No Evil Lady in the World (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
Sediloi’s eyes widened slightly. He wore a bewildered expression, as if he had heard the language of an entirely unfamiliar country, and let out a deep sigh.
“Leave now.”
Meiana had expected his agreement, but that was the only response she received.
However, she obediently rose from her seat and left the duke’s presence. It would be a lie to say Sediloi’s reaction didn’t weigh on her mind, but she couldn’t exactly pester him, her employer and a duke, could she?
‘The important thing for now is Ariante.’
Meiana thought.
The next day, Meiana woke to the sound of birds heralding the early dawn. Since her room couldn’t have a window directly facing outside, she had to be quite vigilant to wake up on time each morning. This was especially true on days like today, when she needed to rise earlier than usual.
Having hurriedly prepared, Meiana tightly laced her usual low-heeled shoes and headed straight to the kitchen. Perhaps because the duke had returned, the head chef was preparing breakfast with more tension than usual.
“Head Chef, what’s on the menu for the young lady’s breakfast today?”
The head chef, who had been tasting a sauce simmered until thick, turned to Meiana with sharp eyes.
“Why are you poking around in the kitchen? Bringing breakfast is another maid’s job, isn’t it?”
“I know that. From today, I’d like to check the young lady’s meals first.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The head chef flung the ladle in his hand as if tossing it away. A loud clatter echoed from the massive counter made of stone and sturdy wood.
“Say that again. What? Check the meals? Check, you say? A mere maid like you is spouting such nonsense?”
The head chef, furious to the brim, pointed at her with a menacing face, as if he might start wielding a knife. But Meiana merely wrinkled her nose indifferently, speaking as if the head chef’s temper meant nothing to her.
“A mere maid, you say. That’s true enough. You may not remember, but this mere maid also happens to be the maid serving the young lady. So, I need to do whatever it takes to ensure the young lady has proper meals. As you know, the young lady won’t touch her food if it contains vegetables or ingredients she dislikes. So, from now on, I’d like you to change your approach.”
The head chef’s face turned red with rage.
“Change my approach? What right do you have to meddle in kitchen affairs! I’ve had enough. Such insolence has its limits! I’ll report you to Steward Joslyn and have you sacked immediately.”
“Go ahead. But before you do, you should know that I’ve received His Grace’s permission regarding how I manage the young lady’s meals and daily life.”
The head chef, who had turned to storm off, froze in place. The other cooks, who had been watching the argument with intrigued faces, all gasped in unison.
“What did you say…?”
The head chef’s face, flushed with anger, suddenly paled as if drained of blood.
“Now you’re resorting to lies.”
Meiana responded.
“Do you think I’m foolish enough to lie about something like this? Especially when His Grace is right over there?”
She gestured toward the kitchen window, pointing in the direction of Sediloi’s study.
The head chef, utterly speechless, blinked rapidly and nearly knocked over the sauce he’d prepared. It was unbelievable! Had there ever been a maid who pushed her way into the kitchen for the sake of Lady Ariante? Without a doubt, not a single one. Everyone had been too busy avoiding Ariante…
“Is this the young lady’s breakfast today?”
Meiana accurately picked out Ariante’s breakfast from the wide table cluttered with ingredients, plates, sauces, soups, and loaves of bread. One of the cooks, glancing at the head chef, nodded in response to her question.
Meiana, furrowing her brow, sighed briefly as she looked at the plate.
“There are big chunks of carrots again. And peas. Turnips and spinach, too.”
The head chef snapped angrily.
“Then what do you want me to do? Serve chocolate cake every day?”
Meiana turned to him with an exasperated expression.
“Is that supposed to be a serious suggestion? From someone who’s the head chef of a ducal household? Think about it. Lady Ariante is seven years old. She’s still young. If a seventeen-year-old were that picky, it might be a bit tricky. But for a seven-year-old, if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.”
“What are you even talking about?”
Sighing once more at the head chef’s scowl, Meiana picked up the plate and handed it to him as if thrusting it into his arms.
“Chop everything finely and grill it. Like a steak. Not too thick. Add a sauce with tomatoes and crayfish, and serve it with crispy toast and butter. Got it?”
Leaving the stunned cooks behind, Meiana swiftly exited the kitchen. She had only resolved the issue of breakfast, and there was still much to do.
“Oh, Meiana!”
Returning to Ariante’s room, Meiana encountered Grete, who was filling a silver basin with water.
“Grete! Thank goodness. You’re in charge of the young lady’s morning dress today, right?”
Grete nodded.
“Yes, and I’m already exhausted thinking about how many times I’ll be rejected today.”
“No, Grete. Today, I’ll help the young lady get dressed, so you go to the kitchen and bring her breakfast once it’s ready.”
“What? No way, Meiana. You can’t handle it alone. You know how the young lady is…”
“Just go. Leave it to me.”
“What are you planning?”
Pushed out of the room by Meiana, Grete kept looking back with a worried expression. Kind Grete. With a broad smile, Meiana picked up the water-filled basin and knocked on Ariante’s bedroom door.
There was no response from inside. Still, Meiana carefully opened the door and stepped into the bedroom. As expected, Ariante was already awake. Perhaps because she had cried herself to sleep the previous night, her eyes were noticeably puffy and pitiful.
“Good morning, my lady. Did you sleep well?”
At Meiana’s greeting, Ariante made a sulky face and turned her head sharply away. Her soft, curly blonde hair fluttered.
“I’ll wash your face, my lady.”
“No. I’m not leaving my room today.”
Muttering petulantly, Ariante pulled the sheets toward her and flopped back down.
“Not leaving your room? What do you mean by that?”
“My head hurts. And I’m coughing, *cough, cough*! See? I’m coughing. I’m sick, so I’m going to stay in bed. I’m not doing anything. No studying. No homework.”
With that, Ariante pulled the sheets over her head and burrowed completely underneath.
But Meiana didn’t panic. Looking down at the small, curled-up lump under the sheets, she suddenly let out an exaggerated groan, as if she were a stage actress.
“Oh no… To think that my lady is unwell, how tragic…! Today was supposed to be a special day… Oh, my lady, are you truly so ill? How could this happen…?”
The sheets twitched. Meiana pressed her fist to her nose and mouth to stifle a laugh, then continued her lament with a nasal tone.
“The thing is, I had something special to show you today… You know? The lake in the forest. They say there’s a fish in that lake bigger than my forearm! Oh… I so wanted to show it to you. I even prepared food for them. If I scatter it in the lake, the fish will come swarming, but since you’re ill… I suppose I’ll have to go feed them alone.”
The sheets twitched again, this time more noticeably. A small hand hesitated, almost peeking out from under the sheets.
Meiana delivered the final blow in a louder voice.
“Those fish are so huge that when sunlight hits their scales, they shimmer in rainbow colors! Such a pity…”
With that, Ariante threw off the sheets and sat up abruptly. Meiana pursed her lips and softened her eyebrows, crafting the most regretful expression she could muster.
Ariante, staring intently at Meiana with her small lips tightly pursed, said,
“I’m going to the lake too!”
Meiana widened her eyes and waved her hands.
“What? No way. You’re sick, my lady! You said your head hurts, you’re coughing, and you have a fever. You absolutely cannot go to the lake. No way. But don’t worry. I’ll feed the fish plenty for you. I’ll watch them closely and tell you all about how big they are. Understood? You’ll stay in bed all day, take your medicine, listen to Beinti read you fairy tales…”
“No! I’m going to the lake! I’m not taking medicine, and I’m not listening to Beinti read books! I’m not sick!”
Meiana deliberately scanned Ariante up and down with an indifferent look.
“You’re not sick?”
Ariante nodded eagerly.
“Not sick. Not at all. My head doesn’t hurt, and see! I’m not coughing. So I’m going to the lake.”
“Really? Then can you wash your face, brush your hair, and get dressed quickly? Can you eat your breakfast well to get ready for the lake?”
“I can!”
A triumphant smile spread across Meiana’s face. Yet she maintained a skeptical tone as she replied.
“Alright, if you insist, my lady… But if you have even a slight fever, cough, or don’t eat your breakfast and can’t get ready, I’ll have to go alone. Understood?”
“I understand, I understand! I’ll wash my face. I’ll do it now!”
Throwing the sheets aside, Ariante leapt out of bed, squeezed her eyes shut, and thrust her face forward.
Suppressing another burst of laughter, Meiana gently wiped Ariante’s soft cheeks with a damp cloth.
Washing her face, brushing her hair, and changing out of her nightgown took less than half an hour in total.
Considering it usually took nearly two hours just to finish brushing her hair, this was a remarkable feat.
“Now, my lady. This is the dress you’ll wear today. What do you think?”
As Meiana held out the neatly folded dress, Ariante’s blue eyes widened as if they might pop out.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
It was her who made that old lady blind?? What an awful person……or maybe not, but still she is really disgusting.
BOY DONT PLAY WITH ME. OMG NO WONDER THE CHILD IS BEHAVING LIKE LOOSE GOOSE
Very matured. Just blaming anyone but yourself on your inadequacy.