The young steward managing the chicken coop made a groaning sound as he received the pouch that Maiana offered.

“This… all of this?”

He still had a face that seemed like he might vomit at any moment as he stared at the pouch still vigorously wriggling.

Though he occasionally caught worms or bugs for the chickens, this was definitely not it. If he were to open the pouch, he might unknowingly become a feast for the enraged swarm of grasshopper friends, rather than providing food for the chickens.

“All of it! Give it all! And this too!”

As Ariante opened the earthworm container, the steward had to exert all his strength to avoid showing his upset stomach. He glanced at the chicken coop. While the aristocratic residence kept several chickens, it was impossible to give them all of this.

“Uh… My lady, I think what’s in this pouch or the earthworms in that container should be enough.”

“Share it with everyone!”

A lengthy negotiation ensued. Eventually, Ariante decided to release the earthworms. Watching Swan, Silurus, and Ariante running into the tall grass, shaking the pouch, Maiana quietly turned her head.

Luzian lifted his glasses and said, “Now a dreadful sight will unfold.”

Maiana almost burst into laughter at the tone of the eight-year-old prophet’s gloomy prediction. Whether the pouch was opened or not, there was a sound of something rustling all at once. Ariante was busy laughing at something, and Swan and Silurus were shouting something.

‘Why do kids like things with many legs so much…’

Maiana thought. Of course, there were children like Sisi or Crony who didn’t want to come near.

“Now feed them!”

Ariante, who had released the bats, came running with an empty pouch waving like a flag.

Maiana nodded, and the young steward, with an almost tearful expression, herded the chickens to one side. Then, he opened the lid of the container and poured out what was inside. Of course, Maiana didn’t see what was pouring out directly…

A commotion erupted. Chickens went into a frenzy at the unexpected luxurious feast, flapping their wings and crying out. The children, with curious eyes—and slightly annoyed expressions—watched, urging them.

“Release the grasshoppers too! Release them quickly!”

“Right, hurry!”

The young steward, with an expression that really didn’t want to do it, cautiously opened the pouch wriggling in fear but ended up dropping it. As the entrance of the open pouch let out grasshoppers and bats, the chickens went into a near-mad state. Watching the chickens flapping their wings and pecking around, Maiana’s shoulders lightly shook.

How should one express this sight… Maiana mumbled inwardly.

The steward in charge of the chicken coop had to jump around here and there to prevent the excited chickens from escaping over the fence. Meanwhile, he had to avoid jumping grasshoppers too.

A chaotic scene unfolded with humans, chickens, various insects, and even worms all joining in the commotion.

“Look! That black chicken just ate a huge grasshopper!”

However, the lady who caused this turmoil was in a state of elation. Maiana wondered if Ariante, like herself, was making a similar expression to that of Ariante watching humans bite and fight each other, or if she suddenly had a religious curiosity.

After the aristocrat’s chickens finished their feast, the children ran to Ariante’s playroom for a new game. Hearing the laughter and running sounds, Housekeeper Koesha, with her eyes wide open, rushed out and encountered Maiana.

“No, what on earth is happening?”

Maiana replied, “The young lords of Viscount Alt and other friends came to play.”

Koesha glanced towards the thumping noise upstairs and shook her head.
“I knew it. Who would have imagined this house would become so lively?”

“It’s lively and nice, isn’t it?”

At Maiana’s words, Koesha’s rounded shoulders lifted slightly and then dropped.

“Well, yeah. It’s better than it being silent. Without Jocelyn the house manager wandering around with a fiery look in her eyes, I feel a bit more at ease.”

“She’ll probably be back soon.”

“Well, that’s true. If that lady dies, she dies, but she won’t leave this place. Tsk tsk, even the Duke seems fond of her, that he would tolerate an impudent servant like her. There’s no one in the world other than our Duke who would keep such an insolent employee.”

Koesha grumbled gossip.

Maiana responded with an ambiguous smile but didn’t reply to her words. It was true that Jocelyn would be back soon. However, she would eventually have to leave the Duke’s residence… something that no one could imagine right now.

“I’ll go upstairs.”

When Maiana turned, Koesha called out to her.

“Maiana, be careful when meeting the Duke.”

Maiana’s steps, climbing the stairs, hesitated for a moment. She turned her head towards Koesha. A strange premonition made her stomach flutter uneasily.

“Miss Koesha, what do you mean?”

Koesha looked at Maiana with peculiar eyes. It was as if she was looking at a niece or daughter without a bright future.