The duchess is probably the only noble who can barge in on a member of the imperial family without having to worry about any consequences. They must be quite close for her to disrespect the princess in such a blatant manner.
"Your highness, I came to offer my assistance. I have a wide selection of capable maids who are familiar with the process of organizing the spring festival. Please to use them as you see fit, Princess."
She seems desperate to send me off. I wonder if she made the same offer to the young master. Well, there's no need to dawdle here any longer, anyway. It's obvious what her highness' choice will be, considering their relationship.
"I truly appreciate your help, duchess Gwen."
"Brilliant!" replied the mistress with a loud clap.
"Now then, will two of you take care of that thing over there? Quickly!" she snapped her fingers at the maids.
"Yes, your grace." They promptly responded as they rushed towards me.
Each took hold of my arms and began to drag me out of the room as if my legs had ceased to work.
"Not so fast, ladies." The princess suddenly rose from her seat.
"While I appreciate your offer to help me, duchess…I do not remember granting you the permission to order my subordinates around. I suggest you refrain from giving them commands while they work under me. That also includes my aide that you are so eager to get rid of."
"I assure you I meant no disrespect, your highness, I simply thought…"
"I shall overlook this slight of yours just this once, duchess Gwen, since we are to be family soon. However, I hope this does not happen again. Oh, and do announce your visit next time, yes?"
Princess Emilia's expression had changed drastically during her brief exchange with the duchess. She may not have realized it, but she just defended a slave which I'm certain must have severely grated on the duchess' pride. I feel so ashamed that I couldn't bear to look at her as she helped me off the floor. By then, duchess Gwen had already left the room.
"You look as though you saw a monster just now. You're shivering like a newborn animal."
I'm…shivering? Why?
"One of you go fetch some water for her." she commanded the maids.
"P-pardon?" blurted one of them in response.
One glare from her highness and the servant dashed out of the door as though her life depended on that small errand.
~Ecchelon Kingdom
"Where could my Charlotte be? It has been over a year since she disappeared. I miss her so much."
"Mother, please don't cry. I'm sure Char will come back to us safe and sound."
"Loraine, you must find your sister as quickly as you can. She has to ascend the throne no matter what. It is her duty as the crown princess."
"No need to worry mother, I've sent several troops to search for her. I'm certain one of them will find her in no time."
"Thank you dearest, you are the only one I can truly depend on, my dear daughter."
*Sigh* Good grief. She has been cooped up in her bedchamber for a year now, grieving my sister's disappearance. I must find a way to appease her before she falls gravely ill.
+++++
I wonder what my family is up to these days. I miss my sister so much that I dream about her every night. On the day I was purchased as a slave, Duke Kartier told me someone would come to fetch me after some time. However, a year has gone by already. How much longer do I need to wait? I miss the tranquility of my own home.
"What's the matter, Fati? You've been sighing a lot since we left the bakery."
"It's nothing." I sighed in response.
Sir Nate and I have been spending a lot of time together as of late since he's also partaking in the preparations for the spring festival. He and the princess seem to be well acquainted, which I suppose is a normal thing between childhood friends. I noticed their appearance and their temper were strangely similar, as if they were twins. No, that's impossible. Sir Nate is a knight of common background, they couldn't possibly be…
"What's going on in that tiny head of yours? You keep making the strangest expressions." He suddenly chimed in.
"Why did we buy so many pastries? The bag is so heavy."
"You were drooling over all of them. Here let me carry that bag, you can hold on to this one. It's lighter."
"You should have stopped me. Now I feel guilty for making you buy all these." I whined in embarrassment.
"I'm sure Ivy and Clover will enjoy them."
As we approached the secret passageway to get inside the mansion, we noticed a commotion near the main gate. A middle-aged couple were arguing with the guards from behind the fence. They were loud enough for us to overhear their conversation.
"Our daughter hasn't returned home in two years! All we're asking is for his grace to investigate her whereabouts."
"Please, I beg of you, kind sirs. Please find our Melissa. She is our one and only child." Sobbed the woman as she clutched the iron gate desperately.
"For the last time, your daughter ran away with her lover!" brusquely informed one guard as he clicked his tongue in frustration.
"We did not raise any such daughter!" retorted the woman.
"Melissa was happy with her new position. She would never have abandoned her post for some lover. Why can't you tell us the truth?" shouted the man as he consoled his tearful wife.
"I suggest you step away from the gate. His grace's vehicle is passing through."
They heeded the guard and quickly moved to the side of the road while the automobile went through the gates. Its tainted windows made it impossible to see inside.
++++++
Melissa Dougherty is the only child of her father, Willough Dougherty, a skilled carpenter, and her mother Kirisia a florist. At just ten years of age, she became a junior scholar upon joining the imperial academy through a special program catering to young talents regardless of their background. Nevertheless, her exceptional performance led to a more advanced curriculum compared to her peers. The subject she enjoyed the most was history; thus, her hobby was collecting antiques of all kinds. After her mother's accident, their finances spiraled down as they struggled to make ends meet due to the steep price of her treatment. Being the filial daughter she was, Melissa couldn't bear to watch her parents struggle alone, hence she used her connections at the academy to obtain employment at the Kartier duchy. Despite her family's disapproval, she was determined to excel at her newfound post and make them proud.
"I assume you've been working at this estate for quite a while, Sir Nate. Do you know anything about Melissa?" I inquired as we strode side by side towards the stable.
"For your own sake, I suggest you refrain from prying into dangerous matters, such as this one." He answered tersely.
"Dangerous matters? So, you do know something after all. What is it? I can keep it a secret! I promise I will not tell a soul, so please tell me, Sir Nate. Please!" I badgered him as I tugged his uniform.
I was observing his behavior throughout the entire conversation with Mister and Mrs. Dougherty earlier. He seems to know something about their daughter but is keeping quiet for whatever reason. Perhaps if I persevere in my probing, he might let something out. I promised them to help find their daughter, but…where do I even start looking?
"I'll see you all in the morning."
"Bye Sir Nate! Thank you for the snacks!" cheered Clover while waving at him.
"Thank you, Sir Nate!" said Ivy while bowing.
"Wait, no! Sir Nate, you can't leave just yet! You still haven't told me anything about Melissa. Come back here! Ugh!"
He's gone. My only source of information…is gone.
"Did you say Melissa?" muttered Clover, with a mouthful of snacks.
"How many times have I told you not to speak with food in your mouth, Clover? Huh?!" scolded Ivy while squeezing her cheeks.
That's right! These two were here way before my arrival, so they must have run into her at least once.
"Say you two…"
"Uuuhh… I don't like the smirk on your face Fati." retreated Ivy nervously.
"Remember that deal we made the other day?"
When I returned to the stables after that night, I found them scouring around the area, searching for me. They were so relieved when I suddenly showed up that they kneeled in front of me and began to beg for my forgiveness. The sight of them in that position made me feel guilty, so proposed a deal on a whim. Ivy and Clover must do as Fati says for an entire week.
"Melissa was so kind! She used to bring us lots of leftover snacks from tea parties, which the mistress found rather displeasing."
Melissa and the mistress were in an open feud inside the mansion; however, she was constantly under the young master's protection. Hence, the duchess couldn't even come close to hurting her. The young master would often reward her with gifts because she was such a brilliant assistant, which led to rumors that they were secretly dating.
"I heard one maid caught them kissing in the library once." added Ivy.
That rumor spread like wildfire all throughout the capital and eventually reached the princess' ears. Enraged with his promiscuous behavior, she proposed to annul their engagement, which caused an even bigger scandal. However, before he could remedy the situation, Melissa suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a note stating she was running away with her lover. That letter served as proof that the young master was innocent and everything was merely just a baseless rumor to sully the Kartier name. However, the damage to his reputation had already plummeted, as some nobles were still skeptical about the note. Hence, his father sent him to accompany the crown prince on a trip across the continent for an entire year in order to kill the gossip.
++++++
"What really happened to Melissa Dougherty? Dimitriu."