Sophie felt a sudden wave of urgency wash over her.
But the more anxious she became, the more something felt off. It was as if a voice in her head was urging her to calm down, and she quickly steadied herself.
“Wait a second. Why does Eliza have to change her surname? And Father–why does it seem like he’s against it?”
Sophie didn’t understand.
‘Back then, he was ready to strip Eliza of the Stonor name. So why is he opposing it now?
‘Could there be something more significant behind this surname change?”
She asked sharply. “My father had the butler deliver a letter to the Marquis’s estate. That means he must have sent letters to others, too. How many in total? And to whom?”
“My Lady, there were five letters in total. Besides the Marquis’s estate, they were sent to the Grand Master, Minister of Rites, the Censor–in–Chief, and the Chancellor.”
The Marquis’s estate had always been closely tied to the Duke’s household, making it easy for their spies to gather
information.
The more Sophie listened, the more uneasy she felt.
‘Eliza’s surname change is such a trivial matter. Why would Father involve so many families? What exactly is he trying to accomplish?
‘Could this be tied to something bigger–something that threatens the Duke’s estate?‘
She frowned and snapped, “Do you even know why Eliza is changing her surname? Father, he… Forget it. Useless. You lot wouldn’t have access to his letters anyway.”
Seeing the servant’s useless look, she waved him off in disdain. “Get out.”
The servant scrambled out of the room like his life depended on it.
“Wait,” Sophie suddenly called out.
The servant flinched in terror, his body stiffening as he thought Sophie had changed her mind and was about to end his life. With a loud thud, he dropped to his knees, instinctively crying out, “Please spare me, My Lady! I beg for mercy!”
“Shut up!” Sophie cut him off sharply, her glare icy and unyielding. “Mercy? What mercy? Listen carefully–if you want to stay alive, keep an eye on Eliza for me. Whatever she does, no matter how small, report back to me immediately.
“Do your job well, and not only will I spare your life, but I’ll reward you generously. Got it?”
As she spoke, Sophie tossed a pouch of silver coins onto the ground in front of him, the clinking sound both a promise and a warning.
“Yes, yes! This servant will do everything in his power, even risk his life, to serve you, My Lady!”
The servant’s face was a mix of gratitude and desperation.
Noticing a hint of cleverness in his demeanor, Sophie decided she could use someone like him for errands. “What’s your name?” she asked casually.
“My name is Charlie, My Lady,” he replied cautiously, his voice trembling as he wiped the blood from his forehead.
“Good. I’ll remember you. Now go and do your job properly,” said Sophie.
“Yes!”
As Charlie stumbled out of the courtyard, he let out a deep breath, feeling as though he’d narrowly escaped the jaws of death.
The Marquis’s estate was in utter chaos, but the Padilla mansion remained calm and composed.
After returning from the palace, Eliza instructed Malaki to take the massive creature away, prepare some food and toys for it, and set up a temporary resting area.
She also planned to have a spacious courtyard specially built for the creature, so it could relax and play freely whenever it visited.
Malaki was visibly startled when he first laid ey Successfully unlocked!
But upon realizing the creature had the temperament of a young cu, ne et out a relieved sigh.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, the old man softened and, with the practiced ease of someone used to handling children, coaxed the “big kid” with a few kind words. Soon enough, the creature stopped clinging to Eliza and happily followed him to play.
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48 Chapter 698
Once Rudie had left, the tiny, star–like entity perched on Eliza’s head fluttered its wings twice, as though delivering a message meant only for her
Eliza had been planning to rest, but the changed her mind and headed to the main hall instead. There, she stumbled upon an uninvited quest
“What are you doing here? Instead of taking the host’s seat at the head of the room, Eliza casually picked a spot and sat down. Her gaze landed on Rafe, who was lounging lazily in a chair across from her.
“Why, to see my dear sister, of course! Even though you heartlessly abandoned mess your ever–forgiving brother, still came running back to you!”
Rafe propped his chin on his hands, his face a picture of exaggerated heartbreak, as if he might burst into tears any second. He blinked at her dramatically, trying to play up his charm.
“Let me guess, the Prince Regent sent you, didn’t he?” Eliza, as blunt as ever, cut straight to the point and exposed him without hesitation.
Rafe’s smile froze for a moment before he recovered. “Sis, has anyone ever told you you’re a master at ruining the mood?”
“No.”
Eliza’s reply was immediate and without a hint of hesitation.
“Alright, alright. What can I say? You’re my big sister, after all. Even if you’ve got a tiny little flaw, your doting brother doesn’t mind one bit.” Rafe held his thumb and forefinger close together to emphasize “tiny, grinning mischievously as he spoke.
Eliza couldn’t be bothered to entertain his antics any longer and shifted the conversation to business. “Since the Prince Regent sent you, I’m sure he filled you in on today’s events. So, Rafe, let’s talk business.”
Rafe stopped grinning and lifted his eyebrows, asking, “What’s it, sis?”
“I need you to cooperate with me tomorrow. After it’s done, I promise you will return to Duke’s estate proudly,” said Eliza.
