Chapter 30……………………………………..
“That goes for you too.”
“…….”
“You’re always living behind a mask, after all.”
It wasn’t a reproach but stated so calmly it sounded like a mere observation.
Trisha stepped forward as if she owned the place, and Millard let out a faint laugh at her boldness.
“I’ll take the lead in guiding you.”
With that, Trisha moved ahead.
They passed through several twisting corridors, making their way to Millard’s office.
Seeing that it was larger than the office she had visited before, Trisha thought to herself that this must indeed be his main base.
“Tea, the usual?”
“Anything’s fine.”
At Trisha’s words, Millard personally brewed the tea and served it.
It seemed no one could enter here casually because of the sensitive documents.
So he let me in here…
Still naïve and reckless. It was the sort of carelessness one ought to advise against, yet somehow it didn’t annoy her, and she almost wanted to stay silent.
Trisha took a sip of the tea and set it down.
“Anything’s fine,” she had said, and yet Millard had brewed tea that fit her taste perfectly, as if he remembered everything.
“So, what’s the matter?”
Trisha asked, pretending to know nothing.
Millard took a sip of his tea, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
“I was curious… why my tailor shop of all places.”
There was a trace of amusement in Millard’s voice, though she couldn’t tell whether it was meant positively.
“Do you think that because I saved you, we’re now completely on the same side?”
“No.”
Trisha shook her head. She didn’t think Millard trusted her fully.
“Only… this place is the safest. And you’re here.”
Her tone was soft but somewhat dry as she added,
“This way I can get the information I received from your brother to you as quickly as possible. There’s no better rendezvous point.”
“Oh, that’s why you came all the way here?”
Millard’s voice carried a clear smirk.
“Was it necessary?”
“Believe it or not, that’s up to you.”
But it was clear he had no intention of persuading her further.
“Anyway. What your sister-in-law’s purpose is… does it matter?”
Millard’s lips twisted elegantly.
“What matters is how useful you are.”
“…….”
“Did you do what your sister-in-law asked?”
Trisha raised her teacup with a composure that bordered on arrogance.
“I have no obligation to tell you what happened with Her Highness the Princess.”
“I see you did it all then.”
Millard looked at her with a bored expression before rising from his seat.
“I held you back from leaving to see if you still have the resolve you had when my teacher was your sister-in-law.”
His gaze shifted from Trisha to the decorative gun on the wall.
“I wondered if you were ready to leave the safe, peaceful cage.”
“Is that so?”
Trisha set down her teacup.
“So… what’s the conclusion?”
Millard answered with a slight curl of his lips, as if to say, Did I pass the test?
Trisha couldn’t see it clearly through his mask, but she felt it nonetheless.
She rose from her seat.
“I’ll bring more precise information next time.”
Trisha said confidently, and Millard nodded.
“Of course you should.”
As if that were the only reason he would work with her.
Today, Regina had been invited to a tea party at the Sinclair Marquess House, the family of Nepheli.
It was the first time she had been invited directly to a social gathering, not through Edwin.
Naturally, she was excited.
Nepheli Sinclair doesn’t get along with the Duchess.
She had heard that Nepheli disliked Trisha, especially.
Apparently, she hated all foreigners because a foreign sibling threatened her position as heir?
Most likely, that was why the Duchess’s husband had invited Regina.
They’ll test me first, and if I’m acceptable, they’ll include me in their circle.
Other than the gentlemen she met at Edwin’s evening balls, Regina had no connections in society. She didn’t even know a single lady or noblewoman.
So I have to use this chance to strengthen my standing in the social scene.
She thought this while choosing her dress.
A soft knock came, and the door suddenly opened.
“Your Highness, are you in the room? Ah, there you are.”
The head maid, Grace, entered Regina’s room.
“Head maid, what on earth do you think you’re doing?”
Regina’s expression stiffened at the unexpected rudeness.
Grace had been cautious since returning from Edwin’s place, but recently she had grown bold again.
Edwin had been neglecting Regina, leaving her to play alone, while the head maid still had the backing of the Marchioness of Devon.
As expected, no one stopped her.
Regina let out a bitter laugh.
It was absurd that the servants sided with a mere head maid over the Grand Duchess-to-be.
At that moment, Leona blocked the maid.
“And you are?”
Leona quickly wrote a note:
“You may not enter without the Princess’s permission.”
“Such loyalty,” Regina said, though the maid scoffed.
With a mocking smile, she asked,
“May I enter, Princess?”
“No, you—”
“The only ones who can stop me from the Marquess House are two people.”
The head maid cut off Regina’s words effortlessly.
“A mere maid dares to block me!”
Though pretending to scold Leona, she was really criticizing Regina.
Regina remained silent, knowing that answering would acknowledge the jab was aimed at her.
“You were getting ready to go out.”
The head maid, with her subordinates, rifled through Regina’s wardrobe.
“How rude!”
Leona tried to stop her, but it was futile alone.
“Leave it, Leona,” Regina whispered, clenching her fists.
After her inspection, the head maid let out a laugh.
“They all seem desperate to hide they’re from Solten. Perhaps they want their patriotism recognized?”
“Better than a traitor,” Regina muttered.
The maid had subtly called her out as also being from Solten.
The maid raised her eyebrows.
Regina smiled faintly and approached her.
“Today will be a memory I’ll never forget.”
Her gaze swept over the messy wardrobe before meeting the maid’s eyes.
“For a very long time.”
With that whispered, Regina turned away.
“I need to really get ready to go out now, so please leave.”
“Very well. But do try not to tarnish the honor of the Marquess House.”
The maid left with her subordinates.
Left alone with Leona, Regina glared at the disheveled wardrobe before hurling a vase by the window.
“That crazy woman!”
Leona approached and embraced her, calming her as usual.
Regina caught her breath in Leona’s arms.
“This is no different from being in Solten!”
She had been an outcast in the Solten royal family.
She had come all the way to Eifelverno to be recognized for her abilities. She had put everything into reaching this point!
“This is all Trisha Mason’s fault!”
Her anger naturally shifted past Edwin to Trisha.
“If only she were as easy to deal with as the rumors said, I wouldn’t be in this mess!”
If Trisha had fallen for her scheme, she would already be sitting next to Edwin.
Regina vented her frustrations and tears in Leona’s arms.
Leona carefully wrote a note:
“If there’s a way to deal with both the Duchess and the head maid, would you try it?”
“Really?”
Leona nodded.
If it was Leona speaking only for her, Regina could trust her.
“What do I need to do?”
“Follow me.”
Wiping her tears quickly, Regina followed Leona.
Where are we?
Looking around, it seemed to be the servants’ quarters.
“Why did we even come here…”
Shh.
Leona pressed her finger to her lips, signaling silence.
Regina’s eyes fell on the maids casually drinking tea.
Seeing that, Leona led her to a maid’s room.
As Regina’s curiosity grew, Leona opened a jewelry box, revealing a ring.
It seemed far too expensive for a mere maid.
“What’s this?”
“One of the maids Grace brought was caught stealing it.”
Leona’s voice rang with urgency.
“She apparently has a habit of stealing and selling items.”
“…This ring belongs to the Grand Duchess?”
A memory sparked in Regina’s mind as she examined the ring.
“I’ve seen Edwin wearing this too.”
“Then it must be a wedding ring. Usually they make matching designs.”
With that conclusion, the two carefully left the room with the ring.
The maids continued chatting obliviously in the same spot. Seeing how clueless they were, Regina let out a small laugh.
“Leona, you’re a genius!”
She hugged Leona tightly as soon as they returned.
“With just this ring, I might really become the Grand Duchess!”
Excited at the thought of taking on both the head maid and the Grand Duchess, her lips curved into a soft smile.
