Chapter 44
“They’ll probably glance at me and whisper among themselves again, right? Let them do whatever they want.”
Thanks to Eidel, Linia had regained some self-confidence. She deliberately straightened her shoulders and only slightly touched the tea and food placed before her.
Curiosity seemed to be bubbling up inside her, but she didn’t glance around and instead focused on the conversations the other ladies at the table were having, occasionally smiling in agreement.
Though the stares scanning her didn’t decrease, the discomfort somehow lessened.
‘Right, if I don’t care about others, it feels a bit easier!’
Linia felt as if she had made a great discovery, and her mood lifted.
But upon reflection, it wasn’t that she felt comfortable because she didn’t care about the stares. The mockery and ridicule directed at her had disappeared.
‘Do they have nothing to criticize? Was what Eidel chose for me the right answer?’
Feeling more assured, Linia’s tension eased, and her perspective broadened. She started observing what other girls her age were wearing and could calmly watch the people dancing.
Whenever she met disapproving gazes, her shoulders instinctively tensed, but Linia made an effort to appear unfazed.
Before she knew it, it was almost 11 p.m.
‘Today wasn’t so bad.’
Unlike yesterday, when she had felt like a complete fool, today she thought, ‘I wasn’t half bad.’
As she was considering saying goodbye to the host, Camille, and heading home before it got too late, the lady sitting next to her quietly spoke.
“The dress suits you well today, young lady. Your complexion looks much brighter.”
“Oh…! Th-thank you.”
Her heart raced as if it were about to burst out of her ribcage. But it wasn’t just her; another lady chimed in.
“You picked the right necklace too. These days, young girls seem to think piling on accessories makes them look good, but at your age, it’s easy to be overshadowed by the jewelry itself.”
At that, the surrounding ladies laughed softly.
Linia almost froze, thinking the remark was aimed at her from the previous day, but she followed Eidel’s advice to “act unfazed” and managed to join in the laughter.
Then, from a distance, a rather stern-looking elderly woman glanced at Linia and spoke.
“You’d better keep the person who helped you with today’s outfit close, young lady.”
Her words struck Linia like a sharp jab.
The conversation soon shifted, and a few older ladies began making excuses about being tired and rose from their seats.
‘I should follow them and say goodbye together. Who knows what kind of fool I’ll be made out of if I go alone?’
Linia followed behind them and approached Camille.
Spotting the elderly ladies, Camille greeted them with a bright smile.
“Oh my, Lady Ressio! Grand Lady Bryn!”
“We old folks have occupied these seats long enough. We’re heading out now.”
“No, stay a little longer! At midnight, he’ll bring out the champagne, and we’ll start waltzing again. You must show us your dancing skills.”
Camille, almost like a playful daughter, stomped her feet cutely. The elderly women laughed brightly at her adorable display and exchanged parting words, fully aware that her invitation to stay longer was just polite formalities.
However, as Linia watched this heartwarming scene from behind, she felt a chill at Camille’s insincerity.
‘So, she acts all sweet and friendly to the real nobles…! Well, she used to be that way with me too.’
At the last tea party, Camille had been so kind and friendly. Yet in this party, she had made Linia a complete laughingstock. It was hard to ignore her blatant mockery.
Though Linia felt like pulling her intricately styled hair and shaking her, she remembered Eidel’s advice and forced a smile.
Straightening her back and shoulders, she approached Camille with a calm and graceful stride.
“Mrs. Emerson.”
“Oh my! Is Lady Chrysis leaving already? The party only gets fun after midnight!”
Camille lowered her eyebrows, feigning disappointment, looking every bit the ‘popular lady’ Linia once admired.
But now that she knew Camille’s true nature, she no longer appeared beautiful to her.
“I’m afraid my brother would scold me if I stayed too late. I should be heading home now.”
“Was the party not enjoyable?”
“No way! It’s been great fun since ‘yesterday.’”
Linia said this casually, just trying to seem ‘unfazed,’ but Camille paused for a brief moment, just for a second.
Camille quickly resumed her friendly smile and held Linia’s hand.
“You’ll be here tomorrow too, right? I’ll save a seat for you, so you mustn’t miss it.”
“Of course. See you tomorrow.”
Linia, as Eidel had taught her, gave a polite farewell and followed the other elderly ladies out of the ballroom.
As she looked around for her family’s carriage, the older women turned to glance at her and smiled warmly.
“Lady Chrysis, that was quite impressive.”
“Huh?”
Linia was puzzled, but the two ladies chuckled.
“You gave Camille Emerson a taste of her own medicine earlier. It was very satisfying.”
“That queen bee of a girl… She’s always making fools of the innocent. It makes every party uncomfortable.”
“To escape that treatment, you have to warn her off like you did just now. Otherwise, she’ll keep doing it.”
“Exactly. Why would Lady Chrysis care about a mere woman like Mrs. Emerson?”
Linia was confused by what the two ladies were saying and didn’t understand.
‘Did I put her in her place? Warn her? When…?’
But Linia knew better than to ask, ‘Did I?’ as that would make her seem foolish.
“Thank you… for saying so.”
“Hohoho! It turns out you’re quite polite and a fine young lady.”
“Indeed. See you tomorrow, Lady Chrysis.”
“Goodbye.”
Linia bowed to them as well and got into the carriage, feeling a bit bewildered.
As darkness blanketed the night and everyone was unwinding from the day’s fatigue, Mina suddenly visited Eidel’s room.
“Eidel! The Count is calling for you. What’s going on this time?”
Mina looked at Eidel with a mix of annoyance and suspicion, but Eidel had no clue either.
Hearing that it was urgent, Eidel draped the shawl Daisy had gifted her over her nightgown and hurried to Laszlo’s office.
Surprisingly, Linia was there as well.
Linia’s expression was somewhat expectant, while Laszlo’s face seemed complicated.
“Sorry to call you at such a late hour.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“I was planning to call you tomorrow, but this one insisted…”
It seemed like Laszlo was glancing at Linia in a reproachful way, but Linia kept smiling as if it had no effect on her.
Seeing Laszlo smile as well, Eidel began to relax, sensing it wasn’t something bad.
“Though it may seem sudden, I’d like you to become Linia’s personal maid.”
“Me…? You want me to do that?”
“After thinking about it, there’s no one else in the house as suitable as you for the job.”
“That’s right. How did we not think of it sooner?”
Linia interjected.
After seeking Eidel’s advice once again for today’s party, hosted by Camille Emerson, Linia had attended in a dress and accessories chosen by Eidel and seemed in high spirits, just as she had the previous day.
“That’s because of your inferiority complex.”
“No, it’s not! Why would you bring that up now…!”
“If this causes more problems, I won’t let it slide, Lin.”
The nickname Laszlo used for Linia hit Eidel deeply, as it was the same as her poor little sister’s name.
Laszlo turned his gaze back to Eidel.
“Can you do it? You’ll move to a room next to Linia’s, and your pay will increase. But if you don’t want to, you can refuse. I don’t want to force you.”
“No. If you allow it, I will do my best.”
“You don’t have to give your best. Just do it moderately.”
“Brother!”
Linia pouted at Laszlo again, and for some reason, Eidel found that endearing.
‘Those two, they really are close.’
Linia respected and loved her brother, and though Laszlo pretended otherwise, he clearly cherished Linia.
It was a feeling Eidel had never experienced, despite having two brothers.
‘My brothers and I were like strangers.’
They had been completely separated from each other since childhood and received education apart, so they rarely even spoke. Eidel barely knew her brothers, and they knew little about her.
When she refused to marry the Duke of Lancaster, both brothers, like their father, criticized her.
“If you just endured a little, everyone could be happy! Stop being so selfish!”
Though she had never felt much familial affection, that moment severed any attachment she might have had for them.
“…Eidel? Eidel?”
“Oh, yes!”
Startled, Eidel snapped out of her thoughts and raised her head.
“You must be tired from standing for so long. Let’s continue this conversation tomorrow morning.”
“No, it’s fine to discuss it now…”
“Go back and rest. It’s late.”
Though Linia gave Laszlo a strange look, Eidel had no choice but to bow and return to her room.
About time they realized what an asset she was, geez.