Elisa quickly flipped back through the previous [Log], searching for the clues her male servant had left behind… No, this time it wasn’t a clue, but a complete theory.
She soon found the relevant part.
[…Nobles generally wouldn’t hold gatherings here… Only urgent or secret political meetings might be held in a place like this.]
That was so obvious that I actually overlooked it!
This place was very close to the government buildings and the royal palace, so it was indeed suitable for brief political meetings. But this was just a gathering between a few young ladies. How could politics possibly be involved?
Unless someone who was about to arrive was practically the embodiment of politics?
[Even while remaining in the servants’ area, Simon could still sense the change in atmosphere. The other party was about to arrive… or had already arrived.]
They’re here?
Elisa kept an eye on Eleanor. A maid pushed open the parlor door, a signal that prompted Eleanor to rise, take Mabel with her, and head downstairs to welcome the guest.
This is a very formal reception. I received the same treatment, but that was because I came as their friend.
Elisa glanced at the other three young ladies. Their faces were filled with confusion. They clearly hadn’t known about this either.
Eleanor and Mabel had only just reached the doorway when two figures entered from outside. The woman walking on the outer side was a mature lady Elisa knew well. It was her etiquette teacher, Lady Helen.
Lady Helen must be accompanying the guest. But what sort of person would be accompanied by Lady Helen, who once served as a palace maid… Royalty?!
Lady Helen did not join the gathering. She stepped aside by the door, revealing the young woman behind her.
She was a young lady with golden hair and blue eyes, dressed in a white gown adorned with countless elaborate ornaments. The dress was luxurious and elegant, but compared to the radiant face above it, its price hardly seemed worth mentioning.
Elisa rapidly searched her memory for members of the royal family around this age. It wasn’t difficult to narrow down. There was only one royal woman of the appropriate age.
The Fourth Princess Ophelia.
Princess Ophelia rarely appeared in public, and the newspapers had never published a photograph of her. However, as one of only two princesses and the only unmarried one, she was extremely famous. Her name also frequently appeared in connection with charitable causes and diplomatic receptions.
The Searl Daily called her the brightest jewel in the kingdom.
Ophelia greeted the young ladies in the room. “Good afternoon. I’m Ophina, a good friend of Eleanor and Mabel.”
No, you’re not Ophina at all! You’re Ophelia!
Elisa wondered why Ophelia was concealing her identity. If my male servant hadn’t tipped me off, I never would’ve figured it out!
Did anyone else notice?
Elisa looked at the other three young ladies. None of them seemed surprised, and their attitudes remained casual. Apparently, they hadn’t realized.
Elisa silently prayed for them, hoping they wouldn’t do anything offensive from here on out. Otherwise, they were going to be in serious trouble.
Ophelia took Eleanor and Mabel by the hands and sat down between them. She introduced herself as the daughter of a country landowner and said that she had often played with Eleanor and Mabel when they were children.
The three young ladies, including Lillian, believed the story. Not one of them suspected that Ophelia was lying. After all, who would tell a lie that lowered their own status?
Lillian began treating Ophelia with the same hostility she showed everyone else, making Elisa break out in a cold sweat on her behalf.
At the same time, Elisa wondered why Princess Ophelia had come to such a small gathering.
Judging from the information in [Simon’s Log], the maids at the manor had been preparing for this for some time. In other words, this wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. It had been planned well in advance. In fact, this little gathering might have been organized specifically for Ophelia.
The young ladies soon resumed their conversation. The topic shifted to charity, then to Mabel’s Workers’ Compensation Foundation. Preparations for the foundation were complete, its administrators had all been recruited, and it was about to begin operations.
At the appropriate moment, Ophelia spoke up and expressed her intention to make a donation.
It was perfectly proper etiquette, but Miss Lillian seized the opportunity to challenge her.
Lillian asked Ophelia, “How long have you been in the capital, Miss Ophina? Have you acquired any properties yet? Is there anything you’ve taken an interest in?”
Ophelia blinked and replied, “Not yet.”
Miss Lillian nodded. “Caution is a good thing. I’ve seen far too many landowners make failed investments and end up bankrupt. But being too cautious can also be a bad thing. I’ve also seen far too many landowners exhaust their fortunes and eventually have no choice but to sell off their estates.”
Elisa sucked in a sharp breath. Isn’t Miss Lillian being a little too bold?! She’s basically telling Ophelia, the country girl, that she doesn’t belong in their social circle! She’s one step away from pointing at her nose and calling her a country bumpkin!
Elisa looked toward Eleanor. Even the haughty Miss Eleanor was stunned by Lillian’s words and momentarily speechless.
As for Mabel, she covered her mouth and looked at Ophelia, laughing happily. That heartless girl!
Elisa quickly came to Ophelia’s aid, pretending to make fun of herself. “I haven’t acquired any properties either. Fortunately, Father gives me more than enough gold pounds.”
.
Ophelia smiled. “It’s the same with my family. It seems Miss Elisa and I will get along very well.”
Elisa could practically see [Intimacy +1] notifications continuously popping up above Ophelia’s head.
Thanks to my male servant and Miss Lillian, I’m raking in Ophelia’s favorability so easily! Elisa’s gaze toward Lillian immediately became much warmer.
That topic soon passed, and the young ladies moved on to other matters.
Elisa chatted along with them while sinking into thought.
Miss Lillian’s words might have been unpleasant, but they were also true. If you didn’t own any property in the capital, you would be regarded as some country landowner, making it difficult to gain acceptance or respect.
I need to invest in some projects, and they need to have promising prospects so I can prove what I’m capable of.
But I don’t know anything about business! And I know even less about machinery and inventions!
Wait, my male servant seems to know about that stuff. The salon gift boxes he designed before were a huge hit.
No, that won’t work. If I leave it to my male servant… Hehe. This is a man who can embezzle half the budget and inflate his reported expenses several times over!⁶
Haah, fitting into high society really is difficult.
When afternoon tea arrived, the maids brought out exquisite pastries and delicious black tea.
At Mabel’s suggestion, the young ladies began taking turns telling an interesting story that none of the others had heard before. It was a game they often played, but Elisa had never played it before. She had a bad feeling about this.
Elisa gripped the handle of her teacup tightly, growing nervous. The unique stories I know are either too mysterious or too vulgar. None of them are suitable for a gathering of young ladies.
I’m doomed!
Damn it, why can’t you bring a male servant to a young ladies’ gathering?! My male servant could definitely make up a wonderful story for me and help me farm some favorability with Ophelia, Mabel, and Eleanor!
Would I still have time to go downstairs and get him to make one up for me?
Elisa racked her brains, but even as her turn arrived, she still couldn’t think of anything.
Forget it. I’m from the Archipelago anyway, so I’ll just tell them something a little crude… Wait.
A sudden flash of inspiration struck Elisa.
She lowered her head and pretended to ponder for a moment. “I can’t think of any novel stories, but I do have an unusual logic puzzle.”
“A puzzle?” Eleanor and Mabel immediately became interested.
Ophelia looked toward Elisa, curiosity showing on her face.
“A puzzle that’s too simple won’t do. But if we solve it, you’ll have to tell us two more,” Lillian said confidently.
Elisa agreed. Flipping through the log, she began, “In a village lived a group of red-eyed and blue-eyed villagers. They were afflicted by a curse: if a blue-eyed villager discovered the color of their own eyes, they would die at midnight. Because of the curse, they never discussed eye color, and there were no mirrors in the village. One day, a wicked man told all the villagers that he had seen at least one person with blue eyes. There are four blue-eyed people in the village. On which day will they all die?”
The young ladies on the sofas sank into thought, each asking the maids for paper and pens.
Seeing them frowning in confusion, utterly at a loss, Miss Elisa felt immensely pleased.
See? I’m not a curly-haired baboon after all! My male servant’s puzzles are just too difficult!
More than an hour passed. Five pots of black tea came and went, yet none of the young ladies had made any progress.
“What’s the answer?” Eleanor finally gave up and looked at Elisa.
I’d like to know the answer too.
Elisa didn’t panic. She could use the mirror to ask her male servant at any time.
Ophelia shook her head and stopped Eleanor. “It hasn’t been that long. If we learn the answer too soon, it won’t be any fun. Miss Elisa can tell us the answer the next time we meet!”
Elisa agreed.
The puzzle session came to an end, but the storytelling game didn’t continue. Everyone was still preoccupied with the puzzle.
Ophelia stood and said to Elisa, “Miss Elisa, would you like to take a walk around the manor with me?”
Elisa’s heart skipped a beat.
She hadn’t expected Princess Ophelia to invite her personally.
Puzzled, she rose to her feet and followed Ophelia out of the room.
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