Chapter 30
Chapter 3. Grace's Trap
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The 'Chamber of Punishment' was opened.
Long ago, Empress Isabella, Eliza's mother, used this method to punish the maids of the palace or noble ladies, and it was eventually called the Chamber of Punishment. And the person who currently favored the Chamber of Punishment the most was none other than Marquise Lincot.
The Marchioness summoned all the noble ladies who had entered Duke Richmond's castle today. She had the noble ladies who acted like the tongue in her mouth sit around her like the wings of a bird, and the rest of the noble ladies' seats were prepared on one side.
By doing this, she elicited greater loyalty from those who were loyal, and made those who were vaguely watching her aware of what would happen if they fell out of her favor, thereby arousing a sense of alertness.
Behind the Marchioness, maids in uniform-like navy dresses were lined up like soldiers, with sunlight streaming in behind them. The backlighting darkened their faces, giving them an even solemn feeling.
In this room, Marquise Lincot was the king and the judge.
And in front of the Marchioness, in a place where everyone's eyes were focused, a chair was placed alone. Anyone could see that it was the seat of a sinner.
A noble lady, who had come to the castle early in the morning to deliver something to her husband and was caught, whispered to the person next to her.
"I think she's going to interrogate the woman His Grace brought?"
"She just entered yesterday, how will His Grace react... I'm worried that only we, the powerless, will be punished for no reason."
"I heard she laid hands on Count Lewen's daughter's maids, is that really true?"
"Whether she did or not doesn't matter. What matters is that the Marchioness has placed that woman in this room."
Meanwhile, Flora stood behind the Marchioness, glaring at the seat.
"The Marchioness is very vicious! To think she threatened Flora's maids like that!!"
Countess Lewin, Flora's mother, raised her voice with a bloodshot face, and the other noble ladies nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, the wickedness of those who seek to rise in status surpasses our imagination."
"I felt uneasy from the first time I saw her."
Countess Lewin rubbed her arms as if she had goosebumps and said to Flora's two maids.
"How did that vicious woman intimidate you?"
Then the two maids cried and complained.
"She said she would kill us. We were so, so scared……."
"Yes, yes. That's right. We were serving dinner and coming back, and suddenly we were dragged somewhere. It felt like she was going to kill us any minute."
"Goodness, instead of thanking the maids who served dinner!"
The Marchioness crossed her arms elegantly and tilted her head.
"Why didn't you report that fact right away?"
"She told us not to say anything... We were afraid of being killed."
"Marchioness, how viciously did that woman act to make them so frightened?"
Disgust appeared on Flora's face as she stood behind the Marchioness. But soon a smile spread across her face. She was so grateful that she had stupidly done such a thing on her own. Fearing that someone might see her, she hurriedly collected her smile and sobbed with a pitiful expression.
"I... I should have protected you better……. I'm sorry."
"Oh, Flora. It's not your fault. How can you be so kind-hearted……."
When the Marchioness kindly reached out her hand and patted her back, Flora finally burst into tears.
"Don't cry. There is someone else who should be shedding tears."
No sooner had the Marchioness finished speaking than a polite knock was heard. Flora, who was wiping away her tears, and the Marchioness, who was patting her back, turned their eyes to the door at the same time.
