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Chapter 09
“Miss! Miss!”
Meril’s voice rang in Medeia’s ears.
“Miss, wake up quickly!”
Her urgency now mingled with impatience, as though she had already called several times.
“…What is it, Meril?”
Medeia forced her heavy eyelids open, still clinging to sleep.
Her hoarse voice alone was enough to reveal just how deeply she had slept the night before.
“Miss, you must have slept very well for the first time in a long while.”
Meril smiled, her joy evident.
Though Medeia didn’t know all the details, childhood memories made it difficult for her to fall into a deep sleep. That she had slept so soundly was almost unbelievable, unless magic was involved.
“I guess yesterday was stressful enough for that.”
The mysterious assailant’s attack… Lucian injured in the attack… Sion collapsing behind him, gasping for breath…
Mosquis, who seemed to know all Medeia’s movements and spoke cryptically… and Luke, her father’s most trusted aide, appearing at exactly the right time.
Even someone as indifferent as Medeia would have struggled to handle such a series of events.
“Yesterday was full of things I never could have expected…”
Meril nodded, her face drawn with concern.
But she quickly remembered the reason she had come.
“Ah, Miss. Someone has come from Lissran Trading House. You might not believe it, but they’ve been waiting since dawn.”
Meril efficiently tidied the bedding and headed toward the dressing room.
“Since dawn?”
“Yes. Apparently, Robin and Luna told them it was urgent. Daniel went down to the first floor and found them pacing in front of the mansion.”
Meril returned from the dressing room carrying a pile of clothing.
She neatly laid them in front of Medeia, then disappeared back into the room.
“Daniel?”
“Yes. Fortunately, before Mosquis’s group saw them, Daniel guided the visitors to the servants’ quarters. They asked me to tell you that if you permit, they’ll come up with the person from Lissran Trading House.”
Before Medeia could respond, Meril poked her head out from the dressing room again.
Apparently, the previous pile of clothes wasn’t enough—this time, she was holding an even larger stack.
“…Meril, is there some other schedule today that I don’t know about?”
Medeia asked as she eyed the new clothing. The luxurious outfits looked as if she were ready for a grand party at any moment.
“What schedule? Oh!”
Meril realized the intention behind Medeia’s words and smiled.
Still, she didn’t stop her busy hands, holding each item up for Medeia to see.
“Meril, has Miss woken up? Daniel wanted me to ask.”
Sophia appeared through the slightly opened door. She had been sent to check on the situation since Meril, who was supposed to report to the Miss, hadn’t shown up.
“Ah, Miss. You’re awake. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Sophia.”
“Ah… it’s just that Meril, who was going to check on you, hasn’t arrived yet.”
Sophia’s face mirrored Medeia’s own confusion.
The two of them looked at Meril, burdened with clothes draped over her arms and accessories clutched in both hands.
“Meril, I don’t think Miss has any special schedule today… or is it you?”
Sophia had just noticed Medeia sharing the same expression she wore.
After a brief silence, Sophia carefully spoke. Occasionally, when there was a grand party, Medeia would lend her outfits—but today, perhaps, Meril was the star of the morning.
“I know what you two are thinking, but that’s not it!”
Meril gestured to Sophia, signaling her to come closer.
“…To face an enemy, one must start with the right mindset! Begin with your attire. Robin and Luna sent someone who knows Psibel well this early in the morning. That means, just as they expected, the Duke’s plans must have changed.”
Meril’s playful tone gradually softened, ending almost in a whisper, heavy with seriousness.
“So, get ready! Sophia, take the guest to the third-floor reception room.”
Returning to her cheerful manner, Meril continued presenting outfits to Medeia, while asking Sophia to assist.
The third-floor reception room was usually reserved for Medeia’s guests. Though enemies could lurk anywhere, it was far safer than the first-floor room. The guards here were loyal only to Medeia’s household, not Duke Leshanin’s men.
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
Sophia nodded and left the room.
“Miss, how about this dress? I think it goes well with these earrings.”
“Hmm… the dress is fine, but I think these earrings are better.”
“Why don’t we try both and compare?”
Amid all the bustling, a few strands of black hair peeked out from the neatly made bed.
“Yes, do that.”
After some small movements, blue eyes finally met the world.
The first thing they sought was the owner of the calm voice responding to them.
“How do you like it? I think both are fine.”
“Meril, I’ll go with what you picked.”
“Really?”
Meril couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips and hurriedly adjusted the outfits.
The child with blue eyes quietly observed Medeia becoming more beautiful in Meril’s hands. Unnoticed, a faint smile had formed on the child’s lips.
The recipient of such gaze seemed to forget the child entirely.
“Miss, I’ve guided the guest to the third-floor reception room.”
Sophia returned just as preparations were finishing. Her eyes were on Medeia and Meril, unaware of the small child on the bed.
“Let’s go, Meril.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Neither Meril nor Medeia seemed to notice Lucian as they followed Sophia out.
Medeia felt a touch brush her fingertips.
“Miss.”
Her eyes flickered briefly, and the child’s hand withdrew.
Instead, those lake-deep eyes stared unwaveringly at Medeia.
Just as the child longed for Medeia’s full attention, she, in turn, felt drawn to those eyes as though by an unshakable fate.
“…Lucian.”
Medeia was the first to avert her gaze, sensing a cold, strange pull unlike before. Perhaps she had begun to realize that the child’s pure face might not be entirely what it seemed.
“Oh, Lucian! I thought you were in the next room with Sion… Miss, did you nurse Lucian all night?”
Meril frowned, as if forgetting how soundly Medeia had slept earlier.
The child, soon to leave this place, had received such care from Medeia—it stirred a strange pang of disappointment.
“No, Meril. He fell asleep quickly.”
Medeia brushed aside the chill in her chest and held Lucian.
Though it wasn’t strictly necessary, he had indeed slept deeply. Even she, usually unable to fall asleep after exhaustion, had managed this time.
“That’s good to hear. By the way, Lucian, are you alright?”
Despite her disappointment, Meril was still worried about the child who had bled so much yesterday.
Seeing the blood stain on his white shirt, she reached toward him.
“Can I take a look at the wound?”
As Meril’s hand approached, a sharp, almost cutting sensation brushed against her.
“Ah…!”
With a cry, she wrapped her injured hand in her other.
“Meril, are you okay?”
Medeia’s focus had already shifted entirely. She turned fully toward Meril, checking her hand.
Fortunately, only a faint redness remained; no serious wound.
“It stings a bit, but I’m fine.”
In that instant, it was clear—Lucian had pushed her hand away.
Could such a small, delicate child really attack so sharply, so subtly? Sympathy for him instantly turned into suspicion.
Yet, for now, it was only suspicion. Meril chose not to tell Medeia.
“What was that? How did you get hurt?”
“Ah… I guess Lucian got startled when I reached for him. He pushed my hand away, and I was too surprised…”
Meril pointed to her aching hand and forced a smile.
She then glanced at Lucian behind Medeia, his unfocused blue eyes staring only at her back.
“Hey, Lucian! Lucian!”
Though she had no intention of helping this secretive child, his current state was worrisome.
Lucian’s defiance was directed at no one but himself—the cause entirely his own doing.
Meril called out to him again.
“Ah… I’m sorry, Meril. I’m not used to being touched by anyone… sorry.”
In an instant, the child who had frozen apologized, yet his eyes still followed only one person.
Meril sighed inwardly but didn’t want to prolong the awkwardness.
The child’s eyes locked on Medeia, who, in turn, ignored him entirely.
“Well, a child’s slap can’t hurt much. It was probably just an accident, right, Lucian?”
Ignoring her aching hand, Meril smiled at him.
It was not a purely innocent smile—it carried the unspoken message that today’s debt would be remembered.
Of course, she had no petty intention to take advantage of the small child—but she could not have imagined at the time that she would stake this small incident as a future debt.
