Chapter 31: The Most Important Thing is a Large Bed

“Hmm. Aishe. You should go and rest.”

What conversation could one have with someone in shock? 

Eirene walked past Aishe to sit at the dressing table. While removing her earrings, she looked at Aishe’s reflection in the mirror and turned around.

“The person you should confront is His Highness the Grand Duke, not me.”

“Who said I came to confront you? I came to show you your reality.”

Eirene had seen Aishe lose her composure before, but never had it been so satisfying. Her face, flushed crimson and looking like it’s about to burst, clearly displayed her fury. Eirene couldn’t help but laugh. 

She no longer laughed quietly as she once did. The obedient Eirene Phineas was gone. 

Just as you gradually consumed me, now I’ll gradually consume you, Aishe. 

Her chuckling grew into laughter, making her already flushed face look ready to explode.

“Eirene was my real name! Who would give someone like you a name! Since childhood, you were meant to die in my place…”

Bang! 

The door flew open as the Countess entered and covered Aishe’s mouth. It happened so quickly that even Eirene was startled. Making muffled sounds behind the Countess’s hand, Aishe eventually bit her mother’s hand.

“Aagh!”

Blood appeared on the Countess’s hand. But Aishe paid no attention and screamed.

“Not a single drop of Phineas family blood runs in your veins!”

“Aishe!”

The Countess’s piercing cry joined Aishe’s. She tried to restrain her daughter by embracing her, but she couldn’t control her strong-willed child.

“You were just meant to die in my place…”

The Countess covered Aishe’s mouth again as she tried to finish her earlier statement. And though Aishe bit her hand again, drawing blood, the Countess endured.

“Aishe, stop it!”

She desperately prevented Aishe from revealing what would happen after Eirene’s non-blood relation was exposed. Half-crazed, Aishe didn’t even notice the blood flowing from the Countess’s hand. 

Eirene shook her head slightly at the mother and daughter’s struggle. This is too pitiful to watch. The commotion drew maids rushing in, each trying to separate Aishe and the Countess. Anyone watching would think a fight had broken out.

“I already know.”

Eirene said. In the noisy situation, no one heard her. Finally, Aishe and the Countess were separated, and the maids screamed at the sight of blood smeared on their hands. It was complete chaos.

“I already know everything, Aishe.”

Eirene raised her voice. The first to react was the Countess. Her pained expression suddenly contorted. Matters concerning Aishe seemed important enough to make her forget her pain.

“Wh-what did you say, Eirene?”

“I know everything. That I’m not Count Phineas’s biological daughter.”

Eirene smiled at the dazed Countess. The silence in the bedroom broke with the maids’ murmuring. Even the servants wouldn’t have known she wasn’t the biological daughter. Eirene deliberately spoke in front of the maids so they could make a clear choice. 

Eirene becoming the Grand Duchess without Phineas family blood created an entirely different situation than if she were their biological child. Amid everyone’s anxious trembling, one person clearly delighted in the situation—Betty.

“Stop smiling, Betty.”

Gemma quietly nudged her, cautioning her.

“Oh my. Is that so? Gemma, we’re saved. Miss Eirene will take you and me to Dervel Palace, won’t she?”

“That’s for the mistress to decide.”

“She will take us.”

Betty glanced sideways at Gemma, who offered no response. Despite pretending otherwise, Gemma’s eyes shone when looking at Eirene.

* * *

After returning to Dervel, Clive called for Madam Hannon before changing clothes.

“Starting tomorrow, prepare the room next to my bedroom.”

“Prepare? It already has everything it needs.”

“Replace the bed with a large, beautiful one. The table, sofa, curtains, wallpaper, and carpet—replace everything inside. Make it splendid… Well, not gaudy. Anyway, it must be pretty and beautiful. The most important thing is a large bed.”

“I’ll follow your orders, but shouldn’t you tell me what this is about so I can make appropriate changes?”

“Nanny.”

Clive calling Madam Hannon “Nanny” meant he was either in a very good mood or a very bad one. Judging by his excited expression and voice, it was the former.

“Today I proposed to Eirene.”

“P-proposed? You never mentioned anything! I thought you went out with the knights for something important, but a proposal?”

“Actually, Eirene proposed to me first a little while ago.”

“Huh!” 

Surprised, Madam Hannon covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn’t believe that the young lady who had shown no interest in Clive had proposed.

“Really?”

“Really.”

What happened between them? Relationships between men and women can develop overnight, but the wall Eirene had built around herself seemed too solid. It was surprising and joyful that a wall that appeared unbreakable had already vanished. 

Above all, Clive was smiling—a genuine smile, not one he put on for others. Madam Hannon said to Ulik, who arrived late:

“You could have given me a hint.”

“Security was necessary. I’m sorry.”

As Clive removed the fur from his shoulders, Ulik stepped forward to take it.

“Ulik, build a greenhouse before spring. Place it where sunlight reaches best, at the front of the garden.”

“Your Highness, winter is nearly over. A greenhouse before spring? The tasks you’ve already assigned me are mountainous!”

“You’re not building it yourself.”

“But I’m the one managing the builders. And building a greenhouse in such a short time is impossible even for experts. Why suddenly a greenhouse?”

Ulik looked at Madam Hannon in disbelief.

“It seems to be a wedding gift for Miss Eirene.”

This time Ulik turned to Clive.

“You should prepare gifts yourself, Your Highness.”

“That’s why I’m telling you.”

“Then it becomes my gift.”

“How is it your gift when I’m paying for it?”

“I don’t know. It’s impossible.”

“Try. I believe you can do it. You’re just complaining when you know you can.”

Clive patted Ulik’s slumped shoulders. Though he’d heard this typical encouragement before, Ulik couldn’t refuse.

“While repairing the gazebo by the pond, add a small greenhouse too.”

“Gazebo repairs AND another greenhouse?”

That’s too much. He might somehow manage the garden greenhouse, but adding another one during gazebo repairs? This was excessive, even from a friend and superior.

“Clive, Your Highness.”

Ulik rarely addressed Clive by name. It showed how displeased he was.

“Why so scary, using my name?”

“If I had two bodies, I might try, but I only have one. What if I fall ill? All your projects would stop!”

“Everyone at Dervel Palace knows you’re physically stronger than me. You can do it.”

“Hey, Clive!”

Despite Ulik’s outburst, Clive ignored him, and Ulik gave up. Greenhouse construction, gazebo repairs, and a spring wedding—he had no time. But perhaps one task could be postponed.

“Grand Duke.”

“Why not just say ‘Hey, Clive’ again?”

“I must have been desperate. I’ll do everything. But could we delay the wedding? Not only am I struggling, but spring is also a busy season for the domain’s people.”

“They’ll understand their lord is getting married.”

Ulik sent Madam Hannon a pleading look, but she smiled and shook her head. She had no desire to postpone Clive’s long-awaited marriage. As Ulik left with a long face, Clive called after him:

“I’ll give you a generous year-end bonus.”

Though not particularly enticing, it offered some consolation.

* * *

The watching maids supported Aishe and led her out. The Countess Phineas glanced at the silently closing door before speaking. However, it took time for her voice to emerge. 

After moving her lips several times, she sat on the sofa.

“How long have you known?”

“I learned as I grew older.”

“When exactly?”

“Well, I only remember knowing before I was left alone in the basement room, but I don’t recall exactly when.”

“You must have hated us.”

“At first, when I realized I wasn’t your biological daughter, I did. Not anymore. I’m grateful for what I gained growing up as a daughter of the Phineas family. I harbor no resentment or hatred whatsoever.”

Though Eirene answered in a gentle voice, the Countess didn’t seem convinced. Whether she believed it or not didn’t matter.

“Did you tell His Highness that you’re not the real Aishe?”

“I truly did not. I can’t help it if you don’t believe me, Mother. What isn’t true simply isn’t.”

Countess Phineas fell silent. She must have had countless things to say but couldn’t speak carelessly. Her breathing was so rough that Eirene could hear it as she nervously bit her lower lip.

“You shouldn’t covet what belongs to others, Eirene.”

“I never have.”

“Aishe is the one engaged to the Grand Duke.”

“I know that. Today’s events surprised and burdened me too. How could someone like me covet the position of Grand Duchess? It was difficult enough playing Aishe’s stand-in, let alone becoming Grand Duchess.”

“I’m glad you recognize it’s not your place. The Count will resolve this. Just be patient until then.”

Now that the truth was exposed, she didn’t even try to hide it. Normally she would have said “your father will resolve this,” but she emphasized to Eirene that he was “the Count,” not her father. 

Eirene didn’t mind at all. Rather, she appreciated the clear boundary. She wondered how Count Phineas planned to resolve this. Now that Clive was watching, Eirene grew curious too.

* * *

The servants of Phineas Mansion gathered in the kitchen. Many sighed as they formed small groups to discuss the day’s events.

“What will happen to me now?”

The head maid clutched her head with both arms. As the person who had mistreated Eirene the most in the mansion, her future looked bleak. She had taken out work-related stress on the vulnerable Eirene. 

Initially cautious, she intensified her abuse after realizing the Count and Countess paid no attention. Stress relief through violence inevitably sought greater stimulation. She had even hit Eirene out of irritation at her dignified demeanor despite her unkempt appearance—nothing compared to Aishe. 

She had poured cold water on her head in winter, roughly cut her hair with a knife, and given her spoiled food. 

Even when the Countess ordered reduced food portions for the basement, she hadn’t instructed spoiled food—the head maid did that because she couldn’t stand seeing Eirene eating warm meals while seated.

“You should apologize now.”

Gemma, leaning on the table watching the head maid, suggested.

“Would an apology be enough?”

“Try sincerely apologizing. She’s generous and would forgive sincere remorse.”

Betty giggled then. Waving her hand and shaking her head, she said:

“No way. I remember the humiliation the mistress endured—can that be forgiven?”

“Right? But what will you do if she doesn’t forgive you! She’s not even Count Phineas’s biological daughter. Who knows, she might come from the same background as us!”

“Madam Head Maid, you don’t understand. Think about it. Did Miss Eirene suffer humiliation only from servants? As everyone knows, those above us—calling themselves family—treated her worse.”

Betty pointed her index finger at the ceiling.

“Even if Miss Eirene gritted her teeth at the contempt and mistreatment, she had to forgive them because they were family. But! If they’re unrelated, that changes everything. The same background as us? What does that matter? What matters is His Highness chose her.”

The head maid held her breath at Betty’s words. Betty leaned forward, placing one hand beside her mouth, and spoke in a lowered voice:

“When Miss Eirene becomes Grand Duchess, even Count Phineas’s family will need to watch their step. Eliminating a servant like us would be nothing to her.”

In the sudden silence, someone somewhere muttered a curse about being ruined.