You're Supposed to Clean Them

Loud neighing of the horses echoed from the gates as a big carriage had arrived at the front yard of Ellis Plain's ducal castle. The footmen had descended from their horses and prepared a walkway for the guests, laying a carpet from the steps of the carriage to the stairs leading to the main door of the castle.

From the sides, Callum had also descended from his horse, soon joined by Dragen by foot. When the carriage door opened, a beautiful young lady had stepped out. She was donned in a blue and white dress, and her golden mane was gathered on the left side before shaped into drills for style. Her blue eyes were pale and almost whitish. Pink tint was on her lips, and she exuded the charms of a snow mountain.

She was followed by a similar-looking young lady. She also had golden hair even if it was gathered on the right side instead. Her facial features were the same as the other girl that they were undeniably twins. However, the expression on her face was as wild as the scorching flames. Her eyes were dark blue, bordering black. On her lips was a cherry red color, complementing her loud personality.

"Sister, we've arrived in this place now." The one with an icy attitude spoke with her soft and yet chilly voice. She then looked around and secretly admired the sights of the castle. She had dreamed of living in such a place, but not Ellis Plains. Definitely not in this castle.

"Tch, we've decided to come after all." The other twin sister huffed as she smoothed her pink and white dress. "Come along, Sister. We have yet to grace the shameful him with our presence."

Callum heard the two chat as they walked along the carpet. When they got on the castle's main door, he cleared his throat before he spoke at them. "Marissa, Lady Wessel… please don't speak too harshly of the archduke. I must remind you that you have come for his wedding. It would be best if the archduchess wouldn't have reasons to chase you out of the castle."

Clarissa Wessel, the one in a pink dress, huffed even if her eyes were glittering when Callum was speaking. "Chase us out? Even the archduke wouldn't dare to chase us out. Why would such a lowly half-breed have designs on keeping us away? Does she not know that she will only be regarded because of the archduke?"

Marissa Princesley, the one in blue, didn't deny the thoughts of her twin sister. She even spoke against Callum. "Big Brother, please. You're regarding her too highly."

"...I understand. If she throws you out in the streets, I will not come to save you." Callum frowned. He had a little inkling of who Artie Shen was and what kind of personality she has got. The woman didn't even slow down in front of the archduke back in that dinner; if these two girls crossed a line, even Larkin would be powerless.

"Ah..." Dragen didn't join their talk even if he wanted to show off and defend Clarissa against Callum. It was more like an argument between a brother and his sisters, but that was not the case.

House Princesley and House Wessel were almost on the verge of joining together, and Callum was Clarissa's intended. However, he didn't really favor her personality. He would rather marry Marissa if the latter would choose to return to House Ellis. However, none of these would happen… as the separated twin sisters loathed their father for multiple reasons.

They were unlike Miel who wanted to piece together his broken family. The two were even itching to tear away from their mother, who was a whore in the eyes of the nobility, and their father, whose reputation was nothing exceedingly better. The only difference was that Larkin Ellis was an archduke while the supposed royal house was nothing but renters on Achlys' biggest territory, Talcum.

While they were chatting before the doors, the butlers had lined up for their welcome. Miel and Artie had come out to greet them, as the first guests to arrive for the wedding. It had been three weeks since the last trouble that graced the plains, and so Artie was rather positive in welcoming everyone. However, she had no idea that the sisters would nothing like their brother.

Moreover, it seemed that Callum and Dragen were very close to them. When Artie asked Miel about the two, he mentioned that those two were going to pick up the daughters of the archduke, and so they were dismissed earlier to prepare for their long travel. When she heard daughters, she expected them to be as graceful as Miel.

Never had she been so wrong…

Artie's eye twitched as she vaguely listened to the three. She turned to Mile who only had a pair of sad eyes as they approached the door. At last, they had come to greet them.

Artie did her best to smile beautifully at them. "Welcome to the ducal castle of Ellis Plains, Lady Clarissa of House Wessel and Lady Marissa of House Princesley. I'm Art—"

"Ah, Miel, you're still here? We were thinking that you have woken up some time and left for good." Clarissa didn't even pay attention to Artie. She only huffed and paraded her figure, her full chest emphasized fully by the design of her dress's bodice. "Does living in a beautiful house that important to you? Can't you just ask him for some money and buy a house in Miral Valley? I heard the flower canyons were surprisingly flattering."

"Or come to the capital. With your experience, you wouldn't be denied by the royal castle." Marissa did the things Clarissa would do, and so she proceeded to add up even if she was staring at Artie earlier. Perhaps it was because she had never seen anyone from Kaigansa before.

At this, the three males had their faces darken. It was one thing to speak ill of the archduchess, but to openly and blatantly ignore her and interrupt her speech? It was beyond tolerable… even for the blindly in-love Dragen. Artie had seen this expression, but she only held a hand out to control their words.

'These two continued to degrade more and more every time they visited. Even if they hated Lord Ellis for being seen as promiscuous, they have no right to humiliate Lady Shen as they would him. However, I am unsure if Lord Ellis would take it differently if I drive them away.' Miel only cleared his throat. "Don't misunderstand. This is my home. Moreover, you haven't seemed to greet Lady Shen properly."

Clarissa only glanced at Artie before pulling up her skirt a little and raising her foot towards Miel. "I only stepped on a few stones in your Ellis Plains, and my shoes are already soiled. Clean them. That's what you're supposed to do, is it not?" Not only did Marissa not stop her sister, but she had also copied Clarissa's action.

'...Larkin, babe, I will kill you for spoiling these little devil spawns...' Artie looked down at the shoes. They seemed to be expensive and new. Moreover, they were not wearing any stockings with it. 'System, how much Apostasy points will I get for teaching them a lesson?'

[Apostasy points can be earned through the scale of action and its degree of influence to a quest objective.]

'Tch, my task of seducing Larkin is still active. What are the chances that he will reduce his trust in me if I taught his daughters a lesson? I mean, the last time I did it, he even praised me.'

[Chances of getting a demerit is… 10%.]

'That's all I need.'