Chapter 145
Becoming The Villain’s Family
Maybe ten years old at most.
The child was so terrified that she was speechless, unable to say anything, just crying.
Lloyd looked at the child with sharp eyes and asked suspiciously.
âHow did you get here?â
He was already sensitive enough about Ariaâs nearly getting injured incident.
The childâs shoulders shuddered at the frosty voice. And she began to tremble like a swaying tree.
âMy, my mom told me to go here, she, she told me not to move, but Iâm, Iâm scared, so Iâm going to wait somewhere elseâ¦.â
It was difficult to understand what she was saying because of her mumbling tone and low whispering voice.
Lloyd frowned for a moment and asked.
âWhat?â
Perhaps she got frightened again, the child made a loud âgasp!â and hid behind Ariaâs back.
âIt looks like the child got abandonedâ¦â
Aria, who roughly understood the childâs words with her keen hearing, muttered with a serious expression.
The child was abandoned by her parents in the Ingo Mountains.
Aria was naturally forced to recall her own past.
âOf course, I was the one who started the situation back then.â
Does this child know that she has been abandoned by her parents?
Of course, she would know. How quick witted are kids? Itâs probably just that she trusted her parents. Thinking that they would never have abandoned her.
âIt looks like they want to abandon her in this place.â
Lloyd, who inferred all the circumstances, gave a twisted smile.
Abandoning a child in the mountains of Grand Duchy Valentine, where all kinds of atrocious rumors circulate. Their intentions were so obvious.
They just wanted the child to be killed by the devil.
âThe devilâs job isnât to kill a naughty kid, itâs to torture criminals in a pit of fire.â
Lloyd looked up and down for a moment, plotting something.
He doesnât know who the childâs parents are, but he intends to make them pay the price of almost getting Aria seriously injured.
âWhat is your name?â
âName, nameâ¦â
As if the child couldnât remember it right away, she paused for a moment, then said.
âLaura.â
It felt strange not being able to answer her own name right away. But Aria did not express it and held out her hand.
âLaura, itâs dangerous here, so letâs go together. If you go to the castle, Iâll tell them to find a place to stay for a while while your mother comes.â
Laura gave a blank look and then nodded her head. And she mumbled in a shy voice, clutching the hem of Ariaâs skirt.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âYes, Sisterâ¦â
â¦â¦ Sister? No, of course, Aria is an older sister, butâ¦â¦.
Aria felt a guilty conscience.
âBut what was that song?â
The song that came to mind when the child was about to be eaten by the carnivorous rabbit.
âI thought I knew what song it was when I was going to sing itâ¦â¦.â
Lloyd reacted so quickly that it ended before she could even sing.
Aria thought for a moment, then turned to Lloyd.
For some reason, the captured carnivorous rabbit looked very sad and had eyes that looked like it was about to cry.
âWell, now is not the time to sing out of the blue.â
Even the rabbit didnât seem to have any intention of aiming at Aria any more.
Aria, leaving this behind, took their new companion, Laura, and headed with Lloyd to the carriage.
âCome here now.â
Tristan said with his arms wide open, his chest showing.
And when Aria just stared at him, he raised the corners of his lips in a funny way and flicked his fingers.
âCome here. Now that Iâve been listening to my daughter, you must reward me.â
Reward?
âAfter the large-scale cleanup, we searched out all those who were suspicious. We buried them in the ground so that there will be no traces and sent them back to nature.â
Then Dwayne, his aide, who was standing next to the Grand Duke with a tired face, added in surprise.
âYour Grace, a fine burial doesnât mean itâs a fine act. Please leave out the useless words.â
âI fertilized the land and tried to protect the environment, so if this isnât a fine act, what does it mean?â
âUsing people as fertilizer is not fine, it is gore.â
Ah? This was what he meant by keeping the Grand Dukeâs castle clean while she goes to the Imperial Palace?
âTo be honest, I forgotâ¦â¦.â
Although Tristan is annoyed by everything in the world, he has shown the ability to handle terrifying tasks, once he decides to do something.
âIn a matter of a moment, all the thousands of employees were investigated.â
Aria, feeling a bit sorry for some reason, averted her gaze unknowingly.
Then Tristan sighed, âHmm?â â, and said in a sympathetic way.
âThe reward is just one hug.â
ââ¦â¦â
âYouâre not coming here to hug me.â
Aria found dark shadows beneath Tristanâs eyes. Apparently, while she was away, his insomnia had increased again.
Aria walked over to Tristan and fell into his arms.
âIâll sing you a lullaby too.â
And whispered.
âHmm, great.â
It was when Tristan hugged her tightly like a teddy bear and smiled wide.
ââ¦I knew from a long time ago that you were senile.â
Lloyd, who had just entered the office, said with a frown.
He put the papers down on his desk. The papers that received excessive force from his hand fluttered in the air.
Tristan looked up at it for a moment without saying a word.
âDo you want to show off your strength in front of your father who has lost his strength and is weak?â
âYes, thanks to the Grand Dukeâs encouragement to build up more strength, I came back stronger.â
Lloyd tried to pry Aria from Tristanâs arms. The more he did, the tighter Tristan hugged Aria.
Until she suffocates.
âLet her go when Iâm still nice. At least I want to send you back with flesh and blood intact.â
Lloyd grabbed Tristanâs forearm and gritted his teeth. It was really going to break if he continued a little longer.
Aria, who could not do anything because she was caught between the father and son, finally opened her mouth.
âBoth of you, stop.â
The two father and son came to a halt.
Dwayne, as usual, was clicking his tongue inside as he stared at the father and son with a nasty relationship, but was now horrified.
His eyes widened to the limit.
âThe Young Madam talks?!â
Aria looked at Tristan and said,
âFather, please let me go.â
Then the strength was gone in the arms that were holding her.
âLloyd, stop.â
Lloyd then took a step back.
Dwayne was so startled that he admired it in the midst of his great shock. At the same time, he realized an important truth.
âWhatâs the matter that the Young Madam suddenly became able to speak at this pointâ¦â¦.â
She has the power to control two wild beasts that run rampant with just minimal words. After suppressing the urge to immediately applaud, he looked up at Aria with an emotional gaze.
âSince weâve found all the spies, I want to reveal my secrets to everyone.â
âAh, is that so. Iâll have to get an audience right away.â
âHow about having a small banquet?â
âBanquet?â
Aria nodded her head.
âItâs a banquet that all employees can participate in. I also wanted to say thank you to them for taking care of me and giving me a lot during this time.â
Thank you?
âThatâs their work. The Young Madam doesnât have to be grateful for whatâs obvious.â
Dwayne said confused. But Aria shook her head and said firmly.
âI have received kindness, love and attention beyond work. I believe that emotions should be reciprocated with emotions.â
It was the first time he heard Young Madamâs voice. And her answer, in a voice he heard the first time, really resembled that voice.
Itâs clear and clean, but like a flowing river, itâs straight and strong as if itâs pouring down the pathâ¦â¦
âAnd I also want to reveal everything on the spot.â
Aria, as if she had never made a resolute voice, returned to her soft look in an instant, blushing in embarrassment.
âAngel.â
âAngel.â
âAngel.â
All three of them were thinking the same thing at the same time.
The banquet was decided to be held in the rose garden, as all the employees could not gather in the banquet room.
Valentineâs garden is truly endless.
âYoung Madam!â
Marronnier approached her shyly, blushing. She was not wearing her usual maid outfit, but a gorgeous red dress adorned with rose-shaped lace.
âMarronnier usually had a lot of romance dreams at banquets.â
When Aria was elected the Queen of Spring Flowers, Marronnier got even more excited and said repeatedly that she had expected it.
It was starting to become hard to the ears
In fact, the reason she planned this banquet was partly because of Marronnier.
âI thought youâd like it.â
Even if she didnât say anything, Marronnier seemed to be excited about everything.
Aria smiled happily.
â You look so pretty today.
âHehe, what are you saying.â
â Really. The roses couldnât even bloom because they were embarrassed to see you.
âItâs just not the time to bloom yet!â
Marronnier was terrified.
As it turns out Aria was a genius who could do most of the work, if only she was given the guide.
âI donât think I should have taught you something.â
When Marronnier was muttering seriously, âWhat have I done to the Young Madamâ¦â,
âBe careful.â
Aria suddenly heard a voice whispering and turned her back in surprise. She didnât see anyone.
â Did you just tell me to be careful?
âNo? Iâm the one who should be careful with what I say.â
Marronnier was answering as if she hadnât heard anything.
âBut I definitely heard it.â
Aria, after returning to her hometown-like Grand Dukeâs castle, had been slacking off but now she looked around, paying attention.
âThatâsâ¦â¦!â