The Maid and The Usurper - Chapter 27
“I’m so, so sorry, Viscountess Bertel. I– I tripped and…”
Layla hurriedly cleaned up the broken glass while apologizing in front of her. The previously calm expression of Viscountess Bertel was now tinged with anger.
“Um… Viscountess?”
Baroness Hamel, standing beside her, called out softly. The Baroness’ finger pointed to Viscountess Bertel’s necklace.
“The glory diamond has changed color.”
All eyes turned to the diamond, which had now become splotched with brown. Leopold let out a cold chuckle.
“The Glory Diamond is supposed to remain unchanged forever, is it not?”
The viscountess’ face flushed red, and her body trembled slightly. The chatter and mocking sounds around her tickled her ears sharply.
“I hear there’s been a rash of glory diamond scammers lately.”
There was no need to guess the implications of those words. In an effort not to smile, a deflated laugh escaped through her tightly pressed lips, echoing through the quiet banquet hall. The fierce gaze of Viscountess Bertel turned towards Layla. Layla braced herself.
“You!”
Viscountess Bertel’s hand shot up, just as Layla instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
“Count!”
Behind the sound of flesh hitting flesh, a sharp woman’s voice rang out. Layla slowly opened her eyes. Leopold’s back was right in front of her. Viscountess Bertel also wore a look of shock.
“Count. I… I didn’t mean to.”
Viscountess Bertel began stumbling over her words, trying to excuse herself in a fluster. Leopold calmly brushed his cheek and, with a serene expression, responded.
“Did you not just tell me earlier? To be magnanimous and forgiving as a superior.”
The meaning behind his words wasn’t lost on her. Viscountess Bertel’s face flushed red with shame. She couldn’t possibly miss the insult and sarcasm embedded in his words.
“So, I suppose I must forgive you too, as a superior would.”
Though mocked as a bastard, his status remained unchanged. Compared to a mere knight’s daughter like the Viscountess, his blood was infinitely more noble. Had she not been a lady-in-waiting to Queen Beatrice, she would never have been able to stand before him.
“So the Viscountess should also forgive my maid. After all, she only lost her footing, didn’t she?”
The subtle smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips underscored the pointedness of his remark.
“My maid didn’t sell you a fake diamond, did she? It’s truly unfortunate that you were deceived, though.”
Soft snickers rippled through the room, growing louder with every second. Viscountess Bertel sincerely wished for nothing more than to disappear at that moment.
* * *
“Luckily, it’s just a bruise on the knee.”
Layla considered herself fortunate not to have scraped her knee. It was also fortunate that no one had sharp enough eyes to notice what had happened. As she lay sprawled on her bed, she replayed the image of the flustered Viscountess fleeing the banquet hall, embarrassed and humiliated.
“Serves her right, that woman.”
She had always disliked that woman. Watching her face flush with shame wasn’t half bad. Layla rolled over, her hand catching on the mysterious gift from the bastard prince that had been haphazardly tossed onto her bed.
Layla. Don’t forget. Tonight at twelve. You must come.
Lyla hesitated as she recalled how he had whispered insistently, catching her just before she could leave. His true intentions were always so difficult to discern. The gift he had given her felt unexpectedly weighty in her hands. Taking a deep breath, she carefully opened the lid of the box.
“A dress?”
It was a beautiful, soft lavender color, reminiscent of lilacs, gleaming with a delicate radiance. The fabric was of the finest quality—clearly not something that could be worn casually. Atop the dress lay a small note, written in elegant cursive.
[Wear it and come. It’s yours.]
“What is he thinking?”
Whatever his intentions, Lyla couldn’t resist holding the dress up against herself. It was the kind of dress she’d only ever dreamed of—something fit for the princesses in fairy tales. She feared even putting it on, lest she tear it. She moved carefully, slipping into the gown with deliberate motions. To her surprise, it fit her perfectly, as if it had been tailored just for her.
