The Princess is Going on Strike - Chapter 8
Chapter 8
As Asterin turned the mansion upside down to prepare for her splendid social life, the annex was as quiet as ever. Of course, she was soon caught by the Duchess for her report card and scolded severely. In the end, Asterin picked up a pen instead of dresses and jewelry. I heard that she overloaded herself while doing her assignment using her brain which lacked the intelligence capacity, but I paid no mind.
With the banquet only three days away, many guests visited the mansion as if to emphasize the importance of the banquet. It was especially a hot topic amongst the servants of the ducal family since a Crown Princess will be selected during this banquet. The position of the wife of the young Crown Prince who just turned 20-years-old was something every family aimed for. In addition, Oledin had two daughters who were of age, thus it was obvious that he’d also covet the position as well. But at the same time, the ever-so greedy Oledin was hesitant about it as well. This was because the Crown Prince was a child born from a concubine and not the Empress. The Brixia Family had supported the legitimacy of the Imperial Family for generations. In other words, they did not recognize any other heirs to the throne except the Emperor’s son born from the Empress. Which is why Oledin stubbornly declared that he would not become the father of the Crown Prince. However, that was only for the sake of appearances. The Brixia Family had failed to join the royal family through marriage for the last 100 years, and that grated on Oledin’s pride.
I thought for a moment while twirling my pen.
It’s not like I’ll be attending the banquet, so what should I do for the time being?
I shifted my gaze.
“Nanny Aubera.”
“Yes, Miss?”
“What will you be doing during the banquet? Isn’t it a national event that lasts for a week? What are your plans?”
“You’re right. Hm… Truthfully, I do not have any plans. If you are planning on going to the banquet, then I wish to attend my family gathering during that time. It’s been over 5 years since I’ve last seen them, you see.”
Nanny Aubera has always been concerned about me. Sebeth Ludin treated me without bias against my appearance, whereas Nanny Aubera pitied me because of it and extended her hand to me in sympathy. There was a difference in the way she treated me, but I felt that warmth wasn’t bad either.
In any case, what to do… If I don’t attend the banquet, then Nanny will have to stay here with me. Plus, she said she hasn’t seen her family in 5 years…
Nanny Aubera died from an illness when I was 18-years-old, which means there’s less than a year left. She depended on her family since she had no children, but had delayed meeting them because of me.
A year, huh.
“What will you do if I don’t go to the banquet?”
“Then I will stay here and serve you. Since the other maids are afraid of approaching you, I should stay to make sure you get your meals and help you bathe.”
“I can do that on my own…..”
“How can I trust you when your desk is so messy right now? I feel that if I leave for a week then I will return to see you going around looking like a beggar.”
I smiled at her with an awkward expression. I couldn’t help it if my desk was messy. I wrote so much that all the paper ended up piling on the corner and forgotten. This was when Nanny would normally come and clean them up. She would grumble every time she saw the mess mumbling to herself that she needed another set of hands to help her clean up. But it’s true that thanks to her, I was able to live a clean life.
“You won’t go even if I gave you vacation days, right?”
“It is not that I won’t go, but that I cannot. If you end up going to the banquet, then you will be accompanied by a maid to assist you, but if you don’t go then the mansion will be completely empty. Most maids will be on vacation and only the minimum number of servants will stay to guard the mansion… And all the maids you are acquainted with have already been transferred.”
“Hmm…”
“You’ll only tire yourself like that. You should go to see your family.”
“I’d rather be here than see my brothers grumbling about their broken teeth from eating pumpkin pie. Tch tch.”
Aubera clicked her tongue while her white hair fluttered as she shook her head, with a face full of longing. I felt bad thinking about the fact that she was unable to see her family, especially since she didn’t have any children of her own.
Even if I keep telling her to go, I know that she won’t leave me alone here… I guess it can’t be helped.
The first, last, and the worst banquet of my life. Just thinking about having to step my foot again in the place that crushed my dreams and hopes sent chills down my spine. It also made me wonder what would happen this time if I went.
I wonder when Sir Velfor is going to inform Oledin about that…
It seems that he may tell him once the banquet is over, since it is unlikely he will want to cause a scandal during the sacred festival of the empire.
Perhaps I can hide in a corner when I go to the banquet.
I couldn’t afford to only think about my own position. I softly called out to Nanny who was organizing the sheets of my bed.
“Yes, Miss?”
Aubera straightened her bent back and pounded her shoulders with her fist, turned and looked at me as she responded. I smiled at her behind my mask and told her,
“Prepare a dress for me. And I’ll give you a week off, so go and see your family.”
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