“What?”

The woman’s hand, which had been fixing her hair in the mirror, suddenly stopped.

“Well… she said if you have something to say, come directly…”

The head maid trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Caroline turned around to look at the head maid.

“Who? Don’t tell me, Karina?”

“Yes.”

“Ahahahaha.”

Caroline burst into incredulous laughter, then suddenly turned serious and muttered in a low voice.

“Insolent bitch.”

An irritated voice echoed through the dark room.

“How dare that wench speak such nonsense without knowing her place?”

“…Yes.”

Caroline’s brow furrowed at the head maid’s words.

“That wench must have gone completely mad.”

When she first heard about the incident in the dining room, she thought it could happen.

To serve food that smelled so foul.

Even a fool like Karina might get angry once.

Rather, she was more concerned about Jeremiah.

She had told them to stir things up subtly, but to think even Jeremiah would find out in the end.

‘To think they can’t even handle such a simple task properly. This is why stupid people…’

Caroline clicked her tongue.

“What about the task I instructed?”

“Well… we did as you instructed, but…”

The head maid’s hesitant demeanor grated on her nerves. Caroline, having lost her patience, grabbed whatever was at hand and threw it.

“Crash!”

Glass shards scattered everywhere as they hit the wall, leaving cuts on the head maid’s face.

But overcome with fear, the head maid didn’t even feel the pain and just trembled.

“Speak clearly.”

Caroline warned the head maid with a cold expression.

The head maid, barely gathering her wits, quickly replied.

“As you instructed, we sent a message to ‘that side’. We received a reply saying they are on their way to the Grand Duke’s residence now.”

“Oh? They’re coming now, you say?”

Caroline smiled coldly.

“What about the dining room?”

“We’ve already agreed to say that the Grand Duchess bullied the maids first in the dining room.”

The head maid continued, extremely tense.

“The Grand Duke will believe it was the Grand Duchess’s deliberate and forced action to replace the internal staff of the Grand Duke’s household. So don’t worry.”

“Ha!”

Caroline burst into laughter.

“You think such a clumsy excuse will work?”

After thoroughly mocking her, she calmly fixed her hair reflected in the mirror.

“With such poor handling of tasks, I wonder if I can continue to entrust work to you as head maid?”

“I’m sorry.”

“If you can’t do it, say so in advance. There are plenty of others who can do it besides you.”

“No, I’m truly sorry.”

Caroline turned her gaze from the mirror and looked at the head maid with an expressionless face.

“Perhaps you want to end up like the previous head maid?”

“…!”

The head maid’s face turned deathly pale at the languid threat.

“Pl-please forgive me.”

“I’ll give you just one more chance.”

Caroline continued in an indifferent tone as she touched up her eye makeup.

“You’ll have to work hard. To satisfy me. Understood?”

“Yes. I won’t disappoint you again.”

“You may go.”

The head maid hurriedly left the room as if fleeing.

“Ah. What a generous master I am.”

Caroline muttered, looking at her reflection in the mirror with satisfaction.

The woman in the mirror was smiling a chillingly bright smile.

[This is the timeline separator]

“A guest?”

Karina frowned at the servant’s words.

“Yes. They say they have an appointment to meet with the Grand Duchess today.”

‘Was there someone coming to see me?’

She thought hard, but no one came to mind.

After all, she didn’t have any close acquaintances during this period.

“Who is it?”

“It’s the head of the Bedolan Trading Company. It seems they’ve come because of final preparations for tomorrow’s banquet.”

“Bedolan Trading Company…”

The name sounded familiar.

But she couldn’t remember the details. It was already 3 years ago, so it would be unreasonable to remember every little thing.

“Alright. I’ll be down soon, tell them to wait.”

Karina changed clothes and went down to the reception room.

“How have you been, Grand Duchess?”

A plump man wearing a blue velvet coat greeted Karina cheerfully.

He was the merchant from the Bedolan Trading Company who had apparently made an appointment to meet today.

“Ah…”

A small exclamation escaped Karina’s lips when she saw him.

‘No wonder the name Bedolan Trading Company sounded familiar.’

Seeing his round face with ample flesh, she remembered what kind of place the Bedolan Trading Company was.

More precisely, she remembered who this merchant in front of her was.

“I was worried you might have forgotten our appointment since there was no word from you.”

“My health hasn’t been good lately. I did forget about the appointment. Your name is…?”

“Abdul, Grand Duchess.”

“Right, Abdul.”

Karina smiled, hiding her true thoughts.

“So what brings you here today?”

“Ah. Ahem.”

Abdul cleared his throat uncomfortably and lowered his voice as if about to share an important secret.

“Well, Lady Caroline asked me to sincerely assist the Grand Duchess, who is not familiar with the culture of the northern region.”

‘Assist, is it.’

Karina inwardly scoffed.

‘Not assist, but deceive, more likely.’

Come to think of it, this was around the time Caroline started to openly oppose her.

Until then, Caroline had only interfered by saying she would teach her about various things she lacked, but she revealed her true colors through this incident.

“Interesting.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

Karina shook her head and sat on the sofa.

Abdul approached discreetly and took a seat across from her.

“I heard you were unwell. Were you very uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine now.”

“That’s a relief. Many people would be disappointed if the Grand Duchess missed the banquet tomorrow.”

‘Is that really so?’

The banquet being held tomorrow was ostensibly to celebrate the birthday of a noble lady close to Caroline.

But in reality, there was no birthday girl.

It was just an excuse needed to hold a banquet.

Caroline said she had prepared the banquet for Karina.

She explained that she would use it as an opportunity to introduce the Grand Duchess to the northern nobles.

However, her true intention was different.

It was a ploy to publicly embarrass and humiliate Karina, who was unfamiliar with northern culture.

If they were Caroline’s acquaintances, they wouldn’t be favorably disposed towards Karina anyway, so they’d be disappointed if she didn’t come?

‘Ah, I suppose they might be disappointed if I don’t show up since they want to humiliate me.’

Unaware of Karina’s thoughts, Abdul showed a sly smile as he narrowed his eyes.

“I heard this is your first official event since the wedding. Most nobles will be meeting the Grand Duchess up close for the first time. Isn’t the first impression the most important thing in human relationships?”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! That’s why on such occasions, you must wear the finest dresses and the most exquisite jewels befitting the Grand Duchess’s dignity.”

Abdul was a born smooth-talker. He flattered as naturally as someone else’s tongue in their mouth.

“If the beautiful Grand Duchess dresses properly tomorrow, everyone at the banquet will look up to you.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Karina showed an exaggerated reaction.

“But what should I do? I’m still not familiar with the etiquette here in the north.”

Karina touched her mouth with her hand, wearing a truly troubled expression.

“I don’t know how to dress for the banquet tomorrow?”

“Hahaha.”

Seeing Karina like this, Abdul laughed heartily, patting his belly with his palm.

“Don’t worry. That’s why Lady Caroline sent me, isn’t it? Grand Duchess, you just need to trust me.”

Abdul boasted loudly, puffing himself up.

“…”

Karina’s mouth was still smiling, but her eyes had long since turned cold.

‘Right, he spoke like that back then too.’

At the time, Karina naively believed every word of this pot-bellied merchant.

As a result, she had to endure a harsh initiation.

That incident came back to her as vividly as if it happened yesterday.

Of course, she had no intention of falling for it this time like she did then.

But she also didn’t plan to simply let him off without doing anything.

She intended to turn the situation Caroline had prepared against her.

‘This time, it’s my turn to repay the favor.’

“…Is that so? Then I’ll trust you.”

With an enigmatic smile, Karina gave the same answer as before.

[This is the timeline separator]

As evening fell, the surroundings grew dark.

Someone came to Caroline’s room, passing through the quiet corridor.

“Lady Caroline.”

“Welcome, Abdul.”

Caroline greeted Abdul warmly as he bowed deeply.

“So, how did it go?”

Abdul smiled broadly.

“It went well, just as you instructed, my lady.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. The Grand Duchess was very pleased with the dresses and accessories I recommended. She clapped her hands and exclaimed in delight every time I brought out a dress or jewel. She seemed completely captivated.”

“She liked them that much?”

“It goes without saying. She was gaping in joy! When she examined the sparkling jewels, I was worried her eyes might pop out.”

Abdul chuckled, making a comical expression by widening his eyes with his thumbs and forefingers.

Caroline’s eyes narrowed slightly.

She had thought the woman might have some backbone when she heard about her boasting in front of the head maid, but it seemed that wasn’t the case after all.

‘As expected. How pathetic to be so easily swayed by a few measly jewels.’

“Having been cooped up in her family’s estate all her life, how could she have seen such wondrous things?”

“Indeed. It’s only natural she’d be amazed by such rare items not commonly seen even in the imperial capital. She was absolutely mesmerized, practically drooling.”

“So? Which items did she choose? You recommended the most extravagant and luxurious ones, I assume?”

Abdul stroked his double chin with a smug expression.

“Ah, about that.”

He spread his arms wide and said triumphantly.

“She said she wanted to buy everything I showed her!”

“What?”

Caroline was startled by Abdul’s words.

“Even I didn’t expect the Grand Duchess’s taste to be that poor. She set her sights on all the accessories, even the ones I thought she would surely reject!”

Abdul sighed and shook his head.

“To have such poor judgment yet be so greedy. I had to struggle not to burst out laughing.”

Abdul snickered mockingly.

“She still seems to be deliberating, but I think she’ll end up buying them all.”

Then he subtly boasted about how his own eloquent speech had played a big role.

“You’re saying she wants to buy everything, when even one would be too much?”

“That’s right. In any case, the Grand Duchess’s appearance tomorrow will truly be a sight to behold. I’m certain it will be a spectacle you couldn’t pay to see.”

“To that extent?”

Caroline smirked and smiled arrogantly.

“I really can’t wait for tomorrow.”