Chapter 34
“I… put this on every day when I went out…”
Marsha told her that this cosmetic product was popular in aristocratic society, and that the demand for it was so high that one had to stand in line early in the morning to get the latest product.
“Marsha, you’re a fool!”
No wonder she felt strange stares everywhere she went. At the time, she couldn't guess it was because of her makeup, and she was racking her brain trying to figure out why…
Linnea, who had been in shock, finally came to her senses when Idel gently took hold of her arm.
"From now on, just avoid doing that. You need to greet the guests now."
"Oh, right! The guests are here!"
Linnea quickly checked herself in the mirror and then hurried downstairs to the reception room.
As she stood by the door, she took several deep breaths and asked Idil:
"W-what should I say?"
“First, I greet them. Until they introduce themselves, you shouldn't introduce yourself first. Once you've exchanged introductions and taken your seats, I'll bring refreshments. In the meantime, you can explain why the Count is late.”
"And after serving refreshments? What do I do then?"
“The guests will start the conversation, so respond briefly. The important thing is that you don’t need to start the conversation.”
Linnea had long ago abandoned her plan to secretly extract the answers from Idil.
If she could, Linnea would much prefer that Edel take her place.
“Oh, what do I do? I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Stay calm. Always remember that you are superior to the guests. In other words, you must… look down upon them.”
This observation gave Linnea a little confidence.
'That's right. I'm the Count's sister. The Count's sister…'
She took one last deep breath and reached the door of the reception room. However, before her hand touched the door, Edel gently lowered it.
Then Idil grabbed the doorknob and opened the door in front of Linnea.
“Introducing Ms. Linnea Crissis.”
When Idil opened the door to the reception room wide, Linnea felt as if she were truly a noble lady.
For some reason, her back straightened, and her shoulders crossed.
Unconsciously, she imitated Idil's posture, even though she was unaware of it.
With a bright smile, Linnea entered the reception room.
"Have you waited long? Thank you for coming."
The three knights who stood quietly as she entered were surprised to see Linnea, who, contrary to the rumors, looked like a noble lady.
Naturally, they were even more surprised to see Edel Lancaster in person.
“Haha! And there was no problem at all. First, let me introduce myself. I am Terry Bogarden of the Imperial Knights. This is Angelo Valen, and this is Joseph Oz.”
When Terry was introduced, Angelo and Joseph also bowed their heads.
Seeing the handsome knight's attire and their disciplined posture, Linnea felt a little excited.
“I’m Linnea Crisis. Please, sit down. The weather has been much milder today.”
When the words flowed naturally from her mouth, Linnea felt truly noble.
The three men continued the conversation, laughing heartily, and the atmosphere was so conducive that her previous concerns seemed trivial.
“My brother had to make a short visit after His Majesty the Emperor suddenly summoned him. He should be here soon.”
"Wonderful, as one would expect from Sir Cristis. To have a private audience with His Majesty the Emperor."
“This is nothing new, Joseph. Sir Crissius is one of His Majesty the Emperor’s closest confidants.”
While the knights praised Laszlo, Linnea couldn't help feeling proud.
At that moment the door used by the servants opened quietly, and Idil entered, pushing a tray.
Linnea didn't even notice that Idel had left.
“I have prepared some light tea and refreshments. I hope you like them.”
Linnea was surprised to see that there were only two kinds of biscuits and some chocolate on the plate, but she forced herself to smile.
However, the knights did not seem to be listening to her.
'What? Are they all looking at Idyll?'
Idyll placed the teacups and dessert plates on the table almost silently, but the knights' eyes were fixed on her completely. They were even opening their mouths slightly.
Although Idell felt their gazes, she showed no change in her expression when she finished her task and quietly withdrew.
The three men exchanged strange glances as they watched her leave, closing the door behind her.
What's wrong with these people? I'm sitting here, and they're making me uncomfortable.
The excitement she had felt earlier had suddenly vanished. Linnea cleared her throat with a cold look.
"important!"
Only then did the knights laugh awkwardly and turn their attention back to Linnea. Terry suddenly asked, feeling embarrassed:
“I’m really sorry to ask this question and have refreshments right in front of us, but can you tell me where I can wash my hands?”
His request to find the bathroom made Linnea even more annoyed, but since it was urgent, she couldn't refuse completely.
“Just a moment. I’ll call the server…”
"Is there any need to contact someone remotely? Please call that maid earlier."
"What?"
Linnea was surprised when Terry asked to call Edel. But Terry looked at her with a face that said he didn't see what the problem was and stood up.
In that case, it seemed odd to insist on summoning another servant, so Linnea reluctantly called for Edel.
"Did you call me, ma'am?"
“Ah, ah… please show this gentleman where he can wash his hands.”
“…Understood. This way, please.”
Linnea noticed the brief silence before Idel answered, but she couldn't bring herself to ask what that meant in front of the guests.
Suddenly, Angelo jumped.
“Wait! I’ll go too. Sorry, ma’am. I also need to wash my hands for a moment.”
He ran away quickly to follow Terry.
Joseph, who was left alone, had an unmistakable look on his face that clearly said: “I have been deceived.”
'What's wrong with these people? Are they mocking me right in front of my face?'
Linnea was also upset, but she couldn't force herself to act as she usually did. Instead, she and Joseph drank their tea together in silence.
Once they were out of sight, the two men who had followed Idel revealed their true colors.
"Wow, just like the rumors said, you really are beautiful, Duchess."
“I never thought I would be able to see you up close like this.”
The two men, who blocked her path from the front and back while using a tone full of sarcasm, were undoubtedly wearing the badge of the Imperial Knights.
But their behavior was not that of a knight.
'No wonder I had a bad feeling about this.'
Idil sighed discreetly.
She had felt uneasy from the moment Linnea contacted her, but she had never imagined that something like this would happen within the Count's estate.
Are they ignorant or just being audacious?
In both cases, they were fools.
Edel, who had hoped they would stop just harassing her, gestured to the end of the hallway with a blank expression.
"This is how men's toilets are. If you'll excuse me."
"I'm not entirely sure where it is, so why don't you show us the door?"
“The maid wouldn’t dare ignore the knights’ orders, would she?”
Their demeanor shifted to veiled threats, as if they were insulted by Idell's apparent indifference. One of them even lightly tapped her cheek with his fingers.
Edel clenched her teeth.
'According to these men, I am now just an ordinary maid. But even an ordinary maid does not deserve to be treated this way.'
Furthermore, she was a servant in Count Crisis's house, which was Crisis's property, and these men were effectively subordinate to Laszlo. This behavior was a blatant act of disobedience and should be punished.
Edel's expression hardened when she looked at them.
"Are you members of the Imperial Knights?"
“Of course. As a former duchess, you should be aware of this, shouldn’t you?”
They pointed to the Imperial Knights' badges embroidered on their chests, boasting with pride. Did they even realize how vulgar they looked?
“I had the impression that the Imperial Knights in the Empire were the most respected knights, and that every knight knew the code of chivalry.”
“Well, you know that very well. So why don’t you try to convince us? Who knows? Maybe I or Terry will be your savior, Edel.”
Idell wasn't expecting much, but their rudeness was beyond imagination.
She decided to give up any pretense of literature.
“Are those who visit their boss’s properties and harass the maids considered knights who know chivalry? What kind of salvation am I supposed to expect from those who act like villains?”
The men's faces hardened, but Idell did not stop criticizing her.
“I was unable to catch your names earlier. May I ask which noble families you belong to? I would like to know the names of the families who raised these cultured sons.”