I Will Be The New Me
CHAPTRE 9

The sound of wooden swords clashing against each other echoed from the vast field of the Western part of the Ethereal palace. Hundreds of men are training in the same place. There are competing with each other with running speed, there are also those who are interlocking to get points from boxing.

Many of them take off their clothes and are bare-chested because the weather has started to blister. Even so, the soldiers as well as the Knight ranks of the palace did not have a decreased spirit level.

"Prince! You have always been daydreaming. You need to focus."

Raiden threw his wooden sword on the ground. Her training clothes were already soaked absorbing her sweat. "I want to rest. I will miss the second session" he said as he walked off the field.

"But, Prince..."

"Just tell His Majesty that I asked for an empty clock."

The three Knights who accompanied him to practice could only gap in bewilderment. Ever since his return from the Savero mansion, Raiden had somehow seemed to lose his good mood. He was always silent and sighing in annoyance every two minutes.

"What happened to her?"

"Eitherway. Maybe he didn't make it to Lady Quinn?"

"couldn't work? that's even weird. Everyone also knew that it was Lady Quinn who was so infatuated with the Prince."

"Why are you guys so busy negotiating here? there are many other soldiers we have to deal with. Let's go."

Raiden went to soak in his bath. He drowned his entire body until his head was in the water. He continued to imagine the embarrassing events he experienced because of Quinn. "I'm sure he did it on purpose" he thought.

As soon as Quinn set foot into the living room, her expression was no longer as enthusiastic as usual as she showed when she saw Raiden. There is only a sense of awkwardness, tension, and sadness at the same time. Quinn's eyes were too honest that Raiden could read what the sweet girl was feeling.

Raiden raised his face out of the water when he needed oxygen. Someone landed down from the roof above the bathhouse. His face was covered in black cloth, his head kept bowing and kneeling near Raiden. "Report, Your Honor. Lady Quinn from now on chose to live together with the Grand Duke of Lombardy."

"Grand Duke?" Raiden raised one eyebrow, a thin grin engraved on his thin lips. The Lombardy Grand Duke's mansion was quite close to the palace when compared to the jara between the Shuvillian mansion and the Ethereal palace. "She's trying to get closer to me? what is he really trying to do?"

"He doesn't look like a smart man. What's in his head right now I can't guess."

"I'm sorry if I interrupt, Your Honor. Looks like Lady Quinn has a bad relationship with Lady Penelope, the woman you met at Count Shuvillian's mansion."

Raiden raised his hand telling his shadow army to leave. The baby face youth combed his wet hair to reveal his full narrow eel, "Should I make a game now? ah, naw. I gotta make sure of something first."

At the same time, Quinn was visiting Oddeth's house with a letter of contract as he had explained earlier, Quinn also officially got a stamp from Bastien Lombardia, who was also a member of the Bastien Lombardy, the great Grand Duke of Helldelune.

Oddeth seemed hesitant to take the paper. Quinn remained patiently waiting for him, "You can read all of his agreements carefully. I'm not going to hunt you down."

The simple girl did not dare to look directly into Quinn's eyes, she continued to look down so that she would not be nervous for long. "I'm very curious why you're so after me when I'm not that great to be supported directly by the Grand Duke's classmates."

Quinn chuckled at Oddeth who still suspected him. "Is that so?" undeniably, suddenly approached by nobles and offered to work for him. The situation was very confusing and it was like there was a plan behind it.

"Are you able to explain to me why you are so trusting in inexperienced commoners at all?"

There's no way I'm saying this is all I'm doing to atone for my sin on you, is there? you are really talented, after all.

The daughter of Savero nodded in understanding, she understood the suspicions Oddeth felt. "Simple it, I want to add to my treasure and you need me to help you achieve your dream. We're gonna be mutually beneficial, aren't we? I guarantee that once you get this contract, you'll have as much treasure as you can never imagine."

Oddeth was impressed by Quinn's blunt statement, which sounded a little harsh.

Quinn patted the shoulder of the girl who was three years older than him was friendly, "Trust me. You're the only one with extraordinary painting skills in Helldelune. Gold like you shouldn't always be buried in the ground."

Oddeth was getting more depressed. "Oddeth, trust me. You will succeed with your talent. You don't want to see your family living with treasures? you can buy whatever you want, explore a new world you've never been to, make your parents happy."

"That-that's..."

"Not be ashamed to admit it. All humans need money to live." Quinn did not want to show his former weak side. He who is now will not hesitate to take a good decision.

Oddeth glazed over each item of the contract stipulation written there, none incriminating him. Quinn himself wrote all the covenants, knowing that Oddeth was a loyal human who was willing to defend justice despite having to sacrifice his own life.

"I don't think I deserve your trust, Your Majesty." Oddeth immediately prostrates himself before Quinn, deciding to take an oath fighting for all the good that Quinn and Bastien have given him, a lowly man who could never imagine himself to be a famous painter. "I promise I will fight my best for you, Your Majesty."

"Should I give you more time to think?"

"No. I'll sign it right now, Your Majesty."

"The wise decision."

After signing the contract, Quinn immediately took Oddeth out around the city. Quinn did not explain anything, he just kept walking, his head was busy looking back and forth looking for an address.

"Your Highness Quinn, where are we really going?"

"To work, of course, you need a painting studio so you can paint comfortably."

Oddeth was at a loss for words. Quinn was so supportive of her without hesitation, "She had even ordered one painting from me, but she already believed strongly."

Oddeth immediately lowered his head in embarrassment because Quinn had managed to read his mind despite not looking at him.

Ten minutes into the walk, Quinn stopped at a large glassy empty building. "This is where I mean."

Quinn opened it and let Oddeth enter first to see in the room that would officially become his study. All Quinn has been equipped ranging from tables, canvases with various sizes, to various types of paint needed. Oddeth really just stay working without the need to think about capital.

The girl cried. He had not expected his dream all along to work as a painter to come true.

Seeing that made Quinn's heart throb pain. In the past, he was so willing to indirectly damage all the efforts that Oddeth had built hard, making him lose all the property he had, he had, he must die without even seeing his family one last time just to tell Quinn the truth about Raiden and Penelope wanting to stab him in the back.

Oddeth's cry was so sincere. He had dreamed all of this since he was ten years old. Now everything is in sight, his chest pounding very happily but also thankfully, his encounter with Quinn brought the best of great fortune for the twenty years Oddeth lived.

"Yes, Lady. What are you doing here?"

Quinn was aghast at hearing Finn's voice near her ear. "Sir Finn? why are you here?"

Finn, the tan-skinned youth showed a wide grin while waving. "I accidentally passed by, just walking around and I saw you here. How can you skip without telling me?"

"Did any truant student report to his teacher?"

"Oh, you're right. Well, it turns out you're smart now."

"Just disturb."

Then Finn looked at Oddeth who was still crying softly in the middle of the room. His eyebrows are intertwined. "Lady, what did you do to her until she cried like that?" finn asked while giving Quinn a look of wonder.

"I just hit him." Quinn then glanced at Finn who was standing right next to her, "And maybe next I'll break someone's neck." Finn had trouble swallowing his saliva seeing the murderous gaze Quinn laid on him.

This kid's getting worse and worse, Finn thought he didn't stop wondering. Where did that sweet attitude go? Finn couldn't find the answer.

"Your Majesty, sorry for my impoliteness. I'm too emotional to forget you."

Oddeth had stopped crying. With her red eyes she now bowed in front of the savior of her dreams. "What's wrong, you don't have to think about it. You remember the place, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Go home. Tomorrow morning I'll come to the opening of this studio with my grandfather. Thank you for working with us, Oddeth."

While Quinn talks with Oddeth about the work deal and so on, Finn honestly doesn't see Quinn in the sweet girl anymore. The way he addressed others seemed very mature and authoritative.

Finn read the studio's name "Why is this using the name Grand Duke?"

"Because this is my grandfather's studio."

Finn doesn't care if Quinn is upset or upset because he keeps running ekori. It was up to the moment where Finn remembered wanting to ask something about the clarity of Finn's work. "You're planning on quitting my class?"

"Eitherway. I don't think I need any more lessons from you." Quinn was acting very indifferent. The girl was even reluctant to look at her interlocutor.

"I was at your house, but I just found out from Young Master Killian about your move."

Finn saw Quinn's body snickering. His steps stopped, "How's Killian doing?"

"He's kind. I just feel less excited as usual."

"Oh, so."

"And as I was leaving, I saw something very extraordinary. You want to know, Lady?"

Finn leaned slightly to whisper near the ear of the only disciple he had, "I saw the Crown Prince come over there and meet your cousin."

Finn didn't expect Quinn to stare straight at him with eyes wide open, "You sure?"

"of course. I wasn't drunk until I saw someone in broad daylight like this."

What is Raiden talking about? have the two started a relationship?

"Why do you look panicked?"

"uh? whahuh? no." no."

Finn becomes intrigued after seeing Quinn's unusual response. "Are you afraid Prince is cheating on you?" the tanyanya is half-literate.

"Fraud, don't make us feel like we're dating. Me and Raiden have no special relationship or anything."

Quinn could not control the rest of the feelings tucked away in the depths of her heart. "Why should I be curious? let them do what they want. I'll take my own path."