I Will Be The New Me
CHAPTRE 16

"Hahaha, this is so funny. He dared to reject my invitation, but sent a letter asking to meet the Son of the Marquess Sylvestria family?"

Raiden was sitting at his desk reading through the entire contents of the letter, there was nothing strange in it. Quinn just wanted to meet with Izeqiel to talk after a long time without seeing him. Whatever it is, Raiden's still not happy to see it. "She wanted to test me, huh."

"Lady Quinn seems to be leaving as soon as her family's painting is done" said the man who became one of the spies around Quinn.

Raiden was reluctant to come because he had to take care of the soldiers he would send to the border area to fulfill his promise to the people of the hill town for sending some rare plants to him. Later some bandits started to unsettle them, this was his chance to look for face.

Raiden cannot let his target girl interact more with other men because his plan could be threatened to fail. The paper with Quinn's handwriting crumpled shapelessly in Raiden's hand. He immediately threw the official stamped letter into the fireplace of his room. "good job. Come back, let no one suspect you."

"Okay, Your Majesty."

"Keep watching Quinn. I'll double your pay."

"I will do it, Prince. Then, I'm letting go."

After the spy he sent out, Jean, his right hand went into the room. The tall man stood facing Raiden. "You're calling me, Prince?"

"Jean, tomorrow make me another excuse for Floyd. I have to go visit the girl I love and spend time with her." Raiden emphasized one word in his sentence to make it clear that he objected to having to continue confessing to love someone who was actually just a tool to achieve the greatest goal he had.

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Go away. I want to see my dad." He closed his book before leaving his desk. "I want to see how healthy my father is." Raiden's deceitful smile can always blind his subordinates to the truth that the young man clearly showed.

Raiden goes into his father's room, Kaisen. The poor man whose condition was getting worse was still lying on the bed. Her hair in some parts has turned white even though she is not even forty years old.

His cheekbones had piled up with extremely dry and chapped lips. The body temperature is not as warm as the normal temperature of humans in general. What a sad sight.

Conditions like this will generally make the child tortured to see it. Unfortunately, Raiden is not a normal human being. His eyes flashed sharply as if he was ready to pierce his father's heart with a dagger once he changed his mind.

"Dad, good night. How's it going? are you feeling better?"

How he was willing to improve when the poison kept on being consumed instead of the medicine.

Raiden clasped his father's dry hand. "I feel so miserable watching Dad continue to lie here. Sometimes I want you to help me take care of this country". The point of Raiden's real speech is, he's sick of keeping Kaisen alive in a body that can no longer do anything about it.

"I wish I could help Dad end this right now. Maybe you won't suffer anymore". Again Raiden reveals a clue to his goal. The point of his words this time was that had Kaisen's death not been suspected, The current Raiden could also take Kaisen's life with a single stab rather than having to wait a long time by gradually giving his father poison.

"Hm? You want to say something?" Raiden was shocked when he felt his father's thin, dry finger move weakly, and Kaisen's lips moved thinly.

Kaisen's only son brought his ear closer to Kaisen's mouth.

"Sorry, I-I must have made you trouble. I-I-I'm glad you're always visiting me every night." whispered Kaisen in disarray. The poison Kaisen consumed also had a deadly effect on the tongue. Kaisen smiled gently. In his heart he desperately wanted to stroke his son's head, but what could be done, his body felt even more helpless when night fell.

Yeah, I'm in trouble because Dad doesn't disappear.

"What is this father talking about? I know this will also be my responsibility as a future father's replacement. Don't worry, focus on your healing."

Kaisen nodded weakly along with his drooping eyelids, closing his dark black iris that was glaring.

Raiden took a deep breath, glancing at the teapot left lying on the nightstand next to the King's bed. "Hurry and rest in peace, Father".

The day has changed. The sun is brighter this time than it was yesterday. The air that blows warmer, the wind is quite strong blowing. A sign that the dry season is coming soon.

Quinn this morning chose to wear a dress with a simple tassel in blue, the makeup is thinner so that it accentuates the natural plain beauty. Quinn also did not do much hair, he made his late mother as a role model of his appearance this time. "I want to present mother in the painting as well." she muttered, her eyes began to water, describing how much she yearned for the figure of a mother.

The three maids who helped him were dumbfounded looking at the beautiful creature that appeared in the reflection of the mirror. "Your Majesty, you are truly like the embodiment of a Goddess."

"I also agree, you really look really awesome. This is all new with thin makeup." Timpal's another waiter.

"I feel today I will be endowed with pleasure, Your Majesty."

Quinn blushed in embarrassment at the sudden praise of her performance. "Ahahaha you are overreacting. Don't make me feel wrong."

"But you're really charming."

"Thank you~. Now Grandpa's gonna be waiting, I'm gonna get out now."

"All right, Your Majesty. Hope everything goes well today."

Quinn was no longer surprised by the presence of Raiden who was currently chatting together with Bastien. Quinn was relieved because he already knew who was the spy. "Raiden's? I'm so glad you came here!" quinn is excited.

Quinn's appearance succeeded in bewitching the two men of different ages. Their pupils dilated, amazed at the natural beauty of a Quinn de Alger Shuvillian who accentuated elegance from cheerfulness. Bastien seemed to be looking at Sirena, his dead daughter-in-law, returning to life.

While Raiden was a little gaping in response to his stunned self. It was his honest feeling, not like he used to lie. Knowing that he was actually fascinated, Raiden finally lowered his head for a moment to neutralize the disturbing feelings that appeared. "Quinn, today you are truly enchanting." praise her without taste.

"Raiden, you're embarrassing me." Quinn held onto both of her cheeks that were feeling heated.

Bastien chuckled, "Can you not make me jealous? let's go now. Maybe Savero and the others are already there."

# In the family mansion of Count Savero de Alger Shuvillian...

"Sister, are you ready yet?"

Killian looked impatient to see Penelope confused to choose the headdress that she was about to wear. The teenage man did not understand why Penelope was so hard at work in getting ready. "Wait a minute, Killian. I've got two flops I'm gonna pick, can you help me pick them?"

"Whichever is all the same as a—" Killian almost made trouble in the morning. He used to say the same thing and ended up being taken at length by his cousin's brother, then they did not talk to each other for more than three hours. "I think the yellow one is good, in line with the dress that you wear." she replied with more caution. Killian secretly breathed a sigh of relief after successfully avoiding the problem.

"Is that so? should I braid my hair to make this clip look more beautiful? or just leave it like this?"

"I don't want to have bad memories in family paintings. Besides, I'm glad to be able to make memories with all of you, I'm really impatient."

Penelope's sweet smile was able to melt Killian's heart, Killian's saturation instantly disappearing. "Oh yeah, did you tell Uncle Vincent about this?" even though it was only two seconds, Killian could see Penelope's body stiffening. "Yes, but he said he was taking care of a job that couldn't be delayed anymore".

"so yeah. Too bad, I guess we can be painted with a complete family member." Killian said a little disappointed. However, the fifteen-year-old boy questioned the reason behind Penelope who immediately looked stiff when talking about her own father.

"Well, it's done, Lady Penelope. You're amazingly beautiful." praise a waiter who helped her do her hair.

"This aunt is-just there~"

"Yes, brother. You look amazing." said Killian with red cheeks.

"Is that so? I feel so flattered. Let's go now."

As predicted, two horse-drawn carriages of the noble families in the city of Helldelune that stopped at the same place managed to invite many question marks from the people and several other nobles who were enjoying breakfast in the restaurant opposite painting studio.

Plus they all knew that the two noble families were real families.

"I just found out there's a new painting studio. Who rented that place?"

"I've just realized it now, too. Are there any famous painters here who moved places?"

"I want to see it up close."

"Maybe we can see what they want to do there."

Finn who just passed by and heard the whispers of the nobles soon joined. "Oh, you want to know what they want to do there?" the four of them immediately turned their heads in shock because suddenly there was an uninvited person who replied. "I heard they were going to do a family painting. It's amazing, isn't it?"

"What's? you know where it's coming from?"

"I heard it directly."

"But, how could the original Grand Duke come to the painting studio while his painter was very new and no one had seen his painting yet."

Finn shook his head in denial. "You don't know, that painter girl is very talented. He can make almost the same painting as the original, the painting is very realistic. Not to mention he can paint quickly."

The nobles looked surprised. They don't believe in Finn's words. "If you don't believe me, look at yourself." The Tan-skinned youth was stunned as he looked at the large Bastien family who had already gotten off their respective carriage. "P-Prince?!"

"Eh?!"

Just like their reaction, Savero et al. was also surprised by the appearance of Raiden at the event which could be said only for large families. Penelope smiled in excitement as Raiden waved at her.

Despite Raiden's unexpected presence, Savero and Killian are flabbergasted to see Quinn's appearance inversely proportional to her usual one.

"Mother...?"

"Sirena...?"

The remarkable resemblance between Quinn and Sirena is evident with the appearance as if Quinn is trying to present Sirena again in the midst of those who are about to make a family painting.

Quinn said nothing but a sweet smile and waved at her father and sister. "How does it feel to be left behind by me, the only one paying attention to you two?" ask Quinn in your heart. He was satisfied to see the expressions of his father and sister.

Raiden tries to chat with Killian. "You look so handsome today, Killian."

Killian scowled dislikes. His mood immediately deteriorated as Raiden showed a fake smile at him. "Grandfather, can we go in now?" Killian immediately invited Bastien in so that they would not have time to talk to each other.

"My grandson is impatient, yes. Come on, come."

Upon entering, Oddeth immediately greeted them as politely as possible. Overnight Oddeth learned a little about the ethics of the elite so that he did not make mistakes that actually made him lose.

His hands were shaking violently. Not only the Grand Duke and his family, even his star Helldelune was present. In addition, the audience had filled the large glass windows of his studio. How he didn't get any more tremors, this was also his first order after signing a job contract with Quinn. Oddeth could feel his heartbeat in his nervous throat.

Quinn quietly gave a reassuring nod, "Miss Oddeth. Please make us a beautiful memory."

"B-b-good, Lady Shuvillian. I'll go to great lengths to create the most beautiful paintings for you and your family."

Killian and Savero felt a bit strange. "Grandfather, why did grandfather take us to such an unknown place? moreover, he looked scared like that. Are you sure the paintings will be good?" killian whispers could not help but be curious.

Bastien chuckled as he patted the shoulder of the only grandson he had. "I've already ordered one painting here and the results are very satisfying. Wait, Killian, you're not doubting my art soul, are you?"

"I-I didn't mean that, cake."

Savero provided an empty spot next to him for Raiden who chose to remain standing in front of the entrance. "Your Majesty, do you want to be painted? Quinn asked me to invite you along."

"So Vincent should be present. I wonder what he's doing." Inner Savero thought of his brother who had never once appeared in the Helldelune since the bankruptcy of the gold business two years ago. Whenever Savero comes to visit, Vincent is reluctant to meet him.

"That's a good idea. Your Majesty, you'd better join." said Penelope enthusiastically, the empty space provided by Savero is right behind him.

Quinn, Killian, and Penelope were seated on a long sofa. While Bastien is in the middle (behind Killian), and Savero is on the left (behind Quinn), which means the remaining place is behind Penelope.

"This is a family photo. Is it not strange to have the Ethereal Prince come in?" killian interrupted.

Raiden himself was not angry and instead nodded in agreement to hear Killian's question. "That's right, Count Shuvillian. This is a family photo, I can't just appear in someone else's family painting."

Penelope could not argue, if she did it would probably look very striking. "Why hasn't Raiden given me a compliment yet...?" from then on Raiden just threw a friendly smile, but not a single flattery he got. "If I had known she'd come, I'd have chosen another more beautiful dress."