Chapter 46

“Pardon?”

Charlotte was flustered.

“That’s not good. I’m still getting their trust. Moreover, I don’t have the power to schedule that.”

Amelie’s schedule was managed exclusively by Mrs Enard. There was no way she could ask for a favor that seemed hateful.

“You promised to help me, right?”

Renia’s voice grew sharp. Charlotte was slightly pressed by the force, but she went out.

“What can I do if there are many people who want to meet her? If the Count had not made a mistake in the first place, Mrs Enard wouldn’t have stopped Young Lady Riena from visiting, right? Someone made things difficult— Argh!”

Slap. Charlotte’s face turned around with the sound.

“Y-Young Lady! Argh!”

This time, the other cheek clapped and made a sound. Renia’s maids grabbed Charlotte’s arms to prevent her from rebelling.

“What is this—”

“If it is difficult to meet in a normal way, you should use a different method.”

“What?”

Charlotte asked, but there was no answer. Renia glanced at her Charlotte, she turned and went back to the chair she had been sitting in the first time. Charlotte twisted her body at her ominous feeling. Renia’s maids came to Charlotte.

“W-wait! You know who I’m serving—!”

“You said she was so nice that she looked like a fool. If her maid is beaten by others, she will meet me even if she doesn’t like it. Hang in there. I’m trying to help you keep your promise with me.”

Renia laughed out loud. Her red hair fluttered in waves. Shortly thereafter, the beatings began. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the room.

‘I don’t have time to delay it.’

Renia was nervous. But a well-educated lady doesn’t show her emotions. She calmed her nerves, licking her lips out of habit.

‘I have to make results. A satisfactory achievement for my father.’

Count Manvers spare money for Renia. What she ate, what she wore, and what she put on were high-end items that could only be used in the Imperial family. It was thanks to the Count’s full support that she had an influence equal to that of the Duke’s Young Lady or the Marquis’ Young Lady in the social world.

People believe Count Manvers is wealthy and spends a lot of money, yet he was a rascal who only cared about himself. Because he needed to have a good reason for spending money on others. His own children were in the same boat. He spared no expense on Renia because he thinks that one day she will become Empress and her son will become Emperor, raising Count Manvers’ status. For his status, she is a long-term investment.

Everything has been going smoothly so far. Serwin did not get close to women, and the noble girls were afraid of Serwin. Because of that, Renia did not doubt that she would become the Empress in the future, and the Count Manvers was always fond of her.

However, everything was ruined by Amelie’s appearance. The day she first appeared in front of people. Renia was severely scolded by Count Manvers.

“What the hell have you done so far! Even a woman who nobody knows anything about is seducing His Majesty! What have you been doing in the meantime! Do you know how much money I’ve poured into you? That jewel! That dress! All to please His Majesty!”

Count Manvers ran wild in the house. Renia stood still and heard all the insults. She is famous for her fiery temper in society, but she couldn’t even talk in front of her father.

“I mean, you have to become the Empress. That way, I will become the Emperor’s father-in-law and the next Emperor’s maternal grandfather! What must I do? It can’t be like this. You should beat that girl! What’s wrong with you that you’re being pushed by a woman like that?”

How could he humiliate her in front of the staff? Even a few days later, her hands trembled with anger when she thought of the moment.

“Stop.”

The beating stopped at Renia’s order. She approached Charlotte. Charlotte’s cheeks were just red, so by the time she arrived at the imperial palace, it seemed to be swollen enough to recognize.

“Now, Charlotte.”

Renia gently caressed Charlotte’s red cheek. Charlotte shuddered, trembling her body and leaning her upper body back.

“Go. I believe you won’t disappoint me this time. Make her have no choice but to call me. Do you get it?”

“—Y-yes, Lady.”

Charlotte hurriedly got up and left the room. Watching the running back, Renia was convinced that she would be able to meet Amelie by tomorrow.

*****

By the time Charlotte returned to the Imperial Palace. Amelie was writing a letter to her home.

‘Will it be weird if I say I miss you twice?’

Amelie lifted her pen as she pondered.

Dellahaim is far from the capital. Once she sent a letter, she had to wait a long time until she got a reply. As a result, it was not easy to decide what to write in the letter.

‘I asked how they are doing. I took out all the things to worry about in my story, and asked Renee to check out the house in the forest—.’

Amelie wrote in a letter asking Renee to check if she had left a book or something she hadn’t found. It was because there could have been clues about disasters or other witches’ whereabouts at home.

‘Let’s have a cup of coffee and work out.’

Amelie pulled the string to call the maid. After getting permission from Serwin, she could spend as much time alone as she wanted. So whenever she needed something, she had to call a maid separately.

“Did you call me?”

It was Charlotte who entered the room.

“Charlotte? Didn’t you go out—”

Amelie, looking back at Charlotte, was surprised. Charlotte’s cheeks were seriously swollen.

“What’s wrong with your face? Didn’t you say you were going home?”

Amelie stood in front of Charlotte and looked at her face. Looking closely, Charlotte was a mess. How much she cried because her eyes were red and she looked severely unstable.

“What happened outside?”

“It’s not a big deal. I’m having a bit of an argument with my friends—”

“It’s not an argument!”

“Miss Amelie—”

Charlotte shed tears.

“You didn’t argue with your friend, did you? It’s okay. Don’t cry and speak slowly.”

Amelie grabbed Charlotte’s hand and sat her on the sofa. And patted her hand.

‘Milena told me to be careful about Charlotte but—’

But she couldn’t pretend she didn’t know when someone was crying with a swollen face. She’s worried if a stranger is crying with a face like this—.

“Honestly—there was someone who asked me a difficult favor even before.”

Charlotte brought it up with difficulty.

“Favor?”

“—It’s probably—because she knows I’m Miss Amelie’s maid.”

“So?”

“She’s angry because I didn’t tell her about you—”

“I mean, but she hit people?”

“That’s understandable.”

“Who is it? She’s such a terrible person!”

“—Young Lady Renia Manvers.”

Why is that name suddenly coming out?

Amelie was flustered at the moment. Milena said Charlotte was very close to Renia. She was also told not to get close because she would never be on Amelie’s side.

‘Aren’t you two close? Why did she hit her?’

Amelie didn’t understand Renia who hit Charlotte or Charlotte who said he deserved to be hit.

“Does Manvers Young Lady often use her hand to hit people?”

“—No. I shouldn’t have said that. Don’t worry. I don’t want Amelie’s face to be embarrassed in front of Young Lady Renia because of me..”

Charlotte said.

“How can I do that? I saw you hurt like this.”

Charlotte was Amelie’s maid. No matter what she thinks inside her, the fact that she is her own person doesn’t change. If she was being bullied because of her, she had to stop it. She also had a purpose to protect others, but she was ignored because she felt like she was being ignored.

Of course, regardless of the justification or whatever, the most concern was the fact that Charlotte was beaten because of her.

“I’ll meet Young Lady Manvers.”

She thought they would meet someday anyway. It was an unavoidable encounter with this statue she herself was in the Imperial Palace. Of course, she wanted to avoid it as much as possible, but when the opponent came out like this, it wasn’t just a matter of avoiding it.

Moments later, Amelie comforted Charlotte and sent her back. She then called Milena and Mrs Enard and explained the story about Charlotte and Renia. She thought she would be scolded for making the decision without consulting, but surprisingly, the two of them were calm.

“Because we were going to meet one day anyway. We can’t stay still when the opponent is so strong.”

“Young Lady Manvers is also in a hurry, so it must be urgent. I hope you see her after Miss Amelie is ready a little more.”

“Young Lady Manvers will observe and analyze Miss Amelie from head to toe. If any flaws are found, Miss Amelie will become a mess who has no control over the social world on that day.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Why would she stand shoulder to shoulder with the Lady of Duke and Marquis? It’s because her personality is also not a joke—”

Amelie’s face turned pale as the explanation about Renia continued. Didn’t I say I was going to meet a dangerous person? Come to think of it, Renia was like her natural enemy. In the original novel, Amelie faced a miserable life because of Renia. In addition, Reina later became the Empress as she wishes.

‘It’s very different from the original novel, but she’s not an easy opponent.’

Amelie began to worry. Mrs Enard said she would give  a special lecture about Renia starting tomorrow to prepare, but it was not comforting at all.

******

Amelie sent Renia an invitation for tea time, and that afternoon, Renia replied that she would accept the invitation.

And two days later, it was finally the day Renia decided to come. Amelie’s Palace was not much different from usual, but there was a combative atmosphere. Renia Manvers is openly said to have been nominated as the Empress. As it was a visit by a rival, everyone was nervous.

‘I’m starting to get nervous. Ah. Renia is scary.’

At first, one of the reasons Amelie avoided Serwin was Renia. She bought the people of the imperial palace and bothered Amelie and made her suffer. The content described in the original was so miserable that Amelie was reluctant to give Reina more reasons to dislike her.

Moreover, the Count Manvers tricked and give Mrs. Enard’s daughter with a strange drug. He was a man without the slightest conscience or morals to protect young children. It was obvious that Renia, who was on the other side of that person, would not be much different from him.

‘It would be nice if Renia gave up on being the Empress. That won’t happen, will it?’

It was a well-known story that Renia was the most infatuated with Serwin. It was clear that she would not give up easily.

Amelie just wished Reina could just wait a few years since Amelie intended to return to her hometown as soon as she defeated the disaster. She had no intention of becoming the empress. However, she was frustrated because she couldn’t explain such a situation.

‘By the way, when can I go back home? Because of stuff like this there’s no progress—’

Amelie sighed deeply.