The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 8
The breakfast table was abundant. Soft bread, butter, and three types of jam were laid out, and as soon as Artizea sat down, mushroom soup, a salad topped with cheese, an omelet filled with ham, and sautéed meat were served.
Seeing Artizea’s surprise, Ansgar explained in a gentle voice.
“In the North, when meals are simple, everything is usually set out at once. Please enjoy at your leisure.”
“Yes.”
Artizea wasn’t surprised by the food being served all at once. It was the first time she had seen such a lavish breakfast spread. She shrank back slightly, nodding her head, likely thinking it was because she was a guest.
In the mornings, only her brother would eat meat or ham, and her mother would typically finish with just half a plate of salad.
Thinking she shouldn’t eat so much, Artizea cautiously took a spoonful of the mushroom soup. It was rich and incredibly delicious.
She also sampled the omelet and sautéed meat. Perhaps due to her hunger, she quickly polished off more than half of her plate, enjoying the food far too much to merely taste it.
It wasn’t until she felt pleasantly full that Artizea was surprised. She hadn’t expected to eat so much. But the sensation of fullness was quite delightful.
“Huaa.”
But since it was a guest treatment, she thought it would be fine.
Ansgar watched her with a warm gaze as she furtively glanced around. He poured her some water, and Artizea, gripping the cup with both hands, gulped it down, feeling refreshed.
Next, she was led to the bathroom. Artizea didn’t find it particularly strange. Her mother usually washed up when she returned from sleeping outside, and the Emperor, the almost only guest in their home, would also have warm water prepared for his baths.
The bathroom here wasn’t particularly more beautiful than the one she had at home. In fact, it felt less ornate, lacking the usual decorations.
However, when she dipped her fingers into the bathtub, she found the water to be just the right temperature—not too hot or too cold, but perfectly warm. Artizea felt a wave of happiness wash over her.
It was then that the bathroom door opened. A maid in light clothing entered, slightly bowing her head as she spoke.
“I’ll assist you.”
“Oh, it’s… okay. I can wash by myself.”
Artizea replied, slightly stammering.
She truly could manage on her own. Occasionally, her mother would help her bathe, but usually, she was entrusted to Milaira’s maid. The maids who served noble ladies were often reluctant to take on the task of caring for young children.
So, Artizea quickly learned how to wash herself. She had very few pleasant memories of being bathed. She preferred pouring warm water over herself while controlling the temperature rather than having cold water dumped on her head or being scrubbed harshly with soap.
“You might feel uncomfortable in this unfamiliar bathroom. I’ll help you wash your hair, too.”
The maid Marie, assigned to comfort the child by Ansgar, spoke in a gentle tone.
This girl was only eight years old. Even if she had learned to bathe alone, it couldn’t compare to the care of an adult. Although the maid had heard Artizea was the lady of a Marquisate, her messy hair and somewhat disheveled appearance suggested otherwise.
Artizea briefly showed a hint of displeasure, but she knew well that if an ‘adult’ had made a decision, she had no choice in the matter, regardless of whether it was a maid or anyone else.
So, she nodded obediently and began to remove her wrinkled clothes.
‘Oh my. She has quite a few bruises.’
Marie sighed inside. Some of the bruises were fading, but the fresh marks on her arms were still very visible.
Last night, the employees in Cedric’s quarters had been buzzing with gossip about the girl. While it was understandable that the Young Lord had brought a child to care for, the issue was that she was Milaira’s daughter.
With Milaira arguing late into the night in front of the Empress’s palace before finally leaving, many thought it was reckless, no matter how pitiful the situation seemed.
However, seeing Artizea’s condition made Marie’s thoughts vanish.
While parents should ideally raise their children, there are certainly some parents who would be better off absent. In fact, Marie had witnessed such cases often.
‘If her mother is Milaira, it must be even worse.’
Before seeing her in person, the negative reputation and feelings surrounding Milaira had shared to the daughter that Marie wondered why the Young Lord would get involved in such matters.
However, after witnessing the child, she felt even more sympathy for her.
“I’ll be gentle, so if it hurts or the water is too hot, just let me know.”
“Yes.”
Artizea replied obediently.
“Feel free to speak up. I’m just a lowly maid.”
“Okay…”
Even to such a statement, Artizea responded with a compliant agreement.
As Marie lathered soap on Artizea’s small, frail body, she thought about how gentle and patient the girl was. Even when shampoo got in her eyes, she merely sighed softly without making a fuss.
“You’re such a good girl, Miss. My son, who’s six, still throws a tantrum and cries on the floor if soap gets in his eyes.”
Marie spoke without thinking. Artizea flinched but whispered softly.
“I shouldn’t cry. It makes things difficult for everyone.”
“Everyone? Who?”
“The maids, and the butler…”
“Who told you that?”
“Everyone… they said it’s difficult because of me. So I have to be good and quiet. As if I’m not here.”
Artizea spoke in a tiny voice. Marie paused, momentarily taken aback as she rinsed her hair.
She was saying that she had to remain quiet and invisible because everyone was inconvenienced by her? Has someone really told such a thing to an eight-year-old child? Not just once, but enough for her to express it so casually?
It broke Marie’s heart. However, as a mere maid, she couldn’t speak out of turn, so she forced herself to respond in a kind tone.
“I’m not troubled at all. I don’t think our butler would be, either.”
Artizea looked up at her with sparkling turquoise eyes. Her eyes filled with doubt.
Though it wasn’t the proper demeanor for a servant, Marie felt compelled by Ansgar’s instructions to comfort the child. She smiled warmly at Artizea, as if she was tending to her own children.
“Really. So if you feel uncomfortable, just let me know.”
Artizea didn’t fully believe her words but nodded obediently again. She thought to herself how remarkable it was to be treated as a guest.
* * *
That morning, Cedric was very busy. He had received permission from the Emperor the night before, but he still needed to meet the Empress and persuade his vassals.
First, he discussed the long-overdue repairs of the Grand Duke’s residence with Ansgar and instructed him to prepare for their return to Evron.
While the Emperor would certainly stop Milaira, he couldn’t expect her to respond calmly and with political consideration. However, after spending a few months in Evron should cool her temper somewhat, even if it was Milaira.
If he intended to make Artizea his fiance, he also needed to introduce her to his vassals.
As he spoke, the Empress looked at Cedric in disbelief. She felt a little betrayed
Although Cedric was still young, he couldn’t be unaware of the gossip circulating throughout the palace.
He must have heard that Milaira was the Emperor’s mistress, and while he might not fully grasp the meaning of that term, he certainly understood that she was someone to be disliked. After all, Graham, the second son, had openly expressed his disdain for Milaira without any intention of hiding it from the children.
Yet here was Cedric, without consulting the Empress, seeking the Emperor’s permission to betroth the daughter. It felt as if he was dismissing the very effort the Empress had put into raising him.
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