Even though earlier there were thoughts against Vios but the moment he appeared infront of the official madams the eye of the people present changed. If a man that handsome with wealth and good mannerisms really had an interest in a handmaiden, was it not more natural to take her in as a small concubine?
What more astonished them was the age difference in the two, Vios was a personnel in charge of General Lady in his early twenties while this maid was close to twenty five without an ounce of beauty and charm while the other maids present in the banquet were beautiful enough to be given as rewards so why would a man go to this length and target the handmaiden of Prime Minister Zhan's eldest daughter when he knew that would create chaos, wasn't it better for an evil being to go for someone who had no backing.
"Y-Yes M-My lady believe this one. I dare not lie. He even said t-that I-it was General Lady herself who instructed him t-to do so as to punish t-this servant for disrupting her time with General Azarios a-and my young lady would not be able t-to save me t-this time."
Cecelia who had instructed Dew to act as such to frame Lilith's personal bodyguard had a spark of surprise flashing in her eyes, what she had ordered was to simply frame the servant and as the saying follows 'what type of master is what type of servant'. Right at this moment not only the servant was involved but the mistress too was dragged into the affair.
"How dare you slander the my master My grace, this one swears on the lineage of my forefathers, I have not committed any crime that might bring disgrace to the General lady or to the Great Lotus Mansion.." Vios was strangely looking slightly pleased in the eyes of those who had the ability to see further than appearance thus Princess Nevix was not sure what was transpiring.
"Alright, you say this one wishes to insult the Prime Minister Zhan's elder daughter through you because this one was jealous of the young lady then why shall I keep you alive when this one has the power to crush you under my foot and make you disappear?
Furthermore if you have struggled then where are the marks, as far as this one is blessed with sight, one cannot see anything amiss in my bodyguard's attire." Cecelia and Madam Murem were enraged when some official wives nodded in acceptance while Princess Quare too did not seem to disagree with Lilith.
Princess Nevix remained neutral and calm thus none were able to identify what she was thinking, for in the eyes of other noble women the Daxtros Princess was more likely to take sides with Prime Minister Mansion due to the enormous funds that he was suppling to the Daxtros armies on the emperor's behalf.
"General Lady Lilith, this one thought that you are only capable of seducing the General but only today I realized that Cece is right! She is far better suited for General Azarios than you and she shall be the official wife, you are only a venomous, jealous woman who will be discarded sooner of later.
Earlier you made my friend loose face in the capital by barring her from entering the Capital shoemaker's shop and now you make your servant disgrace her handmaiden!"
Lady Juhian screeched in fury with her finger pointed at Lilith to which the demoness replied with sharp eyes and as if the words were not spoken at all she ignored the mad woman.
"Juhian! Atrocious! What kind of ill bred woman are you representing, this one shall bring you to the hall of prayers and you shall kneel for ten days continuously. How dare you say such words to the General lady! This one shall bring you out this instant and tell your father to lock you in the shed without food and water."
The Great Lotus Mansion was a symbolic power that one could never take lightly thus Madam Vion dragged an unsatisfied Lady Juhian who had a sneer on her face directed at Lilith while Madam Murem and Lady Cecelia covered their faces with their sleeves as if to hide their shock which was in reality, a brutal smile.
"General Lady, do not mind Lady Juhian for what she said but this one needs to know why you hate this one so much? Why embarrass someone to this extent?" While Lady Cecelia was rejoicing she forgot to see the look on other people's faces yet when Madam Murem saw the way the official wives were looking at the two of then there was some sort of panic stricken expression in her heart.
"Hatred? I never had an enmity towards the Prime Minister Mansion but to frame me, slander my mansion and in turn disrespecting My Husband Lord shall not be tolerated by this wife.
Your servant says Vios assaulted her, as far as this one remembers, male servants were told to wait in the ceremonial hall while the handmaidens were following every official wife till the frontiers of the garden then please tell me Young Lady Cecelia, how come a solider armed with weapons crosses three thresholds without any single soldier in the Prime Minister's Manor stopping him?
Not only that, he out of all the official madam's handmaiden catch hold of one infront of all of them and none of them complain or stop them even after the fact that a young lady's handmaiden has to be pure at all cost and if found to have a relationship it is the highest crime leading to persecution.
Madam Murem's old maids were there, so this one dares ask how is all this possible? Or is it the fact that this servant lead Vios all the way inside your Manor because of all the people present here only she has seen him."
Bonus for completing 100k as promised