Chapter 77
The bathing area was a shared space. Bert, who had instructed them to clean up and change, gave Adi a long, contemplative look, but she remained unbothered. Years of living in close quarters with men had hardened her to such things. She had successfully hidden her identity for this long; a communal washroom wasn’t going to be her undoing now.
“Do you want the first turn?” Roy asked.
Adi declined with a quick shake of her head. “You go ahead.”
“Much appreciated,” Roy replied. He tossed his gear into his room and disappeared to wash up.
Adi took a moment to inspect her new living quarters. It was a standard, modestly sized room, remarkably similar in layout and scale to the barracks she had inhabited back at Pallesa Palace. On the bed, a fresh set of clothes had been laid out with care. It appeared someone had sent her measurements to Woodpecker ahead of her arrival.
She picked up the garments, noting the high quality and lightness of the fabric. They were summer clothes. Despite being within the same borders, the fashion of the Woodpecker territory differed noticeably from the styles in Grimaldi.
Setting the clothes aside, she reached for her only possession: a stack of picture frames. She kept them folded, placing them gently on the mattress beside her new attire.
Once she had bathed, Adi dressed in the Woodpecker family’s livery. She made sure to layer her leather armor over her chemise before pulling on her shirt, trousers, and boots. Finally, she studied the cameo brooch. The piece featured a bird perched on a branch, its head adorned with a ruby. It was a male woodpecker.
After a silent moment of observation, she wrapped a dark cravat around her throat. She was debating whether to pin the brooch to the fabric when a knock sounded.
“Adi,” Bert called out.
She opened the door to find Bert standing there in his formal dress uniform. He simultaneously rapped on Roy’s door. Roy emerged looking disheveled, his eyes heavy with sleep as if he had drifted off the moment he finished washing.
“You look like a mess,” Bert noted.
“Are we seeing the Duke?” Roy asked through his grogginess.
“No. Just get dressed and let’s move.”
Roy gave a tired nod and retreated to fix his appearance. Bert sighed, turning his attention to Adi. “You’re fine as you are, Guard.”
“Where are we headed?” Adi asked.
“You’ll see,” Bert replied vaguely, clearly keeping their destination a surprise.
Roy didn’t take long to get ready. His years as an Escort Knight had trained him to dress with professional speed. Bert led them to a waiting carriage outside the estate. Once they were settled inside, Bert gave the driver instructions and joined them for the ride.
The estate grounds were expansive, making the exit a long journey, but the drive itself was brief once they reached the main road. They pulled up in a residential district a short distance away. Bert led them to a charming two-story house that smelled of home-cooked food and felt thick with domestic warmth.
“You’ve arrived,” a small, middle-aged woman greeted them as they entered.
“Guard, I’d like you to meet someone,” Bert said. He leaned down to kiss the woman’s cheek. “This is my wife, Mellisa Dean.”
Standing next to the burly, bear-like Bert, Mellisa looked incredibly delicate. Adi found herself momentarily stunned, unsure of how to interact with someone who seemed so fragile. Sensing her hesitation, Mellisa placed a gentle hand on Adi’s back.
“I’ve made a meal for everyone. It’s a bit early for supper, but there is plenty of food. Please, eat your fill.”
“My wife doesn’t know how to cook small portions,” Bert added with a grin. “We raised three sons, and they were always hungry.”
“Do they still live here?” Adi asked.
“No, they’ve all struck out on their own. One is a Night Watchman—you’ll likely run into him—another is a tax official, and the youngest is away at the Academy.”
Bert led them into the dining area and gestured for them to take a seat. He pulled out a chair for his wife with practiced affection. “To feel at home in a new place, you first need a place where your heart can rest,” he said softly.
Mellisa sat down and offered them a warm smile. “Please, consider this house your own.”
Roy looked genuinely touched. He stared at the spread of food, feeling a pang of nostalgia. He hadn’t known a real home since he was a child. Despite his easy charm and ability to make friends, he had always felt like a drifter with nowhere to truly settle.
As a nobleman, he had never experienced a meal prepared by his own mother; their relationship was distant, as was typical for his class. His only real affection had been for his wet nurse, who had provided the warmth his mother lacked. He hadn’t seen her since his family’s downfall and had no idea where she was now.
The steam from the warm stew made his eyes sting with unshed tears. It tasted like a memory he had nearly lost.
“Thank you for the meal, Mellisa,” Roy said, picking up his spoon. Adi followed his lead. A maid soon brought out a massive roasted chicken to supplement the feast.
“Is it to your liking?” Mellisa asked.
Adi took a bite and felt the warmth spread through her. It was simple, honest food, yet it tasted better than anything served at the palace. There was an intangible quality to it that transcended flavor.
“You’re both staying the night,” Bert announced firmly, though his tone was kind. “We have three spare rooms.”
He seemed slightly embarrassed by his own hospitality, stuffing his mouth with food to hide the fact that his ears had turned red.
The next morning, Bert had to leave for work early, so Adi and Roy shared his carriage back to the estate. Bert had lingered at the door, hugging his wife repeatedly until the coachman’s impatient stare finally forced him to leave. Upon their return, Adi was immediately met by the head chamberlain.
Gavin informed her that the Duke had been asking for her. It occurred to Adi then that they hadn’t shared a private moment since leaving Pallesa. The journey to Woodpecker had been strictly professional.
Gaining an audience with the Duke was far more formal here than it had been at the palace. Previously, they could speak with some level of directness, but now she had to navigate a sea of attendants. The servants were all polite, though Adi couldn’t help but notice the peculiar way they looked at her—a look she couldn’t quite decipher.
“Your Excellency, your guest is here,” a servant announced at the office door.
The door swung open, and Adi was ushered inside. Yuls was seated at his desk, but he stood the moment she entered. His movements were deliberate and carried an air of quiet authority. He moved to a sofa and gestured for Adi to join him. When she sat down beside him, he finally spoke.
“Count Grimaldi has officially declared Sir Adrian Grimaldi deceased.”
Yuls reached out, his fingertips grazing her cheek. “Your former identity has been erased.”
Adi felt a jolt of tension at his touch. Yuls seemed to sense it and pulled his hand back.
“Living without a legal status is difficult. You wouldn’t even be able to enroll in the Knights Order.”
“I understand that,” Adi replied.
Yuls watched her for a moment. “That is why we will establish a new identity for you. I will personally oversee the documentation and notarization to ensure there are no issues. As for your family name…”
“I don’t require one,” Adi interrupted.
Choosing to go without a surname meant accepting the status of a commoner. While technically a step toward being a serf, those who bought their freedom often lived as commoners until they earned a name through service or knighthood.
Yuls raised an eyebrow. “That would be a pity. Bert has already offered to give you his name.”
Adi blinked in surprise, the realization hitting her.
“He introduced you as his niece for a reason,” Yuls explained. “He’s been planning this since the beginning. You met Mellisa yesterday, didn’t you? She has already taken a liking to you.”
Adi remained silent.
“Do you find the name ‘Dean’ distasteful?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Good. Rejecting the offer would have crushed them both, especially Mellisa. She is quite sensitive.”
The thought of hurting the kind woman she had met the night before caused a dull ache in Adi’s chest. Mellisa was just a stranger, yet she felt a strange pull toward her. She wondered if this was what it felt like to have a mother—or perhaps the wet nurse Adrian had been so fond of. Even Lev Zid had shared that bond. Only Adrina had been left out in the cold.
“There is one remaining question,” Yuls said, pulling Adi back to the present. “We need to decide whether you will live as Adrian or Adrina.”
