Come and Cry at My Funeral - Chapter 25
The two women had lied to Freesia, saying that everyone would love the grapefruit dessert the most.
How could she, struggling to shed her commoner origins, know any better? Who would she ask if that was an appropriate dessert for noblewomen?
So eventually, even though she had a bad premonition about it, she followed their advice.
But, unfortunately, there was one lady who could not eat grapefruit, and after consuming it, she broke out in hives and fainted, foaming at the mouth.
Naturally, the noblewoman’s husband was furious.
<How could you do this? Our family has served Arcturus for five generations!>
Izar’s expression upon returning from the monster subjugation expedition was indeed something to behold.
Only now could Freesia articulate it like this, but back then, I was shaking from head to toe with shame.
‘I won’t let it go that way this time.’
Izar seemed to always doubt her.
Even if she could manage the tea party without a hitch, his doubts might deepen again.
‘But I want to end this one event well.’
She wanted to erase the period entirely—this time when she could not stop crying while preparing.
Better to be doubted even when doing well than to be humiliated and doubted anyway.
Just then, Thea, resigned to their reality, brought out new clothes for Freesia to wear. And while still grumbling, she pointed at the window.
“Still, the scent of flowers coming from there is nice. Are those wild roses?”
“……”
“If it weren’t for that, this room would’ve been the absolute worst.”
“…Yes.”
Freesia crossed her arms and looked out the window. True to Thea’s words, below the window was a bush full of wild roses.
Unlike the grand roses, they were modest but intoxicatingly fragrant.
And beneath that fragrant bush once lay a stillborn baby.
A baby that her ‘husband’ was supposed to name, but in the end, she had to bury before his arrival.
“……”
The despair from those times faintly surfaced like a distant dream.
In truth, she could vividly recall it if she wished, but she knew doing so would break her. She slowly closed her eyes.
‘In this life, I don’t think I will be able to meet you, my child.’
Since Izar wouldn’t share a bedroom with her this year.
After changing into appropriate clothes, Freesia took one last look back at the window.
Just breathing in the fragrance was enough to crush her heart.
“…Let’s go, Thea.”
No longer could she afford to suffer any heartache from the scent.
It was time to meet the person responsible for the fact that her tears over the last three years had been forced dry.
***
Elder Madam Electra had reigned like a queen of Arcturus even before the marriage.
Izar’s biological mother was originally from a low-ranked noble family, hardly in a position to confront Electra even during the years they were still maidens.
Electra, along with other noblewomen, had ‘kindly and subtly’ advised her several times on her inadequacies since she stepped into the ducal family. However, lacking the grace to accept such advice, the woman eventually ran away with the rebels.
Subsequently, Electra naturally became the second duchess, managing the household. It was only natural for the noblewomen of the duchy’s vassal families to be loyal to her.
‘So, a mere shepherdess could never be a match for me.’
Electra scanned the woman who had come to see her.
Naturally, she should have been completely intimidated. After all, given her background, she shouldn’t have even dared to face a lady of such standing!
But something was off with this woman.
Her demeanor was undoubtedly exceedingly polite, yet it was so composed that it irked Electra.
Electra’s thin lips twisted upwards.
“To think I’d see the face of one who herded sheep like this. Life is indeed amusing.”
“…I am merely grateful for being accepted despite my inadequacy.”
“Grateful? Ha, it’s a bit early for such thanks when I haven’t even said I’d accept you.”
Electra chuckled lightly.
There was no need for such pleasantries when she planned to drive her to tears and make her run away.
“But if you’re so eager to join this family, there are certain duties you must fulfill.”
“I will follow your instructions.”
“Really? Then prepare a tea party for ten ladies in a fortnight.”
Electra exchanged a glance with Mrs. Merope, smirking slightly.
“In my time, I prepared everything from start to finish on my own. Naturally, you should do the same.”
“……”
“I’ll give you a budget, so fulfill your duties as the new duchess.”
Merope, the chief handmaid, struggled to contain her laughter beside Electra.
‘To plan the entire event alone from the start, Elder Madam really does set the bar!’
Even a noblewoman trained in etiquette would be flustered if tasked with managing an event entirely on her own for the first time.
