The second son of Oubeniel. It was a notorious name among the circle of nobles in the capital. Of course, commoners who served the nobles in their residences would also have opportunities to hear about rumours. She also heard about him in such a manner.
She remembered those rumours.
Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Also nicknamed as Slave-Murderer or Man-Eating Snake. He was a devil that bought slaves, brutally killed them, and burned the corpses to their bones in the garden. And he did all that before he turned ten. It was one of the ghost stories that might haunt you in your dreams if mentioned before bedtime.
Such a name should not have been uttered at all during mealtime.
For a timid person like that eldest son, he was already covering his mouth with a napkin and staring at his half sister with a pale complexion. And who wouldn’t be like that? If what Madam Joséphine was saying was right, then Anrietta worked for that monster. The rumours about him were enough to make one’s hair to stand, after all. It was disrespectful. but there was no way she wouldn’t be the centre of attention in such a circumstance.
Joséphine looked triumphant. Everyone who had initially looked at Anrietta as though she was a refined and intelligent lady started to show a sense of aversion yet intrusiveness towards her. The name thrown out by Madam Joséphine had such an effect.
“Yes. It is as you say, ma’am.”
However, Anrietta was unperturbed.
The Madam’s hollow victory faded and everybody looked on in surprise. Even the Count dropped his utensils suddenly, hitting the plate with a sharp noise.
In a smooth transition, Anrietta rubbed her eyes and continued.
“Mast―my apologies, he was the one who brought me back to life without any scars.”
The Madam reacted violently.
The tablecloth on the table slid, causing the tableware to fall onto the floor and break. Madam Joséphine unconsciously raised her clenched fists, accidentally pulling the cloth.
The piercing breaking sound enveloped the silence.
“Are you okay, ma’am? You do not seem to be well.”
As Anrietta said, Madam Joséphine’s face completely changed. Droplets of cold sweat formed on her face, and her dilated eyes were dyed reddish brown like a frog. One might even wonder if Anrietta casted a spell, causing the Madam to turn into an evil frog.
―Brought me back to life without any scars.
What could such words mean? If the Madam knew the meaning of those words to some extent, then it was easy to deduce what happened. It was said that Anna Marie and her moved to an area with bad public safety after being chased out from their homes, and then, they were met with mishap and could no longer be contacted. Most probably, they weren’t only kicked out of their homes, and as to what exactly happened, the Madam must have had a hand in it. If not, the few words Anrietta said should not have produced such an effect on the Madam. It wasn’t too far-fetched for a woman this jealous to not just separate her husband’s mistress and their child but also to finish them off mercilessly.
Count Cartan managed to discern the true meaning behind those words and came towards a certain suspicion against his wife.
“Joséphine, you…...”
The Count’s growl made the Madam’s shoulders shiver.
Everybody appeared to be sending looks of suspicion at how she behaved too. Ironically, her son was looking that way at her too. He knew exactly what his mother’s temperament was like.
The ill feeling towards Anrietta bounced back to the Madam. She spectacularly countered the attack by the Madam, which had utilised the social taboo — the second son of the Oubeniels.
“...I d-do not feel well. I am going back to my room…!”
The Madam jumped out of her seat and tried to leave the dining hall. Because she violently stood up, the chair toppled to the floor loudly. In a strange twist of events, after criticising Anna Marie’s bad manners with the chair, she herself did the same. Her unseeming handling of the chair was for all to see.
“Ugh…!”
After giving one last sharp glance at Anrietta, Joséphine left.
What remained was an ear-piercing silence, a dreadful atmosphere, and the ruined dining table.
The Count sighed, while the eldest son held onto his fork and knife and stared into blank space. The plate that he was eating from had fallen and broken into pieces. In the midst of this uncomfortable situation, Anrietta stood up and bowed deeply in apology.
“I am very sorry, everybody. I have committed such clumsiness despite being invited for breakfast.”
“Raise your head, Anrietta. Don’t say such things like being invited as though you are a stranger. This is now your home, okay? Right?”
Count Cartan spoke in a soft, coaxing voice. It sounded unbecoming of a Count, but then again, it was the first time he had a meal together with his daughter, and this happened. Considering his daughter’s feelings, he would have to try to behave as soft as possible.
Anrietta seemed to have taken the hint and obediently raised her face.
“I am very grateful for the Cou―father’s consideration. Unfortunately, I have caused the Madam to be angered. I want to express my apologies to her afterw―”
“No, your thoughts alone are enough. That would worsen her condition. I will relay your kind intentions to my wife. That way, it would cause less conflicts.”
“...I feel ashamed to have caused so much trouble.”
Once again, Anrietta bowed.
WIth this, Anrietta had succeeded in getting the Count to directly help her plead to the Madam for forgiveness. While he was a husband that made her jealous all the time, it was much better than Anrietta personally going to seek forgiveness. She did not know if she had planned this, but if so, she was adept at concealing her true intentions.
Next, Anrietta approached the eldest son. Fascinated by her graceful movements, nobody could say a word.
Anrietta picked up the broken pieces of the plates and murmured,
“......Alchemy.”
As though time had been reversed, the plate was back to its original state.
(M-Magic!?)
She was amazed. Count Cartan was formerly a well-accomplished court magician. It was not too surprising that his daughter, Anrietta, was able to use magic too. But to think she was capable of restoring damaged things so perfectly and with hardly any chanting too.
“Its shape is restored, but it should be more prone to breaking than before…...”
She said as she placed the plate back onto the table.
The eldest son's eyes sparkled.
“A-Amazing, elder sister! There is no need to be so humble! Let me take a look. Wow, the design is the same as before!”
“No, I believe it was just a pretentious act compared to father, who was a court magician. I have poorly fixed the plate.”
“No no no, don’t need to be so humble!”
The Count’s face cramped up. It was quite likely that the Count was unable to fix broken objects as well as Anrietta did. After a fleeting glance at her innocent half -brother, she turned to the servants who stood behind in standby and clapped her hands.
“H-How may we help you, Lady Anrietta?”
“When the plates fell and the food spilled, my brother’s clothes were soiled… Please help him wipe it off quickly or give him a change of clothes.”
Behind her crisp and gentle voice was an intensity that didn’t take no for an answer.
She had splendidly given an order to her subordinates without losing her class. She behaved as though she was used to ordering servants around.
The servants who had been ordered were stunned in confusion.
“M-My apologies, milady.”
“Save your apologies for my brother. How long do you intend to leave my brother, the heir of the estate, in such a mess?”
“I-I will do it right away!”
The fear-stricken servant pulled out his handkerchief and started to wipe off the dirt from the eldest son.
The eldest son looked at his sister from another mother in bewilderment.
“Um…...isn’t that over the top, sister? I can wipe it off myself.”
“......I do not think so.”
Anrietta replied firmly.
“Those who serve others have to always bear in mind to protect their masters’ appearances. It is absurdly foolish to leave dirt on their masters’ clothes. Also, since they are working as servants in a Count’s family, don’t they have to show an equal level of servitude?”
“Y-Yes…...”
“If they do it again next time, please scold them. Magnanimity and generosity are both virtues that a noble should have, but it is also the duty of a noble to guide the people below him… And they have been in the residence for much longer than me. Though I believe they would not make the same offence again.”
An all too painful logical argument.
And Anrietta was still a maid just yesterday. She was harsh on people in her old trade.
(I-I have to pay more attention too.)
She engraved it onto her heart. She would be most observed by Anrietta as her attendant. Anrietta had the full rights and responsibility to reprimand if there was a need to. If she carelessly made a mistake, she would surely be scolded even more harshly than that servant earlier.
Her beautiful, yet terrifying master made a courteous bow to the head of family.
“......As a newcomer and somebody who has yet to be pardoned in an official trial, I apologise if I overstepped my boundaries.”
“Ha, hahaha…...”
Count Cartan raised his voice and laughed.
There was shock, confusion, and above all, joy mixed into his voice.
“No, that was splendid! What you have said makes perfect sense. I am very proud of you.”
“Thank you for the praise.”
Perfect.
From the perspective of her maid, she could not have any complaints about Lady Anrietta. She knew her table manners, how to show indebtedness, how to fight back against the first wife, guided her brother, and displayed dignity to the servants. She was also talented in magic, as one would expect of the child of a court magician.
Furthermore, she could do all these naturally while maintaining the right posture and behaviour.
Perhaps even the royal palace would not have such a dazzling beauty like her.
(......Looks like I am now serving somebody incredible.)
She was thoroughly convinced of it as she observed the Count brilliantly smiling without maintaining the solemness a Count should have.
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