It was already seven in the morning when Marquis Benedict and Countess Hamlin arrived at the Arkus Palace.
The Marquis knocked on the wall of the carriage to signal the driver to stop. He looked at the woman in front of her but said nothing. The man then alighted the carriage, only to survey the surroundings.
"It seems that the barrier was successfully erected. I believe the knights are exhausted. I'll have to reinforce the security around Lady Gertrude." He muttered to himself as he began sauntering towards the mansion, only stopping for a second to give the coachman a nod.
While on his walk, he could see that some of the knights were sleeping on the grass. He quickly approached the nearby group and sat beside them.
"What are you all doing here?"
With his eyes still closed, one of the knights grumbled an answer, "Huh? Ah… uhm, we're tired. Aren't you too? I promise I won't wield that much Manna again."
"Really? Didn't Lady Gertrude give you permission to use the mansion?"
"Well, she did. However, we have no energy to go inside anymore. We're also afraid to dirty the interior."
"I see." The Marquis said as he stood up.
He went on and dusted off his trousers. At that instant, the knight who had spoken to the Marquis opened his eyes. The very second that he recognized Marquis Benedict, he scrambled to be on his feet and bowed.
"My Lord, I apologize for my indecency."
Hearing their comrade, the other knights looked in his direction. Their eyes widened as they spotted the Marquis. Thus, they ran towards him and lowered their heads without making much noise.
"No, it's alright. You've all done a great job. However, please do me a favor and rest inside the mansion. If the Emperor decides to visit sans a warning, your Commanders will be reprimanded."
"Yes, My Lord." The Knights responded with one accord.
Marquis Benedict left thereafter, allowing the knights some room to move.
The man hastened his steps and reached the mansion in no time. The Countess was standing by the doorway, waiting for him to catch up. Marquis Benedict went past her and greeted the maids.
"A good day to all of you. Are Count Schatten and the Commander still in the mansion?"
The head maid came forward to answer the Marquis, "Yes, My Lord. They're keeping Her Grace company."
"Did she not sleep?"
"Unfortunately, she woke up within an hour. She has been awake ever since."
"Alright," Marquis Benedict said as he glanced at the Countess.
He gestured for her to introduce herself, yet she kept her silence. The Marquis grabbed her arm once more and dragged her to face the head maid.
"Do you not recognize who's in front of you, Countess Hamlin?"
Upon hearing his question, the Countess slowly raised her head. As she did so, she was welcomed by the countenance of one of the people she feared the most.
"Ah, I- uhm, aah, I-"
For a couple of seconds, the Countess continued to stutter. She took a step back and turned around, but the Marquis stopped her from her attempt to get away.
"What do you think you're doing, Countess?" The man asked, "Aren't you being disrespectful to the Duchess?"
"That's enough, Marquis Benedict. I don't need to be greeted by someone of the Countess' standing."
The Marquis chortled at the Duchess' words. Still, he stopped it from being a peal of full-blown laughter. He looked furtively at the Countess, whose shoulders were now shaking, as he distanced himself from her. He proceeded to saunter en route to the staircase, the Duchess following suit.
As she reached the top of the staircase, the Duchess put her hand on the railing as she faced the maids below.
"Please make sure to clean the Countess up before taking her to Lady Gertrude's bedroom."
The maids bowed and uttered their affirmation concurrently. Without another word, the Duchess headed straight to her destination.
The door was left open for her, so the Duchess helped herself in before announcing her arrival.
"Pardon my intrusion, Your Grace. I will be your head maid from this day on."
Ilya quickly got down from her bed and approached the Duchess. She halted her steps close at hand to the woman prior to curtsying.
"I am very humbled to be in your care, Duchess Irina Simargl. I apologize in advance for the trouble that I will cause you. However, I will do my best to make everything easier for Your Grace."
"It's me who should be doing that, Lady Gertrude." Duchess Simargl spoke in a soft tone, admiring how Ilya had carried herself despite her condition. "Come now. You need to be well rested."
"Yes, Your Grace. Thank you for your understanding."
Ilya then straightened her body and smiled at the Duchess. With lighter steps, she went back to her bed while being assisted by the woman. Once she was settled, Ilya looked at the people who were inside her bedroom.
It wasn't an understatement to say that the combined authority of Duchess Irina Simargl, Marquis Herkel Benedict, Count Mikhail Schatten, and the Commander of the Eighth Order would even make the Emperor wary of what they could do.
Having said that, they're still at the Emperor's mercy. Their loyalty went way beyond blood and duty. The Lady couldn't imagine that all these people would gather at her request.
And it's not just them.
There's also Commander Vatar Halkias, Viscountess Leahmir Dantalion, Baroness Anastasia Corvich, and many others who shared their goal.
That's the reason why, even though she despised their overprotectiveness, she couldn't stay infuriated at them. When all was said and done, she was on the receiving end of the bargain.
"Lady Gertrude, what's making you smile that sweetly?" The Duchess suddenly queried while hiding a smile of her own.
"It's just, I know it's been hard for everyone. However, I can't help but feel happy that there are people on my side, albeit there are still some who are doubting my identity. I can't stop myself from wishing that my past has all been a dream."