At the sudden shout, Sir Delpiano flinched and stretched his neck like a giraffe. He asked cautiously.
“Why, why are you doing this, Marquis?”
“No matter how good power is, there are things that humans cannot do!”
The enraged Marquis of Colonna turned his gaze northward toward the capital he had fled.
“Do you know what has happened to Count Morosini now?!”
Morosini... Morosini... Sir Delpiano desperately searched his mind.
What happened to the Morosini family... Ah!
Sir Delpiano said cautiously, his face filled with a look of socially learned regret.
“The eldest son passed away...”
“Do you know why he died?”
Sir Delpiano, who remembered belatedly, struck his forehead. The eldest son of the Morosini family, the lords of San Carlo, had jumped from the top of the mansion and taken his own life.
It was due to withdrawal symptoms that occurred while smoking tobacco sold by Ippolito, who had been banished from the de Mare family. This is absolutely unacceptable in the Jesak Church, which believes that those who commit suicide cannot be reincarnated.
The Marquis of Colonna shouted again.
“Count Morosini’s house is still a haunted house, a haunted house!”
Having lost her son, who had a bright future, Countess Morosini went from monastery to monastery like a madwoman, donating large sums of money to each one, begging for forgiveness for her son's sins.
Not only that, but she also stayed in the monastery, fasting and praying for months, sometimes even two. This trip south also wasn't enough to keep up with the fasting and prayer schedule. The Countess's health was also in dire straits.
Count Morosini was heartbroken at the sight of his wife, kneeling on the cold stone floor, withered like a thorn, and praying endlessly for her son's reincarnation.
When his wife became like that after his son, even the Count, the head of the Morosini family, became pale and locked himself in the house.
“If I give my daughter to that criminal’s sister as a maid, how will the Morosini family look in the future?”
If he had known Count Morosini and the Marquis Colonna were this close, he wouldn't have come here today. Sir Delpiano's spine tingled.
Sir Delpiano licked his dry lips. Why are these people secretly cultivating friendships instead of being openly friendly?
“Get out of here! Don’t come back to me like this again!”
Sir Delpiano stood up quietly from his seat without making a sound.
Isabella had too many enemies.
There were instances, like the one with Count Morosini, where people were beaten through no fault of their own, but there was no need to feel wronged. The public's dislike of Isabella was largely due to her own karma.
“Are you the maid of the Countess Contarini?”
Sir Delpiano had traveled to all the noble families without any success. But he couldn't return empty-handed. He turned his attention to the Viscounts and Barons.
However, things weren't always smooth sailing. San Carlo's social circles were too tangled.
“Oh my... In our family’s situation, it would be great if our daughter could become a court lady, but...”
Sir Delpiano, who had Baroness Giordini seated in front of him, gritted his teeth with a desperate resolve.
“That’s right. Isn’t this just right?”
Royal women are usually referred to as Queens, Princesses, Crown Princesses, and princes.
The lowest title among them was 'Principessa', and they did not accept as maids the daughters of families much lower in rank than their own.
“I may be presumptuous to ask, but it is not often that an opportunity like this comes down to the daughter of a Count.”
It was unprecedented for all the above-listed positions to be vacant, with the only royal women being the Grand Duchess, the King's mistress, and the consort of an uninvested Prince.
It was clear to see Isabella's frustration if she couldn't take the young lady of the Countess' family.
It was customary for a maid to bring in someone of lower status than herself. What could Isabella possibly grumble about? She was only a Countess.
“If you just enter the palace, your life can change.”
Baroness Giordini's eyes briefly flashed with greed. Lord Delpiano didn't miss it.
“Isn’t the King’s court a place where the impossible becomes possible?”
He whispered in a tone that seemed to sweetly charm the other person. Sir Delpiano had a good voice. His voice.
Courtiers—the noble men who gathered in the palace to discuss the affairs of the King and the nation, and who served as companions for the King or his successor—were generally considered prime husband candidates. To attain such positions, one had to be of an exceptionally distinguished family or possess exceptional individual talent.
The court ladies who assisted the royal women were constantly in contact with them. Small banquets hosted by the King, banquets with large groups of guests, and the card games played by the heir and his close courtiers after a drink in private—all were activities too unseemly for men to engage in alone.
The court ladies' maids were always in the company of the courtiers, the King's entourage, their sons', or their successors' entourage.
In such a situation, the absurd happened: the heir to a ducal family and the daughter of a Viscount fell in love. While it may seem impossible to conventional wisdom, the hormonal chemistry of youth is far more powerful than any social norm.
If the Duke's family calls a girl and gives her a dirty look because her status is not right, the mistress served by that maid will become a problem again.
When the maid he cherished pressured the Duke's family by saying that she was so lacking in the Duke's household and that his judgment of people was only that narrow, the disgruntled Duchess and the Duke, who wanted to see a wonderful grandchild by marrying his son to his friend's daughter, had no choice but to bow down.
This is unimaginable in a marriage arranged through a typical matchmaker.
In short, countless opportunities opened up for court ladies. The court was a place where unimaginable things happened, and serving a royal lady was the fastest way to enter that court.
Sir Delpiano worked hard to persuade Baroness Giordini.
“I feel embarrassed to bring up the topic of someone else’s old family, but wasn’t the old Marchioness of Montefeltro also an apprentice maid when Queen Dowager Adelaide was Queen?”
The late Queen Dowager Adelaide was the mother of the current King, Leo III. Originally the daughter of a Baron, the 15-year-old Marchioness of Montefeltro secured the position of apprentice maid of honor to the Queen with the help of her maternal cousins, the Duke of Pisano. Her quick wit quickly won her the Queen's affections.
“Yes, she married the Marquis of Montefeltro, whom she met at court...”
And she successfully seduced the heir of the Marquis of Montefeltro, using her bright, bubbly charm to the fullest extent. It was hard to imagine that the fastidious old Marquis was, at the time, a young man blinded by love.
Now, time has passed, and it is a story that everyone has forgotten because it is so different from their current image, but at the time, it was an incident that was talked about as a life-changing drama.
“A marriage made out of love is... special.”
Baroness Giordini, who knew full well that the old Marquis of Montefeltro and his wife were not a very happy couple, had a little trouble finishing her sentence.
Greed was aroused. But such luck would only come if you waited and see whether it would happen, and the disadvantages of sending her daughter to be Isabella's maid were certain.
"Her Grace the Marchioness de Montefeltro, on her mother's side, was of excellent blood. It's not something you should bring to an ordinary family like ours."
Sir Delpiano was perplexed. Is there something that can overcome greed?
Baroness Giordini began to explain the real reason to the King's secretary with an embarrassed expression.
“My family’s situation right now...”
It's not that she wasn't greedy. But she wasn't the type to rush in solely out of greed.
“Our gentleman is doing some work delivering cheese to the Marquis Cepinelli family...”
Most minor nobles were under the influence of the greater nobles. Not only were there families who openly pledged to serve as their lords, but minor nobles living near a major noble's fiefdom were inevitably connected to him in some way, whether through selling goods or providing manpower.
“If we send our daughter to be Countess Contarini’s maid, it will be a problem for our nobleman.”
It was more like a kind of dependent relationship.
“Isn’t the Marchioness Cepinelli the chief maid of honor to the late Grand Duchess Rubina? We’re certainly aware of that.”
The hope that the daughter will find a son-in-law who will be the last to leave is only a possibility, but making a living is an immediate hardship.
Sir Delpiano, like a professional, didn't even dare ask questions like, 'Did the Marquis de Cepinelli go around threatening people by saying things like that?'
It wasn't the kind of question that could be answered straight away just by asking, and to be honest, hr didn't want to get involved in this anymore.
'If I tell His Majesty the King that the Grand Duchess Rubina is playing tricks on Countess Contarini and that she is unable to hire a maid, it will only cause trouble.'
The next time there was another hair-grabbing incident at the palace, he didn't even want to imagine himself being the one who started it.
If he fails to find a maid, Isabella will only get annoyed with him. But if he gets it wrong, he'll get a bad rap from Grand Duchess Rubina.
Isabella, who hated Sir Delpiano, had no way of saving him from the trouble he was in because of the former Grand Duchess.
Moreover, if Sir Delpiano was going to bet, he would still bet on Grand Duchess Rubina. Isabella, despite her beauty, was too moody to remain a beloved government figure for long.
“I hope you will understand.”
Baroness Giordini bowed her head cautiously. She spoke in a roundabout manner in front of Lord Delpiano, but it wasn't just a matter of being aware of the situation.
As Sir Delpiano suspected, the Marchioness of Cepinelli went around to every social event, openly threatening that she would not tolerate any family that gave their daughter or daughter-in-law to Isabelle de Contarini as a maid.
She subtly appealed to the fact that Rubina was behind her. Incidentally, Rubina had never ordered her to do such a thing.
The Marchioness of Cepinelli, despite not yet knowing that her husband had slept with Isabella, was deeply displeased with Isabella, as was her natural instinct.
She decided to use her newfound influence to vent her frustrations. She sold Rubina's name and happily attacked Isabella.
If this had reached Isabella or Leo III, Rubina would have received the bill. But the Marchioness of Cepinelli hadn't even considered it, and even if it had happened, she wouldn't have been responsible, so she didn't feel any guilt. Rubina was truly unlucky.
“That position isn’t particularly profitable right now, is it?”
Countess Vanedetto blinked.
“Of course, I understand that my daughter doesn’t have many opportunities to become a palace maid.”
She was not a wise woman, but she was quick-witted and clever.
“Our child is so pretty that I’m sure she’ll find a home wherever she goes.”
Considering that the daughter of Countess Vanedetto was on Cesare's list of mistresses in her previous life, it was not an incorrect assessment of her child.
“Why, why are you doing this, Marquis?”
“No matter how good power is, there are things that humans cannot do!”
The enraged Marquis of Colonna turned his gaze northward toward the capital he had fled.
“Do you know what has happened to Count Morosini now?!”
Morosini... Morosini... Sir Delpiano desperately searched his mind.
What happened to the Morosini family... Ah!
Sir Delpiano said cautiously, his face filled with a look of socially learned regret.
“The eldest son passed away...”
“Do you know why he died?”
Sir Delpiano, who remembered belatedly, struck his forehead. The eldest son of the Morosini family, the lords of San Carlo, had jumped from the top of the mansion and taken his own life.
It was due to withdrawal symptoms that occurred while smoking tobacco sold by Ippolito, who had been banished from the de Mare family. This is absolutely unacceptable in the Jesak Church, which believes that those who commit suicide cannot be reincarnated.
The Marquis of Colonna shouted again.
“Count Morosini’s house is still a haunted house, a haunted house!”
Having lost her son, who had a bright future, Countess Morosini went from monastery to monastery like a madwoman, donating large sums of money to each one, begging for forgiveness for her son's sins.
Not only that, but she also stayed in the monastery, fasting and praying for months, sometimes even two. This trip south also wasn't enough to keep up with the fasting and prayer schedule. The Countess's health was also in dire straits.
Count Morosini was heartbroken at the sight of his wife, kneeling on the cold stone floor, withered like a thorn, and praying endlessly for her son's reincarnation.
When his wife became like that after his son, even the Count, the head of the Morosini family, became pale and locked himself in the house.
“If I give my daughter to that criminal’s sister as a maid, how will the Morosini family look in the future?”
If he had known Count Morosini and the Marquis Colonna were this close, he wouldn't have come here today. Sir Delpiano's spine tingled.
Sir Delpiano licked his dry lips. Why are these people secretly cultivating friendships instead of being openly friendly?
“Get out of here! Don’t come back to me like this again!”
Sir Delpiano stood up quietly from his seat without making a sound.
Isabella had too many enemies.
***
There were instances, like the one with Count Morosini, where people were beaten through no fault of their own, but there was no need to feel wronged. The public's dislike of Isabella was largely due to her own karma.
“Are you the maid of the Countess Contarini?”
Sir Delpiano had traveled to all the noble families without any success. But he couldn't return empty-handed. He turned his attention to the Viscounts and Barons.
However, things weren't always smooth sailing. San Carlo's social circles were too tangled.
“Oh my... In our family’s situation, it would be great if our daughter could become a court lady, but...”
Sir Delpiano, who had Baroness Giordini seated in front of him, gritted his teeth with a desperate resolve.
“That’s right. Isn’t this just right?”
Royal women are usually referred to as Queens, Princesses, Crown Princesses, and princes.
The lowest title among them was 'Principessa', and they did not accept as maids the daughters of families much lower in rank than their own.
“I may be presumptuous to ask, but it is not often that an opportunity like this comes down to the daughter of a Count.”
It was unprecedented for all the above-listed positions to be vacant, with the only royal women being the Grand Duchess, the King's mistress, and the consort of an uninvested Prince.
It was clear to see Isabella's frustration if she couldn't take the young lady of the Countess' family.
It was customary for a maid to bring in someone of lower status than herself. What could Isabella possibly grumble about? She was only a Countess.
“If you just enter the palace, your life can change.”
Baroness Giordini's eyes briefly flashed with greed. Lord Delpiano didn't miss it.
“Isn’t the King’s court a place where the impossible becomes possible?”
He whispered in a tone that seemed to sweetly charm the other person. Sir Delpiano had a good voice. His voice.
Courtiers—the noble men who gathered in the palace to discuss the affairs of the King and the nation, and who served as companions for the King or his successor—were generally considered prime husband candidates. To attain such positions, one had to be of an exceptionally distinguished family or possess exceptional individual talent.
The court ladies who assisted the royal women were constantly in contact with them. Small banquets hosted by the King, banquets with large groups of guests, and the card games played by the heir and his close courtiers after a drink in private—all were activities too unseemly for men to engage in alone.
The court ladies' maids were always in the company of the courtiers, the King's entourage, their sons', or their successors' entourage.
In such a situation, the absurd happened: the heir to a ducal family and the daughter of a Viscount fell in love. While it may seem impossible to conventional wisdom, the hormonal chemistry of youth is far more powerful than any social norm.
If the Duke's family calls a girl and gives her a dirty look because her status is not right, the mistress served by that maid will become a problem again.
When the maid he cherished pressured the Duke's family by saying that she was so lacking in the Duke's household and that his judgment of people was only that narrow, the disgruntled Duchess and the Duke, who wanted to see a wonderful grandchild by marrying his son to his friend's daughter, had no choice but to bow down.
This is unimaginable in a marriage arranged through a typical matchmaker.
In short, countless opportunities opened up for court ladies. The court was a place where unimaginable things happened, and serving a royal lady was the fastest way to enter that court.
Sir Delpiano worked hard to persuade Baroness Giordini.
“I feel embarrassed to bring up the topic of someone else’s old family, but wasn’t the old Marchioness of Montefeltro also an apprentice maid when Queen Dowager Adelaide was Queen?”
The late Queen Dowager Adelaide was the mother of the current King, Leo III. Originally the daughter of a Baron, the 15-year-old Marchioness of Montefeltro secured the position of apprentice maid of honor to the Queen with the help of her maternal cousins, the Duke of Pisano. Her quick wit quickly won her the Queen's affections.
“Yes, she married the Marquis of Montefeltro, whom she met at court...”
And she successfully seduced the heir of the Marquis of Montefeltro, using her bright, bubbly charm to the fullest extent. It was hard to imagine that the fastidious old Marquis was, at the time, a young man blinded by love.
Now, time has passed, and it is a story that everyone has forgotten because it is so different from their current image, but at the time, it was an incident that was talked about as a life-changing drama.
“A marriage made out of love is... special.”
Baroness Giordini, who knew full well that the old Marquis of Montefeltro and his wife were not a very happy couple, had a little trouble finishing her sentence.
Greed was aroused. But such luck would only come if you waited and see whether it would happen, and the disadvantages of sending her daughter to be Isabella's maid were certain.
"Her Grace the Marchioness de Montefeltro, on her mother's side, was of excellent blood. It's not something you should bring to an ordinary family like ours."
Sir Delpiano was perplexed. Is there something that can overcome greed?
Baroness Giordini began to explain the real reason to the King's secretary with an embarrassed expression.
“My family’s situation right now...”
It's not that she wasn't greedy. But she wasn't the type to rush in solely out of greed.
“Our gentleman is doing some work delivering cheese to the Marquis Cepinelli family...”
Most minor nobles were under the influence of the greater nobles. Not only were there families who openly pledged to serve as their lords, but minor nobles living near a major noble's fiefdom were inevitably connected to him in some way, whether through selling goods or providing manpower.
“If we send our daughter to be Countess Contarini’s maid, it will be a problem for our nobleman.”
It was more like a kind of dependent relationship.
“Isn’t the Marchioness Cepinelli the chief maid of honor to the late Grand Duchess Rubina? We’re certainly aware of that.”
The hope that the daughter will find a son-in-law who will be the last to leave is only a possibility, but making a living is an immediate hardship.
Sir Delpiano, like a professional, didn't even dare ask questions like, 'Did the Marquis de Cepinelli go around threatening people by saying things like that?'
It wasn't the kind of question that could be answered straight away just by asking, and to be honest, hr didn't want to get involved in this anymore.
'If I tell His Majesty the King that the Grand Duchess Rubina is playing tricks on Countess Contarini and that she is unable to hire a maid, it will only cause trouble.'
The next time there was another hair-grabbing incident at the palace, he didn't even want to imagine himself being the one who started it.
If he fails to find a maid, Isabella will only get annoyed with him. But if he gets it wrong, he'll get a bad rap from Grand Duchess Rubina.
Isabella, who hated Sir Delpiano, had no way of saving him from the trouble he was in because of the former Grand Duchess.
Moreover, if Sir Delpiano was going to bet, he would still bet on Grand Duchess Rubina. Isabella, despite her beauty, was too moody to remain a beloved government figure for long.
“I hope you will understand.”
Baroness Giordini bowed her head cautiously. She spoke in a roundabout manner in front of Lord Delpiano, but it wasn't just a matter of being aware of the situation.
As Sir Delpiano suspected, the Marchioness of Cepinelli went around to every social event, openly threatening that she would not tolerate any family that gave their daughter or daughter-in-law to Isabelle de Contarini as a maid.
She subtly appealed to the fact that Rubina was behind her. Incidentally, Rubina had never ordered her to do such a thing.
The Marchioness of Cepinelli, despite not yet knowing that her husband had slept with Isabella, was deeply displeased with Isabella, as was her natural instinct.
She decided to use her newfound influence to vent her frustrations. She sold Rubina's name and happily attacked Isabella.
If this had reached Isabella or Leo III, Rubina would have received the bill. But the Marchioness of Cepinelli hadn't even considered it, and even if it had happened, she wouldn't have been responsible, so she didn't feel any guilt. Rubina was truly unlucky.
***
“That position isn’t particularly profitable right now, is it?”
Countess Vanedetto blinked.
“Of course, I understand that my daughter doesn’t have many opportunities to become a palace maid.”
She was not a wise woman, but she was quick-witted and clever.
“Our child is so pretty that I’m sure she’ll find a home wherever she goes.”
Considering that the daughter of Countess Vanedetto was on Cesare's list of mistresses in her previous life, it was not an incorrect assessment of her child.
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