Chapter 09
A day had passed. Unlike yesterday, Catherine arrived at Diana’s room precisely on time.
After enduring three long hours of morning reading with Catherine, Diana received a report from Shane—the new staff had been hired.
“Everything is ready, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Shane.”
This was enough to completely replace Alicia’s people with her own. Diana asked Shane to gather them all in one place, then made her way there.
“Hello.”
Slowly, Diana’s gaze swept over the maids and servants standing before her. She greeted them with a gentle voice.
The servants stiffened at her polite tone. The nobles they knew were usually arrogant, condescending, or hypocritical—never respectful.
But Diana was different. With a soft smile and a voice clear as spring water, she even gave them a slight bow.
Such treatment was unheard of for servants. Flustered, they bowed deeply in return. Diana continued, her smile unwavering.
“Everyone, show me your palms.”
They had thought their hiring was confirmed, but now they weren’t so sure. Trembling, they held out their hands—rough and calloused from years of labor.
Diana pulled out small pouches she had prepared in advance. One by one, she placed a pouch in each of their hands.
Confused, they hesitated, listening to the faint clinking inside.
“Go ahead, open them.”
At Diana’s cheerful urging, they quickly untied the strings.
Inside were small, colorful gemstones.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. The amount was staggering—enough to cover a year’s wages, maybe even three.
“This is your monthly salary.”
Their jaws dropped. This much for just one month?!
Diana’s voice remained steady, carrying quiet authority.
“While working in this estate, I intend to respect you more than anyone else. As precious as the gems in your hands.”
The servants’ eyes trembled. No noble had ever spoken to them like this.
“I have no intention of treating you like animals, as other nobles do their servants.”
Without money or noble status, they were little more than beasts in this world.
“What matters most to me is your character and heart.”
Yet here was this woman—their future mistress—telling them their hearts were what mattered.
“There may be times when life wears you down, when temptation feels overwhelming.”
Even if Diana replaced all the staff, Alicia would undoubtedly try to bribe them again.
But money was all Alicia could offer. These servants must not waver over a few coins.
“If… someone tries to bribe you, to make you do something…”
Behind her blindfold, Diana’s eyes gleamed.
“Come to me. I’ll pay you even more.”
The servants’ expressions hardened. Though they didn’t know Diana well yet, one thing was certain—her voice carried undeniable sincerity.
Satisfied, Diana smiled.
“I need people who will be completely mine. I sincerely hope you won’t lose your humanity over a handful of coins.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
They answered enthusiastically, each filled with newfound determination. Diana clapped her hands brightly.
“Now, go settle in. The old staff are still here today, so we’ll meet again tomorrow.”
It was time to dismiss Alicia’s people.
“Let’s head to the servants’ quarters, Shane.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Pretending to be blind, Diana took Shane’s arm and walked toward the quarters. As ordered, the old servants were sluggishly packing their belongings.
“G-Grand Duchess!”
The moment they saw Diana, the maids dropped to their knees, clutching at her dress and bursting into tears.
Diana stared down at them with icy eyes.
“What is this?”
“What did we do wrong to be cast out like this?!”
What did they do wrong? The audacity was astounding.
These were the same people who had betrayed a blind woman for a few coins, who had been ready to do wicked deeds.
Diana nearly laughed in disbelief.
“You ask what you did wrong?”
Her cold tone silenced their sobs. They couldn’t bring themselves to deny it.
“Why ask me?”
She wanted to spell it out, but she couldn’t. If she exposed their betrayal, they’d run straight to Alicia.
Defeated by Diana’s frosty demeanor, the servants finally gave up pleading and dragged their belongings away.
“Your Grace, what about Yulia?”
Shane asked as they watched the last of them leave. Yulia was nowhere to be seen—perhaps she had stepped out or was with Alicia.
“Leave her be. For now.”
“Understood.”
Yulia, the head maid, undoubtedly knew Alicia’s schemes.
She was still a useful card—a vault of secrets Diana intended to crack open later.
Stretching, Diana changed the subject.
“Now, let’s go meet my teacher.”
“Your teacher?”
“Yes.”
Diana grinned at Shane. Today was her first magic lesson with Rueri.
The memory of their first meeting flashed in her mind—the dazzling starlight, his fiery red hair fluttering in the night breeze.
The thought of his honeyed voice tickling her ears made her chuckle. Shane, watching her quietly, finally spoke.
“I’ll guard the entrance, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Belinda.”
Belinda, having finished her training, appeared beside her. Diana headed to the garden visible from her terrace.
A wide clearing stretched before the rose garden—the perfect place for magic practice.
Arriving, Diana checked her golden pocket watch. This time, I won’t let him startle me. She swallowed hard.
The instant both hands aligned at twelve, Rueri materialized out of thin air.
“Hey, noona?”
“Hello, Rueri.”
He was still grinning—no, beaming, as if he couldn’t contain his excitement.
What’s got him so thrilled? He seemed just as eager for their lesson as she was.
“I’ve been waiting for today.”
Rueri winked, as if reading her thoughts.
“Oh?”
“You’re my first student. Quite an honor, huh?”
His cheekiness made Diana burst into laughter—perhaps her first genuine laugh since her regression.
“What an honor indeed.”
She smiled brightly, playing along.
“Alright, let’s begin. How far have you gotten with magic?”
Diana stroked her chin, lost in thought. It had been so long since she last practiced that she was practically starting from scratch.
“…I think I need to relearn from the beginning.”
She admitted awkwardly.
Noticing her slumped shoulders, Rueri gave her an encouraging pat.
“No worries! We’ll start fresh. Come on, noona—shoulders back!”
“…Right.”
Though still lacking confidence, Diana straightened at his urging.
“First, let’s try releasing mana. Simple stuff.”
Rueri held out his palm, conjuring a small flame the same fiery red as his hair.
The flickering fire, tinged with crimson mana, danced beautifully on his hand.
“You know mana has different attributes, right? Mine’s fire.”
Mages were rare in the empire—true magical talent was a gift few possessed.
Each person’s mana carried an innate attribute, determining what magic they could wield.
Diana searched her memories. As a child, her mana had been ice.
Fitting, for someone as cold and bitter as me.
Lost in thought, she startled when she realized Rueri was staring.
“Ah, yes. Mine was… ice.”
“Great! Let’s try it.”
Diana took a deep breath. What if I can’t do it anymore?
Her heart pounded as she held out her palm and closed her eyes. A faint stirring sensation rose within her—
She snapped her eyes open.
“Huh?”
A tiny speck of ice, no larger than a child’s fingernail, plopped onto her hand.
“…Ha.”
She hadn’t expected this level of failure. Her cheeks burned like ripe apples.
“Hmm. Here, noona—give me your hand.”
Rueri tilted his head thoughtfully, then took her hand.
“Keep your hand relaxed like this, then snap it open when you feel the surge. Got it?”
He demonstrated, stretching his own palm wide.
Diana began to grasp the sensation. With a determined nod, she closed her eyes again.
She focused on the mana within, feeling it rise—and at the peak, she thrust her palm open.
“Whoa! You did it, noona!”
A crystalline pillar of ice sprouted from her hand, wreathed in shimmering blue mana.
The ice glowed with the same mesmerizing blue as Rueri’s eyes.
He cheered as if he were the one who’d succeeded. Overjoyed, Diana impulsively grabbed his hands and shook them.
“…Madam.”
Still holding Rueri’s hands, Diana turned toward the voice.
Calypso stood there, his face unreadable.
