While she shook her shoulders in discomfort, Arianthe tilted her head again in the opposite direction. Even that seemed like a mischief-prone puppy! Cute and absurd.

“Huh? Why not?”

Maeyana, who had been pursing her lips, coughed.

“Because I’m a maid.”

“Why does that matter?”

Maeyana sent a glance to Cedilloi as if asking for help, but he had no intention of helping at all… Instead, his expression seemed to suggest that it would be better to do that for Arianthe’s sake.

‘Just this man…!’

Arianthe showed no sign of giving up, and Cedilloi showed no sign of helping… The way out of this dilemma seemed bleak. Maeyana, clenching her fist, looked down at Arianthe and took a deep breath.

“Lady, a maid is a hired person. Your Grace knows that too, right? How can a nobleman like Your Grace use the bed of the Duke’s chambermaid?”

“Is there a law that says hired people can’t sleep in a noble bed? Why? Father, is that not allowed?”

“No, not at all. There is no such law anywhere.”

Arianthe looked at Maeyana with eyes that said, ‘Did you hear?’

‘Lady and maidservant make a perfect match.’

Maeyana thought.

At that moment, Ibi came in with chocolate and tea on a tray. As the teapot and teacups were set on the round table, Cedilloi hugged Arianthe and seated her at the table.

“Father, can Maeyana sleep with us tonight?”

Before Cedilloi could answer, Maeyana intervened.

“Lady, that’s not allowed.”

“It is. No, let it be.”

Before Cedilloi could answer, Arianthe interjected.

“Today, if you don’t sleep with me and Father, I’ll starve all day long. If Maeyana doesn’t listen to my request, I’ll be hungry every day, getting smaller and smaller until I’m just bones.”

Eventually, Maeyana raised both hands in surrender.

“I get it, I get it! Honestly, Your Grace! Why are you just laughing like that? At a time like this, you should discipline your daughter!”

Although caught off guard, Cedilloi’s expression remained unchanged. He raised and lowered his eyebrows ever so slightly.

“I’ll starve with you. It doesn’t matter.”

As the three of them sipped their tea noisily, there was a loud noise in the mansion’s hall. Cedilloi, Maeyana, and even Arianthe immediately recognized what the noise was.

“Don’t let go! You damn bastards! I told you to keep your hands off me!”

A scream-like voice echoed through the Duke’s mansion… It was Jocelyn. When Arianthe looked at the door with a livid expression, Cedilloi spoke.

“Arianthe, from now on, listen to your father well.”

Drinking her chocolate, Arianthe nodded quietly. Cedilloi wiped the chocolate off the child’s mouth with a handkerchief and continued.

“I’m going to bring Jocelyn here. And he will formally apologize to you.”

“Jocelyn will never do that.”

Arianthe replied matter-of-factly.

Of course not. Cedilloi thought. Even if it’s his order, Jocelyn wouldn’t easily kneel and apologize before Arianthe.
But that’s why she had to do it. From now on, or rather…

‘Until Jocelyn reverses what he did to Verbo and Liria.’

Until then, she had to drive a wedge to make sure that she or anyone else, while she still remained in this house, would never dare to touch Arianthe. Jocelyn, of course, and everyone who had subtly ignored Arianthe while watching her.

“Even if Jocelyn says he won’t, Father will make him do that. Meanwhile, can you sit properly?”

“Sit properly?”

It wasn’t a suggestion she liked. If Jocelyn was going to resist her father’s words, she’d rather go down and kick him herself than sit properly!

But the moment Cedilloi wrapped Arianthe’s small hand in his, the mischievous thoughts that had filled Arianthe’s face disappeared.

“I got it, Father. I’ll sit properly.”

“Such a well-behaved daughter.”

At that moment, a knock was heard from outside.

“Come in.”

Cedilloi answered, and the door opened. Jocelyn, who always had a neatly arranged hairstyle, stood in front of the door with almost no difference in his usual stiff posture, except for a slightly disheveled appearance.

“Your Grace, I heard you were looking for me. I was about to leave in a hurry to carry out Your Grace’s orders, but what seems to be the matter?”

“Come in and talk.”

Although reluctant, Jocelyn, with a nonchalant expression, entered Arianthe’s bedroom. When she tried to close the door, Cedilloi said,

“Leave the door open.”

As Jocelyn turned away, his fingertips trembled. Something ominous, an unfamiliar uneasiness he had never experienced in his life, was gradually touching her ankles. However, it had no substance, and she couldn’t brush it away or push it aside.

Maeyana was already standing up from her chair when she heard the knocking. However, Jocelyn’s sharp gaze did not miss the fact that there were three teacups on the table.

Jocelyn said,

“How dare a servant sit with the master. Ignorant of basic manners.”

From Jocelyn’s eyes glaring at Maeyana, flames seemed to be dropping off.

Then Cedilloi spoke.

“Before scolding Maeyana, it might be better for you to reflect on your own actions, Jocelyn. While I’m present, do you think it’s proper for you to scold Maeyana without permission?”