Chapter 58
However, there are some people who lack the ability to sense danger. They might be oblivious, bold, or perhaps overly confident.
“Laszlo Chrysos… no matter how much I think about it, he seems like the best match.”
Angela had been in high spirits since the party.
Ever since she turned twenty, Angela had been pressured into marriage, but she hadn’t yet found a man who met her standards. The men proposed to her were mostly second or younger sons from noble families or, even if they were the eldest, their titles and wealth were nothing special.
But during the party, that issue seemed resolved.
“If I marry him, I could become a countess without waiting for someone to die.”
For Angela, this was more important than anything else.
She had been adored as “Lady Bliss” since birth, but, unfortunately, her father was the second son.
Thanks to living with the Bliss family after marriage, Angela could continue to be called “Lady Bliss.” But once her grandfather, the current Earl of Bliss, passed away, they would have to leave the family estate.
If that happened, Angela would no longer be “Lady Bliss,” and her lifestyle would likely decline.
“My uncle wouldn’t send enough money for us to live comfortably.”
Maintaining her dignity required considerable expense. Being one of the society’s renowned beauties didn’t come cheaply.
But once her grandfather died, she would be no different than the ordinary young ladies she looked down upon. Angela couldn’t bear that thought.
“So I have to marry a man with substantial wealth and a secure title.”
And Laszlo Chrysos fit that requirement perfectly.
Even if it meant having a troublesome sister-in-law like Rinia, she could just marry her off eventually.
Besides, now that she realized Laszlo was so handsome, the fact that he was once a mercenary didn’t bother her in the slightest.
As she went over the information she’d gathered about him, Angela recalled something from the end of last year.
“Ah, right! He was granted Idel Lancaster.”
If Laszlo had taken her as his mistress, Angela would’ve been concerned, but rumor had it that Idel served as a maid at the Chrysos estate.
Angela was pleased by the fact that Laszlo treated Idel indifferently, almost dismissively.
“I’m sure he prefers a woman like me over some overly quiet and prim lady.”
Judging by his appearance, brimming with sensuality, wasn’t it obvious?
The mere thought of keeping him by her side while treating Idel, a former duchess, as a maid thrilled her to the core. It was the life she had always dreamed of.
“I will make sure to captivate him. The position of Countess Chrysos is mine!”
Angela smirked as she applied a crimson lipstick to her alluring lips.
—
“Miss Rinia! They’ve finally released a new flower powder product! Tomorrow, I’ll stand in line early to…!”
“No, it’s fine.”
Marcia, who had rushed to inform Rinia about the new product release, paused at Rinia’s curt rejection.
But Rinia didn’t stop there; she shot Marcia a sharp look.
“I thought of scolding you firmly before, but I got busy and forgot. If you want to pretend to know things, get your facts right!”
“Huh…?”
“You didn’t realize that flower powder was only trendy among married women, did you?”
Marcia, about to protest, remembered that all the maids she shared gossip with served married mistresses and fell silent.
“If Idel hadn’t told me, I’d still be hearing gossip about me—about a young girl wearing such makeup to seduce men.”
“But I was only doing it for you, miss…!”
“For me? No. Why did you tell me a 250-Rington product cost 400 Ringtons?”
Marcia’s face turned pale, realizing she’d been caught inflating the price of cosmetics. However, it wasn’t the extra 150 Ringtons that upset Rinia.
“I’d be willing to give you that as a reward! But just thinking about the rumors that could’ve spread…!”
Rinia felt an urge to strangle Marcia every time she thought about the disgraceful gossip that could have circulated about her.
“Get out of my sight before I really strangle you!”
Rinia was about to head out, so she dismissed Marcia without escalating further. Marcia’s eyes turned red with rage as she slowly walked back to her room.
“Idel… that wretch is blocking my path!”
First impressions are crucial, and Marcia’s intuition about Idel had been right from the start.
Idel, whom she disliked immediately upon meeting, was gradually disrupting Marcia’s comfortable life.
Despite being only in her mid-twenties, Idel had become a central figure among the younger maids and encouraged the other servants to express dissatisfaction with Marcia’s authoritarian ways.
She’d even taken over Marcia’s once-exclusive communication with Laszlo and Rinia—and had even been appointed as Rinia’s personal maid.
“Rinia knows I inflated the cost of the flower powder. Idel might have also figured out that I’ve been siphoning off money from this household.”
This suspicion quickly turned into anxiety, suffocating Marcia.
She needed to stay in this house until she could pay off the debts for her house in the Valtice area and the various unpaid items she’d bought on credit.
Marcia called in Mina to discuss her concerns.
“We have to get rid of that Idel woman, by any means necessary!”
Because Idel was an imperial gift, they couldn’t kill or harm her, but they needed to find a way to get her out of the household.
Mina, who shared Marcia’s disdain for Idel, came up with what she thought was a clever plan.
“The most effective way to remove a maid is through theft. Theft accusations always work.”
“Theft?”
“Yes. Jewelry—necklaces, earrings, things like that.”
Marcia, about to snap at Mina, suddenly changed her expression.
“Yes… that might just work.”
“R-right? But how will you get your hands on Lady Rinia’s jewels?”
“That’s not an issue. But…”
Marcia crossed her arms, deep in thought.
When the incident unfolded, some of Idel’s close maid friends would likely defend her. If she could turn even one of them against Idel, it would work in Marcia’s favor.
“Celia and Laila are smart enough to see through me and might even try to blackmail me. But Daisy… she’s young and still naive.”
Deciding to target Daisy, one of Idel’s closest maids, Marcia called her into her room to gauge her loyalty.
As Daisy entered nervously, her large eyes darting around, Marcia smiled in a falsely gentle way.
“Daisy, how long has it been since you started working here?”
“Three years… ma’am.”
“Marco is lucky to have such a kind and lovely daughter.”
“Oh… thank you…”
Daisy was even more anxious, puzzled by Marcia’s sudden kindness.
Marcia went on about how maids understand each other best, about knowing who to trust, then finally got to her point.
“What I mean is, Idel isn’t someone who’ll truly care about you. She’s a noblewoman to her core. How could she possibly understand someone like you, who’s worked hard alongside your father?”
Daisy frowned slightly, but Marcia ignored her reaction and continued.
“As you know, nobles treat their servants as disposable. Idel smiles at you now, but only because she’ll use you one day.”
“What exactly are you trying to say, Head Maid?”
Unable to hold back, Daisy clenched her fists and spoke up.
Marcia smiled condescendingly.
“Daisy, it would be in your best interest to listen to me. You’re just a maid here and, even if you move on to another place, I can help arrange a position. But Idel… well, she’ll just end up as some old nobleman’s mistress.”
The moment Marcia insinuated that Idel was destined to be nothing more than a courtesan, Daisy finally lost her composure.
“Don’t you dare speak about Sister Idel that way! And isn’t it you who’s been using the maids for your own gain?”
“What did you say?”
“Someone who truly cares about us wouldn’t demand tribute payments! You assign easier tasks to those who pay, while punishing others with harder work and nitpicking!”
Marcia’s hands trembled with fury at Daisy’s accusations.
“Y-you ungrateful wretch!”
Marcia stood up and struck Daisy on the head. She would’ve slapped her outright if it wouldn’t leave a mark.
Despite the blow, Daisy glared back defiantly at Marcia.
Before Idel had arrived, Daisy would never have dared meet her gaze.
“Fine, bring it on. You’re digging your own grave, girl. Just you wait!”
Marcia forced Daisy out of her room, determined to carry out her original plan.
