Feeling a sense of crisis that she might be abandoned, Maleta abandoned her previous arrogant attitude and desperately clung to Sancha.
“Sancha, it’s my younger sister Sancha!”
Maleta had been half-conscious since she had entered the Rambouillet Relief Center through its main gate. To her, this place was the epitome of hell. She had somehow escaped, but she could never return.
“I don’t want to starve to death here. After giving birth, the baby died on a pile of feces, and I died while giving birth next to him...!”
Maleta knelt down to her knees and held on to the hem of Sancha's skirt.
“Please don’t leave me here. Please have pity on me. Please... Please...”
Sancha clicked her tongue at the sight that seemed familiar. But the situation was the opposite.
“Noble Lady! Sancha has bad hand habits and has an incurable coughing disease!”
It was the words that Maleta had shouted in front of the de Mare family's daughter in the past when she said she would take only one of the two. Sancha would never forget what Maleta did that day.
“You’re going to leave me? No, you’re not. You’re my only sister.”
You. You left me here. Why on earth are you imposing on me ethics and morals that you have never maintained?
Sancha felt disgust rather than sympathy. She looked more like a dirty piece of food than a pitiful horse riding a horse, clinging to it while rambling to save her life. But unfortunately, Sancha followed the young lady's orders and hid Maleta well, and had to return one day with Maleta. Sharp words came out of Sancha's mouth without her realizing it.
“Why? Are you afraid that your karma will come back to haunt you?”
Maleta was startled and fell to the floor, looking at her sister.
“I want to leave you behind forever, but my lady will contact you when the time comes. Wait here quietly.”
Maleta's eyes widened. She read the pessimistic half of what she could from half a glass of water. She really meant to wait indefinitely.
“Hey, Sancha. Tell the young lady something.”
She hung on, holding onto her sister's sleeve.
“I served Master Ippolito. Before that, I served Lady Isabella. I know many stories that could be of help to Lady Ariadne.”
This time, the direction was right. Sancha stopped walking when she heard the words, 'A story that might be helpful to Lady Ariadne.' Sancha narrowed her eyes and said,
"Say it."
But Maleta stubbornly shook her head.
“I can only speak if she comes in person.”
Sancha answered.
“What you can’t say to me, you can’t say to the lady. I won't betray you. I don’t want anything to leak out of my mouth, so tell me now.”
However, even though they were sisters from the same boat, Sancha and Maleta had different thought circuits.
"What are you talking about? That's because if I tell you everything, and then you wipe your mouth after hearing all of it, I'll be left alone! Do you think I would be fooled by such a poor trick?”
Sancha sighed.
“It was my fault for expecting human-like words to come from someone like you.”
“The information is true. Be sure to tell the young lady!”
Sancha left the Rambouillet Relief Center without saying a word.
“Why? Are you afraid that your karma will come back to haunt you?”
Maleta was startled and fell to the floor, looking at her sister.
“I want to leave you behind forever, but my lady will contact you when the time comes. Wait here quietly.”
Maleta's eyes widened. She read the pessimistic half of what she could from half a glass of water. She really meant to wait indefinitely.
“Hey, Sancha. Tell the young lady something.”
She hung on, holding onto her sister's sleeve.
“I served Master Ippolito. Before that, I served Lady Isabella. I know many stories that could be of help to Lady Ariadne.”
This time, the direction was right. Sancha stopped walking when she heard the words, 'A story that might be helpful to Lady Ariadne.' Sancha narrowed her eyes and said,
"Say it."
But Maleta stubbornly shook her head.
“I can only speak if she comes in person.”
Sancha answered.
“What you can’t say to me, you can’t say to the lady. I won't betray you. I don’t want anything to leak out of my mouth, so tell me now.”
However, even though they were sisters from the same boat, Sancha and Maleta had different thought circuits.
"What are you talking about? That's because if I tell you everything, and then you wipe your mouth after hearing all of it, I'll be left alone! Do you think I would be fooled by such a poor trick?”
Sancha sighed.
“It was my fault for expecting human-like words to come from someone like you.”
“The information is true. Be sure to tell the young lady!”
Sancha left the Rambouillet Relief Center without saying a word.
***
“Is that so?”
“...Yes."
“Maybe I can repay an old grudge this time.”
Hook for the Debutante Ball. The hook that drove Arabella to her death. Ariadne had not forgotten yet. She couldn't forget.
“Maletta is willing to testify? If we can be sure of that, we might be able to put an end to Isabella this time.”
“..It depends on what you give Maleta.”
Sancha looked uncomfortable. Ariadne looked at Sancha with some worry.
“Sancha, are you worried? This is your chance for revenge, and I’m afraid I’ll get evidence from Maleta and open a way for you in return.”
Maleta was Sancha's older sister, but also her mortal enemy. In some ways, she was like Isabella and Ariadne. Ariadne herself would be very angry if someone told her to give up her revenge on Isabella for selfish reasons, no matter who it was. She might not let it go.
"No. It’s not like that.”
Sancha shook his head violently. She looked at Ariadne with moist eyes.
“Miss. Please don’t worry about revenge on Maleta. I hate Maleta, but she’s my real sister. I haven’t even decided whether I want revenge or not.”
“Then why do you look so sad? If you’re lying and saying you don’t need revenge because of me, then you really don’t have to.”
Ariadne took Sancha's hand.
“I’ll do whatever you want. If you want to forgive her because she's your sister, I’ll do it. If you want to kill Maleta, I’ll kill her most painfully. Just say the word.”
Sancha shook her head.
“Miss, it’s not really like that. I just... just....”
Sancha let out a deep sigh.
“Maleta is an untrustworthy woman. She was indeed in a position to know the story of Master Ippolito and Lady Isabella, but there is no guarantee that what she says is true.”
Sancha added a word.
“There is even no guarantee that after getting what she wants, she will give the testimony he promised in front of Cardinal de Mare.”
Sancha looked at Ariadne with an anxious face.
“I don't want Maleta to play a major role in your plans because she's not trustworthy. She will definitely have an unexpected accident. I don’t want you to lose money because of her.”
It was a reason she could never have imagined. Ariadne's heart was so touched that she clasped Sancha's hand tightly.
"Miss! You can't catch it like this! I haven’t even washed my hands yet after being out there!”
“What’s wrong with that kind of dust?”
Ariadne stroked Sancha's head.
“And you need to have more faith in me.”
Ariadne smiled.
“If Maleta gets anything in return, it will all be paid for. I won’t be taken advantage of by the likes of Maleta anymore.”
Ariadne looked at the mountain tea.
“It would be better for us to move rather than bring Maleta with us, right? Let’s go listen to the story.”
***
Maleta, who had been staying in the staff quarters of the Rambouillet Relier Center for nearly ten days, was on the verge of going into psychosis. Maleta's main schedule was to spend the whole day alone, unable to say a word and staring at the wall. The meal served twice a day was a staff meal, so it was better than the poor people's, but it had the horrible, pungent smell of turnips that had been boiled in the pot for so long that it had soaked into the pot itself, which was unique to the Rambouillet relief center.
“You’re trying to starve me to death here! Everyone will forget about me!”
Maleta ground her teeth as she stroked her still-unresponsive lower abdomen.
“I’m going back.”
While locked in the attic all day long, Maleta developed a habit of talking to herself. Whenever she said anything out loud, it felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.
“You little Ariadne! If you interfere with me, the future mother of de Mare, I won’t let you off easy!”
Talking to yourself never gets an answer.
"I see."
Maleta almost fell off the straw mattress in surprise when she heard a laughing voice answering her words.
“The mother of the future de Mare.”
“Eek!”
“You finally got your wish, Maleta.”
The owner of the voice was Lady Ariadne herself. She pulled the hood down over her head, leaned against her oak door, and grinned.
“How are you going to leave me alone?”
“Ah, lady...”
“You’re trying to starve me to death here! Everyone will forget about me!”
Maleta ground her teeth as she stroked her still-unresponsive lower abdomen.
“I’m going back.”
While locked in the attic all day long, Maleta developed a habit of talking to herself. Whenever she said anything out loud, it felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.
“You little Ariadne! If you interfere with me, the future mother of de Mare, I won’t let you off easy!”
Talking to yourself never gets an answer.
"I see."
Maleta almost fell off the straw mattress in surprise when she heard a laughing voice answering her words.
“The mother of the future de Mare.”
“Eek!”
“You finally got your wish, Maleta.”
The owner of the voice was Lady Ariadne herself. She pulled the hood down over her head, leaned against her oak door, and grinned.
“How are you going to leave me alone?”
“Ah, lady...”
Sancha came in behind the tall Ariadne. The atmosphere of the two people standing in front of the door was oppressive. Although she did not want to bow down to Ariadne in front of the Sancha, Maleta was basically someone who became weak in front of a strong person. The only thing more precious than life is eating well and living well. Maleta threw herself at Ariadne's feet.
“Miss! Miss! I made a mistake! I missed you so much, Miss!”
Maleta expected Ariadne to tell her to get up since she was pregnant, but Ariadne just stood stiffly and looked down at Maleta coldly. Maleta cursed under her breath and whined even louder with her mouth.
“How scared I was while I was here! How much I hate Master Ippolito! How sad! But he is the child’s father!”
As Maleta told that story, emotions welled up in her. Tears streamed down Maleta's chubby cheeks.
“Miss, please help me... You may hate me, but I am nothing but a lowly person, and I still have your nephew in my belly...”
“Let’s stop talking about useless things and talk about something more useful.”
Ariadne walked lightly and sat down on Maletha's bed. In front, there was an old stool roughly carved out of wood. Ariadne pointed to the stool with her chin.
"Sit down."
Maleta sat down on the stool, tears streaming down her face.
“I heard you said you had something to tell me? What is the secret?”
"That..."
***
“Prince Alfonso, let us talk.”
Alfonso, who was passing by, was caught by the Grand Duchess Lariesa, who blocked his passage with her arms outstretched. He looked at Grand Duchess Lariesa with an expression that made it difficult to understand his meaning. After standing in silence for a moment, he spoke to her.
“Grand Duchess. Please follow the rules.”
It was a soft, pleasant-sounding, low-pitched voice, and a gentle tone of speech. However, the sensitive Lariesa could read traces of coldness permeating it.
“What great indiscretion have I committed? I have been waiting here for a long time because I wanted to see Prince Alfonso!”
It was true that Lariesa had been waiting for Alfonso in the hallway for over an hour.
“I have a pre-arranged schedule with the knights right now, and the Grand Duchess blocked the road without making any promises. You just need to contact my adjutant, Dino, to make the appointment. Okay then.”
"But!"
Lariesa cried, tears streaming down her cow-like eyes.
“The Prince is avoiding me! Responses to letters come infrequently, and all escorts, except for official events, have other schedules!”
Lariesa took a step closer and appealed, beating her chest.
“I don’t know what else to do here!”
But Prince Alfonso was adamant.
“What else should the Grand Duchess do?”
Alfonso spoke softly in the tone of a host showing a guest around the mansion.
“Taranto is a beautiful place. You can travel and enjoy the food. If there is a place you want to visit, tell my staff. They will take you there. You can go to any place you want to see.”
He paused for a moment, then added the last words.
“The Etruscans welcome the Grand Duchess of Gallico as if they were relatives.”
Since they were related by blood, it was true in principle. But they were not flying together this winter as relatives. And above all, Lariesa absolutely did not want that kind of relationship.
“Prince Alfonso, we must come closer. That is the will of our fathers.”
Lariesa couldn't stand it any longer. Lariesa, who was becoming impatient, finally revealed her temper that she had been hiding well.
“And it is the only way for your people! If you have any sense of responsibility towards the Etruscan people, be kind to me.”
Interest must fear the power of the great Gallico kingdom. Lariesa added, thinking of her strong father, Grand Duke Odo, and her own cousin, Philip IV of Gallico.
“I’m about to explode right now.”
Lariesa took advantage of this momentum and opened her mouth to criticize Prince Alfonso for his indifference. But Alfonso's reply, which seemed to be pressing down on her, prevented her from saying her next words.
“The only way for my people?”
Prince Alfonso, who had always been soft and gentle, was glaring at Lariesa with a flame of anger in his blue-gray eyes.
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