[Chapter 284] Shall We Begin the Meeting?

"Miss Valentine?" Did she know her from before?

Hearing the word "Miss" after so long, Valentine felt a great sense of relief. It was better to know the person in this situation than not, because she could beg, plead, or… whatever she had to do. If the other person remembered the old Valentine, wouldn't they have some sympathy?

"Y, yes. Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me?"

The maid's eyes sparkled. Valentine decided it was a welcoming attitude.

It was a real relief. Valentine straightened her back as she had been taught all her life and surveyed the other woman with a ladylike gaze.

The maid's face was tanned black from working in the fields, and she looked strong. It was a bit strange. Because Valentine had always lived a life where even the maids who served her had maids of their own. She had never had the kind of relationship with a maid who did manual labor that would allow her to ask, "Don't you remember me?"

Those features seemed a little familiar. Pondering, Valentine took a gamble.

In other words, she pretended to recognize her.

"Ah, ah!"

"Ah!"

When Valentine exclaimed as if she remembered, the maid laughed in response, as if imitating her. Was it time to slip away now? It would be troublesome if word got out that the last of the Elandria family had been seen… Valentine thought that and rolled her eyes, but then.

"What kind of tricks are you trying to pull here?"

The maid laughed brightly and hit Valentine on the head with the farm tool in her hand, just like before. Her head spun and stars appeared before her eyes. Valentine was dumbfounded and screamed.

"Ouch!"

"Ouch? Ouch? This bitch still hasn't come to her senses?"

The maid's hand now slapped Valentine all over her body. Valentine cried out in protest. She was even using such harsh language even though she knew who she was!

"Why are you hitting me! Who are you?!"

"Who am I? I'm Isabel, the one you and that damn Delma chased away."

Who is that? Valentine had chased away many people with Delma. So she didn't remember hearing such a thing.

Isabel must have realized that situation right away. She let out a mocking laugh.

"You don't remember? Maybe you'll recognize it if I say it this way? You sent me to get information about that clever Neris, and then you chased me away because the seal on the invitation was wrong. And you reported to the Lord of Caten that I had stolen something, so I suffered a lot. Thanks to you, I have a criminal record, and I wandered around like a beggar until I met our monk, who doesn't care about your background."

As she said that, Valentine really remembered. A blurry image of that stupid maid from a lower noble family came to mind. She didn't remember her face, but she might have looked like that. Originally, she was a maid of noble blood and didn't do hard work, but she must have changed her appearance while living here.

Isabel cackled as she saw Valentine flinch in fear.

"I know too. The world has changed. Your family is ruined, right? People looking for you are all over the place. Some people came and went to our monastery a few times. Should I turn you in now for some revenge?"

"No, don't! Please!"

Valentine's mind went blank. If she was caught now, she would be executed! Or something else terrible would happen to her!

She absolutely couldn't be caught now. She fell to her knees and began to beg with all her might.

"Please don't turn me in, okay? I was wrong before. I, sniff! I was bad. Please, pretend you don't know me. I won't come here again. I won't come near this place again, sniff!"

It was clear that Valentine's appearance, begging for the first time in her life, gasping for breath, gave Isabel satisfaction. Isabel looked down at Valentine, who had even fallen to the ground while begging. Then she smirked at her roughened face.

"Hey, you."

"Yes?"

I'll let you off if you do everything I tell you. You look hungry, I'll give you some food.

Oh, oh? Anything, I'll really do anything.

Valentine raised her head, startled. Isabel looked down at Valentine and suddenly grabbed her by the hair. Valentine's neck snapped back, and she screamed in surprise.

Ugh!

Where did you learn to talk back, you insolent thing. Still haven't figured out the situation? You must be stupid, I'll personally give you etiquette lessons whenever you do something wrong. One slap for every time you talk back, three slaps for every time you're lazy, and I'll break your legs if you try to run away. It's good that we needed someone to pull weeds, you pig. Oh, our monk can't hear you no matter how much you scream, so don't try to get sympathy.

Isabel grabbed Valentine's hair and roughly dragged her into the monastery enclosure. Valentine cried and sobbed under her merciless touch. A question arose in her mind.

If I try to run away? Does that mean I have to stay here? For how long? Maybe forever…?

The gate to the enclosure slammed shut behind Valentine.

***

Before winter arrived, magnificent carriages arrived at White Swan Castle in a long line.

Black, sleek vehicles with silver-trimmed wheels and six steeds adorned with tassels. These carriages, with their escorts and attendants on horseback in front and behind, hinted at an important ceremony just by their appearance. And the faces of the people who stepped out as the carriage doors opened drew clear admiration.

"Is that Duke Ganiello? Is he the father of that handsome young man who came and went last time?"

"They say he's the head of the Mirham family, who has long protected the Imperial family. His title is Baron, but his family has been around since the early days of the Empire, so they say he's no less than a high-ranking noble."

The people of Meindlandt weren't interested in the great noble families of the south. But it was right after the months-long war had ended, and countless people had been killed or punished. The appearance of these high-ranking people, adorned with sparkling jewels and clothes with a deep sheen, lifted the spirits of the people who were somewhat gloomy and weary.

One after another, black carriages entered White Swan Castle at intervals of a few days. And when the last black carriage arrived.

"Your Grace."

The Duchess, the highest and most excellent person in the world from the perspective of the people of Meindlandt, came out to greet her personally with a bright smile.

The elderly woman with a solemn face, who had revealed her face from inside the carriage, looked down at Neris. Then, taking the hand of the butler who accompanied her, she stepped out of the carriage and casually chided her.

"It's getting cold, why did you come out?"

"It's not that cold."

"The baby might be cold."

"Can't you see these thick clothes wrapping around my belly?"

The relationship between Lady Mariah and the Duchess of Meindlandt should have been very different before and after the war. Even if the two had been close before the war, the Duke and Duchess were now the ones who had completely destroyed the Imperial family.

But the Lady casually snorted. Suddenly, the Lady's gaze fell on Diane, who was arm in arm with Neris.

Diane's eyes widened. Diane, who had only received affection from her family, was not used to adults with stern faces like the Lady. Even her etiquette teacher from her childhood had never been truly strict with Diane.

The Lady, after looking into her eyes for a while, chuckled.

"Let's go inside. You two are young, so the cold wind will feel refreshing, but I'm cold."

"You should have said that from the beginning."

Neris chuckled. Neris and Diane, along with the Lady and the butler, slowly walked into the castle.

As they entered the hall, the Lady casually asked,

"What about Izet? Is she in prison too?"

"Princess Izet was in a similar position to the Empress, so she is being treated with respect. We can't place too much responsibility on someone who had no rights."

"Will you have her serve in the temple too?"

"I can give her a small estate."

"You don't need to give it. She's my niece, so she can inherit one of my estates. You need to prevent her from falling into the hands of powerful nobles and being used."

"She can keep her title of Princess and receive court etiquette."

"That's not necessary either. It might cause unnecessary trouble."

"Understood. Then she will keep the title of 'Lady' and receive court etiquette at the level of a Countess. However, this will only apply to her, and if she marries and has children in the future, they will follow the noble law."

"That's appropriate. Why are you so familiar with the royal law?"

"I've studied a bit."

Diane watched Neris and the Lady converse without taking a breath, amazed. Wow, they're like mother and daughter. It's different from when Mrs. Trude and our Liz are together.

"Miss."

As the four of them turned towards the grand council room of the East Palace, a low-ranking official who was passing through the corridor approached and called out. Since there was only one "Miss" among the four, their gaze naturally fell on Diane.

Diane greeted the low-ranking official happily.

"Hello?"

"Yes, hello. The two ladies are going to an important meeting, so Miss, you should go somewhere else with me."

"Where are we going?"

"It's nothing special, you'll see when you get there."

The low-ranking official, Talprin, naturally took Diane's arm and walked towards the garden with her. Neris warned them from behind.

"Be careful not to be seen by Sir Joyce."

Diane and the low-ranking official, Talprin, both turned to look at Neris and simultaneously looked as if they didn't understand what she was saying. Neris shook her head.

They were usually quick-witted.

"She's a lovely child."

The Lady commented briefly on Diane. Neris knew that the Lady would support Diane in whatever she wanted to do in society.

Neris, the Lady, and the butler arrived at the entrance to the grand council room of the East Palace. Duke Ganiello, who had been hovering around the area, approached the Lady with a smile.

"You've arrived. It's been a while since you went down to Tropur."

"It's not like I saw your face often before that."

"Ha, ha, but it's different from when we were in the same social circles. Shall we go in? I'll escort you."

Neris and the Lady both knew that Duke Ganiello had been waiting there for that very purpose. The butler stepped aside on his own. This meeting was not for him to attend. That was why Talprin had taken Diane away earlier.

As the oldest and most important adult remaining in the Imperial family, the Lady, the Duchess, and Duke Ganiello entered, everyone sitting in the council room stood up. Cledwin, who was sitting in the seat of honor in the council room, did the same. He quickly approached Neris, took her arm, and helped her.

"I told you, you don't need to help me."

Neris carefully sat down on the chair Cledwin had pulled out for her, wincing. Her body was definitely sluggish now when she moved.

As the Lady took her seat, everyone else sat down as well. Neris scanned the faces of those gathered in the grand council room.

Black carriages. Silver-trimmed wheels. Six steeds.

Those three things symbolized a certain protocol of the Imperial family that had not been invoked for a long time. When the former Emperor died without designating a successor or when the designated successor was unable to inherit the throne, the elders of the Imperial family, the heads of the grand noble families, and a few other designated important families would gather to decide the next Emperor.

The election of the Emperor by the electors.

Usually, there was about one Jewel Heart owner in the Imperial family per generation. And it was customary for the Jewel Heart owner to inherit the throne, so there was rarely a need for these "electors" to actually gather and discuss.

However, both legally and customarily, the identity of the current elector was always clearly designated. Because sometimes there were two Jewel Heart owners in one generation. Historically, in such cases, the Emperor usually clearly designated the Crown Prince to prevent any potential problems.

But thanks to that, it was easier to solve the current situation.

A situation where there was not a single owner of the azure Jewel Heart left, and it seemed unlikely that the proposition of "the azure Jewel Heart is the Emperor" would be upheld in the future.

The grand nobles had suffered near-extinction, with the exception of the Ganiello family, and the remaining families agreed to abide by the outcome of the agreement. And most of the collateral branches of the Imperial family were dead, except for Lady Mariah, and only a few families remained who legally had the status of electors as heads of their families.

So, the few remaining electors of the Empire were all gathered here.

"Shall we begin the meeting?"

And Neris, the one who had summoned them, already knew what the outcome of today's meeting would be.