MCAV Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Even though Lucas trusted Ronshka and Leon, he decided to stay cautious — just in case.

“Really?”

Ronshka’s expression looked as if lightning had struck her. She blinked a few times, then suddenly bolted out of the dining hall.

“Ronshka? Ronshka!”

Startled, Adel hurried after her.

“Master?”

While the commotion unfolded, Leon — who had just finished his food quietly — turned to Lucas and asked,

“Is it true?”

“Do I look like the kind of man who lies?”

“Well, no. But shouldn’t we go help Lady Adel?”

Leon accepted it a little faster than Ronshka had. His master, who was usually indifferent to women, had been strangely attentive to Lady Adel lately. Maybe this was where it was leading all along.

‘But wait— Ronshka’s father is someone else, isn’t he?’

His head started spinning with thoughts. Still, his master had never given him a reason to doubt. So it probably wasn’t a lie.

‘They say men and women meet and part all the time,’ he recalled the maids gossiping.

Leon rose from his seat.

“Thank you for the meal. By the way, Quiche, are you all right?”

“Oh, my goodness!”

Clutching her waist, Quiche sprang up.

“Lord Lucas is engaged?”

“Did we hear that right?”

Even Madeleine joined in. To them, the fact that Adel was a commoner and a single mother didn’t matter at all.

Because until now, Lucas had never once been in a relationship with a woman.

“Heavens, the gods have heard my prayers!”

“Lord Lucas is dating a woman!”

Quiche dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief she produced from somewhere.

“This isn’t the time to sit around!”

Madeleine, sniffling in the same way, suddenly raised her voice.

“An engagement? If we start now, it’s already tight! When are you planning to do it? Spring, when flowers bloom? Or autumn, when the leaves fall? Summer and winter are possible, but those aren’t ideal.”

Madeleine chattered endlessly.

“It’s too hot or too cold, you know? Though… a bride in green or a bride of snow could be lovely too!”

The topic of engagement naturally turned into marriage.

“I’d like to have it as soon as possible.”

“How soon?”

“A month.”

“No way! Impossible!”

Madeleine shook her head vehemently.

“There are so many things we’d need to order right away! The engagement dress, the formal suit, invitations… Oh, and we have to notify the Frederic family!”

Quiche poked Madeleine in the ribs. She’d said too much. Realizing her mistake, Madeleine quickly closed her mouth. The relationship between Lucas and his birth family — the Frederics — was not a good one.

She regretted blurting it out, afraid she’d touched a painful wound. But Lucas remained calm, as always.

“I’m not planning anything fancy. Just a small gathering with people I know.”

“That’s not bad. But even for a small event, decorum must be kept.”

Quiche, noticing Madeleine’s awkward silence, continued in her place.

“That’s true.”

Even a small event had to be properly prepared — gossip spread faster in high society than anywhere else.

“Do you have a guest list?”

It was best to send invitations as soon as possible; others had their own schedules, after all.

“I do.”

Lucas named several people. Some were close acquaintances, others not so much.

“Invite the Count of Monpel’s eldest son as well.”

“Count Monpel’s heir?”

Madeleine, previously dispirited, widened her eyes.

Count Monpel’s first son, Rocten, was infamous for his insatiable curiosity. Wherever an incident occurred, he was sure to appear — and spread the news far and wide afterward.

If he hadn’t been a nobleman, he’d have been in deep trouble many times already. To invite him of all people—

“Yes. It’s necessary.”

Then we’d better be fully prepared this time, Madeleine thought, straightening her back with renewed determination.

* * *

Ronshka ran straight into her room and slammed the door shut. She climbed onto the bed, pulled the blanket over her head, and buried herself underneath it.

Knock, knock.

A knock came from outside, but she didn’t answer. She knew exactly who it was — but right now, she didn’t want to see her face.

‘Why… why!’

She couldn’t understand.

All she needed was her mother. Just her mother. But apparently, her mother didn’t feel the same — otherwise she wouldn’t be talking about engagements.

Rosalyn had told her once: engagement comes before marriage, and marriage is when two people who love each other become one.

‘But I only need Mom…’

Tears welled up from her chest and spilled down her cheeks.

Of course, she knew that Lucas wasn’t a bad person.

The bad ones were the villagers from before — the ones who looked at her funny, who shunned her, who said cruel things.

Lucas had never done that. If anything, he was a good person.

‘But he’s trying to take my mom away from me!’

Did that make him a bad person after all?

Knock, knock. Another knock.

“Ronshka, can we talk for a bit?”

It was her mother’s voice — but she stayed silent. Her first act of rebellion.

“Ronshka.”

Hearing her mother’s voice again made her chest ache.

She loved her mom, and her mom loved her. But maybe her mom wasn’t content with just her anymore.

That thought made her curl up even tighter.

“When you feel ready, open the door. I want to talk, okay?”

After that, silence. Her mom must’ve left. The room suddenly felt emptier — and even sadder.

Time passed. A third knock came. This time, it was Leon.

“Ronshka, if you’re okay, can we talk for a minute?”

She hesitated. Maybe Leon felt just as confused and hurt as she did.

After all, just as her whole world was her mom, Leon’s whole world was his master, Lucas.

“I’m coming in if you don’t answer, okay?”

After a moment, the door creaked open.

“Ronshka.”

Leon called her name gently as he stepped in. Only then did Ronshka push the blanket down and show her face.

“Were you crying?”

He asked softly, noticing the dried tear marks on her cheeks.

“I wasn’t crying!”

Her emotions were a mess. But she let them out anyway — today, it felt okay to do that.

Before, that would’ve made her flames flare up uncontrollably, but now she could control them. It was fine.

Leon gave an awkward smile and sat on the edge of the bed.

“You don’t like that Lady Adel and my master are getting engaged, huh?”

“I hate it!”

“Why?”

“Mom said she only needed me. But now that’s not true.”

“That’s not what it means.”

“What isn’t?”

Ronshka pouted and glared at him.

“I don’t know all the details,” Leon said, “but there are many kinds of love.”

“Many kinds?”

“Yeah. The love between parent and child, between lovers — things like that. Lady Adel will still love you most. But…”

He paused briefly, then continued.

“She might also need someone to love her too.”

“But I already love her!”

“Yeah, but you’re her child. I mean someone who’ll love her as a partner.”

“I don’t know. That’s too complicated.”

“Yeah, it is. I don’t get it all either.”

Even so, Leon tried his hardest to find the right words.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“Why would I be?”

“Because Master has someone else now.”

“I’m fine. I like both of them. Even if they get married, they’ll still love and respect me. Love doesn’t shrink when you share it — that’s what I was taught.”

“It doesn’t shrink?”

“Nope! It might even grow!”

Leon stretched his hands apart to show it “expanding.” It sounded convincing enough — but still, how could she stop disliking it?

Ronshka hesitated, then pulled the blanket over her head again.

“Ronshka?”

“That’s enough. Go away.”

Leon’s attempt had failed — for now. But he had still shaken her heart, just a little.

Before leaving, Leon gave her a small update.

“Lady Adel is still waiting outside.”

And with that, he stepped out.

The moment he left, Ronshka peeked out from under the blanket. Then she conjured a small flame near the door.

She whispered for it to stick close to the ceiling so no one would notice. The flame obeyed.

It was a trick she’d learned from Heirn — how to use fire to listen to things happening elsewhere.

What he’d taught her lightly, Ronshka had practiced and perfected on her own.