Chapter 13.

Marshall and Volan

Marshall Alchemiz was one of Leona’s closest friends.

Beside Marshall sat Countess Volan Palmania, who was also one of Leona’s close friends.

Leona, Marshall, and Volan.

That trio had been the source of countless nightmares for the former Essika.

Their bad relationship had begun on Essika’s first birthday after marrying Kallian, when she had been thoroughly humiliated by the three women.

“Do you even know what it means to give someone a blue pearl as a gift?”

“I… I… In the Friharts region, blue pearls are a symbol of beauty and longevity…”

“I finally understand why the Duchess of Klaus is so heartbroken. It seems her daughter-in-law needs quite a lot of education.”

In the capital, Torres, blue pearls meant jealousy.

Leona had temporarily hired Marshall and Volan to educate Essika.

Calling it education was nothing more than a euphemism for abuse.

“It’s so cold. Please let me go inside…!”

“My goodness. As the Duchess of Klaus, you can’t even walk properly, and you want to go inside?”

Marshall had worn a thick fur coat herself while making Essika, who was dressed almost like she was wearing pajamas, practice walking outside for hours under the pretext of teaching her proper posture.

“I’m hungry. If you could just give me a little more…”

“Maintaining your figure is a basic quality required of a noblewoman. Of course, you wouldn’t have learned that in House Brigitte, which is practically no better than a commoner’s family.”

Volan’s waist was twice the size of Essika’s, yet she had forced Essika to survive from day to day on pieces of bread no larger than her thumb at every meal.

It was obvious who their abuse had originated from.

Leona Klaus, the Duchess Dowager.

During the early years of her marriage, Essika had been subjected to their abuse until she gradually lost even the will to resist.

Whenever she failed to do as they ordered, severe punishment followed…

To survive, she had to obey.

“You’re finally starting to look somewhat presentable.”

Marshall and Volan had laughed loudly as they said those words during their final lesson.

“Though you’re still not suited for House Klaus. Ho ho ho ho!”

The lively color had disappeared from Essika’s cheeks, which had become rough, and dark shadows had formed beneath her eyes.

Only after the image of the young Duchess, once filled with sweet dreams about her marriage, had completely disappeared did they end their lessons.

Even afterward, the two women occasionally came to the ducal residence to visit Leona. Whenever Essika caught even a glimpse of their shadows, she would retreat into her room and tremble.

“……”

That pale-faced, fleeing figure had been the final image Marshall had of Essika Klaus.

But…

Today’s Essika looked different.

Her expression was dignified and confident, and she didn’t even avoid Marshall’s gaze.

Volan also twitched her eyebrows when she saw Essika standing there without shrinking back.

“I have come on behalf of the Duchess Dowager to congratulate Count Alchemiz on receiving the Imperial Medal.”

And her voice was completely devoid of fear.

What is this?

Marshall frowned slightly as she pondered the strange feeling.

When she heard that Essika would be attending in Leona’s place, she had expected the woman to arrive trembling with fear.

But—

“…However.”

She was perfectly fine.

“Where should I sit?”

At Essika’s question, the noblewomen murmured among themselves and looked toward Lady Marshall.

Taken aback, Marshall pointed toward an empty seat for the maids.

“…Show the Duchess to her seat.”

Failing to offer a seat to a guest at a tea party was a serious breach of etiquette.

Marshall’s embarrassment at being unexpectedly caught off guard soon turned into anger.

Leona had always said that Essika was merely Kallian’s temporary partner.

It was true that House Brigitte was far too low-ranking to marry into House Klaus, and Essika, who was neither loved by Leona nor even favored by Kallian, seemed barely capable of holding on within the family.

So there had been nothing wrong with tormenting some insignificant provincial noble girl who would eventually be driven out of the ducal family anyway, while also pleasing Leona and relieving their own stress in the process.

But how dare this woman—

How dare she provoke me?

Marshall’s insides burned with anger.

Were these the kinds of women who tormented Essika?

Meanwhile, Essika sat down and let out a quiet chuckle.

The former Essika had suffered from the urge to die every day because of women like these.

They, too, were among those who would eventually have to pay the price for their wicked deeds.

“Hello, Your Grace.”

As Essika sat down and began enjoying the refreshments, someone beside her gave her a brief greeting.

The woman’s brown hair and brown eyes matched a dress that looked rather modest compared to those worn by the two countesses.

Yet unlike everyone else, who avoided even looking at Essika as though she were invisible because they were wary of the two countesses, this woman—perhaps simply unaware of the social atmosphere—spoke to her.

“Ah… I’m Hellenia Merhin. I’m the wife of Baron Merhin.”

Only when Essika stared at her did the woman seem to realize that she should introduce herself.

Remembering the list Sella had investigated, Essika understood why.

House Merhin was a native noble family from Sainan, an outlying region like the port city of Friharts.

“The Duke of Klaus is famous even in Sainan… So meeting his wife like this is truly an honor…”

She had said that she had recently come to the capital to expand her cheese business.

So she was unfamiliar with the atmosphere among Torres’s nobles and high society.

“…?”

Essika noticed Hellenia flinch, as though someone had nudged her in the side.

The woman sitting beside Hellenia whispered something into her ear, and Hellenia’s face immediately turned pale.

Seeing that, Essika stopped speaking to Hellenia.

Afterward, cheerful conversations continued around the table.

Essika did not participate in them, and no one asked her anything.

The only person who seemed conscious of Essika’s presence was Hellenia.

Even she could no longer bring herself to speak to Essika.

However, Volan disliked the sight of Essika cheerfully eating refreshments despite the blatant ostracism.

“I have something I’d like to ask the Duchess of Klaus.”

So Volan spoke directly to Essika.

Essika, who had been concentrating on her cookie, raised her gaze and looked at Volan.

The moment their eyes met, Volan felt her heart sink.

Were her eyes… always like that?

It was probably just her imagination, but Volan suddenly felt like a tiny mouse standing before a lion.

There was no hostility in Essika’s eyes, yet a difficult-to-describe sense of pressure emanated from her calm gaze.

I’m just not feeling well today.

Volan desperately denied the feeling and opened her mouth.

“I heard that the Duchess Dowager was planning to send a gift to House Alchemiz through you.”

At those words, all the noblewomen focused their attention on Essika.

Volan expected Essika’s face to become filled with confusion.

The Essika she knew would immediately begin trembling.

I… I never heard anything like that.

She would surely break into a cold sweat.

Then Volan could corner Essika by accusing the Duchess Dowager of lying and force her to submit.

But Essika merely gave a small chuckle.

A moment later, she spoke.

“Countess Palmania, are you insulting House Klaus?”

A cold voice slipped between her lips.

The atmosphere at the tea party instantly froze, as though someone had poured cold water over it.

Everyone was too shocked to say a word.

Volan herself wondered if she had heard correctly.

A moment later, just as Volan was about to protest, Essika effortlessly cut her off.

“Wh… What do you mean by…?!”

“The Duchess Dowager was bedridden with a severe illness for three days. The Count received his medal the day before yesterday. Do you really think she would have had the time to prepare a gift?”

Essika’s sharp answer struck directly at the truth.

Volan’s eyes widened.

Now every noblewoman gathered there was looking at Volan.

“I knew that Countess Palmania was close to Countess Alchemiz, but to openly request a gift from the ducal family under the pretext of His Majesty bestowing a medal…”

That was insubordination.

“I… I was merely repeating what the Duchess Dowager told me. A… about a week ago, there was talk that Count Alchemiz was likely to receive a medal, and from there…”

“The bestowal of an Imperial Medal, along with every announcement made by the Imperial Family, is strictly confidential. Even the ducal family cannot know before the official announcement, and even if they did know, the rule is that such information must not be spread.”

At Essika’s words, Volan’s hands began to tremble.

Of course, Leona had never actually told her anything of the sort.

But Leona, who detested her daughter-in-law to an extreme degree, was exactly the kind of woman who would happily tell Essika some outrageous lie simply to torment her.

Her so-called education had been conducted in precisely the same manner.

“So, Countess Palmania, are you now revealing that the Duchess Dowager disregarded Imperial protocol and acted recklessly?”

“N-No! That’s not it! No!”

Volan abruptly stood up and frantically waved her hands, her complexion darkening.

She had tried to torment Essika, only to suddenly find herself in the position of someone who had insulted the Duchess Dowager and committed insubordination by demanding a congratulatory gift from House Klaus.

Most of the women present belonged to families close to either House Alchemiz or House Palmania.

But rumors spread quickly—and they spread with exaggeration.

This situation could not be allowed to continue.

Volan eventually apologized to Essika in a trembling voice.

“I apologize, Your Grace. It seems I was mistaken.”

Marshall’s complexion had changed as well.

What on earth is going on? Why has that foolish, pathetic Essika Klaus changed so much?