5 The Vegetable Salad

Nicole was stunned speechless.

Even though there was no expression on his face, everybody in the hall could feel the shocked and bewildered feeling the young master was emitting.

Well, all the maids and Butlers around the dining hall were feeling the same thing. They weren't used to the new type of young miss.

It was so sudden that took them off guard.

Who would imagine that the young miss, who was known for her evil deeds would suddenly turned into a harmless child. It felt so surreal.

Looking at the innocent and harmless seven year old child, who was sitting beside the Duke and gobbling the food with glittering eyes, everyone in the dining hall felt like the sun had risen from the west.

And after witnessing the heartless duke feeding and wiping the young miss's mouth with unrestrained smiles, they really felt that they were living into some kind of mirror world.

Akira remained oblivious to all the complicated expressions around her. She had only one goal for now. Enjoy the delicious dishes in front of her. She was really happy that she had transmigrated into a rich family with rich foods.

Her second Life doesn't seem so bad.

She had a good bed to sleep, a loyal duke who immensely dotes her, rich and delicious food to eat, a huge library to explore and mysterious types of phenomenon to research.

Her second Life was sure gonna be interesting.

She looked at Nicole, who was sitting across her and smiled widely. She was also satisfied by the appearance of the young miss brother. He wasn't too bad (7/10, in term of appearance). If not for his expressionless face, she would surely give him 8/10.

Her slightly puffed cheeks with colourful flavours around her mouth and her large round eyes made her look so innocent and adorable when she smiled. Nicole narrowed his eyes and averted his gaze.

Even though the girl changed, it didn't mean that he'll accept her immediately.

People change but their darkest desire would surely reveal one day.

He wasn't sure whether the girl changed for good or bad. But if she tried to harm his family, then he won't hesitate to kill her.

Duke Cyril calmly and gently wiped his daughter's mouth. Everytime his daughter placed an item on his plate, the surrounding atmosphere would fill up with imaginary flowers and bubbles.

"Father, I have a request?", the silence in the dining hall was broken by Nicole's voice. Duke Cyril wiped his daughter's mouth and nodded, "what it is?".

"I want to break my engagement with her highness Freya", Nicole's strong and cold voice rang throughout the dining hall, causing the maids and butlers around them to immediately stiffened.

They didn't expect the young master to speak out such a complicated request. Even though the young master was stubborn and had always chosen the right decisions, they didn't expect him to request for breaking the engagement with her highness Freya. Akari's curiously perked her ears. Engagement?The young miss step brother was gonna have an engagement. Woah, European parents are really eager to chase their kids away from the home.

Well, all the parents are eager to chase their children away from the home, so that they could have some relaxation time.

Even her mother and father would chase her away from home, so that they could do the nasty things. Nevertheless, she was a person with deep consideration. So she would disappear from home as soon as her parents asked her to.

Duke Cyril grabbed the jug of milk and pour it in a cup. He placed the cup in front of Emma and said to his son, "If you have any problems with her highness, then I suggest you to go speak to her".

He knew that his son didn't like the third princess, but he also can't refuse the request of his majesty.

He's really frustrated to decide which one should he support. His majesty's order or his son's request.

Nicole narrowed his eyes. He had expected these words from his father. Afterall, the marriage was proposed by the king, and as a duke, how can his father reject the request. He pinched the spoon and let out an exasperated sigh. If he can't make his father accept his request, then he'll make the princess miserable, to the point that she, herself would want to break the engagement.

He raised his lips into a cold smile. Nodding his head, he complied to his father's wishes, "Mm". Just as he wanted to indicate that he was done eating, he saw a plate of vegetable salad in front of him.

The mixture of vegetables looked so colourful and delicious. The fresh aroma of cheese and vegetables brought a sense of hunger in his stomach.

Raising his head, he found a pair of lucid round eyes, staring at him. After realizing that the girl gave him the salad, his hunger instantly vanished.

His surroundings also became silent, to the point that one could even hear the rustle of leaves through the windows. Even duke Cyril kept quiet. He tightly clenched his palms and heavily frowned in deep thought. The maids and Butlers around them simultaneously knitted their brows.

Akari wasn't trying to curry favour from the young miss's brother. She didn't want to eat the vegetable salad, so she decided to give it to the young miss's brother. You might ask why not the Duke?

Well, she gave, but he return her back.

"Eat", she said, eyeing the salad and licking her lips. Even though she didn't want to eat the salad, she also didn't want to waste it. Better give it to someone than throwing it away. Seeing the young miss's brother not touching the salad, she slightly frown in dissatisfaction. Seems like she had to complete the salad by herself.

She leaned over and silently took the salad back. Letting out an audible sigh, she picked up her fork and quietly ate the vegetables. She should request the chef to provide meat from next time onwards, cause she's bored of eating vegetables. If her mother fed her, then she would eat it without any hesitation. But.....

When Cyril, Nicole and the rest of the servants saw the small girl eating the salad with sad and sorrowful mood, they really felt guilty. Especially Nicole, who hesitated to eat the vegetables salad.

When the girl first gave him the salad, everyone thought that she was intending to do something bad. After all, the last time the youg miss gave the young master something to eat, he nearly died of poison.

But after witnessing the girl taking the salad back and silently eating it, they felt ashamed for doubting her ways.

Nevertheless, the girl was just a kid who wanted to repent for all the bad things which she did. After knowing the mind of the small girl, duke Cyril and the surrounding servants soften their expression.

Esmeralda was still a seven year old kid..

Akari was clueless to all the thoughts around her. She was really sad that her mother was not here feed her. She got down from the chair and ran out of the dining hall, startling Nicole, duke Cyril and all the nearby servants.

"Emma!", Cyril stood up and followed his daughter. He also didn't have the heart to correct his son. In the end, it wasn't easy to accept the sudden change.

He knew what Nicole was thinking and it wasn't his fault to raise his vigilance against Emma. Afterall, he experience near death by Emma herself.

Nicole silently remained in the dining hall. Seeing the vegetables salad, he tightly pursed her lips.

In the end, he leaned over and took the plate of salad. Grabbing his fork, he quietly ate the remaining vegetables in the plate. The nearby maids and butlers were surprised by the sudden action, but they soon understood the young master's thought.

After all, he was the culprit (poor Nicole. He doesn't even know the truth).

Akari ran as fast as she her legs could. She wanted to run to her bed and hide her sorrowful tears. Even though it's been a week, she still couldn't accept that she lost her precious family.

Her mom, dad, elder sisters, younger brother, her friend, her games, her books, her bed, the street food, her mom's cookies, her favourite American show, she missed them all.

She really wanted to curse this mansion. It was so big that she felt tired before even reaching the corridor of her room.

To her relief, her feet was suddenly lifted up from the floor. Eh? Blinking in confusion, she turned to the right and found a pair of blue eyes staring at her with absolute fondness.

Subconsciously, she noticed the funny way her legs are dangling in the air and she could almost hear Yumi laughing at her predicament somewhere in her head.

Cyril carried his daughter and gently rubbed her back, "Princess, please don't cry". Even though Emma wasn't like his real daughter Ada, he loved her as much as he loved his real daughter. And his heart aches to see his daughter cry. Well, it was the second time that Esmeralda cried.

After crying for her dead mother, she never cried later on. So, it felt surreal to witness his daughter cry over Nicole's way of showing his vigilance. He was somewhat jealous that his daughter was crying because of Nicole's behaviour (Huh?).

Akari buried her face on the duke's neck and mumbled in a croak voice, "I'm not crying". She would never accept that she cried. Whenever she cried, Yumi would call her as the ugliest girl. So, she never cried in front of her family.

knowing the innocent thoughts of the child, Cyril smiled and said, "En. Princess is not crying." (yeah, she's laughing). Akari rubbed her eyes and nuzzled on the Duke's neck, "Did I trouble father?". She didn't expect the Duke to chase her. She might have surprised all the people in the dining hall, including the young miss brother.

She wondered whether they ate all the dishes on the table, it would be a waste to throw them away. She somewhat regretted for leaving the dining hall. After all, she haven't drank her afternoon milk.

Cyril chuckled and asked in a gentle voice, "how is princess trouble father? Afterall, father is the one troubling princess". He was the one who decided to bring his daughter to lunch, bringing her unpleasant moments. He didn't regret his decision, but he was guilty of his thoughts.

Akari hummed and mumbled in a lazy tone, "Library". She haven't read the full world information nor the types of kingdom around her. She also haven't read the interesting ancient prophecy, written in the golden book, which she previously pick it up from behind the second floor.

Cyril chuckled and nodded, "Ok". He didn't know that his daughter like to read. When he heard from Clara that Emma was in the library, he was surprised. Afer all, Emma never asked nor spoke about books in her 3 years of dwelling in the Elmstone mansion.

So it was a surprise that Emma wish to read books in the library. After entering into the library, Akari immediately got down from the Duke's arms and rushed to the second floor. She wanted to read her books.

Cyril chuckled in amusement. So far, his daughter only showed interest in books and food. He really wondered whether his daughter was normal or not.

She wasn't energetic as Ada, nor cold and emotionless as Nicole. Esmeralda was silent yet cheerful. Kind but wasn't a fool. Proud but wasn't haughty. Cold, but wasn't cruel as before. Over all, she was different than she was.

"Master...", Cyril snapped out of his thoughts and turned around. Seeing his butler, he slightly frowned in knowing for his arrival.

"Emma?", He turned around and called for his daughter. He wanted to spend time with his daughter, but it seems to be impossible right now.

Akira, who heard the Duke, paused in her crawling movements. She hurriedly crawl backward and dashed to the railing of the second floor. Cyril looked at his daughter's messy appearance and smiled lovingly.

"Father will pick you up for dinner. Don't try to sleep before dinner, ok?", he raised his brows and said in a knowing tone. His daughter was also a sleepy head, who would usually doze off to sleep before dinner.

Akari rapidly nodded her head, "Ok". Her messy curled black hairs, teary dark brown eyes, and redden cheeks really made her look so adorable that Cyril wanted to immediately hugged her so much. Nevertheless, he fist his palm and cough, "Good".

After the duke walked out of the Library, Akari immediately went to her man made tent and crawl in. Lying on her comfortable pillows, she grabbed the nearest book and opened it. The title of the book was, 'The king's beloved'. Previously, she was surprised that the Library contained story books (which was a relief). After searching for few minutes, she realized that there weren't story books, but real ancient stories of the current world.

Halfway through her reading, she suddenly heard somone walking upon the stairs. Placing the book down, she crawl out of her tent, only to find the young miss's brother standing few centimetres away from her position. Confused, she asked, "Are you here for reading?". Other than reading, why would he come in the library. She thought Clara came in, but it was unexpectedly the young miss brother.

Nicole looked at the girl's messy appearance and remained quiet. Glancing at her man made tent, his lips subconsciously twitched in disbelief. When he saw the girl's slightly glisten eyes and redden cheeks, he unknowingly pursed his lips. Even though he knew that the girl wasn't good, his heart unknowingly led him to her location.

It must be the work of the vegetables salad.

Akari was musing whether she should simply ignore the boy or chase him out of the library, cause she doesn't wants to be disturb.

Then she suddenly remembered that she wanted a book, which was on the top rack of a particular bookshelf. Since the young miss's brother was here, she should absolutely used this chance to get it. Pitter pattering toward Nicole, she looked at him and asked with her clear eyes, "Can you help me get a book?".

When it comes to books, she would even throw all her rationality out of the window. Just a moment ago, she was planning to chase him away, but now, she was asking his help.

Nicole looked at his step sister's sincere pleading eyes and nodded. To his surprise, the girl's eyes immediately brighten as she pulled his pants and led him toward a particular bookshelf, beside a window.

Much to his amusement, the girl eagerly pointed at a particular book. He wasn't too tall nor too short, but his height precisely reached the required height of the book. Promptly, Nicole followed the finger and took out a black cover with golden bindings.

The closer he moved the book to the girl's hand , the brighter was the little girl's face. Nicole couldn't help but pause. His step sister was really different than before. It was almost as if she was someone else.

Seeing the boy being absent minded, Akari pouted and tucked his pants, "Give". Even if he's dreaming, he should at least give her the book.

Her soft sulking voice snapped Nicole's thought. He shook his head and handed the book to his sister's hand.

Akari was so happy that she finally got the desire book. She smiled and happily thanked Nicole, who responded with a stiff nod.

Nicole really wondered whether the girl in front of him was the original step sister or someone else (closer to the point).

He also wondered whether to ask the chef for a plate of vegetables salad, which he previously ate during lunch.

It was really delicious.