Chapter 47: Vincent’s Personal Attendant
"I’ve considered it."
Anastasia exhaled sharply.
"I am willing too, Madam."
Clink.
"Willing to marry my husband too?" Leona tilted her head and asked.
Anastasia: "..."
She then shook her head.
"I am a housemaid, I’m afraid I can’t marry the young master."
"Do you want to?"
Vivienne sipped tea.
Anastasia couldn’t understand how she suddenly became the center of attention.
She looked down at the steam unfurling from her black tea.
"I haven’t thought about it. I don’t think the young master would approve either."
"Fishing for compliments, eh?" Leona looked at Anastasia and said with a rare, small smile.
Anastasia tried not to get entangled with this lady’s pace.
She turned to Vivienne.
"If it’s possible, I’d like to officially be the young master’s personal attendant."
She was doing the work of an attendant these days but she wasn’t really his personal attendant like Felicia or Linda.
It was a major rise in hierarchy. A lot of status.
She would get unrestricted movement in D’Arc County and everything is luxurious and paid for by the house if she roams around.
Not to mention, the salary’s good enough to rival a Baron and she only has to answer to the masters and the head maid Linda.
"Ask Linda to complete the formalities." Vivienne said.
Anastasia nodded.
Vivienne put her tea cup down and glanced at the two.
The conversation wasn’t over yet.
She leaned forward and placed her chin on her interlocked fingers.
Anastasia and Leona shifted in their seats and straightened their backs.
"Before you two begin practicing the martial art, I want you to develop your relationship with Vincent. Mere holding hands won’t do."
"M’lady," Leona tucked a strand of silver behind her ear, "I never planned to reject M’lord’s advances. If he asked me to spend the night with him, I would’ve done it. But the problem is..."
"He never made a move, yes?" Vivienne asked.
"Correct."
Vivienne fell silent.
She contemplated a few things.
"Is he timid when around you two?"
"He gets flustered when I lean over his shoulders to serve tea." Anastasia said.
Leona took a few seconds to respond.
"Perhaps, there’s a lingering fear of consequences and being labeled a creep. After all, there’s many rumors circulating about him misbehaving with noble ladies."
Vivienne sipped tea.
"Let’s leave his past aside. He’s striving to change so there’s a need to make him feel safe."
"I’ll leave this responsibility to you two. I hope to see changes before the marriage ceremony."
Anastasia and Leona nodded.
"When do we know we’ve achieved what the Madam is expecting?"
"When your relationship develops, you will feel more comfortable and prioritize each other. The intimacy will naturally increase. However..."
Vivienne put her teacup down.
Her long eyelashes lowered and covered half her serene blue eyes.
"...make sure to not get your flowers plucked."
Leona: "..."
Anastasia almost spilled her tea.
Both of them looked at the Countess.
Vivienne’s gaze lifted and she continued without a change of expression,
"When you first dual cultivate, you’ll understand why it is important."
"In case the situation heats up and there’s a serious need to take it in, use the other flower. It’s safe and has no relation to the martial art."
Anastasia: "..."
Leona: "..."
Vivienne sipped tea.
"If you have any questions, you may ask. If not, we’ll meet a day before the marriage ceremony."
The girls were too stunned to speak.
...
Gray clouds covered the Capital’s skies.
It continued to rain.
Visibility was low yet folks continued to commute wearing raincoats or carrying umbrellas.
Work never stopped.
In the D’Arc mansion, the hazy light seeped through the stained windows and illuminated the bedroom.
Vincent’s eyes fluttered as he slowly woke up.
A faint scent of magnolias and black tea filled his nose.
Waking up, he found himself pinned against the soft mattress.
The blanket was on the floor.
Two different hands were wrapped around his abdomen while a slender and smooth leg was on his lower body.
Vincent wondered whether he was awake or still dreaming.
He was in the main mansion. There were many rooms, so technically the blonde hair sprawled on the pillow shouldn’t be here.
The silver hair was fine as there weren’t any guest rooms here either.
Vincent turned to his side.
A squishy and soft feeling covered his face.
He returned to his position and closed his eyes.
’Let’s sleep a bit more. I don’t want drama for being the first to wake up.’
He went back to sleep.
A while later.
"Young master, please wake up."
A voice called out.
Vincent opened his eyes and groggily saw a pristine face with blonde hair looking at him.
"Young master, you need to prepare for the court. Please wake up."
Clarity returned to his eyes and Vincent saw it was Anastasia.
He tried to sit upright.
Hands on either side helped him.
’Hm?’
’Either side?’
Vincent turned.
A silver-haired lady with red eyes was staring in his direction.
The other side.
A blonde-haired lady with blue eyes stared in his direction.
Both had a visible neckline.
Vincent’s eyes unknowingly glanced down.
Anastasia was in a thin white nightgown.
Her full breasts were fully in view with her pink pearls clearly visible and pressing against the fabric.
’Damn.’
Vincent looked away and his gaze accidentally landed on Leona’s black nightgown.
It had a similar thin fabric that clung against her bare, shapely breasts.
’Goddamn!’
Vincent looked away again and closed his eyes.
It was a second too late.
Blood rushed where it shouldn’t and wearing light, breathable slacks did not help.
"Young master..."
"M’lord..."
The two girls softly called out.
"You guys go ahead. I’ll wash up and come down for breakfast." Vincent leaned his head back on the bed rest, pretending to get a bit more of shuteye.
A few seconds passed.
Vincent still found himself being held on either side.
He opened his eyes.
The blonde and silver-haired beauties were staring at him with a neutral expression.
"...you guys didn’t leave?" Vincent asked while crossing his legs.
"M’lord, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask."
Vincent blinked.
"Me too." Anastasia added.
"It can’t wait until breakfast?"
Vincent did his absolute best to not break eye contact with them.
The two shook their heads.
’What has gotten them so riled up right after waking up?’
Usually, the two would leave him to sleep a bit more. They would freshen up and get on the breakfast, pretending they didn’t just cuddle as they slept.
They even had a tacit understanding to not talk about it and Vincent was happy to participate for as long as they wanted.
But what was this situation now?
They both were in nightgowns and slept with him despite having other rooms available.
Were they not embarrassed about it?
"What is it?" Vincent tried to remain calm and asked.
Leona placed her arms around him and leaned closer, looking right into his eyes.
"M’lord... am I not attractive?"