Until The Real One Shows Up​

Slap!

When the sound of the slap resonated beyond the door, Anastasia – who was about to reach for the knob – froze on the spot.

She was inclined to believe that Melina just assaulted Selene. 

She opened the door and was about to go inside, but the following words stopped her.

“Miss Lutent, what are you doing?”

Strictly speaking, she couldn’t protect her forever. So Anastasia waited on what Selene would do, noticing the unyielding tone in her voice, unlike last time.

But then, she realized that the conversation was turning uglier and would worsen if she still didn’t make her presence known. 

“I haven’t liked you since I first saw you. You don’t know the basics. So I’m going to make you regret it.…!”

As soon as she heard it, she had enough. Without hesitation, she pushed the door and confronted Melina.

She struck her a few times, for the insult she received, and the mistreatment Selene experienced, as well as to the maid before.

“I should have educated you.”

No one complained about Anastasia’s decision to appoint Selene as her lady-in-waiting. Moreover, it wasn’t revealed that Selene was versed in a new language, the Rosenberg alphabet. 

In addition, it wasn’t surprising that no one voiced out their dissatisfaction. After all, who would even dare rebel against the Empress’ decision?

“Well, usually, there’s no prominent figure daring enough to talk badly of the Empress’ Lady-in-waiting; that’s why Mrs. Rochester didn’t teach that.”

Anastasia muttered as if the situation was absurd.

She came there just in case, but she never dreamed that the same thing as last time would happen again.

“Nonetheless, you have to do this, Selene. Remember, insulting you is disrespecting my decision for choosing you.”

“Yes, yes… Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Let’s go. Bring the flowers with you. It’s a waste to give it to a traitor.”

Traitor.

That one word flew like an arrow into the fallen Melina’s heart.

“Have you heard, Miss Lutent will be the Lady-in-waiting of the Emperor?”

 “She pretended to be close to Her Majesty. How could she disrespect her like that? She’s a traitor!”

“I didn’t expect to see people like that. It’s scary.”

At a recent tea party, Melina chose to persevere quietly instead of reacting.

She had already prepared herself that there would be people who would disapprove of her being the Emperor’s maid.

After all, one’s reputation before the public depended on one’s position.

In the eyes of the Emperor, if she became his concubine, if she gave birth to his son, they would essentially shower her with flattery.

Hence, no matter how she restrain herself, she couldn’t conceal her malicious thoughts.

“If insulting the Empress’s lady is insulting Her Majesty,”

Hearing the disdain in her voice, the departing Anastasia stopped on her feet and faced Melina.

“how will you explain the harassment you did to me, His Majesty’s lady-in-waiting?”

Such malevolent behavior was unfamiliar to Anastasia, was this woman the confidant she had been close with in her past life? 

She felt complicated, but it was only temporary.

She approached Melina – who was still on the floor – directly looked into her eyes and whispered.

“You can go to His Majesty and tell him: ‘The Empress has beaten me, the Emperor’s lady-in-waiting, I implore you to go and scold her.’”

“…”

“Go ahead and say that.”

Sneering at her, Anastasia then promptly left Melina’s room with her maids.

“Argh!”

Beyond the closed door came Melina’s scream.

Partially annoyed, Anastasia was about to return to the Imperial Palace with Selene.

“…Your Majesty the Emperor.”

But surprisingly, she bumped into Wilhelm. 

After a few days, this was the first time she was caught off guard. Nevertheless, she immediately collected herself and calmly greeted him.

“Greetings to the Imperial Sun. May the blessings of the goddess reach His Majesty.”

“I heard something displeasing.”

“Ah.”

And so Anastasia calmly conveyed the previous situation as it was.

“I just left Miss Lutent’s room after chastising her.”

“…”

“If His Majesty takes this as an insult…”

“You had a good reason.”

The rest of her words that were supposed to justify her actions were left unsaid in his response. 

She stared at Wilhelm, but the gentle tone in his voice did not match his face. It was strangely similar to the expression she last saw him.

Anastasia moistened her lips.

“Then I’ll head back.”

“The bouquet of roses.”

She was about to turn around, but Wilhelm’s words stopped Anastasia in her tracks.

“Didn’t you come to give it to Miss Lutent?”

“I did, but I changed my mind.”

“Why?”

“I’m not generous enough to give a welcoming gift to a traitor.”

Anastasia said with a sneer.

“I’ll take it with me and have it thrown away.”

“That’s a bit of a waste.”

Unexpected words suddenly flowed out of his mouth.

Anastasia gazed at him in wonder.

“It’s going to be heavy.”

“…what?”

“Give it to me.”

“Your Majesty.”

Anastasia was so embarrassed that she unconsciously became forthright.

“You hate red roses….”

But her candidness didn’t end there.

It was because it was a secret that he hated red roses, the symbol of the goddess.

Wilhelm stared at her with a slight frown when Anastasia frankly continued.

 “…I can carry it.”

“You’re so stubborn. Don’t tell me it’s not worthy to give it to me?”

“It’s not that…”

“I guess it’s a waste. I knew the Empress hated me, but to think she was also stingy with the bouquet of flowers…”

“Fine. I’ll give it to you.”

Anastasia hurriedly interrupted Wilhelm with a flustered expression.

At that moment, a small smile passed Wilhelm’s lips, but Anastasia didn’t notice it because it happened so quickly.

Even Wilhelm did not notice it.

“Well, I didn’t mean to give it to His Majesty in the first place since I thought you might find it disgusting, so I hesitated.”

“That’s an uncharacteristically delicate concern.”

He smiled. Anastasia still hesitated a bit but eventually held out the bouquet to him.

She found it awkward and bizarre to see him readily accept the roses.

“Then really… I’ll head back.”

Anastasia lowered her head and turned, while Wilhelm watched her back for a long time.

Colton, who was behind the Emperor all this time watching him, hurried to get the flowers from him.

“Shall I throw it away?”

“Then there’s no point in receiving it.”

“Oh, then I’ll bring it to my room.”

“The Empress gave it to me. Why would you put it in your room?”

Wilhelm asked and ordered in an unfathomable voice.

“Put it in my room. On the desk.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

While Colton stood stunned by the remark, Wilhelm made his way back to his scheduled meeting with the nobles. 

~~~~

A few hours later, Marquis Lutent visited Melina.

“You look terrible.”

The sound of tongue-clicking became a dagger to Melina, stabbing through her chest.

She unconsciously bit her lips and immediately frowned at the pain.

Seeing that, Marquis Lutent clicked his tongue even louder.

“It’s pathetic. It’s only the first day and disgraceful rumors have spread throughout the palace. Why the hell are you so careless?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It was a great deal for me to lose the Barantes family. I don’t even want to imagine how far our family will fall if you fail.”

“It won’t happen.”

Melina refuted in a grim voice.

“I will definitely catch His Majesty’s eyes. Maybe this wound will attract His Majesty’s attention.”

Hearing Melina’s claim, Marquis Lutent laughed in exasperation.

“In that way, seeing how well your mind works, you’re exactly like your mother.”

“…”

“Well, that’s better for now.”

Marquis Lutent warned Melina in a stern voice.

“Remember. The future of our family depends on you.”

“Don’t worry.”

Melina smiled, her eyes glinting.

“Because I didn’t come this far with foolish determination.”

Melina recalled something that happened not too long ago.

~~~~

Not long after running out of Anastasia’s bedroom crying, Melina attended a social gathering.

“Welcome, Lady Lutent.”

“Hello, Lady Yousfe. Thank you for inviting me.”

She greeted her cheerfully as usual, but inside she was very nervous.

‘What if everyone already knows what happened at the Imperial Palace last time?’

She ran out crying stupidly, so she gave the impression that something had happened.

Although Anastasia had changed recently, she could never guarantee that she didn’t gossip about her to the court ladies, so Melina was warier of the attendees than ever.

“Please have a seat. It must be hot, you’re sweating.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Fortunately, she did not see any subtleties of ignoring her from the attendees.

At least, so far, she was safe. Melina quietly breathed a sigh of relief, then took a sip of her tea.

She was just casually looking around when she noticed someone she hadn’t seen before.

“Hm… There’s someone I haven’t seen before.”

“Oh. Starting today, she’ll be a new member of our tea club.”

“She was adopted by the Hazel family a while ago.”

“Adopted?”

“She is a distant relative of Count Hazel. But she unexpectedly lost her parents in a carriage accident. Thus, she was adopted.”

“I see… Oh, no. I’m sorry.”

“Say hello, Miss Hazel. This is Miss Melina Lutent.”

“Nice to meet you, Miss Lutent.”

A sweet voice came forth. Melina turned to the new member of the tea party in earnest.

Her lovely pink hair and her soft olive eyes made her an impressive beauty.

“My name is Avelin. I look forward to spending time with you.”

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