Serena, despite Anna’s objections, changed her clothes and headed straight for the bed, falling into sleep as if fainting. The unfamiliar bedding should have been uncomfortable, but the hellish journey by carriage made this place feel like heaven.

“Miss, wake up!”

Anna shook her body vigorously, but Serena was still in a drowsy state.

“Miss!”

Why all the fuss to wake her up as soon as she lay down? Feeling aggrieved, Serena buried her face deeper into the pillow when suddenly the blanket was ripped off, and a cold air enveloped her entire body.

“What is… going on…”

Forcing herself awake and rubbing her eyes, Serena saw Anna rolling her feet next to her and the face of an unfamiliar old lady. Seeing the blanket in the old lady’s hand, it was clear who the culprit was.

“What’s the matter? I just fell asleep.”

Unperturbed by Serena’s irritated words, the old lady gestured to a young maidservant. Then, the curtains were drawn open, and bright sunlight flooded in, blinding her eyes.

“I apologize, but it’s already morning.”

Just lying down and a whole night has passed? Serena found it unbelievable, but the bright sun left her no room for argument.

“My name is Nora, the housekeeper here.”

Only then did Serena barely recognize her as the housekeeper introduced by the Countess yesterday.

“Anna should be the one attending to me.”

A fully awakened Serena sat up and spoke. Her beautiful face was filled with dissatisfaction. Not just because her short sleep was interrupted, but because the rude manner was offensive.

“Yes. I told Miss Anna several times to wake you, but as time was running out, I came myself.”

“By stealing a sleeping person’s blanket?”

Kneeling slightly, Nora gave a formal bow before handing the blanket back to the young maidservant.

“I wouldn’t dare to touch your noble body, so I helped you wake up.”

Last night, the Countess was very kind, but seeing how the housekeeper acted, Serena couldn’t underestimate her.

“The royal wedding is only fifteen days away. We have a lot to prepare, so you’ll have to wake up early for a while.”

Serena was always the earliest to rise and move in the Astel territory. It irritated her that she couldn’t get extra sleep for just one day because she was fatigued from the travel.

“The Countess is overseeing preparations for the bride’s side. There can’t be any disruptions.”

In the end, it was for her own good. Roger, the Count of Sherwood, was her cousin, and she assumed he would treat her like family, but Nora’s attitude suggested otherwise.

“To clarify, I normally wake up at 7 a.m. to start my day.”

Serena stared at Nora while gulping down the water on her bedside table.

“Also…”

Before Serena could continue, Nora kneeled again, giving another formal bow, and opened her mouth sternly.

“I apologize, but it is the Countess’s order to correct your mistakes as they happen.”

“…What?”

“From now on, you may refer to me as Madam Nora. I’ll be assisting you with everything in this mansion.”

Anna also wore an overtly displeased expression, but as Serena was there, she couldn’t intervene first.

“You don’t need to wake up at 7. Due to preparations for the royal wedding, you should wake up at 9. However, it’s customary for the lady to wake up only when a maidservant comes after 10.”

Until now, Serena had lived differently. Before her engagement, her only family, her father, the Duke of Astel, had been away, and Anna had cared for her while she was sick with a fever.

“Now, housekeeper… no, Madam Nora, it sounds like you’re going to teach me manners.”

“Yes, starting today, you’ll learn the etiquette of the royal palace.”

At Nora’s words, Serena’s expression grew even grimmer.

She’d never even considered royal etiquette. After the awful engagement ceremony, she’d done whatever she wanted at the Astel estate, so this was her first time being bound as a noble lady.

“What if I say I don’t need any instruction?”
“The Duchess is waiting for you, so please finish getting ready and go see her.”

Nora left the room after telling Anna to hurry with her preparations. She probably knew not to cross the line of the lady-in-waiting.

“I’m sorry, Miss.”

“It’s fine. What could Anna have done wrong?”

Imagining Anna in an awkward position in between, she regretted oversleeping. Of course, Lady Nora was inconvenient too.

“The Duchess is really something. Knowing full well how tired I am from the long journey, she had to do this today…”

Anna had said all that needed to be said, so there was nothing more to add.

“Sure, I’ll ask her myself.”

Serena’s sharp gaze shot through the empty air.

As Serena finished getting ready and arrived at the reception room on the first floor, the Duchess, already seated and sipping tea, stood up and greeted her with a light bow.

“I hope you had a restful journey. I would have let you rest another day, but the schedule is tight… I hope you understand.”