Chapter 13. Keeping Lips Sealed

Irina confirmed that the employees who had gone to the shopping district had arrived and headed toward Michaela.

“Master.”

“Come in.”

The heavy door opened smoothly, and Irina approached Michaela with silent steps.

“Master, the hairstylist will arrive soon, and the clothes and shoes have arrived. However, we couldn’t find anything that fits perfectly. In Abelon, even commoners have their clothes and shoes custom-made.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“It’s a place with many skilled craftsmen. Shall I have them delivered?”

“We can’t keep her wearing those clothes, so let’s go with that for now.”

“I apologize for not being able to prepare something suitable.”

Irina bowed her head respectfully.

She seemed slightly wounded in her pride for not handling the task perfectly.

“No need for that. Her body is too thin, and her feet are too small. It can’t be helped.”

Michaela raised her eyebrows dismissively. Irina gave her a grateful look with her eyes.

“Call the designers in advance. The sooner, the better for getting clothes and shoes that fit the child’s body.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. But do you think El will continue to stay?”

“I would like that.”

“If that’s what you wish, it will happen as you wish. Then what about El’s room? We can’t keep her in the guest room indefinitely.”

Irina smiled gently and very naturally treated El’s residence in the ducal mansion as a foregone conclusion.

Michaela laughed pleasantly at her smoothness and fell into thought for a moment.

She stared down at the thick book she had brought from the archives and rolled a small glass vial in her hand.

“On the same floor as Rapel.”

“Is that alright?”

Irina questioned with surprise at the unexpected order.

The Mosteros ducal mansion was divided into left and right sides, with only Rapellian using the right side.

This was because his senses were particularly sensitive, even among the Mosteros family, who were known for their keen senses.

Knowing this circumstance, the butler couldn’t help but wonder why she would place a strange human child on the same floor as Rapellian.

“It will be fine.”

Michaela replied while stroking the old book that showed traces of time.

“Then I will prepare as you instructed. By the way, Master.”

“What is it?”

Michaela, who was pushing the book and glass vial into a drawer, stared at Irina as she carefully began to speak.

“If I may be so bold, have you reached a conclusion regarding the adoption matter?”

“What conclusion do you think was reached?”

Michaela returned a question instead of an answer.

“Until now, the Mosteros Duchy has always repaid favors several times over, and the Young Master has the temperament to follow through once he decides on something, so I thought adoption might be the decision. Especially since someone to whom we owe a life has also suffered a major injury.”

“That’s not an unreasonable assumption.”

From Michaela’s lukewarm response, Irina immediately read the outcome of this matter.

“It seems you’ve decided against adoption.”

Michaela nodded with a small laugh.

“I think there might be cause for regret. I want to prevent that.”

“By cause for regret, you mean……”

“It’s still a secret.”

Michaela raised her finger to her lips and smiled.

Irina had expected Michaela to be in a bad mood after what must have been a troublesome conversation with Rapellian, but contrary to expectation, she looked quite pleased.

Irina carefully ventured a comment.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I’m rather excited.”

Irina tilted her head in confusion.

Michaela curled up the corners of her mouth even more and continued.

“Rapel is showing interest in someone outside our family. Rapel has a stronger pack mentality than any of us, so he’s unnecessarily indifferent to beings outside his circle.”

“He does have that strong tendency.”

“I should be thankful that I’m his sister. Look at how he acts toward El.”

“I thought he was just fulfilling his duty.”

“It’s too excessive to be just that.”

Michaela briefly closed her mouth as she recalled moments from her earlier conversation with Rapellian, then continued.

“Anyway, Rapel, who is always so rational and indifferent to others, is doing things he normally wouldn’t. So of course it’s interesting. And……”

‘Though I don’t know how their relationship will develop, I’m looking forward to seeing how El will change Rapellian. That’s why adoption is absolutely out of the question. If they become siblings, it could cause problems later, right?’

Michaela cut her words short and smiled brightly with a very pleased expression.

Irina thought that her smiling face was very pretty but slightly frightening, and took a step back.

Sensing the butler’s movement, Michaela glanced at her with playful eyes.

Irina flinched unnecessarily and awkwardly smiled, pulling back her retreating step.

Though Irina’s attentiveness was both amusing and cute, Michaela decided to let it slide this time.

Noticing her intention, Irina smiled slightly in gratitude, but then suddenly remembered something and clapped her hands.

“Oh! This is terrible.”

“What is it?”

“Young Masters Briel and Riello will be greatly disappointed. They’re already certain they’ll have a little sister and are quite excited about it.”

“Oh dear, I completely forgot about that……”

Michaela squeezed her eyes shut.

She regretted not taking El somewhere else before Rapellian brought up adoption.

“Even if adoption were to happen, calling her a little sister would be a bit…… The Young Master is about eighteen in human years. There’s only a one-year age difference with the child.”

“That’s true. The twins are seventy-five this year. Even being generous, they would be about fifteen in human years.”

“Should we correct their expectations before they grow too high?”

The corners of Irina’s mouth were tinged with awkwardness.

Michaela didn’t answer immediately and considered carefully.

‘Even if El doesn’t end up with Rapel, she seems to need a lot of affection to heal her heart. For that, it would be better for her to be younger than someone rather than older.’

In Michaela’s judgment, even if El would only live with them for a short time, it would be better for her to be the youngest here.

Isn’t it always the case that the youngest receives all kinds of love wherever they go?

In that sense, though she wouldn’t adopt El, it seemed better for the twins to think of El as younger rather than older. It would make it easier for them to shower her with affection.

“I’ll talk about the adoption matter myself. However, I think it’s better if the twins believe El is younger than them, so pretend not to know about that issue.”

As she finished speaking, Michaela smiled somewhat sinisterly.

Who knows.

‘If she receives all kinds of affection, perhaps the child might come to crave another kind of affection as well.’

Seeing Michaela’s ominous smile, Irina felt a chill run down her spine. However, she slightly averted her gaze from Michaela and pretended not to notice anything.

“Yes, I’ll do as you say.”

“Oh, about how to address El.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Have everyone use ‘Miss.’ Tell the employees in advance to treat her with respect as a benefactor of the Mosteros Duchy.”

“Yes.”

“Make sure to thoroughly control anyone who might try to climb up with misguided thoughts.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That’s all for now…… Ah, look into the bakery for now. You may go.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Irina bowed deeply to receive the final order and thought as she walked out.

‘Somehow it feels like the Master is planning something significant……’

⁕⁕⁕

El had fallen asleep without time to think after eating a quality meal she had never experienced before and taking medicine.

The painkillers worked well, allowing her to sleep comfortably as the persistent pain subsided considerably.

Unfortunately, El’s nap didn’t last very long.

“Adoption? Is that even possible? Do you think this makes sense?”

“What?”

One of the maids who had brought clothes for El grumbled with dissatisfaction. Jane, the maid who was opening the wardrobe to organize the clothes, responded plainly.

El gently opened her eyes after stirring at the sound of people.

Unaware that El had awakened, the maid spoke again in a surly tone.

“A pickpocket taking over a guest room and even getting dedicated maids, and now adoption? Ha! That’s not even funny.”

“Well, she is the Young Master’s benefactor.”

El didn’t dare show that she was awake and closed her eyes again, tightly gripping the blanket.

Even breathing felt cautious.

The maid acted as if she didn’t want to touch the clothes that a child with an unsavory background would wear.

Full of complaints, she dawdled and sneered.

“Even that might be intentional.”

“The Young Master went out secretly, so how could that be possible?”

“Who knows. Besides, I’ve contributed more to this household.”

Jane, who was sorting through a considerable number of clothes, shook her head as if in disbelief.

“You get paid for that. Try going to another house. Do you get treated this well elsewhere? Three days off per week and a salary twice that of other houses.”

Jane hung the sorted clothes on hangers and nudged her colleague to hurry up and work.

The idle maid halfheartedly picked up some clothes and continuously grumbled toward the bed where El was lying.

“Hmph! So what? A child with possibly impure intentions is getting better treatment than us! Ugh. It’s so annoying.”

“You’ll be punished if you keep having such a bad attitude.”

“I only want to serve our masters for that salary. Why do I suddenly have to attend to a child like that? I don’t like it.”

“It’s not even your responsibility, so why are you acting like this? It’s just one errand to bring clothes together.”

“I just feel bad about it. Aren’t our masters being too careless? Bringing in such a delinquent.”

“They say the young child was abused.”

“How do we know if that’s abuse or just a scheme to get a big piece of the pie?”

As full of complaints as she was, the maid’s hand was rough as she hung clothes in the wardrobe.

The loud clatter made Jane, who had been quietly hanging clothes, frown.

“Aren’t you doing it properly?”

“I’m irritated. We’re working while that pickpocket sleeps soundly in a nice bed. What is this?”

“Stop talking and just do your work quietly.”

“Is she really going to become a noble at this rate? What if she achieves her goal and then reveals her dark intentions, causing all kinds of trouble for the ducal family?”

“Stop it.”

“I don’t trust a child like that. Our masters have just been raised too gently. I can’t believe they trust such a child so readily.”

The maid deliberately shook another piece of clothing loudly and mockingly ridiculed.

Jane, who had been quietly continuing her work, looked around nervously at her colleague’s behavior that crossed the line, worried about who might hear.

“Hey, seriously, watch your mouth. We just need to follow what the Master has decided.”

“Who’s going to hear? If the Master doesn’t drive her out and gives her better clothes and food than us, I won’t stay quiet either.”

“Sigh. This won’t do. You go out. I’ll do this alone.”

“Fine. Fine. That’s better for me.”

The maid dropped the clothes she was holding onto the floor and was about to leave.

But for some reason, she turned her feet and approached the bed.