Vecna's POV:
I had just finished washing my face when I heard Lizza ask for the painting, and I froze for a moment. "What? Don't tell me you've never had a painting from Third Brother before?"
Lizza immediately circled behind the table, clinging to my arm and whining coquettishly. "Good sister-in-law, Third Brother is always so busy, we wouldn't dare bother him over something so small. Only you now have the status to make him lift a brush. How about… you let me have one painting? From now on I'll follow you wherever you go, horse before you, person behind you, whatever you say, I'll do!"
Seeing her grow more pitiful with every word, I burst out laughing. "It's just a painting, do you really need to go that far?"
But to Lizza, she truly did. I could see the earnest longing in her eyes; to her, Joseph's paintings were no different from priceless treasures. And she wasn't wrong. We were all family, what was there to begrudge?
As usual, I softened quickly before a young girl who knew how to act spoiled. With a sigh of surrender, I said, "Alright, alright, take it."
Joseph had said the painting was mine to enjoy as I pleased; surely it wasn't to the extent that I couldn't give it to a younger sister-in-law.
Lizza was overjoyed, as if she'd struck gold. She spun around, carefully rolled up the painting, hugged it to her chest like a treasure, and dashed out the door as if afraid I might change my mind. I had just lifted my teacup when I caught sight of her figure flashing past the beaded curtain and called after her, "At least have a cup of tea first..."
But Lizza didn't slow down at all. She ran so fast that three steps became two, intent only on stashing her treasure somewhere safe.
Heaven, however, didn't always bend to one's wishes. As she passed the garden of the second branch, she was immediately stopped by Seventh Young Lady Miona.
"What are you sneaking around with in your arms?"
Miona was the daughter of the second uncle, about the same age as Lizza. The two never got along and were always competing with each other.
Startled, Lizza halted, avoiding Miona's gaze. "Nothing. I was going to look for Second Sister, but she wasn't up yet, so I'm heading back."
Miona raised an eyebrow. Someone as straightforward as Lizza suddenly speaking evasively, there was clearly something wrong. Her gaze slid to the object clutched tightly against Lizza's chest. "What are you holding?"
Lizza immediately retreated two steps, stammering, "N-nothing at all!"
"If you won't say it, I'll just grab it," Miona said, reaching out.
Dodging and nearly crying, Lizza protested, "Don't! You'll ruin the painting! This is something I worked so hard to wheedle out of Sister-in-law Vecna!"
Pressed too far, she finally spilled the story in broad strokes.
Miona's eyes went wide. "You lucky brat! A painting by Third Brother as part of your dowry, what could be better than that? No way, I want one too!"
With that, she took off straight toward the main residence but after ten steps, she stopped. Going to ask for something empty-handed for the first time would be terribly rude. So Miona doubled back, opened her trunk, took out a set of gemstone jewelry hidden at the very bottom, and, with a maid in tow, marched imposingly toward the Pavilion of Eternal Spring.
…
By then, I had already changed clothes and was preparing to go greet my mother-in-law. Normally, I didn't visit her quarters so frequently, but since Dorian was staying in the estate, it was only proper for me, as her sister-in-law, to pay my respects.
I hadn't expected that the moment I stepped outside, I'd run straight into Miona, who was leading the way with three brocade boxes of varying sizes into the courtyard. She was even more hot-tempered than Lizza; the instant she saw me, she blurted out,
"Sister-in-law Vecna, I heard you gave Sixth Sister one of Third Brother's paintings. You can't be biased like that give me one too!"
I stood there dumbfounded for a beat. What on earth was going on now?
I invited her in, watching the younger cousins squabble over a single painting by Joseph with a mix of amusement and helplessness. "What's this? Are you all really that afraid of your brother? You won't even dare ask him for a painting yourselves?"
Miona, afraid that telling the truth might make me think Joseph overly harsh, chose her words carefully. "Yes… Third Brother is very strict. Usually we're afraid to get close to him."
I believed that. Still, the situation was awkward. "There aren't any of your brother's paintings left here with me. When there's a chance, I'll ask him for one."
A chance to ask about paintings. A perfectly legitimate reason to step into Joseph's study, I immediately committed it to memory.
…
Not long after, the sisters all went together to Madam Lauren's Evercrest Estate. Everyone gathered around the tea table, enjoying afternoon tea while watching Andy run around the room, his laughter dispersing the early winter chill. Dorian led the younger girls in a card game; I didn't know how to play, so I simply watched.
But my mind was occupied elsewhere. Today, the envoys were entering the capital, this was the final opportunity for my "surprise strike" plan. I had already sent Karen out, hoping only for good news.
By noon, after lunch, the timing should have been right. The envoys had likely already entered the Night Butterfly tavern. I had just stood up to take my leave when a housekeeper rushed in from outside, her face pale.
She pulled back the curtain, knelt halfway before Madam Lauren, and reported breathlessly, "Madam, something bad has happened… the Second Young Lady of the Roux family has arrived at the gate!"
The entire room fell silent. The young ladies all turned to look at me at once, their eyes full of worry. I, on the other hand, didn't quite understand why everyone was so tense.
Madam Lauren remained composed. "What does she want?"
"She says she has come in person to deliver a challenge to Mrs. Vecna inviting her to a polo match at the riding grounds tomorrow."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.
The Roux family, descendants of decorated military generals held significant military power, a status that made even many noble houses wary. Their Second Young Lady was particularly famous: proud, arrogant, and once deeply infatuated with Joseph in their youth. In the past, the Roux family had come to pressure the Andersons into breaking off my engagement. Later, they even sent assassins to Crescentspire to kill me, only after Joseph crushed one of their assassin squads did they finally behave themselves for a time.
Now that Joseph was married and to a "rustic" girl, no less, how could the noble ladies of the capital not be seething with resentment? The polo match was merely a pretext; their real aim was to humiliate me.
Madam Lauren looked at me and asked gently, "Do you wish to avoid this?"
I replied at once, "No need."
She nodded, clearly pleased.
A moment later, Miss Roux was invited in. She wore a fitted black wool dress, the cut clean and sharp, the high collar stiff, a wide, rigid belt cinching her waist. Every detail radiated the bearing of someone accustomed to standing amid power. Her hair was neatly pinned at the back of her head; her heels clicked softly yet decisively against the stone floor, each step carrying the cold authority of a general's daughter.
After bowing to Madam Lauren and offering Dorian a perfunctory nod, her gaze swept across the room as if taking inventory, then stopped on me. The corner of her lips curved slightly, her voice carrying undisguised appraisal.
"So this is Mrs. Vecna… the one brought back from the countryside?"
I stood and smiled lightly. "That's right. And you are…?"
Iris didn't even glance at me, speaking instead to Madam Lauren. "We sisters would like to invite Mrs. Vecna to a game of polo. May we have your permission?"
Madam Lauren maintained her gracious smile. "Of course. It's just that Vecna hasn't yet acclimated to the local climate and her health is still rather weak. I'm afraid it may have to wait until spring."
Spring… still months away.
And clearly, for them, delay was not an option.