Chapter 8
As Shanette pointed out, my body had already recovered. While I wasn’t in a condition to attend consecutive balls or drink all night long, I could manage riding a carriage to Eckhart territory. Her remark hit the mark, but I didn’t need to react much.
After all, I was someone who once commanded people in the imperial circle with just a gesture and even plotted the assassination of the crown prince. A small secret being uncovered wouldn’t make me flinch or reveal any vulnerability.
“Why do you think that?” I asked calmly, but Shanette was startled and jumped as if she had been caught off guard.
“I would never dare to doubt or test Lady Eckhart. It’s just that your complexion has improved, and I noticed the strength in your hand as you held the spoon,” she said.
Hmm, I hadn’t acted well enough. Good observation. I’d have to cover my complexion with makeup and be more mindful of my movements. But first, I needed to silence her, who had uncovered my secret. She had approached me first, expressing her desire to speak with me. Even though she had figured out my condition, she hadn’t reported it to her master but to me instead.
‘She must want something from me.’
Judging by how she reacted to the one billion Marka, it seemed she needed money. However, that wasn’t of much value here at the Northern Lights mansion. The only thing of real worth was the necklace I’d been wearing, made from a pink diamond mined exclusively from Eckhart’s mines. Although the gemstone was small, it was incredibly rare.
‘Well, I don’t mind giving it to her.’
I had put it on absentmindedly that morning, and it wasn’t something I particularly treasured. Even though it was considered one of the most precious gems in the empire, to Eckhart, it was just another stone. Still, I had no intention of handing it over immediately as a bribe to keep her quiet.
I would be staying at the Northern Lights mansion for a while, pretending to be ill for the sake of my plans. Having at least one ally would be useful.
I needed to gauge just how far Shanette was willing to go for me.
“You’ve heard the story of me proposing to the Young Duke, haven’t you?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“It wasn’t just talk. I’m serious.”
If she was as quick-witted and smart as I thought, she’d understand the hidden meaning. If I married Ludger, I would become the mistress of the Northern Lights family. The management of the mansion was the responsibility of the lady of the house, and the maids’ fates would depend on my mood. If Shanette became a handmaiden of the duchess, her status would rise, her salary would increase, and her workload would become much lighter.
Would she be content with a one-time bribe, or would she prefer to elevate her status? I didn’t spell everything out for her. If she couldn’t figure it out on her own, I’d just offer her the bribe and ask her to keep quiet this once.
“Now that I think about it, it’s not my place as a mere maid to comment on Lady Eckhart’s condition. I’m not a doctor, after all,” she said with a smile.
“…”
“I’ll go finish clearing the dishes. Oh, and I’ll bring some makeup when I return. Your complexion is looking a bit too good,” she added with a wink as she disappeared from the room.
I had just gained a promising ally.
* * *
In the study of the Northern Lights mansion in the capital.
On the long chestnut desk, piles of documents related to the knight order and the estate were scattered. Ludger was often away from the mansion, and whenever he visited, the butler would always hand him a stack of overdue paperwork as if he had been waiting for it. It was a familiar situation, but for some reason, the stack of documents seemed unusually large this time.
‘Could Tessa have had a hand in this?’
She had tried to stop him from going to the battlefield. Maybe she had asked the butler to bring some extra work to keep him busy.
Though it seemed unlikely, there was an overwhelming amount of paperwork to handle, enough to raise suspicion. The butler even left the room to fetch the rest, claiming that this wasn’t all of it.
‘I need to hurry.’
If Ludger was going to stick to his schedule, he had to tackle the documents as quickly as possible. He was deeply engrossed in reviewing them when the butler returned quietly to the study.
“Young Duke, a letter has arrived from the Eckhart family.”
“Eckhart?” Ludger immediately set down his pen and accepted the letter. The wax seal bore the symbol of the Eckhart family, a stag. A faint, cynical laugh escaped him.
“Hah, they even used the official family seal.”
The heads of the Eckhart family were deceased, leaving Tessa as the sole remaining Eckhart. And she was currently staying at his residence. With the only remaining Eckhart here in front of him, who could possibly be misusing the family crest like this? Ludger’s curiosity about this brazen individual was piqued.
He sliced the letter open and what greeted him was a revoltingly poor scrawl.
[Greetings.
I am Baron Serus Timor, one of the vassals of the Eckhart family.
I have heard the troubling news that Lady Eckhart, who is to become my wife, is staying at the residence of the Young Duke. How improper it is for an unmarried woman to stay in a man’s home!
If rumors were to spread, Lady Eckhart’s reputation would be ruined beyond recovery.
For the sake of the Lady, I ask you to send her back to Eckhart estate at once.
– Serus Timor.]
“He’s lost his mind,” Ludger muttered, crumpling the letter in one hand and tossing it into the fireplace as if disposing of trash.
The poorly written letter turned to ash in no time.
“Serus Timor, huh.”
Though the letter began with ‘Greetings,’ Ludger had actually encountered him several times before. Whenever he visited the Eckhart estate to meet Tessa, Serus would often stand beside the count, bowing his head repeatedly. His son, always at his side, was, according to Tessa, a year older than she was.
The thought of this man trying to marry a woman young enough to be his son’s age was nothing short of revolting. Ludger tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.
To be honest, he didn’t want to be involved with Tessa any longer. His only goal was to help her recover quickly and send her back. Once she returned to Eckhart, whatever happened there was no longer his concern. It was no longer his responsibility once she was out of his hands.
However, Serus had chosen to send him a letter.
‘Avoiding things isn’t my style.’
Drawing a line would come after Tessa was safely back to her estate. For now, she was staying at Northern Lights, which meant she was under his protection. Interfering with her while she was under his care was akin to encroaching on his territory, and that was unacceptable.
“What will you do about the reply?” the butler asked.
“I’ll send one, for now.”
The butler quickly prepared a clean envelope and a paper. Ludger pushed the paper away with the back of his hand.
“I don’t need a paper.”
“Understood, I will remove it at once.”
Though writing a reply would usually require a paper, he had said he didn’t need it. The experienced butler followed the command without question, removing the unused paper.
However, Ludger’s strange behavior didn’t stop at the stationery. Instead of dipping his pen into ink, he placed something into the envelope and sealed it. The loyal butler carried out his master’s instructions without hesitation.
* * *
Since waking up, my condition had noticeably improved.
‘I could even go for a walk at this point.’
However, since I hadn’t completely stopped Ludger from heading to the battlefield, I was still confined to bed. I couldn’t keep pretending to be ill forever. It was unclear how long I could deceive him, so it was time to start planning something else.
A little while later, Shanette brought out a box filled with cosmetics.
“The doctor should be here soon. Let me help you get ready.”
Every morning, she helped me apply makeup to make me look sick. With her deft hands, my reflection in the mirror changed before my eyes.
‘It’s really amazing.’
My skin in the mirror had turned so pale it hardly looked like I was alive.
‘Her skill is truly remarkable.’
Even as the crown princess, I’d met many maids skilled in applying makeup, but I had never seen anyone capable of transforming someone so completely. It seemed like a talent bestowed by the gods.
“Did you learn makeup somewhere?”
“I didn’t formally learn it. I picked it up by watching others. There was a small theater near where I used to live. I watched the performers doing their makeup for outdoor shows and copied them.”
She had learned just by watching? Her keen eye was no ordinary talent.
Well, she had been the only one to notice my acting, after all.
“All done!” Shanette exclaimed.
Once she finished, she neatly hid all the makeup tools out of sight. Not long after, the doctor arrived right on time.
“How are you feeling today?” he asked, greeting me as he entered the room. But he paused mid-step, startled. Shanette’s masterpiece had clearly caught him off guard.
Her makeup skills were so flawless that even the doctor was completely fooled.
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