KFBRV Ch 94

[Lilienthal] "I've heard the rumors of your ill-temper from the servants before...... but this is quite peculiar. Whenever I ask for a source, they all claim to have heard it from Lady Odette's own maids. If Count Albrecht treasures his daughter as much as they say, why hasn't he dismissed these maids?"

Another lady nodded in agreement.

[Lady A] "Now that you mention it, it is strange. Even if that maid were a mere junior, her behavior just now was monstrously rude. But she's the head maid! To humiliate her mistress so openly in a setting like this is unthinkable."

Whispers began to ripple through the tea table, shared by young ladies and matrons alike.

[Lady B] "Actually, I also heard those rumors about Lady Odette from an Albrecht maid."

[Lady C] "......As did I."

Odette acted as though she were deaf to the mounting gossip. She turned to Doly with a calm expression.

[Odette] "Doly, would you pour me another cup of tea? With milk, please."

Doly, suffocating under the weight of the social pressure, saw the request as a lifeline. She snatched the teapot from the table and hurried to Odette's side.

She likely viewed Odette as a savior in this moment, but she had miscalculated. Odette intended to use this very moment to finalize the maid's disgrace.

She has an incurable habit.

As usual, Doly hooked her finger through the handle and spun the cup. She didn't care if the handle pointed away from Odette; her own convenience always came first.

The eyes of every guest at the table were fixed on Doly's hands. Their brows furrowed in a collective, silent grimace.

Doly, hyper-focused on the task and oblivious to the scrutiny, poured the milk first. When the tea began to swirl into the milk, a noblewoman gasped in horror.

[Lady A] "This is a disaster. I don't even know where to begin."

[Lady B] "One brings experienced maids to these events specifically to avoid embarrassment. Good heavens! How can a head maid, who earns double the wages of the others, be this incompetent?"

Etiquette dictated that a teacup handle must face the three o'clock position for the drinker. Turning it to nine o'clock for the servant's convenience was a blatant insult, and hooking a finger through the handle was strictly taboo.

[Lady C] "Even a scullery maid wouldn't make the mistake of pouring the milk before the tea."

[Lady A] "And the noise! The cup and saucer are clattering together so loudly it's deafening!"

In one simple motion, Doly had violated four fundamental rules of service.

Though it was considered poor form to scold another's maid in public, the ladies could no longer contain their disdain.

[Doly] "I, I—"

Doly's hands began to shake. She finally realized that every eye was judging her movements and that she was failing every test.

Odette continued, her tone remaining flat.

[Odette] "Spread some jam and cream on a scone for me as well."

The gaze of the nobility shifted back to Doly's fingertips.

The terrified maid hesitated. She closed her eyes for a moment, desperately trying to recall the serving order used in the Imperial Palace and the Albrecht manor.

She'll conclude soon. And she'll decide that the cream goes on first.

Doly plunged her knife into the cream and began to spread it.

It was a fatal error. On Athena Island, the order of jam and cream was the reverse of the capital's. The jam always came first.

Athena Island was a mountainous region with a thriving dairy industry; its cream was a prized local specialty. The islanders took immense pride in it and considered covering the cream with jam a borderline sacrilege. Even the Emperor changed his habits to match the island's tradition when visiting.

[Lady C] "Pfft."

One of the young ladies let out a blatant laugh.

Startled, Doly lost her grip on the jam-slicked knife. It slipped from her fingers, sending a glob of cream and jam directly onto Odette's dress.

A chorus of giggles erupted from the younger ladies at the table. Doly's face turned a violent shade of crimson.

Doly can't stomach this kind of humiliation. She's obsessed with her own reputation.

The way one chooses to torment others often reflects one's own insecurities. Doly's reliance on rumors proved that she valued social standing above all else.

[Odette] "Oh dear. My dress is ruined. I'll have to change into my evening gown a bit earlier than planned."

Odette rose from her seat.

[Lady B] "It was such a lovely dress. What a waste. You looked like a nymph......"

Odette didn't share the sentiment. Her next outfit was just as beautiful and far better suited for the events to come.

As Doly stood up to follow her, Odette intervened.

[Odette] "I'll go with Mrs. Becker. Doly, you should stay here and clean up the spoon and the mess on the floor, shouldn't you?"

[Doly] "I—I'll go with you. Mrs. Becker can stay here—"

Tears welled in her eyes. She had delighted in tarnishing Odette's honor, yet she found being the target of mockery unbearable.

It won't go your way, Doly.

[Odette] "Is that so? Then Mrs. Becker—"

[Becker] "No. I'll go. Doly, you stay here."

As expected, Mrs. Becker cut her off. She was just as terrified as the maid. The distinguished guests already viewed Odette's staff as abnormal. If both Doly and Odette left, who would become the next target of their sharp tongues?

[Doly] "M-Mrs. Becker."

[Becker] "You dropped it. You should be the one to clean it up."

Mrs. Becker's voice was firm.

[Doly] "......I understand."

Doly had no choice but to obey. Mrs. Becker was no longer a simple lady's companion; she held the real power in the household.

Because Mrs. Becker was the one who blocked her, Doly would never suspect that Odette had orchestrated the entire scene.

Enjoy the ridicule, Doly. It'll be quite a show.

Mrs. Becker let out a sigh of relief the moment they stepped out of the conservatory. Odette immediately issued an order.

[Odette] "Mrs. Becker, go to the guest room I'm using and wait there."

[Becker] "Just me? Lady Odette, did you perhaps do that on purpose—"

[Odette] "I don't recall permitting you to ask questions. You just need to follow my lead, as you've done before."

[Becker] "......"

[Odette] "Go to the guest room now. Make sure no one sees you."

Mrs. Becker's expression soured. She finally realized that the entire afternoon had been a stage set by Odette to isolate Doly, and that she had been used as a convenient tool. But it was too late. She had spent the last two weeks submitting to Odette's commands.

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Odette headed toward the hunting grounds. Taking a secluded side path, she moved deep into the thick forest. Near a stream where few people ventured, she found the horse Damian had tethered for her.

Damian certainly proves his efficiency.

She grabbed the hunting gear Damian had bundled onto the horse.

Hiding behind a massive tree, she stripped off the ruined gown and pulled on the new clothes: black hunting trousers tailored for a woman, a tweed jacket, a checked shirt, and sturdy hunting shoes.

She unfastened the dark green ribbon from her dress and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. In moments, she transformed into a creature of the forest.

Just as she untied the horse's reins, a sound shattered the quiet.

[Emperor] "AAAGGHHHH!"

A piercing scream erupted from the Emperor.

The assassins have arrived. He's likely been hit by a poisoned arrow.

She checked her watch. The timing matched her previous life perfectly.

The location should be the same as well.

She swung into the saddle, tucking the long hunting rifle from the side of the saddle under her arm.

[Odette] "Hyah!"

She kicked the horse's flanks, charging deeper into the mountains toward the source of the Emperor's agony.

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