Chapter 42
For ordinary commoners living in the city, ignoring a few people gossiping about you would be enough. But in the world of nobility, reputation was as vital as life itself.
Reputation was the foundation on which friendships were built, marriage proposals were made, financial trusts were secured, and careers were advanced.
**’Contrary to what people think, Linia is actually quite perceptive. She may not understand the language or customs of high society, but she knows she’s being looked down upon. She understands how important her reputation is. That’s why she’s on the verge of losing it.’**
She desperately wanted to do well but didn’t know how.
There was no one to help her.
She had to navigate this treacherous world alone, with no idea if her actions were right or wrong. She feared that her mistakes would also tarnish her brother’s name.
Idel felt like she understood Linia’s feelings.
**“So, who’s going?”**
As the sound of breaking things from the second floor finally quieted down, Marsha looked around at the servants, annoyance clear on her face.
Normally, Marsha acted like she was Linia’s personal maid, but during times like these, she always tried to send someone else in her place. Idel found Marsha’s attitude disgusting.
As the other maids stepped back, avoiding eye contact, Idel stepped forward.
**“If you’ll allow it, I’ll go.”**
Marsha’s eyes narrowed, questioning Idel’s intentions.
Idel calmly explained her reasoning.
**“Because of past events, the young lady won’t hit me. But if someone else goes in, I can’t guarantee the same.”**
Hearing that, Daisy and Celia quietly grasped the edge of Idel’s skirt. But Idel gently squeezed their hands in reassurance and then looked back at Marsha.
Though Marsha seemed uneasy, she knew she couldn’t send anyone else. If the maid she sent ended up getting hurt, she would be the one held responsible.
**“Fine. If you’re so confident, go clean it up!”** Marsha snapped, though she acted like she was doing Idel a favor.
Idel gathered a broom, dustpan, trash bin, and cloth before heading to Linia’s room.
When she knocked on the door, she could hear soft sobbing from inside.
**“Miss, it’s Idel. I’m coming in.”** Idel spoke in the calmest, most composed voice she could manage, then gently opened the door.
The scene inside was a disaster.
Crystal chandeliers, a replica of a famous sculpture, exotic porcelain vases—all were shattered and strewn across the floor. Dresses that had once hung neatly in the wardrobe were now tossed haphazardly around the room.
And there was Linia, collapsed over her vanity, sobbing.
Without saying a word, Idel began to clean the room.
She carefully shook out the grand but entirely mismatched dresses and draped them over the back of the sofa. She swept up the glass shards scattered across the floor.
After some time, Linia’s voice broke through her sobs, though Idel wasn’t sure she’d heard it correctly at first.
**“…They want me to come tomorrow. To brighten up the party again.”** Linia sniffled.
**“They’re such awful women. They ignore me, mock me. But they never insult me to my face.”**
Idel nodded.
Such behavior was commonplace in noble society, but to Linia, who had lived as a commoner, it must have seemed cowardly.
At least if they insulted her to her face, she could pull their hair out.
**“It must have been really hard for you.”**
**“…Yeah.”** Linia managed to say one word, then started crying again.
Idel sighed softly and continued sweeping. First, she had to clean up all the dangerous shards so Linia wouldn’t hurt herself.
Once the floor was clear of glass, she wiped up the spilled water from the broken vases.
The large trash bin she brought with her was now filled with shards of broken things, along with fresh flowers that hadn’t even wilted yet.
When the room was finally somewhat clean, Idel cautiously approached Linia, who was still slumped over her vanity, and spoke softly.
**“Miss, you should wash up and get some rest.”**
**“No. If I sleep and wake up, I’ll have to go back there. I don’t want to.”**
Linia’s misery and despair were so palpable that Idel could practically see them.
Gently, Idel placed a hand on Linia’s shoulder.
**“If you don’t go, they’ll gossip about you even more. They won’t accept an excuse like being sick. You’ll need to face them and act like nothing happened.”**
**“Why? Why should I have to do that?”** Linia’s voice was filled with frustration.
**“Why have you been doing it all this time?”**
Linia clenched her teeth, caught off guard by the unexpected question.
This wasn’t the first time she had returned home humiliated.
But she still attended every party she was invited to, enduring more humiliation each time.
There was only one reason.
**“Because I’m scared they’ll insult my brother because of me.”** Linia’s voice wavered as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.
**“But now… even if I go, they’ll still insult him. No matter what I do, they’ll keep ignoring me and talking behind my back. What am I supposed to do?”**
Idel gently stroked Linia’s back.
Despite being seen as spoiled and hysterical, Linia was a fragile woman who deeply cared for her brother.
“First, you need to reset your reputation to ‘zero.’”
“Reset it to zero? How am I supposed to do that?”
“Tomorrow, go to the party and sit as if nothing happened. Nod slightly at others’ conversations, sip some tea, and leave at an appropriate time. If someone asks you to dance, you can, but don’t talk too much while dancing.”
“And then?”
Lynia’s voice carried a tone of desperation.
“Be sure to greet Mrs. Emerson, the hostess, politely. Don’t show any sign that you’re thinking about what happened today. That’s all you need to do tomorrow.”
Lynia, who had her eyes tightly shut, nodded after a long pause.
Edel knew that it took a lot of courage for her to make that decision.
“Alright, I will.”
“If you want to avoid going with a swollen face tomorrow, you should bathe in warm water with essential oils and get a good night’s sleep.”
Lynia nodded again.
Edel pulled the bell cord for her and called for Masha.
Masha seemed quite surprised to see Lynia standing still next to Edel.
“The young lady would like to take a bath. Miss, please follow Mrs. Bohenn. I’ll finish tidying up the room.”
Lynia got up without a word, as if all her strength had left her, and followed Masha. Masha, as she left the room, gave Edel a look of shock.
Left alone, Edel separated the wet dresses draped over the sofa, hanging the dry ones in the closet and leaving the wet ones to dry.
She then carefully examined Lynia’s wardrobe.
‘Wearing these dresses would definitely invite gossip.’
It was unclear whether the intent was to flaunt their expense or simply a preference for the flashy, but most of Lynia’s dresses were heavily adorned with ribbons, ruffles, lace, and even all sorts of jewels.
But on closer inspection, they weren’t of very high quality. The mix of good and poor materials made it obvious that someone had deliberately deceived Lynia.
Edel sorted through the dresses, most of which seemed barely worn, until she found one that suited Lynia better.
‘Lynia is tall and has a strong frame, so something like this will suit her better.’
The dress she selected was a dull light-green muslin evening dress.
It revealed only a little of the shoulders, and the neckline wasn’t too low, so it didn’t appear overly revealing. It was bordered with lace of the same color at the shoulders and chest, with no other decorations. But the fabric was of excellent quality, recognizable as fine muslin to anyone with a keen eye.
Unlike the other dresses, which seemed to scream for attention with either their cutesy or provocative designs, this one was mature without being overly severe.
‘Whoever chose this, thank goodness it’s here.’
Edel laid the dress on the tea table and opened Lynia’s jewelry box.
There was a chance she could be accused of stealing, but she wasn’t afraid.
‘Hmm… aside from a few pieces, the quality of the jewelry isn’t that great either.’
Hoping Lynia hadn’t been too swindled, Edel took out a teardrop-shaped emerald necklace.
At least the emeralds near the front had good color and clarity, with the larger ones around 4 to 5 carats, so there shouldn’t be too many complaints.
She placed the necklace in an empty jewelry box and laid it on top of the dress.
‘Will she be angry, thinking I’ve overstepped?’
But Edel wanted to help Lynia in any way she could.
Hoping Lynia would understand her sincerity, Edel grabbed the trash bin and left Lynia’s room.
* * *
‘What should I do…’
Lynia hadn’t been able to make a decision about the dress and necklace on the tea table, even after staring at them for the umpteenth time since last night.
When she had returned from her bath, there had been a dress she had completely forgotten about and a necklace she hadn’t particularly liked, lying on the tea table.
It was clear that Edel had left them there.
‘Why did I cry like that in front of her yesterday?’
Lynia cringed with embarrassment at the memory of the previous night.
But she couldn’t deny that Edel’s calm voice had been a great comfort to her.
