Chapter 1: 1

It started with a letter. It was written on an old paper that would have been exchanged between grandfather’s grandfathers.

Bern’s kin marries the oldest son (or eldest daughter) of the Meyer family.

Why Bern, a poor farmer, formed a marriage with a noble family, is something no one knows.

Either he saved a life or won a gamble. Or it could be just a joke.
Whatever the reason, of course, the marriage did not happen. At that time, for a commoner to marry a noble was like plucking the stars from the sky.

The letter was completely forgotten, and more than a hundred years passed.

And the times began to change.

When the revolutionary army brought down the King in the neighboring country, the idea that all men and women were equal before the law was burning in people’s hearts.

When machines were invented, factories were built, and a new class of wealthy commoners was born.

Emilia’s father, Jim Bern, came across that letter in that very chaotic time.

He took the letter and dared to knock on the door of the Duke of Meyer’s mansion. But he could not take even one step and was kicked out immediately. No matter how different times were, the wall of status was still as high as the sky.

The way for a commoner to deal with nobility is by beating their heads against the wall.

He decided to bypass it even if it took time. He took the letter and went to the parliament, which was standing opposite to the nobility. They went to the King.

Contrary to expectations, the King did not respond immediately. It is a foolish thing to do, to ignite a conflict when the discord between the parliamentary and the royal factions, the commoners and the nobility, is acute. Years passed after the vague answer “I’ll think about it.”.

Meanwhile, Emilia’s father, Jim Bern, died of an illness, and the letter was forgotten due to a trivial happening.

Then one day, the King had a petty argument with the Lady of the Meyer family. It was a minor quarrel, embarrassing to be called an argument. But it was enough to make the King want to take revenge. He felt the need to drive a wedge into the Meyer family, which was too overpowered.

The King, again, pulled out the strange letter that he had forgotten about.

And like that, Emilia’s engagement was realized at the age of fourteen years old.

In just one day, a poor commoner girl became the fiancée of the heir to a great conglomerate.

It is not what she wants, it is a royal command.

Still, people criticized the girl and her household.

A greedy girl aiming for a position as the Lady of the Duke’s household.

A vulgar snob blinded by the rise of status. Then slowly, it was forgotten. It was forsaken.

***

A day in May, when the scent of lilacs vibrates.

One girl was heading towards the mansion of Baron Bernen Cavendish.
With dazzling blonde hair, swaying in golden color, and a smooth and white skin like the finest porcelains that only the Emperors of the Far East use.

Eighteen-year-old Emilia Bern, mature to be a girl and young to be a woman.

Emilia’s steps were slow and heavy. Since she suddenly became the fiancée of the Meyer family 4 years ago, it was always like this whenever she came to this place.

Still, she must go. Since it is the King’s command.

Upon being engaged, the King ordered Emilia to visit a nearby nobleman’s mansion in order to receive etiquette education and bridal lessons.

Thanks to this, she had to master how to lay down a teacup, or how to laugh without making a sound, with the kids pointing fingers at her for being a commoner.

Now, 4 years later, His Majesty must have completely forgotten about this important commoner girl. It has been a long time since the letters sending regards and the monthly payments were cut off. Nevertheless, Emilia never once violated the order to attend the bridal lessons once a week.

The Cavendish mansion was in the center of Dill Street, famous for being wealthy. As Erndorf’s largest and wealthiest home, it was splendidly decorated with famous works of art and beautiful garden trees.

Emilia crossed the board lawn and, taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

A servant came out. Upon seeing Emilia, she quickly erased the smile that had been full on her face. A cold voice followed.

“May I see your card?”

Emilia took a piece of paper the size of her palm from her bag. It was a visiting card, bearing the seal of the Meyer family.

She received the card and said, “Please wait a moment.”, while closing the door. Emilia waited silently, with her back upright.

Quite a bit of time passed.

Meanwhile, several other people knocked on the door, just like Emilia. However, no one else was asked to show their visitor card, and they also didn’t wait in front of the door. Watching them pass right through without a verification process, Emilia felt something hot deep down.

The door opened at the ‘right’ time. Long for those who wait, short for those who grant permission. An ambiguous time.

Emilia went inside calmly. Considering they did not block the entry, it seems the seal of the Meyer family is still valid, she thought.
In the living room, the noble ladies’ teatime was in full swing. Someone blocker her way as she was passing by, pretending not to see her. It was the butler, Mr. Haspel.

“Hey, Emilia. Can I ask for a favor? The precious tea I got from Ludwick…”

As soon as she saw his very troubled face, she knew. It was again a request to run an errand for tea.

The ‘precious tea’ Haspel spoke of was difficult to brew. From the water’s temperature and quantity, brewing time, and choosing the proper tea set, even the slightest mistake significantly decreased the flavor.

“I have a very important guest from Nowak. My Master isn’t usually paying attention. Please, just one more time?”

Haspel was the only person in this house who showed kindness to Emilia.

The ‘kindness’ was exchanging greetings and not staring at her with a weird look, but that alone was a thankful thing to Emilia.

So, she never really refused his requests for help in either brewing tea or organizing the master’s ledgers. It wasn’t a big deal, and she didn’t want to turn her back on the last one.

“Okay, I’ll help you.”

Instead of going straight to the study, Emilia headed to the kitchen. When she returned to the living room, she had her hands full of teapots, teacups, and tea leaves. Small, delicate hands began brewing the tea. The conversation between the noble ladies continued.

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“Now I know how important sunlight is. While I was here, my neuralgia was healed. This place is like a hidden treasure.”

That woman is probably the ‘important guest’ from Nowak. A crinoline-style dress, with layer upon layer of top-notch lace, was too much even for the landlady, Mrs. Cavendish.

“In Thebes, ‘Ern’ means ‘hidden’. So Erndorf is a ‘hidden village’.”
“Oh my God, it really is!”

The ladies responded enthusiastically. Of course, they aren’t really interested in the name of a country village. They must have wanted to get acquainted with that lady somehow.

When the laughter subsided and an awkward silence began again, someone talked.

“Right, doesn’t that child come here to receive bridal lessons?”
“Who?”
“The fiancée of the Meyer’s family.”

Emilia almost dropped the kettle.

“It’s amusing to call her a fiancée since it’s an engagement only in name. Because of His Majesty’s command, it is said that the two of them are forced to meet once a year.”
“But she comes here regularly, doesn’t she?”
“It’s really disgusting. To dare to covet the position of the Duke’s family’s Lady. What on earth is she? Wouldn’t Mrs. Cavendish know that?”

The lady of the mansion, Mrs. Cavendish, took the teacup to her mouth. Her gaze was on Emilia the whole time.

“There is nothing to be curious about. She is just an obvious child. Servile and greedy. She also has that characteristic gloom of those who have nothing.”

It was something she experienced a lot for the past 4 years. It might have been something she was familiar with, but Emilia still felt something stirring in her heart like a wildfire.

“I’m more disgusted with the parents. There’s no helping it that the father died a long time ago, but the mother should’ve taken action and stopped it.”
“I heard she’s a stepmother?”

Oh my God.

Sighs burst out here and there.

“If she stopped, she would have to get rid of her greed. She’s like a pimp, selling her child to get a share of the profit.”

Rattle.

Emilia’s teapot, which was moving silently, finally made a noise. Of course, no one cared.

“By the way, what is her name?”
“‘Emilia’.”
“Last name?”
“I believe it was Weber, Bern, or Begger.”

Some of the ladies laughed.

“And age? How old is she?”

Emilia removed her hands completely from the tea set.

Why am I here doing this? Now that I have brewed and set the tea in place, I’ll tell Mr. Haspel to pour it himself or to ask another servant to do it.

At that moment, a cold voice rolled down her spine.

“Hey, can you come over here?”

It was the woman who called Emilia’s parents pimps.

“Please bring me my hat. It has light green peacock feathers.”

Emilia turned around and looked straight at the woman.

“What are you doing? Bring it right away.”
“… I’ll call a maid for you.”
Emilia answered calmly and turned around.
“What? You’re going to call a maid? You talk as if you are not a maid yourself. Where else did you learn that arrogant attitude?”
“With all due respect, Madam, I am not a maid. Since I am not a maid, I have no reason to run personal errands.”

“You’re saying… You’re not a maid? Then why are you here doing this?”

Mrs. Cavendish and her daughter could be seen looking at each other and smiling. Emilia replied with a cold sigh.

“The butler here specifically requested so. There is not even one maid who knows how to brew this precious tea from the Ludwick Plateau.”

Only then the woman noticed that the child wasn’t wearing a maid outfit. However, not many nobles would acknowledge making a mistake in the presence of servants.

“If so, I’ll have to scold the butler first. He is the person responsible for managing the villa, and he couldn’t get a maid properly. Mrs. Cavendish, can I? ”

The woman muttered, putting on her gloves. Beyond mere irritation, there was a certain ‘come’ in the nervous gesture. There’s nothing to benefit from attacking a hedgehog-like opponent. But Emilia couldn’t stand it.

“It’s not that the butler is incompetent. It’s just that there is an absurd scarcity of women who will work as maids in Erndorf.”

For a moment, the woman’s body stopped; and then she resumed her graceful movements again.

“My, aren’t you a funny child? Someone would think you are a noblewoman. Where did you learn to speak like that?”

She looked with contempt at the shabby clothes, from top to bottom.

“All the commoner girls are like that nowadays. They sing the song of equality and avoid working as maids because it is lowly. And then, they walk around acting arrogant as if they are noble ladies.”
“I see you look at the world very naively. You think the ‘commoner girls’ avoid the work of maids simply because it’s ‘lowly’.”

The mockery disappeared from the woman’s face. Her eyes went cold, and her mouth opened slowly.

Emilia said calmly.

“Recently, a spinning mill was built around here. The daily wage there is twice as much as what they get working as a maid. So, they just switched it for a job at the factory. It’s called a ‘reasonable and free choice’. It’s as reasonable as the ladies’ choice of coming to Erndorf to rest and escape the rainy season.”

The ladies, who were watching, stiffened as they were holding the teacups, and the woman started to glow red like charcoal. It’s only shameful, the one who tried to scold was the one who was scolded.

“You… what the hell are you?!”

At last, the woman shouted.

“Are you perhaps asking my name right now?”

Cold eyes calmly looked around the ladies without ceremony.

“Bern.”

Emilia’s gaze was fixed on the Cavendish mother and daughter.
“Not Weber.

“Even less Begger, which means beggar. My name is exactly Bern, Emilia Bern.”

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