At first, it was popular because it was said to keep you alert and help you study. However, later on, he became addicted to alcohol, and if he didn't smoke, his hands would shake and he couldn't concentrate on his studies.
“Hey, just give me a sip too.”
Without hesitation, Ippolito handed out a stick filled with cigarettes worth 1 ducato to his friend next to him. His friend, who got to smoke-free cigarettes, sucked on the stick with joy.
“Why are you dead? What's going on?"
You can't just get a piece of tobacco and burn it with your bare mouth.
“Hey, just give me a sip too.”
Without hesitation, Ippolito handed out a stick filled with cigarettes worth 1 ducato to his friend next to him. His friend, who got to smoke-free cigarettes, sucked on the stick with joy.
“Why are you dead? What's going on?"
You can't just get a piece of tobacco and burn it with your bare mouth.
Ippolito took his friend's lip service in stride and sighed.
“I have a big problem at home, so I might not be able to graduate and have to go back to San Carlo.”
"Yes? Is your house ruined?”
“I have a big problem at home, so I might not be able to graduate and have to go back to San Carlo.”
"Yes? Is your house ruined?”
His friend asked in surprise. Will his free cigarette be cut off? No, it's too much of a waste for someone who's ruined.
Ippolito responded by shaking his head.
“They said my mother was in big trouble. Looks like she got kicked out of the house. I have to go back to San Carlo.”
His friend made a very reasonable point.
“What does your going back have to do with your mother getting kicked out? If you don’t graduate, your mother will come back?”
They had a task at hand now. Final exams were just around the corner.
“You just took your final exam for the semester. There’s only one semester left.”
Ippolito got angry at his friend's correct words.
“This bastard is making me into a completely unfilial son. My mother got kicked out of her house, so how can I handle my studies?”
He glared at his friend.
“A college diploma isn’t the problem right now.”
When his friend saw Ippolito suddenly acting like a dutiful son, he shook his head in bewilderment. That bastard's usual behavior was as far away from Sternheim Castle, the northernmost part of the central continent, as the port of Taranto, the southernmost point. However, since he had received something, he suppressed the growing rebuttal.
“They said my mother was in big trouble. Looks like she got kicked out of the house. I have to go back to San Carlo.”
His friend made a very reasonable point.
“What does your going back have to do with your mother getting kicked out? If you don’t graduate, your mother will come back?”
They had a task at hand now. Final exams were just around the corner.
“You just took your final exam for the semester. There’s only one semester left.”
Ippolito got angry at his friend's correct words.
“This bastard is making me into a completely unfilial son. My mother got kicked out of her house, so how can I handle my studies?”
He glared at his friend.
“A college diploma isn’t the problem right now.”
When his friend saw Ippolito suddenly acting like a dutiful son, he shook his head in bewilderment. That bastard's usual behavior was as far away from Sternheim Castle, the northernmost part of the central continent, as the port of Taranto, the southernmost point. However, since he had received something, he suppressed the growing rebuttal.
Ippolito did not have enough GPA. Although he did not spare any gold coins and registered for all of the special classes that were being held, it was unclear whether he would be able to graduate because he was unable to complete the number of days of attendance each time.
“I need to go home and see. It’s a shame that I couldn’t get a college diploma because of my mother, but I’m sure I’ll have another chance later.”
"Yes. You're such a dutiful son.”
It seems that Hippolito did not like his friend's response and felt that he had to prove that he was a dutiful son.
“My father is so mean, no, no matter how wrong my mother is, how can they send her out to the farm? I guess I’ll have to go home and talk about it.”
“Are you really going? Even if you don’t take the final exam, if you submit your report by next week, you might be able to graduate.”
“I really shouldn’t do that. Becoming human doesn’t mean abandoning my mother.”
Ippolito got up from his seat. He was sick of the thought of hanging on to his professors and begging them to replace exams with reports. He's already messed with the professor too much. He didn't want to go anywhere near it.
“I need to go home and see. It’s a shame that I couldn’t get a college diploma because of my mother, but I’m sure I’ll have another chance later.”
"Yes. You're such a dutiful son.”
It seems that Hippolito did not like his friend's response and felt that he had to prove that he was a dutiful son.
“My father is so mean, no, no matter how wrong my mother is, how can they send her out to the farm? I guess I’ll have to go home and talk about it.”
“Are you really going? Even if you don’t take the final exam, if you submit your report by next week, you might be able to graduate.”
“I really shouldn’t do that. Becoming human doesn’t mean abandoning my mother.”
Ippolito got up from his seat. He was sick of the thought of hanging on to his professors and begging them to replace exams with reports. He's already messed with the professor too much. He didn't want to go anywhere near it.
His friend was looking at Ippolito with an expression that asked, "Hey, are you serious?" But Ippolito himself was very serious.
“I have to go, to San Carlo.”
“I have to go, to San Carlo.”
***
There is an old saying that there will be no red flowers for ten days and the power will not last ten years, and Red-Haired Maleta was truly feeling those words.
Clearly, Ariadne was a rotten girl, and the girl she caught, Isabella, was the most solid of all. Maleta could not help but believe that Lady Isabella would become the consort of a grand magnate, or rather, the Prince and that she would take her to the royal palace as her maid.
In order for the maid to be the palace maid, she would have to be given at least the title of Baronet. Maleta, a maid from the Rambouillet Salvation Home, became a Baronet!
'Oh my, I never dreamed of such an honor!'
She imagines kneeling in disgust at the investiture ceremony and accepting the King's sheathed sword lightly touching her shoulder. It was the content of Maleta's daily fantasy before falling asleep on the straw mattress in the maids' bedroom on the third floor. But now it really has come to an end as a fantasy.
“Maleta! Miss Isabella is locked up all day anyway, so what is there for you to do other than feed her three meals! Stop playing tight and come over here and at least wipe the floor! You have to pay for food!”
Aunt Teresa scolded loudly and threw a rag at Maleta. Aunt Teresa was the manager and person in charge of cleaning for the maids on the third floor who were looking for the vacant position of Giada, the missing head maid.
'Oh my, I never dreamed of such an honor!'
She imagines kneeling in disgust at the investiture ceremony and accepting the King's sheathed sword lightly touching her shoulder. It was the content of Maleta's daily fantasy before falling asleep on the straw mattress in the maids' bedroom on the third floor. But now it really has come to an end as a fantasy.
“Maleta! Miss Isabella is locked up all day anyway, so what is there for you to do other than feed her three meals! Stop playing tight and come over here and at least wipe the floor! You have to pay for food!”
Aunt Teresa scolded loudly and threw a rag at Maleta. Aunt Teresa was the manager and person in charge of cleaning for the maids on the third floor who were looking for the vacant position of Giada, the missing head maid.
Poof!
A stinky rag flew through the air. The wet rag hung on Marleta's shoulder, narrowly avoiding her face.
Feeling her mood rapidly deteriorate, Maleta glared at her Aunt Teresa. Five feet behind her Aunt Teresa stood Sancha with her arms crossed and her triumphant look—so it seemed to Maleta.
'Aunt Teresa, who has become obsessed with the position of head maid, must be looking at Lady Sancha!'
Maleta gritted her teeth and picked up the flying piece of rag.
“Make it sparkly! Everyone else is busy! You clean up the maids’ rooms on the third floor, too!”
This was clearly unfair treatment.
'I can't overturn this!'
Cleaning the maids' room on the third floor was a task reserved for newbies. Even if she tried, it wasn't noticeable and she got scolded when things went missing. Maleta was a four-year veteran and a close maid to the young lady. She doesn't have time to do chores like this.
“Oh my, are you trying to blind me? Do you want to get beaten up and kicked out for disobeying orders?”
Aunt Teresa called. The person to whom Aunt Teresa goes to report that Maleta is disobeying orders is Lady Ariadne. Maleta knew what would happen if she was dragged there. Suppressing her boiling shame, Maleta took the mop, lowered her head, and began scrubbing the floor.
'Sancha girl must be enjoying seeing me being humiliated like this right now, right?'
Sancha manages and supervises Aunt Teresa, but in the meantime, Maleta kneels down on the floor and wipes the floor.
She is the older sister and the senior citizen! She felt unfair and resentful.
'I'll pay you back someday!'
'I'll pay you back someday!'
***
Sancha, under the misunderstanding that she was enjoying Maleta's sadness, was unable to see Maleta as she was actually wiping the floor. Not only was Sancha not good at giggling at other people's misfortune, but there was something even more annoying than that.
“Oh, Sancha, we met by chance.”
‘What a coincidence! After standing and waiting for three hours, I looked like I had to wait!'
Sancha looked up and down Giuseppe, the coachman who had become the leader of Lady Ariadne's new guard, with an extremely pitiful look.
“Oh, Sancha, we met by chance.”
‘What a coincidence! After standing and waiting for three hours, I looked like I had to wait!'
Sancha looked up and down Giuseppe, the coachman who had become the leader of Lady Ariadne's new guard, with an extremely pitiful look.
Giuseppe was tall, had a few freckles on his face, similar to Sancha's, and had light brown, straw-like hair. Everyone says that Giuseppe is good at his work, but when Sancha sees him wasting time like this when she's so busy, it's not very trustworthy.
“Looks like you have nothing to do? Should I tell the Lady to reduce the number of security guards and increase the number of jobs?”
Giuseppe was startled by Sancha's sharp words.
“Well, that’s not it.”
He took out an object wrapped in cloth from his pocket. It was the size of the palm of one's hand.
“Now, this.”
Sancha took the item and opened the wrapping cloth. It was a cookie covered in sugar. Sugar was an expensive commodity, and even in most noble families, desserts like this were served only to guests. The cookie had been in Giuseppe's hand for a long time, so the outside had melted and was a little sticky.
“It just so happened that I was eating alone. We ran into each other by chance and it turned out well. You eat.”
How did it happen? The name of ‘La Montan Bakery’ was stamped on the end of the wrapping cloth. It was a new snack shop in town. The lines were long, the prices were high, and popular products were not available. These items were not given as gifts to a friend like Giuseppe, but a friend like Giuseppe would wait in line for hours to get them and then give them to the girl he liked.
“Looks like you have nothing to do? Should I tell the Lady to reduce the number of security guards and increase the number of jobs?”
Giuseppe was startled by Sancha's sharp words.
“Well, that’s not it.”
He took out an object wrapped in cloth from his pocket. It was the size of the palm of one's hand.
“Now, this.”
Sancha took the item and opened the wrapping cloth. It was a cookie covered in sugar. Sugar was an expensive commodity, and even in most noble families, desserts like this were served only to guests. The cookie had been in Giuseppe's hand for a long time, so the outside had melted and was a little sticky.
“It just so happened that I was eating alone. We ran into each other by chance and it turned out well. You eat.”
How did it happen? The name of ‘La Montan Bakery’ was stamped on the end of the wrapping cloth. It was a new snack shop in town. The lines were long, the prices were high, and popular products were not available. These items were not given as gifts to a friend like Giuseppe, but a friend like Giuseppe would wait in line for hours to get them and then give them to the girl he liked.
However, Sancha was fourteen years old, and no matter how clever she was, she did not regress like her master. She was a novice when it came to courtship and love. And she was a woman who never refused to give her food.
"Hmm. Well, okay. I will eat well.”
Giuseppe's face brightened. Sancha asked, “Why on earth is he doing that?” and took a bite of the cookie, tilting her head suspiciously.
"Hmm. Well, okay. I will eat well.”
Giuseppe's face brightened. Sancha asked, “Why on earth is he doing that?” and took a bite of the cookie, tilting her head suspiciously.
***
The house was disturbingly untidy. Ariadne gestured to butler Nicolo.
“What’s going on?”
"Miss... Master Ippolito is coming back.”
Butler Niccolo handed a parchment letter to Ariadne. Cardinal de Mare was the recipient, and just looking at the envelope, you could clearly see the letter scrawled in bad handwriting.
“What’s going on?”
"Miss... Master Ippolito is coming back.”
Butler Niccolo handed a parchment letter to Ariadne. Cardinal de Mare was the recipient, and just looking at the envelope, you could clearly see the letter scrawled in bad handwriting.
Ariadne smiled mechanically. What is coming is coming.
“When did he say he’d be back?”
“He says he will arrive early next month, around the New Year’s festival.”
"I get it. I need to prepare a suitable room and prepare to welcome my brother.”
She returned the envelope to Butler Nicolo and returned to her room on the second floor. It was originally the best room in the west wing of the second floor, used by Ippolito.
“When did he say he’d be back?”
“He says he will arrive early next month, around the New Year’s festival.”
"I get it. I need to prepare a suitable room and prepare to welcome my brother.”
She returned the envelope to Butler Nicolo and returned to her room on the second floor. It was originally the best room in the west wing of the second floor, used by Ippolito.
Sancha followed Ariadne in and she asked with an anxious expression.
“Miss, as expected... When Master Ippolito returns, ‘Miss Rossi’ will also return and Lady Isabella will be released, right?”
"Hmm. I guess so too.”
“Can we do this?”
Sancha looked like she was in distress. But Ariadne smiled leisurely as she looked at Sancha.
“Let’s stop worrying about useless things and talk about something interesting. So, how much do you hate Maleta?”
Sancha was surprised when Maleta's story suddenly came out.
“Why Maleta, all of a sudden?”
“It would be good to answer that you will definitely take revenge on Maleta, or it would be good to reply that you want to forgive her because she is your only remaining blood relative and your real sister. I will do whatever you want.”
Maleta had previously sold Ariadne to Lucrezia. He owed Ariadne a debt. But before that, Maleta had abandoned Sancha at the Rambouillet Center and left her to starve to death.
“Miss, as expected... When Master Ippolito returns, ‘Miss Rossi’ will also return and Lady Isabella will be released, right?”
"Hmm. I guess so too.”
“Can we do this?”
Sancha looked like she was in distress. But Ariadne smiled leisurely as she looked at Sancha.
“Let’s stop worrying about useless things and talk about something interesting. So, how much do you hate Maleta?”
Sancha was surprised when Maleta's story suddenly came out.
“Why Maleta, all of a sudden?”
“It would be good to answer that you will definitely take revenge on Maleta, or it would be good to reply that you want to forgive her because she is your only remaining blood relative and your real sister. I will do whatever you want.”
Maleta had previously sold Ariadne to Lucrezia. He owed Ariadne a debt. But before that, Maleta had abandoned Sancha at the Rambouillet Center and left her to starve to death.
No matter how she counts it, Ariadne's resentment toward Maleta is smaller than Sancha's resentment. So Ariadne intended to yield to Sancha the decision on whether to take her revenge or not.
"Eww...!”
A spark flew from Sancha’s light green eyes.
“Maletta needs to get paid for what she did!”
"Yes?"
“Because of her, my mom... She says my mom passed away. And Maleta is a person who will do the same thing again if she goes back to the past. I will never forgive her.”
Determination flowed from Sancha’s face. Ariadne nodded. Since Sancha has decided that way, it will come true. Ariadne waved the string and called the maid. She told the maid to fetch butler Niccolo, and when butler Niccolo came in, she gave him a series of instructions.
“Brother Ippolito’s room should be the room next to the room that Lady Lucrezia originally used. And he will need a servant to take care of him exclusively, right?”
“Of course.”
“I understand that Maleta, who was Isabella’s close maid, is out of work these days. I will appoint Maleta as Brother Ippolito’s personal maid.”
Both Butler Nicolo and Sancha looked at Ariadne in surprise.
“Why is there an objection?”
"No! It can’t be.”
Butler Nicolo bowed his head politely. It was a different attitude from before. The prestige of the golden seal representing the hostess was extraordinary.
“I will do as you asked. Have a good afternoon.”
After the butler Nicolo left, Sancha asked Ariadne a question with eyes the size of a lantern.
"Miss! Isn’t that not revenge, but rather a reward?”
Sancha was so embarrassed that her tongue got tangled.
“She's having a hard time right now among the maids on the third floor! It's practically a promotion! Moreover, the occasion of attending Master Ippolito...”
It was a position that Maleta definitely wanted. Even in her previous life, Maleta had tricked a married court official into becoming his concubine and cured his wife. Ariadne smiled.
“I’m giving it to Maleta because it’s a position she would like.”
"Why?!"
“Maletta is a villain, right?”
“Of course!”
“Ippolito is such a huge villain that he can’t even show a business card to someone like Maleta. If you're next to a big bad guy, the little bad guy gets eaten.”
Ariadne gave a detailed explanation to Sancha.
“For Maleta, Ippolito is a poisoned chalice. If she touches him, she will inevitably die.”
Sancha tilted her head because she didn't understand what that meant, and Ariadne tilted her head because she didn't know how the future would unfold.
“Of course, a strong person can overcome Ippolito’s temptation, but... Can our dear Maleta really do that?”
"Eww...!”
A spark flew from Sancha’s light green eyes.
“Maletta needs to get paid for what she did!”
"Yes?"
“Because of her, my mom... She says my mom passed away. And Maleta is a person who will do the same thing again if she goes back to the past. I will never forgive her.”
Determination flowed from Sancha’s face. Ariadne nodded. Since Sancha has decided that way, it will come true. Ariadne waved the string and called the maid. She told the maid to fetch butler Niccolo, and when butler Niccolo came in, she gave him a series of instructions.
“Brother Ippolito’s room should be the room next to the room that Lady Lucrezia originally used. And he will need a servant to take care of him exclusively, right?”
“Of course.”
“I understand that Maleta, who was Isabella’s close maid, is out of work these days. I will appoint Maleta as Brother Ippolito’s personal maid.”
Both Butler Nicolo and Sancha looked at Ariadne in surprise.
“Why is there an objection?”
"No! It can’t be.”
Butler Nicolo bowed his head politely. It was a different attitude from before. The prestige of the golden seal representing the hostess was extraordinary.
“I will do as you asked. Have a good afternoon.”
After the butler Nicolo left, Sancha asked Ariadne a question with eyes the size of a lantern.
"Miss! Isn’t that not revenge, but rather a reward?”
Sancha was so embarrassed that her tongue got tangled.
“She's having a hard time right now among the maids on the third floor! It's practically a promotion! Moreover, the occasion of attending Master Ippolito...”
It was a position that Maleta definitely wanted. Even in her previous life, Maleta had tricked a married court official into becoming his concubine and cured his wife. Ariadne smiled.
“I’m giving it to Maleta because it’s a position she would like.”
"Why?!"
“Maletta is a villain, right?”
“Of course!”
“Ippolito is such a huge villain that he can’t even show a business card to someone like Maleta. If you're next to a big bad guy, the little bad guy gets eaten.”
Ariadne gave a detailed explanation to Sancha.
“For Maleta, Ippolito is a poisoned chalice. If she touches him, she will inevitably die.”
Sancha tilted her head because she didn't understand what that meant, and Ariadne tilted her head because she didn't know how the future would unfold.
“Of course, a strong person can overcome Ippolito’s temptation, but... Can our dear Maleta really do that?”
***
Ippolito returned to the de Mare residence on the last day of 1122 when the house was busy preparing for the New Year's festival.
On the first day of the new year, the entire family would wake up early in the morning, pray for the new year at the Great Palace, and eat a huge lunch at home as soon as they returned, so even when it was close to midnight, the servants could not sleep and prepared for the festival.
“Hey, there!”
There was a superstition in the New Year festival of the Etruscan Kingdom. It was a belief that a family's luck for the year would depend on who was the first person to step foot inside the house in the new year. It was a kind of magical jinx. If an energetic young man comes in, you will have good luck for the year, but if an older person, a woman, or even a child comes in, you will have bad luck for the year. If the person who comes in has dark black hair or light blonde hair, you are lucky; if you have red hair or faded brown hair, you are unlucky.
“Hey, there!”
There was a superstition in the New Year festival of the Etruscan Kingdom. It was a belief that a family's luck for the year would depend on who was the first person to step foot inside the house in the new year. It was a kind of magical jinx. If an energetic young man comes in, you will have good luck for the year, but if an older person, a woman, or even a child comes in, you will have bad luck for the year. If the person who comes in has dark black hair or light blonde hair, you are lucky; if you have red hair or faded brown hair, you are unlucky.
The servant who first discovered Ippolito stood at a distance for a while, unable to decide whether the de Mare family would have good or bad luck this year. Ippolito was clearly a young man, but rather than being energetic, he had the slyness of a wolf that had been starving for a month, and with his faded gray hair and yellowish skin, he looked lifeless. Since this is a young man, should we assume that his family's fortunes for the year are good, or should he be considered unlucky since he is a great man like a withered gray biscuit?
“You slow-witted piece of trash!”
When the servant failed to respond quickly, Ippolito got very angry and threw the bag he was carrying on the doorstep. Various decorations hanging on the front door were crushed by the bag and fell off.
“You slow-witted piece of trash!”
When the servant failed to respond quickly, Ippolito got very angry and threw the bag he was carrying on the doorstep. Various decorations hanging on the front door were crushed by the bag and fell off.
Ah. This is bad luck. The luck must be very bad.
The servant ran inside the house to announce that the Master had arrived.
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