Chapter 103 - Sour Face - Sweet Face

"I am aware of her wishes to begin training and had come to see if she was alright after her first class." Marquess Samed's casual revelation gained a gasp from the Countess.

Rutherford wasn't as surprised as he had received the same answer upon his inquiry regarding the Marquess' sudden arrival.

Noticing the surprise and confusion on his wife's face, he decided to let her know what Marquess had told him before she had entered the room.

"Apparently, Vonna had informed the Marquess about her interest to learn horse-riding." He disclosed while glimpsing at the man on the other side.

Marquess Samed nodded his head and smiled to prove that what the Earl had said was the truth.

He had conveniently placed the blame on the child who wasn't here to defend herself rather than letting them know the real truth.

That he had placed his spies to watch Yvonne's movements and that they had informed him about her stubborn demands.

'They want to keep the self-defense part a secret?' He understood when he heard that Rutherford only spoke about horse-riding but not about the other skills.

Since they were unwilling to disclose this information to him, he would pretend as though he knew nothing more than what they had mentioned.

"That is correct." He added to ease their minds.

Rutherford and Raylene sighed when they realized that Yvonne's training for self-defense would remain a secret.

The parents of the young child were worried that once this news would spread in the society, then her reputation might be damaged by some ill-intentioned people.

Marquess Samed sat in silence as he waited for the couple to snap out of their thoughts but he did not see them move even after a few minutes.

"May I meet her now? I have some important information that she needs to be made aware of." He divulged while placing the teacup back on the table.

His words brought their attention back on him making them glance at each other with troubled eyes.

There was no information that Yvonne needed to know. He had lied so that they might let him meet his student.

When he saw the complicated expressions on their faces, Sullivan's doubt that something bad had occurred grew greater than before.

He sat in an upright position and then aimed his scrutinizing gaze at the parents who refused to let him know what had happened.

After a long wait, Rutherford glimpsed at his wife and nodded when he saw her smiling at him.

'Vonny is fine and she can meet her tutor.' She calmed his anxious heart in a few seconds by the simple act of holding onto his arm.

'Can they stop acting like a newly married couple?' The man with silver hair could not help but feel annoyed at this blatant display of affection in his presence.

Rutherford, however, was smiling at his sweet wife who could make him feel better in a matter of a few seconds.

The fierce Raylene who had sent her maid to the Lower Hall was nowhere to be seen right now and in her place was the docile and calm Raylene that everyone knew about.

As the couple had come to a consensus after their short loving moment of gazing into each other's eyes, they turned towards their guests in unison.

Thus, Marquess Samed followed after the Earl and his wife as they led the way to Yvonne's room.

When they reached their destination, they met Mrs. Jacinth standing guard outside her bedroom.

The maid bowed to her Master, Madam, and the Royal Tutor before she opened the door for them.

Before they had arrived, Butler Limo had come ahead of them to inform Yvonne of the guest who wished to meet her.

Cranky and in pain after the morning's (vigorous) exercise, Yvonne sat on the bed as she watched the small group of people entering her room leisurely.

Marquess Samed sighed in relief when he saw that she was alright but soon frowned when he noticed that her usual vigor and enthusiasm was missing.

"Can I have a word with her in private?" He asked for permission from the parents.

However, much to his surprise, he witnessed that Rutherford and Raylene's first reaction was to turn towards their daughter to see what she had to say about this.

'It looks like I have trained them well!' Yvonne was pleased when she noticed how they sought her approval before answering.

Ever since they had returned from their fief, they knew that something inside their daughter had changed.

She spoke in a different way, she behaved in a different way and she interacted with them in a different way than before.

According to Mr. Toone, the physician who had checked on her, they needed to support and encourage her to open up to them.

So over the past few weeks, they had done just that and it had now become a habit even when their daughter behaved in the previous childish ways once again.

Satisfied with their actions, Yvonne decided that she would need to reward them properly for this.

'Always reward and punish at the appropriate times to keep them happy and under your control.' She remembered another one of her Grandfather's teachings.

This was something she used for her employees back when she was still in her old world as the CEO of Platina Entertainment.

However, she was sure that the same would apply to these two adults.

"Mama, Papa, can I speak with Marquess Samed for a few moments?" She requested in her sugary sweet voice as she radiantly smiled at them.

Sullivan was stunned that this grumpy child could speak in that soft tone and that her smile was so pure and warm.

'So I am the only one who gets the sour face but her parents get the sweet face?' He could only feel aggrieved in silence.

Just as she had thought, Rutherford and Raylene were over the moon when they saw that Yvonne had asked them for permission in return.

They did not want her to look bad in the sights of her tutor so they agreed with a nod.

"Marquess, please stay back for lunch after you have completed your discussion with Vonny." Raylene played the role of the generous hostess with elegance and poise.

'She can surprise me at times.' Yvonne noted as this was the second time today that she had seen Raylene behave like a noble rather than an overly doting mother.

Marquess Samed had no other choice but to accept the proposal of the Countess as it was only fair since he had stopped by their mansion unannounced.

Yvonne sat in the same spot and waved her parents goodbye with the same smile until the door was shut.

The moment the two of them were alone in the room, her smile vanished as she reverted to the usual stoic face and then glanced at the man standing in the same place.

'So it is true! She shows that sour face when we are alone but when her parents were here she was all cheerful and jovial!' The man sneered when he made this discovery.

"My mother assured me that I would not have any lessons today so why has the Marquess appeared here at this time?" She questioned as she threw the covers off her body.

As she had done so, her skinned ankles and red toes came into the view of the man who stood a few steps away from her.

Yvonne paid no attention to the man's widened eyes and struggled as she walked up to the window where she had her study table.

There were two chairs available and she courteously gestured for the guest to take his seat before she could.

"Is this where you do your homework?" Sullivan inquired once he sat on the chair that she had offered him.

Before she could answer his question, Yvonne opened a silver box which was placed on the table, and pulled something out.

'Isn't that my..?' Marquess Samed could recognize what was his in one glance.

"Thank you for offering me your handkerchief when I needed it." The soft voice echoed in the room as she thanked him for the favor he had done.

Sullivan accepted the grey silk cloth that he had given to her when she had wept bitterly after knowing the origins of the musical score, Tears Of Our Love.

He did not waste any more time and got to the reason why he had arrived here uninvited.

"How was your class? I can see the bruises and the redness… Ready to give up now?" His words came out as sarcastic and derisive even though that was not his intention.

Yvonne stared at him for a few seconds in silence and then rolled her eyes.

"I was accepted by Captain Desmo Reel as his pupil. Why would I quit after such a great opportunity has been given to me?" She sneered right back at him.

The name of her new tutor made Sullivan's eyes open wide in shock.

"S-spawn? Spawn is your trainer?" He stuttered his inquiry.

Yvonne stared at him as though he had lost his mind and once again she rolled her eyes at him.

"CAPTAIN DESMO REEL!" She enunciated the name as she believed that Sullivan had not heard her right the first time.

"I am aware of exactly who he is but I am sure that you aren't!" He scowled at the ignorant child who did not realize what she had gotten herself into.

'Spawn? Is he trying to say that Spawn and Captain Desmo is the same person?' Yvonne put the pieces together which made her brows furrow.

Marquess Samed sighed before taking it upon himself as her tutor to educate her on why that seemingly stoic man was named something so sinister.