Chapter 69 - We Are Even.. Or Not?

"This generous lady there had offered food to all the poor in this area. So, her total bill is 5000 gold coins." The words were like a slap on the face of both sisters.

Even the spectators were stunned with the revelation. The girl who was being blamed to not have food for herself was actually feeding the whole area. This was one of the biggest market hubs, so the area was wide, and a lot of poor people asked for food here as the rich nobles came here.

Many kind hearted had fed one or two of them. But feeding all was something no one had ever done.

They all looked at the girl who was having her meal nonchalantly in a new light.

"You are lying? How could a girl who did not have money to pay her own bill would be feeding all these poor? 

You are trying to support her. Tell me what had she given you as bribe to lie for her?" they demanded with a glare. Their aura was so fierce that even the stall owner wiped the sweat from his face.

"My lady, you can see through your eyes that my staff is feeding the poor even before you arrive here. How will I lie when the proof is in front of you?" he asked in a soft tone as he bowed his head further.

Melisa looked at the staff who was serving plates to the poor and gritted her teeth. There was no way that they could retort what everyone could see.

She could feel that everyone who was disdaining Hazel just a few minutes ago were looking at them now.

They could not sway so many people with lies. But 5000 coins! It was a large sum that they could not afford and even if they could, they would not waste it on insulting hazel when they could do it for free.

Melinda looked at the gazes of the crowd with the same thought, but then, she smiled, "if that is the case, then how did you accept the offer? Do you think that she had such a large sum of money to pay you?" she asked with a snort as she looked at the girl who had not even looked at them even once.

She was sitting there and enjoying her meal as if she was starving for a month. She had not eaten a piece of grain and she would not stop until she finished the whole meal on the table.

"Just look at her! She is eating like a starved animal. Do you think she would have the money to pay you for all that food you had spent!" asked Melisa again as the more she looked at Hazel, the more she was sure that having 5000 gold coins was impossible for her.

Finally when the bowl of noodles finished, hazel fluttered her eyes. A pout formed on her rosy face, and she looked above. Her actions were so enchanting that everyone held their breath when their eyes met her beautiful one.

"Sigh! I am still hungry." her words were completely opposite to the one everyone had thought. 

They finally noticed that she had not looked above because she was agitated by the words of both siblings but she was upset that her food was finished.

"......." even Richard looked at the empty bowls with surprise. The table had more than 10 bowls of a variety of things that were empty now.

With her pouty lips, she looked at the siblings, "Melissa, Madeline would you pay for one more bowl of noodles? I am still hungry!" her tone was candid and innocent as if she had not heard the comments of the girls at all. She blinked her eyes and then asked again.

"Or are you getting short of money?" finally her eyes turned cold and a smirk formed on her lips. Her words were like a slap on their faces.

"Who said that we are short of money. But it does not mean that we will believe that your bill is 5000 gold coins." demanded Madeline and Hazel chuckled.

"Because you have given your words, or according to you, there is no value in your words?" for nobles the words and respect of their family was all that matters. 

Both of their faces turned ugly when they heard Hazel. She was challenging their family name which could be disgraceful for them.

"You!" Madeline trembled with rage. She was about to accept the bill, but Melissa was not ready to give up. She could not believe that Hazel could have such a large amount of money. After all, she was just a fake daughter of count who ran away with a messenger.

She held her sister's hand and shook her head. Madeline frowned but did not say a word when stopped by her sister. Melisa turned to look at Hazel, and with a pitiful face, she stated, 

"You are right. We do not have such a large sum. You have to pay your bill by yourself." her tone was apologetic, so that others would only have sympathy with them, even if Hazel paid the bill. And if she was not able to pay it, then not only she would be insured but go to prison too.

Both of the things would end up in their favour only.

A smirk formed on the innocent face of Hazel as she looked at Madeline and melisa. "To think that the marques did not have a small sum of money like 5000 gold coins. I feel running away with a messenger was better.

Darling, would you pay the bill for me?" she blinked her eyes as she looked at Richard with a coquettish smile. 

The man only raised a brow but did not say a word as he placed his hand in the pocket and took out a small bag full of gold coins.

The owner of the stall bowed his head and came forward to receive the sum when Melisa scorned,

"What a good show! If only you all have been working in a drama company! Even I had been convinced that the bag had gold coins.`` Melisa smirked and walked towards the owner of the stall and took the bag of coins from him with force.

He did not dare to touch or argue with a higher noble. "My lady, your behavior is not appropriate!" was all he said, as he tried to get the bag back.

But before he could do so. She moved towards the table of hazel and Richard and opened the bag and threw all its contents on the table.

She wanted to insult them by showing the crowd that it was nothing but bronze or silver coins which they were calling gold. 

As the size of the bag was showing that it had a large sum. Keeping so much gold nonchalantly could only be done by the archduke of the crown prince and she was sure that the man in front of her was not one of them.

But her proud face only turned pale when she saw the sparkling bright coins falling on the table with the sound of clink.

Each of them was dazzling in the bright light of the day. The coins were of puregold with a bright shine. 

"These are gold coins, but I am sure that these are not 5000 gold coins!!" she tried to justify her act as she looked at the coin.

"It could not be more than 3000 coins" she added as she felt the weight and the number of coins fallen on the table. Her ability to count could never deceive her. She had a smirk on her face. Even if it was much more than she had thought, it was still less than the amount promised.

The eyes of the stall owner widened and he ran to the table and started counting the coins. And as she had said, the coins were indeed 3000.

"Honey, shall we go and start shopping now? Looking at the faces of hungry and deprived girls, I am not hungry anymore.`` Hazel took a deep sigh as if she had made a big sacrifice but Melisa only took it as an excuse to run away now. So she blocked their way.

"How could you leave after eating your fill? Don't you think that you should pay the poor stall owner his agreed sum of money? Or are you trying to abuse your powers?" her tone was fiercer, now was her chance to show the girl who was right and who was wrong here. 

Till it is even one less coin, she was ready to fight till the end. But contrary to her expectation, when the stall owner was done with counting, he bowed his head deeper and his eyes filled with gratitude, even though other staff members came running and joined their boss, surprising all the spectators once again.

"My lord, I did not know how to thank you."