Chapter 156

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In the afternoon, Dana and Marsha decided to visit the townhouse.

It was the first time Luciel’s friends came over, so it was true that she felt excited and thrilled for no apparent reason.

The Duke and Ellington went to a business meeting, Soliaphe went to a social gathering with Lariet, and there was a strange sense of freedom as there were no adults.

“Butler, my friends are coming soon, so I’d like to have a light tea time.”

Luciel dyed her cheeks red and spoke softly to butler Duncan.

“It’s your first time preparing refreshments for guests, isn’t it? I will tell the chef to prepare tea time properly.”

“Oh, there’s no need to be so grand.”

“I will take care of it so that you can enjoy it in a cozy way. Don’t worry, please take a rest.”

“Yes.”

Butler Duncan smiled lightly and led Luciel to the sofa. He was a man of great politeness and consideration.

Rose came down the stairs and said.

“Little Madam. Since your friends are coming over, would you like to change clothes?”

“Ah……Yes.”

Luciel followed Rose into her private dressing room.

The dressing room, which was larger than the bedroom, was decorated with luxurious mint color furniture.

‘I mean, there are really many pretty and cute things for girls.’

When Soliaphe was out and about in town, she bought a wagon full of things for Luciel, so Luciel’s stuff occupied more space than hers.

It was nice to see her happy face, so Luciel said an honest thank you.

If Luciel was a normal little girl, she might be spoiled rotten.

Luciel kept her closet open, contemplating what to choose. Since her friends were coming to play, she somehow felt that she should pay more attention.

Rose picked up a dress with a quick glance and said

“A fresh green checkered dress with no adornment and a beige dress with ruffles to enhance elegance. What do you think?”

“The green checkered is cute.”

“It’s even cuter when you wear it.”

A white apron was draped over her dress, and her hair was braided to the side. On top of that, her hair-do was finished with a headband with a large pearl, and finally, a black ribbon was attached to the collar.

When Luciel grabbed her usual pink bag, Rose pulled out a bag from another box.

“Hold on a second. A brown leather bag would suit you better today.”

“Thanks.”

“I heard that the Madam bought it from a handmade leather shop.”

Upon closer inspection, Luciel’s initials were engraved, and the leather smelled good.

As she was about to complete her redecoration, Marquis Marande wagon arrived at the townhouse. Luciel greeted her friends with a bright smile.

“Thank you for coming. Dana, Marsha.”

“Luciel, the Duke’s castle is great, but the townhouse is also a picturesque manor!”

Dana’s eyes twinkled, and Marsha shyly held out a bunch of daisies.

“……Luciel, I enjoyed the presentation through the video section. It was wonderful!”

Marsha, who was not usually very talkative, looked at Luciel with longing eyes and praised her.

“Thank you, Marsha.”

“Luciel, there is a riot now.”

“Why?”

“Why, it’s because of what Luciel did at the literary salon. Now all the girls are like me. They are all obsessed with you.”

Marsha said proudly, but Luciel felt awkward.

“Don’t make fun of me. Come inside quickly. Let’s have tea together.”

“Before that, let’s take a look around the house!”

The three of them roamed around like squirrels, looking around the manor, they laughed and catted while occupying Luciel’s dressing room and closet.

“Little Madam, refreshments are ready.”

Luciel and her friends muttered in ecstasy when they saw the set of afternoon tea prepared on the 5-tier crystal tray.

“Wow, so pretty.”

Starting with cranberry scones, the menu became more colorful as it went upstairs.

From macaroons with raw strawberries to mango choux cream, pineapple tart, custard pudding, and jelly with peach syrup. The top was decorated with pink flowers.

Lastly, sweet and thick brewed milk tea was served in a transparent crystal pot.

“Does Luciel eat like this every day?”

“Is this possible? Heck, this is so delicious.”

Taking a bite of the sweet-tart, Luciel enjoyed the healing flavors. It seemed as if she was playing like a child as the Duke wished.

“Luciel, it was so much fun today. Let’s meet again.”

“Yes, goodbye.”

It was time to see Dana and Marsha leave the carriage, she waved her hand and was about to go back into the mansion.

Tag. Tag. Tag.

An unfamiliar carriage, without the emblem of the family or a sign of a regular carriage from a transport guild, stopped in front of the townhouse. There was even an escort knight who rode on a horse while following from behind.

The carriage stopped, but no one came out.

“Who……are you? There are no adults at home right now…….”

Luciel was not yet the hostess, so it was difficult to welcome other guests. Even more so, if she didn’t know what guests would come so suddenly without any notice.

At that time, Butler Duncan saw the arrival of an unfamiliar carriage and rushed out.

“Little Madam.”

Soon after, the window opened, and Kizef, who was sleeping in Luciel’s room, jumped out as well.

Tadat.

“Luciel……who’s here?”

“Ah……hm. Kizef. How can you jump out of the window?”

“There is no problem with this much height.…… Who said was coming over?”

Kizef’s gaze turned again to the suspicious carriage and asked Duncan.

“No, there was no one. Young master.”

“Please confirm.”

“Yes.”

Even in a townhouse, when there is no head of a house, the next head of the household should act as the owner.

“Excuse me, but please give me your family name and first name.”

Duncan carefully knocked on the carriage door, then the door opened and Claudia, covered in a robe, poked her head out.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I am a friend of Princess Luciel.”

“Oh……Princess?!”

“Luciel, shh. The process is a bit complicated to officially go out as a princess, so I sneaked out. Hurry up and get in the carriage. I’m going to Zerda’s Toy Store. I have something to discuss.”

Claudia cheerfully said and Luciel was also surprised, but as she thought about it, she remembered that she had agreed to meet her too.

“I thought you couldn’t come because there was no news……. My friends have already been there.”

“Well…… Actually, I was going to send those friends back. Anyway, get on board, Princess.”

At Claudia’s words, Luciel looked at Kizef’s face.

“Kizef, I’ll be right back. I’ll be going out Butler Duncan.”

“Yes, I will let the Master and the Madam know upon their return.”

When Luciel took Claudia’s hand and climbed into the carriage, Kizef got into the wagon without hesitation and said to Claudia.

“I will go too. What is your destination?”

“Oh, the Prince too? Ah, it’s Zerda’s Magic Toy Shop.”

Upon hearing her words, Kizef gave orders to Duncan.

“I will escort her there, but send at least two or more escorts over.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Claudia smiled awkwardly as she saw the young couple sitting side by side in her carriage because the original purpose was a girlfriend’s date.

“Luciel seems to have a reliable husband.”

As she decided to discuss the future with Claudia, Luciel also wanted to see her separately. But Luciel noticed that Claudia was careful to talk about things in front of Kizef.

“Princess, Kizef knows everything, so it’s okay to talk comfortably.”

“Well, that’s right. I see. I got to know a lot of new aspects of the Prince.”

Claudia said with a smile, but Kizef simply nodded his head.

“…….”

He had no intention of letting Luciel go alone. There was an accident involving Prince Reynold in the past, and last time even Marquise Baluk.

Princess Claudia was a reliable person, but he found out that only Bellstein’s family members were reassuring.

“Thank you for coming together. Did you wake up because of me?”

Luciel whispered while asking and his ears tickled. With slightly flushed cheeks, he said.

“I can’t let you go alone.…… I had a good night’s sleep. The bed was very soft.”

In fact, rather than that, Luciel’s smell, which was buried throughout her room, was so warm and comfortable that he seemed to have fallen asleep right away.

It was unusual for a sensitive person like himself, who could not sleep well when changing beds.

Claudia’s lips twitched as she heard the whisper.

“Oh, wait a minute. Did you two share the same bed?”

“……What? No! Kizef was tired for a while, so he fell asleep in my bed.”

Luciel shook her head and stepped away in a hurry, and Kizef responded coldly.

“……What’s wrong with that? Aren’t we married?”

Still, his ears were burning bright red.

* * *

Cicline looked at the calendar and gloomily said.

“I have a practical exam the day after tomorrow……. Still, it’s a miracle that I’ve come this far.”

Since she moved to a stand-alone dormitory room, she has been mixing drugs alone inside, not going to the lab, but the answer was still not clear.

Time ticked by, and her heart was burning.

It was then. Someone knocked on her dorm door.

“Candidate number 34, are you Cicline Renny? A letter has come.”

“……Letter? There’s no place to come from.”

Cicline was wary of the deliveryman, but she soon wondered if it was Luciel, and quickly opened the door.

She found a cute rabbit stamp branded on it.

“Little Madam Luciel……?”

Her face brightened at once, as she hurriedly opened the letter. It was a way she had never really thought of.

Fumigation, where she makes a fire and steams the herbs with the smoke….

During her time studying herbal medicine, she had tried many methods, but fumigation was something unfamiliar.

“Oh my, that’s a strange way to do it. Does this really work? Well, I don’t have time. Wouldn’t it be better to try than to stand still?”

Cicline had no choice but to go to the lab to apply such a method. But Peter would still be thinking of buying another candidate to monitor her, and steal the recipe.

“I’ll have to do it in the middle of the night when there’s no one around. Tonight….”

As she looked back at the request Luciel had written to her, she nodded her head.

[Shall we spread a false recipe to the person who approached you then?]