Chapter 33
The reason Dimarcus has managed to solidify his position on the throne, despite his near-oppressive treatment of the nobility compared to the previous emperor, is that the power he wields aligns with the general public’s common sense and moral standards.
In other words, the nobles he punishes have been excessively abusing their power, far beyond what is considered reasonable.
“It’s not easy to pick out the pearls in this mud pit my father left behind.”
His sigh deepened.
The power of the Four Great Families had been too immense, and too many parasites had clung to them. The wise and diligent had erased their presence, waiting for that violent era to pass.
“It would be nice if they’d start crawling out now, but they’re all too cautious.”
Dimarcus, who was struggling to find allies to surround himself with, lamented his situation, to which Count Talon cautiously responded.
“Do you think the Celestine Marquessate might start moving soon?”
“Hmm? The Celestine Marquessate?”
Dimarcus was puzzled by the mention of a family that seemed to be the most cautious.
“Didn’t Count Chrysus visit the Celestine Marquessate yesterday? I thought Your Majesty knew.”
“Laszlo went there? I hadn’t heard anything from him.”
Dimarcus did not think Laszlo would betray him. Laszlo knew there were informants and watchers around him, so if he visited in broad daylight, it meant he had nothing to hide.
“But why suddenly the Celestine Marquessate?”
Count Talon, a loyal and capable servant, approached Dimarcus, who was perplexed.
“There’s only one thing that comes to mind: the friendship between the Celestine Dowager Marchioness and Ethel Lancaster.”
“Oh? That stubborn old woman was close with Ethel Lancaster?”
“Yes. They weren’t the type to spread rumors, so not many know, but from what I’ve heard, they shared a deep friendship. It’s almost as if they were mother and daughter.”
Dimarcus stroked his chin, deep in thought.
“So, you’re saying… Laszlo went there because of Ethel Lancaster?”
“It seems the Dowager Marchioness invited him. Perhaps Count Chrysus accepted the invitation to gauge the atmosphere.”
“Yes, that makes sense. But…”
Still, something about Laszlo’s actions felt suspicious. The Laszlo Chrysus he knew wasn’t the type to voluntarily try to win over the nobility.
It also didn’t seem like he was doing it out of affection for Ethel Lancaster. The usually stoic Laszlo falling for someone in just two and a half months seemed unlikely.
“It’s best to ask him directly. Tell Laszlo to stop by before leaving the palace.”
“Understood.”
Although he might have felt bad about holding up someone who was leaving early on a Saturday, Dimarcus wore a mischievous grin.
* * *
“Marsha! Is the tea ready? What about the refreshments?”
“Everything is prepared, miss. Please calm down.”
“But we’re having guests and my brother isn’t here!”
Lynia, who had been anxiously bustling around, couldn’t hide her nervousness.
Laszlo, who had said he’d bring a few knights from the Imperial Order after leaving the palace, had just sent an urgent message.
“His Majesty has summoned him suddenly, so Sir Chrysus will be a bit late. He said to serve tea and refreshments and show the guests around the house if they arrive first.”
Lynia was horrified by the messenger’s words.
She was supposed to entertain noble guests alone? She felt like she was going to faint.
She had imitated what she’d seen at other tea parties, but there was no way to know if it was correct. Marsha’s reassurances that it was splendid offered no comfort.
‘What if they mock me again?’
Just as she was about to lose her mind from anxiety, someone suddenly came to Lynia’s mind.
‘That’s right! Ethel Lancaster, she knows everything, doesn’t she?’
Ethel was the only one in the house who had ever entertained nobility, and she did it excellently.
Lynia hurriedly called for a maid.
“Go fetch Ethel immediately! Make sure she’s properly dressed in her maid uniform! Hurry!”
“But the Count ordered not to summon her for a while…”
“He said she’s fully recovered! Go get her now!”
Lynia’s near-screaming left the maid no choice but to fetch Ethel.
When Ethel eventually came down to the parlor, she still looked a bit pale, but not as ghostly as when she had collapsed.
In fact, with her neatly tied hair and perfectly pressed maid uniform, she looked more like a lady-in-waiting from the palace than the lowest-ranking maid in the household.
“You called for me, miss?”
“See, she’s fine now. My brother won’t mind.”
Lynia raised her voice, trying to calm the maid who was anxious about disobeying the head of the household.
But now that Ethel was standing before her, it was hard to ask for her help directly.
‘What if she looks down on me?’
It was bad enough being mocked at every party, but she didn’t want to be seen as a fool by even the household’s maids.
Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking.
Marsha, who had been glaring disapprovingly at Ethel, whispered in Lynia’s ear.
“If you show the guests that you’re making the former Duchess serve as a maid, they’ll be impressed by you, miss.”
“Oh, that’s right! That’s a great idea!”
Lynia beamed as if her worries had been solved. She thought that by subtly ordering Ethel around, she could both protect her pride and get the help she needed.
Lynia tried to hide her anxiety and tilted her chin up in front of Ethel.
“Ethel, you’re fully recovered, so it’s time to start working again, don’t you think? But since you’re still recovering, I’ll have you serve me today. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
“Thank you for your consideration, miss.”
Ethel bowed obediently, which made Lynia sigh in relief as she slumped onto the sofa.
“In a little while, three knights from the Imperial Order will visit. My brother will be late, so we’ll have to greet them. When they arrive…”
“Yes.”
“Um… should I greet them at the door?”
Lynia asked uncertainly, testing the waters.
Ethel, whether she knew Lynia’s intentions or not, responded calmly.
“Usually, that’s the butler’s duty, but since there isn’t one, wouldn’t it be best if the head maid greets them and escorts them to the parlor?”
“Should I wait in the parlor then…?”
“Since you’re standing in for the head of the household, it would be more appropriate to enter the parlor after the guests are seated. The knights usually don’t hold titles, after all.”
“Ah, yes, that’s probably right.”
Lynia felt relieved that she didn’t have to stand at the entrance waiting to bow to the guests.
“When the guests arrive, please bring out the refreshments at an appropriate time. Make sure the table is set up nicely in advance.”
“Understood. I’ll head to the kitchen then…”
“Wait! Should I… stay in my room until they arrive?”
“Yes. I’ll come fetch you when they’re here.”
“Okay, great!”
Lynia finally felt at ease and sent Ethel to the kitchen. Since she had ordered ten different desserts, Ethel would surely set up a splendid table.
After instructing Marsha to wait at the entrance, Lynia returned to her room, anxiously awaiting Ethel’s return.
After what felt like an eternity, there was a knock at the door, and Ethel entered.
“Miss, the guests have arrived.”
“Oh? R-Really? Then… should I go down now…?”
Lynia, nerves fraying, fumbled around in a panic.
Ethel approached and adjusted her clothes, gently removing stray hairs from her forehead and cheeks.
“May I have your handkerchief?”
“Huh? This one, will it do?”
Ethel used the handkerchief to blot the oil from Lynia’s face.
“Where’s your powder?”
“Powder? Here it is. This is just white powder, this is pearl powder, and this is the flower-dyed powder that’s in vogue now.”
Although the cosmetics were all expensive, Ethel set the others aside and only used the basic white powder, lightly dusting Lynia’s face.
The white powder, layered over Marsha’s earlier makeup, gave Lynia a more understated look.
“All done.”
Lynia, who had expected more, was taken aback when Ethel stopped there.
“No, since we’ve started, go ahead and use the flower-dyed powder to add more color to my cheeks.”
“That won’t do.”
“What? What do you mean, I can’t?”
Rinia’s expression quickly turned sour. However, Idel, after hesitating for a moment, cautiously spoke.
“This powder… I’m sorry to say, but it is not appropriate for a young unmarried lady of noble birth to wear.”
Rinia’s expression froze.
“Why? Why is it inappropriate?”
“A young lady’s natural complexion is enough on its own. Adding artificial blush would look rather awkward.”
“W-What would happen if a young lady like me wore this kind of powder?”
“People might start talking, saying that someone so young is already trying to seduce men.”
“Is that true? Can you be sure?”
“Yes.”
Rinia’s face flushed with despair and shame.
