My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 18- Breakfast in Family

While we waited for the duke to finish his well-needed bath, Jenni shoved me in a corner of the drawing-room. She wanted to know the details of the conversation the duke and Emmanuel had. Fanny, who flanked me from behind, was also eager to know more.

I was not sure of what to say. That Emmanuel was more foolish than he seemed? That he was less helpless than anyone realized? Or maybe that the duke looked funny when dumbfounded by stupidity and falls?

Instead, I said something that was bothering me.

"They talked about a maid." I whispered while I saw confusion grow on Jenni's face.

"Maid?" she asked.

"Yes... They talked about a maid doing something to me..." I hushed, looking to see if any fireflies were upon us. Not yet.

Jenni's face became stone hard, and I could hear the rapid breathing behind me from Fanny. I was not stupid. Whatever happened had been severe. And maybe, just maybe, the first time Lucreatia had been sick (which resulted in me inhabiting her body) was less about her frail body and more on the lines of her being a victim of attempted murder. But why would someone want to kill a seven-year-old Lucreatia?

"You heard wrong." said Jenni, dead serious with a bitter voice and steely eyes.

"I am sure of what I have heard. What is the matter? Who was this maid?" I tried to reach her arms, but Jenni took a step back, avoiding any contact.

"You have heard it wrong, Lucreatia. Our people are loyal and would never harm you." Jenni prepared to leave, but I took her hand, searching her eyes. I only found unyielding steel in them.

"Lady Lucreatia." intervened Fanny, careful. When we both laid our eyes on her, she bounced a little back. "Lady Jennifer is correct. None of the servants at the Mountnero house would ever hurt you. You must have heard wrong." She said, her head down.

I let go of Jenni's hand and offered an "Alright." as a reply. Not that I believed, but because the only thing I would get would be lies and tears.

A few minutes later, two maids came and escorted us to our breakfast room, where Emmanuel, the idiot, was already sitting. Making him company was Franco, visibly refreshed, though the dark circles under his eyes were distinguishable from the entrance. Me and Jenni took our seats in front of them and prepared ourselves for our meal. Upon finishing taking some food, we heard a loud bang at the door, which told us the duke had arrived. We saw him move to his seat with his normal overdramatic walk. I rolled my eyes, while the others remained unaffected by the unnecessary flair of the duke.

The breakfast began, as it usually did when the duke was present. With lots of noises, radiating smiles and praises for his daughters. Almost sweet if not for the fact the Duke was also a horrible person outside the family. But that was no recent news, anyway.

I barely said anything, concentrating on my food, as my escape and almost death caused me a hole in my stomach. The only time I intervened was when the scuffle over my cookies started. Gobbie, the Great Duke of the Sun Empire, the dignified prime minister of the Sun Government, and a GROWN-ASS man took the cookies from Emmanuel's plate the moment he knew I had made them. I can't even... And he was about to take it from poor Franco too, but I was faster and pushed the plate to my side (after the hellish trip the man deserved a cookie). Realizing he was too much, Gobbie let it go, though he kept Emmanuel's share, who drank his coffee to avoid laughing. Jenni didn't even bother and just beamed at the Duke, both eating half of the stolen cookie.

Gobbie's antics aside, the mood was pleasant until the maid announced Lady Sargosa's arrival. I turned partly my upper body back to see her come inside the room, taking Eloise by the hand. The air stalled, and we all took a breath, while the older woman and the duke sized each other. Emmanuel, not one to keep quiet, rose himself up. "I thought I sent you a message. Please take a seat and have some tea. And you, Lady Eloise, can try Lady Lucreatia's new recipe." He gave a kind smile while he gestured to the free seats at his side, the farthest ones from the duke.