Chapter 111 - You're Amazing!
Chapter 111 – You’re Amazing!
Hugo and Ivo cast me a baffled look upon hearing my decision for my lady-in-waiting. Actually, I had been thinking about it the next day after our arrival. Not because I knew about all these, but I had this habit of eavesdropping. After doing it for almost my entire life, I could listen to gossips and murmurings without being noticed.
While listening to the voices within this castle, some of them mentioned my lady-in-waiting. As the grand duke's fiancee, everyone expected me to be just as kind, considerate, and wise as the grand duke. My lady-in-waiting would be someone who could help me, be someone my husband and people could rely on. A strong pillar of support.
That position was important, but I chose Adelia. Although she fit the criteria since Adelia was a noble lady, she was still quite young. But that was the main reason I requested her to be my lady-in-waiting. Adelia was still young, and her actions so far alarmed me.
The dominant part of me told me I should keep an eye on her before she does something she would regret. She hated me from the second she met me, but I didn't want Hugo to worry about that.
"My lady, Adelia is still young and is still very clumsy, but I hope she learns more from you." Lady Emily, the wife of Balthazar, Hugo's vassal and also, Adelia's mother, smiled at me worriedly. "If you need anything, I will always assist you to the best of my ability."
"Thank you, Emily." I smiled before shifting my attention to Adelia, who was standing beside her inside the study where I was.
After yesterday's conversation, Ivo sent a word to the Baron's House and told them about the news of taking Adelia as my lady-in-waiting. Ivo was quite efficient with his work, although he had this habit of bad-mouthing Hugo.
"Adelia, thank her ladyship for choosing you as her lady-in-waiting." Emily elbowed her daughter lightly. She seemed more worried than I was, knowing Adelia was a pampered lady.
Adelia made a slight face, but I ignored it. "Thank you for choosing me for this important role, my lady." She hung her head low and expressed half-heartedly. Emily sighed and looked at me apologetically, but I smiled.
I didn't expect anything from Adelia. Actually, I expected nothing from her at all. Emily and Balthazar were kind; they were people whom my lover trusted.
"I will be meeting Sir Ivo in a moment," I said while darting my eyes from Emily to Adelia. "Emily, I will prepare for now. Adelia will stay with me."
"Yes, my lady." Emily bowed, glancing at her daughter with warning eyes. The latter simply clicked her tongue lightly, making her mother sigh once again. Emily bid me farewell, leaving Adelia to my care. Once she left the two of us in the study, I glanced at Adelia but said nothing.
The glare behind her eyes was always there, but I pretended not to notice. Instead, I walked back to the chair and waited for Ivo in silence. While doing so, I read the few documents Ivo told me to review. It was the financial flow of the grand duchy in the past six years.
As I was engrossed in reading, Adelia stayed standing on her spot. She didn't say anything ever since her mother left, but I could feel her intense gaze on my side.
KNOCK KNOCK!
I snapped my eyes, raising them towards the door. "Come in," came out a soft voice, hearing the door creak.
"My lady." Ivo peeked his head in and smiled awkwardly. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."
"Not at all, Sir Ivo. I just finished talking to Lady Emily," I replied, watching him enter the study with a few books and documents in his hand. Ivo marched towards the seat across from me, placing the study materials on the corner of the round table.
"Are you reading the documents I gave you yesterday?" he asked seeing the open documents before me.
"Yes. I also made some corrections about the funds from six years ago to the current year." I slid a few pages for him to check. "I'm not sure if I did it correctly, though."
Ivo's brows rose in surprise, taking the documents I handed to him cautiously. "You did this overnight?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
"Mhm. I found a few concerning details while reading it yesterday. I only planned to ink it down so I don't forget, but I ended up rearranging it so I don't get confused." I massaged my shoulder and looked down, a little embarrassed for reasons unknown.
"All night?" he gasped, and I nodded and shrugged. "Your Grace, no wonder Alpha Hugo is in a terrible mood since this morning. The reason I was late is that he made me run an errand just because he hates me."
"Ivo, that is because you always say unnecessary things to Hugo."
"They are facts, though!"
A shallow breath slipped past my lips. "Even so, they are unnecessary. I am not trying to offend you. I'm simply worried for you."
"Luna…" Ivo frowned, almost pouting as he looked at me with twinkling eyes. "Did you snatch all the kindness in this world? That is why none was left for Alpha Hugo?"
"Ivo." I cast him a knowing look while he cleared his throat and beckoned to zip his lips.
"Right. The accounts. Wait. Let me take a quick look." Ivo shook his head, narrowing his eyes to check the correction I did in the accounts. While he read it, I was carefully studying his expression. I flinched when he suddenly snap his eyes on me and gasped.
"Luna, did you do this on your own?! Seriously?"
Panic instantly swelled in my heart while fidgeting with my fingers. "Did I do it wrong?"
"No! Of course not! I'm just surprised that you also noticed the inconsistency, the missing funds, and incorrect computation! You're amazing!"