Chapter 2 – Part 7

“Miss Brennan.”

The head maid called as she knocked on the common room door.

Liese, who was standing in front of the mirror, buttoning up to her neck, turned with a pale face. Florence gestured silently with her finger, indicating that she should come outside.

Liese strode on, leaving the maids behind. The expected, yet unwelcome, call rattled her brain.

Guided by a servant, she walked and was led by another person in the main hall of the mansion. This time, the old butler of the mansion was present, but he stood silently, only staring at Liese without saying anything.

Liese stared down at the tray the servant had placed in her hand.

“This is a limited edition porcelain commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of King Belaian II’s accession to the throne, so be careful not to break it. You can go to the study today.”

She carefully examined the neatly arranged teacups, saucers, and teapot on the tray. The white craftsmanship, commemorating a king in history who greatly contributed to the economic revival, looked so rare that it could be displayed in a museum without any problem. The value was beyond estimation.

The weight pressing on her hands felt like a sudden burden on her stomach. Her already wobbly legs made it even more difficult to move.

“It’s your body; why can’t you control it?”

A taunting voice brushed past her ear, causing her chest to churn. The man had probably never stumbled in his life—never experienced fear or struggled with a lack of control.

The servant provided unnecessary information, but there was no point in blaming the innocent. Liese spoke to the one who handed her the tray, “I will be careful,” and then bowed slightly towards the butler. Just as she was about to move her steps, a booming voice echoed through the wide hall.

“Is our lord still receiving guests?”

Startled, Liese stopped walking and turned in the direction of the sound. A stranger entered through an archway whose destination was uncertain. In one hand, he held a bottle of alcohol, and his unsteady gait indicated that he had been drunk since morning.

“I’ve heard the rumors! Good morning!”

The man, with a raucous tongue, approached. Behind him followed a somewhat awkward-looking man. It was Eric, the acquaintance of the Duke, whom she had seen in the meadow behind the mansion.

“Here comes Trevor, who established a magnificent military achievement comparable to General Balthasar… Cough, cough!”

Trevor, who had heard the siren, coughed into his bare face. The old butler looked down at him pitifully.

“What brings you here unannounced?”

“Sorry, Rowan.”

Eric, who had followed, bowed politely in apology to the old man.

“I brought another rascal who knows nothing about manners. He’s been drunk since early morning. My apologies.”

Behind his glasses, the butler’s eyes did not hide a smile.

“Unexpected visits can be a nuisance to His Grace, who is immersed in his work.”

“Hey, it’s not like we’ve never done this before. What’s the big deal?”

Trevor exclaimed, throwing up his hands, the drops of liquor from the bottle he held grazing Liese’s cheeks.

“We’re not strangers, and we don’t have to put on a stiff face. What difference does one or two more make?”

Trevor giggled, not sure what was so funny.

“No. Well, listen. We’re out on the road playing poker until dawn, and I see Haley Dawson, who should have been down in the capital, getting into her carriage with a swagger, and where do you think she’s going to head, all dressed up like a doll in the morning, but to our duke’s mansion!”

“Stop it, Trevor; there are many ears.”

Eric tried to stop him, but the drunken Trevor didn’t care.

“You were still at the Bachmann the other day when you were screaming at Marcus that you didn’t even want to humble yourself, you fiery fox, and you’re probably still at Marcus’s side… Hmmm! Didn’t the Duke enjoy the coronation ceremony? Why do you keep saying no? Don’t you want me by your side at the summer socials, too?”

Trevor did his best Haley Dawson imitation in a ridiculous voice, and an impatient Eric frowned and squeezed his shoulder.

“Okay, that’s enough; this asshole is about to cross the line when he gets drunk.”

“You’d think we’d come running back here. There’s nothing like a girl who’s going to win first place in a wiggle contest to make you laugh, is there?”

“Do something about that overhanging mouth of yours before I punch you with all my might.”

“Hehe. Come on, Eric, you came along because you were curious.”

“I came with you because I was afraid you’d cause trouble.”

Whether such incidents were common or not, the butler stared at Trevor without adding more words. Perhaps he didn’t know, or perhaps the owner, Marcus, chose not to intervene in such actions.

Trevor’s hiccuping gaze suddenly fell on Liese, who stood beside him. A broad grin spread across his clouded face.

“A new maid, huh? Hello?”

Even Eric, who had been holding Trevor’s arm, noticed Liese’s presence only then. Particularly burdened by the heavy tray, Liese awkwardly bowed.

“Hello.”

“Oh…”

Trevor, swaying, scrutinized Liese from head to toe. His wandering eyes soon fixed on her chest.

“This is no joke….”

Liese’s face paled at the unpleasant gaze, as if looking at a street performer. If her hands were not bound by the heavy tray, she might have covered herself, or she might have struck the cheek of that impertinent human with all her might.

“Trevor, you idiot!”

Eric shouted, shoving his friend away.

“No matter how drunk you are, you should know where you stand. Enough with the bullshit.”

“I thought I saw something nice to look at…. It’s not yours, what’s wrong with you?”

After shoving Trevor again, Eric coughed a few times in vain, then turned to Liese.

“Uh, good morning. Were you just about to bring Marcus his tea?”

“…Yes.”

Trevor cut in coldly.

“Great! We were planning to go see Haley too… I mean, Marcus. Let’s go together!”

“No.”

Rowan, who had been observing silently, spoke up.

“Please go up to the study after His Lordship’s guest has left. I will prepare refreshments for you to wait comfortably in the reception room until then.”

“Huh?”

“I will also provide a remedy for hangovers. Please go.”

“Is it reasonable for a lowly servant to enter before us? We’re curious too!”

“Guide the gentlemen to the reception room.”

As Rowan’s unilateral statement ended, the servant and Eric grabbed Trevor’s glowing arms and pulled him away.

In sudden embarrassment, Liese couldn’t shake off the discomfort. At the butler’s urging to go upstairs, she once again moved her steps. Shivering at the mocking comments, she couldn’t shake the feeling of horror.

‘This is awful.’

Moreover, gossip loudly about another woman. It was the worst of the worst.

Trevor was unspeakably repulsive, and because of that, Liese’s favorability towards the Duke, Marcus, had plummeted even more. If such incidents occurred this early in the morning, it seemed that the men were very close to the Duke.

That’s when they reached the corridor leading to Marcus’s office.

With a distant thud, the door closed. Liese almost dropped the tray at the sound. A woman in a bright pink dress rushed out from the direction of the office.

Startled, Liese stopped in her tracks. The woman, with dark blonde hair, wiped away tears with a handkerchief and hurriedly approached Liese’s direction. She was undoubtedly the woman Eric and Trevor had seen in the hallway.

“Sob… Sniff!”

It was a gesture so sorrowful that it involuntarily evoked sympathy. Liese, who had stopped, focused on walking carefully; she couldn’t afford to be distracted.

The face of the weeping woman, whose makeup was smeared, rapidly approached. Preoccupied with her grief, she did not even notice Liese’s presence. At that moment, the elbow holding the handkerchief brushed past Liese’s arm.

“…!”

Nearly losing her balance, Liese tightened her grip on the tray with both hands and put all her strength into her legs and the hand that held the tray. The sound of teacups clinking echoed like a death sentence.

Standing still, Liese looked down at the tray that had been saved just in time. Thankfully, it hadn’t tipped over. Only the heartbeat in her chest resounded unusually loudly.

What would have happened if she’d broken the Duke’s valuables when she was already in debt?

Liese turned to look at the woman with a bewildered expression. The woman, dressed like a princess who had grown up receiving abundant love, moved away without turning back even once. Only the sound of brisk footsteps descending the stairs followed her.

Observing the corridor she had just passed through, Liese returned to Marcus’s office. It was fortunate that a servant was waiting to open the door for her.

Unlike the library she had visited on her first visit, the office was a well-lit and open space. Through the tall glass window, one could see the fountain square, the clock tower, and even the deep blue Melir River, all of which were symbols of Bachmann.

“Lieselotte.”