CHAPTER 29: THE BASTIER FAMILY

The next morning, perhaps the strangest group of people I had ever seen gathered at the breakfast table. Rubiella, Enoch, and Angela sat next to each other, occasionally exchanging awkward glances, clearly unsure of what to talk about.

It was the first time the three of them had been together, which made the atmosphere even more tense. The only sounds were the clinking of cutlery and the slight creaking of chairs.

Fortunately, none of this affected me. Unlike the others, I felt exceptionally wonderful. It seemed as if the air in the room was filled with lightness and anticipation of something good. The only thing missing was birds singing outside the window to make the morning truly perfect.

I eagerly awaited good news from the butler. Edison left the estate last night and had not yet returned. It seemed that the old man took my request to find an aristocratic family as quickly as possible very seriously.

While I was lost in my thoughts, the man next to me cleared his throat.

"Excuse me..." the heroine’s adoptive father said to me awkwardly, "I’d like to ask you something..."

"Yes?" I replied with a polite smile.

"Are you really the youngest daughter of the Weinstein family?"

"What? Why are you asking?" I was surprised.

"I... I just didn’t expect you to have only one maid working for you."

Apparently, the sight of poor Nura running around the table and serving breakfast to everyone in such a large house confused him. And yet, the Weinstein family was considered one of the most noble in the empire.

I choked on my morning coffee. I certainly didn’t expect to be reprimanded for this by a simple country man. However, it seemed that the rumors were true, and information from the capital did not reach their place of residence.

Enoch had no idea about my bad reputation and the fact that almost the entire empire considered me bankrupt... Given my debts, no normal person would go to such an unreliable employer. Only Nura, who until recently had been wandering the streets, had nothing to lose.

Although, to be fair, thanks to the help of Duke Dickens, my current situation had improved significantly. It was quite possible that I would soon be able to hire new servants.

"I... Um... I just take a very responsible approach to hiring staff," I coughed importantly, "and this maid is the only one who has passed my screening so far."

The forester looked doubtfully at the girl, who had nearly spilled the tea while carrying it here. Her entire appearance did little to suggest "qualification." However, one way or another, he had to take my word for it.

Just then, Edison returned. I breathed a sigh of relief. The old man immediately went into the dining room and bowed.

"Madam, everything is ready!" he announced.

"Really?" I was surprised. "So quickly?"

"Here, please take a look."

The butler handed me Enoch and Angela’s newly minted documents. I immediately began to read them.

It turned out that the old man had done a good job. The noble family he had chosen belonged to the long-dead Baron Bastier. The man had died of illness thirty years ago and left no heirs. And according to these fake documents, Enoch was his illegitimate son.

Now, many years later, when he accidentally learned of his relationship to the baron, he decided to restore his legal right to inheritance. In other words, the new Baron Bastier was now Enoch. And his heir was Angela.

All these complications were worth it, because now no one would be able to dig up anything and suspect us of anything. I clapped my hands, rubbing them together with satisfaction. Perhaps, after all the work he had done, the butler deserved a bonus.

"Angela, congratulations!" I smiled. "You said you like the capital. Now you won’t have to go back."

"What?" the girl asked in surprise. "What are you talking about, Auntie?"

Since Angela woke up this morning, no one had told her the news yet. The heroine looked at the adults in confusion. Her father nodded to her.

"Sweetheart, it’s true. From this day forward, our lives will change dramatically."

"Change?"

"Lady Weinstein has offered us her help," he said. "And... for your sake, I’ve decided to accept."

While Angela didn’t understand what was going on, Enoch explained everything to her clearly. Upon learning that she was now officially the heir to an aristocratic family, the girl was speechless.

"Is it true? Are we really nobles now?" she asked incredulously.

The forester nodded happily and confirmed her words.

To be honest, I expected Angela to explode with delight at that moment. After all, such an opportunity was one in a million and seemed more like manna from heaven. But for some reason, the heroine did not look particularly happy.

She smiled stiffly and, so as not to disappoint her father, pretended to be happy anyway.

"Daddy, does that mean we’ll be able to see Auntie even more often now?" Angela asked again.

"Yes," Enoch shared the news with her joyfully, "Lady Weinstein is now our patron!"

The news really did sound incredible. The kind lady Angela had accidentally met on the street turned out to be so generous. The girl couldn’t ignore it:

"I... I’m so happy!"

While the adults chatted animatedly among themselves, Angela slumped. This was not at all what she had imagined. The girl did not want to become an aristocrat. She liked the quiet life in the village much more.

But her father would surely be upset if she told him that. Besides, Lady Weinstein really treated her well. Angela didn’t want to disappoint either of them.

Besides, there was another reason...

Angela swallowed as she cautiously looked up. Aunt Grace’s niece was staring intently at her. That look... It was like a predator waiting to tear its prey apart.

Under it, Angela was afraid to even move. Life in the capital seemed much more dangerous than in the forest. She couldn’t understand: "Why... Why does this girl hate me so much? I haven’t done anything wrong to her!"

Nevertheless, Angela knew that the incident on the stairs was just a warning.