Chapter 11
‘Let’s go, my foot. I shouldn’t have come… sob….’
Inside, I burst into tears at the dining table wrapped in silence.
‘If no one’s going to talk, why ask me to eat together?’
That’s right. Not a single word was being exchanged at this table.
Not even Heinox—the host of this uncomfortable gathering—nor Renzard and Chedman, who must have been summoned early in the morning for the same reason as I was, opened their mouths. They simply sat there, quietly cutting their food.
‘I can’t even eat properly because I’m scared of making noise.’
Even while slicing through that thick steak, Heinox didn’t make a single sound.
‘Chedman is no joke either….’
It was hard to believe he was only twelve. His table manners were flawless.
‘How are they not even making a single clink with their utensils?’
Watching Chedman’s impeccable, almost inborn perfection, I began to understand why Renzard in the original story practically worshiped his older brother.
‘And Renzard… wait, why isn’t he eating?’
Unlike Chedman, who continued his meal in silence, Renzard had completely set down his utensils.
‘No appetite?’
Judging by his dark expression, something had clearly happened.
‘Sigh. After causing such a scene last time, he must’ve gotten scolded in the end.’
He must have been thoroughly reprimanded by Heinox because of what happened between him and me in the dining hall. I clicked my tongue in pity.
“Tut.”
“What was that?”
“Huh?”
Is he asking me? I didn’t say anything.
“I didn’t say anything…?”
“Are you playing innocent?”
As I tilted my head, genuinely confused about what he meant, Heinox let out a mocking laugh.
“How amusing. You’ve got quite the nerve.”
‘Whew….’
When Heinox returned his gaze to his plate, I took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart.
‘That was close… No, I definitely only thought it in my head. Why did it come out?’
Fortunately, he didn’t seem too angry and didn’t scold me further.
Just as I was about to resume eating, reassured by his relatively mild reaction, a low voice came from across the table.
“Father.”
Chedman set down his knife and looked up at Heinox.
Heinox fixed his gaze on him, signaling him to continue.
“Why did you summon us?”
“Is it strange for a family to dine together?”
“…We’ve never done so before.”
“So you dislike it?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
‘Oh.’
It must have been the first family meal since Priscilla died. Both Chedman and Renzard looked visibly uncomfortable.
The only one eating as if nothing was wrong was Heinox.
After Priscilla’s death and before Heinox left for the battlefield—whether it had been days or months—this kind of gathering had never happened. They were clearly unsettled.
‘I thought Renzard would be the one to say something like that.’
I had assumed upright Chedman would quietly obey whatever he was told. Unexpected.
Still, I was just as curious why Heinox had suddenly suggested a meal, so I waited silently for him to speak.
“An invitation arrived from the Imperial Palace.”
“The Imperial Palace?”
“Yes. They’re holding a victory banquet.”
“Their intentions can’t be limited to that.”
Heinox nodded.
“They likely wish to confirm something in front of the gathered nobles.”
“…Roxina.”
‘Me?’
My eyes widened at the sudden mention.
“…Since I declined every banquet while I was away, the Palace must be eager to see Roxina by any means.”
‘Why would the Imperial family want to see me?’
As I puzzled over their cryptic exchange, Heinox continued.
“Until now, the Palace couldn’t openly summon her, so they remained silent. But for a child of the Tanjeric family to be born and reach four years old without ever setting foot in the Palace—that is rare. They’re likely using the victory banquet as an excuse.”
“But we’ve always said Roxina was unwell. That sufficed before. We could avoid this one the same way.”
Heinox frowned.
“Is Roxina sick right now?”
“Well…”
“While I was gone, the Palace merely refrained from pressing the matter. Besides, rumors must already have spread.”
“Rumors…?”
Still staring at me, Heinox said,
“That the young lady’s health has improved.”
‘Ah…!’
Only then did I realize my mistake.
In the original story, it was briefly mentioned that “Roxina had been very frail in her childhood.”
So even at a young age, she hadn’t attended noble gatherings—she hadn’t even left her room.
And the household hadn’t welcomed her involvement outside, so it had been a convenient excuse.
But then I suddenly called in a former academy professor, Dikal, as a tutor, and had a huge fight with Renzard… At this point, it would be stranger if rumors hadn’t spread.
‘No… this might not be so bad.’
The victory banquet could actually be a chance to solidify my position in noble society.
I needed to prove I wasn’t some cast-off child. Otherwise, they’d constantly try to interfere with everything I did.
‘If I’d known, I should’ve asked for an etiquette tutor….’
I had just begun adjusting to the estate, and now I was being thrown into the Imperial Palace filled with nobles. I’d lived as a faceless young lady—who knew what kind of rumors were circulating?
Should I quickly request an etiquette tutor and then make my appearance?
‘I don’t have the confidence to face them calmly….’
While I was stacking up worries in my head, Heinox called my name.
“Roxina.”
“Yes…?”
“You will attend the party.”
“Your Grace…!”
I looked at him like a cat watching its owner leave for work, silently begging not to go. Heinox was firm.
“It would be unacceptable for a member of Tanjeric to be absent from a victory banquet. It would only fuel rumors of discord.”
“But Your Grace and I aren’t even close…?”
He paused briefly at that, then raised his glass as if nothing had happened.
“You must go. You are my daughter.”
Seeing my devastated expression, he added,
“Nobles are always eager to tear down other families.”
‘You’re a noble too….’
“Especially the Imperial Palace. They are wary of Tanjeric. They likely believe we could turn our blades on them at any time.”
He smirked, as if recalling something amusing.
“The leader of the Empire being such a coward… what a farce.”
Meeting my eyes, he said,
“Roxina Tanjeric. Never forget. You are the legitimate daughter of Tanjeric, my daughter. You must not show the wolves any weakness to tear into.”
‘Then don’t take a child with no etiquette training out there!’
But despite my internal protest, I had only one answer.
“Yes….”
“Then you need not come to my office after lessons for a while. There will be much to prepare before the party.”
“Understood….”
Heinox studied my lifeless reply for a moment before leaving the dining hall.
(Afterward, Chedman confronts Heinox in the corridor, warning him that Roxina has long been the target of vicious rumors—called an ominous child, a disgrace, even blamed for her mother’s death. Heinox, who had been away for four years, realizes too late how much neglect and gossip had accumulated in his absence.)
Morning came too quickly.
I pulled the blanket over my head as sunlight stabbed my eyes—only to be stopped by Anne shaking me awake.
“Miss! You have to get up!”
“Anne… I’m so sleepy…”
“Not today! Even if we start now, we’ll be late!”
“Can’t I just put on clothes and go…?”
“Absolutely not! We’re traveling to the capital! This is your first official appearance—you have to be perfect!”
She dragged me to the bathroom with fierce determination.
“Miss, say ‘hmph!’ Hmph!”
“Hmph….”
‘This is humiliating….’
Sitting there making silly sounds at my age filled me with existential shame, but Anne hurried me along and sat me at the vanity.
“I refuse to compromise on your hair! Do you know how many nights I’ve spent thinking about how to braid it?”
“No…”
“Of course you don’t! I didn’t tell you! I finally thought of the perfect style to match the dress His Grace sent! I’ve imagined how you’d look—I wanted to surprise everyone!”
‘That’s not it, Anne….’
Her overflowing enthusiasm made me tired all over again.
“Just do something simple….”
‘It’s not like I’ll fit in anyway.’
Most nobles at the banquet wouldn’t be friendly to me.
‘They’ll be measuring my worth—seeing if there’s anything to gain from me.’
Even kindness would likely be calculated.
And families hostile to Tanjeric would be eager to find fault.
I’d simply stand there amid the hypocrisy.
“Just keep it simple—”
“No!”
Anne suddenly shouted.
“That’s absolutely not okay….”
“Anne?”
She had never raised her voice at me before.
“Why…?”
When I turned to her, she was staring at the floor, clutching the brush.
“I may just be a maid, but I truly care about you.”
She spoke slowly.
“When you’re sad, I feel hurt. When you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“….”
“I hated that I couldn’t do anything when you looked so down…”
Her knuckles turned white around the brush.
“Even if my skills are nothing special, I want to help like this. I want people to see how beautiful and wonderful you are…”
‘Ah….’
This was her way of helping.
She couldn’t fight the rumors herself, but she wanted my first step into the world to be met with love.
“I want you to be happy.”
As a servant, all she could do was dress me beautifully. She must have agonized over every detail—hair up or down, what color dress, what accessories.
To others it might seem trivial.
But this was how Anne showed her sincerity.
.