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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Shifting Tides
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***
"Lumina, I had no idea how you've been living. It must have been so difficult for you in this cramped attic. But you can rest easy now."
So spoke the scoundrel who would one day sell his own niece.
*He was chasing me around like a madman just the other day. There’s no way he didn’t know. He just left me alone, figuring he could swoop in and "help" me when I was at my most vulnerable. Then I'd trust him completely.*
Seeing right through Joseph's intentions, Lumina beamed.
"I never thought of it as difficult. It was simply my reality. Perhaps that's why..."
The smile faded from Lumina's lips.
"I still can't believe this is my room. I feel uncomfortable, as if I've stolen it from someone else."
After the Duke of Heart's visit, Lumina had been hastily moved to a new room.
The best and most spacious one in the manor, second only to the count and countess’s master suite.
This was the very room she would have been given had she accepted Joseph’s offer.
So while it had never been hers, it felt more familiar than any other place.
Though she knew the layout well enough to navigate it with her eyes closed, Lumina put on a convincing performance without batting an eye.
"Lumina! You mustn't think that way. These are things you should have had all along!"
"Thank you for saying so, Uncle."
She had succeeded in winning over the Duke of Heart, but to Joseph, she still needed to appear as an innocent twelve-year-old.
*A few dresses destined for the trash can't erase years of resentment.*
Joseph and the other relatives patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Forget the past. Think of today as a new beginning."
*Right, right.*
Pitying glances came from all directions.
These were the same people who had called her venomous at the funeral.
Their sudden change in attitude was all thanks to the Duke of Heart.
*They're just trying to get a few crumbs from his table. All while trying to pry into how I met the duke.*
Their intentions were transparent, and Lumina had no intention of playing along.
"I must have gotten a little overexcited. Seeing your face made me relax, Uncle... *Yawn*."
Lumina let out a small yawn.
"Oh, dear. I'm sorry."
It was a deliberate yawn, but her feigned embarrassment was a masterful touch.
The relatives around her fell for it completely.
*Get lost, all of you.*
They had no idea that was what she meant.
"Sorry? Don't be silly. It's a perfectly natural thing to do when you're tired. No need to apologize."
"That's right. Young children need to go to bed early. What time is it, anyway?"
At the question, everyone's eyes turned to a nearby clock.
"It's..."
The people who checked the clock hanging sturdily on the wall fell silent for a moment.
"Eight o'clock in the evening."
In the silence, only Lumina answered, her voice laced with drowsiness. For the adults, the night was still young.
Of course, the same was true for Lumina, but she played dumb.
"I must be more tired than I thought. I don't usually go to bed this early..."
As if embarrassed, a light blush crept onto Lumina's cheeks.
Joseph, momentarily flustered by the unexpectedly early hour, quickly regained his composure.
He quickly reverted to his sycophantic self.
"Yes, yes. Eight o'clock is the perfect time for a young girl to be asleep. You go on to bed. We'll turn out the light on our way out, so don't you worry."
*Can't you just leave?* she thought. But Joseph stood his ground, apparently wanting to see her fall asleep with his own eyes.
Resigned, Lumina prepared to feign sleep, moving to lay her head on the pillow.
Just then.
"This pillow! What is this sorry excuse for a pillow? A proper pillow should be stuffed with goose down, soft and fluffy for a good night's sleep."
Before Lumina's head could even touch the pillow, Joseph was making a fuss.
"There must be a goose-down pillow somewhere, yes? My dear sister wouldn't rest her head on anything less than the finest quality. We can't have our niece being uncomfortable."
"..."
"Don't just stand there gawking! What are you waiting for? Go and fetch a proper pillow, quickly!"
The room was instantly thrown into a flurry of activity, enough to startle anyone out of their drowsiness.
*...Is he doing this on purpose to torment me? Is this his revenge for the expensive dresses I made him throw away?*
Hiding her irritation, Lumina observed Joseph carefully.
He wasn't taking out his resentment on her in some petty way.
No, he was simply playing the part of the devoted sycophant to the hilt.
As conniving as Lumina was, Joseph was proving to be just as tenacious.
*Just as I thought. A man who would painstakingly plot to sell his own niece is a different breed of scoundrel.*
To deal with a villain like him, she would have to be even more cunning.
***
Far too many people were overstaying their welcome at the Lanshuss estate under the pretext of mourning.
It was high time to clear them out, and Lumina, now with a voice of authority, began to apply pressure.
"I never realized my parents were so highly esteemed. It's comforting to know that so many people have come to mourn their passing with me."
"Of course, they were..."
"But aren't you all busy?"
"..."
"I was taught that adults have their own duties. You all must have things you need to attend to, don't you?"
"Haha. At times like these, it is perfectly acceptable to set one's duties aside for a while."
"But my parents disliked people who neglected their duties! I'm sure they wouldn't want you to put off your own work just to mourn for them, would they?"
She delivered the line with the perfect mix of caution and the innocent, bold tone unique to a child.
"Isn't that so?" she asked, her pink eyes questioning them as if stating the obvious. Faced with her gaze, they could only offer an awkward laugh.
Those who had used the deceased as an excuse to stay would now be forced to leave for the very same reason.
And so, one by one, Lumina drove out the relatives who had settled in like freeloaders.
However, she couldn't get rid of everyone.
Teresa and Joseph.
They alone remained, stubbornly insisting they had to stay to look after the children.
In truth, they were the de facto representatives of the extended family.
Thus, upon hearing that Teresa and Joseph would be staying, the others departed rather meekly, leaving their disappointment behind.
*That takes care of the first round of cleaning. Still, there's so much left to do. Ugh.*
There was so much trash to take out.
If she couldn't get rid of it all at once, it was cleaner to sort through it and dispose of it piece by piece.
The same principle applied when she moved from the attic to her spacious new room.
The relatives had tried to throw away everything from the attic, claiming it was old, but Lumina had told them to leave it be for the time being.
In response, without Lumina having to do a thing, her relatives took it upon themselves to buy her all new furniture.
She had acquired a room full of new furniture without spending a single coin. No doubt they were trying to stay in the Duke of Heart's good graces.
Even the servants who had once ignored her now treated her with the kindness and respect due to the young lady of the house.
As those who once treated her like thin air now watched her every move, Lumina simply offered them a guileless, cheerful smile.
"It's Samantha, isn't it? Thank you for always being here to help me."
"Not at all, my lady. It is my duty."
Samantha's duties were simple.
In the morning, she would bring a basin of water for washing and draw the curtains.
She would then help Lumina choose an outfit for the day and assist her in dressing. After that, her time was her own.
She had hardly done anything to warrant such high praise.
For that reason, Samantha had been quite content with her work lately.
Her wages were the same, but her workload had been cut in half.
Unlike the strict former lady of the house, Lumina rarely made demands, which made her easy to serve.
As Samantha was reminiscing about her days serving the former mistress, Lumina spoke up unexpectedly.
"Are you satisfied with your wages? I could speak to the butler if you'd like."
"What? Oh, no, my lady! I am more than satisfied as it is. Please don't trouble yourself!"
Samantha waved her hands in a flurry. She was so flustered that her true feelings slipped out.
At the refusal, Lumina's expression fell.
"Oh, was I being too forward? It's just... I've never had anyone care for me so attentively before..."
"..."
"My parents were always kind, of course, but as you know, there were... circumstances."
"Of course. I understand completely, my lady."
The moment Lumina showed a sliver of vulnerability, Samantha's eyes lit up, and she eagerly closed the distance.
In all things, connections were key. Samantha decided then and there that she needed to hitch her wagon to Lumina.
And Lumina did not push her away.
It wasn't just Samantha.
She welcomed any servant who approached her wearing a mask of kindness.
But the past was not so easily forgotten.
There were some servants who found it difficult to approach the girl who, just days ago, had been treated worse than they were.
As a result, factions naturally began to form among the staff.
And these factions became the seeds of discord.
"Honestly, I find this whole situation absurd."
One of the maids, disgruntled by her colleagues who had earned raises by fawning over Lumina, finally spoke out.
"You were the one who tormented her the most! Does it make any sense for you to change your tune the moment the master and mistress pass away and the Duke of Heart becomes her guardian?"
"What's wrong with that? And 'tormented'? You'd better watch your mouth. When have I ever tormented the young lady?"
Samantha, who had recently won Lumina's favor, retorted confidently. The other maid scoffed.
"You're the one who let a mouse loose in the attic on purpose! Is there anyone here who doesn't remember what happened that day, when the young lady went crying to the mistress for help?"
A chilling silence fell over the room.
It had been a significant commotion, one that was hard to forget even with the passage of time.
Her stepmother, the second wife, had scolded Lumina severely, insisting that a mouse could never appear in a mansion under her perfect management.
She had done so even as the terrified young Lumina stood before her with tears welling in her eyes.
Though the girl's fear was clearly too genuine to be dismissed as a childish prank, she had branded Lumina a liar and raised a switch to her.
In the end, Lumina had cried that day until she had no tears left.
Every servant employed in the manor had witnessed the scene.
And they had all looked away.
