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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Unexpected Encounter
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As promised, Aracilla took leave from the Magic Tower and came to serve the Grand Duchess, who truly worked her like a maid.
Being told to fetch this or that was the cute part.
She was ordered to clean rooms under the Grand Duchess's watchful eye, polish shoes until they shone, and even fetch washing water herself.
The Grand Duchess even threw a dress at Aracilla, demanding she mend a slightly torn lace.
However, while every noble lady was expected to possess average or better skills, Aracilla, who wasn't even good at embroidery, couldn't possibly sew properly.
When she brought back the dress, sewn to the best of her ability, the Grand Duchess flew into a rage.
"Are you rebelling against me now?"
"No, Grand Duchess. I simply did as I was told. Why are you angry?"
"You've turned my dress into a rag!"
The Grand Duchess fumed, throwing down the dress, whose sleeve was folded in half thanks to Aracilla's fantastical sewing skills. She thought Aracilla had done it on purpose.
But Aracilla, who had pricked her fingers with needles while mending the dress, felt wronged. This was truly the result of her utmost sincerity and effort.
"Go fetch one of your dresses! I'll do the same to it!"
"Yes, Grand Duchess."
Aracilla, who had little desire for clothes, quickly brought one of her own dresses, causing the Grand Duchess's blood pressure to skyrocket and her body to tremble.
What she wanted was a sorrowful expression, not that bright, innocent one.
Still, needing to vent her anger, the Grand Duchess ordered her own maid to cut Aracilla's dress into pieces with scissors, then shrieked,
"I can't stand the sight of you! Get out now!"
"Understood. Please call me if there's anything else you need."
Aracilla bowed politely and stepped out of the room. The maids in the hallway stirred, staring at her.
The Grand Duchess's voice was so loud that her shouts had carried outside the door. Thanks to this, everyone thought Aracilla had suffered immense humiliation and were sending her sympathetic glances.
"...Madam, are you alright?"
One maid cautiously approached and asked. It was the young maid who had been whipped by the Grand Duchess.
Aracilla immediately recognized her and smiled brightly.
"I'm fine. More importantly, Cindy, your hands aren't fully healed yet, are you already working?"
"Oh, yes. My injuries weren't very severe."
"What are you talking about, with bandages on both hands? Rest until you're fully recovered. Don't overexert yourself."
"But Madam, you're suffering so much because of me, how can I—"
As Cindy's eyes welled up with tears, Aracilla patted her shoulder.
"It's not your fault, Cindy. You are my maids now, so it's only natural for me to protect you."
"Madam..."
"Don't worry about it and just focus on healing your hands, alright?"
Aracilla waved lightly and walked away. The Grand Duchess had called her from dawn and made her do various tasks, leaving her quite tired.
How could serving the Grand Duchess be harder than working at the Magic Tower?
'This must be why they say dealing with people is the hardest.'
As she, having realized this newfound truth, completely disappeared, the remaining maids' eyes sparkled as they exchanged words.
"How can Madam be so thoughtful and kind?"
"Now that I think about it, she was always generous enough to overlook minor mistakes."
"Why did we not recognize such a wonderful Madam until now? Oh, I really regret doing nothing during the Rosalyn incident."
Most of them were the estate's original maids, living somewhat timidly since the Rosalyn incident. Unlike the maids from the Hugo Marquisate, who were on good terms with Aracilla, they had felt a great distance and awkwardness towards her.
But that day, when Aracilla appeared like a hero and protected Cindy, an existing maid, their closed hearts began to open.
And after seeing her attitude just now, not blaming Cindy at all, their hearts didn't just open; they completely swayed.
Madam called us "my maids."
Then Madam is our Madam too!
"Is there nothing we can do for Madam now?"
"Even if she acts like nothing's wrong, they say she cries silently at night..."
"Really? Oh, how heartbreaking."
The maids imagined Aracilla secretly crying and felt a pang in their hearts.
It was entirely a false rumor spread by Audrey, who was acting on her master's orders, but they had no way of knowing that.
"This is the first time I've been in a situation like this, having only served the master until now. Should I ask other maids for advice?"
"That's a good idea. And let's let everyone know how truly kind our Madam is!"
"Yes, many people don't know that the maids were dismissed because of Rosalyn and the former Head Maid."
In truth, there had been subtle whispers about Aracilla suddenly dismissing the existing maids shortly after her marriage.
If she had brought maids from her own family from the beginning, it would have been one thing, but such a sudden change seemed very strange to outsiders.
The person concerned didn't care much about such things and showed no particular reaction, but the maids who knew the truth of the incident felt uncomfortable.
It wasn't that Madam's personality was fickle; it was Rosalyn and the Head Maid who were at fault.
"From now on, let's truly treat Madam well, and if anyone badmouths her, let's actively fight back!"
"Good, good! They say a mistress's reputation is built by her maids."
The maids clenched their fists, their determination burning.
Unintentionally, they were fulfilling the purpose of the strange rumors Aracilla had spread.
Aracilla had two goals.
First, to make the Grand Duchess let down her guard. Second, to spread the Grand Duchess's misdeeds as widely as possible.
This was because it would make it easier to drive the Grand Duchess out later.
The problem was that the maids from the Hugo Marquisate knew she was not the type to do such things, so they doubted the rumors. Thus, they didn't act as she wished.
Instead, the existing maids, who hadn't properly grasped Aracilla's character yet, were swayed by the rumors and performed the actions she desired.
While seeking advice, they inadvertently leaked the fact that Aracilla was suffering and being tormented by the Grand Duchess.
"I'm so worried about our Madam these days. The Grand Duchess's torment is so severe. She works her like a maid, so she can't even eat properly, and can't sleep well at night."
These words, once started, were passed from mouth to mouth, gaining exaggeration and distortion.
"Did you hear? Grand Duchess Vandermir is tormenting Madam Vandermir terribly. They say she makes her do dirty work that only servants would do, gives her only one meal a day, and doesn't let her sleep."
"Gasp! What? Madam Vandermir is being abused, serving the Grand Duchess like a slave? Is it true that she doesn't get food if she disobeys? And they even say she gets beaten if she accidentally falls asleep...!"
"The stories from the Vandermir estate are terrifying. They say the Madam of that house is locked in her room and starved every meal, and tortured at night. The Grand Duchess supposedly enslaved her completely."
Words passed from maid to maid slowly reached their respective masters. And through the mouths of those masters, they gradually began to spread through society.
* * *
Countess Hounds had a long-standing friendship with Grand Duchess Vandermir.
Their relationship began when the Countess's father borrowed money from the Grand Duchess's father, so there was a clear hierarchy, but they met whenever the Countess came to the capital.
As Aracilla seemed to have been somewhat subdued again, the Grand Duchess arranged a meeting with her. Other prominent noblewomen from the capital also attended.
"These young people nowadays are so brazen and presumptuous. As an elder, I truly worry about how they will live if discipline isn't maintained."
Countess Hounds was the first to chime in, agreeing with the Grand Duchess's opening remark.
"My thoughts exactly. That's why my husband and I haven't been able to hand over our titles yet. It's clear how they'd treat us if we stepped aside."
"They treat their elders with such contempt, don't they? Especially the young women. If they're married, they should serve their mother-in-law more than their own mother."
"At least the ones from lower-ranking families are better. The ones from somewhat higher families are so haughty—ugh, I can't even describe it."
The noblewomen all waved their hands, speaking ill of others. Some of them had daughters, but generally, when discussing such matters, they implicitly excluded their own daughters.
Or, they were already treating their own daughters the same way at home.
"That's why I'm staying at my grandson's house, educating his wife, isn't it?"
The Grand Duchess took an elegant sip of tea, then set her teacup down and said. Flattery immediately poured forth.
"Oh my! Receiving the Grand Duchess's teachings is a lifelong honor, isn't it? I'm so envious."
"If only I had learned from the Grand Duchess when I was younger, I would have managed my household much better. Madam Vandermir is truly blessed."
"Indeed, what a great fortune it is to have a respectable elder in the family. I'd love to subtly send my daughter to be educated alongside her."
"I'd like to send my second daughter-in-law. To make her come to her senses."
At that, laughter erupted. The Grand Duchess also smiled, slightly pleased.
Just then, the last attendee, who was late, arrived.
"I apologize for my lateness. Something suddenly came up at home, and I was delayed dealing with it."
"Welcome, Marchioness White. Please greet the Grand Duchess quickly."
Countess Hounds, the host of the gathering, gently pulled her forward and placed her before the Grand Duchess.
The Grand Duchess narrowed her eyes at this new member whom she hadn't seen before. The White Marquisate, wasn't that the rival family of the Hugo Marquisate?
"Hello, Grand Duchess. It's an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Nicole White."
The Marchioness smiled and offered a polite greeting. Then she pulled her daughter, who was standing behind her, to her side.
"This is my daughter, Nora White."
"It's an honor to meet you, Grand Duchess."
Nora, following her mother, bowed modestly and demurely. The Grand Duchess, who had recently only seen the insolent Aracilla of a similar age, smiled with satisfaction.
Yes, a noble lady should be obedient like that.
"Marchioness White and I have become close friends since last year. Her daughter, though still young, has a clear and upright mind for someone her age. I wanted to introduce her to you, Grand Duchess."
Countess Hounds sat close beside her and explained. Fortunately, the Grand Duchess showed no hostile reaction to the new attendees.
The noblewomen's conversation resumed, and the White mother and daughter quietly maintained their seats, first assessing the situation.
Hmm, they were gossiping about their respective daughters-in-law.
Then the topic of conversation shifted to Aracilla, Grand Duchess Vandermir's granddaughter-in-law. Everyone offered a critical remark about Aracilla to curry favor with the Grand Duchess.
"Madam Vandermir should recognize the Grand Duchess's grace and come to her senses quickly."
"I simply can't understand why she didn't quit the Magic Tower even after getting married."
"Isn't there a reason her nickname was 'the Eccentric' when she was single? It's only the Grand Duchess who suffers, having to teach such a person every little thing."
"Speaking of which, isn't Lady White around the same age? Lady White, what is Madam Vandermir's reputation among her peers?"
It was at that moment that Nora, sitting next to her mother with a shy face, opened her mouth.
"Madam Vandermir was known even during her academy days for her honest and confident personality. When opinions clashed, she was a dignified person who strongly asserted her own views. She wasn't afraid to make enemies, either."
Nora, who indirectly expressed that Aracilla was stubborn, self-centered, and lacked social standing, smiled brightly and continued,
"For someone like her, a single shock might be more impactful than repeated gentle teachings."
"Shock?"
"Yes, for instance... something like the 'Purple Violet Turning.'"
The Purple Violet Turning, simply explained, was a public execution in high society.
It was a method primarily used when one wished to publicly accuse someone of their faults or shameful secrets. Other nobles would each hand the accused noble a violet and deliver their message.
During this, the accused was forbidden from speaking or protesting until they had received all the flowers.
This meant they had to silently watch as their secrets were revealed in detail and their reputation plummeted in real-time.
If this rule was violated, the person would be permanently exiled from high society as a penalty for breaking an unspoken custom.
