Chapter 13: Chapter 13 - Making a deal with Duchess Maria (1)
Zeph's POV
Inside the opulent confines of the Ronen Duchy's mansion, I found myself seated across from Duchess Maria, my mind reeling with disbelief.
How could this woman be so conniving?
And how had my mother consistently outwitted her in the past? as I saw Elsa sitting beside Maria.
As I struggled to process the situation, Maria, sensing my interest in Elsa, took it upon herself to position the girl in her lap. She began gently stroking Elsa's hair, as if they were mother and daughter.
The astonishment on my face mirrored the bewildered expressions of both Elsa and her mother, who were equally taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.
Isabella, Elsa's mother, made a subtle yet significant movement. She bit her lip, a sign that she was coming to terms with the realization that her daughter was about to be used as a bargaining chip.
Isabella was no fool; she had managed to capture the attention of Maria's brother amidst a sea of palace maids.
However, her life had taken a dark turn when her child's father had callously abandoned them.
Nevertheless, Isabella had demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
I said as things were becoming burdensome. I would leave them be and find another way to achieve my goals. I had no intention of continuing this discussion, which could easily tarnish my reputation.
"Oh, so you're saying you don't want them?" Maria's hands stopped caressing Elsa's hair, making Elsa clutch her skirt tightly, feeling humiliated by being treated as a bargaining chip.
"Hehehe... What can I expect from a Duchess?" I said with a smirk, looking at her. I reached into my pocket and took out a letter enclosed in an envelope. "I'll exchange this for those two people."
Her lost smile returned to her face as she smiled and began to caress Elsa's hair again. "Oh my, Young Master Zephyr, it's not fitting as I'm around your mother's age. Fufu."
My face stayed as emotionless as ever, refusing to fall for her flattering advances.
After all, I knew my standards quite well; I wasn't about to propose to a heavenly beauty when I couldn't even recognize my own face in the mirror.
.
"Don't joke, Duchess," I responded, suppressing a chuckle, "It's impossible for me to propose to you. As for this letter, it carries the secret of your father's demise with solid proof."
My lips curled into a faint smile as I watched her momentarily set aside Elsa, her noble demeanor slipping away in her desperation.
It was clear that her father had adored her, sheltering her from any harm. But after his passing and witnessing her own brother's transformation, she had taken it upon herself to safeguard what her father had cherished the most: his Duchy.
I couldn't help but wonder if she had misunderstood my first words about proposing, but I decided to let that notion linger in the air, adding a touch of humor to our conversation.
.