As I walked around the earl's castle, I realized that this place was quite multinational. First, many of the servants were immigrants or mixed-race individuals. Although they all spoke the kingdom's language fluently, they had distinct physical features.
Perhaps because of this, there was a foreign atmosphere throughout the mansion.
There were statues of deities with unusual shapes, tapestries inscribed in foreign languages, and paintings of landscapes that could not be found in the kingdom. Most of them seemed to be from the Eastern Republic, but there were also some that were completely different.
...The room where I was staying was the only one that seemed to be from the Dilts Kingdom... I felt a bit disappointed and asked Mio,
"Does Lord Cyrus also trade with countries other than Ipsandros?"
Mio shook her head while brewing a tea with a mysterious aroma.
"Basically, only with Ipsandros. He buys goods through sea routes. The Granado Trading Company then sells them within the capital and to other countries."
"Then, is the tapestry in front of the dining room from the East?"
"Yes, that's a souvenir from the head chef, Toppo. It's from the northwestern peninsula country, Flaria."
"...What about the doll-like statue in the entrance?"
"That's from the gardener, Johann. It's a traditional charm from the Bandery Islands, and he made it himself."
"There are quite a few foreigners among the servants, aren't there?"
"Sir is quite stubborn."
Mio said this casually. Stubborn!?! It was a harsh way to put it, but there was no malice in her tone. Rather, it seemed somewhat boastful.
"Sir looks like his mother, but he is definitely a native of the kingdom. ...It seems he dislikes the kingdom's elitism and actively hires people from other countries. Of course, only those with proven skills, but the servants who were turned away elsewhere serve him out of admiration."
"Is Mio from the capital?"
"I am an orphan."
She answered without nodding or shaking her head.
"I was abandoned at an inn on a travel road, so I have no idea about my origins. From my hair and eye color, I am thought to be of the kingdom's ethnicity."
"...Oh, I see. I'm sorry."
"There's no need to apologize."
Her voice was as flat as usual. She really didn't seem to mind. While continuing her work at a steady pace, she added,
"I was picked up by a traveling troupe and entered the capital with them. During a performance, the Duchess Li-Li was noticed by the Duke and became his concubine, taking me, who was still a child, with her."
"Wow! So, Mio is their adopted daughter...!?"
"No, it was more of a protection. As a Duke, he couldn't marry a foreigner with a child. I was taken in as a future servant, not as the Duchess Li-Li's child."
I see... Mio had said before that she had served the Duke's family since she was young, but she really was very young... even before she could understand things, she was a maid.
Mio laughed softly.
"I had a lot of fun. When Sir was young, I used to rock him to sleep."
—Huh? How old is Mio? Older than Lord Cyrus?
"Thus, many of the servants are of unknown origin and not well-bred. However, they are Sir's loyal servants. I promise they will never harm Lady Marie."
"Huh? ...Yes, of course."
"Hanna and Ilza are from noble families with a long history. Unlike me, they have the pride of the nobility, so they are suitable as Lady Marie's maids."
...? It took me a while to understand. I stared at Mio's calm face as she set out the tea and snacks, and finally got it.
I see. Normally, the kingdom's nobles dislike foreigners. Not only because their backgrounds are unknown, but also because of the kingdom's elitism.
This country, which has won wars and economic battles, believes it is the strongest and most superior race in the world. This is even more true for the nobility.
The Shadaran family is no different. Father would never hire a housekeeper, no matter how cheap, and would rather do it himself... though, in reality, I did all the work.
Yes, I lived a life like a slave. Who am I to look down on anyone's background?
On the contrary, I would like to talk to them actively. The opportunity to hear firsthand about life and culture in other countries is rare. Heroes I only knew by name from books, old songs I memorized only by lyrics, and the strange voices of giant birds with rainbow feathers... I have endless questions.
Living under the same roof—albeit a vast one—with such people is exciting! This is the life I had always dreamed of.
...But the companions given to me were the noblewomen Hanna and Ilza.
They were real ladies, unlike the daughter of a poor baron. I, who had never been in high society, didn't know how to interact with them. Marie Shadaran, the daughter of a baron, had never acted as a noble.
But Lord Cyrus must have considered many things when he assigned those two to me. I must not reject his kindness and must get used to being a countess.
I smiled.
"Thank you for all your consideration. I will study so that I don't embarrass you."
Mio made a bitter face, as if she couldn't quite express her feelings.
After the meal, a hairdresser came. She wasn't exclusively for the earl's family but was a skilled elderly woman who ran a shop in the capital. She stared at my hair, cut it at complex angles, and styled it. Then, Tunic joined in, and the two of them discussed my hairstyle.
After that, I was taken to the bath in the afternoon and had my hair soaked in something. Then, more haircuts. After drying, I was coated with fragrant oil and my hair was carefully braided. Mio took notes enthusiastically on the braiding.
Lunch was even more luxurious than breakfast. The number of dishes was so overwhelming that I could barely manage to eat a little. I couldn't even remember what I had eaten.
After a break, we went to the courtyard. The colorful flower bed from yesterday had been cleared. A statue based on my image was to be placed there, which I found a bit confusing.
Returning to my room in confusion, I was soon called to the salon. The visitor was an artist. I was heavily made up, dressed in a flashy dress and adorned with jewels, and seated in a luxurious chair. I then endured a four-hour sketch session... Later, I learned that having a portrait painted is a common practice for nobles. The artist, in particular, was a popular and talented newcomer in the capital. When I expressed my surprise, he was even more surprised, saying, "I didn't expect you not to know."
After that, I had another bath and massage. Then, I went to the dining room, where an incredibly lavish dinner awaited.
The head chef offered to grate as much cheese as I wanted, but I was still digesting lunch, so I left quite a bit of food.
Back in my room, I relaxed while Mio made tea. After a couple of sips, I started to feel drowsy.
"Are you tired? I'll bring you some hot water."
I rinsed my mouth with the water. When I lay down on the bed, Mio covered me with a blanket. I smiled wryly.
"I'm not a baby. You don't need to do that."
"It's normal in any noble household. Lady Marie is to become a countess."
...When she put it that way, I had no choice but to comply.
"Tomorrow, an orchestra will come from the capital to compose a song for the engagement ceremony. Good night, Lady Marie."
"...Good night..."
I was so tired.
...Maybe because I was too tired. The warm, fluffy bed felt like a dream, but for some reason, I couldn't fall asleep.