Thunderous Applause of Gratitude
* * *
“You and I are as good as dead now.”
“Calm down, Abigail. It’s an order from His Majesty the Emperor.”
“You may belong to the imperial palace, but I don’t! Don’t say it so lightly when it’s not your problem!”
Deep in the night, when the entire imperial palace had fallen asleep.
In the Emperor’s residence, the head maid Sophie and Ishtel’s head maid Abigail were engaged in a hushed conversation.
Abigail held in her arms a lavish red dress adorned with intricate decorations. It was the very dress Ishtel had rejected.
Thirty minutes earlier, just as Abigail was about to drift off to sleep, someone had knocked on her door. When she opened it, Sophie stood there with an extremely awkward expression. When Abigail asked what was wrong, Sophie said she needed her to come with her.
Sophie then asked Abigail to hand over one of the Wintera Duchess’s dresses. Abigail was utterly dumbfounded by her colleague’s absurd request.
She refused to give it unless Sophie explained properly, and only then did Sophie confess. His Majesty had ordered that one of the Wintera Duchess’s dresses be lent to a maid attending the tea service.
“Head Maid Abigail, is that you?”
A young woman’s voice drifted through the thin curtain.
“If you’re here, please come in quickly.”
Abigail clenched her teeth so hard they nearly cracked, then pulled the curtain aside and stepped into the room. In the dimly lit chamber illuminated by a small lantern, Karina stood wearing only her undergarments.
“Could you help me put on the dress? I’ve been standing here in nothing but my underwear and I’m freezing.”
When Abigail’s hands began to tremble violently, Sophie carefully took the dress from her.
Karina slipped her legs into the dress, pulled it up to her chest, and slid her arms through the sleeves. Sophie stood behind her and began fastening the buttons. Because Karina was shorter than Ishtel, the hem dragged along the floor. Sophie marked the parts that needed hemming with chalk.
Abigail, who had been smoothing the hem to prevent wrinkles, lifted her head without thinking and met Karina’s gaze head-on.
In that instant, Abigail’s mouth fell open in shock.
Karina, wearing the magnificent red dress, was so breathtakingly beautiful that even another woman was rendered speechless.
Her sun-kissed skin glowed even more seductively against the crimson fabric. Her silver hair, which fell all the way to her waist, radiated an aura that transcended mere beauty and became almost mystical. Her curvaceous figure, paired with the dress’s jeweled embellishments, drew every eye.
In the world of maids, a master’s prestige and beauty were also sources of personal pride. Abigail, who served Ishtel closely, never missed an opportunity to boast about her mistress to the other maids.
Ishtel was, without question, the most beautiful among all noblewomen.
But her beauty was not merely skin-deep. It came from her dignified voice, her graceful bearing, and the mature way she treated others—an aura that was uniquely hers.
Karina, however, was different. She didn’t need to speak or move. Simply standing there in her dazzling attire, she exuded an overwhelming, oppressive beauty.
“I don’t know what circumstances led to you wearing such a precious garment, but enjoy it while you can. This will be your first and last chance to wear something like this.”
Abigail spat the words out. Seeing Karina not only wearing Ishtel’s dress but looking so perfectly suited to it filled her with uncontrollable rage.
“Whether it’s the last time or not remains to be seen, doesn’t it?”
In contrast, Karina’s voice was soft, almost as if she were teasing Abigail. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and continued.
“Who knows? One day you might find yourself helping me into a dress again, Head Maid.”
“What?!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Abigail slapped Karina across the cheek.
“You insolent little wretch! How dare you forget your place! I heard you went into the Duchess’s dressing room and picked this dress yourself? Only a madwoman would do something so outrageous! How dare you covet something belonging to someone so far above your station?”
Sophie quickly tried to intervene, but Abigail was still fuming, breathing hard.
“Take that dress off right now! That’s not something a lowly maid like you—who crawled out of who-knows-where—should be wearing!”
“Ah… seriously…”
The next moment, both Sophie and Abigail flinched at the same time. The innocent, gentle voice had vanished completely, replaced by a low mutter filled with curses.
Karina lowered her head and let out a deep sigh.
“Lowly maid… lowly maid… lowly… lowly…”
She repeated Abigail’s words as if savoring them. The sudden change in Karina left both head maids frozen in shock.
“I know my place better than anyone. From now on, I intend to live exactly according to that place.”
Karina lifted her head and glared at Abigail. Her golden eyes burned with madness, flickering like the lantern flame on the wall.
“So one day, you will have to pay the price for spitting such words at me.”
By then, a lovely smile had returned to Karina’s face. As if the cursing had never happened, an elegantly refined voice flowed from her lips.
“I’ll let you know what that price is when the time comes. Until then, I’ll take good care of this dress.”
* * *
Time passed quickly, and the day of the Founding Festival finally arrived.
The imperial palace lobby was packed with nobles dressed in their most extravagant attire. I stood before the central hall, greeting them as they arrived.
“Duchess Wintera, you look even more beautiful than usual today.”
“Indeed. That dress suits you perfectly.”
“I doubt anyone here could possibly outshine you today, my lady.”
The nobles each offered me a compliment. I smiled faintly and handed each of them a single rose.
Every noble attending the Founding Festival received one rose. It was meant to be given to the first person they asked to dance with.
“Ishtel, my dear sister! How have you been?”
My brother Zahr, who had brought the whole family, greeted me warmly. Instead of embracing Zahr as he spread his arms, I stepped past him and gave my sister-in-law Sylvia a heartfelt hug.
“It’s been so long, Ishtel. Are you doing well? Rosien and Enrique have been absolutely desperate to see their aunt. I’ve been keeping your room spotless, so come visit whenever you like.”
“I miss my adorable nephews and niece too. I’ll make time to visit soon.”
“What about me? Don’t you miss me?”
When the childish Zahr began to whine, Sylvia soothed him as if he were one of her own children. Her brother, Count Sillanda, let out a soft chuckle from the side.
“Choose wisely, Ishtel.”
Great-aunt Marchioness Lilche left those words abruptly and strode straight into the hall without another glance.
“Ah, Grandmother, what’s the rush? You need to take a flower!”
“What would an old woman do with a flower? I only came to watch Ishtel spin around holding someone’s hand before I leave.”
Zahr snatched a rose from me and trotted after the Marchioness into the hall.
“We placed bets too, Duchess.”
Count Sillanda said, gesturing between himself and his younger brother.
“I bet on the North, and Oliver bet on the South.”
“I truly hope I can beat my brother this time. Please help me, Duchess.”
Oliver Sillanda clasped his hands together and pleaded earnestly.
“I don’t know which of you will win, but whoever loses, please don’t resent me too much.”
I handed the Sillanda brothers their roses and sent them into the hall.
“Oh, Duchess! Look over there!”
Rose, who had been helping me distribute roses to the nobles, poked me in the side.
I turned my head. Two groups of people were approaching from the far end of the lobby. They were the vassals of the Southern and Northern Archduchies. Leading them were Illid and Hellion, both dressed in the imperial family’s black formal uniforms.
“I’m sure you must be tired of hearing it by now… but you truly look beautiful, Duchess.”
Illid offered the compliment naturally as his eyes took in me and my blue dress.
“It’s the first time I’m hearing it from the Archduke, so it’s perfectly fine.”
I bit the inside of my cheek lightly to keep from grinning too widely. Then even the vassals standing behind Illid joined in, showering me with praise.
“I heard you handled everything from the invitations to the banquet preparations yourself?”
“It’s incredible. I’ve never seen a venue decorated so beautifully in my life.”
The Southern vassals were just as friendly and cheerful as Illid. Even though we had only just met, they spoke to me without any awkwardness and smiled openly.
In contrast, nearly all the Northern vassals—except for one or two—wore stern, dour expressions. With their rugged appearances, they looked less like party guests and more like debt collectors come to collect what was owed.
Still, perhaps because it was their first time attending a palace banquet, occasional sparks of wonder broke through their intimidating faces.
“Huh? Why?”
When Hellion simply stared at me without saying a word, one of the Northern vassals stomped hard on his foot. But no matter how many signals they sent, Hellion remained completely still. In the end, the vassal stepped forward himself.
“Good evening, Duchess Wintera. My name is Aron Telia.”
“Ah, yes. Sir Telia. Teli… eh?”
I couldn’t help letting out a small sound of surprise at his name.
‘Ah, so this is Shuri Telia’s older brother.’
I looked at Sir Telia with mild curiosity. Unlike the blunt-looking vassals around him, he seemed relatively sociable. He stood before me and began speaking with exaggerated expressions and gestures.
“Archduke Hellion says he is so struck by the Duchess’s beauty that he cannot utter a single word!”
Hellion, standing beside him, wore an expression that clearly said ‘When did I say that?’ but Sir Telia paid no attention and continued.
“And all of us Northern vassals wish to express our infinite gratitude for the imperial invitation and the Duchess’s meticulous care. Everyone, give the Duchess a round of applause in thanks!”
Clap clap clap clap clap—
The Northern vassals delivered a thunderous, perfectly synchronized military-style applause. Their faces remained just as intimidating as before.
“Those people are scary.”
Rose hid behind me and muttered in a frightened voice.