novelraw Chapter 178 – The Duchess Arrives
Chapter 178 – The Duchess Arrives
After some more back and forth with Auden Speziale, they settled that it would be for the best to hold the engagement party as soon as possible, before the summer warmth disappeared. But knowing the scale they were trying to pull off, it also couldn't be rushed, so in the end, they settled to hold the party in a month.
The Count promised to help with catering as well as providing some of his servants to help manage the whole event. He also made suggestions of which nobles to invite and which were so positively inclined towards the Church that changing their minds would be near impossible.
The very same evening, Alistair sent two magical messages. One to his father, explaining the situation and asking for his thoughts on the matter, and one to his mother, asking whether she could aid them with the preparation for the event.
Less than an hour later, both of them sent magical messages to reply. The Duke explained in lengthy terms that he wasn't too pleased with Melina's rushed introduction to the noble society, but apparently, the word about her had already reached the capital. So reluctantly, he allowed them to proceed, but only under the strict supervision of Duchess Sinclair.
The Duchess replied that she would be delighted to help and promised to arrive in Sunglow via a magical portal within a few days, along with Charlotte, who apparently would also undergo some sort of training during this event.
With that matter settled, Melina had a few more peaceful days, working in her bakery before the Duchess arrived. She called them peaceful, but in reality, the interest in her pastries grew every day. More and more strangers came to Sunglow, keeping not just Melina but the whole town busy.
Erina's inn was packed to the brim, while more and more nobles were requesting a place to stay in Sunglow. Alistair was struggling to figure out where to accommodate them all, having no choice but to suggest that they stay in Pertia for the time being.
Each evening when Alistair got home, he would bury himself in documents and requests, either approving or disapproving them. Apparently, he was also planning to expand Sunglow—build a new inn which would be more suitable for high-class clientele, new accommodations to attract new workers to Sunglow, and overall expand the town.
"Isn't this too much work for just you alone?" Melina asked one evening, concerned about how tired Alistair looked.
"It'll be tougher at the start while we get everything moving. Currently, Sunglow isn't growing much. It's sort of hunkered down and trying to keep itself afloat. It's been that way since Guildmaster Arianne took over her predecessor. Not that she is doing poorly. She was never meant to do the town management to begin with. But her predecessor had gone above and beyond to grow and expand Sunglow," Alistair explained.
"Grandfather must have worked so hard to make Sunglow a safe place for the people he loved…" Melina noted.
"Wait, Master Gilbert was the one who led the Adventurer's Guild before Arrianne?"
"Yes. He established it and built the wall that protects Sunglow. He was quite active in his youth, apparently," Melina noted.
Alistair let out a chuckle. "I suppose I'll have to ask him for some advice."
"Can I help somehow, perhaps?" Melina inquired.
"After the engagement party, perhaps. You'll be very busy soon," Alistair said with a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm pushing too much onto your shoulders with all this…"
Melina got up from the bed and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We've been through much worse together. I think a bit of town management and an engagement party is much better than trying to survive the end of the world with everyone chasing after you and trying to kill you."
Alistair rested his head on her arms. "It's certainly better than that. We have to work hard so it won't happen."
Melina hummed in approval. "We do. We'll get through this. No matter how hard it gets, if it prevents that horrible future, we can do it."
They remained together for a while, enjoying the comfortable moment. After that, Alistair returned to his work while Melina went to sleep. She would have liked to stay up with him, but her own work demanded that she wake early, so there was no helping that.
While the number of customers had seemed overwhelming, Melina was making steady progress with teaching Roxie magical pastries. She made ten shimmertart each morning, and some of them had already reached Rank B. Roxie also tried making healing cream puffs, but choux pastry still proved too difficult for her.
Melina herself reached Level 44 and her
Sienna was also becoming more comfortable in her new wyvern body, although flight was still something she didn't attempt. Melina didn't rush her either. She was sure that Sienna would fly when she was ready.
Mango was eager to help, too, levitating the necessary pastries to their places on the shelf. Interestingly enough, Mango's use of magic spurred Adrien to practice his magic too, and soon he, too, was moving some things around by levitation. It was shaky, but he made steady progress in learning how to properly control his mana.
But this pace couldn't continue forever. Each day, more and more people asked for Melina. She was getting offers from people who requested her to work for them in their inn, bakery, or some other place. Friday afternoon, she came face-to-face with the first noble who wasn't Alistair or Auden.
A well-dressed man in his forties strode into her bakery, followed by two guards and two servants, and looked around with a disappointed expression. "Is this the right place?"
"Yes, my lord. This is the Sunglow Bakery," one of his servants replied, bowing his head.
"What a shabby place," the nobleman said, then looked at Melina. "You there, girl. I'm looking for one named Melina Dufour. Bring her here at once."
The customers in the bakery instantly froze, as did Adrien. The only noble they had ever met was Alistair, and he certainly never acted this snobbish. They didn't know how to react. Frankly, Melina would have liked to throw him out right away, but doing so could endanger the bakery.
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So instead she plastered on a polite smile, walked up to the nobleman, and curtsied. "Good day. I am Melina Dufour. May I inquire as to your name?"
She tried to remain polite and adhere to the noble etiquette, but she wasn't sure if she had done it correctly.
"I am Viscount Hubert Trivianny!" He announced proudly, then sneered at Melina. "You're the baker with the System who can make magical pastries?"
"Yes, I am," she confirmed.
"No way. Such a shabby-looking girl. I heard Melina Dufour had monster familiars," he narrowed his eyes.
"I do," Melina said and reached out to Mango and Sienna through their bond. Sienna peeked her head out of the kitchen, narrowing her eyes at the noble. Mango yipped curiously, jumping up on the counter next to Adrien.
The nobleman took a step back, and his guards drew their weapons.
"Lower your weapons at once," Melina said, raising her hands and letting lightning sparkle at her fingertips in warning. "I will not look kindly upon you if you hurt my familiars."
The customers took a step back while the Viscount's servants and guard let out an audible gasp. They clearly hadn't expected that Melina would so openly use magic. But the Viscount, on the other hand, let out a twisted, satisfied chuckle and raised his hand, signalling the guards to stand down. Melina relaxed as well, lowering her hands.
"As shabby as you look, you do fit the description. A talented young System user who can use magic, has monster familiars, and can make pastries as potent as healing potions. You're hired," the Viscount said with a satisfied smile.
"Excuse me?" Melina blinked in surprise.
"I've come all this way to this shabby town just for you, girl. From this day forth, you won't have to suffer in this filth. You'll be working for me as my personal chef and mage, where I'll be making proper use of your talents," he announced proudly.
"I'm not going to work for you," Melina shot back, shaking her head.
"Of course, you are. You commoners all are just waiting for the chance to take a peek into the life of a nobleman. I'm not just letting you peek. You'll become my servant, and earn respect and money you could never hope to achieve in your life," the Viscount said, being completely sure that everything was already decided.
Melina shook her head again, her fists clenching. "I'm going to repeat myself, but I'm not going to work for you. I'll remain to work here in Sunglow. This is where my family is and where I intend to remain. If you don't intend to buy anything, then I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to leave."
The Viscount blinked at her in surprise, then, noticing the ring on her finger, let out a knowing smile. "Young love, is it? I've been told it clouds the judgment of many commoners, even young noblemen sometimes. But let me assure you that under my employment, you will find far better prospects than whatever sorry country boy has offered to marry you. It must have taken him everything he owned to buy that engagement ring."
"There is nobody better than my fiancé," Melina announced, holding her head high. Some of her customers let out quiet cheers of approval.
The Viscount narrowed his eyes. "Girl, my patience is wearing thin. You will be working for me, and that is final. You'll receive a fair wage, which is far more than you could ask from a place like this."
The guards tensed, and Melina worried that the crazy Viscount would try to drag her away by force. But then the bell of the bakery rang, and Duchess Sinclair entered, led by the hand by one of her guards.
"Duchess Sinclair?!" The Viscount fumbled in surprise and hurriedly bowed for her. "What a surprise that we would meet here. I'm most pleased by this encounter."
The Duchess didn't even acknowledge the man, instead turning to Melina. "Good day, Melina. I hope I'm not interrupting your work."
Melina did her best curtsy for her. "Not at all. You're always welcome in our bakery."
"I see you've attracted some interesting clients," the Duchess said, looking at the Viscount.
"Duchess Sinclair, I have come all the way here to employ this child in my service, but being a commoner, she clearly—"
"Employ my future daughter-in-law?" The Duchess exclaimed, her gaze turning cold.
"D-Daughter-in-law?" The Viscount stammered nervously.
"That's right. She's to wed my youngest son, Alistair. Did you say that you intend to employ her like you would a common stableboy?" Her voice was so cold that the Viscount began shivering. It was as if she were using ice magic to chill the room.
"I-I deeply apologize, Duchess Sinclair. I truly didn't know that your son would marry a commoner…" he stammered, attempting a jab at the Duchess.
"Are you saying that my son has poor taste by marrying this talented woman who has, at her young age, achieved things that the best mages in the country couldn't even dream of?" She shot back.
"No… I…"
"Clearly, you do not understand the value of such System users if you treat them like your lesser. Last I heard, Viscount Trivianny, you don't even possess the System, despite being a noble."
The Viscount went red in the face, his fists trembling in anger. But he couldn't say anything against the Duchess. "I… Excuse me. I came to the wrong store."
With that note, he stormed off as quickly as his pudgy legs allowed him.
The Duchess's expression softened, and she let out a soft chuckle. "It appears I have arrived right on time."
"You indeed have, Your Grace," Melina said, bowing her head gratefully.
To her surprise, the customers in the bakery also bowed their heads respectfully towards the Duchess.
"At ease, everyone. I came to discuss something with my future daughter-in-law. I hope you can manage the rest on your own," she said.
"O-Of course, Your Grace!" Adrien said stiffly.
"Wonderful. Let's go, dear. We have much to discuss and much to prepare for," the Duchess said, urging her to head towards the exit.
"Allow me to take off my apron at least," Melina asked.
"Of course, of course. Excuse my eagerness. We have a lot of work ahead of us," the Duchess said. Although she was smiling, Melina got a distinct feeling that she was telling Melina to hurry up.
She ran into the kitchen, hurriedly cleaned up, and ran back out. Sienna and Mango ran after her eagerly, causing the Duchess to flinch. It was then that Melina remembered that she had an unpleasant encounter with a monster.
"Y-Your little dragon seems to have gotten larger," the Duchess noted.
"Yes, she evolved just recently. But she's still harmless. Just not quite able to hide in my pocket anymore," Melina said, picking up Sienna, who made a sad face. She had quite enjoyed riding in Melina's pocket.
"That is a predicament. I don't think I can ride in the same carriage as Sienna. My apologies, but I'm not quite comfortable enough with monsters yet," The Duchess said.
Sienna made a sorrowful face, then signalled that she wanted to get down. Melina released her and opened the door, allowing Sienna to exit. The wyvern scuttled up on the carriage's roof, looking rather proud.
"Would that work for you, Your Grace?" Melina asked.
"I suppose that it is acceptable. For the time being. We shall later have to come up with a more graceful solution. Your little fox familiar can ride with us. She doesn't appear much different from a regular fox," The Duchess said, and with the help of her guard, walked up to her carriage.
Melina was surprised that even with her leg injury, she was still able to walk gracefully by leaning on her guard. By comparison, she felt like a clumsy deerling, just learning to walk. Even when climbing into the carriage, the Duchess remained graceful, while Melina had to enter while helping Mango get it.
She did her best to imitate the Duchess's graceful movements, but felt like she didn't come anywhere close. Once Melina sat down with Mango in her lap, she saw that the Duchess was assessing her every movement.
"We have a lot of work in front of us," she stated, making it clear that Melina's movements weren't satisfactory. "But before we even begin, I do have an important question for you."
"Of course, Your Grace. Ask me anything," Melina said.
"What would you do if we were to disown Alistair because of this marriage?" the Duchess asked coldly.