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A Capable Maid — 3.9
Marie, who had returned to Rachel’s chamber, was lost in thought.
‘What could Lady Ariel be plotting?’
The possibilities were endless, as the banquet provided plenty of opportunities for all kinds of schemes.
‘Surely, there must be a clue in Lady Ariel’s words.’
Lady Ariel seemed to have blurted those out in a fit of rage, mentioning something she would never have revealed under normal circumstances. So yes, there had to be clues among her slip of the tongue.
‘Think, Marie. We have to intercept Lady Ariel’s scheme.’
She recalled the words Lady Ariel had thrown at Rachel earlier. Although Marie was duty-bound to help Rachel, Marie was also motivated by her desire to thwart Lady Ariel’s plans in retribution for the insults the latter had hurled at Marie.
‘Lady Ariel had repeatedly said that she was looking forward to seeing how beautiful Lady Ariel would look in the banquet.’
Indeed, something was suspicious about it. While Rachel’s beauty was undeniable, there was an undercurrent to Ariel’s words. Could it be something more?
‘Something is definitely amiss. What could it be?’
At that moment, one idea popped into her mind. ‘Could Lady Ariel have tampered with Lady Rachel’s gown?’
Marie’s throat tightened.
‘Usually, Lady Rachel would have worn a gown from her own wardrobe, but since she’s one of the main characters of the event tonight, she had to prepare a new one. Could it be related to that?’
While she wasn’t certain, she needed to make sure just in case.
She hurriedly approached Rachel, who was elegantly sipping her tea, and asked, “Lady Rachel, you ordered a new gown for the banquet, right? Is everything in order?”
“Yeah, I commissioned a custom-made gown from the Jade Boutique, and they said it would arrive by noon. Why do you ask?” Rachel responded, curiosity etched on her face.
At that moment, Marie felt a pang of unease, a gut feeling calling out to her.
“Could there be any issues with the dress’ preparation
?”
“I sent someone a few days ago to check on it. It’s nearly done; they’re adding the finishing touches now. What’s wrong, Marie?”
Rachel’s face grew taut at Marie’s worried tone, as she was already uneasy about Lady Ariel’s words in the first place.
“The gown
 But surely, it couldn’t be
?” Marie’s voice trailed off, laden with apprehension. “Still, it might be best to check it out.”
Rachel nodded and said, “Yes, I’ll send someone to confirm.” She summoned Gina, her maid from the Istvan estate, and dispatched her to the Jade Boutique. After some time had passed, Gina returned with an ashen complexion.
“Oh, Milady
” Gina’s voice trembled.
“Gina?”
Rachel and Marie’s faces hardened, as the pallor of Gina’s complexion spoke volumes. “They informed me that due to an unforeseen issue with the materials, they won’t be able to finish it on time.”
“That’s absurd!” The other maids nearby who overheard the conversation, cried in disbelief. “On the very day of the banquet, they suddenly can’t fulfill the order?”
Chaos ensued within the annex. Rachel, her face drained of color, turned to Marie and said, “This must be Lady Ariel’s doing, isn’t it?”
“
I think so,” Marie replied, biting her lip. It was inconceivable that the Jade Boutique, known as the best modiste shop in the capital, would commit such a careless mistake. Without a doubt, it was the influence of Lady Ariel—or rather, the Archduke of Schulian.
“Do you have any other gowns suitable for the event?”
“Well
 I have one, but it’s deemed out of season in the capital,” Rachel said, her face filled with consternation. The fashion trends in the southern region were often six months behind the capital. When a particular style became popular in the capital, it would take quite some time for it to reach the south. Hence, wearing a gown brought from the south to the grand banquet would undoubtedly invite ridicule.
‘Such a petty scheme,’ Marie thought, biting her lip. It wasn’t an elaborate scheme, but it still struck a painful blow nonetheless.
The grand banquet marked the Delphinas’ debut into society, a moment to display their utmost beauty. Wearing an out-of-fashion gown would be inconceivable in such case.
‘No, there’s still time. I could still find a solution.’
Fortunately, they had caught wind of the problem early. If they had stumbled upon it even a moment later, there would have been no way to fix it.
“Milady, it would be prudent to look for other modiste shops right away.”
Rachel nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation.
However, despite their inquiries at other modiste shops, they couldn’t find a suitable replacement gown. The evening gowns adorned with all sorts of jewels were exorbitantly expensive, while some modistes only catered to made-to-order requests due to their exclusive clientele system, unlike mass-produced and ready-to-wear gowns.
There were a few evening gowns that the other maids had purchased, but they didn’t fit Rachel.
“What should we do?”
Marie turned to Rachel, watching her complexion grow paler. “Marie, is there no other way?”
“
”
In such a predicament, Marie found herself at a loss for an answer.
If things continued like that, Rachel would be humiliated at her first official banquet, all because of Lady Ariel’s wicked scheme.
‘Is there really no solution?’ Marie desperately wracked her brains, but no ideas came to her. Unless they crafted a gown themselves, there seemed to be no way out.
‘I can’t possibly make a gown myself. I’m not a dressmaker.’
However, in that moment, a thought sparked in Marie’s mind. ‘Wait
 no way?’
‘My goal is to help you become the best version of yourself.’
Those were the words she’d heard in her dream the previous night. She couldn’t recall any other details, but that particular phrase stuck with her.
‘What does it mean? Helping them become the best version of themselves?’
It seemed to hold a profound meaning, but Marie struggled to interpret it. Marie frowned and murmured, “This
 Could it be related to fashion?”
There was a reason why Marie entertained that thought. During her time as a junior
maid at the Lily Palace, she had encountered a dressmaker who expressed a similar sentiment.
“Fashion is not just about dolling up your appearance, it’s about embracing yourself! Through fashion, you achieve self-fulfillment!”
‘
It does sound somewhat similar.’
With that thought in mind, Marie fell into silence. It seemed absurd, but it might just work.
At that moment, Rachel asked Marie, “Marie, what are you thinking? Do you have any ideas?”
“
Milady.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t they say that the gown ordered from Jade Botique is still unfinished?”
Rachel nodded with a puzzled expression.
“Then, that unfinished gown is still at Jade Boutique, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, they stopped working on it—citing issues with the materials—and kept it as it is.”
Marie nodded and said, “Is there any chance we could retrieve that unfinished gown?”
Rachel’s eyes widened. “It shouldn’t be difficult, but why?”
Marie responded, “Perhaps
 it could help solve our problem.”
With the unfinished gown in hand, Marie entered an empty room in the annex. The moment she held the sewing tools, she had an epiphany. Her dream was indeed about a dressmaker! Not just any dressmaker, but an exceptional one at that.
A dressmaker who didn’t merely style someone, but a dressmaker who could elevate the wearer’s unique qualities to their utmost value. ‘It’s not just about following trends; it’s about creating clothes that best suit the wearer and enhance their inherent beauty.’
It felt as if she had truly become the dressmaker. ‘We only have half a day left, so let’s begin.’
Fortunately, the Jade Boutique had already prepared the basic design. Even the most exceptional dressmaker couldn’t create a garment from scratch in half a day.
‘The finishing details and touches will be the most challenging part. Still, I think I can make it on time.’
Marie felt rather relieved that the Jade Boutique left the finishing touches alone. If they had deliberately messed it up, she wouldn’t have been able to salvage it at all.
‘It’s better this way. If I take care of the details and finishing touches, I can create an exquisite gown.’
Unless it was a unique gown, the basic structure of most gowns was generally similar.
She decided to transform the unfinished gown brought from the Jade Boutique into a masterpiece that would stand out among other gowns.
‘Let’s give it a try.’
With needle, thread, and scissors in her hands, she began to sew. And as time flew by, the welcoming banquet commenced.
After the empire’s founding anniversary festival came to an end, the once quiet Glory Hall was bustling with nobles once again.
It was a banquet held to welcome the Delphinas, the candidates for the position of Crown Princess.
“Are the Delphinas not here yet?”
“No, as they are the main event, they will arrive a little later, after the banquet has settled.”
“Existing, isn’t it? I wonder what they will look like?”
The welcoming banquet was as crowded as the previous grand banquet, given that one of the candidates would be selected as the Crown Princess. With Emperor Thoren II’s illness, it was only a matter of time before Rael would ascend the throne, basically making one of the candidates not just a Crown Princess, but an Empress. As a result, people couldn’t help but be highly interested in who would ultimately be chosen.
“Who do you think will be chosen as the Crown Princess?”
“It’s the Schulian Duchy, without a doubt.”
“No, the Istvan County was the driving force behind the 1st Prince’s faction, so don’t underestimate them.”
Although the banquet hall was filled with lively music and mouthwatering food, the nobles’ attention was solely focused on the Delphinas. Depending on which candidate would be chosen, there would be a shift in the political climate.
After a while, the herald blew the trumpet. “Lady Ariel of the Schulian Duchy has arrived!”
In no time, Ariel, dressed in a resplendent gown, made her appearance, drawing everyone’s eyes to her.
“Oh! She truly is beautiful.”
Ariel was wearing a white gown with red patterns embroidered in it. The gown followed the current fashion trend, featuring a décolletage that accentuated her bosom, a corset that hugged her waist, and a crinoline that gave her gown a volume that resembled a blooming flower. The most impressive part was the abundance of jewels adorning the gown, sparkling like stars in the night sky.
“She truly is breathtaking. The rumors of her being the most beautiful woman in the empire are undeniably true.”
“Indeed.”
As everyone in the banquet hall expressed their admiration, Ariel couldn’t help but revel in their praises. She thought to herself, ‘Yes, I am the star of this banquet, not Rachel.’
Ariel purposely arrived at the banquet hall a little earlier than Rachel, to attract attention ahead of her.
‘Of course, it would have been more advantageous to arrive late and leave a lasting impression. But tonight is different.’ Ariel smirked inwardly. ‘Rachel will have no choice but to appear in a dated and shabby gown.’
As Marie had suspected, it was indeed Ariel who had a hand in the Jade Boutique incident. It wasn’t difficult to figure it out, considering that the Jade Boutique was run by the Schulian Duchy’s retainers.
‘With my dazzling entrance, people will eagerly anticipate what comes next. If she were to show up in a shabby gown, it would be a disgrace like no other.’
Ariel recalled the incident in the central garden earlier that morning. ‘She made me apologize to a lowly maid. And she did so with a condescending expression on her face too.’
With that thought in mind, excitement surged within Ariel. She wanted to see Rachel appear quickly and witness her humiliation. ‘Just you wait, Rachel. Today and in the future, you’ll always be beneath me.’
Once she’s finally chosen as the Crown Princess, she wouldn’t let that despicable maid go unpunished.
She needed to be taught a lesson.
While Ariel got carried away in her thoughts, the herald of the banquet hall blew the trumpet once more. “Lady Rachel of the Istvan County has arrived!”
As everyone turned their gaze toward the entrance, Ariel had a triumphant look on her face. However, as soon as she caught sight of Rachel, her face fell. “That gown
 How?”