Chapter 11
To do that, she first had to earn Lady Bianca’s trust.
It wouldn’t be particularly difficult.
She had read the reports, and thanks to everything Barkhan had told her in her previous life, she already knew Bianca’s tastes fairly well.
And fortunately—
It would be me.
Barkhan had always said it with a bitter smile, as if it were a habit.
“If Bianca had met you before she died, she would’ve adored you.”
“Really?”
“Bianca and I always liked the same things ever since we were kids. She probably would’ve fought me over you.”
“Really? But you can’t know that for sure.”
“No. I’m certain.”
Barkhan wasn’t someone who made things up.
If he had spoken with such certainty, then she believed him.
This time, I’ll save Lady Bianca with my own hands.
At the far end of the Cardian estate’s corridor, the door to the head maid’s office quietly opened.
Several maids entered with their heads lowered, timid expressions on their faces. Each of them carried a small pouch filled with coins.
“Here it is, Lady Matilda.”
“Good. Leave it there.”
At her curt reply, the maids bowed and placed the pouches before her.
Matilda counted the money inside each one before smiling in satisfaction.
“Why are you still standing there?”
The moment her gaze settled on them, the maids hurriedly backed away.
As soon as the door shut, one corner of Matilda’s lips curled upward.
Coming here really was the right decision.
She had been born a noble.
But because she had failed to awaken any special ability, her family had cast her aside.
When Duke Rothwell approached her and asked if she wished to become a maid of the Cardian household, she had initially been horrified.
No matter how powerless she was, becoming a servant for a family with no noble lineage was beneath her.
But perhaps because the Cardians lacked an aristocratic background, they had no idea how noble households truly operated.
Which made embezzlement laughably easy.
Matilda smiled contentedly as she glanced around.
Bianca’s residence remained as quiet as ever.
It was the result of Matilda confining her indoors under the excuse that Bianca’s health was too fragile.
How fortunate that Lady Bianca is obsessed with behaving like a proper noble lady.
Lately, Bianca had only been allowed a few pitiful bites of food each day—barely enough to qualify as a snack.
She was forbidden from exercising as well, supposedly because overexertion might make her ill.
“A proper noble lady must even control how much she eats. Gaining weight isn’t becoming of an aristocratic young lady.”
“The same goes for exercise. Muscles make women look unfeminine. There’s no reason for a lady to exercise. A bulky body is hardly attractive.”
As a result, Bianca’s health visibly deteriorated day by day.
Yet she never realized that she was slowly being poisoned by neglect.
Having earned the complete trust of the oblivious Bianca, Matilda now controlled nearly every aspect of her life.
There was only one thing that annoyed her.
No matter how many times she drove them away, the members of the Cardian family stubbornly continued sending attendants to Bianca’s side.
Whenever that happened, Matilda quietly sowed discord between them.
“Those young ladies are looking down on you because your family used to be nothing more than barons.”
“They must think your family rose too quickly and that you don’t even know proper etiquette.”
Just a few whispered sentences were enough.
Bianca began treating every noble young lady who visited her coldly and sharply.
Unable to tolerate her attitude, they all eventually stopped coming.
Matilda let out a cynical laugh.
That little beggar will be driven out through Lady Bianca’s own hands as well. How dare someone like her try to enter my family’s household?
That was precisely why she had recommended Diena as Bianca’s maid.
She already knew exactly how things would end.
Thanks to Matilda’s constant “education,” Bianca had become obsessively strict about etiquette.
A commoner like that brat could never possibly catch Lady Bianca’s eye. Lady Bianca will continue listening only to me.
Matilda stepped outside and called for the maids.
“Clean that girl up until she at least looks human. I’ll introduce her to Lady Bianca.”
Matilda frowned with obvious dissatisfaction.
After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Diena looked… unexpectedly noble.
The simple black maid uniform suited her silky black hair perfectly.
It was almost as though the outfit had been tailored specifically for her.
What’s with her? Why does she look so aristocratic?
The filthy little girl Matilda had first seen was nowhere to be found.
Despite her young age, every movement she made carried an effortless elegance.
Diena casually brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
Even that simple gesture looked strangely graceful.
Matilda forced herself to scoff.
So what if she’s pretty? She’s still nothing but a commoner.
Thinking that, she led Diena to Bianca’s room.
“Serve Lady Bianca her tea.”
“Ah… yes.”
“Normally that’s my responsibility… but as you can see, I’m terribly busy.”
She looked anything but busy.
Still, Diena simply nodded.
“So you’ll have to do it just for today. You can manage, can’t you?”
“Yes. I understand.”
Matilda narrowed her eyes.
There was no way Diena had understood what she truly meant.
Anyone could see this was an assignment designed to humiliate her.
Yet Diena showed not the slightest trace of nervousness.
Matilda sighed before saying,
“You’d better make a good impression on Lady Bianca. Otherwise you’ll be thrown out immediately.”
“Please don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll like me the moment she sees me.”
Seeing Diena’s confident smile made Matilda’s expression twist with irritation.
From the very beginning, there had been something about the girl’s manner of speaking that grated on her nerves.
“Is that so?”
Even then, Diena merely smiled faintly.
For some reason, that calm smile irritated Matilda even more.
With a shove—
She pushed Diena forward into Bianca’s room before quietly stepping back herself.
Then she remained at a distance, simply watching.
She offered no instructions whatsoever.
After all, Diena was merely a commoner.
She should have been overwhelmed, frightened, unsure of what to do.
At least… she was supposed to be.
Instead—
Diena stopped before Bianca and performed a flawless, dignified bow.
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Diena.”
There wasn’t the slightest flaw in her posture.
Even the highest-ranking nobles would have found her etiquette impeccable.
Watching from afar, Matilda’s heart began pounding anxiously.
Even so… Lady Bianca could never possibly like her.
But contrary to her hopes, Bianca merely pursed her lips and muttered,
“Hm… not bad.”
Matilda stared blankly at her in complete shock.
Diena quietly let out a sigh of relief as she looked at Bianca.
Just as expected, Bianca seemed to have taken an immediate liking to her.
After all, Matilda’s report to the Cardian family had clearly stated:
“I have molded Bianca Cardian into someone who values noble refinement above all else—to the point where only members of the highest-ranking aristocratic houses can satisfy her standards.”
Diena herself was a member of one of the Five Great Noble Houses.
Etiquette and elegance were as natural to her as breathing.
In fact, her manners were so flawless that even her friends from the other Four Great Houses admired them.
Cassian Volkov, who had once been one of those friends, would often blush whenever he watched her and ask,
“Diena… your etiquette is truly incredible. How can you possibly be so perfect?”
