Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 130
Cecilia took the wedding dress box from Lilith.
“Can I take this for a while?”
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
“I just want to have a look.”
“…You know it’s a big deal if you get caught with that. I didn’t get caught because it’s me.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Cecilia planned to show the wedding dress box to a back-alley apothecary.
He might discover something that an ordinary person couldn’t see.
Cecilia asked lightly, as if testing the waters.
“Come to think of it, Madam Cléon came to the Coffret Manor right after Mother passed away, didn’t she?”
“Yes, she did…”
“What a curious coincidence. For someone to show up right after Caroline lost her mother…”
Cecilia smiled brightly.
“Sister must be a very lucky person.”
“…Do you think so?”
Lilith crossed her arms, showing her displeasure.
“I find it horrifying just to imagine that woman being close to my daughter.”
“Why? The Madame is kind.”
“She’s creepy.”
“Is that so…?”
“Oh, you don’t know?”
Lilith’s face lit up with more excitement than when she spoke of Evelyn.
“If you knew how horrible that woman is, you’d be shocked.”
* * *
Lilith did not mourn Evelyn’s death. If anything, she was glad.
Of course, she was excellent at pretending to be sad. Everyone knew it was an act, but she did it so well that no one could explicitly call her out on it.
The brief period when neither Evelyn nor Bernarda was around was one of the happiest times in Lilith’s life. She could roam around pretending to be the true lady of the house.
However, even the shameless Lilith couldn’t move around freely at certain times.
That was when Caroline was accompanied by Louise Cléon.
She came to the Coffret Manor as Caroline’s governess. Judging by her name, she seemed to be from the continent.
“And who are you?”
Lilith’s first words to Louise, after sizing her up and confirming that her clothes were less expensive than her own.
Louise greeted her with elegant manners. Lilith, unfamiliar with etiquette, did not respond properly, but it was a greeting exchanged between equals.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Louise Cléon.”
“Louise Cléon…?”
Lilith frowned and glared at her. She was a plain-looking woman with light freckles.
Still, a woman is a woman. Lilith’s instinct and principle were to be wary of any new woman who arrived.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been appointed as Miss Caroline’s governess starting today.”
“Governess…”
Lilith’s expression relaxed briefly but then showed a hint of uncertainty. She was illiterate. People with higher education quickly realized this after a few conversations.
Did this woman also notice her ignorance?
Feeling preemptively pricked, Lilith kept her distance from her.
And shortly after, as Louise’s head held higher, their relationship became more difficult.
She stuck close to Caroline. It was more like she was a nanny than a governess.
Around this time, Caroline, who had been reclusive since her mother’s death, started confidently rebuking Lilith.
“Lilith, serve the tea.”
“…Me?”
“Yes, is there any other maid here besides you, Lilith?”
“But I… I mean, I’m the Count’s…”
“You’re Father’s what?”
Caroline asked, widening her eyes.
“I mean, I’m… the Count’s… person.”
Unable to say ‘mistress’ outright in front of the child, she tried to put it delicately.
“But you’re registered in the servants’ list, aren’t you?”
“That’s just nominally…”
“Nominal or not, a servant is a servant.”
“…”
“A servant is naturally below me, and if you’re below me, you should follow my orders. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
As Lilith stood speechless, Caroline tapped the empty teacup.
“Serve me tea, Lilith.”
Gritting her teeth, she turned away. She saw the eyes hiding behind the door jump and run off.
‘Ah, Ceci.’
Lilith closed her eyes tightly. Shame and sorrow surged within her.
From behind, she heard Louise whispering softly to Caroline.
“Well done. The hierarchy must always be clear. Otherwise, those without status might start coveting your place.”
Those without status…
Lilith couldn’t say anything.
