She had used The Fallen Angel several times, connecting the women they wanted on behalf of the Duke or other n.o.bles, but this was the first time she had visited in person.

Seeing the women sitting there with dead fish eyes, she couldn't bear to think of herself in the past, when she was crushed under her husband and put up with the torment. As Maribel hurried out of the gloomy place, Raphael asked Sophie, "Don't tell me; is this girl taking guests, too?"

He seemed to be constantly thinking of the sick girl he was supporting.

"Why not? The girl's appearance is not very good, so she doesn't have any visitors yet. Therefore, she is serving the sick people, but this is a brothel. Her fate is already fixed."

The child did not respond at all to Sophie and the guests' words, but merely kept her head lowered. A child who was born and grew up in the brothel area as the daughter of a prost.i.tute, she was well aware of how to act.

"I'll take this kid with me, too. Don't stop me."

Maribel shrugged at Raphael's aggressive att.i.tude.

"I didn't mean to stop you. I just needed a proper kid, but it went well. I'm taking her with you, too. Don't open your eyes that way. But she must be very expensive, since she is young and inexperienced. I'd like to tell you to pay the bill yourself, but fortunately the person who sent me here is quite generous, so I think we can pay it together."

Maribel looked at Sophie, after calming the aggressive Raphael.

"I just want one blonde here today. Even if the child is maimed, the combination of blonde and green eyes is very rare, and if you charge twice, I can't but help pay that, right?"

After hearing Maribel's words, Sophie nodded. "Yes, it's a very expensive combination."

They were directed to a reception room for the VIPs, while the blonde girl was treated so that she would not die until they returned to Austern. Maribel drank tea and looked at the brown-haired girl following them without a word.

"How old are you?"

" I'm going to be seventeen soon."

Raphael couldn't contain his sympathy as she looked so young, and asked back in surprise, "Seventeen years old?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're older than I thought."

Maribel needed the right person to be her ear in Tilia. When Raphael entered Tilia Territory as a knight, she was going to send this child as his maid. She hesitated for a moment at the older age than she thought, but nodded soon after.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Do you know how lucky you are today?"

The girl nodded at Maribel's question.

"I have saved your life from the brothel, where you were going to die of old age or sickness, so you have to pay me back for this grace, right?"

Maribel looked at the girl with an emphasis on her specialty, 'I save you, and you pay me back for it.' Maribel smiled satisfactorily as the girl nodded slightly more than before at her words.

"You have a sense of duty. I'll let you know what you're going to do in the future. What's your name?"

"Dian."

"Yes, for now all you have to do is wait on that blonde child to come back to Austern. I'll let you know slowly on the way about what to do after that."

Maribel lowered the cup she was holding on the table, gazing cheerfully at the girl who nodded back gently.

-------------------------

"Tell me the current Emperor's name and imperial family tree."

"It is Claudio Martino Julius Kiellini Austern, and the Empress is Cordelia Lauren Harriott Bertino Austern, the first princess of the Princ.i.p.ality of Bertino, who was killed by bandits during her journey to attend Bertino's Founding Festival thirteen years ago. The first Queen is Victoria Lauren Diannel Dudley Austern, who is the mother of the first Prince, Francis Raymond Judell Dudley Austern. The second Queen is Irene Elizabeth Bertino Austern, who is the mother of the fifth Prince, Killian Mikael Hedford Bertino Austern. Hoo, why are the names so long?"

As Julietta grumbled about the names of the royal family members, Simone stared.

"And again. Why do you attach those useless words? The direct royal family members put their maternal family names separately just before their last name to announce which family they are from."

Simone was quite a good teacher. Her tough, cold personality remained the same, but she had never let herself yield when it came to Julietta's speech. As she always told her why, Julietta was able to learn and understand quickly.

"Then, is Kiellini attached to the family name of the Emperor His Majesty because it is his maternal family?"

When Julietta asked, Simone nodded. "That's right. At one time, the relations.h.i.+p between His Majesty and my brother was very strong."

"You mean not now?"

"Thirteen years ago, there was an Emperor's order to find out who was behind the death of the Empress. I don't know well, but I think he was convinced that the family of Duke Dudley was behind it. But there was no evidence. His Majesty asked my brother to find evidence that the family of Dudley was behind it, even if he pressured them."