Episode 10 - The Enlightened Princess's National Gymnastics
The appointment with the Marquis's daughter, Bianca Drua, was at a teahouse on the Imperial Palace aristocratic street. As Martha stepped out of the carriage with Lucy, she looked up at the teahouse sign. It was a famous teahouse in high society—a place where noble ladies gathered to chat. Martha knew this teahouse. She had followed Serena a few times before. Back then, she had just stood at the back, but this time, she had to go inside. Martha straightened her shoulders. She opened the door and stepped inside.
Bianca Drua had already arrived. She was sitting by the window. Her dress was splendid. Her headpiece was exquisite. Her posture was textbook-perfect. She was the same age as Serena. Martha looked at her face. She was a pretty girl. Her eyes were large, and her nose was sharp. Her lips were thin. As soon as those thin lips saw Martha, they curled up slightly. It was a sneer. 'She's acting like this as soon as I arrive, that bitch,' Martha thought calmly as she walked over and sat down opposite her.
“Daughter of the Marquis.”
The tea was served. Bianca picked up the teacup. At that moment, Martha's eyes fell upon her. Bianca was holding the handle slightly off. Her little finger was raised too high. It was a common mistake in aristocratic tea ceremony etiquette. Martha had been correcting it for decades. Her body reacted first.
"Miss."
Bianca raised her eyebrows.
"You shouldn't hold the teacup like that."
Bianca froze.
“...What is it?”
Martha held up her teacup and showed it.
"Raising your little finger like that is against proper etiquette. You are supposed to hold the handle with your thumb and index finger and let the rest hang naturally."
Bianca was speechless.
"Are you teaching me right now because I don't know the proper rules?"
"It’s not because you don't know it, but it must have become a habit. If you learn it wrong when you’re young, it’s hard to correct later. It doesn’t look good for the young lady of the Marquis de Drua to hold a teacup like that."
Bianca slowly put the teacup down and picked it up again. This time in the right way, Martha watched and quietly clapped three times and gave a thumbs up. Then she picked up the cup and drank the tea. Bianca looked at Martha with a bewildered expression.
"Princess Valois taught me how to hold a teacup."
“You’re good at it.”
“...Is this a compliment?”
“Just the facts.”
After taking sips of tea, Bianca got down to business.
"I'll be honest."
"Right."
"I saw everything the Princess did at the last banquet."
“What am I doing?”
"Snacking on food, talking back to a noblewoman, and even grabbing Prince Leon's arm. Is that your strategy? To get attention?"
Martha drank tea.
"No."
“Then what is it?”
"The pie was delicious, I corrected the lady because she said something wrong, and I was worried because Prince Leon was too thin."
Bianca saw Martha.
"Is that true? Is that the only reason?"
"There's no reason to lie."
Bianca looked at Martha for a moment and let out a snicker.
"That's absurd. To think you were worried because Prince Leon was so thin..."
“Didn’t it work?”
"Do you know who that person is? The most important in the Imperial Kingdom..."
"Everyone is skinny."
Bianca stopped speaking. Martha picked up a cookie and ate it. Bianca watched her and spoke.
"You haven't forgotten that the Princess had your engagement broken off, have you? And that too publicly; it was a total disgrace in high society."
"I know."
"Are you acting so nonchalant knowing that?"
"I’m indeed embarrassed, but that’s not my whole self."
Bianca looked at Martha. Martha spoke while chewing on a cookie.
"I brought it all upon myself—the broken engagement, the debt, the social outcast. If I hide it out of shame, will it disappear? It won't. Then it's better to just live with it."
Bianca remained silent for a moment. Martha added as she picked up her teacup.
"If Miss Bianca was trying to provoke me with that, I don't feel particularly guilty. Because I already know that."
Bianca's eyebrows went up.
"Are you saying you were trying to scratch it?"
"No?"
Bianca fell silent. Martha drank her tea. So this was the way this young lady used to treat Serena in the past. Touching her vulnerabilities to gauge her reaction. Digging deeper if she flared up, pushing harder if she cowered—Martha had watched that method from the sidelines for over fifty years. But it didn't work on Martha. It was true that it was a vulnerability, but it didn't hurt. Because it was something she already knew. Bianca attempted a second attack.
"How much was the family light again? Just gold in name only?"
"That's right."
"You know where all of that came from, right?"
"I know. I wrote it."
"Aren't you ashamed?"
Martha saw Bianca.
"It's embarrassing. But I don't have time to just sit around feeling ashamed. Because I'm in the process of paying it back right now."
Bianca paused for a moment.
"You're saying you're paying it back?"
"Negotiations have already concluded with three out of the five creditors."
"...Negotiation?"
"There are places that have lowered interest rates, extended maturities, and released collateral. Hasn't the rumor reached there yet? I heard the Imperial family knows about it."
Bianca looked at Martha. For the first time, it was a look that was not mocking. It was a look trying to figure something out.
"Did you mean the Princess did that yourself?"
"Together with butler Maxim."
"The Princess of Valois goes around meeting creditors in person? That's ridiculous..."
"Because there is no one to do it for me."
Bianca picked up the teacup and put it down.
"The Princess... You're quite a strange woman."
Martha said as she picked up the cookies.
“I listen to it often.”
The third attack was by Leon.
"Then, what are you going to do with Prince Leon?"
“How?”
"You broke off your engagement, you know. But I saw you grab his arm at the banquet. Are you trying to get back together?"
Martha thought for a moment as she heard the question.
"No"
“Then what is it?”
"He just looked skinny."
Bianca looked at Martha, then closed and opened her eyes.
"...Is that really all?"
“Everything.”
"Is that how you should treat someone you broke off an engagement with?"
"Taking care of a skinny person's meals has nothing to do with breaking off the engagement."
Bianca looked at Martha for a moment. Then she shook her head.
"I don't understand."
“What is it?”
“Princess.”
Bianca said while crossing her arms.
"I thought you would get defensive when I brought up breaking off the engagement. Even when I mentioned the debt, you didn't seem to feel guilty at all."
"It stings, but I'm not showing it."
"Why?"
Martha said as she took a sip of tea.
"It takes too much energy to get worked up every time I get pricked. It's better to use that energy to pay off my debts."
Bianca looked at Martha. She looked at her for a long time. Her gaze was different from when Martha first entered. It was a look of neither mockery nor scrutiny. It was a look of realizing something.
"I thought you were a strange woman."
"That's right, it's strange."
"You were an even stranger woman."
Martha said as she picked up the cookies.
"Stop talking nonsense and try some snacks. The snacks here are delicious."
Bianca looked at Martha, picked up a cookie, and ate it. She chewed for a moment and then spoke.
"...It's delicious."
“Right?”
Bianca looked out the window while chewing on a cookie. Martha looked out the window too. Carriages passed by on the aristocratic street. For a while, the two ate their cookies in silence. Bianca spoke first.
"Will we see each other again?"
"If there is business."
"We can just do business."
Martha looked at Bianca. Bianca spoke while looking out the window.
"I have information about high society. The Princess has a family background, and we might be useful to each other, don't you think?"
Martha thought as she listened. Bianca Drua. She was a child with a sharp tongue, who picked fights and made people uncomfortable. But there was something beneath it all. Martha sensed it. She had an eye for people she had observed for a long time. This child wasn't entirely a bad person.
"I'll think about it."
On the way out of the teahouse, Lucy pressed herself close beside Martha.
"My Lady."
"Why?"
"Did you correct Lady Bianca's way of holding the teacup?"
“She's holding it wrong.”
"Did you just stay still?"
“I fixed it.”
Lucy paused for a moment before speaking.
"I still can't believe the Princess taught her."
"Holding the teacup is basic."
"I heard everything she said to the Princess. Aren't you angry?"
Martha said as she walked toward the carriage.
"There was nothing to be angry about. Because everything she said was right."
Lucy said as she followed.
"Still, she's being so blatantly sarcastic..."
"Lucy."
"Yes."
"The train keeps going even if the dog barks."
Lucy stopped.
"... Yes?"
"I just need to go my own way, regardless of irrelevant noise. That's all."
It seemed to take Lucy some time to accept those words. Even after getting into the carriage, she wore a thoughtful expression for a while.
It was late afternoon when she returned to the mansion. Martha entered her room, changed into her dress, and sat by the window. The garden was visible outside. Bruno was planting something in the flowerbed. It was lavender seedlings. Watching him, Martha stretched out her arm. It went up. There was no obstruction.
Ah, right. Marta thought as she felt that sensation. It had been over ten days since she became this body. She had been frantic, settling household affairs, meeting creditors, and running around the mansion, yet she hadn't been able to properly utilize the youth of this body. Martha rose from her seat.
She stretched her arms out once more. Her shoulders rotated to both sides. It felt refreshing. In eighty years, her shoulders had never rotated like this. She bent over. Her fingertips touched the floor. Good heavens, Martha held that position for a while as she watched her fingertips touch the ground. For eighty years, bending over had always limited her range to below her knees. She had taken that for granted. But now, her palms were flat against the floor. As she slowly stood up, Martha thought, 'It would be a loss not to use this.'
Six o'clock the next morning. Martha came out into the front yard of the mansion and called the servants.
"There's more to come."
Lucy came out rubbing her eyes.
"Princess, what time is it?"
"Six a.m."
"Why are you telling everyone to come out?"
“I’m going to exercise.”
Lucy froze.
“Exercise?”
"Morning workout, I need to get moving."
In the meantime, the employees came out into the yard one by one. They had sleepy faces.
Bruno, Helena, Karl, the laundry maids, and even the coachman John. Everyone looked at Martha with bewildered expressions. Martha stood in front and spoke.
"I need to loosen up my body every morning. My body gets stiff from repeating the same movements while working, so we're going to do this together for a little while every morning."
Silence fell. Karl cautiously raised his hand.
“Us?”
"Right"
“All of us too?”
“Everyone.”
Silence fell again. Martha, undeterred, began to raise her arms.
"Follow me. Raise your arms to the sides and draw a big circle. Slowly."
No one moved. Martha swung her arm widely by herself.
“Why don’t you do it?”
Lucy awkwardly raised her arm. She turned it slightly. Helena, standing beside her, looked at Lucy, then at Martha, and then awkwardly raised her arm as well. The laundry maid standing nearby followed suit. One by one, two by two, until eventually all the servants standing in the courtyard were raising their arms and forming a circle. Watching the scene, Martha spoke.
"You're doing well. This time, in the opposite direction."
After about ten minutes, Maxim came out. Maxim saw the employees standing in line in the yard, swinging their arms. Then he saw Martha directing from the front. Maxim stopped and watched the scene for a while. Martha spotted Maxim.
"Butler Maxim does it too."
Maxim stopped.
"Me too?"
"You need to take care of your body as you get older. If you don't move, it breaks down in no time."
Maxim looked at Martha for a moment, then quietly went and stood at the end of the line. He raised his arm. He could see Lucy trying to suppress a small laugh next to Maxim. Martha pretended not to see.
"This time, move your waist from side to side, slowly, and without straining."
The entire staff began swaying their hips from side to side. The courtyard was quiet until Helena was heard whispering to the maid next to her... "What on earth is going on?" The maid giggled softly. Martha pretended not to hear and continued stretching. The morning exercise was over, and the staff dispersed. Lucy followed beside Martha and spoke.
“Princess.”
"Why?"
“Do we do it every day from today?”
"Yes."
"...Can't I sleep a little longer tomorrow morning?"
"No."
Lucy slumped her shoulders. As Martha entered the mansion, she looked at the garden. She saw the flowerbed where Bruno had planted lavender seedlings. Next to it, a wide lawn stretched out. Martha looked at the grass. 'I should try running.' Yesterday, she had confirmed that her fingertips touched the ground. This morning, as she turned her horse, her shoulders rotated smoothly. Then, running... Martha impulsively turned toward the garden instead of the mansion.
Lucy said as she followed.
"Lady, where are you going?"
"For a moment."
Martha stood on the grass. And she ran. She stamped her foot lightly. There was cushioning. Her foot bounced up. She landed. It didn't hurt. Martha stopped for a moment, then ran again. This time, running faster, she ran to the end of the garden. She stopped. She was a little out of breath. Yet, it didn't hurt. Her knees didn't hurt. Her ankles didn't hurt.
Good heavens. Martha stood there, catching her breath, staring blankly. She had run, yet it didn't hurt. It had been thirty years. No, it had been longer than that. She couldn't even remember when or what the last time was that she had run like this. Lucy came running over.
"My Lady! Why are you suddenly running!"
Martha looked at Lucy. Something filled her eyes. It wasn't tears. It was just a lump. She hadn't known that running without getting hurt would be this overwhelming. Martha raised her head and looked at the sky. It was blue. Oh my, being young really is great.
Edward said as he entered the dinner table.
"The employees were doing something in the yard this morning."
Martha said as she scooped up the soup.
“Morning exercise.”
Edward looked at Martha as he pulled out a chair.
“Morning exercise?”
"Your body gets stiff if you keep repeating the same movements. It's just to loosen up for a little while every morning."
"Call all the employees?"
"It works better when we do it together."
Edward looked at Martha for a moment as he sat down, then picked up the soup.
"Weird."
“What is it?”
"The fact that Serena takes care of the employees' morning exercise."
"It's not strange. It's only natural."
Edward said while eating soup.
"Why are you only doing that now?"
"If it's too late, you can still do it now."
Edward looked at Martha as he picked up the bread.
“Serena.”
"Why?"
"Do you really beat around the bush like that when you ask for something? There's a reason you started your morning workout, isn't there? Just say it."
Martha looked at Edward for a moment and spoke.
"Then... can you teach me some swordsmanship?"
Edward stopped.
"Swordsmanship?"
"Yeah. And I want to ride a horse too."
Edward saw Martha.
"...Why suddenly?"
"I feel like I should use my body while I can."
Edward looked at Martha for a while. He had a strange expression. It was an expression that said he couldn't imagine Serena wanting to learn swordsmanship or ride a horse. Martha ate her soup while receiving that gaze. Edward spoke.
"Both swordsmanship and horsemanship?"
"Yes."
"When?"
“After morning exercise.”
Edward looked at Martha as he put the bread down. Then he let out a snicker. Martha looked at Edward. He was laughing. It was a laugh of disbelief, but it wasn't a bad laugh.
"Serena said she would learn swordsmanship."
"Why, is it strange?"
"It's strange. But it's fun."
Martha looked at Edward.
"I'll do both swordsmanship and horsemanship for you."
"Thank you."
"Instead, I’m going to teach you for real. I won’t teach you just to imitate."
"Of course I have to learn it properly."
Edward looked at Martha, then went back to eating his soup. A moment later, he muttered to himself.
"Serena said she would learn swordsmanship."
"You just said that."
"I wanted to do it one more time."
Martha said as she picked up the fruit.
"It's strange, too, brother."
Edward smirked again. Evening was setting outside the window. Martha sat beside him, quietly eating fruit and thinking. She had to exercise tomorrow morning again. She had to deal with two creditors. A repairman had to come too. There was a lot to do. But she ran today, and it didn't hurt. That alone was enough.
Oh my, this body is really great. Martha laughed to herself.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 10]
There were many things today as well.
Shock No. 1: We met the Marquis's daughter, Bianca Drua. She thrust everything at the Princess—broken engagement, debt, social outcast—but the Princess wasn't stung by a single thing. On the contrary, she said, "It takes too much energy to get angry every time I get stung." Miss Bianca was speechless.
Shock No. 2: Miss Bianca corrected how she held her teacup. The Princess. By "that person." "That person" corrected it. That was the biggest shock.
Shock No. 3: As she left the teahouse, she said, "The train keeps going even if the dogs bark." I feel like I understand what she means, yet I also don't.
Shock No. 4: This morning at six, she called all the servants out to the yard for morning exercises. I did, too. Butler Maxim did, too. Mr. Bruno did, too. We all rotated our arms together. I never thought a day like this would come in this mansion.
Shock No. 5: After the exercise, the Princess suddenly ran in the garden. All the way to the end of the garden. Then she stopped and looked up at the sky. That expression strangely weighed on my mind.
It was an expression that seemed happy, yet also like she was about to cry.
Shock No. 6: In the evening, she asked the Young Master to teach her swordsmanship and horseback riding. The Young Master looked bewildered at first, but then said, "This is interesting," and agreed to teach her
The young master smiled.
The young master smiled twice today.
This house is changing.
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