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29. Nobility (2)
“Your Majesty the Empress. Are you here?”
When Lasilia entered the room, the ladies-in-waiting quickly changed their expressions. If she hadn’t listened to the conversation outside the door beforehand, she wouldn’t have known what had happened.
“Why are you gathering like this?”
In fact, after Lasilia woke up in the body of the Empress, the position of the ladies-in-waiting became quite ambiguous. The Empress of Cartagena was always accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting. The eight aristocratic women who followed her on both sides were a means to make her stand out and a symbol of power at the same time. The ladies-in-waiting of the Empress’ palace were no different from the Empress, and they were very accustomed to roaming around the palace without hesitation and behaving carelessly. However, after the Empress claimed that she had lost her memory, their circumstances changed completely. The Empress did not visit her maids except when she was wearing her clothes, and her maids spent more time sitting idly in the empty rooms of the Empress’ palace. Since there was so little to do, their job was to sip tea and eat different types of snacks. As a result, everyone gained weight little by little.
How long couldn’t it be like this?
But they were too afraid to tell their displeasure openly to the Empress. Just this morning the Marquis of Fashad’s liver trying to take out her grievances got her kicked out of the palace.
As a result, the only thing he could do was to catch a relatively easygoing princess who didn’t even look like a princess from whom she came from.
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“I heard that Your Majesty looked forward to a meal with the two of you very much.”
Instead of being greeted by courtiers, Lasilia looked at Yvette. Yvette must have thought that she hadn’t played her role from the first day, so her complexion was dark beyond words.
“…She would have instructed Princess Shyrden to change her clothes.”
Yvette was still in her soiled clothes. Yvette caught her breath and lowered her head.
“I apologize, Her Majesty. To change my clothes, I had to leave the palace…”
Unlike the ladies-in-waiting, whose baggage and servants each brought from their family resided at the palace, Yvette, the court lady, went home once every two days.
‘This is really my mistake.’
Lasilia hadn’t thought of that before. However, the Empress of Cartagena probably did not know that either. Yvette was in a state where only her identity had changed. Nothing that that status could have was given. Even so, it would have been too conscienceless to hope that she would safely carry out her role as the first lady-in-waiting.
“If you allow me, I will go immediately.”
“That would be great, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Oddly enough, one of the ladies-in-waiting, an aristocratic wife, stepped in to help. She wouldn’t do it for nothing.
‘Because my eyes can’t reach outside the palace. It might be easier to bully.’
In the worst case, Yvette might never return to the palace.
“No, there is no need for that. If it’s a problem that you don’t have clothes to change into, wear mine.”
Then there was an uproar.
“Yes? Yes, Her Majesty the Empress? Yes?”
She didn’t understand what she was talking about since Yvette. The other ladies-in-waiting raised her voice with blood vessels in their necks as if they hadn’t been careful of her words.
“No, Her Majesty the Empress!”
“How can anyone wear royal clothes! Absolutely not someone from different blood!”
“It made no sense for a court lady to become her lady-in-waiting!”
Perhaps the ladies-in-waiting also guessed that the Empress was different from usual after she lost her memory. So she could have raised her voice without fear. However, it was only her style that was different, and Lasilia was not a more relaxed character than Cartagena. She would rather be a strict prophet than a capricious Empress.
“Let’s talk more.”
Compared to the excited ladies-in-waiting, Lasilia’s voice was very small. But that little voice was like cold water that drenched her skin.
“If it is the dignity of an aristocrat to speak loud enough to make your ears hurt in front of me, the Empress.”
“…”
“…”
In an instant, the inside actually became quiet. Lasilia calmly looked at the maids who hadn’t even gotten to know her face properly. She didn’t have anyone in particular that caught her eye. She probably resembled the Marquis de Parshad. She still asked just in case.
“Among them, will she be of any help to His Majesty’s companion in the future?”
“Yes?”
Yvette widened her eyes. But she wasn’t asking Yvette.
“Beep!”
The answer came from the back of Yvette’s head. Yvette, who was thick, always kept her hair up so as not to be cumbersome, and Pipi seemed to be hiding somewhere in her thick hair. He said no such thing. Then she didn’t care anymore.
“Princess of Shryden.”
“Yes-yes?”
“Did you read the imperial etiquette book?”
“Yes? Alas, yes! I have read it.”
“Good. Wasn’t there an example in the etiquette book that the Empress shouldn’t give the Duke’s daughter her clothes?”
“Um… No, Her Majesty the Empress. There was no such thing. Quite the contrary. It is a great honor for the imperial family to bestow clothes, and in that case, she said it was polite to wear the same clothes every time you interact with the imperial family.”
“Then my ladies-in-waiting are saying that I misbehaved. Did you use my memory loss as an excuse to make me an ill-mannered Empress?”
The maids’ complexions changed.
“Your Majesty the Empress… that’s too… These are harsh words. We just…”
“Just?”
“Just… This had never happened before in the Empress’ palace…”
“If it’s not against the rules, why does that matter?”
“That is…”
One of the ladies-in-waiting shouted as she folded the fan in her hand.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a case of a court lady becoming the maid of honor, Your Majesty.”
“There must have been no case where a Duke’s daughter became a court lady, is not it?”
“That…”
Immediately, their mouths were closed.
“If you know their ignorance, go and pick out clothes for the princess to wear.”
“Your Majesty the Empress. How could you do that to us…”
Lasilia’s expression grew colder.
“It is your job to follow my will. If you’re not there to play and eat in the imperial palace, you guys have to do your part as well as the princess of Shryden.”
“…”
The ladies-in-waiting contorted their faces as if they were about to cry.
“Bring the clothes.”
The answer came very barely.
“…Yes, Her Majesty the Empress.”
* * *
“Well, then… No, it’s a very grateful and honored thing for you to embrace me… But if you treat the ladies-in-waiting that way… No, that’s not to say I’m going to be presumptuous… Still, they’re Her Majesty’s ladies-in-waiting…”  muttered Yvette in a hoarse voice.
“I’m really fine… It is said that I became the first lady-in-waiting, but that is a matter of status, and shouldn’t I do my job with all my heart as I have been doing so far? No one will see me as a Duke’s daughter anyway, um…”
“Princess of Shryden.”
“Yes, Her Majesty. No, I think the tittle is too much. It would make me feel more comfortable if you just called my name.”
“This must have happened since I decided to have myprincess as my lady-in-waiting. Don’t mind. Isn’t that the case?”
“No, Your Majesty. The ladies-in-waiting are all from families that are said to… I heard that all of that is Her Majesty’s strength. If things go wrong with the ladies-in-waiting…”
If so, there was a reason to distance herself from the existing ladies-in-waiting. The Empress would change anyway. The Emperor had to find his true partner within a year and welcome her as the Empress. The fact that the power of the previous Empress remained in the palace was of no help to the new Empress. Pippi was right. Yvette was a boon to a real companion. The fact that the existing powers of the Empress’ palace would be changed due to Yvette would also be included in that beneficial aspect.
“That is something I have to deal with. I’ll say it again, it’s none of the princess’s concern.”
“Your Majesty the Empress…”
Yvette couldn’t say anything more, her eyes welling up in tears. She must have felt that she was taking unnecessary risks for her own sake. She wanted to tell her it wasn’t like that, but she couldn’t correct it because it was a secret that she was a fake partner.
“Is the princess’s figure similar to mine? She must be well-fitting.”
“Huh, what are you talking about! Her Majesty the Empress is taller than me, and she is so slender!”
“What if the clothes don’t fit?”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that! I’ll fix it even if I stay up all night! I am really good at sewing!”
She was always a woman of many talents.
“Then I’m glad… Oh, what about Pippi? It seems to be hiding in your hair, that’s right?”
“Yes! I wonder if the inside of my hair feels like a nest. He sleeps well there.”
“Looking at how quiet it is, it looks like it’s still asleep.”
“I think so, Her Majesty.”
While Yvette smiled brightly at Lasilia for no reason, her maids picked out her clothes.
* * *
“I don’t really like it.”
In addition to bringing her clothes, the ladies-in-waiting had to wait on Yvette to change her clothes. It was immediately apparent that everyone was grinding their teeth. A bigger problem than that was the clothes. Of course, the ladies-in-waiting were courtiers and did not do anything harsh, but the red dress Yvette was wearing seemed too uncomfortable to move. Her clothes, which exposed her shoulders and upper chest, made for her impossible to lift her arms.
“Your Majesty Empress Haona, this outfit seemed most appropriate to you.”
Of course it would be a lie. It was obvious that they had done her best to choose clothes that Yvette had never worn before and that were so uncomfortable. Yvette was struggling to put on a dress that looked like it would flow down if she moved her body a little too vigorously.
“Princess Shryden has green eyes and brown hair. Red doesn’t suit her.”
In fact, she was well-suited. But she couldn’t say that she got along well with anyone when Lasilia spoke harshly.
“That, yes… Is that so.”
“I can’t trust your eyes. Bring all the clothes, I will choose them myself.”
“Yes, Her Majesty?”
“I already told you.”
“…”
Instead of answering, the ladies-in-waiting only exchanged glances.
“Go now. Don’t make me wait. Aren’t you guys repeating the same thing over and over again because you can’t understand what I’m saying? I’m starting to be a bit upset now.”
“…Ah, I see. Her Majesty the Empress.”
The ladies-in-waiting left for the dressing room with tears in their eyes. Because of the Empress who directly said she was displeased, they didn’t even have the courage to use their courtiers instead.
It took half a day to move all the clothes in the dressing room. The clothes with rich skirts and colorful decorations were quite heavy, so they couldn’t move several at once. Besides, they had to be careful not to drag her clothes on the floor, so it was inevitable that it would take longer.
Lasilia gave half of the clothes to Yvette. The ladies-in-waiting, who suddenly suffered from muscle pain from carrying and cleaning clothes for half a day, had no energy left to resist.
Translator Note:
I will be 2 weeks out (in a family travel) so don’t worry because this story won’t be dropped BUT during 2 weeks there won’t be any new release. SORRY!!