I Will Be The New Me
CHAPTRE 26

"Your Majesty, let's go home now." Felix as Quinn's companion offers to help Quinn climb the stairs. "Mr Felix, can you take me somewhere? just for a minute, okay? please please." Quinn fused the two palms together in front of the face, both of his unique neutrals filled with twinkling of hope.

Felix avoided Quinn's glaring gaze by looking down and closing his eyes. Impressed to be disrespectful indeed, but he had to find a way for this petite girl not to conquer him. "Your Majesty, the Grand Duke has told you to go home before the sky goes dark" he said.

"The two of you will be with me, so I'm not worried if anyone wants to attack me." Quinn clasped Oliver's hand, a fellow Knight Felix. "I beg you, I'm only gone for a moment. Half an hour, yeah. I miss my friends."

"We're just following orders from the Grand Duke, Your Majesty. You'd better go home soon considering your wounds are still not healed." Oliver is still stronger against Quinn than Felix. The girl puffed one cheek, her watery eyes held back the disappointment. "So, you guys are really loyal, I'm really glad to hear that. But, my sleep disturbance lately has been a bit difficult. Before I moved into my grandfather's house, the doctor told me to look for a pleasant atmosphere."

Oliver and Felix are compact. The problem is that they both have promised the Grand Duke about Quinn's exit clock, if violated, it is not impossible that the two of them will be subject to tantrums. However, seeing Quinn's parched face made it difficult for them to refuse.

Felix cleared his throat, "Alright then. You said you'd only be gone for half an hour" he said trying to find out the seriousness of Quinn's words. "Don't waste time, let's hurry. You're the one who wasted time in my trial here." the girl took the hands of her two Knights grandfather away from the Shuvillian residence.

Only one place Quinn wanted to visit, the Kennedy family, to make sure something no middleman could deliver.

Oliver and Felix seem confused because of the place to go far from the city center. It took about half an hour from Savero's house, which meant that they would be home late if they returned to the Lombard court.

"I'll get this over with, okay. Just relax."

Quinn knocked on the rather fragile wooden door of a small and old but well-maintained building. A young girl of Quinn's age appeared behind the open door. "Lady!!" the brown-haired girl was happy. Unaware he hugged Quinn's fragrant body tightly to release the longing. "Lady, you haven't been here in a long time. I thought you'd forgotten we're here."

His mother, Gloria Kennedy, advised her careless daughter to embrace a nobleman who was not at the same level as their low status. "Vivy, you can't be so reckless. You can spread my germs to Lady Quinn, you know." scolded her while pulling Vivy's back away from Quinn. "I'm sorry, Lady. He's so wayward, I'm tired of advising him every day.".

"It's okay, I haven't been here in a long time either. I miss you guys, I hope you're okay."

Quinn's hands trembled slightly. It was the first time he had ever met the Kennedy family again after his life. They were the ones who always understood Quinn, being in the middle of such a simple, warm family in their home made her calm.

"Let's go inside, I know you want to talk about something important. Please forgive me, Lady. I can't prepare a proper dish for you."

Quinn chuckled softly, Gloria is indeed a very shy person even though she is very friendly and warm. "I've always loved sweet potatoes boiled in this house. I wish I could take her home." That's not a lie. The food of the average nobles tastes the same and it's boring. After all, it is healthier to eat stewed food, especially the harvest itself.

Oliver and Felix stood at Kennedy's doorstep waiting until their employers were done with their business. Felix had known for a long time that Quinn preferred to add relationships with people who would not be reached by other nobles, quinn had no fellow nobles except Raiden and Izeqiel.

"So, Aunt Gloria heard it all, right?" Quinn shortened the time.

"Yes, Lady. I'm so grateful to you for entrusting me with such a big job, you even praised me in front of the high nobility" Gloria tearfully, she couldn't describe what she was feeling.

"It's okay. The payment Izeqiel gave you later, it's all yours." Quinn took out an empty glass bottle as high as a ring finger from the pouch of her skirt. "Thank you, Vivy. The medicine was very helpful."

Vivy suddenly knelt down in front of Quinn and clasped the girls hands tightly together. "Lady, you didn't drink it, did you?! it was really an experimental drug, I was afraid my prediction about the drug was wrong. You didn't drink it, did you? even though I gave you the antidote, but..."

"Believe yourself. From the ingredients you use, it's all clear that drinkers will only feel sick occasionally for a month. If you take this, the symptoms will disappear. You don't have to worry because I've got a free guinea pig."

The meaningful smile that Quinn showed made Kennedy's mother and son look at each other in wonder. Envisioning Penelope who is always overshadowed by death makes Quinn's stomach so licked that she can't hold back and laugh giggles herself. "Lady, are you okay?" ask Vivy astonishment.

"Yes, sorry. I just remember something." Quinn said with a puff of embarrassment. Both of her cheeks were pink. He then returned seriously, his hand which Vivy grasped he lifted to stroke the top of the brown head of the girl. "Have you read my cover letter that Finn sent you earlier?"

"Y-yes, but Lady, can I do such a heavy job? I'm afraid to risk your good name and family."

"Now I'm asking you. What are your ideals?"

"Um, so the greatest concocter of medicine. I want to help people cope with their health without paying a lot of money. So they could just use that money to eat."

Quinn smiled in response to Vivy's grand ideals. Vivy Kennedy said the same thing over and over again. The innocent yet brave girl gradually tried to pursue her dream. Evidently from the herbs he planted, the land should be filled all by food crops like Gloria and Benedict (father of Vivy) did.

Not infrequently Vivy helps her neighbors in treatment, but she can not do it too often because if it is discovered then she will be punished. His reason? the reason for the punishment was because Vivy also sold and circulated illegal goods.

To sell, they must have a certification so as not to be considered as selling illegal goods. However, they still have to pay for the business license which costs quite expensive for those who work only as farmers.

"That vision is also in line with the factory that my grandfather will run, Vivy. Well even if you don't work making drugs. Before you actually work there, I need you to do some lightening until the factory is finished."

"I feel like my heart is going to explode, Lady."

Quinn's smile widened to make his eyes look narrowed. "I know your nervousness. But do you want to miss this golden opportunity?. Let's just say the factory is a stepping stone to pursue your dream as the greatest drug addict."

Quinn had more or less explained the processing plan at his factory through a letter that Vivy received first before her arrival here. "I can't force it if you don't want—"

"I want to!" cut Vivy out quickly. "I like to learn new things. Extracting the oil from the plant I never did and I wanted to learn to do that." his eyes fixed on the long black haired girl sitting on the chair before him.

"good. You read that address, right? come there in the days I mentioned. Remember, try to come in secret because it is a hidden place that not many people should know."

"Okay, I get it."

"As soon as you're done tutoring, I'll register your name with the institute."

Gloria suddenly caught up with her daughter squabbling in front of Quinn while crying. "I cannot express how much gratitude I have in this heart, Lady."

Honestly speaking, Quinn felt uncomfortable accepting their excessive treatment. Quinn actually felt like he was being worshiped when he was just an ordinary human— ah, yes not too ordinary. "You two can't do this. You deserve the results of your hard work all along."

"But if it wasn't for your help, we wouldn't have been able to achieve our dreams. Just to suppose we're scared."

"Aunt Gloria, you're too proud. I've made things difficult for you here so much, it's time I showed my gratitude to those of you who have taught me so much."

Gloria and Vivy sit in a chair after Quinn forces them to get up. "Lady, what can we do to repay your kindness?" ask Vivy.

"Hm, I want you to do something for me."

"What's that?"

Quinn grinned and replied, "I want you to start a fire for me.".

Gloria and Vivy compactly parroted, "Following fire?".

"Let me explain a little." Quinn shrank the volume as she leaned closer to the two of them. He whispered explaining what they needed to do after Quinn left from there.

After explaining everything, Vivy and Gloria widened her eyes in disbelief. "Why are you asking us to do such a bad thing to you, Your Majesty? You knew it would make you look one eye by others including other nobles."

"I know, that's what I'm asking you for help with. No need to worry, my mentality is strong enough. I've been hit by a lot of sloping issues anyway. It's not the first time."

"But..."

"Yourselves are forcing me to receive a reward. Now I've asked but you guys are like this, it kind of hurt my feelings."

"A-ah we didn't mean that, Lady. Please forgive us. We'll do whatever you ask."

"That's a relief. I'll count on you." Quinn stood up, the time was up. He could not take too long as there was one more place he wanted to see before returning to the Lombard court. "I'm going home now. Thank you for entertaining me so well."

Quinn came out with her ripple, she patted Felix's arm. "Let's go home. Oh, before that, I want to see the boutique first."

"Okay, Your Majesty."

As the train that Quinn was riding on had left the area of the house, Vivy came out of the house and watched the train go far away. The cheerful girl glanced across the street where there was someone paying attention.

"Vivy, is that Lady Shuvillian?" Gloria came out the back of the house, pretending she had just come home from the farm behind. "Yes, mother."

Gloria stared at the road Quinn was walking through. "Why did he come here? didn't he just get attacked by bandits yesterday? I heard he was seriously injured, how could he walk here?" ask her wonder.

"I don't know either. He came only to visit after a long time of not being here." Vivy replied as she scratched her temple. He then lowered his voice as if he was talking about something controversial. "Maybe he lied about his injuries. He only wanted to receive the Crown Prince's attention more than usual. We actually know that Lady Quinn is infatuated with the Prince."

"But the way is too reckless."

"Mom doesn't know young people right now. We'll do anything to get love from someone we like."

"That's a little extreme. If Lady Quinn continues with her current attitude, I hope she's not the Queen of our country."

The ladies-faced judes in noble dresses immediately left after hearing the gossip that the mother and child were talking about. He left the two with a grin on his annoying face. "It's good news." she said.

["The two of you are neighbors with Baron Viridescens. The baroness is the one who dislikes me the most, not entirely about me but because I'm my mother's son, Sirena."

"Then, what should we do?"

"Spread rumors about me being obsessed with Raiden. No problem, you do not need to refine your language, just do it like a master blasphemer. I heard that rumor before I told you to do this."

"But why are you hurting your own image, Lady?"

"Because the Baroness will definitely take advantage of this opportunity to take me and my family down. I'll humiliate her."

"... Lady?"

"I'm fine."

"What is the purpose of the Lady doing all this?"

"Testing Raiden, maybe? you don't have to think about anything else. Just think about how to spread the issue about me. Since then there have been many pairs of eyes watching my every move. It's because I came out still with bandages and plaster."]

Gloria and Vivy managed to hear the news wanted by Baroness Viridescens. After quite clearly hearing that, Quinn had already guessed that she would gossip about herself tomorrow at the gathering of noble ladies.

Quinn's main goal is to let the unpleasant gossip spread, to help Penelope's name rise further, as Raiden is also trying to gain control of his cousin's sister to attack Quinn and render her helpless.

Moreover, he wanted to see Raiden's reaction. After knowing the reaction given by the Crown Prince, Quinn will be able to get a clear picture of Raiden's true purpose.

Then to the Baron family themselves, Quinn vividly remembered her past. The Viridescens were the trigger for the Savero gold mine to fall in value due to their uncorrupted mouths. Before that happens, Quinn must first show their true face before the elites.

Quinn had expected that if Raiden defended him, then the Baron would get in big trouble related to their prestige among the nobles. As we already know, good image is the number one most important thing for the nobility to guard. Rumors were the biggest and easiest problem to bring down the dignity of a noble.

The Lombard family's horse-drawn carriage stops in front of Quinn's designated boutique. "You want to buy a new dress?" felix was confused.

"No. I just want to see my target dress, whether it's still there or not."

"Oh so."

Quinn's eyes moved as fast as lightning swept through the entire boutique just through the large window of his shop. "Haha I guessed. I won't see her again unless Penelope wears it."

The dress Quinn was referring to was the one she was talking about with Raiden. Do you remember the time when Raiden was fooled by Quinn's fake letter intending to see Izeqiel? at that time Raiden blocked him by taking Quinn for a walk in the town square.

The two of them passed by this boutique and Quinn pointed at a dark blue dress with a jewel shine on her chest. It's a fancy dress that can be worn for a party. Quinn said he wanted to buy it to come to Raiden's tea party.

"Now there is no more. He really wants to make me jealous, huh? it won't. I'll be your god of love." Even though his mouth is strong, the heart cannot lie. As tight as he must have felt, Quinn denied it by recalling the betrayal of the two of them.

Quinn's goal isn't to get revenge as easily as the protagonist in the novel does.

"Felix, let's go home now."

"Okay, Your Majesty."

Upon returning from Kennedy's house, Quinn is greeted by the female servants who seem to have been deliberately gathered in the hall by Bastien. Evan came over to Quinn. "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has left you a parcel. I've put it in your room."

"Is that so? I can't wait to open it. Raiden knows I need a surprise."

I will not accept any more gifts from him.

Brak!

Quinn's bedroom door was closed by the owner rather roughly. "My mood is bad." he muttered as he opened the balcony window.

Finn came down from the tree branch and entered as soon as Quinn gave way. "You're late, Lady."

Apparently the two men had made an appointment on the balcony of Quinn's room. While all the servants were being gathered by Bastien in the Lombard palace hall, Evan would be busy helping so that no one would supervise Quinn's activities.

"Sorry, I'm making sure of something. So, do you know whose emblem that belongs to?" quinn's asking isn't long-winded.

Finn smiled as he rubbed the tip of his nose, "May I get a compliment first?"