Episode 22. Only a 30 percent refund for a departed carriage ticket
It was morning when the letter from Leon arrived. Martha sat in the study and opened the envelope. There were two pages. The first page contained additional information regarding the Golden Lion Merchant Guild. The details, confirmed by the Duke of Ashford through internal channels of the Imperial Palace, were neatly organized.
Martha skimmed through it and took notes. She already knew that the income leakage of the Baron Kaiser and Viscount Lint families had started before Valois. However, what was confirmed this time was that the estate managers of those two families had entered through the same route as Felix Holm. Through a staffing agency connected to the Golden Lion Merchant Guild.
Martha underlined that part and thought, 'A staffing agency.' On the surface, it was an ordinary estate manager placement agency. Yet, the managers sent by that agency were all doing the same job. Diluting estate income and sending it to the Golden Lion Merchant Guild. It was systematic. Too systematic.
Martha finished taking notes and turned to the second page. It was also about the Golden Lion Merchant Guild. The guild's list of major clients. Status of supply contracts for the Imperial Palace. And.
Marta stopped reading. It was the very end of the letter. There was a slight gap between it and the main text. In terms of content, it was a sentence written a line after the story about the Golden Lion Merchant Guild had concluded.
"I apologize, even now, for the disgrace caused by breaking off the engagement."
That was all. There was no explanation. There was no context before or after. That single sentence was simply attached after the information about the Golden Lion Merchant Guild.
Martha looked at the sentence and let out a snort. Hmph. Do you think asking for a refund on a carriage that has already departed means they'll give you the money back? The carriage is gone, and the ticket is already used. Does sending a single sentence of apology make everything go smoothly? Just think how much pain Miss Serena must have suffered. You can't change that in an instant.
She understood Leon's position, too. It might be different if they weren't going to see each other, but meeting as representative nobles of the Emperor's faction and running into each other at various imperial events must have been uncomfortable. But who cares? I'm not so idle as to worry about those kids' love games.
Martha folded the letter and placed it on one side of the desk. She lowered her gaze back to the memo. The information regarding the Golden Lion Merchant Guild was more important. It was in the afternoon, when she had briefly looked up after staring at documents all morning, that Lucy knocked on the study door.
"Princess."
"What is it?"
"Guests have arrived in the drawing room."
Martha looked at Lucy.
"Who?"
Lucy asked.
"Miss Bianca Drua and Miss Lily Muller."
Martha paused.
"Both of them together?"
"Yes. They went shopping and ran into each other at the same shop. They said they came suddenly because they wanted to see you, Princess."
Martha remained silent for a moment. Then, closing the documents, she said.
"Even so, when young ladies of noble birth visit someone else's house, they should at least send a letter beforehand."
Lucy nodded. As Martha rose from her seat, she said.
"I'm going to go find those young ladies and give them a piece of my mind. This won't do."
Lucy followed her, saying.
"Are you going to do that?"
"Of course."
Lucy looked at Martha for a moment and spoke.
"Princess."
"What is it?"
"Your pace has quickened. Your face looks healthy too."
Martha stopped. Lucy looked at Martha. Martha stood still, caught her breath, and smoothed out the folds in her skirt with her hands. Then, slowing her pace, she said.
"I haven't quickened."
"You have."
"Never mind."
As she went down the stairs, Martha thought to herself, 'It is good to see you.' When she entered the drawing room, Bianca and Lily were sitting on the sofa. As soon as Bianca saw Martha, she spoke. Lily rose from her seat and said.
"Princess, I am sorry I came so suddenly."
Martha looked back and forth between the two and said.
"Even so, you should have contacted us in advance. How dare you barge into a noble's house without any notice? There should be some manners."
Bianca said.
"I suddenly wanted to see you, what can I do?"
"If you suddenly wanted to see me, you should have sent a letter first."
"If I sent a letter and came back, it wouldn't be sudden."
Martha looked at Bianca. Bianca said, slightly avoiding her gaze.
"...I'll send it next time."
Martha looked at Lily. Lily bowed her head and said.
"I'll contact you in advance next time, too."
Martha watched the two of them, then sat down on the sofa opposite them and said,
"It's fine. I'm here."
Then she looked at Lucy.
"Have you eaten?"
Lucy looked at Bianca and Lily. Bianca said.
"I ate before shopping."
Lily said.
"Me too."
Martha said to Lucy.
"Ask Helena to bring something. Something to eat."
Lucy went out. Bianca looked at Martha and said.
"I said you ate."
"How long has it been since you ate?"
"About two hours?"
"Then you must be feeling a bit peckish."
Bianca fell silent. Lily held out what she was holding beside her.
"Princess, here."
It was a small box. Martha took it and looked at it.
"What is this?"
"It's a gift. I bought it on the way."
Martha opened the box. It was a necklace. A small pendant hung from a slender chain. It wasn't flashy. It was neat. It was the kind of style Martha would likely like. Martha looked at it. Bianca spoke from beside her.
"I bought one too."
She was holding a small envelope in her hand. Handing it to Martha, she said.
"It's earrings I picked out a size that fits your ears, Princess."
Martha opened the envelope. It was a pair of small silver earrings. As expected, they were neat and quiet. Martha looked back and forth between the necklace and the earrings. Then she looked at Lily and Bianca. Both of them were looking at Martha. Lily had an expectant look in her eyes, wondering what the reaction would be, while Bianca was looking elsewhere, subtly gauging Martha's mood. Martha watched them for a moment, then said.
"Thank you."
Lily's face lit up. Bianca, still looking elsewhere, said.
"Well, as long as you like it, that's all that matters."
Only then did Bianca look at Martha. Her expression was strangely satisfied. Helena brought tea and snacks. The three of them sat down and talked while drinking tea. Lily picked up her teacup and said.
"Princess."
"What is it?"
"When you danced with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Martha looked at Lily.
"How was it? Were you scared?"
Marta picked up a cookie and said.
"I wasn't scared."
"It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"Even if it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, if he steps on your foot, you should say so."
Lily said, trying to hold back her laughter.
"He stepped on it three times."
"I was stepped on three times."
"Didn't you tell him?"
"I did."
Lily looked at Marta.
"To His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should know if his foot is stepped on."
Bianca, who had been holding it in beside her, burst out laughing.
"How many people in this Empire would actually tell His Royal Highness the Crown Prince directly that he stepped on their foot!"
It was laughter. Bianca laughed heartily. Martha ate her cookie while watching that laughter. Bianca calmed her laughter and said.
"You know, after the Imperial party ended, rumors are going around among the nobles."
Martha looked at Bianca
"What?"
"A dance battle."
Martha stopped.
"A dance battle?"
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince vs. Princess Valois, a dance battle. The result is a landslide victory for Princess Valois."
Lily bowed her head, trying to suppress her laughter. Martha accepted the remark for a moment, then said.
"It wasn't a battle."
"I guess that's how it looked to those around us."
"I just said his foot got stepped on three times."
"But in the end, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ran away."
"He didn't run away; he just moved to a different spot."
Bianca laughed again. Martha picked up another snack and said.
"Why, shall I teach you two some dance moves?"
Bianca stopped laughing. Lily looked at Martha. Martha said.
"Making His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's foot get stepped on isn't hard. You just need to know how to keep the beat. Stand up, since I'm here, I'll teach both of you some dance moves."
Bianca stood up and said.
"I think I should be heading now."
Lily stood up as well.
"Me too. I had dinner plans tonight."
Martha looked at the two of them.
"You weren't here just a moment ago, promise."
Bianca turned away. Lily bowed her head and said.
"Then I'll come again next time, Princess."
Bianca said to Martha.
"Me too."
"Next time, send the letter first before you come. Otherwise, I'll start dancing as soon as I get back."
"I'll send it and come back."
The two left the drawing room. Lucy followed them to see them off. Left alone in the drawing room, Martha picked up another cookie. The necklace box Lily had given her was on the table. The envelope for the earrings Bianca had given her, too. Looking at them, Martha thought. These young ladies. They were warm. That was all.
After dinner, she went up to her room. Martha sat at her desk. She had to write a reply to Leon. There was additional information confirmed from Valois regarding the Golden Lion Merchant Guild. Things Edward had found out at the Imperial Palace, things from the estate data Maxim had compiled. She had to organize them and send them.
Martha took out a piece of paper and picked up a pen. Before writing, she took out Leon's letter she had received that morning again. The second page. The fast part.
"I apologize, even now, for the disgrace caused by the broken engagement."
Martha looked at that sentence again. It was a letter that had arrived after the Imperial party. The information about the Golden Lion Merchant Guild came first, and this sentence was attached at the end. At first, she found it absurd that the details about the Golden Lion Merchant Guild and an apology for the broken engagement were in the same letter, but looking at it again now, it seemed as though she could see just how difficult it had been for this person to bring up these words. It had been sent hidden within the information letter.
Martha looked at the sentence and said.
"Well... do they refund about 30 percent of carriage tickets these days?"
It was a mutter to herself. Martha grinned and began to write on the paper. She wrote the details regarding the Golden Lion Merchant Guild first. The fact that the personnel dispatch agency's route had been confirmed in Valois. Additional movements Edward had detected at the Imperial Palace. Trends regarding the Viscount Muller family. Meticulous. Neat.
The skill she had honed while writing countless letters on behalf of the Empress during her days as Head Lady-in-waiting was exactly the same. The structure was clear. Every necessary detail was included without omission. And the final part. Martha lifted her pen for a moment, then lowered it.
"As for the broken engagement, it's fine. I am willing to forgive about 30 percent."
She wrote it down and then looked at it. She read it. Martha chuckled to herself. She put it in an envelope and sealed it.
As she placed it on the desk, she said.
"30 percent is being generous."
Lucy, who was tidying up something in the room, saw Martha.
"Princess, what did you just say?"
"Nothing."
"You did something."
Martha went and sat by the window. She could see the night garden.
Moonlight had fallen upon the lavender flowerbed. Martha looked at it, then picked up the necklace box Lily had given her earlier. She opened it. A slender chain and a small pendant. Martha looked into it.
"This is the first gift I've received since entering this body."
She thought to herself again. And the last sentence of Leon's letter came to mind once more.
"I apologize, even now, for bringing disgrace by breaking off the engagement."
As she put the necklace back into the box, Martha thought.
'30 percent. I don't know about the remaining 70 percent yet, but well, I can think about it slowly.'
Martha thought quietly to herself while looking at the lavender flowerbed outside the window.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 22]
There were various things today. Shock
No. 1. A letter from Young Master Leon arrived in the morning. It was an information letter from the Golden Lion Merchant Guild, but an apology for the broken engagement was attached at the very end. The Princess read it and snorted. "Does he think asking for a refund for a carriage that has already departed will get the money back?"
Shock No. 2: Miss Bianca and Miss Lily arrived without any notice. The Princess issued a stern warning, saying, "You young ladies of noble birth should at least send a letter before visiting someone else's house." As she said this, her pace quickened. It was obvious she was delighted to see them.
Shock No. 3. The two young ladies brought gifts for the Princess. A necklace and earrings. The Princess said, "Thank you," but her voice was slightly different from usual. It was a somewhat softer voice.
Shock No. 4. When the Princess offered to teach them how to dance, the two young ladies suddenly claimed they had plans and ran away.
Shock No. 5: In the evening, the Princess wrote a reply to Young Master Leon. After finishing, she muttered to herself, "30 percent is generous." I don't know the content. Because she sealed it. But I am curious what 30 percent is. Very curious.
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