Chapter 66. This Isn’t Right

Giselle, who had lost her magic stones and had to return a large sum of money to the principality, clung to Emily and shed tears.

Giselle told Emily that the Grand Duchess harbored malicious intentions and drove a wedge between Theo and her husband.

She had been such a kind friend. But overnight, their fortunes began to decline.

Just because the noble men had said a few words to the Grand Duchess. She could only believe, as Giselle said, that the Grand Duchess must have intervened.

Perhaps it was revenge for not being invited to social gatherings?

Emily was angry. But there was nothing she could do.

Theo’s dirty and severe temperament was naturally famous in the principality.

It was so bad that people would tell crying children that the Grand Duke would take them away.

If they went against Theo’s mood, even the Brown family could be affected by the fallout.

After enduring and enduring, an opportunity arrived.

It was precisely this moment when Theo was away and the Grand Duchess was alone.

Emily was determined to use this opportunity to take revenge on the Grand Duchess.

Just in case Theo might become suspicious, she didn’t invite other noble ladies including Giselle, the wife of the baron who was involved in that incident.

And even at today’s tea time, she had no intention of confronting or harming Yuelina directly.

She only planned to subtly yet clearly show the Grand Duchess her place.

That she had nothing and that she was sold here.

Not even having a wedding ceremony, and unable to participate in social gatherings as a Grand Duchess, yet daring to.

Because of that woman, her friend Giselle and other noble ladies had suffered harm.

She couldn’t just leave it be.

“Emily!”

At that moment, the three noble ladies Emily had invited appeared.

They were also noble ladies who were close friends with Giselle.

“My, you look especially beautiful today, madam.”

“Thank you.”

“Hoho. Just looking at the garden is intimidating. The unkempt, dirty garden of the Black Mansion is quite famous, isn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

All the noble ladies shared Emily’s thoughts.

The moment the Grand Duchess entered the Brown territory, everything about her would become subject to criticism.

It was time to thoroughly chew out how shabby and inadequate the Grand Duchess was.

“Madam, Her Highness the Grand Duchess has arrived.”

Just then, Emily’s maid whispered quietly. Emily nodded with a smirk.

“Tell her to come in.”

Emily and the noble ladies took their seats. Emily sat in the highest seat, with the noble ladies seated around her.

The remaining seat was at the very end of the table.

Soon after, the carriage carrying Yuelina entered the mansion. The coachman stopped the carriage in front of the garden.

Then the carriage door opened. The first to step out was a woman with short hair.

“Who is that?”

“Looks like a maid.”

“Does a maid wear such fine clothes?”

Though it appeared simple at first glance, judging by the neatly finished hem and complete lack of wrinkles, it seemed to be quite an expensive dress.

That woman stood in front of the carriage and extended her hand as if escorting.

The one who took that hand was a young-looking woman.

“Ah, it’s Secretary Ulysse’s younger sister. I heard she became the Grand Duchess’s lady-in-waiting, it seems she came along.”

“Heh. That’s Maelyn Ardante, right? She was amusing at her debutante.”

“They say she danced alone? Because of her brother.”

Maelyn’s face was familiar to the noble ladies as well.

She was the woman who had returned home most shamefully from her debutante, making her perfect gossip material.

“Seeing her escort Maelyn, she must be a maid after all.”

The short-haired woman helped Maelyn safely descend from the carriage.

After Maelyn got down, the woman extended her hand toward the carriage door again.

The noble ladies’ attention focused.

“A rustic Maelyn and a strange maid escorting the Grand Duchess, really.”

Emily chuckled and rested her chin on her arm.

However, the sneer on her face gradually disappeared.

Because the Grand Duchess appeared, receiving the maid’s escort.

A sky-blue chiffon dress with delicate shirring at the shoulders and waist.

The Grand Duchess with a daisy flower tucked beside her ear…

was beautiful.

They had said her white hair resembled the dreadful snow.

But the Grand Duchess’s hair before their eyes looked soft and fluffy like cotton.

If anything looked as white and cold as snow, it was her snow-white skin.

They said she came from a southern island, but how could she be so white?

Moreover, the ruby earrings glimpsed occasionally matched her white skin perfectly.

Emily was lost in admiration of her.

The other noble ladies weren’t much different from her. The title of Grand Duchess suited that woman too well.

Just standing there, she was somehow elegant, and her way of walking was extraordinary.

“Is– is that the Grand Duchess?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, one of the noble ladies came to her senses and spoke up.

Emily too, struggling to manage her expression, swallowed the water placed before her.

Yuelina, who had descended from the carriage, walked toward the garden with Maelyn and Raye.

She walked slowly, examining the garden with large eyes.

“No need to stand.”

Emily spoke coldly to the noble ladies.

The noble ladies nodded slightly.

“Welcome.”

As Yuelina approached, Emily looked up at her with a bright smile.

Maelyn bit her lip watching the noble ladies who didn’t stand despite the Grand Duchess’s arrival.

Noble etiquette dictated that one should stand and greet someone of such high rank as the Grand Duchess.

“Hello.”

But Yuelina didn’t even know such etiquette existed.

In her village where everyone was of equal rank, they only showed deference to those who were older.

And the noble ladies gathered here appeared older than Yuelina.

Yuelina approached Emily, who sat in the highest seat, and extended her hand.

“Nice to meet you. You’re Lady Emily, right? I’m Yuelina.”

Emily couldn’t hide her bewilderment at Yuelina suddenly extending her hand.

A superior had arrived, yet no one stood up.

Yet she neither showed embarrassment nor shame, but approached first with a harmless expression and extended her hand.

Emily had no choice but to extend her hand.

Yuelina brightly smiled and grabbed Emily’s hand, shaking it vigorously.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“P-please sit down first.”

Emily hurriedly let go of Yuelina’s hand and pointed to the seat at the end. There were two empty seats.

Yuelina looked at Emily with a troubled expression.

Emily, seeing Yuelina’s hardening expression, thought she was dissatisfied with the seating arrangement.

Well, of course.

Would she swallow her pride and ask to change seats? Or would she just sit at the end?

Either way, Yuelina’s pride being trampled was a foregone conclusion.

“Um… Lady Emily. I’m sorry, but I have one request.”

It seemed she would ask to change seats after all.

Emily looked up at the troubled-looking Yuelina with an expression of complete ignorance.

“What is it? Is something uncomfortable?”

“Could we have one more chair?”

“…Pardon?”

“There are three of us, you see. Of course, I know you only invited me! But we can’t have just one person standing.”

Yuelina pointed to Maelyn and Raye as she asked for understanding.

Emily had to gather her wits to close her gaping mouth.

“Maelyn is Secretary Ulysse’s younger sister, who serves His Highness the Grand Duke, correct? Then that person is…?”

“She’s my maid, Raye!”

Emily didn’t know how to respond to Yuelina’s words.

Asking for a chair because the maid needs to sit?

So she’s saying she wants to seat her maid at her tea time table?

Perhaps Yuelina was smarter than she had thought.

She was making Emily look foolish with quite a high-level method.

“Your Highness, I would be more comfortable not sitting. I’ll stand behind you.”

“But Raye, won’t you get tired?”

“No, I need to run errands anyway, and I’ll have to bring the gift later.”

Raye signaled to Yuelina that it was fine.

Yuelina looked at Raye with a worried expression.

“Tell me if you get tired. I’ll switch places with you.”

Emily couldn’t help but laugh at Yuelina’s words.

A Grand Duchess saying she’ll switch places later because she’s worried her maid might get tired…

Indeed, she could only see her as a wicked Grand Duchess subtly mocking them.

She must be sarcastically criticizing them, implying she’s so pathetic she’d give up her tea time seat to a maid.

Emily, whose pride was hurt instead, clenched her fist.