The nobles’ social gatherings and events never ceased.
If there was a party at one noble’s mansion yesterday, then today, a ball would be held at another noble’s villa.
And if Lady Dianther were just a bit more sociable and outgoing, I had a feeling there wouldn’t be as many girls like Emily clinging to me with teary eyes.
“Amel! You again? Why? How? This—this is just ridiculous!”
“I don’t really want to go either, Emily.”
“There you go again. Amel, do you know how annoying you are when you say things like that? Who wouldn’t want to go to a place like that? And this time, it’s the palace again! Why does the lady always take you to the palace?”
“Emily. If you don’t want your wages docked in the monthly review, you’d better shut that mouth of yours.”
The head maid, Meg, appeared in front of Emily. Startled, Emily clapped her hands over her mouth.
Meg clicked her tongue as she glared at her.
“What kind of behavior is that inside the mansion? And you’re the lady’s personal maid. If you speak about the young lady like that again, you’ll be seriously punished.”
“I-I’m sorry, Head Maid.”
Emily mumbled, deflating at once. I, who had been repeating myself to her with little effect, finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Whether she meant to or not, Meg had just rescued me.
Still, I understood where Emily was coming from. Since the lady had taken me to the last royal ball, she must’ve been expecting it to be her turn this time.
But it was me again. It was strange, especially since our lady usually rotated her personal maids for events at the palace or noble gatherings. So it was only natural that Emily would be frustrated and asking, “Why her, again?”
Of course, I knew the reason—but no one else in the Aspania estate did. So I couldn’t exactly explain, and all I could do was offer these vague replies.
Still, I meant it when I said I didn’t really want to go. If it weren’t for my contract with the lady, I wouldn’t have set foot in that place again. Visiting the royal palace once in my life was more than enough. The atmosphere didn’t suit me at all.
I had never even considered marriage. I wasn’t interested in knights or hired staff from other households, and romance wasn’t something I’d ever thought seriously about.
Yet here I was, in a fake relationship with Edward Edwin Callinan.
Life truly is one uncertainty after another.
Emily, her lips still jutting out in a pout, scurried down the stairs on an errand from Meg. I felt a twinge of guilt—Emily and I were closer than the other maids. I stared in the direction she disappeared, lost in thought, until I met Meg’s stern gaze.
“Amel. What are you doing? Go in.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
“The way you serve the lady reflects the dignity of the Aspania family. Be sure to act accordingly.”
“Understood.”
Since becoming head maid, Meg had become even more strict. It felt like she was trying to reinforce the order among the Aspania household staff in her own way, building upon what former Head Maid Susan had already established.
Act accordingly, she said. But what exactly does that mean?
Her words only left me feeling more unsettled. Still, I took a deep breath and knocked on the lady’s door.
She turned to me, standing with Miss Rebecca as she tried on a new dress.
“Amel, how do I look?”
Beautiful. Just as always, our lady was the most beautiful in all of Martina.
But it felt lazy to simply reply with, You look beautiful. So I took a moment to examine her more closely before answering.
Her pale ivory gown, tailored perfectly to her figure, appeared to be made of pearl-infused fabric in a matching shade. Even from several steps away, the dress shimmered faintly. The skirt flared modestly, not overly so, and was layered with delicate, sheer fabric that fluttered like wings.
It wasn’t a flashy dress, but its understated elegance only served to highlight the lady’s beauty even more. When the tiara of clear gemstones was placed on her head, she looked like a piece of master-crafted glass art—so exquisite, one would hesitate to even touch her.
Her large, jewel-like eyes shimmered like treasures from the sea. Her platinum-blonde hair flowed in soft waves, and her delicate lashes framed her face. In short, the lady looked like a lily blooming by the water’s edge.
“You’re stunning.”
Though it was just one phrase, I believed my sincerity came through. Her eyes softened with a gentle smile.
“Princess Lylaina is hosting today’s tea party at the palace herself. It’s her first time hosting one, so I’m glad His Majesty gave his personal permission. Do you know who’s attending?”
“No, my lady.”
“Kian.”
A playful sparkle lit her ocean-colored eyes.
If the god of love and mischief were a goddess instead of a god, I had the feeling she would look just like Lady Dianther.
Who would be the target of that little arrow?
“And Amel, you need to get ready too. Come now, this way.”
At her words, Miss Rebecca turned to me with an enthusiastic smile. Just imagining Emily’s mouth falling open at the sight of me again was already giving me a headache. She probably wouldn’t speak to me for at least a month. No, knowing her, she might never speak to me again.
If only Emily had known in advance what our lady had planned today.
________✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧𓉞___________
Once again, the dress I wore was in stark contrast to the lady’s. Unlike the fiery red gown from the last palace ball, this one wasn’t entirely scarlet, but it was still dominated by bold red hues. Far too flashy.
Still, having worn one before, I found this time easier. Moving in it and putting it on was less of a struggle. The luxurious dress still felt unnatural on me—completely unlike myself—but I had to act as naturally as possible.
The royal tea party was held at the Heren Pavilion, not far from Rubedere. Since it was hosted by the princess herself, only unmarried noble sons and daughters were in attendance. The sprawling gardens of the pavilion were filled with white tables decorated with fragrant flowers.
I sat slightly behind the lady and gazed at the host of today’s event—the princess of Martina—from afar.
The princess was still very young. I’d heard she was even younger than Lady Rabian, and though I didn’t know her exact age, it was obvious from her face that she was still a child.
Her rich, radiant auburn hair gleamed in the sunlight. Her skin was flawless, and her blue eyes were just as vivid as Prince Kian’s. Princess Lylaina de Idris of the Idris royal family looked like the rising sun itself.
“I’m so happy you all came! This is the very first tea party I’ve hosted under my own name, so please enjoy yourselves. When His Majesty asks how it went, you’ll tell him only good things for Lylaina, right?”
The young princess’s cheerful voice rang across the garden, drawing warm laughter from the guests. Her face glowed with pride as she mentioned how she’d poured her heart into preparing the event, working day and night since the ball ended.
Though she was royalty, Princess Lylaina didn’t feel distant or intimidating at all. It was probably due to her openhearted nature and charming appearance.
Unlike the grandeur and solemnity of the main palace, Rubedere, the Heren Pavilion was brimming with life and warmth. People said it was shaped by the touch of Queen Sophia de Idris, the mother of Princess Lylaina and Queen of Martina. The beautifully arranged garden, full of charming sculptures, seemed to reflect the queen’s taste.
A noble tea party typically began with a short welcome speech from the hosting family. After that, guests were free to chat or stroll in groups. Light refreshments and drinks were served endlessly throughout the afternoon—tea, coffee, and non-alcoholic champagne—all themed according to the event.
It was the host’s responsibility to ensure no one grew bored before sunset.
I only knew so much about how these gatherings worked because the Aspania household occasionally hosted tea parties and balls of our own. As one of the staff, I was always part of the preparations.
And once a party began, there was no time to relax. For the maids and staff, it was non-stop work from start to finish—there was no such thing as “enjoying” a tea party.
By the time you realized the sun had set, the event would be over. But even that wasn’t the end. Cleaning up and dealing with the leftover chaos would eat up days afterward. That’s why I never looked forward to events held at our estate.
Apparently, the same was true here. Seeing the tired faces of the palace attendants pushing carts filled with tea and pastries around the Heren Pavilion made me feel oddly sympathetic. Making a living was never easy.
After all, royalty, nobles, and people like me were born into entirely different worlds. Their worries were never ours. Their pleasures could never be ours.
Then… what am I doing here?
None of the clothes or jewels I wore belonged to me. I wore someone else’s gown, someone else’s gems. I, a maid, was pretending to be a noble. I, a commoner, was acting like someone born into privilege.
The feeling… was indescribable.
