厨房从后面挺进李婷

While Rachel was doing her chores, I was in the same room doing something else. And so that Camille wouldn\'t get in our way, Rachel just gave her her own room to work in.

Of course, the latter obviously didn\'t like that. I didn\'t like it either: not seeing Melinda and Maxie all day. But on the other hand, it wasn\'t our decision to make, so we both accepted it.

While Rachel worked, I tried to occupy myself with whatever boredom I could. In the end, I even started studying history books… Not that I really wanted to, but deep down I hoped that I would still benefit from that knowledge in the future.

And one of these days went in a similar way.

There was silence in the Emperor\'s office, during which only the creak of a pen and my disgruntled puffing could be heard. Why do they add so many abstruse terms to basic textbooks? I\'ll never remember them all!

Eh, studying really isn\'t my thing…

In any case, I was not distracted from my not too pleasant task until I heard an angry sigh nearby.

I was surprised and looked up, because usually Rachel was quiet while she was working.

But this time, my attention was drawn to the letter in her hands. It bore the seal of the Cassius family. And, of course, that was the first thing Rachel noticed.

Apparently, that was the reason she had so much displeasure on her face.

I immediately wondered.

— Is this letter from Duke Cassius?

Rachel looked at me tiredly.

— Well, who else…» Another sigh followed the words.

In a way, I got the impression that the girl knew the contents of the envelope without opening it. I could even see how her hands were going to crumple it up and throw it in the trash.

— Hey, wait! — I immediately flew over to the table,» What\'s in it?

Rachel rubbed the bridge of her nose at my curious gaze.

— The same stuff I always do.

— What do you mean?

Rachel hummed, but before she could throw it away, she gave it to me.

— Look at it if you want.

I was surprised that Rachel had given it to me first without even reading it herself. Must it really have been that predictable?

I opened the envelope and a colorful card fell out. I picked it up in my hands. The cover had all kinds of kid stuff on it: stuffed animals, pink clouds, and rainbows. And inside was a birthday wish.

Rachel snorted.

— He\'d sent me this kind of nonsense every year since I was seven.

I froze perplexed. Of course I knew it was going to be Rachel\'s birthday soon. But because the girl herself hated the day, she told me not to prepare anything for it. I didn\'t argue and just took it for granted.

After all, besides Rachel\'s birthday, it was also the anniversary of her mother\'s death. On top of that, there were some not-so-good memories from my childhood associated with it. It was more than enough to keep the date from being red on the calendar.

Rachel was not going to have a banquet at the imperial palace for the occasion. And since it was a private matter, I didn\'t insist.

Duke Cassius obviously knew about it, too. That is why he did not send her any gifts, knowing that the girl would not accept anything anyway. Nor did he come to the palace himself. Ah… He just sent her a greeting.

Although, the design could have been better chosen. Looking at this card involuntarily created an impression: as if she received it as a gift from her grandmother or distant relative. Which begged the question: where do they get them?

In any case, I certainly didn\'t suspect that the Duke was one of them. He\'s only a little over forty. Isn\'t it a little early to be giving such old-fashioned gifts?

Apparently, Rachel was of the same opinion. This multicolored garbage every year-obviously annoying.

— Give it back. I\'ll throw it away.

— No!» I said suddenly.

Rachel stared at me in surprise, while an unexpected thought flashed through my head.

Even if Rachel wasn\'t going to celebrate her birthday, how could she miss her mother\'s anniversary? Especially since Duke Cassius probably guessed that she wasn\'t coming anyway, so he congratulated her in advance.

But I couldn\'t just leave it at that.

After all, how can you leave your father to celebrate the anniversary of your wife\'s death alone? Isn\'t it a family event? Even though Rachel hates coming home, a day like this couldn\'t be ignored.

— We have to go! — I declared.

— What?! — She was so taken aback.

— It\'s a big day for your family,» I said. «How hard can it be to come home just once a year?

— …

— Rachel?

— I don\'t want to.

Rachel didn\'t seem happy. But I was going to insist until the end.

— My parents are alone! — You should pay more attention to your dad while you have him.

She sniffled.

— You\'re talking about normal people. It\'s different with us.

— What do you mean, different? You mean you\'re not a family?

Rachel sighed unhappily when I hovered over her like that.

— I can\'t go anyway,» she muttered, «Who do you think I am? I have my hands full with matters of national importance…

— The Empire won\'t collapse if you\'re only away for a week!

— But…

— If you don\'t agree, then I\'ll go without you.

Rachel was even more astounded. But in the end, that\'s what sealed the deal. She had to put up with it after all.

I noticed that familiar look on her face, and I exhaled in relief. It looked like my plan had worked.

— That\'s great! We\'ll leave tomorrow morning, then.

I said it with a smile, though I was actually a little worried in the back of my mind. For the first time in three years-I was going back to the Duchy of Cassius.

***

The nobleman and part owner of a luxurious white mansion — sat at the desk in his office. Holding in his hands an envelope with the family seal of the Windsor family.

Without even reading the contents, he tossed the paper into a bowl and set it on fire. He grinned as he watched the blue flames burst into flames.

— …I can\'t believe this dog really betrayed me.

His secretary was in the same room, and observing the lord\'s behavior, he inquired:

— Your Grace, should I send for him?

— Not at all,» he said, and I could tell by the expression on his face that he was not too distressed, «If I give him such an easy death, wouldn\'t that be a waste of my resources?

The secretary didn\'t quite understand him.

— Then… What are you going to do about it?

The man grinned. Normally he did not like to be asked unnecessary questions: but today he was in a good mood, so he decided to make an exception.

— You know me so well. Can\'t you guess?

— I…

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— The lousy dog dared to bite his master\'s hand,» he continued, «Such a thing must be punished.

The nobleman said it in a tone that made it clear it was a warning to him as well.

The secretary involuntarily shuddered.

— I think that in the future I really will make him my dog, the man laughed, he will lie at my feet and for every disobedience lose a finger. What do you think of that?

— It\'s…» he hesitated, «As you wish.

— Hmm… I do feel a little sorry,» he sighed, «This idiot could have been under my patronage. But instead… Got mixed up with that bastard. And now I don\'t even know what to do with his family.

The secretary was silent, not daring to interrupt his thinking aloud.

— Oh, and… tell that boy he\'s going tomorrow, too.

He was very surprised.

— Your Grace, are you sure it\'s worth taking him on a mission…?

— Of course,» the lord said, «we cannot continue to delay this any longer. And the boy… must be of some use.

The secretary nodded.

— I see. Then you really mean to go tomorrow?

— I really do.

— But…» he froze agitatedly. «Are you really sure you can defeat the Duke of Cassius? It\'s not much…

Even if most of the duchy\'s mercenaries had gone with the queen to the imperial palace, and there were only simple guards left — to kill such a powerful opponent was still a very difficult task.

— Who says I\'m going to fight him,» the nobleman grinned.

— But then how…?!

— I have a much more proven way.

— Hmm?

— The mark of the Bloody Camellia,» he smiled. «Raymond Cassius has it, doesn\'t he?