The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 316

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Chapter 114

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Being able to move directly to the banquet hall without needing to board a carriage was more comfortable than I had expected.

Of course, this peace of mind and body was quite relative.

“Tighter!”

“Gasp.”

“Tighter!”

“No… I can’t… Lu, just use magic to shrink my waist instead…”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Weatherwax Baroness! This is a matter of pride. The dress you’re wearing shows off more artistic lines the more slender your waist is, so hold your breath and endure it even if it kills you. Now, tighter!”

How is a slender waist a matter of pride… Even after four years, Inastasia’s merciless demands remained unchanged.

Currently, I had changed back to my original appearance. It was in preparation for any possible situation.

Especially since my opponent was the well-known pervert Spolia, in the worst-case scenario, my identity might be exposed in front of everyone.

Did Inastasia’s obsession, which was familiar to me, feel quite violent to Lu?

“That’s enough.”

From beyond the partition that had been quiet all along came Lu’s low restraint.

“It’s not like you’re selling her off to some man and sending her to a banquet. I’m already her partner, so what does appearance matter?”

Inastasia, who had twisted her lips, stopped tightening my waist and retorted with dissatisfaction.

“What does it matter? It’s because of you!”

Beyond the partition was quiet. He was probably raising one eyebrow right about now, waiting for Inastasia’s next statement.

Soon, an angry voice scolded Lu.

“Listen here, Mr. Lu. Who told you to be born so handsome?”

“…”

“It’s because you look like that that your partner, Weatherwax Baroness, has to suffer like this, isn’t it? Who do you think is working hard to dress up the Baroness so she won’t be buried under your radiance?”

That’s… I see.

So I had to go through this ordeal again because my partner was Lu.

‘I thought it was just Inastasia’s stubbornness. But there was such a profound meaning behind it.’

From his quiet reaction, I thought he might have been convinced, but instead Lu asked back in a voice that showed he didn’t understand at all.

“That’s not something Daisy should hear.”

“Exactly! That’s exactly what I’m saying!”

Inastasia suddenly grabbed my chin and pulled me close, shouting with a face like a fire-breathing dragon.

“This, these features are a face that would never be inferior anywhere!”

“…”

“Even more so in Pen Rota! For decades, the only images that have been fashionable in high society are bright, intelligent eyes, white skin, and delicate shoulders… Daisy, you’ve even spread new poison into such a society!”

“Poison?”

“Do you know what trend arose among women after the new Weatherwax Baroness appeared four years ago?”

It was as sudden a question as the sudden change of topic. A trend… Don’t tell me.

“…Swordsmanship?”

I had only thought of Tara, who joined a guild to learn strange swordsmanship, but Inastasia twisted her whole body in denial.

“Swordsmanship, my foot! It’s… those eyes! Plus the atmosphere you give off! At some point, women started envying your… vacant, lifeless eyes and the mysterious, mystical atmosphere emanating from such eyes? Hah, to desire fish eyes. What an absurd trend this is!”

So my eyes are fish eyes now? It doesn’t matter. What’s important now isn’t whether they’re fish or human.

“Then waist tightening is no longer fashionable either…”

“A slender waist isn’t fashion, it’s basic. Dresses are all about the line.”

I see.

‘…But.’

No matter how important it is, this isn’t the time for me to be doing this.

‘While I’m indulging in such leisure, who knows what schemes Spolia might be plotting.’

…I seemed to have repeatedly sunk into and escaped from such worries countless times.

But what would change by rushing? Would arriving at the banquet hall a little early increase the chances of finding Mother?

Yes, it might. This really isn’t the time to be indulging in such leisure…

“Weatherwax Baroness.”

It was a quiet but clear call that struck my ears.

‘Ah.’

At that moment, I startled as if waking from a long sleep and drew in a sharp breath.

Before I knew it, the place where I stood on my two feet was not the spring space, but the entrance to the imperial banquet hall where countless people were waiting to enter.

I blinked blankly and steadied my breathing.

‘When did I get here… No, that’s not right. I walked here with my own feet.’

Was the pressure I felt from Spolia greater than I thought? It had been a long time since I’d experienced something like this.

Inastasia was naturally nowhere to be seen. The only one standing with me was Lu. Yes, only Lu.

Let me pull myself together.

“Focus.”

Lu, who glanced at me sideways, took something from inside his chest and handed it to an attendant.

I could feel that not only I but also those standing around us were focusing on his voice.

Understandably so. Lu’s appearance, standing with straight posture while his striking blue hair had been toned down to almost blue-black, was dreamlike and magnificent.

Whispers questioning who the man standing next to me was trailed long behind us. Should I consider it fortunate? Among them, there was no one thick-skinned enough to pretend to know me and subtly probe for Lu’s name.

I realized anew that I disliked Lu drawing people’s attention.

‘…Maybe it would have been better to attend with a completely different status and face like before.’

Even I thought it was a double standard no different from a child’s tantrum.

If he had stood beside me in the appearance of Count Sereniye, I would have obviously grumbled about that face again. Caring about someone more than necessary is such a troublesome thing.

Lu, who had been quietly staring beyond the door, slowly turned to look at me, then raised his hand to turn my head to face forward. It was a gentle movement with a faint sense of playfulness.

“I understand well enough that I’m your type, so stop staring.”

As the cool temperature of his glove left my chin, the sense of reality I had forgotten returned.

“Baroness Daisy Weatherwax of the Weatherwax Family and Lord Lu are entering!”

The moment the attendant called out our names.

Dozens, no, hundreds of pairs of eyes in the banquet hall turned toward us.

A quiet silence fell for several seconds amid the softly echoing music. Soon someone gestured at me, calling me ‘Andert Pager’s sister,’ and from that point, the area under the chandelier was instantly engulfed in commotion.

They showed interest by digging up stale past events one by one in detail: ‘four years of disappearance,’ ‘hunting competition,’ ‘demon,’ ‘Duke Raphael’s partner,’ ‘the woman who refused the Sword Saint,’ making me feel like an artwork in a gallery.

Thanks to that, I remembered Inastasia’s advice that I had completely forgotten.

“You said you wouldn’t appear at the banquet hall as Andert Pager, right? Then the attention toward the Baroness will become more persistent. Especially when first entering the banquet hall, people’s gazes might be so burdensome that your legs will tremble…”

“…”

“…Um, sorry, that was a foolish worry. There’s no way you’d be nervous over something like this. You’re the type who would walk down the stairs without a care and coolly down a drink first.”

Is that so.

Am I currently without a care? Seeing that I had already come down the stairs and was holding a champagne glass handed to me by an attendant, it seemed like an accurate assessment.

But I could feel my muscles stiffening with unprecedented tension.

Spolia, and Mother.

Thinking of these two beings who would be mixed in among this crowd made me feel like I was losing my appetite.

I quietly looked down at the silver ring on my left ring finger, then raised my head again to gaze at the banquet hall.

Truly, everything was exactly as I had seen in the vision.

The fragrant scent of alcohol, pleasant music, loud laughter and greetings being exchanged…

Would Spolia and I really be left alone in this place? In a space with just the two of us, would Spolia…

[I am…]

[I came to possess you, Daisy.]

Would she really spout such bullshit with a shy face?

Crazy bitch.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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