Chapter 7 – Progress (Part 4)

Daisy, the Serenze family’s coachman, and the escort knights were being entertained separately in the servants’ dining room of the Ducal residence. The dining room was packed with the Duke’s servants, who had come out under the pretense of taking a break to see them.

The Serenze escort knights were dressed in relatively light attire, with joints reinforced with alchemically enhanced leather. Their cloaks and the clothes they wore underneath were predominantly in bright red or vibrant colors.

Daisy, wanting to please Elysia, had come wearing the maid’s outfit Elysia had gifted her in the past. This colorful and unconventional maid’s outfit, minus the maid’s headband, looked more like an outfit commoners might wear for an outing. Such an appearance stood out among the Duke’s servants, who were dressed entirely in black.

In the Ducal residence, where external visitors were rare, their appearance was shocking, and the Grendel servants whispered among themselves, unaware their voices could be heard.

“Look at the color of that cloak. Is that really appropriate for a knight’s attire?”

“The maid’s outfit is incredibly flashy. Is that the trend these days?”

“Didn’t they say the Serenze family is also involved in commerce? I heard they mediate between Haas and noble families, so they must be up-to-date with the latest trends.”

Ignoring the surprised Duke’s servants, Daisy and Millie, seated across from each other, were engaged in a silent battle of nerves. Millie stared directly as if challenging Daisy to a staring contest, but Daisy met her gaze with a look that seemed to find it amusing. Unable to hold back, Millie started the conversation.

“You’re Daisy, the exclusive maid for our Madam at the Serenze family, right?”

“Not ‘was the exclusive maid,’ but still would rush to our Miss Serenze’s side if the Ducal residence allowed it. I assume you’re temporarily assigned to our Miss?”

Unable to hold back, Millie gritted her teeth and replied.

“I’m not temporary! I’m a full-fledged exclusive maid. And my name is Millie.”

Daisy ignored her and sipped her tea. Seeing Daisy’s maid’s outfit, Millie recalled a piece of paper she found while tidying Elysia’s room. It was a sketch Elysia had made absentmindedly while thinking about changing the Duke’s servants’ outfits, based on the outfit she had gifted Daisy.

‘That outfit is definitely the one drawn on that paper. She must have ordered it directly. The friendly greeting earlier and that outfit show they’re very close. But even so, I’m Madam’s maid now!’

“It seems our Miss is having a hard time living here. When she was at the Serenze family, she always had smooth skin and chubby cheeks like a noble lady, but here she looks as thin as the branches of the Duke’s trees. It’s only natural that the servants don’t know how to serve her since the Duke doesn’t pay attention.”

“She’s become slimmer because she’s been working hard for the Ducal residence. She wakes up early every morning, lives a regular life, takes walks, and stays healthy.”

Daisy looked incredulous.

“Miss Elysia… wakes up early? …Takes walks every day?”

Feeling triumphant at Daisy’s reaction, Millie continued.

“Yes, she wakes up early every morning to have breakfast with the Duke. And in the afternoon, she takes a walk before having dinner with him. Our Duke is also making great efforts to spend time with Madam despite his busy schedule.”

Hearing this, Daisy thought.

‘Poor Miss, she’s living a harder life than I thought. She used to wake up, eat, and sleep whenever she wanted. How is she enduring here?’

“Millie. You claim to be the exclusive maid, yet you know nothing about the person you’re serving. Our Miss isn’t accustomed to such military-like, regimented living. She enjoyed freedom at the Serenze family, but here she has to adjust everything to the Duke’s schedule. Do you think she has any breathing space? And yet, the person serving her doesn’t even realize this. It makes me want to cry, thinking she’s living in a prison-like place.”

Millie was upset.

“I’ve noticed that Madam prefers living freely without being bound by rules! I’m grateful for her polite treatment, but I actually like those natural moments more. But she keeps her distance from me because I’m a Duke’s servant. What more can I do? I want to be as close as you are with her!”

Millie’s face turned red with frustration, and tears welled up as she finished her words by slamming the table. The surrounding servants paused their conversations for a moment before resuming their chatter.

“Looks like Millie’s upset about something again.”

“Yeah, I thought she’d calmed down a bit while serving Madam, but her temper hasn’t changed.”

Millie couldn’t hide her frustration at feeling defeated as the exclusive maid by Daisy. However, Daisy, seeing Millie’s reaction, realized anew that Millie was still a young maid.

‘She’s still innocent. She seems to like our Miss.’

Daisy smiled and softened her previously stern expression.

“You can start trying slowly from now on. I wasn’t so close with our Miss from the beginning either. Would you like me to teach you a few things?”

Surprised by Daisy’s gentle tone, Millie, though hesitant, wiped her tears and replied, intrigued by the offer.

“Will you… really do that?”

***

It was time for lunch with the Duke, who seemed to have no intention of leaving the Serenze family gathering. With Cassius present, no matter how much the family asked Elysia about her well-being, all they could hear was that she was doing well. Elysia and her family couldn’t honestly express their impressions of the Ducal residence, leading to a gradual decline in conversation.

For the Serenze family, a meal without conversation was very awkward and stiff. However, Cassius, having no memory of intimate family meals since the previous generation, didn’t realize the current atmosphere was particularly awkward.

The one who surprisingly broke the tense atmosphere, excluding Cassius, was Marion.

“Duke, I heard the stone surrounding the Ducal residence is reinforced with alchemy. May I ask what functions it has?”

“Fireproof, waterproof, soundproof, and able to withstand impacts up to a certain strength. It also has features to block heat in the summer and cold in the winter.”

Marion was quite impressed.

“It must have been crafted by a very skilled artisan. Is it perhaps a product of the Alchemy Department at the Royal Academy of Advanced Studies?”

Cassius remembered Elysia mentioning at a previous luncheon hosted by the King that her sister was very interested in alchemy, so he explained more thoroughly than usual.

“This mansion was built before the Royal Academy of Advanced Studies gained its current reputation. Therefore, the outer walls were constructed with materials ordered from a southern workshop that boasted the best technology of the time. The Royal Academy has only gained its current fame during the reign of King Clois, after receiving full support since the time of the previous King.”

Marion nodded and asked again.

“So the black color of the outer walls is because you had to use magic stones with those properties. You can’t change the inherent color of magic stones.”

‘As expected of my sister! I asked the same question to the head butler. But that’s not it.’

Cassius answered matter-of-factly.

“That was the color preferred by the Duke at the time the mansion was built. Any color is possible with alchemical processing, but black was chosen as a symbol of the Duke’s family.”

Silence settled over the table once more. This time, Cassius realized the situation was awkward. So he attempted to initiate conversation.

“I heard Miss Marion is preparing to enter the Academy. I understand your field of interest is alchemy?”

Marion glanced at Elysia.

“Yes, I’ve decided to pursue research in that field after graduating from the Academy.”

“Do you have any plans to inherit your father’s business?”

“The Serenze family places the highest importance on supporting our children to pursue their dreams, Duke Grendel.”

There was an edge in Tobias’s response, answering on behalf of his daughter. Elysia could tell it was a veiled criticism of Cassius, who had become Duke Grendel by following the path set by his family’s elder. Afraid the atmosphere would turn cold again, Elysia quickly changed the subject.

“Marion, the Duke is close friends with Marquis Emilliano van Gottree, a professor at the Alchemy Department of the Royal Academy of Advanced Studies. If you have any questions about alchemy, wouldn’t it be a good idea to ask the Duke to relay them?”

As soon as she spoke, Elysia worried she might have overstepped by not consulting the Duke beforehand. Marion’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and it was clear that her opinion of the Duke had risen considerably.

“Are you really friends with Professor Gottree, the genius alchemist who wrote the three volumes of ‘Magical Materials and Alchemical Analysis,’ known as the alchemy textbook of the Kingdom of Brunchia?”

“Yes, Emil and I have been friends since our time at the Academy.”

After answering, Cassius made a proposal to Marion, who was looking at him with bright eyes.

“If both young ladies are interested, I can arrange a visit to Marquis Gottree’s research lab at the Academy.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Please do. I’m available anytime, so please arrange it as soon as possible!”

Elysia looked at Cassius with a surprised expression, then composed herself and thanked him.

“Thank you so much, Duke. It will be a very happy day for my sister.”

“I hope it will be a happy occasion not just for your sister, but for you as well.”

Elysia blinked in surprise and replied.

“It will be a happy occasion for me too. My family’s happiness is my happiness as well.”

Then Elysia quickly turned her attention back to her food. Lillian noticed the positive interaction and her eyes sparkled, while Tobias looked displeased.