(Third Person's PoV)
The situation made Duke Zachorono fuming mad as the Countess went too far mentioning his dead wife and criticizing his parental guidance to his children because of not having a partner.
"Countess!" the Viscountess was surprised.
"Georgia!" her husband scolded.
"You dare." the Duke menacingly said that made everyone in the room held their breathes for a moment. He glanced at Maxine whom only to find her looking insanely shocked, probably from what the child heard from the Countess.
Duke Zachrono hardly hid the cause of her wife's death to be talk about, so Maxine would not have the chance to think about how her mother died.
But thanks, but no thanks to this mere Countess and her big mouth, Maxine was indeed thinking about her mother and blaming herself for being born right now.
"You are too much Duke, you let your children go wild." Countess Gringe said pretending to be pitiful infront of the others.
"Easy. Countess, the children are listening." Duke Gabriela had been the one who was calming down everyone if the talk was being heated for a while now.
Right now, Duke Gabriela had been wondering how he get involved in this fight when he was not even connected with anyone.
He just saved his friend, Duke Zachrono from a flock of masked people so for exchange, he liked to bother and annoy his friend since his own kids were busy playing with the other group of children.
He tagged along with Maximus when someone reported that his friend's son and daughter got involved in the fight. He was just planning to watch on the side because he thought it would be interesting to see, knowing his friend's cold daughter was rumored to be smiling albeit, did not expect to be the middle person and intervene with this trivial task.
"I have no time for your acts when everyone already knows who you really are, Countess Gringe." Maximus told her bluntly without even battling an eye unlike other nobles do.
The Countess' face crumpled like a paper and great annoyance painted her plain beauty.
Countess Georgia Gringe gritted her teeth for being speechless to the Duke's remark. No, she could not accept being defeated by the Duke!
She still had her dignity not to back down, or so she thought.
"I do not know what are you saying, Your Excellency but the girl really sounded lying! My kind son could never do what your daughter had said!" the Countess repeated it over and over again despite everyone already know that since the beginning, she would certainly lose.
"U-uhm, Countess. C-calm down." Duke Gabriela tried to calm her down but the Countess stomped her feet as if she was going insane.
The parents inside the room took their children away from her, afraid that she would be out of the hand that even her own child stepped back away from her, trembling.
The prideful kids back in the garden were on the verge of crying again made Maxlwin smirk from the back of his head, enjoying the expression he was seeing in the room except for the rude brat's Countess mother.
"The pretend tiger lost it." Maxwell whispered that only Maxillary beside him was able to hear. The latter elbowed him a little and hushed him.
"C-Countess Gringe, I-I think you are going o-verboard." one of the watching parents butted in, completely abandoning the Countess' side and showing her favor on the Duke's side.
The parents who were present in the room knew whom to side with whether their child was really on the right or wrong.
They could not go against a Duke who had the power that could even overthrown the other co-Duke, Duke Gabriela, his friend at that and the third highest in power next to the Imperial family and the Archduke's.
"Georgia, apologize to the children right this instant!" Count Gringe also knew the consequence of going against Zachronos. He did nor want to start a fight with the Duke because he was completely aware that His Excellency does not show any mercy.
But his stupid wife was making it more complicated. His wife was ill but he did not expect that it would show on this event.
Even if the Queen was not backing her, he already know that his wife was too prideful from the start. He knows that his wife could trample over those lower than them but not those far higher than them, his wife was just really boastful!
And it would be the death of her!
"Why would I?! I am right, right?! I do not have anything to apologize!" Countess Gringe solidly showed her refusal, she just would not let her pride hurt by apologizing to some child she do not recognize respectful enough for her standards.
"Watch what you say, Countess." Duke Zachrono sharply warned her but the Countess was looking at herself far higher than anyone that she did not even falter on the Duke's tone when everyone felt tensed.
"Madame, the kids are still here." Duke Gabriela reminded the Countess when he noticed that the children were trembling in fear.
"Relax, everyone." Duke Gabriela was trying to calm the arguing parents down.
The adults' attention were focused on the Countess so, the brothers and Duke Zachrono were the only ones who noticed the trembling Maxine who completely fell on blaming herself.
Maximus signaled his eldest son to do something and Maximillian immediately got the message though he hesitated for a moment after understanding it.
"You can not use your power to me, Duke! You are not even a Royalty to brag!" the Countess continued to mock that made everyone surprised to her remarks.
'She already lost it.'
'Insane!'
'How dare she...!' were what everyone was thinking as of the moment.
They looked at her as if she was a pitiful one. They already know how she would end up for ridiculing the great Duke.
"I would not let this pass." Duke Zachrono replied coldly.
He saw Maximillian carried his daughter and left the room.
He silently sighed in relief. He hope that Maximillian could take care of his sibling so he could already fix his own issue and would not come running back to him again, complaining that his son had no guts to approach the youngest.
The boundary he set for his limit when his daughter was around were now gone and his face became colder and colder.