CH 69

Chapter 69: Greetings

This winter, I received several letters from my younger brother Jurremi that were sent in simple envelopes, not in Duke’s seal.

Perhaps they are secretly served among the servants’ things.

The letters contained information about Miss Ina, her education progress, what the Periknen couple gave her and what they talked about, and observations about her thoughts.

Infinite Mage Novel Chapter 67

I will set a trap. I will ask my friends to set up social gatherings where she may appear, by inviting her to tea parties and evening parties from different people. I’ll prepare various patterns mainly focused on casual ones, considering the level of her education progress.

Duke Periknen will probably be pleased, as it means she has enough value for people to want to invite her.

But from my point of view, it’s like a spider’s web that I can catch anywhere. In the end, she expressed her willingness to participate in the tea party, which is mainly for young women, at the invitation of Miss  Milcah.

“Unexpected… or, I guess that’s the situation.”

“What’s wrong?”

Lex asks me in response to my muttering.

“It’s not like that His Highness Elias would come to the evening party with her.”

Is His Highness too busy, or… well, if I must say it, it’s more convenient for me. Speaking of which, it’s a hassle to talk when His Highness Elias is around.

I have sent instructions and conditions for hiring adventurers to the employees who headed to the Duchy of Periknen, while waiting for the day of the tea party.

And so, on that day.

I wait secretly in one of the reception rooms of the Sarusti household before the guests arrive.

Milcah-sama says.

“Once the tea party has been going on for a while, I’ll bring Miss Ina!”

“Thank you for your cooperation. Milcah-sama.”

“Leave it to me!”

She makes a gesture as if to pat her chest and leaves the room. Today she is the hostess and has to entertain her guests.

I have a maidservant named Signe, so I’ll enjoy reading books and documents and the view of the garden and the scent of tea from the window.

And the mansion will become lively for a while.

There was a knock at the door.

Signe opens the door, and the person who was brought by Milcah-sama is none other than Ina Periknen.

“It’s been a long time, Ina Periknen-sama.”

I raise my chin and look at her while hiding it behind a fan. Most likely she will feel as if she is being looked down upon even though she is being looked up.

“Vi…Vilhelmina-sama, good day to you.”

Saying that, she assumes the posture of a lady. Her pink hair is seen at the top of her head and it stops moving neatly.

“Uh…”

I looked at Miss Milcah and she looked back at me with sparkling eyes, expecting me to continue, so I sighed under the fan.

I close the fan and let out a voice with a slightly lower consciousness.

“Lift your face.”

Slowly, without bending her back, her posture returns to its original form.

“Please, take a seat.”

This is to avoid attracting too much attention. Since there are no other occupants in this room other than Signe-san, she pulls a chair and Miss Ina and Miss Milcah take their seats.

“Actually, I should be called Mrs. Peltra, but now I am a commoner and you may call me Vilhelmina. But what you have done is unforgivable…how dare the daughter of Duke Periknen bow down to a commoner?”

“Uh, well…”

Miss Ina’s words stop. That’s good. Apologizing is out of the question.

I smiled slightly at the corner of my mouth.

“However, if I were to compliment you, your manners have become very beautiful.”

“Eh?”

“That is the result of your efforts over the past year, Miss Ina. You should be proud.”

“T-Thank you…!”

After saying that, she lowers her head and begins to shake her shoulders. Signe-san approached and pressed her tear-stained eyes with a handkerchief. With gentle care to keep her makeup from smudging. The handkerchief becomes wet with water.

Neither I nor Miss Milcah are in a position to comfort her. For a while, only her sobbing voice echoed in the room.

“No one, none of the teachers ever complimented me…”

And after her sobs subsided, she muttered softly.

I nod. That’s probably natural. Of course, there will be others who approach her and try to gain advantage by flattery. For example, Duke Periknen. But should it also be evaluated that she does not feel complimented by it?

“Do you understand why the governesses do not praise you?”

“The standards expected as a queen are far higher… she said.”

“What are those standards?”

She lowers her gaze and shakes her head sideways.

With a sound of slapping my palm with a fan, she directs her gaze towards me.

“It’s me.”

“Vilhelmina-san…”

“From the time I can remember until that day last year, I have devoted my entire life to being a queen. Foolish Ina Periknen. You can see from the way you have been frantically studying this past year, your demeanor, how you wear your clothes, etc. But was that equivalent to my ten or more years?”