Lucien's POV
The walk to the kitchen felt longer than usual.
Georgia followed closely behind me with her smaller steps hurried as she tried to keep up. I could feel the weight of her gaze on my back, as if she was waiting for me to say something about what she had told me earlier.
But I said nothing.
My thoughts were already occupied.
Lady Seraphyne in the kitchen.
Even repeating it in my head did little to make it sound believable. In the years I had served her, she rarely stepped beyond her chambers unless she was forced to attend a family meal or a social obligation. The kitchen was the last place I would ever expect her to be.
Yet Georgia had said it with such certainty.
Which meant I would see it for myself soon enough.
As we reached the kitchen corridor, I slowed my steps slightly.
A faint sound reached my ears.
At first, I thought I had imagined it. But the closer we came to the doorway, the clearer it became.
Someone was humming.
Soft. Carefree.
The sound was light in a way that felt strangely out of place in this household.
I stopped just outside the door.
Georgia leaned forward slightly and whispered, "That's her."
I took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.
And for the first time in years, I found myself completely unprepared for what I saw.
Lady Seraphyne stood at the preparation table with her attention fixed entirely on the pan in front of her. She held a wooden spoon, stirring slowly. There was no hesitation in the way she worked, no awkwardness, as if she had done this many times before.
But that alone wasn't what made me freeze.
It was what she was wearing.
She wasn't dressed like a noble lady.
Instead of the layered gowns she usually wore, she had changed into simple clothes that looked more appropriate for a commoner than the daughter of a duke. A plain blouse with the sleeves pushed slightly up her arms. A modest skirt tied with a kitchen apron.
Her hair had been gathered loosely behind her head, the usual careful styling completely absent.
The entire sight felt… wrong.
Not improper in a scandalous sense.
Just deeply unfamiliar.
As if someone had quietly replaced the person I knew with a stranger who looked exactly like her.
She continued humming softly as she stirred the pan, seemingly unaware that anyone had entered the room.
That alone unsettled me more than anything else.
Lady Seraphyne was always aware of people around her.
Always tense.
Always guarded.
Yet the girl standing in front of me now looked almost… relaxed.
For several long seconds, I simply watched her.
My mind moved through memory after memory, trying to reconcile the person before me with the one I had known.
The Seraphyne I remembered did not hum.
She did not cook.
And she certainly did not look this… calm.
I felt the faint tightening of something in my chest.
I cleared my throat.
The sound was quiet, but it cut cleanly through the room.
Her humming stopped immediately.
She turned and our eyes met.
For a moment, she simply stared at me.
And in that brief silence, I waited.
I expected the usual reaction.
A flicker of irritation.
Perhaps suspicion.
Maybe even the sharp tension that always appeared in her expression whenever she saw me.
Instead, she blinked.
Then she smiled.
A small, pleasant smile.
"Ah," she said, wiping her hands lightly against the apron as if my presence was the most natural thing in the world. "You must be Lucien."
My brows drew together slightly.
Must be?
That was… an unusual way to address someone who had served her for years.
"Yes, my lady," I replied carefully.
"Please, come and sit," she said as if nothing about this situation was strange. "I prepared something. I haven't had breakfast yet, so I made my own meal. Eat with me."
Before I could respond, she began placing plates on the small servants' dining table. The food she arranged there looked… unusual.
Thick round bread cut in half with something layered between it. A bowl of pale soup filled with corn and mushrooms. The aroma rising from it was warm and savory, unfamiliar yet strangely inviting.
Still, my suspicion remained.
"I dare not," I answered simply.
Years of experience had taught me that Lady Seraphyne's sudden invitations rarely ended well. More often than not, they were the calm before a storm.
But instead of anger, something entirely unexpected appeared on her face.
Her lips pursed.
Her shoulders slumped slightly.
She looked… disappointed.
"Okay," she muttered under her breath. "I guess I have to eat alone. Georgia said she already ate…"
For a moment I simply stood there, unsure how to respond. The reaction was so unlike her usual temper that it left me momentarily unprepared.
I closed my eyes briefly and drew in a slow breath, gathering what little patience I had left.
Refusing outright might provoke her.
Accepting might lead to something worse.
But standing here indefinitely would solve nothing.
Finally, I pulled out a chair and sat down across from her.
Georgia remained standing beside the doorway, clearly unsure whether she should stay or flee the room entirely.
Lady Seraphyne brightened immediately.
"Hm," she hummed softly.
Then she turned toward the girl.
"Come, Georgia. You can have a bite if you want."
Her voice was cheerful, as if inviting servants to share a meal with her was the most natural thing in the world.
Georgia and I exchanged a brief glance.
Is this a trap?
I have no idea.
Then Lady Seraphyne spoke again, completely unaware of the tension surrounding her.
"This, by the way, is called a burger."
She pointed toward the strange layered bread sitting on the plate. I studied it carefully. It looked crude compared to the elegant dishes usually served in this household, yet the smell rising from it was… surprisingly appealing.
"And this one," she continued, gesturing toward the bowl, "is mushroom and corn soup. One of my favorites."
Favorites.
That word lingered in my mind.
From the memories I held of her habits, I had never once heard Lady Seraphyne speak about favorite foods before.
She pushed the plates toward Georgia and me before finally sitting down herself.
Then she picked up the so-called burger.
"This is how you eat this."
And without hesitation, she took a large bite.
Georgia and I both froze.
It was… unbelievably improper.
Noble ladies did not eat like that.
Meals were taken delicately, slowly, with proper etiquette.
Yet Lady Seraphyne chewed happily, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had just broken several rules of noble conduct in a single moment.
I found myself staring.
Despite everything, the scent drifting from the food reached me again.
Warm bread.
Cooked meat.
Butter.
My stomach tightened unexpectedly.
Wait.
Am I… drooling?
I quickly pressed my lips together.
Then another thought surfaced.
What if she had put something in it?
Poison.
After years in this house, the possibility was not impossible.
My gaze shifted toward Georgia.
The girl hesitated only briefly before picking up the burger placed in front of her.
Then she took a bite.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh–!" she gasped softly before quickly covering her mouth.
She looked… delighted.
Completely delighted.
My suspicion faltered slightly.
Georgia was not skilled enough to fake a reaction like that.
Still, caution remained.
I bit my lip for a moment before finally reaching for the strange sandwich in front of me.
If she truly intended harm, then refusing would only delay the inevitable confrontation.
And for some reason…
I wanted to know why Lady Seraphyne suddenly seemed like an entirely different person.