Chapter 47
“What are you talking about?”
“During the Founding Festival, an astrologer set up a booth in Canaris Square, right? Well, apparently, that astrologer said your Highness’s rampage would end as soon as the festival is over!”
“Wait, is that the place directly across from the Count’s casino?”
“…You know it too?”
“Crazy. That woman said a meteor shower would fall on the last day of the festival!”
Other maids joined in, saying it gave them chills. Even eavesdroppers couldn’t help but be intrigued—it was that accurate.
Unable to resist, Paula turned around with her bowl of chicken soup in hand and looked at them.
“What are you all talking about? Let me in.”
“…!”
The maids were startled by Paula’s sudden interruption and exchanged wary glances.
It struck Paula anew just how much her mother’s house arrest had made her fall in status.
Among the maids, there was now this unspoken understanding: ‘If you curry favor with the madam, you might get on the wrong side of the young master or the master of the house.’
Especially since the madam and the master had never gotten along, and now she had even fallen out with the young master.
‘These girls. Just a few days ago they were all flattering me.’
Not long ago, she wouldn’t even have needed to ask to be included—they’d have run to her and babbled all this themselves.
After a moment’s hesitation, she pressed again.
“What? You got something to say you can’t say in front of me?”
Only when Paula narrowed her eyes into sharp triangles did one of them finally speak.
“We were just talking about this astrologer who suddenly appeared in Canaris Square during the festival… Apparently, they predict the future with terrifying accuracy.”
“An astrologer?”
“They say the astrologer predicted all the major events of the Founding Festival. Like the Crown Prince’s rampage ending right after the festival, and that a disaster would hit the Fenril Tribe’s detention area and all the kids there would die—it all came true.”
“Hmmm.”
“No one believed such absurd predictions at first, but they all actually happened. That’s why we were saying it gave us chills.”
With her mother, her one great shield, now fallen, Paula—already mentally shaken—perked up.
‘Should I go and ask about Mother? It’s not like I’m the type to blindly believe an astrologer anyway. Just once, for fun.’
She was already feeling stifled, being ignored in the mansion. And she couldn’t just vent to anyone—Paula, with her secrets, wasn’t the type to confide easily.
“Everyone who’s gone says it’s uncanny. Even some famous high-ranking nobles have gone secretly to see them, apparently.”
“What’s the name?”
Then another maid cut in with a snooty tone. She was one of the ones who usually resented Paula’s noble airs.
“You? Honestly, it’d just be a waste of your time. That astrologer doesn’t see just anyone, even if you pay. They only accept clients whose fate is ‘worth reading.’ Your fate probably isn’t valuable enough, you know?”
Paula’s pride was stung. Just a week ago, no one would’ve dared be so openly dismissive.
But that scorn only lit a fire in her.
She would meet that astrologer—no matter what.
‘Do they think I’m some low-born maid like them? Do they even know whose daughter I am?’
“I’ll handle that. Just tell me the astrologer’s name and the exact location of the shop.”
Lifting the corner of her mouth in a smirk, Paula ordered the maid like a superior.
In the end, she got the name Gisella, and the location—a small shop across from the Ulrich Casino.
Paula turned away with a haughty flip and loaded her chicken soup onto the trolley.
All the while, she repeated the details in her head, committing them to memory.
In the paradise-like gardens of the Count’s estate, I sat at a tea table basking in the sunlight.
I savored the sweet and tangy aroma of lemon tea from my cup.
The servants glanced at me curiously, tilting their heads, clearly puzzled by my behavior. Still, they seemed willing to let it slide.
Since most of them had never had direct dealings with me, they didn’t understand just how unusual this scene really was.
‘They probably think, “Ah, the young lady is sunbathing today instead of throwing a tantrum.”’
They didn’t realize that the fact I was outside unsupervised was something that ought to be immediately reported to the Count.
But given the tense atmosphere lately—what with the Count’s nerves stretched thin—it was probably difficult to decide whether to report me or not.
‘Keeping me completely isolated from the regular staff has come back to bite them.’
I sipped my tea and inwardly scoffed at my father.
The rich, soapy fragrance. A bitter yet sharp aftertaste. I immediately recognized the ingredient in the lemon tea.
‘Alpha Ridillium. Where did they even get that? It’s hard to come by.’
Just then, Lize came over and shaded me with a parasol.
“Young Lady, isn’t the sun too strong? You’re so thin—staying out here too long might make you dizzy.”
“Lize.”
I set the cup down on its saucer and smiled at her.
“Oh dear, Young Lady. What am I going to do with you? Ever since the Young Master and the Count returned, you’ve lost even more weight. It’s so upsetting.”
Lize was more heartbroken than I was about the fact that I’d been locked in the attic again ever since the Count and Fernand came back.
Paula could no longer whip me, and my mother had become indifferent—that alone made life more bearable for me.
But to Lize, I still seemed like a pitiable soul.
“Young Lady, maybe I should just smack the Count upside the head with a fan at every mealtime? Maybe that would—”
“Lize, don’t even joke about that. You want to lose your head for insulting a noble?”
“Tsk. I meant it emotionally, not literally.”
In my past life, I never realized it, but Lize—my close maid—had a surprisingly rebellious streak.
If I let her go on, she’d probably say even crazier things.
To shut her up, I pulled a letter from my sleeve and handed it over.
“Could you deliver this to Wolfgang’s Pawnshop this time? And while you’re out, drop by Gisella’s too.”
“You’re just doing this to shut me up, right? Don’t worry, Young Lady. I only talk like this around you—I’d never say anything like that in front of the Count.”
Lize stuck her tongue out at me.
‘Well, she is sharp.’
As soon as we returned from the family estate after the festival, Lize had managed to land the grocery duty.
It was a perfect excuse to go outside regularly and handle my errands.
Even though grocery shopping three times a day was annoying, and most maids hated the task, she took it without complaint.
“All right then, I’m counting on you, Lize.”
“I’ll be back soon! Make sure you keep using the parasol while I’m gone!”
She handed me the parasol and left the estate. The gatekeeper, seeing her with the shopping basket, let her out without question.
‘Fernand’s outing will end soon.’
Time to wrap up this luxurious tea time in paradise.
It was only possible because the people who used to torment me no longer came out to the garden.
Father was buried in his office trying to salvage his failing business and had no reason to come outside.
Mother, even after her house arrest ended, refused to leave her room. She was too ashamed to face the servants.
After losing control over the estate finances, the servants subtly avoided her.
There was no advantage in getting close to someone with no power—just emotional labor. So, naturally, they kept their distance.
‘Even walking around the house probably gets her subtle sneers. No wonder she won’t leave her room.’
I chuckled softly and folded the parasol.
Just then, a man spotted me and rushed over to the tea table.
“You—what the hell? Why are you sitting here?”
It was Fernand.
