Chapter : 08

Isidel was tall.

She had elegantly twisted and bound her jet-black hair.

She was quite an obsessive person who wouldn’t allow even a single strand of hair to fall out of place.

Every step she took was precise, and her deep, dark eyes shone with an extraordinary light.

That appearance was just like….

‘She’s like Raphael!’

She resembled the refined elegance of that man who made my heart race.

‘Really, really, really completely perfect.’

With an excited heart, I rose and bowed my head toward her.

“I am Serenthia Rosemary. Soon to become the Grand Duchess….”

“I already know who you are. You don’t need to introduce yourself.”

She sat in the seat across from me, looking at me elegantly.

Her cold expression and annoyed face clearly showed she didn’t like me at all.

“I’ll cut to the chase. I cannot acknowledge you as the Grand Duchess.”

“Aha.”

“I’ve heard all the rumors about you. You haven’t proven any abilities until age twenty. Moreover, I also think your family is….”

“Aha, yes.”

“…And also. I heard that story too. You’re going to build my salon?”

“Ah….”

“You should say things that make sense. My salon must be built by the hands of the most promising architect. Not by some nobody like you who was just born into a flashy family. Do you understand?”

She began rapidly listing all the reasons she disliked me to my face.

And I stared at her intently with a serious expression.

‘She’s talking too fast for me to understand.’

Thanks to being constantly mistreated at home before my regression, I had acquired the skill of quickly brushing off insults about myself.

So I just looked at her appearance and face that resembled Raphael so much.

‘So Isidel really does resemble Raphael… Head Maid Melorsi has a good eye, doesn’t she?’

The two definitely resembled each other, but in slightly different categories.

If my husband was a prickly but cuter-than-a-kitten baby tiger, then my sister-in-law was like a prickly but more-lovable-than-a-puppy baby black panther?

My neck felt like it would break from looking up at Isidel, but I spoke seriously.

“Fine. But what kind of salon design do you want?”

“…What? Did you even listen to what I said?”

I didn’t listen carefully.

‘It was probably insults. I can guess.’

I suppressed my laughter inwardly and covered my cheeks with both hands.

‘They really, really look so alike….’

I answered her shyly.

“Yes. I heard you.”

“Ha, really….”

“Oh, but I don’t think you need to tell me!”

When I smiled with sparkling eyes, she said coldly.

“Right. I guess you’re giving up immediately.”

I stared at her and tilted my head slightly.

‘In my past life, I constantly figured out what clients wanted.’

(Limited to buildings) I could tell what kind of space someone wanted and needed just by watching their gait.

‘Expression, lighting, even the half-hoarse voice of the maid beside her….’

Everything combines together.

And as I stared intently at her, my eyes soon lit up.

“Whatever you bring, I will not accept it.”

At her words, I opened my eyes wide.

Then I declared seriously.

“Great!”

“…What?”

“A wonderful inspiration just came to me!”

My eyes sparkled.

However, Isidel looked at me with a mischievous expression.

“Not interested. Get out.”

…Did she just tell me to leave?

‘Why is she being so kind?’

The Rosemary Family used to openly curse at me, saying ‘She’s as slow as a slug. Why won’t she just disappear?’

‘Everyone seems nice.’

I stood up abruptly with some emotion.

“Yes, farewell and may you live a long and healthy life!”

***

More than ten minutes passed, in the place where Serenthia had left.

Isidel remained alone, continuing to contemplate.

When Serenthia was told to get lost, she really did get lost.

She left without looking back, even wishing for her long and healthy life….

‘What was that, was she being sarcastic? Or am I dreaming right now?’

She always wore only funeral-black clothes.

If she just frowned once at anyone, they would immediately bow their heads.

Moreover, she was a powerful mage.

She had a tremendous mana core and was incredibly eccentric, so anyone would naturally fear her.

But why on earth….

‘Why wasn’t she afraid of me?’

Isidel commanded her remaining maid with subtle confusion.

“Summarize what just happened.”

“That is….”

“Right now.”

“The prospective Grand Duchess came in, stirred up your heart, and disappeared at the speed of light.”

“That’s an unsatisfactory one-line summary.”

She lifted her teacup and slightly narrowed her brow.

She had expected Serenthia to fear her, but hadn’t expected her eyes to be so bright and clear.

“But you know.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t like people whose heads are just flower gardens.”

“Ah…. That’s, yes….”

It was natural.

The North was a world of survival of the fittest.

A place where purely bright beings quickly became corrupted and disappeared. Moreover, Isidel….

“You particularly prefer capable people, my lady.”

“Right. That’s why only capable people remain by my side, isn’t it.”

“Perhaps, Her Highness the Grand Duchess might be capable….”

“Right. Then she’d look even better. There’s no one who’s both warm as sunlight and capable.”

“That’s, yes….”

“But I’ve already investigated the Grand Duchess’s background completely. Last place graduate from the Architecture Academy. Zero building designs handled by her family.”

“Ah….”

“This salon design project is probably just excited child’s play. She’ll surely do something terribly crude. I don’t know how she convinced Grand Duke Raphael, but seeing how stubborn she is, I can guess.”

“My lady….”

“Being uselessly cheerful while incompetent is rather poisonous.”

At her resolute appearance, the maid had a premonition.

That Lady Serentia would soon begin a difficult life as a daughter-in-law.

***

‘Lady Isidel, I wonder what she’ll be like when she’s making me suffer as a daughter-in-law?’

At that moment, in front of the bench in the Garden.

I, Serentia, covered my mouth and laughed softly.

‘Just looking at her face is nice, and it seems like it would be fun just being by her side!’

And what about her personality too.

‘If she dislikes something, she dislikes it; if she likes something, she likes it. How refreshing?’

In my first life I had no family, and in my second life I clung to a family that was worse than having none and was only exploited.

I had been curious about how ordinary, harmonious families lived…

‘Such a refreshing relationship, and cute banter too. Completely satisfying!’

Moreover, my conversation with her gave me one great inspiration.

And right now, in this moment, in order to develop that inspiration…!

I sat on the bench in the Garden in front of the Maid’s Room and pretended to read a book, opening it.

“A book called 【Why Did That Servant Look at My Lady】! The reason you chose that book is proof that you read the **context** well. Your **reading comprehension** seems very good.”

Thanks to the ridiculous praise from the AI squirrel X-ty, no wait, the divine squirrel, my shoulders were starting to rise with pride.

Beyond the upside-down book cover, I could see the Maid’s Room window was open.

‘It seems like the time has come when I can gradually gather information…’

But just then.

Ding dong, ding dong.

“Ah, I hear the chime bell. Where is it this time?”

“Is it from the hallway?”

I heard the sound of the Maids scattering here and there.

I got up from my seat and approached the Outer Wall of the Castle where the Maid’s Room was located.

The cold texture of the stone wall touched my palm.