The next morning, Lucian was staring blankly at the table with a blank expression.
A dried roast pork leg, pickled vegetables that were almost out of their original state, and slices of bread that were piled up as if they were going to be a tower, but upon closer inspection, they were all in poor condition.
The absence of the owner of the mansion was immediately apparent.
Even as the maids who had been moving busily retreated one by one, Ravielli did not show herself.
Lucian, who was staring at the shiny silverware, asked the head maid.
“What about the young lady?”
“The young lady is not feeling well today.”
Maid Ereta set the water bowl down next to Lucian and trailed off.
“Then I’ll make sure to bring her some soup.”
Lucian was about to ask what was wrong, but he closed his mouth.
It seemed she was uncomfortable facing him because of last night's events. He felt like he knew what Ravielli was thinking without even asking.
The maid turned around and walked away without answering.
In a mansion without a master, Lucian was clearly their master.
But no one considered Lucian Meyer as a replacement for Theano.
The maid and the butler were always evasive in their answers to his questions, and often left the final answer unanswered.
Among them, the ones who seemed to show the most contempt for Lucian were the maid Ereta and the housekeeper Mage.
Of course, the butler's attitude was completely understandable to Lucian.
But the reactions of the other maids were even more amusing.
Because the reason was clear.
Ereta and her maids weren't always like this. They were initially sympathetic to Lucian Meyer, who appeared out of nowhere, seemingly out of nowhere.
Whether he was the son of a Marquis or not was a matter of importance to his subordinates.
If only they could just have a couple of flings with a hot-blooded guy.
It was Ereta who first showed interest in Lucian.
She quietly hovered around Lucian, giving him some space.
But when Lucian didn't budge just by giving him room, she pretended to tidy up his room, but then tripped over it, flipped her skirt upside down, and stuck her butt out while brushing the floor.
But all she got in return was Lucian Meyer's cold and indifferent response.
“Ereta.”
Lucian asked Ereta, who had stopped moving without changing her dry expression.
“Is there a good hunting ground nearby? Not too far away.”
Ereta rolled her eyes and looked at where the maids were standing.
“I don’t know much about the hunting grounds.”
As Ereta's lips twitched in a sly manner, all the maids looked at her.
"Before Father departed, he was troubled by the task of breaking in the new racehorse he had purchased. So... I was wondering if I might take the horse out hunting."
A dried roast pork leg, pickled vegetables that were almost out of their original state, and slices of bread that were piled up as if they were going to be a tower, but upon closer inspection, they were all in poor condition.
The absence of the owner of the mansion was immediately apparent.
Even as the maids who had been moving busily retreated one by one, Ravielli did not show herself.
Lucian, who was staring at the shiny silverware, asked the head maid.
“What about the young lady?”
“The young lady is not feeling well today.”
Maid Ereta set the water bowl down next to Lucian and trailed off.
“Then I’ll make sure to bring her some soup.”
Lucian was about to ask what was wrong, but he closed his mouth.
It seemed she was uncomfortable facing him because of last night's events. He felt like he knew what Ravielli was thinking without even asking.
The maid turned around and walked away without answering.
In a mansion without a master, Lucian was clearly their master.
But no one considered Lucian Meyer as a replacement for Theano.
The maid and the butler were always evasive in their answers to his questions, and often left the final answer unanswered.
Among them, the ones who seemed to show the most contempt for Lucian were the maid Ereta and the housekeeper Mage.
Of course, the butler's attitude was completely understandable to Lucian.
But the reactions of the other maids were even more amusing.
Because the reason was clear.
Ereta and her maids weren't always like this. They were initially sympathetic to Lucian Meyer, who appeared out of nowhere, seemingly out of nowhere.
Whether he was the son of a Marquis or not was a matter of importance to his subordinates.
Lucian Meyer was a man whose mere presence brought joy to behold.
Whether he was a son or a con artist didn't matter. If he were a drifter anyway, she might have thought it all the better.
It was Ereta who first showed interest in Lucian.
She quietly hovered around Lucian, giving him some space.
But when Lucian didn't budge just by giving him room, she pretended to tidy up his room, but then tripped over it, flipped her skirt upside down, and stuck her butt out while brushing the floor.
But all she got in return was Lucian Meyer's cold and indifferent response.
“Ereta.”
Lucian asked Ereta, who had stopped moving without changing her dry expression.
“Is there a good hunting ground nearby? Not too far away.”
Ereta rolled her eyes and looked at where the maids were standing.
“I don’t know much about the hunting grounds.”
As Ereta's lips twitched in a sly manner, all the maids looked at her.
"Before Father departed, he was troubled by the task of breaking in the new racehorse he had purchased. So... I was wondering if I might take the horse out hunting."
Lucian muttered as he picked up the toasted bread.
Then, Ravielli's maid, Mage, clenched her fists tightly around the hand holding the towel and suddenly spoke.
“I once heard from a lumber shop owner that the area beyond Mount Galatea is good for hunting.”
“Galatea?”
"Yes."
Mage avoided the maid's gaze that was glaring at her and continued speaking.
"I heard the terrain is rugged and difficult for most people. But it's perfect for taming horses, and the animals are quite meaty..."
“Mage?”
The head maid, unable to bear the babbling, called out to Mage in a low voice.
Then, Mage's forehead turned bright red, and she pressed her lips together tightly.
“Then I must go for Father's sake. Today, without delay.”
With that, Lucian dismissed all the servants except for the youngest maid.
As soon as she left the dining room, Ereta snatched Mage's apron and growled softly.
Mage's neck felt cold, but she faced it confidently.
“It’s all for the young lady.”
“What? This thing still hasn’t come to her senses!”
“I did it on purpose. It takes at least half a day to get to Galatea.”
"So?"
When the maid still didn't raise her eyebrows, Mage responded, pounding her chest in frustration.
"That's why. If he went all the way to Galatea, he couldn't return in a day. Then he'd be out of this mansion for at least three days. Unless he catches one as soon as he arrives."
When Mage had said that, Ereta's grip on her skirt loosened slightly.
“The young lady is having a hard time with him staying at the mansion.”
Mage knew that Lucian Meyer entered Ravielli's bedroom every night.
She couldn't tell exactly what had happened, but it must have had something to do with what Theano had told her.
'Every night, Lucian will visit your master's room. Keep a close eye on what they do and report back to me without fail. Tell me if any groans leak through the crack in the door, and how long it takes my son to enter and leave Ravielli's room. Do you understand?'
The more she thought about the master's order, the stranger it seemed.
He knew that the man he claimed was his son would go to Ravielli's bedroom every night.
And yet, I have to watch them moan!
This was clearly a trap. She can't tell for sure, but it was clear the young lady was going to fall into it.
Mage didn't want her delicate master, Ravielli, to get hurt.
If so, there is only one way.
The Marquis's son was just leaving the mansion.
"But should he really go all the way to Galatea? If he asks the butler, he'll know it's too far and not easy to get there."
So, Mage simply blurted out, 'It's difficult for most people.'
Because men are simple animals.
A sense of useless competition must have set fire to your heart.
Since he was no ordinary man, it was obvious that he would definitely step forward and go.
“If you go, you’ll be able to stay comfortably for three or four days. Maybe even longer.”
"Galatea is a difficult mountain even for skilled hunters. Are you sure you know that?"
At Ereta's words, Mage shrugged.
“Then it would be better.”
“You're such a cheeky girl.”
While the two maids chattered back to the kitchen, Lucian proudly scooped up some soup and put it in his mouth.
Controlling the lower classes is a simple yet difficult task.
Gold was enough to make the shell obey, but something else was needed to make them your people to the core.
'I thought you were just a maid, but you seem to really care about your master.'
Although Lucian was a foreigner, he knew the infamous Galatea.
It was a very desirable hunting ground for the nobles, but it was notorious for its rugged and dangerous terrain.
However, it was a place that any man would be drawn to, as one could enjoy intense hunting, and the hides of the animals caught there were of the highest quality.
Moreover, Galatea's public security was notoriously poor. Deaths were so frequent that the lords of the border towns even established special agencies, but this proved ineffective.
'Work is getting fun.'
In fact, Lucian had another intention when he asked about the hunting grounds.
The poor Mage thought she had fooled Lucian, but in fact, it was quite the opposite.
Lucian Meyer had a plan more perfect than gold.
***
The sun is slightly dipping, and there is a cool breeze.
That afternoon, Ravielli packed a thin coat and went out into the garden.
One of the maids said that Lucian had packed his bags and gone hunting.
So Ravielli decided to take a walk in the garden alone.
The Meyer family's gardens were famous for being large and beautiful.
It boasted a majestic appearance, as if it were a mansion towering over a vast expanse of land, and was planted with many rare trees and wild flowers, making it no less than an imperial garden.
Of course, when Theano was there, access to the garden was not free.
The reason was that the area was so vast that she might get lost, but in reality, it was because he didn't trust Ravielli.
As she walked along the path that was decorated like a path, Ravielli tried not to think about anything.
But sometimes, when the wind blows and tickles her cheek, or a cold air passes through the hem of her skirt.
Memories of the previous night were seeping through her hair.
Ravielli clearly knew.
Lucian Meyer didn't come into her bedroom on his own accord. He was simply following Theano's orders.
But having to lie down with her legs spread open in front of a strange man was, in fact, humiliating just thinking about it.
Of course, Lucian behaved very gentlemanly, except when he put Ravielli, who was trying to resist, to bed.
He applied the medicine silently and acted cautiously.
But last night.
"Phew..."
The moment she thought about it, a dizzying sensation came over her between her legs.
It can't be helped.
It's something that can't be refused.
She wants to resist, but as the sun sets and darkness falls, she can't stop him from entering her bedroom again today.
It was when Ravielli, lost in her thoughts, was walking along with a sad step.
The sound of horse hooves seemed to come from afar, and it was getting louder.
Who is it?
It could be a chicken vendor or an oil merchant who came in time for dinner.
Judging by the rough sound coming from the other side, she thought it might be the innkeeper who was angry about the taxes.
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