Ch#118
Chapter 118"You go up and rest a bit before coming down."
"Okay. By the way, I'm really glad you finally got the hint, brother."
"Got the hint?"
Linia's eyes curved even more.
"I thought my head was going to explode figuring out how to coax you into proposing to Edel!"
"What? So this all went according to your plan?"
"Of course! Be honest. If it weren't for me, would you have even realized you like Edel?"
Linia crossed her arms smugly and lifted her chin.
"Under the excuse of worrying about your marriage, I sounded out how Edel felt about you, and when you still dragged your feet, I told you to find her a remarriage partner. I've been cheering on your love like this!"
"L-Love... what love?"
The word 'love' felt too heavy and difficult for Laslo. He remembered how the person who had whispered what seemed like the world's greatest love had abandoned his mother, and he believed such a thing shouldn't be called love.
But he couldn't deny that he harbored feelings for Edel beyond mere fondness.
"Of course, you're the first person I've thought would be fine to marry."
Linia snorted, but Laslo pretended not to notice.
In truth, he was more curious about when Linia had noticed his own unaware feelings.
"By the way, when exactly did you figure out I had feelings for Edel?"
"From when you bought her those expensive earrings. Why?"
"Earrings? That was truly just a reward for her hard work."
"A reward? A re-ward?"
.
Linia mocked him, drawing out her voice.
"Brother. Unless it's a bribe, a man can't give jewelry to a woman without any feelings involved."
"Where'd you learn that dogshit philosophy?"
"From watching a man who grumbled 'How can a mere stone cost so much?' give the most expensive pair of earrings to the woman he had a crush on."
Laslo mumbled trying to retort, but in the end, he had to shut up without gaining anything.
Laslo's order came down that evening for everyone without exception to gather in the dining room. This made the mansion's atmosphere even more chaotic.
"What on earth is going on?"
"I don't know. H-Hopefully the steward wasn't fired or something...?"
"Nah, no way!"
"But the Count dragged the steward away so roughly. They said her crying echoed all the way outside the drawing room...?"
"Even so, if she were really fired, the Count and steward would have seen off Dowager Marchioness Celestine together, right?"
"That's true too?"
Fortunately, they didn't have to endure their curiosity for long.
A little later than the usual dinner time at 7 p.m., the servants gathered in the dining room under Margaret's instructions.
Tableware was set on the large central table for the number of people including the servants, with Laslo at the head, and Linia and Edel seated on either side.
"Wow...!"
Edel drew involuntary gasps of admiration from those who saw her.
Linia looked similar to usual, but Edel, always in her steward uniform, was in a completely different attire.
In an elegant and modest dress—not flashy but refined—with only a thin sparkling necklace, she seemed to shine.
As if drawing their gazes back to him, Laslo spoke.
"Sorry for the late dinner. Oliver needed extra time to prepare since it was so sudden. Everyone, sit."
- 3 -
Everyone sat at Laslo's permission and Margaret's guidance.
It was the second time sitting at this noble-use table since the last party.
Once all the servants were seated, Laslo looked around at them and spoke again.
"I heard you were all startled by what happened during the day. And I gathered you because I have an announcement related to that."
The room grew so quiet you could hear swallowing, tension filling the air.
"It might be sudden, but I'm getting married soon."
Laslo's gaze naturally turned toward Edel.
"To Edel here, within a month."
"Pardon?"
Before the words 'marrying Edel' fully landed, all the servants asked in unison as if of one mind.
The dining room instantly grew noisy.
"N-No, how...!"
"When did the two of you...?"
"Within a month?"
"C-Congratulations! ...This is something to congratulate, right?"
As confusion and bewilderment swirled chaotically, Edel stood from her seat. The noise vanished in an instant.
"Above all, I'm sorry for startling you all. I must have looked a mess today, right?"
Her smiling face seemed no different from usual, but the quick-witted sensed a subtle change in her.
Edel was kindly considerate, to put it nicely, but on the other hand, she sometimes felt like a candle that might flicker out at any moment. That was separate from her abilities.
But now, she didn't seem like someone who would easily fade away.
"I know it must feel bewildering and awkward for the steward to suddenly become Countess Criserus, but nothing will change much just because my status shifts."
.
"Right. Our new sister-in-law isn't moody and temperamental like me."
Linia chimed in from the side.
Everyone seemed surprised that she, who had once been displeased with Edel, was already calling her new sister-in-law.
"I hope you'll understand and help me."
As Edel finished and sat, Laslo added,
"Of course, Edel will speak informally to you all, and one more person will need tending to. If that bothers you, don't hesitate to say so. I'll give generous severance and a letter of recommendation."
However, no one opposed the change.
From the moment Edel became steward—no, even before—they had deeply realized she wasn't meant to live as a servant forever.
"You two suit each other perfectly. We just couldn't say it."
"Exactly. Besides, the steward was a noble from the start, and we knew that."
"Congratulations once more! We'll serve you well as Countess from now on!"
With everyone responding brightly, Edel finally relaxed, and Laslo felt at ease too.
The family head needn't worry about the servants' opinions, but he knew Edel cared for them and didn't want extra turnover from this incident.
He didn't want to see her blame and heartache herself over it.
And as hoped, having gained the servants' support, he felt great and grinned.
"I believed you'd welcome it gladly. It's a family milestone, after all—we can't just let it pass. Philip! Bring out the food."
At Laslo's order, kitchen assistant Philip quickly wheeled in the cart.
The savory aroma wafting faintly grew stronger, and soon several plates of appetizing golden-brown roasted chicken covered the table.
Along with soft white bread, cream, jam, compote, three kinds of cheese, fruits, biscuits, ham, and even wine that commoners could only dream of seeing.
"Wow! What's all this?"
"My goodness...!"
It was the first true feast for all of them.
"I couldn't prepare anything extravagant on short notice, but think of it as my sincerity."
"Th-Thank you, my lord!"
"We'll eat well!"
The servants hesitated at first, unsure if they could touch the food, but as Laslo stood first and poured drinks for head maid Margaret, cook Oliver, coachman Marco, and gardener Jacob, they relaxed and tore into the bread and chicken.
Everyone marveled at the sweet wine and the hot, chewy chicken.
When the tongue is pleased, the mood lifts too.
"I was a bit bewildered at first, but thinking about it, isn't this really great? From our position, it's more comfortable than having some stranger as madam."
"To speak late, I've thought there was something between you two for a while! Whenever you toured the mansion together, you got along so well!"
"Right, right! And you danced together at the last party."
"No, there were signs even before that. Others might not know, but the former head maid used to bully the steward terribly. Back then, our Count..."
Stories about Laslo and Edel overflowed on the table.
Laslo and Edel pretended not to hear, but the heat rising to their napes and reddening ears was unavoidable.
Afraid eye contact would make it more awkward, they deliberately avoided looking toward each other.
In the end, to hide his embarrassment, Laslo cleared his throat and addressed the servants.
"Ahem! Sorry to pour cold water on the fun, but I have one thing to say."
The servants looked chastened and gauged his mood.
But what Laslo had to say wasn't a warning about the pink atmosphere between him and Edel.
.
