The bathroom was shared. Bert, who ordered to wash and change clothes, looked at Adi for a moment, as if thinking about something, but she did not pay attention to it. After all, she had lived side by side with men for years. There was no need to worry about being discovered now if it hadn't happened all this time.
- Do you want to wash first?
At Roy's question, Adi shook her head.
- You go first.
- Well, then thank you.
With these words, Roy threw his things in the room assigned to him and quickly went to wash himself. Adi looked around the room where she was to stay. It was an ordinary room of a suitable size. About the same area as the knight's dormitory when she lived in Pales. And the layout was similar.
The clothes were neatly laid out on the bed. It seems that the measurements were sent back when it was decided to go to Woodpecker.
Adi lifted her clothes. The flowy fabric was quite light and of good quality. Summer clothes. Although it was the same country, there was a difference between the clothes worn in Grimaldi and in Woodpecker.
Adi put down her clothes and took out the only luggage she had brought with her. These were frames folded together. She didn't open them. She just silently put it on the bed next to the clothes.
After washing her face, Adi put on the clothes sent by the Woodpecker family. She did not forget to put on leather armor over the shemiz. Having fastened her stockings, pulled on her pants, put on her shoes and thrown on her shirt, Adi froze, looking at the cameo.
The cameo depicting a bird sitting on a branch was decorated with a ruby near the head. Male woodpecker.
Soon turning away, Adi tied a black cravat around her neck. She was just wondering whether to attach a cameo on top when there was a knock on the door from outside.
- Adi.
It was Bert. Adi came and opened the door. Bert stood in front of her, dressed in full dress uniform. At the same time, he knocked on the door of the room where Roy was staying.
Roy came outside with disheveled hair - apparently, he had dozed off during this time. His eyes were half-lidded.
- Well, what a view...
-Are we going somewhere? To His Excellency?
- No. First, change your clothes and go out.
Yawning, Roy replied that he understood and went back into the room. Shaking his head, Bert looked at Adi and said: “And you, Mr. Knight, can go just like that.”
-Where are we going?
- Yes, we are going somewhere.
She asked where exactly, but judging by this answer, it was apparently a secret.
Roy finished his preparations in the blink of an eye. As befits a man with the experience of a knight-bodyguard, he changed his clothes quickly and looked impeccable.
Bert led Roy and Adi outside. The carriage was already waiting at the foot of the mansion. Having ordered them to sit down, Bert told the coachman the destination and climbed into the maret himself.
The territory of the estate was very extensive, so leaving it took some time. However, once on the road, the journey itself turned out to be short.
The crew stopped in front of a residential area near the Woodpecker mansion. Opening the door and going outside, Bert led Roy and Adi to a cozy two-story house. As soon as they entered, they felt the delicious aromas and warmth of the residential building.
-Have you come?
Adi and Roy bowed their heads. A short, middle-aged woman stood in front of them.
- Sir, this is...
- My house.
Having said this, Bert kissed the woman on the cheek and added:
— My wife, Melissa Dean.
Next to the huge, bear-like Bert, his wife seemed so tiny that for a moment there was an illusion that she might simply disappear. Adi blinked. She didn't know how to behave with such a fragile woman. While Adi was confused, Melissa put her hand on her back.
— I prepared dinner. It may still be a little early for him, but there is plenty of food, so eat slowly.
— My wife has a broad soul. We had three sons, and they all ate for four.
- Do you all live together?
- All three have already separated. One is in the Night Watch, you'll see him soon, another works as a Tax Collector, and the third is studying at the Academy.
With these words, Bert led them into the dining room and pointed to the chairs, inviting them to sit down. He himself pulled out a chair for his wife and added:
— To settle in a new place, you must first find a corner where you will feel peace in your soul.
His wife naturally sat down and smiled:
- Consider this place your home.
Roy's face showed amazement. He looked at the food laid out in front of him.
House. It was something from distant childhood. Thanks to his sociability, he rarely encountered hostility anywhere, but he still had the feeling of an eternal wanderer who had nowhere to lay his head.
Roy, as an aristocrat, never had food prepared by his mother. He was not particularly close to his mother at all, as in most noble families. But he had a wet nurse. She often cooked something hot for Roy. He formed a warm affection for her, and not for his mother.
After the fall of the family, he no longer saw his wet nurse. He heard from his mother that she was alive, but where she had gone and in which house she now served, he did not know.
Roy's eyes turned red. The aroma of hot stew reminded him of his forgotten nurse.
“I’ll be happy to eat, Melissa.”
Roy picked up the spoon and spoke. Adi also followed suit. Melissa said there was still plenty of food. The maid brought out a huge dish of baked chicken from the kitchen.
- Delicious, isn't it?
Roy smiled. Adi put the food in her mouth. Warm. The taste was as if it penetrated to the very essence. Seems like ordinary food. Although, to be honest, it was definitely tastier than the Pales, but there was something more to it than just taste. Bert grumbled:
- Both of you go to bed here tonight. We have three whole rooms empty.
The words, on the contrary, were full of warmth. Bert, as if trying to hide his embarrassment, continued to chew diligently, and his ears seemed to turn slightly red.
* * *Bert had to go to work early. Adi and Roy boarded the carriage with him and returned to the residence. Bert, who clearly did not want to part with his wife, kept hugging her, but in the end, unable to bear the coachman’s gaze, he climbed into the carriage. As soon as Adi returned to the residence, a servant immediately called her.
Gavin informed Adi that she had finally returned, and said that His Serene Highness the Duke was looking for her. Come to think of it, they didn't kiss last night. No, not just yesterday. This happened all the way from Palesa to Woodpecker.
The path to the Duke became more difficult than when they were in Pales. At the residence, they met directly and communicated in person, but now, in order to meet him, they had to go through many servants. However, they were all polite to Adi. She noticed that the looks directed at her were strange, but did not understand what it meant.
- His Grace the Duke, the guest has arrived.
So said the servant standing in front of the door. The door opened from the inside. The servant who opened it gestured for Adi to enter and went out himself.
The place where she was invited was the Study, the Duke was sitting at the table. Seeing Adi, Juls stood up. His movements were slow, but there was weight in them. Juls, who sat down on the sofa in front of the table, looked at Adi. He didn't say anything, but his gaze called for her to come.
When Adi approached him, his gaze moved to the sofa standing next to him. As soon as Adi sat down, Juls spoke.
— Count Grimaldi officially recognized the death of Adrian Grimaldi.
Having said this, Yuls extended his hand to Adi. His fingers touched her cheek.
-Your de-identification is complete.
Every time Yuls's hand touched her cheek, she felt a strange tension. As if calculating Adi’s reaction, Juls removed his hand.
— Living with a canceled identity is not easy. You won't even be able to register as a knight.
- Yes, I know.
Yuls silently looked at Adi after her answer and said:
“So I will create a new identity for you.” I will take care of the ID and notarization, so there will be no problems. And as for your last name...
- I don't need her.
The absence of a surname meant the status of a commoner. To be precise, this applied to serfs - those who bought their freedom became commoners without a surname. Such people usually became squires of knights or servants in order to have a chance to rise. And only over time could they be given a surname.
Does she really intend to return to commoner status?
Either way, once she gets her knighthood, she'll have a new last name. Like Bert.
“It’s a pity, because Bert was determined to give you his last name.”
At these words from Yuls, confusion appeared on Adi’s face.
“Then he introduced you as his niece.” Looks like he's been planning this ever since. You met Melissa yesterday, right? She said she really liked you too.
—…….
“You don’t like the last name Dean?”
- That's not the point.
- Fine. If you refused, Bert and Melissa would be extremely upset. Especially Melissa. She is very vulnerable.
At the thought that this fragile woman would be upset, somewhere in her chest ached. She was the most ordinary woman. Not her mother, but just... just. Adi didn't know. If she had a wet nurse, would she understand such things?
Adrian was very attached to his nurse. And Lef Zid was just as devoted to Adrian. Only Adrina always remained a stranger there.
“There’s one problem,” said Jules.
Adi, immersed in the past, immediately came to her senses.
“The only choice is whether you will remain Adrian or become Adrina.”