✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Translated by: Alina
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Just a moment, I said to Janet, who was standing nearby.
“Would you like to sit?”
“Yes? But I must continue to escort the Duchess…”
“I just don’t like to eat alone.”
In response to my offer, she sighed and took a seat.
‘I felt bad for making her stand, but it seems she’s relieved. And I had something to ask her.’
With a smile of realization, I spoke to Janet.
“By the way, Janet, you mentioned that you came to the mansion 11 years ago?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Were the other attendants also hired around the same time?”
“Captain Chester, the captain of the knights, was here before me, and Sir Xenon, the aide, came two years later.”
“Ah, around the time of the Duke’s inauguration. If my memory serves me correctly, he also deployed Xenon on the battlefield.
“Yes. Sir Xenon served as an adviser to His Excellency on the battlefield, earning recognition and eventually becoming an aide.”
‘Adviser… I see. So, that’s how a fallen noble could become an aide to Erich?’
Currently, Xenon is two years older than Erich.
‘So if Erich came at the age of sixteen, Xenon must have joined at eighteen, which is indeed suspicious.’
I asked Janet again.
“How did everyone come to work at this mansion?”
“I was a mercenary, and the master scouted me for my abilities. The previous commander of the knights recommended Captain Chester, I believe. And Sir Xenon became the master’s escort knight, thanks to a recommendation from Count Schultz.”
‘Count Schultz… a family well-known even among the nobility.’
Perhaps investigating Xenon’s background would be more challenging than I thought.
‘I should send Sardin to the Information Guild soon.’
But not now.
“By the way, why are you suddenly asking about that?”
“Well, you are now the Duchess’ attendant aren’t you? I thought I should know at least your background.”
“I see.”
I felt uncomfortable under Janet’s scrutinizing gaze, filled with suspicion.
Then, a waiter approached us with a silver platter.
“Excuse me.”
Beautifully decorated appetizers were placed in front of us.
I picked up one of the appetizers and encouraged Janet to do the same.
“The appetizers are here. Let’s dig in.”
She hesitated for a moment before tasting the appetizer, her face turning slightly red.
Each time a new dish arrived, Janet happily emptied her plate with a content expression.
‘In many ways, it’s fulfilling.’
Just for a moment, as dessert was served, Janet subtly asked,
“Madam, will you be returning home once the meal is finished?”
I shook my head with a smile.
“No, next, we’re going to the jewelry store.”
After finishing my sentence, I savored the lemon sorbet in my mouth.
It provided a refreshing yet tangy sensation.
‘But what’s to come soon will be far more stimulating than this.’
* * *
Today, as always, the top jewelry store in the area, Shining Stone, was filled with noblewomen looking to purchase gems.
However, in the exclusive VIP lounge, where not just anyone could enter, familiar faces were engaged in discreet conversations.
“I heard Glen purchase a necklace for Lady Jasmine recently. But apparently, it was the same one he gave to his mistress.”
“Oh my, that’s unbelievable!”
As they gathered around the table, discussing both shopping and gossip, someone entered the store, catching the attention of the ladies.
“Isn’t that the princess—no, the Duchess of Blant?”
“I heard she bought a ruby necklace last time she was here, but why does she look…?”
Unlike the day she visited the jewelry store before, Cornelia was dressed plainly.
The main difference now was her expression.
Instead of the faint smile she wore then, she now had a stoic expression.
Cornelia’s dedicated salesperson and the manager of Shining Stone quickly approached her.
“Duchess, it’s been two days.”
“Ah, it’s you.”
Seeing Cornelia’s indifferent face, the manager swallowed a dry gulp and spoke up.
“The jade bracelet you entrusted to us is still being crafted. May I ask what brings you here today?”
With a sigh, Cornelia took something out of her pocket.
And when he saw it, the manager gasped in astonishment.
‘How could this…?’
The once quite expensive ruby necklace from this store was now in a pitiful state, damaged beyond recognition.
‘Did the matriarch make it like this?’
With a dry tone and a relentless, stoic expression, Cornelia spoke.
“You were mistaken.”
Eventually, the manager recalled the words he had spoken that day.
<Don’t worry. In my experience, there hasn’t been a noblewoman who dislikes jewelry. She’ll surely love it.>
Honestly, it was bewildering.
One couldn’t expect such a high-end ruby necklace to end up like this, as a person.
When dealing with nobility, one must always consider that they may respond as they wish.
‘Perhaps she might nitpick and demand compensation or an apology.’
Bringing back a necklace in such a state indicated there was likely dissatisfaction, so there was no need for pride when dealing with nobles.
“Madam, I misspoke…”
As he kneeled down quickly to beg for forgiveness, Cornelia interrupted the manager.
“I don’t know what you take me for.”
Handing the ruby necklace to the manager, Cornelia spoke again.
“Have this necklace repaired as good as new. I’ll cover the repair costs.”
‘Ah, she wants it repaired.’
Just as the manager began to feel relieved at her response, he accepted the necklace.
‘But I can’t relax just yet.’
Wealthy nobles typically discarded damaged items rather than repairing them, so the current situation was unusual.
‘There’s a chance she’s trying to find fault.’
Regardless, he must protect the store’s reputation.
It was crucial to find a way for the guest, the Duchess of Blant, to leave without further incident.
Soon, the manager addressed Cornelia, staring at her.
“It seems that our necklace fell short of the matriarch’s taste.”
His words stirred the atmosphere in the VIP lounge.
Understandably, Shining Stone’s VIP clients were individuals of considerable wealth and social standing, often purchasing high-end jewelry. The news that the necklace from their favored establishment was disregarded by the matriarch of Blant wasn’t well received.
So the Blant Matriarch had the audacity to ruin a gift her daughter-in-law had prepared in such a manner? Just because she didn’t like the necklace?”
“Even though the Blant ducal family is powerful, their arrogance knows no bounds.”
However, there were differing opinions, particularly from noblewomen.
“Well, we don’t have all the facts. Isn’t it premature to draw conclusions?
“Right. There must have been a reason.”
As they engaged in a tense debate, the manager found himself preoccupied with handling Cornelia.
“We’ll repair it free of charge. And if you wish, we can also alter the design.”
Swallowing hard, the manager glanced at Cornelia, hoping she’d accept the offer without any trouble.
This way, even if she were a princess, she couldn’t complain after entrusting the repair.
That’s why the manager anticipated that Cornelia would simply agree.
But…
“There’s no need for that. There’s nothing wrong with the necklace.”
“What? But the matriarch…”
“I heard that my mother-in-law favors rubies. The one who said so was someone she trusts, like her own daughter, so it must be true.”
With a bitter smile, Cornelia gazed at the necklace in the manager’s hand.
“But my mother-in-law destroyed the necklace I gave her. It’s not that she didn’t like the gift given to me.”
Both the manager in front of her and the noblewomen watching couldn’t conceal their expressions at Cornelia’s words.
It was understandable, since the situation was one that anyone who had married outside of their faction could empathize with. Moreover, if even the dignified princess herself made such remarks, it was evident how much the matriarch had been provoked.
‘The princess is also experiencing difficulties in her married life.’
‘Surely, the matriarch’s personality is not ordinary.’
As many watched the princess with a mix of sympathy and understanding, someone spoke up.
“But, didn’t the matriarch of Blant dislike rubies… Wasn’t it the opposite?”
“Exactly. From what I know, she would detest rubies, especially because of the incident during the crown princess’s selection.”
Hearing this, Cornelia murmured to herself.
“I see. She disliked rubies. But why did that girl…?”
With a pale face, Cornelia laid down some gold coins.
“This should be enough for the work. Send it to the mansion when it’s done.”
“Yes, yes? Please wait a moment, Duchess!”
The manager hurriedly followed Cornelia, but she had already left the jewelry store.
‘Oh, I was going to ask about the jade bracelet…’
However, it wasn’t polite to go back and ask such a trivial thing of someone who had just left like that.
Yes, she instructed me to send the jade bracelet once the necklace was finished.’
Having reached that conclusion, he returned to the jewelry store’s VIP lounge with a sigh.
“That thing just now… Was it about Lady Arzen?”
“Yes, she came with her cousin last time. Even the ruby was her recommendation!”
One of the noblewomen listening spoke up.
“Wow, coming together and saying such things, it’s clear that Lady Arzen deliberately wanted to make trouble for the princess.”
