Lucrezia looked at the cardinal with an expression as if the sky was falling at his words. But the cardinal turned his head to the side, ignoring her gaze.

Instead, Isabella took the hand of the desolate Lucrezia. She whispered quietly in her mother’s ear.

“Mom, it’s okay. It’s important to return for now.”

Lucrezia, in despair, could only nod at the comfort of her eldest daughter.

“Ariadne. Keep the steward working hard. Respect your mother.”

His words were a bit of comfort to Lucrezia. Ariadne bowed her head again, returning to her role as a contented second daughter.

“I will pay special attention.”

Finally, Cardinal de Mare looked at Hippolytus.

“Hippolytus de Mare.”

“Yes, father.”

“You need to learn restraint and patience!”

Hippolytus bowed his head and gritted his teeth. Damn illegitimate younger sister. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been scolded.

“Do your duty in managing your mother in San Carlo! I will be watching closely!”

“Do you want anything else, father?”

Hippolytus responded perfectly.

Isabella and Arabella did not receive any special attention.

Isabella seemed relieved to be out of the cardinal’s attention because all she got was rebuke and scolding, while Arabella looked frustrated because she couldn’t meet her mother’s eyes.

Cardinal de Mare left his main dish, roast quail, unfinished and dropped his knife.

“Is this a birthday meal, eh!”

He looked very displeased. He looked so upset that he thought he might even send Lucrezia back to the Bergamo farm. Isabella caught her father’s mood and winked at her brother.

“What?”

But Hippolytus was utterly clueless. Isabella ended up explaining everything to him.

“Serve father and go up to the reception room and have a drink together! He looks upset!”

Hippolytus was furious.

‘A younger sister ordering her older brother around!’

Plus, he had just been scolded by Cardinal de Mare, and he was uncomfortable in case more about his graduation certificate came up. He wasn’t comfortable drinking with his father alone.

But following his sister, even his mother gave him a hint.

“The eldest son should take care of such things! Go ahead and escort him upstairs, Hippolytus!”

Hippolytus was very annoyed.

‘Son, son! Things a man should do. I hate it!’

Under the pressure of mother and daughter, he reluctantly took on the role of appeasing his father, as the eldest son should.

“Father, you don’t seem to have much appetite. Let’s go up and have a glass of grappa. I brought a bottle of good quality when I came down from Padua.”

Cardinal de Mare was not pleased to be sitting here, but he thought he should follow since his son was catering to his whims. Moreover, it was a night when alcohol was tempting.

“Alright, let’s go up.”

Epolito ordered Ariadne as if he was directing a servant.

“You, bring up a cheese plate and some green olives. Seedless ones.”

His attitude was as if he was taking revenge for not being able to seize the control of the household. Well, let him have his tantrum since he has won. Ariadne just elegantly bowed in response.

“Sancha. You heard Lord Epolito. Tell the chef to prepare it right away and send it up.”

“Yes, Miss!”

On the outside, she showed no sign of displeasure, but inside she was bitter. Epolito naturally got the opportunity for a private meeting with Cardinal de Mare, an opportunity Ariadne could only get when she had business. He got it just for being the eldest son.

“I wonder if I should also take up the hobby of drinking alone,” Ariadne thought with a smirk. It would be funny if the Cardinal and his daughter sat down and became drunkards. Well, there’s probably nothing in this household that’s not ridiculous.

Cardinal de Mare and Epolito went upstairs to the Cardinal’s reception room, leaving Ariadne behind. As soon as the people in sight disappeared, Lucrezia, who had been uncomfortable sitting face to face with Ariadne, got up from her seat.

“Mother, let me escort you to your room.”

Lucrezia brushed off Ariadne’s sleeve with a ‘swish’.

“I don’t need you. I know better than anyone else what every corner of this house looks like.”

Ariadne didn’t insist a second time, keeping a gentle expression and whispered in a soft voice.

“Then, Mother, your new room is not the one you used to use. It’s the entrance room on the first floor.”

Lucrezia’s expression changed colors.

Ariadne selected a servant to guide Lucrezia to her room. Among several servants and maids, Ariadne pointed out one specific person.

“Maleta.”

Maleta, who had not dreamed of being called, was surprised and responded.

“Yes, Miss.”

“Please escort Mother to the entrance room on the first floor.”

“Understood, Miss.”

Maleta approached Lucrezia to guide her. But Lucrezia’s expression was not normal.

She leaned in with a wicked expression and whispered in Maleta’s ear. To Maleta, her voice sounded like a thunderclap.

“You, what have you done to my son. Be prepared from now on. I will be watching you with both eyes wide open.”

Unable to contain her anger, Lucrezia reached out and pinched Maleta’s ear.