“It’s Melina Lutent.”
Her high-pitched voice rang when she greeted Melina. Then, Avelin smiled.
“Nice to meet you. You’re beautiful as I’ve heard.”
“Thank you. Miss Hazel is also very… You’re beautiful.”
As she responded, she sensed her self-esteem was wounded.
She was sincere when she said she was beautiful. Her graceful curly, voluminous hair added to her elegance, and her distinct, densely set features resembled a doll.
Melina thought she was immune to most beauties since she was used to seeing Anastasia, but Avelin was a beauty that gave a different feeling from the Empress.
If Anastasia was likened to the dignified Goddess Rosenia, Avelin was similar to a lovely fairy who dwelt inside the forest.
She lived with pride that she didn’t kneel to anyone just because of their beauty. But compared to the two, she didn’t seem to have a chance.
“Stay close to Miss Lutent, Miss Hazel. She’s a childhood friend of Her Majesty’s.”
“Oh, I see. It’s an honor to meet an outstanding individual like you.”
Melina felt compelled to be flattered by Avelin’s high regard for her.
“It’s only been a while since I’ve seen you with Her Majesty the Empress.”
Melina was now behaving condescendingly, forgetting that she had fallen out with Anastasia.
“She’s a good woman. If you ask her anything, she’ll listen to you.”
“If you’re an old childhood friend, it’s only natural she would. I envy you. I wish I could be friends with someone as esteemed as Her Majesty.….”
“By the way, did Miss Lutent enter the palace as the Empress’s Lady-in-waiting?”
Then came another young girl. Melina replied, recalling her rejection of Anastasia’s offer last time.
“She suggested it, but I turned it down.”
“Oh, why? That was a great opportunity!”
“I’m not sure if I can serve her well.”
That was the same answer she gave to Anastasia. And Melina was being true to her words.
She didn’t have the confidence to serve Anastasia as her lady-in-waiting.
‘I’m jealous of her.’
Anastasia was a contrast to herself in many ways.
A father who loved her unconditionally and a daughter of a prestigious family.
Her confident and outspoken personality was genuine. Unlike her, who just created a cheerful character in order to not be abandoned.
She was even chosen by the goddess, giving her the privilege to take advantage of.
Lost in that longing, Melina hadn’t realized she was feeling that way until now.
The moment she was offered to be the Empress’ maid was when she realized she was harboring a deep sense of inferiority toward her from the beginning.
For a long time, under the guise of a friend, Melina had this delusion that she was fairly equal to Anastasia.
However, being a lady-in-waiting officially meant that she had to live every day facing the fact that her status was below her.
She didn’t have the confidence to accept that. Her pride has been hurt. Maybe she would do something terrible to her if she conceded to that.
“Anyway… I don’t think I can work as a maid-in-waiting.”
“Well, I see what you mean.”
Avelin nodded.
“Actually, if you’re in the position of Miss Lutent, the Emperor’s lady-in-waiting would be more suitable for you.”
“His Majesty the Emperor’s… Lady-in-waiting?”
“Yes, the Emperor’s lady-in-waiting is higher in rank than the Empress’ lady-in-waiting.”
“Oh, Miss Hazel…”
Yousfe, who was listening on the sideline, hurriedly stopped her.
“This is not the Vaudar Empire. You don’t seem to be fully acquainted with Rosenberg yet. The position of the maid, whether they’re the Emperor’s or Empress’, is the same here.”
“Oh, I see. I’m sorry. I just came from the Vaudar Empire, so…”
“Anyway, if Miss Lutent became His Majesty’s lady-in-waiting, that’s no good either. Your friendship with the Empress will be destroyed. In Rosenberg, being the Emperor’s lady-in-waiting means being a paramour.”
“Oh, I see!”
Avelin was surprised and hurriedly apologized.
“I didn’t know. I made a big mistake. I’m sorry.”
“No, you wouldn’t have known since you’ve lived elsewhere.”
“Often, in Vaudar, the Empress’s lady-in-waiting would be the Emperor’s mistress… I need to further my studies in different areas, I still don’t know much about Rosenberg.”
“Oh, I can’t even imagine it in Vaudar. What’s it like there?”
“Unlike in Rosenberg, there’s not a sole Empress there. Power struggle with the other Empresses is usual there, and the Emperor’s favor is power. So he just lets his maids be paramours.”
“And what if a paramour overthrows the Empress?”
“That’s often the case.”
Avelin stared at Melina. Melina was surprised by the sudden gaze, but Avelin did not divert her gaze from her.
“This happened just a while ago. An Empress brought her father’s beautiful illegitimate daughter to be the Emperor’s paramour. The Emperor fell in love with her and eventually deposed the Empress and put the paramour in her place. The Empress was then put to death.”
“Oh, that is unreasonable.”
“They can’t help it. For women, the Emperor’s favor is power, right?”
Everyone nodded as if she were right, but Avelin laughed as if she was embarrassed.
“Oh my goodness, I shouldn’t have said that. It has nothing to do with Rosenberg.”
“No, it’s fun. I’ve never been to Vaudar. Tell me more stories.”
“Shall I?”
Avelin told an interesting story that she had heard previously in the Vaudar Empire after that, and all those at the tea party listened to Avelin’s story with undivided attention.
She was a natural storyteller and had a knack for humorously telling short stories. Before she knew it, Melina fell in love with Avelin’s stories.
“Maybe it’s just my feeling…”
Melina found it odd when Avelin would make eye contact with her from time to time, but she didn’t give it much importance because she thought it was just part of her storytelling.
Finally, it was time to conclude the party.
“It’s already time.”
“That’s too bad. I had so much fun today thanks to Miss Hazel.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad that you enjoyed listening to my stories.”
Melina felt a strange sense of crisis when she saw Avelin quickly attracting people’s interest even though this was the first tea party she had attended.
She might lose her place at the succeeding gatherings by then.
So her brief fondness for Avelin earlier was immediately replaced with vigilance.
“Miss Lutent.”
Avelin caught up with her just as she was about to ride her carriage.
“What’s wrong, Miss Hazel?”
“You moved too fast. I almost couldn’t even say goodbye to Miss Lutent.”
Being in a hurry, Avelin said, panting:
“It was so nice to see you today. I’d like to be closer to you in the future.”
Melina’s position in the gatherings had always been treated with high respect due to her friendship with Empress Anastasia.
Melina was always proud of that fact, but sometimes, she felt indescribable displeasure.
It seemed that people only see her as Anastasia’s friend and not as Melina Lutent.
‘Is this woman also attracted to that?’
Melina decided to bid her farewell with a smile as if her approach was not unexpected.
“It’s good of you to reject the offer of being Her Majesty’s Lady-in-waiting.”
The sudden words caught Melina off guard.
Melina stared at Avelin, her face asking what that meant.
Avelin continued with a wicked smile.
“Do you remember what I told you earlier? The story of the illegitimate sister taking over her sister’s position as the Empress.”
As she said that, she came a step closer to Melina.
Melina suddenly recoiled at the abrupt closeness. But it was no use. Avelin laughed and came close again.
“Miss Lutent is so beautiful that maybe such a fortunate moment will happen.”
“…”
“… It’s not common.”
“You don’t know the relationship between a man and a woman.”
“You don’t know about relationships.”
Avelin added with a meaningful grin.
“There are also several people who have unique walls.* Oh, well, I’m not saying that Rosenberg’s Emperor is… I’m just saying.”
*TN: guarded
“…”
“Then go home safely. Let’s meet again.”
Inside the carriage, a single thought overpowered Melina’s mind.
‘Maybe I can have the seat next to the Emperor.’
The story she heard from Avelin ignited her long-standing resentment towards Anastasia, her deep-seated inferiority complex to her origins, and her lust for power that she was unaware of.
‘Even if she is the woman mentioned by the oracle, she cannot ignore the bloodline of Lutent, who will give birth to the Imperial’s children.’
So when she arrived at the estate of the Marquess of Lutent, Melina immediately went to Marquis Lutent and said:
“I want to be the Empress.”
At first, Marquis Lutent was left bewildered. However, he gradually accepted it. Melina’s eyes shone with ambition and the specific plans she came up with.
So now, Melina had safely taken her first step to becoming the Empress.
“You’ll see, Dad.”
Melina said with determination, her cheeks still throbbing and swelling.
“I will definitely be the Empress.”
Melina’s eyes were blazing with insatiable desire.
Oh… Look like my fear was right. Avelin smell Sus. And her way of talking… Just like classical villain in mask trying to manipulate peple..
Yeah it’s so sad whenever the OG Novel FL is bad :,(
This seems like a different Avelin from the last life. Super sus. Personally would have liked it if the OG heroine was good, as it brings interesting conflicts and questions of morality, but this is good too.
Considering how distraught Avelin was when Whilheim died in the previous timeline, I think she brought Melina to her side back then too, planned every disaster that struck the empire and had baby Rose killed with her help… All to get Whilheim, but it came to bite her on the ass since he died anyways.
All of this is my speculation since I haven’t finished the novel, but man I’m so ready with my pitchforks just thinking about it 🔥🔥