IHDOE Ch 86
As she gaped in shock at House Bersabet, the carriage passed through the main gates without hindrance.
A maid guided Zendel to the reception room, where she waited anxiously.
Why on earth is Bersabet looking for me?
Though she had followed them blindly to survive, doubts plagued her mind.
Who had rescued her, and for what purpose?
Young Duke Sharlan? Or Rebecca?
Neither option offered much comfort. Rebecca was a tyrant within the ducal house, and Sharlan was infamous for draining his opponents to the bone behind a polite smile.
As Zendel spiraled in anxious thoughts, the sound of the opening door made her scramble to her feet.
Someone entirely unexpected stood in the doorway, neither Sharlan nor Rebecca.
Gorgeous, wavy blonde hair framed her face, paired with deep magenta eyes tinged with a subtle crimson hue.
Zendel had served countless noblewomen at the capital's premier dress shop, yet she had never encountered anyone so breathtaking.
[Satina] "Welcome."
Satina smiled softly and gestured for her to sit. Zendel slid into her seat, unable to stop stealing glances across the table.
She finally understood why high society buzzed the moment Satina attended a party in one of Laura's dresses.
Under ordinary circumstances, Zendel would have marveled at her beauty without hesitation. However, her recent brush with death kept her mind sharp.
The moment Satina sat down, she spoke up.
[Zendel] "I never expected Lady Satina to save me. What do you require of me?"
Unlike Zendel, who struggled to hide her anxiety, Satina spoke with perfect composure.
[Satina] "If you know where I get my dresses tailored, is there any need to state it aloud?"
[Zendel] "As I thought. It concerns the plagiarism scandal between Madrin and Laura. You saved me so I would betray Madrin and take Laura's side."
[Satina] "Correct. Why offer loyalty to someone who tried to murder you?"
Despite her blunt words, Zendel hesitated. Part of her wanted to expose Madrin's misdeeds instantly and drive her from the capital. Yet Madrin maintained close ties with the high nobility who ruled social circles.
She knew Satina's reputation all too well. Though it had improved slightly of late, high society still ostracized her. Unfavored by her family and lacking strong connections, Satina's backing of Laura hardly seemed promising. Siding with Satina might prove far more dangerous than fleeing the capital.
As her dilemma deepened, a maid entered the room.
[Maid] "Lady Satina, the Young Duke is looking for you."
Zendel assumed Satina would cut the meeting short and obey Sharlan's command. That was the expected outcome for an unfavored daughter in a grand house.
She recalled rumors about how Rebecca treated Satina.
Did you hear? Rebecca ordered every fireplace removed from Satina's room last night!
In this freezing weather? While snow falls heavily outside?
They say she is bedridden with a fever. But what can she do against Rebecca? A freeloader should be grateful for a roof over her head.
If she endured such mistreatment from Rebecca, Sharlan would be even worse. Even if he commanded her to crawl on all fours, Satina would have no choice but to obey.
Yet contrary to Zendel's expectations, Satina responded in a detached tone.
[Satina] "Why?"
Accustomed to her tone, the maid answered without showing surprise.
[Maid] "I am unsure, My Lady."
[Satina] "Then tell him I have a guest and to wait briefly."
[Maid] "Understood."
[Sharlan] "No need for that, Sister. I came myself."
Dressed for travel, Sharlan stood in the doorway.
[Satina] "Are you going somewhere?"
[Sharlan] "I have a banquet to attend. I wanted to let you know in advance, as I likely won't return until tomorrow."
[Satina] "Ah, the gathering with imperial officials you mentioned earlier? Safe travels."
His gaze finally shifted toward Zendel.
[Sharlan] "Who is this person?"
His brow furrowed, clearly displeased by a stranger in his estate.
[Satina] "My guest. We have matters to discuss regarding a dress."
[Sharlan] "Are you getting a new dress fitted? Well, with summer approaching, that is a good idea. Whatever you wear will surpass what you currently own."
It sounded like sarcasm, but Zendel's keen instincts—honed from years in the dress shop—told her otherwise.
This was not mockery. Instead, it sounded closer to genuine concern for Satina's wardrobe.
Contrary to popular rumor, the two appeared remarkably close.
Come to think of it...
Zendel recalled her arrival at the estate. Despite riding in an unmarked cargo carriage, the ducal knights had permitted her entry without hesitation.
Having visited many noble estates while working at the shop, Zendel knew strict identity checks were standard. The fact that a guest could enter so effortlessly revealed Satina's true standing in the household. Far from being mistreated, she clearly wielded significant authority.
She remembered seeing Sharlan escort Satina months ago.
If Lady Satina has House Bersabet behind her, there is a chance!
In that case, fearing Madrin was completely unnecessary.
Once Sharlan left the room, Satina turned her attention back to Zendel.
[Satina] "So, are you still hesitating?"
[Zendel] "No. I shall tell you everything I know."
Satina smiled at her resolute answer.
[Satina] "A wise decision."
Satina watched Zendel's carriage recede from the window, lost in thought.
Bringing her in right as Sharlan left had worked out perfectly. According to Laura, Zendel was cautious to a fault.
Satina knew her reputation in social circles wasn't strong. Left to herself, Zendel would rather run far away than get dragged into this mess, even after Madrin tried to kill her.
Therefore, Satina had deliberately timed Zendel's arrival with Sharlan's departure to showcase her elevated status in the family.
The gamble had paid off. The doubt in Zendel's eyes vanished the moment Sharlan appeared.
I wonder how Hedzel is faring.
[Madrin] "You mean to tell me you couldn't handle a single girl?!"
She berated the messenger in a voice sharp with fury.
[Thug] "Forgive us. We never anticipated someone would suddenly show up to rescue her..."
[Madrin] "In the end, you failed to eliminate her!"
After scolding him, she sank into thought.
Satina had undoubtedly taken Zendel. And she would surely take Satina's side, testifying that Madrin had framed her.
It doesn't matter. Whatever she claims, there is no proof I ordered anything.
She hadn't signed a contract promising money in exchange for taking the fall, nor did anyone else know about the deal.
Without explicit evidence, public opinion would decide the outcome. And public opinion was firmly on her side.
Countless noblewomen frequented Madrin's shop. Among them was Coraline, daughter of Duke Radius.
Coraline harbored feelings for the Crown Prince and viewed Satina—his official fiancée—as a constant thorn in her side.
Satina is hardly a proper noble. Can't you tell by how her own family disregards her?
Despising Satina, Coraline would side with Madrin without hesitation.
No matter how much Satina's reputation had improved recently, what could she possibly accomplish on her own?
[Satina] "Is this all you found?"
He nodded with an embarrassed look.
[Hedzel] "Yeah."
Satina inspected the documents Hedzel had gathered from Madrin's suppliers: fabric, gems, needles, thread, magic beast whiskers for corsets. Crafting a dress required countless materials.
She had hoped searching the suppliers would yield a lead, but the results were underwhelming.
His earlier confidence made the meager findings all the more embarrassing, and Hedzel spoke awkwardly.
[Hedzel] "I scraped together everything I could find, but there isn't much substance. Regarding the dress design... while we know Madrin copied Laura's work, proving who drew it first is tricky..."
[Satina] "Does Madrin usually visit in person when purchasing materials?"
Surprised by the sudden question, Hedzel nodded.
[Hedzel] "Right. Materials like fabric and gems are crucial, so she inspects and buys them personally."
[Satina] "Were these papers brought directly from the suppliers?"
[Hedzel] "The transactions were already finished, so they handed them over easily. They didn't think the receipts were important."
He continued.
[Hedzel] "For now, I'll have the kids check if anyone saw Madrin meeting with Laura's employee. Even if they met in secret, digging in dark corners is our specialty. We'll turn up something..."
[Satina] "No, that's fine. This is more than enough."
Though Hedzel gave her a puzzled look, Satina smiled as she examined the order form filled out by Madrin.
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