Chapter 53
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 53
The sun was beating down; he must have been feeling the heat. Then again, unlike me in my light attire, he was wearing several layers, so it was only natural. You’re working hard, old man. I decided to be generous and overlook his earlier slip of the tongue. As someone on a completely different level, I should be the one to show some understanding.
"I shall speak highly of your loyalty to the Marchioness."
As a former working woman myself, I couldn't just stand by while the old butler worked so diligently for his employer. I would be sure to praise him to Madame Toten. After all, a good word to the boss usually results in a bonus or at least a compliment.
"Are you mocking me right now?"
The sweating butler was now trembling as he glared at me. Wait, all I did was offer praise. Why was he suddenly accusing me of mockery? Did he think I was being sarcastic because my words sounded too smooth?
As the thought crossed my mind, I glanced down and nearly fainted. My arm was resting on the old butler's shoulder. Why are you there…?
It seemed I had patted his shoulder without even realizing it. My habit of doing the same to our own butler had slipped out! But what could I do? They wore such similar clothes that I’d acted on instinct!
Now I understood why he was so angry. Even in this class-based society, what adult would appreciate a mere child patting them on the shoulder?
Ah. We made eye contact.
Just as I thought. The old butler was trembling with humiliation.
But since he couldn't bring himself to snap at a noble lady, he swallowed his anger and continued to lead the way. I had offered him such sincere praise, but placing a hand on his shoulder had completely tanked my favorability score. I hate my hands.
"We seem to have arrived."
After walking quietly behind the butler, we finally reached the Marchioness. I was free at last! The walk to the drawing room had felt like a year. I thought I was going to die of anxiety.
Knock, knock.
"Madame, I have brought Lady Rohanson."
"Come in."
A deeply exhausted, weary voice echoed from inside.
Her in-person impression wasn't much different. Although Madame Toten was on the plumper side, she looked so gaunt that for a moment, I had the illusion she was nothing but skin and bones.
But that was only for a moment. As soon as Madame Toten smiled, her hollow look vanished.
"Welcome. Was your journey here difficult?"
Her tone had become incredibly elegant. So this is what years of experience in high society looks like. Admiring her poise, I sat across from her. The maids of the marquisate quickly set out tea and desserts.
She must have been embroidering before I arrived. No matter how hard I tried, my own attempts only resulted in pricked fingers and what looked like alien scribbles. A single glance, however, showed that Madame Toten's skills were superb.
"Were you embroidering? I must have kept you waiting."
"No, not at all. Embroidery is just a hobby of mine… Oh my. Looking at it now, it resembles you, Lady Rohanson."
She said her embroidery resembled me. Was she embroidering an angel? Well, Evangeline's face was certainly beautiful. Even now, I still startled myself when I looked in the mirror.
Seeing the numerous sculptures and paintings of the Sun Goddess on my way here, I gathered that Madame Toten must be deeply religious. I supposed that was why she agreed to be my chaperone at Gabriel's request.
"It resembles you much more than me, Madame."
"Haha, what lovely words. As you may have heard from Sir Gabriel, I will be acting as your chaperone. I am Kinder Toten."
"I am Evangeline Rohanson. It must have been a difficult request, so thank you for readily accepting it."
"Not at all. Your circumstances were so tragic, Miss Rohanson… If there is any way I can help, it is only right that I do so. Besides, I owe a separate debt to Sir Gabriel, so please do not feel burdened."
"What kind of help was it?"
Madame Toten simply smiled without answering and took a sip of her tea. Ah, Doline taught me this. Eating or drinking something is a polite way of saying you don't want to answer. I see it now, Teacher! I'm using so much of what you taught me today. I should report back to her later.
I picked up my fork as well.
Madame Toten silently watched me eat for a long while.
She must be judging my table manners, right? Even though Gabriel had made the request, she probably wanted to see for herself. I made a conscious effort to eat carefully.
I was so nervous I couldn't tell if the fork was going into my mouth or up my nose. Am I going to get indigestion at this rate? Feeling like I couldn't take another bite, I set my fork down. I thought I had eaten a lot, but looking at the plate, the food had barely been touched.
Just then, Madame Toten set down her teacup.
"Why do you wish to enter high society, Lady Rohanson? It can't be to find a husband, not when you have Sir Gabriel. And with your debut being so late, it will only fuel the rumors."
Actually, Gabriel was the one who requested it, not me.
Truthfully, I hadn't given it much thought. I’d just agreed because making a high society debut is a natural plot point in any RoFan. Even if I wasn't going to date, since I transmigrated into a RoFan novel, shouldn't I attend at least one ball?
But I couldn't say that, could I?
Just as no one tells the absolute truth during a job interview, I needed to spin a plausible story. What should I say? As I pondered, a good excuse came to mind.
"Are you familiar with my mother's family?"
"...It was House Hosaquin, was it not?"
"Yes. Then you must have also heard that my maternal grandfather and my mother cut ties."
When the cherished youngest daughter of a ducal house defied her family to elope with a count, it must have caused an enormous stir in high society back then.
"Even when my mother passed away, and even when I was bedridden with illness, there was no contact from the ducal house."
When I asked our butler, he told me that Evangeline's mother had written several letters, but not a single reply ever came. Of course, they didn't attend the funeral either.
"My mother desperately wanted to speak with my maternal grandfather again. It wasn't exactly a dying wish, but I wanted to fulfill that desire on her behalf."
In fact, Evangeline's mother had frequently written in her diary about how she had been wrong and wanted to go back. Of course, the vast majority of the entries were dedicated to cursing her husband, the Count.
Ah, that diary had shrunk significantly because I tore out a page to send to the Count every time I asked him for something. He probably treated them like nasty letters, but it was my petty revenge. I mean, who told him to be unfaithful? It was a disaster of his own making. I wish there was another diary.
"If they treated my mother that way, they will surely treat me, who bears the name of Rohanson, even more coldly. If I were to visit them directly, I would undoubtedly be turned away at the door. However, since they will attend the banquets, I hope to at least catch a glimpse of them from afar."
For something I had just come up with on the spot, it was a highly plausible answer. It would be perfect if I could shed a sorrowful tear right now, but since I'm not an actress, I can't get that deep into character.
"Does that sufficiently answer your question?"
"Is that so...?"
Hm? That wasn't the reaction I expected. Since she was said to feel sympathy for Evangeline, I thought she would hold my hand and say, "Oh, I see. That must have been so hard."
Oh no. Since Gabriel was the one who asked her to be my chaperone, hadn't she already heard the whole story?
It felt like I had chosen the wrong answer. I should have just been honest!
"Did you already hear the story from Sir Gabriel?"
While I was hesitating, wondering how to fix this, Madame Toten covered her mouth and chuckled.
"I didn't hear the details, but I do know that Sir Gabriel was the one who first made the request to you, Lady Rohanson."
Then why did you ask me why I wanted to enter high society! I thought my head would explode trying to squeeze out an excuse that didn't exist.
"So you are simply helping Sir Gabriel, and there is no other reason?"
"Was what I just said not enough of an answer?"
"But, Lady Rohanson, you spoke far too dispassionately for someone who wishes to fulfill the dying wish of a mother she misses. In truth, you do not miss her at all, and you have no reason to meet with House Hosaquin, do you?"
"Yes. That's correct."
She hit the nail right on the head. From a RoFan perspective, it was a bit too late for the ducal house to take the "regretful maternal family" route, and from my own perspective, the mother I missed was my own, not Evangeline's.
I thought I had delivered the lines with decent emotion, but my acting skills must have been the problem. Could it be that Daisy found out about my possession because of my terrible acting, too? And here I thought it was because I was too nice to hide it! It was my acting skills all along?!
"But... why did you say that when I asked earlier?"
"Because it sounded more plausible. Is there a problem with that?"
Please say it doesn't matter. It would be so awkward to go back to Gabriel and explain that Madame Toten refused to be my chaperone. If he asks why, I'd have to tell him it's because I got caught lying. I'm terrified my favorability points with him will plummet.
"No, of course not. I only asked to satisfy my own curiosity. I was wondering if you had another motive, Lady Rohanson. Of course, regardless of your answer, I had no intention of going back on my promise to Sir Gabriel."
So, in other words, she would never have agreed to chaperone me if it weren't for Gabriel's request.
But is that really all? The old butler and Gabriel said she accepted out of sympathy, projecting her own son onto the sickly Evangeline. And I was even warned that the Marchioness might ask about the secret to my recovery.
"I thought you accepted being my chaperone because there was something you wanted to hear from me, Madame."
"Something you wanted to hear from me, Lady Rohanson?"
"Yes. For example, the story of how Evangeline Rohanson rose from her deathbed."
"That..."
As I spoke with a bright smile, Madame Toten's composure cracked.
Wasn't this what she was curious about?
Just as I was about to firmly state—as the old butler had suggested—that there was nothing I could do to help, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
Before anyone could grant permission, the door slowly creaked open. Madame Toten's brow furrowed at the intruder's rudeness, but that lasted only a second. The moment she saw who it was, she gasped, leapt to her feet, and rushed over in a single bound.
"Cough, cough. Mother..."
"Ryder! Why are you out of bed?"