CHAPTER 71………………………
It felt disrespectful to think that way toward someone who was being considerate of her, but to Minerva, this was an important issue for her plan.
Before meeting the Grand Duke, she had to dig into his true intentions as much as possible—through Lloyd!
Of course, she couldn’t make it obvious.
It would be rude to Lloyd and his daughter, who were treating her kindly.
After brief greetings, the two pairs—mother and daughter, father and daughter—sat around the dining table.
“Did it surprise you when I suddenly suggested having lunch together? I’m sorry, Sir Mente.”
“It’s no trouble. You must feel uneasy in an unfamiliar place. If there’s anything inconvenient for you here, no matter how small, please send word through someone to let me know.”
“Oh, no. You’re busy—I couldn’t possibly trouble you like that.”
“It’s not trouble at all. My lord also wishes for Her Highness the Princess to feel comfortable here.”
‘There it is—mention of the Grand Duke!’
Minerva had been ready to bring him up herself if Lloyd didn’t, but thankfully he had.
‘I should start lightly.’
Clapping her hands together softly, Minerva shifted the conversation to the Grand Duke.
“Come to think of it, I heard I’ll be meeting the Grand Duke in three days. Thank you.”
“Oh, that… it’s nothing. In fact, I was able to arrange it fairly quickly…”
Lloyd began to say something but suddenly squeezed his eyes shut.
‘Father.’
Then came the sound of someone whispering.
Minerva subtly lowered her head and rolled her eyes toward the source. Under the table, Ayla was poking her father in the side.
It was a movement invisible from Minerva’s line of sight.
Normally, Ayla would have asked Lloyd if he was all right, but this time she only smiled at him, which made Minerva suspicious.
“……? Sir Mente, are you all right?”
“Uncle Idd, are you sick?”
Aslan, too, blinked his big eyes at Lloyd curiously.
But it wasn’t their questions that snapped Lloyd out of it—it was Ayla’s gentle, low call.
“Father?”
Her voice was as soft as usual, but for some reason Lloyd flinched.
Had their relationship reversed in the time Minerva hadn’t seen them? She was confused.
‘Wasn’t Ayla the one who used to be intimidated by Lloyd?’
Under Ayla’s persistent gaze, Lloyd offered a clumsy excuse.
“Ahem. I’m sorry. I… suddenly felt faint from anemia…”
Drip… drip…
By the way, the fork Lloyd was holding was skewering a bloody piece of beef.
He was literally consuming iron at that very moment, yet he claimed anemia.
The excuse was terrible enough, but worse still—it ruined Minerva’s chance to pry further about the Grand Duke.
‘Ah, nothing’s going my way!’
This was why she had arranged lunch in the first place!
But the meal had only just begun.
Minerva decided it was useless to extract information from Lloyd. Instead, she would carefully ask Ayla.
“By the way, Ayla, have you ever met Duke Eckhart?”
“Yes, I have met…”
Ayla had been avoiding Minerva’s gaze while speaking, but as soon as their eyes met, she froze in panic.
“Uh, th-that is… um, Madam.”
Her eyes fluttered wildly, and she couldn’t string her words together.
‘What is this? Did I do something wrong again?’
Why was Ayla fidgeting and restless whenever she looked at her? Minerva swallowed hard, her old trauma resurfacing.
But Ayla herself was also panicking.
She had meant to say she had met the Grand Duke—but when she looked into Minerva’s eyes, guilt swelled up and sealed her lips shut!
After criticizing Lloyd for being unreliable, she was no better.
She couldn’t lie when looking Minerva in the eyes.
The thought of deceiving the kind and supportive Madam filled her with such guilt that she froze.
Like someone silently crying for help, Ayla’s eyes drifted toward Lloyd.
Seeing his usually reliable daughter in such a sudden panic, Lloyd composed himself and answered for her.
“Yes. He was the first person we met upon arriving here.”
“I see…”
Minerva responded reluctantly.
The flow of conversation had already been broken, and it felt odd to keep dragging the topic out. So she resigned herself to eating in silence.
When Lloyd finally seemed relieved—
“Sir Mente, is the Grand Duke usually very busy—”
“Cough—cough!”
“H-he’s busy! Extremely busy, so Father is always busy with him, too!”
Before Minerva could finish her sentence, Lloyd nearly choked as if having a seizure. Ayla, who hadn’t answered earlier, jumped in hastily this time.
Even Aslan sensed something odd and exchanged glances with Minerva.
‘Mom, why are they acting like that?’
‘I don’t know either.’
Their eyes said it all.
She might not know the details, but one thing was clear to Minerva:
Lloyd and Ayla were avoiding talking about the Grand Duke.
Given Lloyd’s true identity, it was natural. But Minerva, not knowing, took it differently.
‘Well, I am a princess, and the Grand Duke is Sir Mente’s lord. Not exactly dining-table conversation.’
She realized she’d been treating him too casually.
Even in her desperate situation, she didn’t want to trouble the man who had saved her life.
So Minerva decided not to bring up the Grand Duke again—
“Uncle, does the Grand Duke bully you?”
“Wh-what… what?”
“Aslan!”
But Aslan had no intention of staying quiet.
The idea that someone might be tormenting their lifesaver set his sense of justice ablaze.
“Ayla said it! That my mom is the daughter of the highest person in the land! If the Grand Duke bullies you, I’ll tell Mom! Mom will help you!”
Right, Mom?
With his catlike grin stretched wide, Aslan’s eyes sparkled at Minerva.
‘Oh no, Aslan, that’s not it!’
It was admirable that he couldn’t stand injustice, but to wield social rank like a weapon—Minerva screamed inwardly.
But to Lloyd, it sounded different.
He blinked blankly, then chuckled softly.
“I appreciate the thought, but that’s not it, Aslan. You needn’t worry.”
“But whenever we talk about the Grand Duke, you and Ayla act weird. Isn’t he a bad person?”
“No! He’s absolutely not a bad person!”
Ayla jumped in, defending the Grand Duke almost as if she were his advocate.
Seeing her so insistent, Minerva figured he must not be a bad man.
And after all this, her desire to pry into the Grand Duke’s motives faded.
She no longer believed he was helping her out of some suspicious scheme.
But Aslan thought differently. His brows furrowed with doubt.
Then he suddenly tugged on Minerva’s sleeve.
“Mom. I want to go with you when you meet the Grand Duke.”
“What?”
“I need to see for myself if he’s safe!”
“No!”
Minerva shouted immediately.
As if expecting that, Aslan puffed his cheeks, clenched his fists, kicked his legs restlessly, and threw his whole body into a tantrum.
“Why not! Why can’t I!”
Minerva feared he’d be rude to the Grand Duke.
‘He’ll definitely call him ‘Mister’ to his face.’
Worse, if the Grand Duke tried anything improper, Aslan might cause a scene—or even threaten him. That would instantly ruin negotiations.
While Minerva was thinking this through, Aslan’s cheeks puffed so much they looked ready to pop.
He was thoroughly sulking.
And when he wore that face, she knew no explanation would satisfy him. Pressing her brow, Minerva let out a heavy sigh.
“Because the adults have important things to discuss.”
“That’s unfair!”
She almost gave in to the urge to poke his puffed-up cheeks, but instead raised a firm finger and rubbed it against his nose.
“Now, now. Aslan, you’ll play with Ayla.”
“What?”
The reply came from an unexpected direction.
Turning her head, Minerva saw Ayla clutching her utensils with trembling hands.
Her wide eyes were filled with shock, as though she had just heard something she shouldn’t.
“M-me?”
“Oh? Yes. I think it’d be wonderful if you could stay with Aslan. Is it too much to ask?”
“Th-that…”
Ayla couldn’t bring herself to refuse Minerva’s request.
But more importantly, “the adults” talking meant she wouldn’t be included either.
She had been so focused on backing Lloyd up that she hadn’t considered the possibility that Minerva might exclude the children!
How could she be so thoughtless?
Her eyes almost squeezed shut in self-reproach, but she held it back, determined not to look suspicious.
Forcing a trembling smile, she answered:
“Of course, Madam!”
“Oh, thank goodness! Thank you so much, Ayla.”
Minerva beamed, then turned back to Aslan with another warning.
“Understood, Aslan? While I’m talking, play with Ayla.”
“Then who’ll protect you, Mom?”
“Mom protects herself. Didn’t you see me on the way here?”
“But still—!”
Their mother-son bickering grew faint in Ayla’s ears.
Oh no.
She nervously glanced at Lloyd.
His face was pale with resignation, but he tried to reassure her with a faint smile.
‘Oh, is this really going to be okay?!’
The only one truly uneasy here was Ayla.
