Rumble!
Beyond the tightly closed oak door of the lounge, the sound of the front door opening rang loudly. It was the sound of people coming in. Ariadne and Alfonso looked at each other in shock.
“Is there anyone there?”
A male voice was heard making a fuss. The voice was getting closer and closer.
“I have to go out quickly. I think you’d better go back.”
At Ariadne's words, Alfonso also nodded. If it became known that the Prince was in San Carlo, it was sure to cause quite a stir. This was especially true if the place where the Prince was found in San Carlo was the home of Cardinal de Mare.
“You’re not going back to Taranto right away, are you?”
The Prince rode for three days and nights to reach San Carlo. Ariadne was worried that Alfonso would soon go on a long journey again, so she looked at him with affection. But Alfonso smiled and reassured Ariadne.
"Don't worry. I'm going to my palace at Palagio Carlo and take care of one or two things before returning... But I have to leave San Carlo tomorrow morning at the latest.”
Out of regret, he held Ariadne tightly in his arms and then reluctantly let her go.
“Ari, it will be difficult to see you again until the entire court returns to San Carlo for the ‘Spring Festival’ at the end of March. You can wait patiently in the meantime, right?”
Ariadne nodded vigorously. Her life was just a series of hardships. She lasted that long, but it was only about a month or two. As long as she had hope, she could persevere in any situation.
“Eat well.”
He added one word.
“I’m going to come back and check it out.”
Ariadne glared at Alfonso.
“How are you going to test it?”
She glared at Alfonso with her pouting lips and continued her questioning.
“You’re not thinking dirty about the testing method, are you?”
"No! What are you looking at me for?”
Alfonso vehemently denied it, but his slightly red face seemed to indicate he was not entirely innocent. Just as Ariadne was about to laugh a little, a 'thump' sound was heard again from the main corridor. She set her face.
“Alfonso, this way.”
Ariadne pulled Alfonso's sleeve over his winter hood and went out the back door leading to the kitchen. She led Alfonso as quickly as a squirrel to one of the storage rooms behind the kitchen and took out a large bundle of keys from the pocket of her cloak. It was the hostess's key. Ariadne opened the door leading to the outside attached to the warehouse with the hostess' key.
“If you go out here, it’s support. If you follow the fence you see, you will come across a side door. Always leave the lock unlocked at this time.”
Ariadne, who had spoken up to this point, paused and thought for a moment. Excluding the rising and setting of the sun, is there anything in the world that always happens without change?
"No. Take this.”
She found a medium-sized key in the packet, took it out, and handed it to Alfonso.
“If it’s locked, open it with this. I have some spare, so you can take them.”
Ariadne opened the warehouse door and urged Alfonso.
“Come on, hurry.”
Alfonso turned his head, looked at her as if he couldn't help but regret, then came up to her and placed a final kiss on her lips. It was a short but regretful kiss. He kissed her and immediately left the warehouse. Ariadne looked blankly at his back and touched her own lips.
“Is there anyone there?”
A male voice was heard making a fuss. The voice was getting closer and closer.
“I have to go out quickly. I think you’d better go back.”
At Ariadne's words, Alfonso also nodded. If it became known that the Prince was in San Carlo, it was sure to cause quite a stir. This was especially true if the place where the Prince was found in San Carlo was the home of Cardinal de Mare.
“You’re not going back to Taranto right away, are you?”
The Prince rode for three days and nights to reach San Carlo. Ariadne was worried that Alfonso would soon go on a long journey again, so she looked at him with affection. But Alfonso smiled and reassured Ariadne.
"Don't worry. I'm going to my palace at Palagio Carlo and take care of one or two things before returning... But I have to leave San Carlo tomorrow morning at the latest.”
Out of regret, he held Ariadne tightly in his arms and then reluctantly let her go.
“Ari, it will be difficult to see you again until the entire court returns to San Carlo for the ‘Spring Festival’ at the end of March. You can wait patiently in the meantime, right?”
Ariadne nodded vigorously. Her life was just a series of hardships. She lasted that long, but it was only about a month or two. As long as she had hope, she could persevere in any situation.
“Eat well.”
He added one word.
“I’m going to come back and check it out.”
Ariadne glared at Alfonso.
“How are you going to test it?”
She glared at Alfonso with her pouting lips and continued her questioning.
“You’re not thinking dirty about the testing method, are you?”
"No! What are you looking at me for?”
Alfonso vehemently denied it, but his slightly red face seemed to indicate he was not entirely innocent. Just as Ariadne was about to laugh a little, a 'thump' sound was heard again from the main corridor. She set her face.
“Alfonso, this way.”
Ariadne pulled Alfonso's sleeve over his winter hood and went out the back door leading to the kitchen. She led Alfonso as quickly as a squirrel to one of the storage rooms behind the kitchen and took out a large bundle of keys from the pocket of her cloak. It was the hostess's key. Ariadne opened the door leading to the outside attached to the warehouse with the hostess' key.
“If you go out here, it’s support. If you follow the fence you see, you will come across a side door. Always leave the lock unlocked at this time.”
Ariadne, who had spoken up to this point, paused and thought for a moment. Excluding the rising and setting of the sun, is there anything in the world that always happens without change?
"No. Take this.”
She found a medium-sized key in the packet, took it out, and handed it to Alfonso.
“If it’s locked, open it with this. I have some spare, so you can take them.”
Ariadne opened the warehouse door and urged Alfonso.
“Come on, hurry.”
Alfonso turned his head, looked at her as if he couldn't help but regret, then came up to her and placed a final kiss on her lips. It was a short but regretful kiss. He kissed her and immediately left the warehouse. Ariadne looked blankly at his back and touched her own lips.
Bang!
There was a sound of the door to the lounge attached to the main corridor being opened. Ariadne, thinking that Ippolito might have returned, hurried out into the Great Gallery to greet the guests. However, standing in the grand corridor was a middle-aged man she had never seen before.
"Who are you...?"
"I came to see my niece's final moments, and I have to tell you my name? Who are you, Miss? Where is Lucrezia?"
It was definitely someone from the de Rossi family. The content of what he said was true, but his ignorant and arrogant attitude was exactly like that of Zanobi and Lucrezia. Ariadne introduced herself. Because she had an ominous feeling, she did not want to reveal her name as much as possible, but since she was in the middle of welcoming the guests as a resident, there was no way to hide her identity.
"I am Ariadne de Mare, the second daughter of Cardinal de Mare. My mother is currently resting due to poor health. Shall I inform her that she had a guest?"
"Oh, is that you?"
The middle-aged man listened to Ariadne's self-introduction, and instead of speaking to Cardinal de Mare's daughter to change his attitude, he looked her up and down in a very belligerent manner. It was obvious what he wrote about Ariande in the letter Lucrezia sent home. But it seemed that wasn't the only reason the middle-aged man was angry at Ariadne.
"You are the dirty girl who framed our poor Zanobi! On the subject of worthless business! I'm Stefano, Zanobi's father!"
Ariadne was irritated and had a lot to say, but fortunately for Stefano de Rossi, today she was more generous than usual for various reasons. Above all, Ariadne did not want to fight loudly on Arabella's final journey. She raised her voice and called for the servants.
"Is there anyone here?"
The servant who was supposed to be the one who entertained the guests from across the hall, came running out of breath. It seemed he had been slacking off somewhere. Following him in the commotion was the coachman, or rather, Giuseppe, who was now the security guard.
“Take the guests to the drawing room on the first floor, and send a message to Madame Lucrezia that her brother has arrived.”
“Yes, Miss.”
A servant tried to usher Stefano inside, but Stefano stood still and screamed at Ariadne.
“You ruined my son who had a bright future ahead of him! My child is not like that! ”
When Ariadne, who did not want to fight, turned her head and tried to go inside, he started yelling.
“Are you ignoring me now? Thank you for your kindness, but you’re saying de Mare won’t treat me like an adult from my in-laws’ house?”
"Uncle.'"
Stefano de Rossi's expression brightened slightly at the sound of the word uncle. Does this mean she recognizes him as an adult?
“It is a place to pray for the soul of the deceased. Rather than talking about anything else today, please pray for the rest of poor Arabella so that her soul may rest in peace.”
Despite Ariadne's gesture of compromise, Stefano de Rossi, like Zanobi's father, wanted even more, unaware that the end was over. The lack of obedience was annoying.
“Are you lecturing an elderly relative? What kind of home education is this in this house? This won't work, get a club right away. Today, I will fix your messy hair and make you pay for Janobi’s unfair accusation!”
Giuseppe and the servants looked at Stefano in bewilderment as he rushed to get a club. But first of all, Stefano was a relative of the family. These two men could not touch Stefano without Ariadne's order. Ariadne looked at Stefano coldly.
“'Uncle', it was no one else but His Majesty the King, Leo III himself, who confirmed the facts that Zanobi de Rossi attacked me, his cousin.”
She spoke half sincerely.
“I’m speaking for the sake of my ‘maternal uncle,’ but if you go around saying that Zanobi was framed elsewhere, you could be dragged into charges of insulting the King, so I hope you don’t say things like that.”
“This rotten bitch...!”
However, Ariadne's true feelings tended not to be conveyed well to men older than her but of lower status. Stefano did as she was told, and came striding forward to threaten Ariadne. But Giuseppe, a strong man, blocked his path.
“It’s no fun if you do this.”
He warned Stefano in a threatening tone.
“If you want to be treated like a guest, act like a guest.”
He was blocked by force in front of a young man in his 20s, and his face turned red with shame. However, unlike his fierceness in front of Ariadne, Stefano immediately calmed down in front of the large man.
“Please guide him to the living room.”
Ariadne, seeing Stefano becoming as docile as a baby rabbit, clicked her tongue and turned around, leaving the Rossi family home behind.
“Yes, Miss.”
A servant tried to usher Stefano inside, but Stefano stood still and screamed at Ariadne.
“You ruined my son who had a bright future ahead of him! My child is not like that! ”
When Ariadne, who did not want to fight, turned her head and tried to go inside, he started yelling.
“Are you ignoring me now? Thank you for your kindness, but you’re saying de Mare won’t treat me like an adult from my in-laws’ house?”
"Uncle.'"
Stefano de Rossi's expression brightened slightly at the sound of the word uncle. Does this mean she recognizes him as an adult?
“It is a place to pray for the soul of the deceased. Rather than talking about anything else today, please pray for the rest of poor Arabella so that her soul may rest in peace.”
Despite Ariadne's gesture of compromise, Stefano de Rossi, like Zanobi's father, wanted even more, unaware that the end was over. The lack of obedience was annoying.
“Are you lecturing an elderly relative? What kind of home education is this in this house? This won't work, get a club right away. Today, I will fix your messy hair and make you pay for Janobi’s unfair accusation!”
Giuseppe and the servants looked at Stefano in bewilderment as he rushed to get a club. But first of all, Stefano was a relative of the family. These two men could not touch Stefano without Ariadne's order. Ariadne looked at Stefano coldly.
“'Uncle', it was no one else but His Majesty the King, Leo III himself, who confirmed the facts that Zanobi de Rossi attacked me, his cousin.”
She spoke half sincerely.
“I’m speaking for the sake of my ‘maternal uncle,’ but if you go around saying that Zanobi was framed elsewhere, you could be dragged into charges of insulting the King, so I hope you don’t say things like that.”
“This rotten bitch...!”
However, Ariadne's true feelings tended not to be conveyed well to men older than her but of lower status. Stefano did as she was told, and came striding forward to threaten Ariadne. But Giuseppe, a strong man, blocked his path.
“It’s no fun if you do this.”
He warned Stefano in a threatening tone.
“If you want to be treated like a guest, act like a guest.”
He was blocked by force in front of a young man in his 20s, and his face turned red with shame. However, unlike his fierceness in front of Ariadne, Stefano immediately calmed down in front of the large man.
“Please guide him to the living room.”
Ariadne, seeing Stefano becoming as docile as a baby rabbit, clicked her tongue and turned around, leaving the Rossi family home behind.
She was going to kill Lucrezia sooner or later. If Lucrezia is gone, they will no longer have to see the relatives of the de Rossi family running wild in the de Mare mansion.
***
Another burnt person who was not a member of the de Rossi family but was deeply connected to de Rossi's blood arrived at the funeral later than the real de Rossi. It was Ippolito.
Ippolito, who was supposed to be a resident, arrived at the de Mare mansion only in the late afternoon of the 13th, the day before the funeral and memorial mass. He wasn't even a guest. It was even his lover who announced Hippolito's return.
“Is there anyone there?”
Maleta came in triumphantly through the front door of the house, dressed in black ‘mourning clothes’. Her thick satin winter dress was black, but other than its color, everything else was inappropriate for a mourning outfit worn by a subordinate to express condolences to a superior.
“Is there anyone there?”
Maleta came in triumphantly through the front door of the house, dressed in black ‘mourning clothes’. Her thick satin winter dress was black, but other than its color, everything else was inappropriate for a mourning outfit worn by a subordinate to express condolences to a superior.
Her blindingly shiny black dress was overly extravagant, and the impossibly low neckline was only obscured by black fishnets. In addition, Maleta was wearing a pearl necklace that looked to be about 2 pied (approximately 86 cm) long wrapped around it. The eyes of all the family members who were out on the first floor in the afternoon were instantly focused on Maleta.
"Mother! I’m here!”
After that, the shameless Ippolito came in, wearing a luxurious white musk shrew fur over a robe that was indistinctly black or dark purple. His appearance was enough to make even Lucrezia, who asked her son if he would come or not, frown.
"Mother! I’m here!”
After that, the shameless Ippolito came in, wearing a luxurious white musk shrew fur over a robe that was indistinctly black or dark purple. His appearance was enough to make even Lucrezia, who asked her son if he would come or not, frown.
Lucrezia scolded her son, quickly looking around him.
“You’re out of your mind, are you! What are you wearing? Take off that white fur first!”
Fortunately, the only people guarding the main hallway on the first floor at this moment were Lucrezia and Stefano. It was time for all the servants to change shifts, Cardinal de Mare had gone up to his room to rest, saying he had a headache, and Ariadne had gone out to prepare a lunch for the relatives to eat at home after the memorial mass tomorrow. Lucrezia scolded her son one after another.
“I heard that my younger sister is dead, so shouldn’t I put everything aside and come up quickly! Am I still the eldest son and eldest brother in this family?”
Stefano clicked his tongue next to him and scolded Lucrezia.
“Lucrezia. You completely ruined your child's farming. The kids don't like friendship. Is it because it’s different?”
Lucrezia's face turned red and she kicked Stefano in the groin with the heel of her shoe.
"Ouch!"
He got angry when his sister hit him.
“Did I say something I didn’t say?”
"Shut up!"
Lucrezia looked around, but fortunately, the couple, Ippolito and Maleta, did not seem to have heard them as they had come inside from the cold outside and were taking off their outer clothes. Ippolito was getting quite annoyed when no one showed up to attend to him.
“Where are the servants! Nicolo! Nicolo!”
As soon as Maleta entered the house, she was surprised to see that the first person she encountered was her nemesis, Madame Lucrezia, and she quietly hid behind Ippolito. Lucrezia took advantage of the moment the two were distracted and gritted her teeth and spat out to her second brother.
"Brother. While you're here, make sure you keep a close eye on your mouth. Don’t you know who the de Rossi make a living from? Are you planning to kill them all?”
“Isn’t it a pocket where money isn’t coming out properly these days?”
“Lower your voice!”
Lucrezia looked sideways at her son and the ugly maid next to him and glared at her brother as if she were going to kill him.
“If you talk nonsense, I will kill you.”
When Stefano saw that Lucrezia was showing unusual signs, he raised his hands in a sign of surrender. At this point, Lucrezia thought the matter was over and urged her son.
“You quickly go up and change your clothes first! After I change, immediately say hello to your father that you're back!”
“Yes, yes, okay, Mom. Aren’t you happy to see your son after so long?”
Lucrezia was relieved to see Ippolito grumbling and going up to this floor. Seeing as they didn't say anything, it was clear that those two hadn't heard anything. However, contrary to Lucrezia's beliefs, Maleta was in a state of distress as she followed Ippolito with her head down.
'What is it? What did I just hear?'
“You’re out of your mind, are you! What are you wearing? Take off that white fur first!”
Fortunately, the only people guarding the main hallway on the first floor at this moment were Lucrezia and Stefano. It was time for all the servants to change shifts, Cardinal de Mare had gone up to his room to rest, saying he had a headache, and Ariadne had gone out to prepare a lunch for the relatives to eat at home after the memorial mass tomorrow. Lucrezia scolded her son one after another.
“I heard that my younger sister is dead, so shouldn’t I put everything aside and come up quickly! Am I still the eldest son and eldest brother in this family?”
Stefano clicked his tongue next to him and scolded Lucrezia.
“Lucrezia. You completely ruined your child's farming. The kids don't like friendship. Is it because it’s different?”
Lucrezia's face turned red and she kicked Stefano in the groin with the heel of her shoe.
"Ouch!"
He got angry when his sister hit him.
“Did I say something I didn’t say?”
"Shut up!"
Lucrezia looked around, but fortunately, the couple, Ippolito and Maleta, did not seem to have heard them as they had come inside from the cold outside and were taking off their outer clothes. Ippolito was getting quite annoyed when no one showed up to attend to him.
“Where are the servants! Nicolo! Nicolo!”
As soon as Maleta entered the house, she was surprised to see that the first person she encountered was her nemesis, Madame Lucrezia, and she quietly hid behind Ippolito. Lucrezia took advantage of the moment the two were distracted and gritted her teeth and spat out to her second brother.
"Brother. While you're here, make sure you keep a close eye on your mouth. Don’t you know who the de Rossi make a living from? Are you planning to kill them all?”
“Isn’t it a pocket where money isn’t coming out properly these days?”
“Lower your voice!”
Lucrezia looked sideways at her son and the ugly maid next to him and glared at her brother as if she were going to kill him.
“If you talk nonsense, I will kill you.”
When Stefano saw that Lucrezia was showing unusual signs, he raised his hands in a sign of surrender. At this point, Lucrezia thought the matter was over and urged her son.
“You quickly go up and change your clothes first! After I change, immediately say hello to your father that you're back!”
“Yes, yes, okay, Mom. Aren’t you happy to see your son after so long?”
Lucrezia was relieved to see Ippolito grumbling and going up to this floor. Seeing as they didn't say anything, it was clear that those two hadn't heard anything. However, contrary to Lucrezia's beliefs, Maleta was in a state of distress as she followed Ippolito with her head down.
'What is it? What did I just hear?'
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