🔊 TTS Settings
~Chapter 46~
Once again, Laura received help. She felt a little ashamed, but she could only be grateful for Dahlia’s kindness.
Laura gave Dahlia a small bow. Dahlia smiled kindly back.
“Your Highness, I’m not very good at things, but I’ll work hard. Please take care of me.”
“Great! Then I’ll just call you Laura from now on.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Monet, come here. Be good friends with Laura from now on.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Hello, Miss Maid. I’m Monet, the princess’s maid.”
Monet put her hands together politely.
“Nice to meet you. Let’s get along well.”
Dahlia was proud that Monet wasn’t scared by Laura’s new title, so she called Monet over.
“Monet, I’ll give you your candy later. Eat this snack first.”
She handed Monet a madeleine from the snack plate. Monet smiled brightly.
“Thank you, Miss.”
Monet took the madeleine, bowed, and then ran over to Cole and offered him half. She must have been thankful that Cole carried her when she was hurt.
Cole smiled, patted Monet’s head, and accepted the treat.
“Cole is really popular,”
Dahlia whispered to Annie as she watched.
“He really is.”
“Are you jealous?”
“What are you—no, not at all.”
Annie sounded flustered and changed her tone quickly.
Dahlia giggled, watching Annie’s ears turn red.
When she looked around, Viviana and Laura were already chatting and becoming closer.
May every day be as happy as today.
“Of course not.”
Dahlia muttered to herself, rubbing her arm as she felt a chill.
“Why? Are you cold?” Annie asked.
“Annie, aren’t those girls’ faces scary? It’s like arrows are flying out of their eyes.”
Annie looked calmly around.
The rose garden was full of round tables for the tea party, hosted by Marchioness Mary Sondo.
Noble girls stood in small groups, their glances sharp, jealous, and suspicious.
It was like a battle with spears and no shields.
“That’s just how high society is,” Annie replied.
Dahlia shivered and shook her head.
She was glad she always stayed in the separate palace. The social world was scary.
She promised herself that, when she left the empire, she’d hide away and never come back out.
“Annie, let’s greet everyone quickly and hide in a corner.”
“Good idea.”
Dahlia and Annie walked up to the elegant old lady at the main table.
Her hair was white, but her skin was smooth and youthful—her age was hard to guess.
“Marchioness, thank you for inviting us. I’m Ria Herdran.”
“And I’m Annie Herdran.”
“You’re the ladies from the Poevern Kingdom. Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoy the tea party.”
The marchioness’s black eyes slowly studied their faces.
“Thank you.”
Just as they were about to leave, the marchioness added,
“By the way, which one of you is close to the princess?”
Even though she spoke softly, all the noble girls nearby turned to listen.
Dahlia felt their stares on her back and gave an awkward smile.
“I meet Her Highness often.”
“I see. Please take care of her, Lady Herdran.”
The marchioness met Dahlia’s eyes and smiled.
“Yes.”
Dahlia gave a little bow and moved away with Annie. She could feel the girls’ eyes following her.
Not wanting attention, Dahlia nervously grabbed Annie’s arm.
“Annie, let’s hurry.”
“Let’s.”
Annie agreed, and they walked away quickly.
In one corner, a group of girls in fancy dresses were talking.
“Lady Koerin, congratulations! I heard you’ll be the princess’s maid.”
“It’s too early for congratulations. Nothing is final yet.”
Koerin Sorina hid her smile behind her fan, pretending to be humble.
“But you got a recommendation letter. Doesn’t that mean you’ll get chosen?”
“Only the chief attendant’s approval is left,”
Koerin said shyly.
She had heard the chief attendant was strict, but trusted the person who gave her the recommendation.
“Still, is it really good to be close to the princess?”
“Yes, since she isn’t on good terms with the Emperor…”
A girl who didn’t like her made a pointed comment, and another quickly agreed.
Koerin smiled calmly at them.
Being a royal maid was a huge advantage for marriage, even if the princess and Emperor didn’t get along.
Those who didn’t get recommendations were just jealous.
“Oh, I heard Lady Brooke tried hard to get a recommendation letter, but didn’t get one?”
Koerin asked, pretending to feel sorry. Lady Brooke pressed her lips and glared.
Koerin smirked, enjoying the attention—she knew she was the winner.
“Hey, isn’t that Lady Under coming in?”
Trying to change the mood, another girl pointed at Laura arriving at the party.
Koerin’s head turned quickly.
She still ground her teeth when she remembered how Laura embarrassed her at the dueling ground. How dare a ruined noble girl compete for the Captain of the Guards!
She wondered what sort of plain dress Laura would wear today.
“Lady Under has a new dress?”
The first girl who noticed Laura sounded surprised.
“Yeah, it looks expensive.”
“Oh! Wait—”
Another girl closed her fan with a snap. Everyone looked at her.
“I heard from my mother that Baron Horemant sent a marriage proposal to the Under family.”
“What? Baron Horemant? Isn’t he over eighty?”
“Yes, and his third wife just passed away. Now he’s looking for a fourth.”
As Koerin listened, her eyes glinted with mischief.
So, was Laura’s dress a gift from Baron Horemant?
“Wow! Such good news for Lady Under! We should go congratulate her.”
Koerin’s voice dripped with superiority, and the other girls’ eyes shone with malice.
“Exactly.”
“Of course it’s something to celebrate.”
Mocking a fallen lady was their way to feel secure.
Meanwhile, Laura, who had arrived early on the princess’s orders to check the atmosphere, saw the group coming toward her and sighed inside.
She wanted to run away, but now she was the princess’s maid. To protect Her Highness, she couldn’t look weak in front of them.
Laura stood tall and faced the group calmly.
“Lady Under, it’s been a while.”
Koerin greeted her first.
“It has, Lady Koerin.”
“Your dress is very pretty today.”
“…Thank you.”
Laura was surprised by the unexpected compliment.
She liked the dress, a present from the princess, but never thought the girl who always bullied her would say something nice.
“Did someone give it to you?”
