.”

“Fine.”

Ariante responded with a sulky tone. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she stood up and looked back at Meiana.

“Can we study together? With him?”

“Master Swan, yes, maybe we can. But not today. Today, Master Swan might be tired too. He has come a long way.”

As if she didn’t know, Ariante turned her head sharply with a pout.