Episode 1. Engagement in name only
One day in May, when the scent of lilacs vibrated.
A girl was heading to the mansion of Baron Bern Cavendish. She had dazzling blond hair that rippled with gold, and skin as smooth and white as the finest porcelain used only by the Emperors of the Far East. She was eighteen years old, mature for a girl, but young for a virgin. She was Emilia Bern.
Emilia's steps were slow and heavy. It had been like that every time she came here since she had suddenly become the Meyer family's fiancée four years ago.
But she has to go anyway. It's the King's order.
As soon as the engagement was over, the King ordered Emilia to visit a nearby nobleman's mansion to receive lessons in etiquette and bridal lessons. Thanks to this, she had to learn things like how to put down a teacup and how to laugh without making a sound, along with children who pointed at her and called her a commoner.
Four years later, His Majesty the King must have completely forgotten about the commoner girl he had entrusted to him. The letters asking after her well-being and the monthly stipends had long since ceased. Despite this, Emilia never once disobeyed the order to take lessons as a bride once a week.
Cavendish's mansion was located in the heart of Deal Street, a famously affluent area. As the largest and wealthiest house in Erndorf, it was lavishly decorated with famous works of art and beautiful garden trees.
Emilia crossed the wide lawn, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.
The footman came out. He found Emilia, and the guard's smile on his face disappeared. A cold voice followed.
“Please show me your card.”
Emilia took out a piece of paper the size of her palm from her bag. It was a visiting card with the seal of the Meyer family. After handing him the card, he said, “Please wait a moment,” and closed the door. Emilia straightened her back and waited quietly.
Quite a bit of time has passed.
In the meantime, several people knocked on the mansion door like Emilia. But no one was asked to show their visiting cards, and no one waited blankly in front of the door. As they passed right through without any verification, Emilia felt something hot stirring down there.
The door opened at an 'appropriate' time, an ambiguous time that was long for those waiting but short for those who had given permission.
Emilia calmly went inside. Judging from the fact that they didn't openly block her entry, she thought that the seal of the Meyer family must still be in effect.
In the reception room, tea time for the ladies was in full swing. As she was passing by, pretending not to see anyone, someone stopped her. It was Mr. Haspel, the butler.
“Excuse me, Emilia. Can I ask you a favor? That precious tea I got from Ludwig...”
She knew as soon as she saw his troubled face that he was going to ask her to run another errand for him.
The 'precious tea' that Haspel spoke of was difficult to brew. Even a slight mistake in the temperature and amount of water, brewing time, or choosing the right tea utensil could result in a significant loss of taste.
“We have a very important guest from Nowak right now. The hostess is not usually nervous. How about just one more time?”
Haspel was the only person in the mansion who showed Emilia favor.
Even if it was just a 'favor', it was just a greeting and not a strange look, but that alone was something that Emilia was grateful for. That's why she never specifically refused his requests to help him with her expensive car or his master's ledger. It wasn't a particularly difficult task, and she didn't want to turn her back on the last person.
“...Yes, I will help you.”
Instead of going straight to the study as usual, Emilia headed to the kitchen. When she returned to the living room, her hands were full of teapots, teacups, and tea leaves. Her small, delicate hands began to make tea. The ladies were in full conversation.
“I now understand how important sunlight is. While I was here, my sciatica was alleviated. This place is like a hidden treasure.”
The woman was probably an 'important guest' from Nowak, for the rich crenoline-style dress, draped in layers of the finest lace, was something even the landlady, Mrs. Cavendish, could not afford.
“In Thebes, ‘Ern’ means ‘hidden’. So Erndorf is a ‘hidden village’.”
“Oh my, that’s so true!”
The ladies responded enthusiastically. Of course, they probably weren't really interested in the names of the country towns. They probably wanted to get to know the lady somehow.
As the laughter began to build and the awkward silence began to fall, someone spoke.
“Oh, by the way, that kid comes and goes here to take priestly lessons?”
“Who is it?”
“She is the fiancée of the Meyer family.”
Emilia almost dropped the kettle.
“It’s ridiculous to call her fiancée. It’s an engagement in name only. They say that by His Majesty the King’s order, they only meet once a year.”
“But she still comes here regularly? Does she really want to become a nobleman?”
“How shameful. How dare she look down on the mistress of the Duke’s household? What kind of girl is she? Lady Cavendish, you know that.”
Mrs. Cavendish, the mistress of the mansion, raised her teacup to her lips. Her eyes were fixed squarely on Emilia the whole time.
“There’s no need to be curious. She’s just a typical kid. She’s mean, greedy, and has a dark side that’s typical of people who don’t have anything.”
It was something she had experienced countless times over the past four years. It should have been familiar, but Emilia still felt something burning in her chest like wildfire.
“I hate those parents more. Even if the father died a long time ago and there’s nothing we can do, the mother should at least step in and stop her.”
“I heard she's a stepmother?”
Oh my god.
Sighs erupted here and there.
“If that’s the case, then you should stop being so greedy. Trying to sell your child to make a profit is no different from being a pimp.”
Dalgrak.
Emilia's teapot, which had been moving as if a mouse were dead, finally started making noise. Of course, no one paid any attention.
“By the way, what is your name?”
“It’s ‘Emilia.’”
“What is her last name?”
“I think it was either Beaver, Bern, or Berger.”
A few people snickered.
“How old is she? How old is she?”
Emilia completely let go of the teacup.
Why am I standing here? The tea is all brewed, so she will tell Mr. Haspel to do it himself or have another servant do it.
In that moment, a cold voice ran down her spine.
“Hey, can you come here for a bit?”
It was the woman who called Emilia's parents pimps.
“Bring me my hat. It has a green peacock feather on it.”
Emilia turned around and looked straight at the woman.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you bringing it right now?”
“...I will call a maid for you.”
Emilia answered calmly and turned around.
“What? You’re going to call a maid? You’re talking like you’re not a maid. Where did you learn such arrogant behavior?”
“With all due respect, Madam. I am not a maid. As I am not a maid, I have no reason to run personal errands for you.”
“The maid... isn’t she? Then why are you here like this?”
Mrs. Cavendish and her daughter are seen looking at each other and smiling faintly. Emilia swallowed a cold sigh and answered.
“The housekeeper here has made a special request. He said no single maid knows how to brew this precious tea from the Ludwig Plateau.”
The woman then realized that the child was not wearing a maid's uniform. But not many nobles would admit to a mistake in front of all their servants.
“Then I guess I’ll have to scold the butler first. How can someone in charge of the villa not be able to hire a proper maid? Mrs. Cavendish, is that okay?”
The woman muttered as she put on her gloves. There was a certain 'arrogance' in her nervous gestures that went beyond simple irritation. There was nothing to gain by pouncing on an opponent who was sharp like a hedgehog. But Emilia couldn't help it.
“It’s not that the butler is incompetent. It’s just that there aren’t enough women to work as maids in Erndorf.”
For a moment, the woman's body stopped, then resumed its graceful movements.
“Oh my, what an interesting child. Anyone who sees you would think you are a noblewoman. Where did you learn to speak like that?”
A look of contempt fills her eyes as she looks up and down at her shabby attire.
“These days, all common women are like that. They sing songs about equality, but they also avoid the job of a maid, calling it lowly. And then they walk around with their voices raised like they’re some kind of noble lady.”
“You have such a simple view of the world. Do you think that ‘common women’ avoid maids simply because the work is ‘lowly’?”
The mockery disappeared from the woman's face. Her eyes grew cold, and her mouth opened slowly. Emilia continued speaking calmly.
“A textile factory has recently opened near here. The daily wage there is twice that of a maid. So everyone is moving to the factory to work. That is called a ‘reasonable and free choice.’ It is as natural a choice as the ladies coming to Erndorf to take a vacation to avoid the rainy season.”
The ladies who were watching froze with their teacups in their hands, and the woman began to turn red as charcoal. The one who was about to scold her suddenly got scolded, so all that came out was a surge of shame.
“You... what the hell are you?!”
The woman finally screamed.
“Are you asking for my name right now?”
Her cold, piercing eyes looked at the ladies calmly and detachedly.
“This is Bern.”
Emilia's gaze was fixed on the Cavendish mother and daughter.
“I’m not Beaver. I’m definitely not Beger, which means beggar. My name is Bern, Emilia Bern, to be exact.”
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