The Selby mansion in the capital.
It was none other than Helen who brought the Manera and Vanera plants, and had already known the Empress’ plans for them. Helen felt giddy when she heard that Elena had been defeated by Ophelia at the party with the ambassadors as planned.
“Ho ho ho, isn’t it amusing to see someone who doesn’t know their place try to attack the Empress?”
Sarah was seated across the tea table from Helen. They used to talk to each other as equals in the past, but over time Helen spoke to Sarah as a subordinate. Sarah didn’t complain about, however. Though they were both nobles, their ranks were different.
“That’s right. Lady Blaise must be upset.”
“Oh, I wish I could tell everyone about this, but I have to keep it to myself.”
Empress Ophelia’s strategy was secret, and so Helen was forced to keep quiet. Of course, she was too impatient to do that, and so she bragged to Sarah, her closest aide.
Sarah spoke in a lowered voice.
“I think it was smart for Lady Blaise bring all the ambassadors though. You should never let your guard down.”
“Tch, what a fool! What can she do? Anyone can think of that! She only got this far by marrying the Crown Prince!”
Helen’s pleasant mood instantly changed stormy. Not unfamiliar with Helen’s wild mood swings, Sarah quickly changed her words.
“Yes, you’re right. She made it all the way up because of the Crown Prince. I just meant that we should plan things more carefully.”
“…Hmph.”
Helen huffed disapprovingly. She herself had been branded a villain after she suffered defeat at the hands of Elena. Had Helen not been made a lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Palace, she would not have been able to show her face in society until now.
And so, Helen began to fixate on Elena and despise her even more. Sarah knew she had to be more careful.
‘I sensed it last time, but Lady Blaise is more formidable than I thought.’
Sarah had her suspicions since Elena escaped from the trap Helen had laid. Helen was more proud and arrogant than she was intelligent, nevertheless, Sarah’s family was so poor and powerless that they had to attach themselves to a more well-known family to survive.
Sarah remembered what Elena said to her at the wedding reception.
— You should look at the line and see which side is more profitable.
A wry smile spread on Sarah’s face. Despite the fact that Elena had become the Crown Princess, Helen still had more to offer. She had the backing of Empress Ophelia. There was no reason to turn away from Helen, an imperial lady-in-waiting.
Moreover, Sarah had not built her friendship with Helen for nothing. Helen began to lean on Sarah, and she enjoyed being in the middle more than she expected. She gave a wry smile and pretended she knew nothing.
“I heard that the Empress will push you to become the prince’s concubine.”
“Yes, she will. Her Majesty will make me the second wife. Ho ho ho ho.”
Helen’s face flushed as she imagined herself as a potential bride. Nowadays, Carlisle was the envy of all the nobles and gossip of him was everywhere. His relationship towards Elena was like out of a fairy tale.
“Soon, there will be a party with the prince… Perhaps the first impression between the two of you was not so favourable.”
“I have no choice but to go. The nasty thing ruined my image!”
Helen never called Elena by her royal title, and Sarah smiled as if in understanding.
“Then this is your chance. You should plan how you will meet the Crown Prince.”
“I will. I won’t lose this time.”
There was a greedy glint in Helen’s eye.
In truth, any elaborate scheme Helen had ever worked on all came from Sarah’s head. Helen was too emotional to calculate such moves, while Sarah solidified herself as a schemer.
Jalang jalang—
Helen looked at the sweets and empty cups on the table and rang a bell. The door opened and Sophie came in.
“I think we’ll be here longer, so bring more tea and refreshments—what? Sophie, are you still here?”
“Uhhh.”
A strange sound left Sophie’s mouth. In a fit of rage, Helen had cut Sophie’s tongue on the day she failed to spread a false rumor that Elena was a whore. Sarah looked on with a pitied expression.
“Get out of this room right now! Where have all the other maids gone? Dare they make a fool of themselves?”
Sophie had suffered long under Helen.
*
*
*
Helen’s maids were all severely punished. Sophie, who had been living like a rat, was eventually ousted from the Selby mansion.
Tilda was so badly beaten that her calves were black from bruises. She prayed, looking up into the night sky with a tearful face.
‘Mary, please, save me.’
The only hope she had left was her letter to Mary, who was still at Blaise mansion. Tilda regretted believing Sophie’s words and leaving Blaise mansion. She was fortunate that Helen forgot she also previously worked for the Blaises, and she would not have been safe when Helen cut Sophie’s tongue. Now the maid was desperate to get out of this hellish place as soon as possible.
‘Heug heug. Lady Elena, I’m so sorry’.
Though overdue, Tilda sincerely repented for her mistakes. Shameful as it was, she hoped that Elena would save her.