Chapter 31
"So happy to see you return back home, my grace." The first to greet the d.u.c.h.ess was a regal handsome man with s.h.i.+ny pale blonde hair, kneeling down on one knee as he softly kissed the back of her hand.
"I already ordered the staff to arrange a place in the Spring Pavillion for you and your guests, my grace," said a stern but attractive male with dark blue hair like the night sky and silver eyes that glittered like the moon.
"Honey, I missed you~!" Happily throwing her arms around the d.u.c.h.ess's neck, with no regards to manners, was a lively pet.i.te woman with long curly waist-length dark pink glittery hair that was styled into loose pigtails.
Upon seeing these three, something in Maria's head clicked. 'Ah, that's right! These three are d.u.c.h.ess' Dior lovers! I almost forgot how in this world polygamy is legal!'
In this world, it was normal to see a man having more than one woman, which isn't that much of a shocker. But a woman could also share this same privilege, yet this action is highly frowned down upon by most n.o.bles and is considered shameful. A reason why it was rare to see a woman married to more than one husband or wife.
"Lullaby, you're being disrespectful in front of our Grace's guests." The silver-eyed male reprimed the pet.i.te woman.
"Mou, Liam stop being such a grouch. Honey doesn't seem to have a problem with my manners." Lullaby pouted her lips childishly.
"Lullaby, Liam is right. When in the presence of guests you must always act with manners." The d.u.c.h.ess softly comforted the pouting woman by patting her affectionately on the head. "Now, let's head towards the Spring Pavilion."
Once the group reached the Spring Pavilion, both d.u.c.h.ess Dior male husbands took their leave, seeing how they had business to take care of thus leaving only Lullaby behind. After refreshments were placed on the table, Maria finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
"Mom, how are you acquainted with the d.u.c.h.ess? "
"Oh, the d.u.c.h.ess and I go way back. We met sometime after I married your father, during Lady Lilian, Spring Banquet."
"How could I ever forget such a memorable day? Your mother made quite an impression on the other n.o.ble ladies that day." chuckle d.u.c.h.ess Dior, calmly taking a sip of her tea.
"I wasn't born into a n.o.ble house but I married into one. So some of the ladies were biased against me from the get-go and my commoner-military background didn't make it any better, " there was a bitter smile expressed on the countess's face as she recalled those stuck-up ladies.
"Your mother has a very free and expressive att.i.tude that tends to clash against the n.o.ble ladies here in the capital. They dislike those that go against their rules of conduct, treating those certain individuals as outsiders." It seems d.u.c.h.ess Dior wasn't just talking about the countess but herself as well.
"They think of me as an unruly country b.u.mpkin with little etiquette and brains. Ha, as if I care what those stuck-up women think of me!" The countess folded her arms and puffed out her chest.
"Don't worry, mom, I love you just the way you are~!" Maria beamed an adorable smile at her mother, having meant each word she said, hoping to cheer her mother up.
"Oh, my precious, Maria! Mommy loves you too~!" Maria began regretting her action when her mother embraced her in her arms; her head was currently buried in her buxom bosom. Her oxygen was cut off and she had no way to escape.
Luckily, Kuroka and s.h.i.+rone quickly came to her aide, though it took a while before the countess freed Maria. While all of this was taking place, Mai couldn't help but watch the mother and daughter scene with a content smile and even laughed when the countess stubbornly refused to let Maria go.
"My Lady, please let ojou-sama go. She can't breathe!" s.h.i.+rone distressingly informed.
"s.h.i.+rone, are you trying to call me fat?!"
"O-Of course not, My Lady!"
"Ah, I think ojou-sama's body just went still," Kurok pointed out, leaving
"My Lady, please let go! Let go!"
When all was done, Maria greedily inhaled all the oxygen she could once Countess let go of her.
"Ah, I almost saw the pearly white gates this time."
"Countess, you need to learn how to control your strength. Mai, why don't you and Marichan do some exploring while the Countess and I talk?" suggested the d.u.c.h.ess as Mai eagerly jumped from her seat and raced over to Maria, grabbing the girl hand as they disappeared into the garden.
"The direction Mai-chan's taking her, isn't that where..."
Instead of answering Lullaby's question, d.u.c.h.ess Dior remained silent, eyes staring at the direction the two girls just ran off towards.
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"Mai, where are we going?" Maria asked her friends, blindly allowing Mai to drag her along. Though even she was curious about their destination. Mai was running so fast that Maria was unable to admire all the exotic flowers that were blooming in the gardens. After a while, Mai finally stopped running and let go of Maria's wrist.
What appeared before them was a sea of white jasmine flowers; colorful b.u.t.terflies were fluttering in the air, creating the perfect harmony. That was not the only thing that caught Maria's attention.
Following behind Mai, the two stopped in front of a huge angel carved tombstone. The engraving on the tombstone read: In Loving Memory of Jasmine.
"Hi, mom. I always said that when I brought my first friend home I would introduce them to you." Even though there was a smile on Mai's face, an air of melancholy surrounding her. This was Maria's first time witnessing such an emotion coming from Mai of all people, so used to seeing the girl being lively and fearless.
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"When I saw you and your mom, it brought back memories of the times I shared with my own mom. I am a b.a.s.t.a.r.d child, born from a horrible man and a poor maid. When Duke Dior was still alive, he took a trip to where the d.u.c.h.ess once lived and instantly became infatuated with her beauty." Mai began to tell the story of how Duke Dior first met the d.u.c.h.ess.
"When it came time for him to leave, he offered her family tons of gold, just so he could have her hand in marriage. Instead of fighting for her, the d.u.c.h.ess father relinquished his daughter to the duke without a fight, who then her brought back to Astral with him." Maria patiently listened to Mai, detecting a touch of anger and grief in the girl's voice.
"The duke constantly spoiled the d.u.c.h.ess and his eldest daughter, big-sis Isis with nothing but luxury, but one night, he forced himself onto a maid who later bore him a second child. That maid was my mother who had loyally followed the d.u.c.h.ess from her home country. Since the day I was born, he abused both of us. Always venting his anger onto us. Saying that it was my birth mother's fault for seducing him! That it was because of her that the d.u.c.h.ess did not return his love!"
The air of animosity Mai was releasing scared Maria. The abuse the duke gave Mai and her mother had permitted left scars that most likely still have not fully head yet. Mai once cheery and warm voice suddenly took on a hard edge as she continued with her story.
"We lived in fear each day. The d.u.c.h.ess and Isis tried to help us, but their sincerity only made the Duke hate us more. So they put a stop to it whenever the Duke was home. I always thought that as long as I had my mom, I could get through each day." Mai took a breath of air, trying to keep her voice steady and calm, but the pain she felt everything she recalled this particular memory cause teardrop to fall down her cheeks.
"Until that day happened; the duke had returned back to the manor in a rage, and since I was the first person he saw that evening, he immediately vented his anger out on me. I can barely remember what happened next; the only thing I remember is the heavy blows of his fist connecting with my body, my mother screaming as she rushed forth and embraced me in her arms. Taking the blows meant for me, never loosening her hold, even when blood trickled down her forehead."
"Mai, mom is sorry for being weak."
"If I was stronger, maybe I could have protected you better."
"No matter what happens, Mai, always remember that mommy loves you."
"During the beating I must have pa.s.sed out, seeing how the next morning when I woke up, I had learned that my mother died from the injuries inflicted on her from the Duke when she had come to my rescue. Two days later, the duke mysteriously died from an unknown illness."
Fist balled tight, Mai felt angry at herself, "Even after the death of that man, I still blamed myself. It was my own weakness that killed my mom. That was why I made a vow to myself. Never again will I ever feel so powerless. That next time, I will protect those precious to me!"
Maria felt tears sting her eyes, seeing this strong, beautiful, and confident girl, who despite her tormented past, refused to let the shackles of her past hold her down. Despite all the pain Mai must have endured, she still had the strength to run towards her future. Suddenly Maria gripped her chest as a sharp pain of nostalgia hit her, a familiar face flashed into her mind.
'Granny? Why did her face suddenly flashed in my head!' Maria raised a hand to her forehead, feeling a sharp pain from not only her head but also her heart. 'Why when I saw granny face... my heart feels so heavy and empty?'
"Maria, are you okay?" It was Mai's voice that stopped Maria from going into full panic mode. Staring into those large amber eyes, Mai was caught off guard when Maria suddenly pulled her into a hug.
'I can worry about my own problems later...' Maria knew now was not the time to be worried about herself and push her own problems aside.
"Nothing was your fault, Mai. You are so brave. That sometimes I wished I possessed the same confidence as you. Your mom loved you very much and she is so proud of the person you are turning out to be." Breaking away from her, Maria held Mai's hand and faced the gravestone with a smile on her face.
"h.e.l.lo, Mai's mom! I'm Maria~! A friend to your daughter, and as long as Mai will allow it, I hope that we can remain friends until the end of time. Thank you for giving birth to such a wonderful person. Don't worry, I'll try to watch over her recklessness."
Mai was speechless as she stared at Maria. Those big amber eyes were suddenly filled with tears, throwing her arms around Maria's neck who returned the hug. In no time, the scene suddenly changed into two girls, standing in the center of jasmine flowers, b.u.t.terflies flying around them, crying of sadness and happiness while in each other arms.