Astelle paused for a moment as she heard the conversation inside the room, and then she opened the door without hesitation.
--Creak!
The door swung open, and the maids who had been talking inside the room turned around abruptly.
"Lady..."
The maids quickly bent their knees and lowered their heads deeply, their faces filled with frustration. Theor didn't understand the context of the conversation, but he sensed that something was amiss.
Astelle, wearing a calm expression, addressed the maids in white.
"When you're finished with your discussion, please prepare a bath for the child."
The maids exchanged glances with each other and hurriedly left the room. They moved busily, and soon the bathroom was ready, with hot water steaming.
Astelle gently bathed Theor in the warm water and changed his clothes.
"Why?" Theor asked, sensing her unease as he looked into Astelle's eyes.
Astelle chuckled casually and replied to the child, "No, I'm not mad."
Theor tilted his head, still curious, and asked, "Aunt Astelle, are you upset?"
Astelle smiled at Theor, thinking that 5-year-olds were at an age where they could be quite perceptive. He wasn't so naive that he knew nothing, but he was still too young to understand all the complexities of the world.
Astelle lightly tapped Theor's little nose and redirected his attention. "After your bath, I'll get Levin for you."
Theor's eyes lit up at the mention of Levin, his favorite teddy bear. Astelle had made Levin herself from an old brown velvet curtain. Although the bear had become worn and tattered over time, Theor still cherished it dearly. The maids felt relieved to see Theor's innocent joy.
Astelle took Theor to the bedroom and retrieved the teddy bear from her bag. Then, she returned to the connected parlor, leaving Theor to play with his beloved doll in bed.
Astelle looked at the maids standing before her, her demeanor calm but firm. She issued a clear command, her tone unwavering.
"Go find the butler, repeat exactly what you said, and ask him to send a replacement maid."
The maids, who had listened with initially blank expressions, began to stammer.
"L-Lady... Well, we didn't mean..."
Only now did the maids start to tremble, realizing the gravity of their situation. Perhaps they had thought they could get away with their gossip earlier, but now they were frightened by Astelle's stern reaction.
"I didn't immediately reprimand you because I didn't want to show that in front of a young child," Astelle calmly explained in a nonchalant tone. She knew it wouldn't be appropriate to display anger or punish the maids in front of Theor. She didn't want to burden a 5-year-old with the details of the gossip.
In truth, the gossip was just that-gossip among the maids. If Astelle had overheard it on her own, she might have chosen to ignore it. However, this time there was a compelling reason she couldn't overlook it.
"I don't mind whatever you talk about, but I can't tolerate the maids gossiping where a child can hear it."
With that, the maids quickly fled the room and hurried outside. Such reports could result in at least a salary reduction, demotion, or even more severe punishments.
In the bedroom, Theor continued playing with his fluffy teddy bear.
"Theor, it's time for your medicine."
Theor lifted his face gently, and Astelle took out the potion from her inner pocket to administer it to his eyes.
"Well done, and as a reward..."
From a small box in her luggage, Astelle produced a cookie that emitted a sweet, buttery aroma. The round cookie had a pale buttery hue with a hint of orange at the edges. She had made it herself, just like she used to, and she had brought it to give to Theor.
Theor's eyes lit up at the sight of the treat, and he eagerly ran over, exclaiming, "Cookies!"
"It's still before dinner, so just have two," Astelle advised Theor.
"Yes," he agreed.
Theor picked up the cookie with his little hand and began nibbling on it, taking small bites. Astelle also indulged in the sweet taste of the cookie, which offered a bit of relief from the earlier tension.
As they enjoyed their cookies, a sudden knocking sound echoed from outside. Astelle quickly made her way to the drawing room.
"Come in," she called out, wondering if the new maids had already arrived.
However, the person who entered was a middle-aged servant.
"Are you Lady Astelle?" the servant asked.
"Yes, what's going on..."
"Please, come this way."
At the servant's direction, other attendants brought in a series of large boxes.
The boxes were carefully placed on the floor, and their lids were opened one by one. From inside the boxes emerged several dresses.
The first dress to appear was an exquisite blue evening gown with a luxurious sheen. The almond-shaped embellishments on the chest sparkled brightly. There were also day dresses made from ash-green velvet-a shade not just dark green but a pale, ashy green with hints of gray, like a forest covered in autumn fog.
However, the most stunning piece was a sky-blue silk dress. The silk was light and soft, and the color resembled a clear, bright sky. The bodice was embroidered with floral patterns in purple thread, and the lavish skirt was split in the middle, adorned with soft white tucks that flowed like gentle waves.
All the dresses were opulent enough for social events in the capital's high society.
But the surprises didn't end with the dresses. The next box revealed a collection of jewelry-a necklace adorned with small diamonds and a flowing sapphire earring. There were also earrings crafted with delicate pink rose crystals resembling petals and necklaces featuring emeralds and small diamonds, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.
Among the collection of jewelry, there was also a headdress made of light green crystal, adorned with brilliant jewels. However, instead of being moved by the opulence of the gifts, Astelle frowned.
"I thought they were sending new maids," she thought to herself, feeling caught off guard by this unexpected situation.
The attendant who had brought the dresses and jewelry smiled and bowed to Astelle, explaining, "This is a gift from His Majesty the Emperor to Lady Astelle."
Astelle wasn't surprised to hear that only the emperor would send such extravagant gifts.
"I don't need it. Please take it back," she firmly declined, repeating her refusal to the somewhat embarrassed attendant.
The servant looked puzzled and asked, "But... His Majesty has invited Lady Astelle to dinner, and it is His Majesty's command that you change into one of these outfits and attend."
Astelle sighed inwardly, realizing that this was the invitation she had hoped to avoid.
She politely lowered her head and replied, "It's a great honor, but I cannot leave my seat because I need to take care of the child."
She continued, looking directly at the servant, "Please convey my message to His Majesty in this manner."
The servant seemed taken aback and stood there in a daze. He had clearly not anticipated such a straightforward rejection.
Stuttering, he asked, "You... You're taking care of a child?"
Astelle replied firmly, "Yes. I need to make sure the child eats properly."
The servant suggested, "If you leave it to the maids..."
Astelle countered, "I've only been here for less than a day, and I just requested new maids. They haven't arrived yet, and I don't have the time to explain the child's dietary needs or habits."
Listing her reasons one by one, Astelle made it clear to the servant that she couldn't attend His Majesty's dinner table, especially with a young child in tow.
"Thank you for the invitation, but I cannot accept it, as my primary responsibility is to care for the child," she concluded firmly.
• 🍁 •
"That's good news," Kaizen remarked as he glanced at the documents in Vellian's hands, raising his head from his desk.
"The Duke of Reston is finally making some suspicious moves. He can't sit quietly and fade away."
After the political battles that had caused most of the great nobles to lose power, Duke Reston had managed to survive by treading cautiously. Despite his carefulness, no tangible evidence could be found to implicate him. While other Dukes had seized opportunities to ruin themselves, Duke Reston had somehow remained unscathed. Even though he was an adversary, his carefulness was admirable, though it ultimately didn't matter since he had lost his power.
Now, it appeared that the Duke had changed his tactics, seeking to reverse his fortunes by making slow, calculated moves. Vellian's report detailed several suspicious activities by the Duke, prompting Kaizen to reply without diverting his attention from the document.
"I'll need to take a closer look at this sometime."
Vellian agreed, "Yes, that's right. The longer Your Majesty leaves the capital empty, the deeper the Duke will dig his own grave."
Kaizen had been contemplating eliminating the last remaining Duke at this time, but their discussion was interrupted by a knock at the door. A servant, following the emperor's orders, returned and handed the results to Vellian.
Vellian, who had received the report, returned to the office with a complex and subtle expression.
"This is bad news," he finally admitted, glancing at Kaizen, who was still engrossed in reading the papers at his desk. Vellian couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.