“How could we do that? We can’t let the descendants of the late Count who took us in go hungry. That’s how people are. When you’re hungry, you naturally covet what others have. What about you? You must be grinding your teeth, thinking you’ve been robbed. Enough to dream of some inadequate revenge.”

“So you’ll keep them as slaves?”

“That’s the only way. To keep them under surveillance, and to make them know their place.”

“Then why bring me to the court banquet? What do you think I might say?”

“Ahaha. Whatever you say. Who would care? A fallen noble lady who has returned as a maid.”

Eloise murmured the final words while caressing her face reflected in the window.

“At Ruargo, you’re the hidden real one, and I’m the revealed fake one. But at the banquet, I’m going to try to be the real one.”

Eloise’s sharp gaze turned back to me and pierced me.

“The hidden real villain who makes you the revealed fake villain.”

***

Anyone could tell I was a maid. The image of me holding Eloise’s bouquet in my left hand and her bag in my right hand.

Meanwhile, the blue dress stood out too much. Since I didn’t go outside, I didn’t know this was a debutante ball.

“That Ruargo lady. Doesn’t the maid who came with her look familiar?”

“I know. I think it’s Lea de Ruargo, the one who used to be so haughty.”

“Lea de Ruargo? Why is she here?”

“Didn’t you know? When Count Ruargo died, he abandoned his eldest son’s family. He wrote a will leaving everything to his second son.”

“Really? How could he abandon his eldest son? What kind of foolish thing did he do?”

Though they were whispering, I could hear everything.

Like me, wearing a bright blue dress alone amidst a flood of white dresses.

That’s how it was in this country, Ferandi.

Noble ladies entered society through debutante balls between the ages of 15 and 20, and they always wore white dresses.

Wearing a pure white dress symbolizing chastity, greeting the King and Queen, and presenting a bouquet—these were the main ceremonies of the debutante ball.

No wonder I stood out even from a distance.

The ladies participating in the ceremony wore white dresses according to tradition. The maids wore light-colored dresses to avoid standing out.

A consideration for the protagonists, you could say.

I was the only one wearing a vibrant blue dress here.

“The Count’s lady’s maid seems to be trying too hard today.”

“Right. At this rate, His Majesty the King and the Queen won’t even look at us. It’s as if this banquet isn’t a debutante ball for us, but a birthday party for that maid.”

Ladies gathered around Eloise, giggling.

Nevertheless, Eloise looked dissatisfied. Well, it must be hard for her too. If the person you’re trying to torment shows no reaction to the point of disappointment.

She tried to openly humiliate her hateful cousin, but it had no effect. Whether she made me run errands or made me the subject of gossip, my expression didn’t change at all.

She probably expected me to run away crying from shame. I’m sorry to disappoint. If I had, Eloise would have felt truly relieved.

Though I was the one in the shabby situation, it was actually Eloise whose insides were boiling.

“I was surprised too. I was worried we might be late to the ball, so I couldn’t tell her to change into another dress. I never imagined a maid would wear a dress of such color. Haa…… It was truly unimaginable.”

“You must have been really surprised. Coming from a Count’s family, how could she have such etiquette……”

“That must be why she was mistreated in the will.”

“By the way, will the Ruargo Count’s family also participate in this competition? The Ferandi Culinary Dynasty Competition. I heard the winner receives a territory, and they can even choose one of His Majesty the King’s direct territories.”

“That’s right. That’s why many families are aiming for it. A direct territory would surely be fertile and prosperous land.”

At someone’s question, Eloise flinched and glanced at me. It seemed there was news that I, standing at a distance, shouldn’t hear.

“Let’s go over there to talk. I want to be away from my maid because her attire is so embarrassing.”

“Ahem. I understand. You naturally wouldn’t want to know her. Then shall we go over there and have something refreshing? I think there’s pomegranate sherbet.”

“Pomegranate sherbet? That sounds delicious. Let’s go quickly.”

The group soon moved away, and I watched their backs. Eloise’s figure, turning back to glance at me while walking forward, was ridiculous.

Eloise was extremely anxious for not achieving her goal. She was like a rabbit on edge.

“Are you also participating? Someone who will be a servant?”

“No, not me but my son. The new chef who recently joined the mansion is quite skilled, so he wants to try.”

Around the time Eloise disappeared from view, I heard a conversation between two gentlemen.

“It doesn’t seem easy since a territory is at stake. Especially since they say His Majesty the King will grant one of his direct territories.”

“What does it matter if we fail? We’re participating for fun anyway. Look at this. I even picked up an application form distributed by the officials.”

What is this all about? A cooking competition? A territory will be granted? Come to think of it, there was similar content in Eloise’s conversation too?

I perked up my ears toward the two gentlemen.

“There goes Count Bergen. How about we go over there and greet him? Ask about the cooking competition news, and have a glass of Rousillon (a type of wine).”

“Good idea. Let’s also ask in detail about the direct territory that will be granted.”

The two gentlemen walked away, grinning. And as if by fate, an application form fell where they had been.

The gentleman had apparently tried to put the application form in his inner pocket. He accidentally dropped it.

I stared at the application form lying on the floor, waiting for my touch. The paper was fluttering at the corners, demanding that I pick it up quickly.

But I was caught in a fantasy and couldn’t move a finger.

‘Maybe Lou’s prophecy wasn’t completely bogus? Is this finally the time when the crescent moon becomes a half-moon?’

And then.

Whirl.

As if answering my question, the paper rolled itself and flew to my feet.

***

It wouldn’t leave my mind.

The application form with simple content. The competition introduction that contained all the necessary information.

I stuffed the application form inside my chemise to avoid people’s gaze. As my bosom became fuller, the sentence I had just read kept flickering in my mind.

«The winning family will be granted the title of Count and a territory.»

In other words, it meant we could become independent.

Throwing away the tiresome Viscount title. Bidding farewell to the nauseating uncle’s family. Escaping from the prison-like wooden house.

I chewed my lips, immersed in a hopeful future.

Really, if only that could happen.

“Excuse me…… Lea.”

I snapped back to reality at the sound of Eloise calling my name. The group that had returned in the meantime was watching me.

“Give me the bouquet.”

Ah! The debut ceremony must be starting soon.

I reflexively handed the bouquet to Eloise. It was a sudden action, so it probably looked a bit ungraceful.

“The Ruargo Count’s lady has such a gentle character. She keeps defending a maid who isn’t even helpful.”

“Right. She really can’t fulfill her role as a maid.”

The ladies, each with a modest maid at their side, grumbled. They had maids beside them who constantly adjusted their hairstyles and clothes.

Eloise pretended to look enviously back and forth between them and me. She deliberately sighed heavily, making me feel as if I had done something wrong.

Wasn’t today the day Eloise was determined to humiliate me? Yet I was so excited about my moving plans that I didn’t care about Eloise’s efforts in the slightest.

I’m sorry for constantly ignoring you. I also regret being so distracted.

But I wish you would consider my position too. Your way of picking fights with me is so cliché that no matter how hard I try, I can’t empathize.

“It must be because it’s her first time. She doesn’t know proper etiquette yet.”

I expected a sarcastic remark, but the result was quite different.

For some reason, Eloise generously took my side. Of course, I found such behavior more suspicious.

It seemed she had been dissatisfied with my composure until now. So Eloise must have been very frustrated?

Yet if she’s smiling warmly at me, does it mean she has some other ulterior motive?

My premonition became reality in a very short time.

“Be careful. There’s a candlestick behind you.”

I didn’t move at all, but Eloise cried out in surprise. She abruptly reached behind me and knocked something.

Soon a dull sound echoed beside me. It was the sound of a candle from a wall-mounted candlestick plunging down.

The candle fell onto Eloise’s bag in my hand, and instantly set the bag on fire.

It was a very small fire, but it was enough to feel threatening.

Splash.

Then it happened in an instant. Just as the fire was about to spread to the hem of my dress, Eloise splashed water from a large vase onto me.

The position of the vase was quite appropriate for a coincidence, and it was remarkable reflexes for something spontaneous.

“Oh no, are you okay? I warned you to be careful. I told you not to move because there was a candlestick. You touched the candlestick, and the candle was about to fall on your head. It could have been a disaster.”

Eloise shouted as if she had planned it, easily extinguishing the fire. She rattled off the circumstances of splashing water on me in rapid-fire, following the five Ws and one H.