Shadow Queen

Chapter 26

Elena smiled.

“I promise you, Madame, in the honor of the grand duke.”

“Can you really promise me that?”

“As much as you want. Would you like me to leave it in writing? I don’t want to recommend it because I’m leaving a clear proof. I’ll write it if you want.”

Madame de Flanrose agonized over all her brains. In the social world, she was a woman who pretended to be a lady among ladies and did not hesitate to engage in obscene adultery.

“No, I believe in your promise.”

“That’s a wise judgment.”

Elena, who closed the deal, leisurely lifted the teacup and took it to her mouth.

“You can tell Leabrick that you sent me that child in return for the handkerchief.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Princess.”

“Let’s stay close in the future, Madame.”

“…”

When Elena left room for continued relationship, Madame de Flanrose made a face that could not laugh or cry, and the lady only drank the tea. Soon after, Leabrick returned to the drawing room wearing a neat empire dress.

“I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long.”

Leabrick sat down again, asking for her understanding.

“Did you talk while I was away?”

“We about the manners of ladies. I’ll never forget this conversation today because every word Madame said here was such a gem.”

Elena was returned to pure aristocracy, as if secret talks had not even existed from the beginning. Madame de Flanrose was dumbfounded by such double figures, but she couldn’t show her face because she couldn’t resist Elena.

“Your Highness, the reason I’m here is to return the handkerchief.”

“I wasn’t hoping for a return.”

Elena even tried to dissuade her, but Madame de Flanrose remained faithful to her role.

“I know a child about two years old who’s had my hair. She has good behavior and can talk well. She’s a very talented child. It is thought that she would dare to match the dignity and dignity of her Highness.”

“M-Madame, you’re giving me Madame’s maid of honor? Really?”

Elena covered her mouth with her hands with emotion.

“Yes, it is a return of heart from your Highness, if not enough. Will you take her?”

“Of course…”

Elena, who was willing to answer, blurted out the end of her words and looked at Leabrick’s face. If it was a private meeting, she had to move according to her judgment as long as Leabrick was present. Elena, however, was sure that Leabrick would never turn down the offer.

‘You can’t miss this opportunity.’

It’s not anyone else, it’s a gift from Madame de Flanrose. In aristocratic society, giving and receiving maids was a symbol and proof of friendship that cannot be translated into money.

However, Leabrick did not readily answer. It was feared that Elena was known as a substitute. Since the girl who received the gift was left as a woman under her direct control, she was concerned about whether the secret would leak out from that part. As the hesitation lengthened, Madame de Flanrose asked her intentions again.

“Excuse me, Your Highness?”

“That’s…”

She naturally helped her to make the decision, which she was thinking hard about.

Whether the distressed Leabrick made a decision or not, she naturally listened to her.

“She’s never seen such a return before, so I guess Your Highness can’t make up her mind. Take it now, Your Highness. Madame is embarrassed.”

“Yes? Yes! Madame, I’ll gladly accept it. I’ll never forget today’s impressions.”

Elena was delighted with a bright smile. It was not a pretentious smile, but a sincere smile. It didn’t matter if she showed her true feelings at this moment.

“I feel much better now that I see Your Highness’s favor. I’ll visit you from time to time. Let’s get along.”

“I’d be honored if you did. I’ll be waiting, Madame.”

Elena and Madame de Flanrose held hands affectionately.

***

Count Rondo. On behalf of the crippled Count Rondo, Madame de Flanrose dealt with the count’s big events. Her work was as fair as her social reputation, so no one from the lower ones to the nobles found fault with it.

“Did you find it, ma’am?”

Madame de Flanrose called May, the maid, into the office, scared to return after just going out.

“Come close.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Madame de Flemish looked at May, who was polite and undisturbed. Her skin was clean without a freckle, not always doing chores in the sun. Her bobbed hair covering her ears was perfectly neat, and her horizontal shoulder line was steady.

“How long have you been here?”

“This is my second year.”

“Time flies so fast. Come to think of it, you’ve been a well-behaved kid since you first came here.”

“I’m flattered, ma’am.”

Despite the praise of Madame de Flanrose, who was rumored to be stingy with praise, May showed no signs of excitement or joy. Although she was only a maid, the calmness she often showed was sometimes surprising to Madame de Flanrose.

“When I saw you, I felt sorry that you weren’t born into a noble family.”

“Nobility. It doesn’t matter, ma’am.”

May bowed her head as if she had heard too much praise for herself. Madame de Flanrose, who was staring at May, said.

“I’ll say nothing more than that. The nobles are the things that heaven decides. Raise your head and look at me.”

May carefully raised her head. She stared at Madame de Flanrose’s chin without making eye contact so as not to offend. It was a perfect gaze treatment that she really wanted to use as an example of a maid. It was regrettable that she was sending such a child to the Grand Duke, but she gave up because she thought that her life was first.

“You are a good fortune to be a maid of honor for any family. I would like to recommend a family that would suit you.”

“Madame?”

Madame de Flanrose spoke calmly.

“I want you to go to the Grand House”

“…!”

May’s eyes shook seriously. It was the first time that Madame de Flanrose had seen such a sympathetic May.

“Princess Veronica was very pleased to hear about you. Why don’t you go to the Grand House, considering your living conditions and future?”

“I-it’s too sudden…”

“An important choice in life is always sudden. Would you like to go to the great house?”

May’s eyes deepened. What is clear is that she was not considering whether this hesitation would go or not. Rather, her eyes contained a little joy that she had never seen before. As if she’d been waiting for this moment.

“Yes, I will follow your wishes, Madame.”

May answered clearly in a small but powerful voice.

“That’s a good idea. It will be a decision without regret.”

Madame de Flanrose also nodded with a satisfactory smile. On the surface, it was a perfect deal to get what each other wanted. And it was none other than Elena who moved the perfect deal.

***

The carriage sent by Madame de Flanrose entered the Grand House. In spite of sending a maid, Madame de Flanrose did not hesitate to send her in a carriage with all her heart and effort. It was to show off her strong relationship with Princess Veronica.

May, who got out of the carriage, looked up at the mansion. The mansion of the great house, which was more splendid than the palace, was magnificent enough to exclaim itself.

“Are you May?”

Anne, who was standing in front of the mansion and waiting, pretended to know in a crooked position. May looked at Anne silently. Even if she looked at it, she looked younger than three or four years younger. From the beginning, she felt that she wasn’t happy, or that she was trying to dominate in order to gain an edge in the ranks among the maids.

“Yes.”

When May responded, Anne crossed her arms and scattered May up and down with an unpleasant expression. May, whose skin was finer and more beautiful than her freckles, seemed to dislike her.

“You brought all the papers, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me.”

It was in Leabrick’s office that Anne took the new girl, thinking about how to mess with her.

“Give me what you brought.”

May was handing out her ID card, personal details, and recommendation letters written by Madame de Flanrose to Leabrick. Without missing a single word, Leabrick checked again and again for any suspicious points.

‘… ..I don’t like it, but I can’t help it considering the reputation of the princess who fell to the ground.’

Although she still disapproved of having a maid from outside for Elena, she decided to endure it to raise the social status of Princess Veronica. When there was nothing strange about her identity, Leabrick presented the contract, and May signed it without a hitch.

“From this moment on, you are the direct maid of honor for her Majesty. If you don’t know understand something, ask Anne here and learn.”

“Yes, I will serve Your Highness with all my heart.”

“Go and say hello to your Highness.”

May bowed out of the office. Anne walked ahead and explained the interior of the mansion, which was dry. May didn’t pay much attention as she had expected some checks or back-ups. The first thing she needed to do is figure out what’s going on in the mansion.

Anne stopped walking when she reached the door of the biggest marble on this floor of the main building. There was still an old look, but she could guess that this was Princess Veronica’s room because of the beautiful-looking knight guarding the door.

“Your Highness, I’ve brought your new maid of honor.”

“Let her in.”

A clear voice was heard beyond the door. Anne, who was impatient, urged.

“What are you standing there for? Your Highness is waiting for you.”

May pushed the handle slowly into the room. Even if you looked around, it was a room that was large enough to be comparable to the room where Madame de Flanrose stayed. Elena was sitting by the window under the warm sun.

“Come here.”

At Elena’s call, May approached. A steady stride and an unbroken line of shoulders. She stood in front of Elena with surprisingly perfect steps to be considered a maid’s gesture.