“Aren’t you going to tell me why you did that hand?”
“I just... got hurt a little while arranging flowers.”
I indeed touched the flower. I used that flower to beat the walls of the Count's mansion. Thinking of you, Noevian.
I swallowed the last words along with the water in the crystal glass. He narrowed his brows doubtfully, then gestured toward the food that had been prepared, as if he had given up.
“I don’t know what you’ll like, and I told them to get everything ready since you said you’d be coming earlier than expected...”
I've never had dinner with someone who secretly plotted to kill his wife?
“I, too, have experienced such shame in places where many eyes are watching.”
Grand Duchess Adrienne kept her mouth shut for the sake of her dignity and endured the harassment. No matter what anyone did in the Grand Duchess’s residence, as long as it didn’t leak out, it didn’t matter.
How can the servants of this great palace be so ignorant of their ups and downs? I wiggled my eyebrows and laughed at him.
“What are you doing, meddling? Even the Grand Duke understood what I said, that it is against the rules for a man to interfere in a conversation between women. You idiot.”
Gaspard, who always had an oily face, opened his eyes wide in shock and opened his mouth like a fat carp. The servants nearby stood there with their eyes wide open and their mouths covered with both hands, with expressions that seemed either delighted or fearful.
“Madam, insulting me is insulting the Grand Duke’s family!”
“What are you?”
“I have been with him since the historic moment when the Grand Duchy of Trovica was established...”
“You seem stupid and don’t understand... Let me ask you something else. What do I look like to you?”
“!”
“When you insult me, who are you insulting?”
Gaspard's eyes, which seemed to have known about Noevian and me since long ago, suddenly lost their rebelliousness. Perhaps this butler knows better than anyone else. That Blie Acacia is his master's mistress. Who is insulted by insulting her?
“I don’t know what you’ll like, and I told them to get everything ready since you said you’d be coming earlier than expected...”
I've never had dinner with someone who secretly plotted to kill his wife?
You're not surprised when I tell you that I've done flower arrangements, and you don't know what Blie likes. If it were the Count's maids, the moment Blie said she did flower arrangements, they'd put their hands on her forehead. Instead of answering, I pretended to look around the table and checked the necks of the maids standing around. As expected, none of the maids were wearing necklaces.
“It looks delicious, thank you.”
This time, he smiled as if he was genuinely smiling. A faint crack appeared on Noevian's normally indifferent face.
“...Eat.”
He spoke with a locked throat, but he did not eat anything. I chopped up the huge piece of meat in front of me. Since I also had nothing in my mouth, I had to pretend to do something. While I was doing that, I looked closely at the maids near Noevian, but something seemed strange. All the arrogant servants of the Grand Duke's residence were somewhat afraid of Noevian, but not to this extent. And...
'They're so bruised.'
Whether they were maids or servants, there were bruises on their wrists and necks that were occasionally visible. Some of them were limping. Some even turned pale and lowered their heads as soon as they met my eyes.
“It looks delicious, thank you.”
This time, he smiled as if he was genuinely smiling. A faint crack appeared on Noevian's normally indifferent face.
“...Eat.”
He spoke with a locked throat, but he did not eat anything. I chopped up the huge piece of meat in front of me. Since I also had nothing in my mouth, I had to pretend to do something. While I was doing that, I looked closely at the maids near Noevian, but something seemed strange. All the arrogant servants of the Grand Duke's residence were somewhat afraid of Noevian, but not to this extent. And...
'They're so bruised.'
Whether they were maids or servants, there were bruises on their wrists and necks that were occasionally visible. Some of them were limping. Some even turned pale and lowered their heads as soon as they met my eyes.
Clink-.
When I put down my fork noisily, their eyes focused on me.
“The atmosphere is really bad.”
“Is that so?”
He turned his head toward the butler Gaspard without denying or confirming what I said. Gaspard, who had been fidgeting and watching us from the entrance, went to the turntable in the corner and played some music. Grand and wonderful music. Romantic and sweet music. He went through the music one by one, and when moderately soft music came on, Noevian nodded. It was not toward Gaspard but toward me. It was a movement as if he was asking if I had any intention of putting something in my mouth. No way.
'When I see your face, how can I eat food?'
But I nodded as if I was satisfied and went back to pretending to eat the meat. In the end, the meal continued until the end, with no one getting full.
“The atmosphere is really bad.”
“Is that so?”
He turned his head toward the butler Gaspard without denying or confirming what I said. Gaspard, who had been fidgeting and watching us from the entrance, went to the turntable in the corner and played some music. Grand and wonderful music. Romantic and sweet music. He went through the music one by one, and when moderately soft music came on, Noevian nodded. It was not toward Gaspard but toward me. It was a movement as if he was asking if I had any intention of putting something in my mouth. No way.
'When I see your face, how can I eat food?'
But I nodded as if I was satisfied and went back to pretending to eat the meat. In the end, the meal continued until the end, with no one getting full.
***
As I was being escorted away after finishing my meal, I realized that it wasn't just the dining room attendants who were in a bad mood.
'Is it because of what happened that day?'
The jewels that I got back. In the end, did they all get beaten because they couldn’t find the culprit?
'Is it because of what happened that day?'
The jewels that I got back. In the end, did they all get beaten because they couldn’t find the culprit?
If you steal the private property of a noble, you can get the maximum punishment of having your wrists cut off. In this Duke’s mansion, I, as well as Noevian, never beat anyone or gave them a punishment. In my case, I didn’t know that something like theft had happened in the mansion, and even if I had punished them, the butler wouldn’t have listened to the order properly, and Noevian didn’t know much about the mansion either.
While he was staying in the mansion, he might have seen the true nature of the demons in this Duke’s mansion. If that’s the case, then I understand. There must have been servants who deserved severe punishment. For example... That butler Gaspard, who would smile whenever I gave him a little bit of a break and dipped his eyes in oil and then removed them.
I turned my head away. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one had their wrists cut off, but most of them must have been beaten so badly that they flinched whenever Butler Gaspard passed by or Noevian’s eyes met theirs.
Annie was there too. The maid with faded wheat-colored hair who had been harassing me for two years. I had already lost my mind since yesterday, and I smiled at them who were glaring at me while shaking with fear. Blie’s gorgeous appearance and sparkling white teeth were really useful at times like this. I trembled as I met Annie’s cloudy purple eyes.
'Ah...'
I thought I'd be more scared when I ran into Annie than when I was surrounded by maids a while ago.
'It's nothing.'
Looking down at her, trembling with her healthy body, I felt so insignificant and ridiculous. Was I scared of such a shabby maid?
'Ah...'
I thought I'd be more scared when I ran into Annie than when I was surrounded by maids a while ago.
'It's nothing.'
Looking down at her, trembling with her healthy body, I felt so insignificant and ridiculous. Was I scared of such a shabby maid?
As I watched Annie trembling for some reason, whether it was anger or fear, I realized that this was exactly what I had hoped for.
'I'm not Adrienne anymore.'
Blie could be happy about such things. I could throw away the lofty dignity of the nobility. And I didn't pity them at all. In this mansion, I was the most pitiful. Me!
“Why is that?”
“Just a moment.”
I was silently climbing the stairs as Noevian led me, but suddenly I stopped. My blood suddenly boiled. I felt a desire to vent all the power and anger overflowing in my body somewhere right now. I let go of Noevian’s hand and walked towards Annie, who had just passed by.
“You there.”
Annie, who had been glancing at me continuously, clenched her fists and quietly raised her head.
“!”
“You know me?”
“Why is that?”
“Answer me.”
Noevian stood beside me, greatly embarrassed by my unexpected behavior. I looked down at Annie while fanning myself leisurely. Annie didn’t know whether to say she knew me or not, so she just moved her lips. Even if the other maids didn’t know, it didn’t make sense for Annie not to recognize this face. Noevian came close to my body and secretly grabbed my arm. I looked at him a little nervously. I could see him flinch as if those eyes had provoked him.
“Why do you think your master personally summoned me to this mansion?”
“!”
A few of the servants around me looked up at me with amazement. I was officially invited, but those with a keen sense would know that Noevian and I have a strange relationship and that I am a noblewoman who resembles Grand Duchess Adrienne. The Grand Duchess’ subordinates, who do not know what is above and below, must be particularly open-mouthed compared to others. In the past, I would not say anything to save Noevian’s face, but now I can say anything. With this healthy body, I felt like I could win against anyone.
“You didn't know what was up and down, did you go deaf?”
I pressed Annie’s forehead with the folded fan, making a loud noise. Annie, who had been staggering, managed to regain her balance and stand upright. Her eyes were shaking with confusion and anger. Her face, trembling with disbelief, seemed to be convulsing.
"Ma'am."
Noevian spoke softly, but it did not reach my slightly excited ears. He simply said this.
“This is the child. The child who dared to be rude to the mistress of the Countess Acacia, a loyal vassal of the Grand Duchess, at the Grand Duchess’s memorial banquet.”
“No, no! I am! Your Highness! No, believe me! I first saw this lady that day in Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s bedroom!”
“... many eyes are watching, first of all...”
'I'm not Adrienne anymore.'
Blie could be happy about such things. I could throw away the lofty dignity of the nobility. And I didn't pity them at all. In this mansion, I was the most pitiful. Me!
“Why is that?”
“Just a moment.”
I was silently climbing the stairs as Noevian led me, but suddenly I stopped. My blood suddenly boiled. I felt a desire to vent all the power and anger overflowing in my body somewhere right now. I let go of Noevian’s hand and walked towards Annie, who had just passed by.
“You there.”
Annie, who had been glancing at me continuously, clenched her fists and quietly raised her head.
“!”
“You know me?”
“Why is that?”
“Answer me.”
Noevian stood beside me, greatly embarrassed by my unexpected behavior. I looked down at Annie while fanning myself leisurely. Annie didn’t know whether to say she knew me or not, so she just moved her lips. Even if the other maids didn’t know, it didn’t make sense for Annie not to recognize this face. Noevian came close to my body and secretly grabbed my arm. I looked at him a little nervously. I could see him flinch as if those eyes had provoked him.
“Why do you think your master personally summoned me to this mansion?”
“!”
A few of the servants around me looked up at me with amazement. I was officially invited, but those with a keen sense would know that Noevian and I have a strange relationship and that I am a noblewoman who resembles Grand Duchess Adrienne. The Grand Duchess’ subordinates, who do not know what is above and below, must be particularly open-mouthed compared to others. In the past, I would not say anything to save Noevian’s face, but now I can say anything. With this healthy body, I felt like I could win against anyone.
“You didn't know what was up and down, did you go deaf?”
I pressed Annie’s forehead with the folded fan, making a loud noise. Annie, who had been staggering, managed to regain her balance and stand upright. Her eyes were shaking with confusion and anger. Her face, trembling with disbelief, seemed to be convulsing.
"Ma'am."
Noevian spoke softly, but it did not reach my slightly excited ears. He simply said this.
“This is the child. The child who dared to be rude to the mistress of the Countess Acacia, a loyal vassal of the Grand Duchess, at the Grand Duchess’s memorial banquet.”
“No, no! I am! Your Highness! No, believe me! I first saw this lady that day in Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s bedroom!”
“... many eyes are watching, first of all...”
“I, too, have experienced such shame in places where many eyes are watching.”
Grand Duchess Adrienne kept her mouth shut for the sake of her dignity and endured the harassment. No matter what anyone did in the Grand Duchess’s residence, as long as it didn’t leak out, it didn’t matter.
After all, if they were servants I couldn’t change at will... For me, who couldn’t do anything on my own, the thought of being hated by those who I had to rely on was terrifying.
“Thank you for inviting me to this mansion as an apology.”
"Countess."
“But I have never received an apology from anyone. It is impossible for His Highness the Grand Duke, who is a member of the Imperial Family, to apologize on behalf of that maid. For me, a pitiful apology from a worthless child is enough.”
“...”
Noevian had a troubled expression on his face, but he kept his mouth shut as if he had expected it to some extent. As expected, Blie Acacia was clearly not a woman to be taken lightly.
“Isn’t it against the rules for a man to interfere in a ladies’ conversation... Your Highness?”
“...Report when you’re done, butler.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Noevian gave up and stepped aside. In an instant, only the butler Gaspard, I, Annie, and a few maids remained on the second-floor stairs. Annie was trembling and shedding tears. Her face turned bright red with a look of resentment.
“Your Highness the Grand Duke is a man of integrity. No matter how much you try to tempt him with lies, he will never fall for it.”
The things she said while chewing on her teeth were completely out of the blue. I opened my eyes wide and laughed, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Oh, I see. That’s why you left me in such a big mess and pretended not to know.”
“I, I don’t believe it. That Madam is the Grand Duke’s mistress, or his secret lover... That kind of nonsense..."
“Thank you for inviting me to this mansion as an apology.”
"Countess."
“But I have never received an apology from anyone. It is impossible for His Highness the Grand Duke, who is a member of the Imperial Family, to apologize on behalf of that maid. For me, a pitiful apology from a worthless child is enough.”
“...”
Noevian had a troubled expression on his face, but he kept his mouth shut as if he had expected it to some extent. As expected, Blie Acacia was clearly not a woman to be taken lightly.
“Isn’t it against the rules for a man to interfere in a ladies’ conversation... Your Highness?”
“...Report when you’re done, butler.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Noevian gave up and stepped aside. In an instant, only the butler Gaspard, I, Annie, and a few maids remained on the second-floor stairs. Annie was trembling and shedding tears. Her face turned bright red with a look of resentment.
“Your Highness the Grand Duke is a man of integrity. No matter how much you try to tempt him with lies, he will never fall for it.”
The things she said while chewing on her teeth were completely out of the blue. I opened my eyes wide and laughed, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Oh, I see. That’s why you left me in such a big mess and pretended not to know.”
“I, I don’t believe it. That Madam is the Grand Duke’s mistress, or his secret lover... That kind of nonsense..."
As she spoke with her fists clenched and tears streaming down her face, no one in the headquarters had been betrayed.
“Here comes another fool like Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
I said it coldly without hesitation. Annie's face, crying pitifully and out of the blue, says that she doesn't believe Noevian's infidelity! Is there a more disgusting scene than this?
"Ma'am...!"
Gaspard, who had been watching, suddenly stuck one foot out with a look of shock on his face.
“Why are you doing that?”
“How could you say such things amid this magnificent palace...!”
“Here comes another fool like Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
I said it coldly without hesitation. Annie's face, crying pitifully and out of the blue, says that she doesn't believe Noevian's infidelity! Is there a more disgusting scene than this?
"Ma'am...!"
Gaspard, who had been watching, suddenly stuck one foot out with a look of shock on his face.
“Why are you doing that?”
“How could you say such things amid this magnificent palace...!”
How can the servants of this great palace be so ignorant of their ups and downs? I wiggled my eyebrows and laughed at him.
“What are you doing, meddling? Even the Grand Duke understood what I said, that it is against the rules for a man to interfere in a conversation between women. You idiot.”
Gaspard, who always had an oily face, opened his eyes wide in shock and opened his mouth like a fat carp. The servants nearby stood there with their eyes wide open and their mouths covered with both hands, with expressions that seemed either delighted or fearful.
“Madam, insulting me is insulting the Grand Duke’s family!”
“What are you?”
“I have been with him since the historic moment when the Grand Duchy of Trovica was established...”
“You seem stupid and don’t understand... Let me ask you something else. What do I look like to you?”
“!”
“When you insult me, who are you insulting?”
Gaspard's eyes, which seemed to have known about Noevian and me since long ago, suddenly lost their rebelliousness. Perhaps this butler knows better than anyone else. That Blie Acacia is his master's mistress. Who is insulted by insulting her?
If the Grand Duke leaves, it is Adrienne who will have to rely on her servants without anyone to take her side. Blie has no need for such things.
“When you’re done, have someone ring the bell, Ma’am.”
Gaspard gritted his teeth, bent his waist halfway, and disappeared. He had been reigning like a King in the palace of the Grand Duke without a Grand Duke, so it must be embarrassing to be humiliated like this in front of his servants.
“Well then... Should we finish what we were doing?”
In a space where no one could stop me, Annie's cloudy eyes stared at me blankly.
“Wh, what were you doing...”
"What are you doing?"
I smiled, pointing precisely at the shiny floor with my folded fan.
“Without kneeling?”
“When you’re done, have someone ring the bell, Ma’am.”
Gaspard gritted his teeth, bent his waist halfway, and disappeared. He had been reigning like a King in the palace of the Grand Duke without a Grand Duke, so it must be embarrassing to be humiliated like this in front of his servants.
“Well then... Should we finish what we were doing?”
In a space where no one could stop me, Annie's cloudy eyes stared at me blankly.
“Wh, what were you doing...”
"What are you doing?"
I smiled, pointing precisely at the shiny floor with my folded fan.
“Without kneeling?”
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