Chapter 16 – Part 2

“A proposal?” Kristin asked.

Selena Scarlet nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes, I have a proposal to discuss after hearing about you, Lady Kristin.”

After Selena Scarlet said this to Kristin, she pointed to the lily bouquet she had handed over and spoke again.

“There were more extravagant flowers, but Lilies seemed to suit you so well, Lady Kristin. I thought you might still be struggling with your mother’s passing.”

Selena’s face darkened momentarily as if a shadow had passed over it, but then she offered Kristin a gentle smile.

That smile carried a sense of sympathy, and Kristin, not wanting Selena to worry about her, deliberately smiled back and responded.

“I’m fine now. Please, have a seat.”

“Shall I prepare some tea?”

Cindy, who was standing by Kristin’s side, asked. Kristin nodded to indicate she should go ahead.

“The weather is quite chilly, so bring out some warm tea.”

“Yes, I’ll prepare it right away.”

“I’ll also bring out some refreshments for the two of you.”

Lenci, who was beside Cindy, said to Kristin, and she nodded in agreement.

After briefly observing Cindy and Lency, Selena turned her attention back to Kristin.

“Your story has spread widely throughout the Empire. Well, you probably already know, but Marquis Winston has been quite sympathetic towards you. He mentioned sending a letter, but I suggested he meet you in person to offer his condolences. However, it seems that, fortunately, the nobles are now viewing you more favorably, Lady Kristin.”

“That’s a relief, but I’m sure there are still those who dislike me. But it’s alright,” Kristin replied with composure as she looked at Selena Scarlet.

Selena, seeing Kristin’s calm demeanor, spoke gently to comfort her.

“I don’t know you well, Lady Kristin, but when I heard the recent news, I was deeply shocked. You must have been hurt, but I was truly moved by your decision to donate the compensation to help others. That’s why, despite not being close, I decided to visit you, and well…”

Selena Scarlet seemed hesitant to continue. She looked up at the ceiling as if pondering something difficult before returning her gaze to Kristin.

Then, she took a document from her pouch and handed it to Kristin.

“What is this document?” Kristin asked as she examined it. Selena responded with a thoughtful look.

“After seeing how Lady Kristin Edith took action regarding the Levi Mines incident, and upon hearing that you planned to use the compensation money to help those in need, I thought we could work together on something meaningful within the Empire.”

Something meaningful?

Kristin didn’t fully grasp what Selena Scarlet was suggesting, but she trusted that Selena wouldn’t propose anything reckless.

Moreover, since Selena was a relative of the Emperor, she held significant influence within the Empire, which made Kristin a bit flustered by the proposal.

As she tilted her head, trying to process this, Selena continued.

“I would like Lady Kristin Edith to join our noble charity organization. I understand this request might seem rather forward, but I believe it would be wonderful if you could join us. This organization was created to help the poor and unfortunate commoners in the Empire, which aligns perfectly with your efforts to assist those in need.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m concerned that other nobles might disapprove of me joining. Just my presence could make things uncomfortable for you, Lady Selena.”

Kristin had never participated in the organizations of nobles before.

Given the tarnished reputation of the Edith family, no young noblewoman had shown any interest in befriending her, so Kristin had long since resigned herself to that fact.

Because she had always been subjected to whispering wherever she went, Kristin had no choice but to stay within the mansion. Although the situation had changed significantly since then, the idea of joining the organization still made her uncomfortable.

“I think I understand what you’re worried about, Lady Kristin.”

“Excuse me for interrupting, but a delivery of flowers has arrived for Lady Kristin.”

In the middle of her conversation with Selena, the butler came in carrying a large flower basket.

The bouquet was a vibrant mix of cosmos and kalanchoe flowers, with a small note tucked into the space beside the basket.

“Oh my, Lady Kristin. It seems this is from Marquis Winston. He had mentioned wanting to send you flowers several times.”

“Really? I’m just so surprised that the marquis sent these flowers.”Kristin spoke in astonishment, but Selena urged her to open the letter.

Prompted by Selena, Kristin took out the letter and began to read.

The letter contained words of comfort for Kristin, who had gone through a great ordeal, and mentioned that he would like to meet when she felt better.

After reading the letter from Marquis Winston, Kristin fell silent for a moment.

Marquis Winston Zenon had often sent her bouquets in the past as well.

Even on ordinary days, he would send flowers to cheer her up when she was alone in the mansion, and he was still acting the same way for her now, just as he had in her previous life.

“It says he wants to meet? It seems Marquis Winston is quite taken with you, Lady Kristin.”

“What?”

Kristin asked, startled by Selena’s sudden remark. Selena Scarlet smiled and continued.

“I had a brief conversation with Marquis Winston at the debutante ball. He mentioned that he hoped you would join the organization I spoke about earlier. But I was somewhat worried that you might get hurt if you attended.”

“I’m very grateful for the offer. I’m just concerned about whether I could do well.”

“Since that day, I’ve heard that Marquis Winston has been eager to help with anything related to Lady Kristin Edith. Being a relative of the Emperor, I can’t be unaware of what’s happening in the Empire, right? Whenever nobles were seen speaking ill of you, Marquis Winston would confidently tell them not to speak without knowing the full story.”

As a Marquis, he could easily associate with young ladies from better families than hers, and even though they were childhood playmates, there was no reason for him to go to such lengths for her.

Moreover, siding with her could potentially harm his reputation.

The idea of a friendship between the Edith family and the Marquis family seemed impossible, which made Kristin worry about Winston siding with her.

“But if he continues to defend me like that, he could lose much more. He doesn’t need to stand up for me. It’s okay.”

“Lady Kristin,” Selena Scarlet said gently, meeting Kristin’s eyes.“Do you not realize Marquis Winston’s feelings? Hearing that you were childhood friends made me a bit envious. I was also a childhood friend of Marquis Winston, but I felt a tinge of jealousy knowing he had another friend. But then I thought, how extraordinary must a lady be to capture the heart of the marquis?”

“Oh, no. That’s too much praise,” Kristin replied, shaking her head.

Selena Scarlet held Kristin in high regard.

However, Kristin couldn’t help but think that she and Selena were fundamentally different types of nobles.

She was about to continue speaking, but Selena looked at her and slowly began to speak.

“In my eyes, Lady Kristin is truly remarkable. It seems that now, as you step outside the mansion, you are finally revealing your true worth. Moreover, anyone willing to spend money to help the common people doesn’t need their character to be questioned. There is no other young lady like Kristin Edith in the entire Empire. So,”

“Lady Selena—”

“Please join our organization and work for the Empire. Together, we can help those in need.”

Kristin straightened her shoulders at Selena’s words and gazed into her eyes.

—

After asking Kristin to join the organization, Selena Scarlet added one final remark.

If Kristin was willing to join, she should inform Marquis Winston, not Selena herself.Kristin hesitated for a moment at this suggestion. However, Selena smiled as she said:

“Marquis Winston is always waiting for Lady Kristin Edith. Since you would be part of the same organization, I think he would be very pleased if you sent him a letter expressing your desire to join.”

While this statement felt overwhelming, Selena Scarlet left the mansion with a satisfied smile.

Left alone in the mansion, Kristin spent her time embroidering, something she had not been able to put down.

The Edith mansion was even quieter than she had expected without her father and stepmother.

Occasionally, when she looked at the garden or the reception room, living room, and kitchen, she could faintly imagine the scene of the three of them sitting together.

Yet, there had never been a moment when their presence brought her comfort.

Being with them had only diminished her confidence, so she felt grateful for the current peace.

For a brief moment, Kristin felt a sense of emptiness, but she had to steel herself.

Though there was no one in the mansion to rely on, she had to live on her own.

As she sat in the living room, her gaze fell on the Lilies Selena had gifted her and the bouquet of Cosmos and Kalanchoe flowers sent by Marquis Winston, and she called out to Lenci.

“Could you move those flowers to vases?”

“Yes, how would you like them arranged?”

Lenci asked, and Kristin replied,

“Place the Cosmos in my mother’s room. She loved cosmos flowers when she was alive. Put the Kalanchoe in the parlor and the Lilies in my room.”

“Understood. The room you mentioned has been tidied up; it just needs the bed cleared out to be empty.”

“The bed?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

Kristin wanted to erase all traces of Rose’s stay in the mansion, as well as Elena’s.

“Elena’s room is cleared out too, right?”

“Oh, yes. That room has been emptied as well.”

As Lenci confirmed, Kristin nodded and added,

“Thank you. It must have been quite a task. But I wanted to remove every trace of the two of them. I wish none of it had happened six years ago. Anyway, thank you for your hard work.”

Kristin then briefly gazed out at the mansion grounds.