I Will Be The New Me
CHAPTRE 42

"Quinn! What are you doing outside? can't you just rest for a while?!"

Bastien snapped at Quinn shortly after he was caught quietly exiting the Lombard court, leaving the entire house in a panic. Bastien wasn't completely angry, he was just too worried that something bad would happen to Quinn again.

"Sorry, grandpa. I want to see Penelope, I hear she's sick."

"That's not a wise excuse! you know how anxious we were when we found out you weren't home?!"

Quinn was surprised to see his grandfather's angry face. "Grandpa looks so tired, didn't grandpa sleep all night?"

Vincent approached them, wanting to provoke Bastien into scolding his nephew even more. "You are not polite. I was discussing something, but you switched the topic."

Bastien was staring at his eldest son, "You better not be close to Quinn. If I see you approaching it, I'll kick you out of here" Bastien snapped, which left Vincent and Quinn equally confused.

What happened to grandpa? did he hear Uncle last night?

"Dad, why are you suddenly yelling at me? I'm just trying to advise Quinn. He's been disrespectful to the old us, we're worried about him but he's so at will" said Vincent trying to defend himself.

"I know," Bastien let out a heavy sigh. "Quinn, go back to your room. Don't come out without my permission. If you ever disappear from here again, I won't hesitate to punish you, okay?!" the head of the Lombard family was not kidding.

"I understand, grandpa. Sorry, I'll be back now."

Quinn realized there was something else in Bastien's attitude today. He was tired, but his worries and thoughts were too great to put aside. Bastien, who used to refrain from raising his voice to others, now seems to be out of control. "What happened to her?" the girl muttered confusedly, but a few seconds later she got the idea.

Quinn went straight into the room and immediately turned the direction to the library. "Mr Evan, good morning."

Bastien's personal Butler is currently choosing some books to bring to Bastien's office. The man gasped in surprise, "Lady, good morning. Do you need any help?"

"Actually no, but do you know why Grandpa looks so riled up? he just scolded me like I made a big mistake."

Evan smiled "He's just worried you'll be attacked again, Lady. His Highness the Grand Duke since last night helped the Crown Prince investigate the case that befell you."

"Hm, so it seems. Did Uncle also make a mistake?"

Evan confirmed the glasses were perched on his pointed nose, "I don't think so. Viscount Vincent kept busy with his own activities. Why do you ask?"

Yeah, because I don't know. What do you think I'm asking because of?

"I'm just curious. Sorry to bother you."

Quinn returned to his room to compile every document he had obtained from Penelope, all complete from the data on the construction of the orphanage to its management for several years running. "I want to go to Verenity, but Grandpa will let me?"

The slender girl was laying on the long sofa in her room, "Raiden didn't come here. What plan will he do next? has he heard of the Word of God descending?"

Vincent is now entering his father's office. Since then he was still thinking about Bastien's more determined attitude than yesterday, "Dad, did I make a mistake?" ask Vincent curious.

Bastien stared intently at his first son's "Error? yes, your mistake is to put too much emotion forward. I've been worried a long time ago that you grew up being a delinquent and now it's happening."

Vincent frowned not understanding, "What do you mean to say that?"

"I want to ask you one thing. Do you hate Savero to this day?" Vincent didn't answer. He most dislikes discussing family relationships, for him all those ties are just restraints. "True your problem with adulthood, I can't help you in case something big happens to you."

Vincent's expression turned flat, "I don't understand why Dad suddenly discussed this. Yeah, but I'm not surprised. I've imagined someday Dad would say this. The fact that Dad and I have absolutely no blood relation will not change at any time, and I do not blame that Dad for losing his affection for me."

"VINCENT!" bentak Bastien did not accept. "It has nothing to do with blood. You're still my son, want you to deny that you'll still be my son. I'm just warning you as a father that should be. You've been misdirected by venting your jealousy on the children."

"I don't really hate Savero. I just don't like it because he has it all."

"You can also have everything if you want to be a little braver in your pain, Vincent."

"Just whatever. Dad seems to be thinking a lot, so I won't bother you any further. I'll go see Penelope." Vincent replied indifferently.

Brakes

Vincent slammed the door of Bastien's study and left the room empty. The man in his seventies controlled his breathing, "I can't believe Vincent did this." he muttered as he tightly grasped the evidence of the Rajawali emblem in his hand.

"Grandfather? can I come in?"

Bastien hastily stuffed the plastic clip into his suit bag. He looked at his granddaughter who had already appeared half his body at the door, "Quinn, didn't I tell you to rest? you're so stubborn."

"I made tea for grandpa. I heard lavender tea can reduce stress pressure."

Quinn with her sweet smile walked up to Bastien's table and served a slightly purplish colored tea that still let out steam on the table. "Drink, grandpa. Wrinkles on Grandpa's face so it looks clearer, you know."

Bastien inevitably smiled at Quinn's slight mockery, "You are this. Thank you for making it for me while you're still sick."

Quinn shook his head slowly, "Grandfather should pay more attention to grandfather's own health. I came here because I wanted to help something I could do."

The door again opened and revealed Evan with three thick books in his hand, "Your Majesty Bastien, I've brought you all the books you need."

"Oh, as always, you're very nimble. Thank you," Bastien immediately lauded Evan's work. "I forgot the important part, I need some data on the children who received the drug last week. I want to see if the drug has reacted or not."

"I will provide, Your Majesty."

Evan headed to one of the cabinets containing files that had been neatly arranged in their respective boxes. He seemed to have memorized all the layouts of each document until Bastien did not waste time by waiting too long.

Every now and then the man who was Raiden's spy occasionally glanced at Quinn's innate tea as if he was anticipating, "That hasn't been drunk at all."

Quinn took a look at the data Bastien was working on, "It's been almost completely cured, huh? thankfully the medicine worked."

Bastien nodded happily, "This is all thanks to your help, Quinn. I'd really like to thank the drug maker, but why don't you let me see him?" ask him confused.

"He was very dislikeful of a noble, grandfather. I just had to lie so he could help, "his lie is for Christian's sake.

"Hm, so yes. It's okay, I don't have to worry anymore. Isn't our schedule tomorrow promoting soap for the community? you got a suitable agent?"

"Yet. I'll look for him later."

"Later? you want to go out again? yes, let me search. You stay home."

Quinn pursed her lips, "Grandfather is stingy. Well then, I can get out to see the grandfather warriors training, right? I'm tired of having to lock myself in my room."

"Alright, fine, go ahead."

"Assyc! thank you, I love grandpa~"

Quinn rushed out before Bastien's mind changed. He returned to the room to regulate his breathing, his eyes gleaming full of satisfaction. "Hahaha, I can't help but feel this fiery feeling," the girl leaned against the door of the room, "It turns out that grandfather will be investigating Uncle specifically, he was angry for no reason. It'll make it easier for me to get rid of Uncle from this house."

Quinn headed for her own dressing table, looking at her pretty, sweet face in silence. His eyes are changing for longer. Once Quinn's original eye color was sky blue, now her golden brown complexion is starting to widen and look almost entirely like that. "I've managed to summon Zacchaeus twice, maybe that's why this color is getting more and more dense."

Her hand reached into the drawer of the dresser and pulled out a pair of scissors. Quinn pointed it at the neck, "This is it or what?"

Emily panics first because she thinks Quinn wants to hurt herself. He extended step by step to Quinn.

"Why are you so excited? I just want to cut my hair."

Without waiting for a response from the interlocutor, Quinn immediately cut his hair to the shoulder. "Your Majesty! why did you cut your hair? though the Prince has already asked you to take care of him, he likes you with this long hair..." Emily was afraid of getting hit by the butler's rampage for not being able to look after her employer properly.

Quinn smiled sinlessly, "Isn't that really a good reason for me to cut my hair?" he was satisfied because his head felt lighter, "This is my hair so I have the right to decide."

Emily picked up the rest of the hair scattered on the floor. Honestly, he was amazed when he touched it, apparently the hair of the noble woman is as soft as this.

"Emily, tell me. What's Raiden's order for you right now?"

"Nothing, Your Grace. Like yesterday, we still have to keep an eye on you and report all the activities you do to her."

Quinn muttered while tidying up his own pieces. Tonight he has to go out to make sure the sound of the Word of God that somehow can uproar Helldelune. "Then, tonight I need you to go undercover to be me again."

The young girl glared in surprise, "You want to come out again, Your Majesty? Grand Duke alone has already banned you to—"

Quinn raised three fingers in front of Emily's face, "I'll give you three of my jewels. Hows it? good offer, right? one piece of jewelry I can buy your food for a year. You can use the rest for dress shopping and everything, right?"

Emily gulped, tempted by the offer Quinn had made. "But, Your Majesty, later tonight the Grand Duke will definitely check on you."

"You will replace me. Three seconds. Think you're gonna take it or not. One..."

"Two..."

"Ti—"

"All right, Your Majesty. But let's make a deal."

"What?"

"You only have an hour outside. More than that I can't help."

"Yes, yeah, yeah. I-i understand. One hour."

*

*

"Vanna, what about Penelope? has he eaten?"

Ask Savero who was getting ready to go to Bastien's house again, he had promised his father to help promote the product to several sales agents and at the same time asked for an official letter of business licensing that Bastien had registered since yesterday.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He ate already."

"You checked the pain?"

"On that... It was Lady Quinn who gave the medicine to Lady Penelope, Your Majesty."

Savero gasped in surprise, he turned to Vanna quickly. "What did you say? Quinn was here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. He went home and was in Lady Penelope's room for about half an hour."

Their attention was distracted as soon as Vincent entered the house and opened the door violently. "Where's my daughter?" ask her a little nyolot.

Savero frowned, "There's in his room," he replied as he watched his elder brother's face. "He's sick. Better let him stay here first until things get better."

Vincent, who came to the house in a disrespectful manner, now peeked at the figure of Savero, "No need to interfere in my affairs. You've always made things difficult for me."

What's wrong with her?

Vincent didn't knock on that door quietly, "Penelope! Penelope! get out now! it's me, your father!" his jolt from outside the door was still with an impatient knock, "Penelope! are you deaf?!"

"Sister! Do you still not understand, he's a—"

Vincent brushed Savero's hand very roughly, "Don't touch me! You think you're the only one with a house, huh?! he could continue to rest in his own home. Why ride like a beggar! Penelope!"

Inside the room, Penelope was cowering in fear at her father's thunderous voice, a sign that she was in a great rage and in need of an outlet.

"I-I don't want to be beaten again.The former lash is not dry yet. Uncle, help me!" he kept begging Savero to help him escape his father's rampage.

"You're too hard on him. He really can't move from the bed." Savero is still trying to patiently face his brother who always put forward emotions.

"Don't tell me like you're the nicest parent in the world! you yourself can't teach your daughter manners!"

Savero's sharp jaw hardens. He had been trying not to get carried away.

Vincent is now looking right at his sister "In retrospect, why are you so happy to make me look bad? is it how much you feel rivaled by me?"

"What do you mean talk like that?"

"I'm sick of always being humbled because of you! indeed, your blood and intelligence only flow within you! then what?! don't I deserve a little happiness?!" Vincent suddenly clutched the collar of Savero's shirt and pushed it against the wall behind him.

Savero let out a long sigh, "If you want to make a fuss, you better find the right person. I'm not talking about blood or anything. Penelope's on break, you'd better go home."

"Why are you always perfect in everything? can you be so greedy? I'm sick of living in the shadows of you."

"And I've never cornered you about that. I did what I needed to do."

"By making me look worse?"

"No. You alone showed that to others, I have absolutely nothing to do with your reputation."

That's how it is, isn't it? Savero did what he needed to do as a head of the family as well as a businessman. If Vincent hears a lot of people comparing the success of the two brothers without blood ties, then it's his own fault because Vincent has no intention of advancing at all but slumped in the dark side deeper.

That afternoon a brother-sister quarrel took place there. Of course Savero won the argument. The two of them would not have stopped fighting had no one tried to break up. Even Penelope, who had taken refuge in the room, yelled at her father to stop looking for trouble.

"You look so bad, brother. You better clear your mind somewhere else. I'm busy." Savero confirmed his clothes again, "Live well. Don't let you ruin your own life and blame others for it. Really don't know yourself."

Savero knows that he and Vincent have absolutely no blood relation, but that does not cover the truth that they grew up together like siblings who love each other and help each other. Neither Savero nor Bastien, the two never distinguished him and considered Vincent an outsider.

Savero and Vincent's relationship has been strained since they were teenagers and involved in complicated affairs of love.

"If he goes, let it go."

That's the only message Savero left to his personal Butler.