/
The chamberlain humbly followed my orders. Still, apparently, the people of the Valentino Duchy wouldn’t completely ignore me.
“Why have you called us…”
One of the two ladies-in-waiting standing in front of me asked, her tone with somewhat of a hint of guilt. After which, the three noticeably nervous maids bowed their heads down.
Come to think of it, this lady-in-waiting was the main perpetrator for isolating Charlotte and making her work alone, and the other four seemed to have also been involved. Even so, the fact that they persecuted Charlotte did not change.
I stared at the lady-in-waiting and with a low voice, I questioned her. No—rather than a question, it was almost a declaration.
“Your name is Laura, right. Laura, why aren’t you helping Charlotte properly? Don’t you know that this is considered as negligence of duty?”
Not only last night. It was the same case this morning. If I keep leaving it like this, Charlotte will have to do everything by herself.
No matter how presumptuous and arrogant my behavior would seem, I have no choice but to straighten them out properly.
‘Bothering my exclusive lady-in-waiting… How childish and undignified.’
I don’t want to be treated inhospitably.
But for me to avoid being in conflict with those who started it with me first… Was I ever required to do that?
And this incident wasn’t something instigated by Missus Seymour or Theodore, but it was something that happened due to the tyranny of those in lower posts.
…I intended to stay still and act as though I was dead, but I don’t intend to be the object of ridicule. The more servants think that they could laugh at me, the harder it would be for Charlotte.
Laura glanced at the chamberlain, not me. Then, as she clenched her hands into fists, she spoke.
“For it to be something that keeps happening… It was a matter out of my hands. I do apologize deeply. However, the Valentino estate is always busy due to the territory’s poor conditions. It’s so difficult that one person will have to do two jobs…”
Would you look at this.
She continued to say, ‘I apologize. I’ll be more careful next time,’ but then she went ahead and preached to me while expressing her resentment.
Obviously, it was an act of defiance. No matter what my own birth entailed, no matter which family’s daughter I was… At the end of the day, I was now the Duchess of Valentino and the Madam of this household.
Are you saying that you won’t even uphold basic etiquette with me?
False laughter spilled out of my lips on its own.
I spoke quietly.
“If I have any shortcomings as the Madam, I deserve to be taught.”
“……”
“My teacher could be my husband or an elder, but I don’t think it could be a maid.”
“……!”
Laura’s expression turned into a look of reflection. Only then did she realize her mistake.
What are you going to do now? I was willing to let it slide and move on quietly as long as she would admit her mistake. I don’t want this matter to get any more noisy than this, so it would be better if I could take care of this matter before it reaches either Theodore or Missus Seymour…
“I’m…”
Laura had chewed on her lower lip before she finally spoke, but the moment she did—
“What’s going on here?”
This voice… It was Missus Seymour. When I slowly turned my head to look over that direction, I saw the missus approaching this way from the other end of the corridor.
Soon after she was closer, Missus Seymour looked carefully at the servants and then to me, her posture perfect without an inch of a blunder. With one eyebrow raised, she opened her lips to speak.
“Chamberlain, what commotion is this?”
The right thing to do here was to ask me, the duchess. But asking the chamberlain instead and not me… She intentionally ignored me.
And I’m not surprised.
“I-It is…”
While the chamberlain looked at Missus Seymour as he calmly explained what had happened, I stood there with an expressionless face.
After the chamberlain finished explaining, Missus Seymour walked towards Laura with elegant steps. The lady-in-waiting flinched slightly, then she glanced up at the missus.
“Laura. You and the others seem to have been very busy recently.”
“……”
Missus Seymour started with words of comfort, and Laura bowed her head deeply. It was quite the pitiful sight.
“Still, you and the other four have a responsibility to serve as the Duchess’ exclusive ladies-in-waiting and maids, so you have to fulfill your duties.”
“…We’ve made a grave mistake, Missus Seymour.”
The missus scolded them well and, in turn, Laura showed an understanding attitude. The eventual result was a warmhearted scene.
“Right. You have to play the roles you have. The four of you, too.”
“Yes, Missus.”
“Yes…”
The five people, including Laura, nodded and expressed their reflection on the matter. And with this, I didn’t need to talk more.
That’s what Missus Seymour was aiming for, huh.
“Then, Lily.”
Missus Seymour looked towards me and spoke. Both her voice and her expression were without any emotion. It was to the point that, at first glance, she looked to be fair and impartial.
“I’ve reasoned with them, so quell your anger now. If it is as I command, they will not cause problems anymore because they follow me without any complaints.”
In other words, she was saying that her influence in this household was that great.
It sounded as though she was telling a simple truth, but even more so, it was as if it’s up to her whether she’d let me have power or not.
I didn’t feel offended at this. It’s just… This farce was just so funny.
On my part, I only made a legitimate protest. I didn’t make any grand request, but it was like she was saying she’d step over me even with this little thing.
Of course. I was in the Valentino household, and this was as good as saying that I should act as though I was dead.
That’s the plan anyway.
“As long as you support Charlotte properly, then I would take no issue with you.”
“We will do so.”
Missus Seymour listened to my words and glanced at Laura and the other four. They reflexively bowed their heads and expressed their willingness to follow her. The missus scolded them one last time, then sent them off to do what they needed to do.
Then, as she looked back at me, she said.
“Lily, you got married at a bad time, so I understand that it’s difficult to adapt.”
It was a statement laced with thorns. Well, whatever else she could say, I was always being thrown words that would criticize the transgressions of the Everett family. Even if I wanted to shout that I was also a victim.
“…I will try my best to adapt.”
“Yes, well. Even if you don’t, there’s something I wanted to recommend, but the timing earlier wasn’t right.”
“Something… you recommend?”
“Why don’t you go on an inspection of the territory?”
…My expression almost hardened right then, but I managed to stay calm.
It was common for a territory lord’s wife to go on territorial inspections to see how the people were doing.
But the problem was that I was a daughter of the Everett family. It absolutely would not be a good idea for me to go on a territorial inspection at a time when hostile sentiments towards the Everett family were at its peak.
Missus Seymour should be very well aware of that fact. Nevertheless, her recommendation to me was like this…
‘You want me to get cursed at.’
She wanted me to feel the raw malice directed at me—vividly. It meant that I, the daughter of Everett, should realize just how many people hated me.
And I didn’t have a reason to refuse.
‘If I suddenly break my leg, I wonder if I’ll still be sent away.’
I never expected Missus Seymour to take my side, but if this continues throughout my stay in this household…
I would have to endure the understated harassment that she would throw at me, and the servants would follow suit.
‘I’m tired of it already…’
I’m sick to death of it. I just want to quit everything. I don’t want to get used to other people abusing me.
However, funnily enough, I was already used to it.
Would it be better if I ingest poison? But what would happen to Charlotte after I die?
She wouldn’t be able to continue working at the Valentino estate, nor would she be able to return to the Everett estate.
“……”
I briefly lowered my gaze to the floor and tightened my fists. Little my little, I emptied my mind. Just as I’ve practiced before. So that nothing would taint my mind, no malice towards me would take color or form.
So that they would mean nothing to me.
I’ve done it so many times already.
I raised the gaze that I had lowered. This much wasn’t difficult.
This woman, the chamberlain, my husband…
You all mean nothing to me.
Soon after, I spoke, and my voice was calm and without any agitation. It sounded like that even to me.
“Yes. I’ll prepare soon and go on the territorial inspection.”
Missus Seymour’s eye twitched. I guess she wanted to see me become flustered, but too bad. I wouldn’t be able to meet her expectations.
“…Yes. Of course.”
“Yes. I owe you a lot, Missus. Thank you for your consideration.”
I glanced briefly over to the chamberlain. Then, I left.
* * *
I decided to go on the inspection with Charlotte and a maid named Jenna. Just in case, two escort knights also joined me, and their names were Jeremy and Will.
Both of them were quiet, and it was comfortable staying with them because they didn’t try to strike up a conversation with me. Jenna also didn’t open her mouth at all, perhaps because of the last incident.
And Charlotte…
“……”
She seemed to think that it was because of her that I had to go on a territorial inspection. If she was thinking that I was being hated by Missus Seymour because I took Charlotte’s side… I really wasn’t like that. I should correct that sooner rather than later.
“We’ve arrived.”
The coachman stopped the carriage and said this politely. I inwardly swallowed a sigh, then raised my unwilling body. Regardless of what I see, I just need to look at it calmly.
Soon, the carriage door opened.