The Marquis of Ebelta had been pondering for several days with a letter lying on the table in front of him.
When he heard that it was a letter from the Princess, he could not hide his embarrassed expression in front of the young girl who was said to be attending the Princess.
Franz's new consort, recently welcomed by Queen Gilsis, has been the center of attention for quite some time.
As if the rumors that she was poor and tactless were true, rumors spread widely that she had incurred the Queen's wrath by calling Franz the Crown Prince during her first greeting. Her own brother, the King of Tien, sold her sister without hesitation to pay war reparations, and many people flirted with her, saying that she deserved it because of her stupidity.
Although he was displeased with the people who treated a girl who was only seventeen years old in such a mean way, the Marquis of Ebelta did not try to discipline them. While he was not overtly loyal to Queen Gilsis, he had no intention of losing her or her pretense.
As if the rumors that she was poor and tactless were true, rumors spread widely that she had incurred the Queen's wrath by calling Franz the Crown Prince during her first greeting. Her own brother, the King of Tien, sold her sister without hesitation to pay war reparations, and many people flirted with her, saying that she deserved it because of her stupidity.
Although he was displeased with the people who treated a girl who was only seventeen years old in such a mean way, the Marquis of Ebelta did not try to discipline them. While he was not overtly loyal to Queen Gilsis, he had no intention of losing her or her pretense.
However, he was a person who quietly hoped that the King, who was lying down, would shake off his illness as soon as possible and wake up to correct Rotair's messy state affairs.
Therefore, the letter from the Princess asking to see his daughter was unexpected and embarrassing for the marquis. His only daughter, Cheraan, was of the same age as the Crown Princess, so she might have been suitable for her as a companion, but she did not know how the Crown Princess, who had only recently arrived in Rotair, knew about his daughter.
Therefore, the letter from the Princess asking to see his daughter was unexpected and embarrassing for the marquis. His only daughter, Cheraan, was of the same age as the Crown Princess, so she might have been suitable for her as a companion, but she did not know how the Crown Princess, who had only recently arrived in Rotair, knew about his daughter.
He couldn't guess at all.
He heard that she couldn't have a decent maid because she was disliked by the Queen, but who on earth told her that the Marquis of Ebelta had a daughter?
Franz or the Duke of Vergy were the least likely possibilities, but the Marquis Ebelta did not have much of a relationship with the Duke of Vergy. There is no reason for him to recommend Cheraan as the Princess's companion over other women from other families. It was the same for Franz.
‘How do I....'
It wasn't that difficult to send Cheraan to meet Judith for a while. The problem is that the fact will reach the ears of Queen Gilsis.
Queen Gilsis, who was using all means to gather support to place her son Krald on the throne, was closely watching the movements of Franz and the Duke of Vergy.
He heard that she couldn't have a decent maid because she was disliked by the Queen, but who on earth told her that the Marquis of Ebelta had a daughter?
Franz or the Duke of Vergy were the least likely possibilities, but the Marquis Ebelta did not have much of a relationship with the Duke of Vergy. There is no reason for him to recommend Cheraan as the Princess's companion over other women from other families. It was the same for Franz.
‘How do I....'
It wasn't that difficult to send Cheraan to meet Judith for a while. The problem is that the fact will reach the ears of Queen Gilsis.
Queen Gilsis, who was using all means to gather support to place her son Krald on the throne, was closely watching the movements of Franz and the Duke of Vergy.
If it becomes known that the daughter of the Marquis Ebelta has met the Princess, the Queen will think that the Marquis has chosen to stand by Franz. If that happened, he knew that not only himself but Cheraan's future would be in trouble.
'As expected, it would be better to refuse this time.'
As time goes by, if the Princess invites women from other noble families, it would be okay to pretend not to know and send Cheraan along. Although she was no longer a Princess in the Queen's eyes, he could not stand by and watch the Queen criticize him without even knowing what was going on with his beloved daughter.
The Marquis began to write a reply politely expressing his refusal to the Princess's letter. His excuse was that his daughter, Cheraan, had recently become ill and had difficulty moving.
"Father!"
There was only one person in the world who could so carelessly open the door to the Marquis's study, which was always closed heavily. The door slams into the wall and bangs!
Surprised by the sound made, the Marquis ended up drawing in ink on the almost-complete letter.
“… Cheraan, dear. Didn’t I tell you to please proceed cautiously?”
“Why are you suddenly acting like this when my father raised me like this?”
“When will I… No, it's done. Sit down.”
Cheraan, who was nineteen years old this year, was completely different from the noble ladies of her age.
First of all, her red hair was loose below her shoulders, without any accessories. After the Marchioness pretended to faint several times, she managed to get her to wear the dress, but she, like the other girls, was unable to find the sachets, jewels, or bundles of gold coins. She couldn't. Instead, she always had a sword attached to her waist, given to her by her father. Sometimes it disguised itself as her horsewhip.
“What were you doing?”
Even though he was told to sit down, Cheraan walked around the table without hesitation and came behind the Marquis' back. Then, like when she was a child, she hugged her father's neck with all her might and recklessly touched and opened the papers and books on his desk. After making a noise as if to threaten her, the Marquis patted the back of the hand of his daughter, who was now too big to be carried on his back.
“You're going to break my neck if you keep doing this. Is this really what you’re aiming for?”
“Oh my God, what kind of evil words are you saying?”
“If my neck breaks, won’t you take over this Marquis? You want to become the head of the family and destroy the whole house.”
Cheraan tilted her head back and laughed at the Marquis' affectionate threats.
“I don’t wish for my father’s neck to be broken, but when I become the head of the family, I would like to change the Marquis into something more interesting.”
Cheraan, giggling like a mischievous prankster, affectionately kissed the Marquis' temple, which was starting to turn gray, and released her arms that were wrapped around his neck. The Marquis then sighed and tried to put away the ruined letter, but Cheraan was faster than him, reaching out her arm and snatching up the letter.
“Cheraan! Give it to me!”
“What is this, father? Dear Princess, I bow my head and thank you for sending me this letter personally. I apologize, but my daughter fell ill with an unknown illness...”
A groaning sound came from the Marquis's mouth. Cheraan blinked her eyes with a puzzled expression and then waved the letter in her hand.
“Did I get sick without my knowledge?”
“Can’t you give it to me like this? This is a letter I was planning to send to the Crown Princess.”
“What did Her Majesty the Queen say that made you tell such an outrageous lie? Who would believe that I, and no one else, was suffering from an ‘unknown disease’?”
The Marquis was angry at the daughter's attitude of snoring without knowing her father, but he had nothing to say. As they said, this is because Cheraan has never caught a cold since she was young.
“… Cheraan, dear. Didn’t I tell you to please proceed cautiously?”
“Why are you suddenly acting like this when my father raised me like this?”
“When will I… No, it's done. Sit down.”
Cheraan, who was nineteen years old this year, was completely different from the noble ladies of her age.
First of all, her red hair was loose below her shoulders, without any accessories. After the Marchioness pretended to faint several times, she managed to get her to wear the dress, but she, like the other girls, was unable to find the sachets, jewels, or bundles of gold coins. She couldn't. Instead, she always had a sword attached to her waist, given to her by her father. Sometimes it disguised itself as her horsewhip.
“What were you doing?”
Even though he was told to sit down, Cheraan walked around the table without hesitation and came behind the Marquis' back. Then, like when she was a child, she hugged her father's neck with all her might and recklessly touched and opened the papers and books on his desk. After making a noise as if to threaten her, the Marquis patted the back of the hand of his daughter, who was now too big to be carried on his back.
“You're going to break my neck if you keep doing this. Is this really what you’re aiming for?”
“Oh my God, what kind of evil words are you saying?”
“If my neck breaks, won’t you take over this Marquis? You want to become the head of the family and destroy the whole house.”
Cheraan tilted her head back and laughed at the Marquis' affectionate threats.
“I don’t wish for my father’s neck to be broken, but when I become the head of the family, I would like to change the Marquis into something more interesting.”
Cheraan, giggling like a mischievous prankster, affectionately kissed the Marquis' temple, which was starting to turn gray, and released her arms that were wrapped around his neck. The Marquis then sighed and tried to put away the ruined letter, but Cheraan was faster than him, reaching out her arm and snatching up the letter.
“Cheraan! Give it to me!”
“What is this, father? Dear Princess, I bow my head and thank you for sending me this letter personally. I apologize, but my daughter fell ill with an unknown illness...”
A groaning sound came from the Marquis's mouth. Cheraan blinked her eyes with a puzzled expression and then waved the letter in her hand.
“Did I get sick without my knowledge?”
“Can’t you give it to me like this? This is a letter I was planning to send to the Crown Princess.”
“What did Her Majesty the Queen say that made you tell such an outrageous lie? Who would believe that I, and no one else, was suffering from an ‘unknown disease’?”
The Marquis was angry at the daughter's attitude of snoring without knowing her father, but he had nothing to say. As they said, this is because Cheraan has never caught a cold since she was young.
When Cheraan was young, an outbreak of childhood measles spread throughout the kingdom, putting the entire country in fear. Even at a time when many people among the capital's nobility had lost their children, Cheraan was healthy.
“What if my father, who taught me so much not to lie to others, lies?”
“You immature brat. I'm doing this for you. How did the Princess know you? She asked for a private party. If this fact reaches the Queen’s ears, you will also be the only one in the Queen’s eyes.”
“She is a person who commits all kinds of tyranny with one poor son at her head. What reward would it be to be loved by such a person?”
“Cheraan!”
The Marquis of Ebelta almost fell over at his daughter's outspoken words. There was no one else in the study other than the father and daughter, but he looked around as if someone was listening.
“Watch your mouth! If you go anywhere and say something like that... !”
“Do you think I’m an idiot who can’t even make a reasonable decision, father?”
"Ha...”
He had a headache. The Marquis, who was rubbing his forehead, raised his head again at the sound of rustling. Cheraan was seen humming, folding the Princess's letter, and putting it in his pocket.
“What are you taking that for? Give it to me, come on.”
"No, I do not want. You said that the newly arrived Princess personally called me, so I should go. My father and mother always said that too, right? You told me to stop thinking about it and go out into society and find a decent husband...”
“I told you to join the social world, I didn’t tell you to go to the Princess’s palace! Don't even think about approaching her, you...!”
“Father, what are you so worried about? Even if the Queen hates me, at most she would gather similar noble ladies and gossip to prevent me from getting married. Do you really think she should kill me for talking to the Crown Princess?”
“Cheraan, please. You don't know Queen Gilsis. You don’t know what the rumors are in social circles.”
“You know better than anyone else that my reputation will never fall any further. Now I have to act discreetly, so men I already know won't propose to me even if they die. Just give up.”
Cheraan left the study, turning away from her devastated father and waving her hands. Just then, her nanny, who was coming up the stairs after finishing her chores, saw her with her hair down in a messy manner and came up to her, freaking out.
“Lady! Did you surprise the Master again by scattering fire like this?”
“My father and mother will be even more surprised if I calmly wear a hairpin now.”
“This old thing can’t handle you anymore. I will tell Madam and go back to my hometown.”
“How many years has it been since that threat? After all, your hometown is the village right next door, so what are you talking about? Stop talking nonsense and come here, Nanny. I’ll make sure Nanny does what she loves so much.”
Cheraan held the nanny's wrinkled and rough hand affectionately and giggled mischievously. The old nanny, who had been quite offended by the Young Lady's antics from the days, looked upon her with suspicion but obediently went upstairs with her.
“What on earth are you doing here?”
“Make me pretty. Like the noble ladies, you see when you go out to Plaza Michiel. Look discreet, got it?"
***
Mary Anne's face was swollen. She had been moping all morning so that her arms were sore that her shoulders and back were so sore that it was difficult to move them.
She scooped up a spoonful of the cloudy oil from a small container and dropped it carelessly on the floor, gritting her teeth and rubbing the cloth until it tore.
“Are you not finished mopping yet?”
The maid who opened the door and came in looked at Mary Anne lying down on the floor mopping and shot her a mean look. Just as Mary Ann was about to give her answer, she placed a heavy basket down on the floor, where the oil had not yet dried, and said,
“Finish it quickly and take this to the laundry room.”
"What is this?"
“If I say something, will you know? You old thing.”
As the maid, who had been showing off her anger, suddenly disappeared, Mary Anne couldn't suppress her boiling anger and slapped a mop on the floor.
It was yesterday morning that the quiet palace of the Princess became noisy. Her name was Helen. Anyway, the matter started when that strict old woman came to the Princess's palace with some of her maids.
- The Queen Mother sent maids to attend the Princess. Also, I will serve you until I officially find a maid for you.
It was an attitude that did not show the slightest respect for Judith. The maids she had brought with her went one step further, forcing Mary Anne out of Judith's eyes and making her work without having time to breathe.
“Are you not finished mopping yet?”
The maid who opened the door and came in looked at Mary Anne lying down on the floor mopping and shot her a mean look. Just as Mary Ann was about to give her answer, she placed a heavy basket down on the floor, where the oil had not yet dried, and said,
“Finish it quickly and take this to the laundry room.”
"What is this?"
“If I say something, will you know? You old thing.”
As the maid, who had been showing off her anger, suddenly disappeared, Mary Anne couldn't suppress her boiling anger and slapped a mop on the floor.
It was yesterday morning that the quiet palace of the Princess became noisy. Her name was Helen. Anyway, the matter started when that strict old woman came to the Princess's palace with some of her maids.
- The Queen Mother sent maids to attend the Princess. Also, I will serve you until I officially find a maid for you.
It was an attitude that did not show the slightest respect for Judith. The maids she had brought with her went one step further, forcing Mary Anne out of Judith's eyes and making her work without having time to breathe.
Comments
Post a Comment