As I make my way towards the chair in the middle of the chamber, the people inside bowed respectfully, all in varying degrees.
I sit up straight and look them in the eye. "I am resuming authority as the heir apparent." As the words leave my mouth, all of them don surprised faces. "After my debut in high society, I'll have to handle some... things outside of the duchy. Before that, I will oversee the duties appointed upon my name."
"If you have any questions, I shall hear them now."
The woman who seems to be in her 50s, wearing her hair in a bun, I'm assuming is the headmaid, bows just slightly and meets my eyes. "Young miss, if I may?"
"Go ahead." I nod, giving her affirmation.
"Will you discuss this with the Duke and Duchess?"
"I will have to. I will need the Duke's permission to assume authority after all. One month from now, I'll be traveling to the capital for my debut in high society. Before that, I shall ask for everyone for an audience."
The four of them glanced at each other. "Any other questions?"
The man which seems to be the butler, next to the headmaid raises his hand. "Yes?"
"Do you wish to meet with His grace and the Mistress this afternoon, after lunch, if m'lady wants?"
"Yes, I am having lunch with the duchess today and I will personally inform her. I shall expect you to relay the same to my father." I look at the other two people in the chamber. "As for the cook and housekeeper, wait for my message to inform every servant."
There is a short pause after the two of them nod. "That is all, thank you and everyone is dismissed."
This might seem strange, seeking out the senior management first before the masters of the house but it will be an advantage if I start rumors amongst the servants that I plan to take on my responsibilities as the heir as soon as possible. There is someone who I want to meet but due to my circumstances and the sensitivity of time, I'll have to resort to this.
As for the duke's approval, in the story, Elysia never regarded her duties as a necessity so the bulk of her authority is handed to the duchess and the senior management. This may be a problem but I have to prove that I am capable of handling this or else I'll be recommended to attend court inside the palace and that is one place I really need to avoid.
I head out and follow Mir towards the personal dining hall of the family. Inside, a handful of servants line up beside the table and greets me with a bow. One of them raises their head and offers the seat for me to sit in. Another one comes closer and regards me. "The duchess will arrive in a moment. For the meantime, please enjoy this appetizer prepared for you by the Mistress, m'lady."
I never thought that having a meal was this intricate, I've always disregarded minor details when it comes to making this story. This just proves how real this situation is, how this has just become my reality or is it even mine?
My train of thought is interrupted by the entrance of the duchess. She looked anxious when she came in but her restlessness vanished when she saw me. A wide smile plastered on her face. "Elysia, I'm sorry for being tardy. My guest was a rather cheery fellow." She took a seat and she saw my almost empty plate of appetizer.
"Was it to your liking? It's a delicacy where I came from."
To be honest, I'd rather eat express food compared to the dishes prepared here but it had more flavor than the food here in the north.
"It was a delight. I am excited for the main dish, I heard it's also from Denon."
Duchess Prinine, formerly known as the Countess of Denon is from the south of the Etherion kingdom. Unlike here, the south boasts a more sunny disposition than the Sylvion duchy could ever hope for. Denon, the fief where she comes from is a port town and is known for being the gateway of trade. Prinine is the third daughter of Duke Milford. She obtained the title of Countess with no lands attached to it.
Countess Prinine, as she was known, was a widow. His late husband was a renowned detective but died because of a work-related accident. In the story, her only exposure was when I was showcasing the Villainess' actions. She had no relation to the main characters, with the exception of Elysia, after all.
I presented her as a lovely woman that tried to build a connection with Elysia. The reason she is overly attached to the idea of being close to the Villainess was because she had always wanted a daughter. She suffered heartache and misery when she did give birth to a daughter, only for the baby to die within only a week.
"Then, we shall wait no longer." After enjoying the meal and idle chatter with the duchess, she talked about my debut. "Since this is your first formal party as an adult, you are expected to have an escort." She carefully watches my expression while speaking.
"Will you be going with your brother?"