I returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed as if diving into it, clutching my head.
“Ah, this is driving me crazy….”
What on earth happened yesterday?
“Arghhhh!”
Frustration and embarrassment alternated as they swept over me.
I bounced up and down on the bed, tearing at my hair.
That’s when it happened.
“My lady, a letter from the Imperial Palace… Oh my goodness, I didn’t see anything!”
Vivi, who had just entered my room, let out a near-scream in surprise.
I slowly raised my head from my self-torment on the bed.
“…You’re here?”
“Yes, I closed my eyes when I came in, so I didn’t see anything. Really, my lady.”
“Right, got it.”
She saw everything.
Having shown Vivi all sorts of weirdness, I no longer felt embarrassed by such things.
After all, she had caught me swearing on the very first day of my possession.
‘I should commend Vivi for not reporting me to a mental institution.’
Calmly, I tidied my disheveled hair and sat up straight, as if I had never screamed.
“So, you said there’s a letter from the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes, it’s a letter from the princess.”
Vivi offered me a silver tray holding the letter and a letter opener.
In the center of the envelope was a red seal symbolizing the Imperial Family of the Levant Empire.
‘She really is in a hurry.’
I had only introduced Madam Zed yesterday afternoon, and already a letter had arrived.
Despite her feigned indifference, it seems she was quite pleased with my dress.
I opened the envelope to check the contents of the letter.
As expected, there were no formal greetings—straight to the point from the first line.
“I have cleared my schedule, so it would be good if you could visit with Madam Zede tomorrow.”
Not even a week later, but tomorrow.
Isn’t it common courtesy to give a few days’ notice to allow the recipient to prepare?
And she even got Madam Zed’s name wrong.
It was so like the princess to show no interest in anything outside of her own areas of interest.
“P.S. Even after the Grand Duchess left, people kept talking about her dress! Thank goodness not everyone has eyes on their feet!”
After reading the final postscript, I carefully folded the letter and returned it to the envelope.
“What did she say?”
“She’s inviting me to the palace.”
“Oh my goodness.”
Vivi covered her mouth with both hands, utterly shocked.
“Is it true? Then we need to start preparing right away. We should check the accessories again… When is the date? A week later? Two weeks later? Either way, it will be tight, but I’ll do my best…”
“Tomorrow.”
At my serene smile, Vivi, who had been in a flutter, stopped dead like a broken machine.
“Tomorrow… you say?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The maids are going to have a hard time starting today.
Understanding Vivi’s current state of shock, I gave her shoulder a few gentle pats.
“Oh, and Vivi. Do you know something called the Aria newsletter?”
Vivi snapped out of her frozen state at my question.
She nodded vigorously.
“Oh, yes. The Aria newsletter? Of course, I know! Who wouldn’t know about it?”
“Really?”
So, it was just me who didn’t know.
“I heard that it’s not just any newsletter, but one that has some kind of magic on it, so opinions come up in real-time?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow, so the rumors were true!”
Vivi, who had been covering her mouth with both hands, lowered them reluctantly, as if disappointed.
“It’s strictly subscription-based and is only published for high-ranking people, so folks like us can only hear rumors.”
So, it’s not a newsletter that’s available to just anyone.
Well, considering it’s a newsletter carrying all sorts of issues from high society and even enchanted with magic, it must be pretty expensive and not spread around indiscriminately.
‘That’s how those bourgeois types are.’
I’d wager that managing the subscriber list is no small feat.
After a brief moment of thought, I spoke to Vivi.
“I’m thinking of subscribing to it. Can that be arranged starting today?”
Vivi’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.
“Oh, my lady, you’re finally going to subscribe! I’ll get to see the real thing, too!”
“Vivi?”
“Why are you so excited?”
At my sharp look, Vivi cleared her throat and smiled shyly.
“I’ll talk to the butler. Today might be the publishing day, but I’m not sure if we can get today’s newsletter even if we subscribe today.”
“I’d like to see today’s newsletter too, so make sure to ask about that.”
“Yes! But, my lady, didn’t you say before that you weren’t really interested in the Aria newsletter?”
Vivi blinked her big eyes and asked.
“…Did I say that?”
“Hmm, when the butler was updating the subscription list, he asked you, and you said you didn’t want to pay attention to the pointless issues of the social scene.”
“Oh, right, I did say that.”
So, that was Eloise, then.
It’s definitely something Eloise would say.
I nodded and shrugged lightly.
“Well, sometimes people change their minds as they live.”
“I see… Oh, did you perhaps enjoy the party yesterday?”
“Well… if you put it that way.”
“I knew it! I knew my lady would catch everyone’s attention! Even if people have a lot to say, you are the flower of the social scene, my lady. If someone like you doesn’t show interest in high society, then who would?”
Vivi stomped her feet in delight.
I’ve felt this before, but Vivi certainly seems to have some inexplicable admiration for me.
Though I did attract attention at the season party, albeit in a different sense, in the end, Vivi wasn’t wrong.
“Yes. Being too detached from social news has been inconvenient. Since I plan to participate in social events regularly from now on, it’s good to stay informed.”
“My lady….”
Vivi looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if she were deeply moved.
“I knew this day would come. I’ll talk to the butler and make sure to get today’s newsletter!”
“Alright, thank you.”
I was about to send Vivi out when I suddenly paused.
It was because of a thought that flashed through my mind.
“Um, Vivi.”
“Yes?”
Vivi, who had half-turned to leave, straightened and looked at me.
I hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“…Can I ask you one more thing?”
“Go ahead, my lady.”
I looked at Vivi, standing there demurely, and after a few false starts, I cleared my throat and asked cautiously.
“…I’m just asking, but was there any commotion after I returned home yesterday…?”
“Pardon? Ah.”
Vivi, who was staring at me blankly, let out a sound of realization.
“If you mean after you returned home yesterday… are you referring to when the master carried you to your bedroom? The master placed you down and told us to help you change, so we did.”
“What?!”
Without thinking, I let out a scream with a crack in my voice and jumped up on the spot.
I hurriedly covered my mouth, but it was already too late.
Vivi, startled by my intense reaction, blinked rapidly.
“Did… did I say something wrong? Oh no, my stupid mouth!”
“No, no.”
I waved my hand at Vivi, who was tapping her own mouth, and clutched my temples.
…I had wondered why I couldn’t remember anything.
It turns out I hadn’t walked home on my own two feet.
And I was carried to my bedroom by that guy, Ian.
The mere thought of such a ridiculous scene made me feel faint.
“…Is that all?”
Please let that be all.
However, contrary to my hopes, Vivi looked troubled, fidgeting as she glanced around.
There’s more.
“…What else?”
“Well, um.”
“Go on, I won’t punish you.”
At my gentle urging, Vivi reluctantly began to speak.
“I heard from another maid that my lady yelled at the master in the lobby. Also…”
“…Also?”
“They said you… confessed something to him.”
♧♧♧
If you want to support the translation and the translator, please buy a coffee 🐳
