The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 225: An Alternative

Chapter 225: An Alternative

Back in the Palatial building, specks of glittering white dust escaped the tip of Madeline’s fingers as they dropped on the dead plants lined up in front of her, and she kept her focus with a lingering smile.

As the dust landed on the soil where the dead plants were placed, just like before, all the five different flowers bloomed greatly, to both Osvaldo, Cassian and Napoleon’s delight.

"Miss Madeline, you did excellent today!" Osvaldo praised with a beaming smile as he walked up to her. "Just yesterday, blooming one flower had driven half of your strength, but today, you bloomed all five without any sign of weaknesses..... something’s different, what’s the magic?"

Osvaldo’s charming face leaned closer as he was eager to hear the gist, and Madeline blushed unwillingly at the proximity of his face, he looked quite feminine from up close, his features soft and refined, and the shoulder-length hair complemented his pretty face.

"Not quite any magic." Madeline looked away after clearing her throat, and Osvaldo pouted his lips in displeasure after realizing she wasn’t going to tell him, but suddenly, he smiled and turned to Cassian.

"Don’t even think about it." Cassian already gave his silent warning, killing Osvaldo’s idea of getting the gist from him instead.

"Let them be Osvaldo." Napoleon finally spoke up, pulling his sulking brother to his side. "She found the library passage, she’s probably putting the techniques written there into good use."

"Does this technique involve the love syndrome?" He asked coyly, but that led to Napoleon shutting his brother’s mouth with his palm.

"Stop talking before I glue your lips together. We’ve been through this already." Napoleon warned, and Osvaldo lowered his pretty hazel eyes, keeping silent.

Madeline found Osvaldo adorable, he was just a harmless guy who liked to mess around, but in the cutest of ways. Napoleon on the other hand is an entirely different story.

Since she had gotten here, her powers had been gradually awakening, and presently, she was getting good at bringing flowers to life. If she keeps up daily with this routine, she’ll be able to control them in the future.

Cassian, who studied his wife’s changing expression, walked up to where she sat. She smiled when she saw him heading towards her, and when he came to a stop beside her, his eyes shifted to the flowers she had magically bloomed before his eyes.

"What did he mean by love syndrome?" Cassian whispered, playfully teasing his wife with a serious expression, and Madeline, who tried not to blush when he leaned close, cleared her throat and looked at the flowers instead.

"Ask the one who said it, cause I don’t know myself." In truth, she doesn’t, but from the way he pronounced it, Madeline could make a rough guess.

Meanwhile, Napoleon and his brother exchanged communicative glances. As though he just got reminded of something, Osvaldo looked at Madeline and walked up to her.

"Miss Madeline." Osvaldo called for her attention, and with that harmless smile gracing his lips, he stood before Madeline, and then casted a glance at his brother.

"My brother told me about what happened yesterday, do forgive him if he pushed you a little too far, but being a County Council of Whitebridge, he carries many of his people’s burden." Osvaldo apologized for his brother, and Madeline shook her head immediately.

"I’m not upset, I never was." Madeline explained, clearing the misunderstanding. "I was just shocked by the news, that’s all."

"Ah.... That’s a relief." He whispered satisfyingly, and Madeline passed a half-glare to Napoleon before looking at Osvaldo. "Did he tell you to apologize on his behalf?"

"Absolutely not, Napoleon doesn’t do apologies." Osvaldo whispered, "that’s why I do it for him, cause I still need him alive, and I understand him better than anyone in Whitebridge, else he’d be long dead."

"That day doesn’t sound far anymore." Madeline muttered before changing the subject. "Don’t worry, I’m alright, thank you for considering my feelings."

"It’s alright, I personally like the both of you, and anyone would be troubled if something like that was revealed to them, but you’re going to have to do it." His soft friendly tone made it a lot easier for Madeline to converse with him.

"I want to, but not with my husband’s life at stake. I already made it clear to him."

"Isn’t there another way to create the spell?" Cassian finally joined in, and Osvaldo remained quiet for a while before shaking his head, "there isn’t, but in his case, there is an alternative."

"There is?"

"There is?" Even Napoleon found it surprising.

"Yes."

"What is it?" Cassian asked, not willing to delay the process any longer, and Napoleon was a bit hesitant.

"It’s going to be quite difficult though."

"Let us decide that." Cassian asserted, and Osvaldo didn’t argue.

"On the day she creates the spell, do not transform, keep yourself human till the end of the spell. Once she creates it, your human side will overshadow the dark side in you, keeping her powers from being immune to you, and if you can keep it up till the end, your safety is guaranteed."

"What about those that can’t turn human?" Madeline asked, and Osvaldo shook his head.

"It’s inevitable for them, they will have to go. You’re lucky your husband isn’t a pure-blood but a half."

"When she creates the spell, I just have to stay human?" Cassian asked again, wanting to make sure he grabbed it correctly, and Osvaldo nodded.

"Yes."

"That doesn’t sound hard."

"Nothing sounds hard." Came Osvaldo’s subtle response again, but with that smile on his lips, one can’t tell how serious his words should mean to them.

"You knew about the alternative?" Napoleon asked his brother who nodded.

"And you made me look stupid, why didn’t you tell me there was another alternative?"

"Cause I wanted to make you look stupid, brother." Osvaldo added playfully, and Madeline had to cover her mouth to avoid laughing out.

"You...!" Napoleon just sighed out his annoyance and turned to leave.

"I love you too."

"Shut up." Napoleon slammed the door shut after exiting the room.

"Gets on their nerves every time." Cassian tsked and looked at Osvaldo.

"Ah yes! You have a sister." Osvaldo recalled seeing that in his vision, and Cassian nodded.

"She’s just as annoying."

"Siblings" they uttered in unison, and Madeline stepped forward.

"Can we change the subject, you guys are making me feel left out in this sibling-related thing." She voiced out her complaint, making them keep quiet.

"Where’s Monica? I haven’t seen her today." Madeline looked at Osvaldo whose smile slowly withdrew a bit at the mention of Monica.

"What happened?"

"Monica isn’t feeling very well, I got to know about it today. She’s locked herself in her room, and has refused to come out since last night."