Episode 121
Flora's body stiffened under the gazes of the maids.
'Ah, this is no ti for this.'
Rembering that this was the residence of a precious guest, not the Lucifer Ducal House, Flora quickly pulled herself together.
"Oh, s-sorry. Did I surprise you? I was in such a hurry because I missed my oppa so much."
As Flora tried to smooth things over with an awkward laugh and an apology to hide her embarrassnt, the maids looked at her with eyes that were glistening with moisture, as if they had made a promise to do so.
'It's... burdenso.'
She had no idea why they were staring at her like that.
"It's quite alright, Young Lady. There's no need to apologize to us for such a thing. More importantly, are you hurt anywhere?"
"Yes, thanks to you."
"The dining hall is quite a distance away. If you are still tired, would it be alright if I carried you there?"
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm fine now."
Flora shook her head vigorously as the maid seed ready to scoop her up at any mont.
"That's a relief. Now, please walk slowly this ti so you don't fall. I will guide you to the dining hall."
They were clearly smiling, so why did they look disappointed?
'......The atmosphere is a bit strange.'
It was certain they held goodwill towards her, but it felt oddly cautious, or sothing like that.
'More importantly, what was that earlier?'
It seed like they said she resembled sothing, but she had no idea what that 'sothing' was.
The maids straightened their postures as if they had never worn sad expressions and began to follow behind Flora.
Upon leaving the room, a long corridor unfolded before her. It wasn't overly lavish, but the well-decorated hallway welcod her.
'There's a lot of purple everywhere.'
Since bright colors like pink or purple were typically used in areas where won resided, it wasn't strange.
'The color is pretty. It's just like my brother's eye color.'
It was neither too dark nor too light, just perfect to look at.
As she was looking at the familiar purple color infused in the jewels, paintings, and even the minor details like the wallpaper and curtains, the maid leading the way spoke up.
"This is the main castle of the Eisollen Marquisate. The decorations throughout are based on the athyst-colored eyes, a na worthy of being passed down in the Marquis's family."
It seed she was offering an explanation so the walk wouldn't be boring, as Flora kept showing interest and staring.
A small curiosity blood within her.
'Then what happens if you aren't born with that color?'
The maid continued speaking, but Flora's mind didn't register the words.
'Maybe they get cast out from the family? Abandoned? Or perhaps treated as a failure... Nobles are pointlessly sensitive about these things.'
Anyway, thinking it was a familiar and pretty color, she walked diligently down the corridor.
Just as she was regretting not having asked to be carried because the distance was longer than expected, she fortunately arrived at the dining hall.
'At this point, the al is probably already over.'
It seed there might be no point in having co to the dining hall, but since she was here, it was right to greet Benio while he was present.
Flora unnecessarily brushed off her skirt and straightened her attire.
"Young Lady, the ribbon in your hair is crooked. Let tie it again for a mont."
"The shine on your shoes has dulled a bit. I'll polish them for you."
"The lace on your skirt is wrinkled. I'll smooth it out neatly for you."
"Your bangs got ssed up from tying your hair. Let give it a light brush."
She had only intended to check her appearance for a mont, but several hands simultaneously reached out and tidied up Flora's state.
'What is with these skillful hands?'
It was natural since they weren't young maids, but it felt strangely, very strangely, familiar. It was the kind of posture that ca out naturally.
'Is this the bearing of maids who serve a Young Lady?'
Indeed, their speed of handling tasks was different from the maids of Lucifer, who were just building their foundation and establishing a system.
She was quietly impressed inwardly when the hands simultaneously withdrew. The preparations were complete.
"Young Lady, I will open the door now."
Flora nodded in response.
The maid at the front knocked on the door and announced Flora's arrival.
"Tell her to co in."
Then, a loud voice ca from inside. It was a voice filled with welco to anyone's ears, and it did not belong to Benio.
'Is there soone else inside besides my oppa and the Marquis?'
Who on earth would speak with such a happy voice?
The hand holding the thick doorknob smoothly opened the door. Along with it, Flora swallowed hard due to nervousness.
'Why am I getting nervous over this?'
Just as Flora clenched her small fist firmly, the large door swung wide open, and her eyes t those of a man sitting at the head of the table.
'If he's sitting at the head, he must be the Marquis, right?'
Quickly rolling her eyes, she saw no other nobles besides Benio sitting next to him.
Amusingly, the first thought that ca to her upon seeing him was, 'So you can beco the Marquis even if your eye color isn't purple.'
Unlike the main castle, which was athyst in color, the Eisollen Marquis's eyes were a deep blue.
As her curiosity about the eye color was resolved, another point of bewildernt arose.
'Is the Marquis welcoming ? Why?'
This was a bit surprising.
She hadn't even considered the idea that the Marquis would naturally welco her, a Lucifer, warmly.
'Well, it doesn't feel bad, so maybe I should be a bit polite.'
Flora gently held the hem of her dress, tilted her head slightly forward, and offered a greeting.
"It's a pleasure to et you, Marquis Eisollen. I am Flora Lucifer, the Young Lady of the Lucifer Ducal House."
A smile spread across the lips of the Marquis Eisollen at the cute greeting from the small Young Lady.
"Oh! It's a pleasure, Flora! I am Marquis Eisollen."
It seed the Marquis was more approachable than expected. Seeing how he interacted without reserve even with a Young Lady.
Seeing that, her tension eased, and even the slight discomfort in her heart faded.
"I was worried that I might be interrupting as the al is likely ending."
"Oh my, not at all! Now, don't just stand there, co and sit down."
With a firm denial, the Marquis rose from his seat and personally pulled out the chair for Flora to sit in.
Glancing at Benio, she saw him nodding with a faint smile.
'That probably ans it's okay to accept the favor.'
Since Benio had permitted it, Flora sat down in the chair he had pulled out without any hesitation.
"What do you like, Flora? Is there anything in particular you'd like to eat?"
"I eat well without being picky, a bit of everything."
She refrained from ntioning that she eats everything except broccoli. She wanted to maintain a proper image.
She could see Benio, sitting across from her, stifling a laugh, but when she shot him a glance, he cleared his throat and swallowed his laughter.
Fortunately, there was no broccoli among the newly served dishes. Thanks to that, she managed to avoid being a liar as she ate, but for so reason, the gazes fixed on her face felt intense.
'......Why does it feel like everyone is only looking at ?'
It was one thing for her brother Benio, but even the Marquis sitting at the head and the maids and servants waiting around seed to be looking only at her.
'And they all seem a bit older, don't they?'
When she quickly scanned the room upon entering, she didn't see any young employees.
'Is it because I'm so young that their eyes are naturally drawn to ?'
Just as she thought they were staring a bit too intently, the al ca to an end.
'I've given my greetings, so it should be okay to leave now, right?'
She needed to find Basilian, who had gone ahead to the Eisollen Marquisate, so she had no more ti to waste.
Flora began to gauge the mood to get up when an elderly man who appeared to be the Head Chef erged from a connected passageway, his face tense as he carried a tray.
It seed there was still dessert left.
"I prepared this specially, hearing we have a young guest. It's orange pudding."
With the Marquis's words, the Head Chef personally placed the dessert on the table.
On the white plate sat a round, pretty pudding the color of vermilion, and it gave off a fresh, sweet aroma, as if it were packed with fruit juice.
After confirming the Marquis ate first, she took a spoonful, and the fruit juice popped explosively in her mouth.
"Mmm, it's delicious."
Unconsciously, she held the spoon and giggled, enjoying the sweetness, when suddenly, she heard a sniffle from beside her.
Startled, she turned her head and saw the Head Chef, who had not yet left and was waiting, with tears in his eyes.
'What? Why is he crying?'
As a flustered Flora looked around, she noticed that the eyes of all the adults, except for Benio, were glistening with moisture.
Even the Marquis Eisollen.
'Really, what is this all about?'
While the others looked on the verge of tears, the Head Chef's tears showed no sign of stopping. Given that he seed quite old, she couldn't help but feel concerned even if she didn't want to.
'Well, there's no helping it.'
Flora got up from her seat and walked over to the Head Chef.
Then, she offered her handkerchief to the sniffling man.
"I'm giving this to you because the dessert was delicious. So don't cry."
It was her attempt at comfort, though the problem, if it was one, was that he burst into even louder sobs.
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