Chapter 101 - Can We Become a Family?

But outwardly, she remained remarkably calm.

Navia spoke with her eyelashes half-closed, her tone even.

"Their skills are subpar."

Suddenly, her manner of speaking changed markedly.

"Quite diligent from the first day. Is it a characteristic of that household?"

Charlotte felt a strange sense of deja vu at Navia's overly archaic way of speaking.

Ah, that's right. The day Wood was suddenly trapped in a water column.

Despite being completely drenched, Navia maintained a composed and dignified demeanor, astonishing everyone.

Not just her, but all the servants watching Navia at that time were equally taken aback.

Navia slowly approached the torn clothes.

Oddly, her steps and movements seemed to carry a heavy scent of blood.

Navia gathered the shredded nightgown and dress, folding them neatly before placing them in a corner without discarding them.

Her attitude was not just devout but also seemed tinged with solemnity.

"I'm sorry. If I had been watching over them more carefully..."

Charlotte murmured in despair, clutching the hem of her skirt.

Navia shook her head.

"There are many maids on their side, Charlotte. It would have been dangerous for you. So, don't bother with pointless guilt."

Navia was relieved that Charlotte hadn't been in the room, waiting for her.

If someone was cruel enough to do this, they wouldn't have spared Charlotte.

Navia said to Charlotte.

"Looking at how they've made themselves at home in my bedroom, they're clearly disregarding Eseled. The bolder they get, the more careful we need to be, Charlotte. You'll have to be cautious for a while."

"Does that mean I shouldn't serve you for some time?"

"Right. It would only provoke them further."

As Charlotte's face fell in disappointment, Navia smiled reassuringly and took her hand.

"I'll be fine. It's more important that you don't get hurt. Understand?"

Charlotte felt a little embarrassed, as if she were being treated like a petulant child, but it was a pleasant embarrassment.

"Yes, I will follow your advice, miss. Please be careful yourself."

"I will."

Navia responded with a gentle smile, her gaze turning to the dark moon.

'Suleiman's ability was the wind, wasn't it.'

The soft smile quickly turned into a cold sneer.

Navia remembered the philosophy of Nikan, her foster father.

"Meet violence with greater violence."

'If it's about tearing clothes, there might be something important among their belongings related to clothes.'

What could a girl of that age cherish? A dress, perhaps?

'Maybe something from the Ansier Boutique?'

Thanks to Vivian, Navia had seen all sorts of dresses from Ansier during her eight regressions.

Vivian always made a point of showing them off to her whenever new items arrived, boasting about them.

Therefore, Navia was more familiar with Ansier Boutique's items than anyone else.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

She planned to teach them exactly how malicious one must become to inflict despair and defeat on others.

* * *

On her first day, Masha busied herself ordering her maids to neatly arrange her belongings in her room.

And today, the second day, she started wandering around after breakfast to check out her future home.

Masha couldn't hide her astonishment.

"How can the Duke's residence not have a musician? No instruments, paintings, not even a dog!"

Theorban had assigned ten servants for Masha, and a chef took over the kitchen to prepare food for the child.

Despite being filled with more people than ever since Lark's rule, everything in Masha's eyes looked like a complete mess.

"My goodness. I have to live in a place like this."

Masha had been invited to visit the Lucia family's mansion.

It truly boasted a splendid appearance befitting the Empress's relatives.

The garden exuded an elegant atmosphere with rare plants, and the pristine walls and fences, untouched by time, displayed power and wealth.

Especially impressive was the artificial pond that extended in front of the mansion.

"How can I invite friends to a place like this? I can't even go out for a while!"

Masha couldn't bring herself to invite friends to such a miserable place. She would surely be humiliated.

But she couldn't leave the ducal house either.

Before coming to the ducal house, Theobald had firmly told Masha.

"Until you deal with that lowly girl, you must not leave the ducal house. Do you understand?"

Masha felt that her situation, trapped in a place like a demon's castle she had read about in books, was too unfortunate.

"It's all because of her."

And the one who had created this misery for her was Navia, that annoying child.

"Her clothes are definitely all torn to pieces, right?"

"Of course, milady. The only thing left is a nightgown."

Masha's mood improved slightly at those words.

"Hmph. It would be amusing to show up in front of her in an Ancière Boutique dress."

No matter how much money she had, Ancière's new dresses were difficult to obtain. It was the first dress she had brought with her when she came to the ducal house today.

"Lady Lucia couldn't even get this dress. It's a pity to show such a valuable dress to a mere commoner."

"Oh dear, what would a young lady who owns only three dresses know? Ah, is it down to one now?"

"Ahaha!"

Masha laughed heartily at the maid's antics, finding it quite amusing.

‘Hmph, fine. She's no match for me. The only one who could be my rival is Lady Lucia.’

Masha eagerly awaited the day she would become a lady of this place.

Once she became a lady, she would not only stand on equal footing with Lady Lucia but could also ascend to a higher position.

Then, Masha grew puzzled.

"But where did she go in this empty house?"

The maid, not knowing either, hesitated in response.

"Never mind. The important thing now is to figure out what we need here and ask Dad to buy them today."

Thus, Masha pondered how to renovate this dreary, unsightly ducal residence before returning to her room.

"Kyaa! What, what is this...?!"

The maids, upon seeing the state of the room, were speechless.

Masha's room looked as if it had been hit by a typhoon, everything was in disarray.

Her expensive porcelain dolls were all broken, and the cloth dolls were torn apart. The dresser, where her jewelry was displayed, was empty.

"My dolls... My necklace!"

Masha, with a pale face, clasped her cheeks in shock, and as a maid checked the dressing room, she ran over, pale as death.

"The dressing room is a mess too!"

"No way!"

Masha rushed to the dressing room.

It was all right. The dolls and the necklace were fine.

"My Ansier dress!"

When she reached the dressing room, Masha's most cherished Ansier dress was hanging in the center of the room, horribly torn as if executed.

"Waaah!"

Masha collapsed to the floor, bursting into tears.

"My dress, waaah!"

Masha had planned to wear the hard-to-obtain Ansier winter dress to an upcoming reading club meeting.

Both Lady Lucia and Prince Ares were expected to be there.

She had imagined herself elegantly reciting at the meeting in that dress...

"Who did this? Was it you? Or you?"

Masha was used to taking out her anger on the servants.

The maids bore the brunt of her punching and kicking in silent rebellion.

"Aaah! We, we've been following you the whole time...!"

"Then who did this atrocious act?!"

Masha, furious, suddenly thought of someone.

"That girl..."

The only person who could harbor resentment against her and commit such an act was Navia.

'How dare she touch my things just because of some torn clothes!'

Masha immediately went to look for Navia, but she was nowhere to be seen.

That made Masha even more certain it was Navia's doing.

'She made a mess of my room and ran away!'

"Find her at once!"

But no matter how much they searched the mansion, Navia was nowhere to be found. Nor were any other servants.

Masha's fierce gaze fell on the third floor.

Is it there? Are they all hiding on the third floor?

Masha ordered a maid with freckles, who she had stepped on yesterday.

"You, go up to the third floor."

The maid's face instantly turned pale. She clearly remembered Theorban saying yesterday that anyone who went up to the third floor without permission would die.

"Ah, Miss, if you go to the third floor without permission, you'll die...!"

"So? Did you actually see it? It might not be true!"

The maid knelt and begged.

"I'll wait here. How long can that girl stay on the third floor? I'll catch her as soon as she comes down..."

Slap!

Masha slapped the maid's cheek.

"How dare you ignore my order? Go up now!"

The surrounding maids, relieved it wasn't them, yet frightened by Masha's increasingly violent behavior, shuddered.

They turned a blind eye to their colleague, begging and holding onto Masha.

Masha, annoyed, pushed the maid away and ordered the others.

"Push her up to the third floor!"

"Miss!"

The maids hurriedly dragged the freckled maid up to the third floor, fearing they might be sent up next.

"Aaah! Let me go! Someone save me...!"

"What is this commotion?"

Attracted by the unexpected uproar, Suleiman appeared on the central staircase with a cold expression.

"What kind of commotion is this in a place like this!"

Upon seeing Suleiman, much larger and more intimidating than her father, Masha flinched for a moment.

But her rage over the torn ancient dress quickly widened her eyes.

"Where is that girl?"

"What are you talking about?"

"That lowly girl without parents!"

"Shut your mouth!"

Masha shivered down to her shoulders as Suleiman roared like thunder.

She had never experienced someone scolding her so frighteningly before.

Then a clear voice was heard.

"Lady Alvin?"

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