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~Chapter 45~
“Oh, you got that invitation too, Dahlia?”
“Yes. Did you get one too, Lady Vivi? Are you going to attend?”
Viviana nodded with a gloomy face.
“I don’t want to go, but it’s a special party held by my aunt, so I’ll just go to say hello.”
“Why don’t you want to go?”
“I don’t really have any close friends, and honestly, nobody really likes me.”
Viviana pushed up her glasses and gave an awkward smile.
Dahlia felt like shaking the Emperor by the collar.
Why is this empire so harsh to the young ones trying to grow?
“Lady Vivi, you have me. We’re friends now.”
Viviana met Dahlia’s eyes and smiled brightly.
She always liked hearing the word “friend.”
Just then, a familiar lady approached, carrying a basket.
It was Lady Under, whom they had met at the dueling grounds.
She smiled at Dahlia, but when she saw the princess, she quickly bowed.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“It’s all right. You can lift your head.”
Viviana received the greeting with an awkward face.
Lady Under looked unsure, but Dahlia spoke kindly first.
“Nice to see you, Lady Under.”
“Hello, Lady Herdran.”
“What brings you here?”
Encouraged by Dahlia’s gentle voice, Lady Under carefully held out her basket.
“I wanted to thank you properly for helping me last time. I was late because I was looking for a job.”
Annie took the basket first and opened it, revealing beautifully embroidered handkerchiefs.
Dahlia stretched her neck to peek inside, eyes sparkling.
“Wow—Captain Ethan got a handkerchief from you that day, and I was jealous! I didn’t even get to introduce myself back then. I’m Ria Herdran, and this is Annie Herdran. I don’t need to introduce Lady Vivi, do I?”
“Not at all. I’m Laura Under. Thank you so much for your help.”
Laura bowed deeply.
“It was nothing, really.”
Dahlia waved her hands, embarrassed by all the thanks.
“What happened?”
Viviana asked with curiosity, and at that moment, Sir Chloe came back with two chairs.
“Let’s all sit down first.”
Everyone took a seat as Dahlia suggested.
Sir Chloe stood guard a little distance away, and Monet came to stand by Cole, exchanging a friendly look. Cole smiled back warmly.
Annie poured tea with practiced hands and placed a cup before each person.
“Lady Herdran, you pour tea very well.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Annie replied with a small nod.
Dahlia’s eyes sparkled as she pulled out her handkerchief.
“Thank you, Lady Under. It’s so pretty!”
Dahlia’s handkerchief had beautiful pink flowers embroidered on it, while Annie’s had orange flowers matching her eye color.
Viviana couldn’t take her eyes off the handkerchiefs.
“Lady Under, you’re really skilled with your hands.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Laura bowed again, looking grateful.
“Now, tell us how you two met,”
Viviana said, full of curiosity.
Dahlia hesitated, embarrassed, but Laura explained everything in detail.
Dahlia found herself drawn in by Laura’s storytelling, even though it was about her.
When Laura finished, Viviana looked at Dahlia with admiration.
“Dahlia, you’re amazing. You always help others.”
“Honestly, I just joined in because I was amazed she could really smell things so well.”
Everyone burst out laughing at Dahlia’s joke.
“Pffthahaha!”
“Hohoho.”
Dahlia smiled along with them.
As the laughter died down, Dahlia asked Laura gently,
“Did you find a job, Lady Under?”
“Well… I got a marriage proposal.”
Laura’s face darkened as she bowed her head and her brown hair fell forward.
Viviana tilted her head. Why did Laura look so sad if she got a proposal?
“Do you not want to marry him? Is it because of Captain Ethan?”
Viviana guessed, remembering Laura gave her handkerchief to Ethan.
Laura’s face turned red.
“No, Your Highness. Captain Ethan is someone I admire, that’s all. He’s amazing. I know my place.”
Dahlia asked calmly,
“Can I ask who proposed to you?”
Laura’s eyes dimmed, showing this was the hard part.
After a long hesitation, she answered carefully,
“If I marry him, I’ll be his fourth wife. His third wife died just recently.”
“What? Did your parents agree to this?”
Viviana looked shocked and raised her voice.
Laura shook her head slowly and defended her family.
“No, my parents were against it. But my family doesn’t have money to eat right now. If I marry him, at least my family won’t have to worry about food. My only skill is embroidery, and I couldn’t find a job anywhere. I’m a noble, but I have no money. Commoners hesitate to hire me, and nobles look down on me…”
The table, filled with laughter moments ago, fell silent.
Dahlia held back a sigh and looked at Laura with sympathy.
She’d never been poor, so she couldn’t judge Laura’s choice.
She glanced to the side and saw Annie quietly pouring tea, and Viviana with a troubled face, unsure what to say.
Then Dahlia noticed something.
“Lady Vivi, did you find all your maids yet?”
“No, the chief attendant is being strict about it. Oh! Lady Under, would you like to be my maid?”
Viviana’s answer was casual at first, but then she brightened and looked at Laura.
“Me? I’m not just anyone who can be your maid, Your Highness.”
Laura replied in surprise.
Even if the princess wasn’t close to the Emperor, she was still his only sister. To be her maid, you needed many recommendations and a thorough background check.
“I can recommend at least one person. You’re funny, and you embroider well. What else can you do?”
“She once tried to work as a tutor,” Dahlia quickly added.
“You remember that?”
Laura was surprised, remembering when she told Dahlia about being insulted by Lady Sorina.
Dahlia smiled brightly when their eyes met.
“Then I could learn a lot from you,” Viviana said cheerfully.
“Your Highness…”
Laura hesitated, not knowing what to do.
Being the princess’s maid would pay well and let her refuse the baron’s proposal. It would help her family too.
But she wasn’t sure she was good enough.
Laura hesitated, and Dahlia caught her eye—urging her silently to accept.
At last, Laura realized how naturally Dahlia had set this up so Viviana could offer her the maid position.
