74. Catching winds

Luven managed to calm his anger at the Grand Duke's actions. After taking his sister, he was whisked away to his mansion. He almost took his anger to that poor coachman when he remembered what had happened.

But he thought it was better for him to avoid his sister since he was sure he'd get scolded for ordering such heavy drinks. After arriving at his home, his butler welcomed him with nagging for unattended work but he just ignored him and immediately ordered the man to prepare his horse.

He was thinking of going to the villa just on the outskirts of the capital, where his mother lives.

Aware of the fact that his mother would try to run away due to the content of his letter, he quickly left the mansion to prevent her from disappearing. His desire for her mother to see Mona only grows stronger.

It may sound selfish and may torture his mother, but he couldn't seem to erase the feeling that she was hiding something from him.

He still can't wrap his head around her actions. Why would she be living in that place where her sister used to live? After all she did when they were younger was neglect her and sometimes abuse her.

If it's for repentance, then why does she keep denying the possibility of his sister being alive inside Mona? If she really regrets her actions, shouldn't she be glad that she still can ask for forgiveness and be forgiven? Even if it is through Mona?

Just when he reached the villa, a carriage exited the gate and went in the direction away from the capital.

He knew it!

"Stop!" He sped his horse and stopped the carriage.

The coachman on the box was startled at his sudden appearance and quickly pulled the reins together. He was looking at him with confusion, but Luven immediately jumped down from his horse and opened the carriage's door.

Inside was his mother wearing a plain dress, clutching a purse in her chest, and gawking at him with a bewildered expression.

Luven smiled at her and asked in a dark voice, "Where are you going, Mother?"

"W-What…." Laina gulped the invisible lump in her throat and answered, "I'm off to visit the western dukedom of Gramma. I received an invitation from the duchess."

The twenty-year-old marquess smirked at his mother's response and replied, "The family of Gramma just arrived at the capital for the Autumn Festival, mother."

Of course, Luven has no way of knowing that. He just bluffed, waiting for his mother to take his bait. And as he predicted, the former marchioness's hands trembled slightly, and averted her eyes from him.

Luven did not wait for his mother's reply and closed the door. Then, he ordered the coachman to turn around the carriage.

"No! What do you think you're doing, Gayle?!" Laina shouted from the inside, her face was filled with anger and nervousness.

'What are you so afraid of, Mother?' He wanted to ask as the obvious fear in her mother's eyes was gnawing inside him.

But he hardened his heart and stared at her blankly, "As a noble family of elemental magic users who have a long history with the imperial family, we need to attend the banquet together, Mother. I would like for you to be my partner."

Her mother's horror-stricken face remained in his mind even after they arrived back inside the mansion. He ordered his knights to guard her room and not let her escape until the banquet.

The royal banquet for the opening of the festival's celebration where many noble families and even great personalities from outside the empire will be attending, will be held in two days.

He recalled his sister's flushed face and it surprisingly brought a small smile to his lips. He couldn't help but chuckle when he remembered how fast she fainted after finishing the beer.

The glass wasn't even touching the table when she tumbled. But just the thought that she might feel anxious and nervous being inside the capital and around unfamiliar faces worries him. But he soon calmed himself, knowing that the arrogant Grand Duke wouldn't let her be treated unfairly again.

"He won't, right?" He mumbled after he remembered how busy that man was.

"Pardon, my lord?"

"No. Nothing." He erased the thought in his mind and focused on reading the documents he needed to check.

But when he suddenly remembered something, he dropped the pen again and told his butler, "Make sure Mother has something to wear for the royal banquet. It'd be best if our outfits are matching."

"My lord, the banquet is in two days. It will be hard to order custom-made matching clothes."

"I see. Then just make sure Mother will look presentable and appropriate." He ended the conversation and immersed himself in his work.

****

Mona yawned as she turned left in the corridor. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand even when she was actually wearing her mask. She then rubbed her eyes as her vision became blurry. It was already noon but she just got up from bed.

Her whole body was sore and her head was throbbing.

She wasn't expecting to be knocked out on the spot as soon as she drank the glass of beer, thinking it was just normal liquor. But after gulping it down, the next moment she opened her eyes she was already in her room at the Grand Duke's mansion.

She yawned again and tried to recall what happened after getting knocked out. She silently hoped that her drunk habit did not come with her from her world, but the state of her room when she woke up told her that it did and that something had transpired.

From the messy sheets and pillows scattered on her bed to the floor having a bit of crack. But after trying so hard to remember, she failed to even have a tiny bit of recollection of what occurred.

Her brows twitched as she recalled her brother's face. Although he looked worried as soon as she drank the beer, she glimpsed his annoying smirk just before she fainted. He's probably laughing at her thinking how easy she was to get knocked down.

When she saw Sandra talking to one of the servants a few meters away, she stopped and leaned on the wall, waiting for her to finish. The servant she was speaking to, noticed her and hurriedly bowed, looking like she was to be eaten if she didn't show respect towards her.

The servant then quickly excused herself and fled away.

"You should have waited for me inside your room, my lady." Said Sandra while approaching her.

"The state of my room looks like a hurricane visited. Do you know why?" She asked while straightening her back again.

"My room wasn't on the same side, so I didn't know. Why don't you ask his grace instead?"

"His grace? Why?" She asked innocently.

"His room is next to yours. So, if a hurricane did come, wouldn't he be the first to run on your side?"

Her steps froze as she heard her words. Only then did Mona realize that she was actually in the Grand Duke's mansion where the Grand Duke was, and surely the Grand Duke had seen her devastating appearance of a drunkard.

And if she was so unlucky that her drunken habits resurfaced in his presence, then he might have seen her drooling… mumbling curses… and…

The Grand Duke.

Her man.

'Nooooooooooo!' She shouted inwardly. She can't remember what occurred in her room, but she's almost certain she did something so embarrassing.

She looked at Sandra with teary eyes, which the latter ignored as if she knew already what was stressing her out. Her distress turned to rage as she recalled her brother's smirk, and in her mind, it even appeared to be vexing her more and more it became so twisted.

It was so wrong to take anger out on someone but right now, if she didn't release her immense frustration, she might explode and die of hypertension this time.

"Where is Luven?" She asked in her most serious and dark voice.