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Chapter : 30
At Eastin’s words, Miela quietly nodded. Honestly, she felt a bit embarrassed.
“Little Madam”? She wasn’t yet ready to accept such a title so calmly.
‘I wonder if Titi doesn’t mind being called that?’
Miela glanced sideways at Eastin walking beside her. But unlike her, he seemed completely unfazed. It seemed like she was the only one feeling pressured by being called “Little Madam,” despite only being a mere fiancée.
In the end, Miela bit her lip and forced herself to look straight ahead, pretending not to care.
‘Mom used to say that the Duke of Valoir’s mansion was incredibly vast and beautiful.’
And just as her mother had said, it truly was. The ceiling of the lobby was so high that even ten Mielas stacked on top of one another probably wouldn’t reach it. Above hung an enormous and dazzling crystal chandelier. The hallways were adorned with sculptures and paintings and other art pieces. It was a parade of things she’d never seen before, making her feel dizzy from the overwhelming sight.
‘I thought the villa was big and pretty enough, but compared to the actual mansion, that was nothing!’
Miela couldn’t snap out of the shock. Everything she looked at was amazing.
She kept exclaiming in awe as she followed Eastin down a long hallway. Just then, a middle-aged man in a tailcoat approached and bowed.
“Greetings, Young Master. And nice to meet you, Little Madam. I am Dason, the butler of this estate. I look forward to serving you.”
“Ni-nice to meet you! I’m Miela! But… have we met before?”
She felt a strange familiarity even though it was her first time seeing him. Dason smiled and explained.
“You must have met my brother, Gray, the butler of the villa. We are siblings, so we do look quite alike. Our family has served House Valoir for generations.”
“Ah-ha!”
Only then did Miela understand why he felt so familiar. At the same time, Dason gestured for her and Eastin to follow.
“As per the Madam’s orders, we have prepared the room where the Little Madam will stay. Please follow me.”
“Uh… my room?”
Miela tilted her head, puzzled by the unfamiliar concept. In the house she used to live in, there wasn’t even a proper room. It had been a small, single-room home. Because it was something unknown to her, she hadn’t even dared to expect much.
Perhaps misinterpreting the look on her face, Dason paused briefly, then added kindly:
“Of course. And if you don’t like it, we can change it. If there’s anything else you want, please feel free to ask.”
“Uh, okay… I will.”
Seeing Miela flustered, the butler gently said:
“And also, it would be better if you didn’t use honorifics with me or the other staff of the duke’s household. You are our mistress, Little Madam.”
“What? Oh, but still…”
Miela’s eyes wavered. The butler explained slowly.
“Of course, I understand that many things must feel unfamiliar. My role is only to help you get used to life in this mansion. Please treat us comfortably for now—you can adjust things gradually.”
“Ah, alright, then I’ll do that!”
Eastin watched as Miela nodded energetically and thought to himself: it seemed her future wouldn’t be smooth sailing.
‘Mother said she would soon assign tutors to Miela for basic etiquette and refinement.’
In noble families, learning etiquette and refinement was a fundamental part of growing up.
But there was a big difference between learning from a young age and trying to adjust once old habits were already formed. It could take a while. She might even break down crying from the difficulty.
‘I’ll have to be patient and teach her well.’
Of course, Eastin had no intention of leaving Miela to handle it all alone. After all, he had played the biggest part in bringing her here. That meant he bore a fair share of responsibility.
‘Still, if it’s Miela, I think she’ll manage just fine.’
Even if she seemed a bit silly, she was surprisingly good with her hands and had decent athletic sense. Plus, she was quick to memorize things once taught.
Eastin trusted—perhaps even overestimated—Miela.
Meanwhile, the butler, who had been walking ahead, stopped in front of a door.
“This is the room where the Little Madam will be staying.”
“Oh, really?”
Miela carefully opened the door and stepped inside—and let out the biggest gasp yet.
“W-Wow…!”
What was this? Was this really her room?
Miela couldn’t believe it. Lavender bedding, white lace curtains, a fluffy pink carpet. Even the tiny, ornate dolls placed on the table. It felt like the bedroom of a heroine from one of the romance fantasy novels her mom used to tell her about.
“No way… This whole room is just for me?”
In disbelief, Miela wandered around the room, looking at everything.
Next to the large bedroom was a dressing room and a bathroom. In the bathroom, there was a big bathtub and faucets. Out of curiosity, she turned one—and to her shock, warm water came gushing out.
“Eeek! Where on earth is this water coming from?!”
“The pipes are connected. And with magic, you can adjust the hot and cold water.”
Eastin explained kindly. Even though his clothes got wet from Miela’s enthusiastic faucet-turning, he didn’t show any irritation. Meanwhile, Miela murmured in awe:
“So this is the magic I’ve only heard about…”
To someone like her, who had always fetched water from the village well or washed in a stream, a faucet was a whole new world.
After looking around the bathroom for a long time, Miela returned to the bedroom.
“The bed’s so fluffy! What do you think’s inside? Straw? Or wool?”
“I’m not sure, but probably not straw.”
Eastin chuckled at her curiosity. Watching her dangle her legs from the bed was actually quite cute.
“So, how is it? Do you like it, Miela?”
Taking the chance while Miela was momentarily quiet after all the excitement, Eastin asked gently. Miela nodded right away.
“Mhm, I love it! I want to thank Lady Regina right away!”
Unlike her old home, where the lack of sunlight caused mold to grow, this room had huge south-facing glass windows that let in plenty of light. She especially liked that. Sitting by the window for a sunbath seemed like it would make her drowsy.
Then, something occurred to Miela, and she added hesitantly.
“…But actually, I’m a little worried.”
“I’m glad you like it. What are you worried about?”
“It’s just… being alone in such a big room feels kind of scary. Oh!”
Suddenly clapping her hands as if struck by a brilliant idea, Miela asked Eastin:
“Hey, Titi, can I share a room with you? It seems big enough for two people!”
“What are you talking about? Even if we’re engaged, that’s not allowed. Sharing a room is only for adults.”
Eastin was flustered by her innocent suggestion. But not wanting to show it, he answered more brusquely than usual. Miela, stung by the rejection, muttered glumly:
“But the room’s so big…”
“Well, it can’t be helped. If you want, how about moving to the room right next to mine?”
Eastin offered an alternative. Miela brightened for a second, then frowned again.
“Really? But… I really like this room.”
In the end, Eastin relented a little.
“Then I’ll switch rooms. Butler, move my things to the room next door. I’ll stay there from today.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“…!”
So decisive?! Miela’s eyes widened at how quickly he made the decision. But that wasn’t the end of the surprises.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
“Miss Miela, may I come in?”
“Yes, come in! But who are you?”
She answered cheerfully but tilted her head, puzzled by the unfamiliar female voice. Then the door opened, revealing the visitor.
“I’m Elena, a dressmaker. I was summoned by the Duchess to make your clothes, Miss Miela.”
“…!”
