MPBAGS Chapter 77

The sunlight must be making you quite hot. I suppose it makes sense, since unlike me who's dressed lightly, you're wearing several layers. You must be having a hard time too, grandfather. I'll magnanimously overlook that slip of the tongue from earlier. Someone of a different dimension like me should be understanding.

"I'll be sure to tell the madam about your loyalty."

Having once been a worker myself, I can't just stand by while the butler grandfather works so hard at customer service. I should quickly praise him to Mrs. Totten. When you tell the employer, you usually get a bonus or at least a word of praise.

"Are you mocking me right now?"

The butler grandfather, who had been sweating, now trembled as he glared at me. What? I only complimented you, but suddenly it's mockery? Could he think I'm teasing him for being too formal with my words?

That's what I thought until I nearly fainted seeing my arm resting on the butler grandfather's shoulder. Why are you there...?

I must have unconsciously patted his shoulder. The habit I had with our house butler just...! But the clothes look similar, so it came out unconsciously!

I understand why the butler grandfather got angry. Even in a class-based society, he wouldn't like a young kid patting his shoulder, right?

Ah. We made eye contact.

As expected! The butler grandfather was trembling with humiliation.

But since he couldn't say anything to a noble young lady, he continued guiding the way while swallowing his anger. I praised him earnestly, but one hand placement and all the favorability points are gone. I hate my hands.

"We seem to have arrived."

After quietly following behind the butler, I finally reached the marchioness. Finally, escape! The path to the drawing room felt like a year. I thought I'd die of thirst.

Knock knock.

"Madam, I've brought Lady Rohanson."

"Come in."

A thoroughly tired and weary voice came from inside.

The impression when I actually met her wasn't much different. Despite Mrs. Totten being on the plump side, she looked so gaunt that for a moment I had the illusion she was skeletal.

But that was brief - when Mrs. Totten smiled, the haggard look instantly disappeared.

"Welcome. I hope the journey wasn't too difficult?"

Her manner of speaking also became quite elegant. This is the experience of a noblewoman who's been in high society for a long time. Admiring this, I sat across from Mrs. Totten as the marquis house's maids swiftly set up desserts and tea.

She must have been doing embroidery before I arrived. No matter how hard I try, I only stab my own hands and create alien language, but Mrs. Totten's skill was excellent even at a glance.

"Were you doing embroidery? I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"No, embroidery is just a hobby... Oh my. Looking at it this way, it resembles you, my lady."

The lady said the embroidery she was working on resembled me. She must have been embroidering an angel? Well, Evangeline is pretty, at least her face. Even now I get startled looking in the mirror.

Even on the way here, there were many sculptures and paintings of the Sun God, so Mrs. Totten must have truly great faith. That's probably why she's even doing my chaperoning at Gabriel's request.

"It resembles you more than me, madam."

"Haha, you speak so charmingly. As Gabriel must have told you, I'll be your chaperone. I'm Kinder Totten."

"I'm Evangeline Rohanson. It must have been a difficult request, but thank you for accepting so readily."

"Not at all. Lady Rohanson's situation is pitiful... If there's anything I can do to help, it's right that I should. And I have a separate debt to Gabriel, so don't feel burdened."

"What kind of help?"

Mrs. Totten just smiled without answering and drank her tea. Ah. I learned this from Dolly. Eating something is a non-verbal expression meaning you don't want to answer. Teacher, I noticed this! I'm using a lot of what Dolly taught me today. I should report back to her later.

I also picked up my fork.

Mrs. Totten silently watched me eat for quite a while.

She must be checking how proper my dining etiquette is, right? Although Gabriel made the request, she probably wanted to see and judge for herself. I deliberately ate carefully.

I was so nervous I couldn't tell if I was putting the fork to my mouth or stabbing my nose. Am I going to get indigestion? I couldn't eat anymore, so I put down my fork. I thought I'd eaten a lot, but looking at the amount I'd consumed, it seemed to have decreased only by a fingernail's worth.

Just then, Mrs. Totten put down her teacup and asked.

"Why does Lady Rohanson want to enter society? With Gabriel there, it's not like you're entering the marriage market. Being a late debut, various rumors might become even more inflated."

That's something Gabriel asked for, not me?

And honestly, without much meaning, since society debuts are a natural flow in romance fantasy, I just decided to do it. Even if I don't do romance, since I'm already transported into a romance fantasy, shouldn't I attend at least one ball?

But I can't say that, right?

Just like no one speaks straightforwardly during interviews, I need to embellish my words plausibly. What should I say? While pondering, a good excuse came to mind.

"Do you know about my maternal family?"

"...It was the Hosaquin ducal house."

"Yes. Then you must have heard that my grandfather and mother were estranged."

The beloved youngest daughter of a ducal house eloped with a count despite her family's opposition, so there must have been quite a bit of talk in society at the time.

"When mother passed away, and when I was ill and bedridden, there was no contact from the ducal house."

According to our house butler, Evangeline's mother wrote several letters, but not a single reply came back. Of course, they didn't come to the funeral either.

"Mother always wanted to talk with grandfather again. It wasn't quite a dying wish, but I want to fulfill that desire on her behalf."

Actually, Evangeline's mother often mentioned in her diary that she was wrong and wanted to go back. Though the proportion of cursing her husband the count was overwhelmingly larger.

Ah, that diary has gotten much thinner because I've been tearing out pages to send to the count whenever I ask him for something. The count treats them as unpleasant notes, but that's my small revenge. So who told you not to be faithful to married life? It's a calamity you brought upon yourself. It would be nice if there was another diary.

"They were cold to mother, so they'll be even more ruthless to me bearing the Rohanson name. If I went to visit directly, I'd obviously be turned away at the door. So I'm hoping that since they'll come to parties, I might meet them even from afar."

For something I just thought of, it's a very plausible answer. It would be perfect if I could shed a few touching tears here, but I'm not an actress so I can't immerse myself that deeply.

"Is that a sufficient answer?"

"Is it...?"

Hm? This isn't the reaction I expected. Since she was someone who felt sympathy for Evangeline, I thought she'd take my hand and say 'Oh, I see' with empathy.

Wait. Since Gabriel originally requested the chaperoning, she must have already heard the whole story?

I feel like I chose the wrong answer. I should have just been honest!

"Did you hear the story from Gabriel beforehand?"

How should I handle this? While I was hesitating, Mrs. Totten covered her mouth and laughed.

"I didn't hear the details, but I understand that Gabriel asked Lady Rohanson first."

Then why did you ask about my purpose for debuting in society! My head nearly exploded trying to come up with excuses.

"So you're just helping Gabriel and have no other reasons?"

"Doesn't what I just told you count as an answer?"

"However, you spoke too matter-of-factly for someone who wants to fulfill a longing mother's dying wish. In truth, you don't miss her at all, nor do you have any reason to meet with the Hosaquin ducal house, right?"

"Yes. That's correct."

She hit the nail on the head. From a romance fantasy perspective, it's a bit late for the ducal house to take the regretful maternal family route, and from my perspective, what I miss is my own mother, not Evangeline's mother.

I thought I'd said it with good emotional investment, but apparently my acting skills were the problem. Could it be that Daisy figured out my possession because of my terrible acting skills? I thought it was because I was too kind that it showed! So acting ability was the problem!

"But... why did you say that when I asked earlier?"

"Because saying it that way sounds plausible to hear. Is there a problem?"

Please say it doesn't matter. It would be awkward to go to Gabriel and explain that the Mrs. Totten he rescued won't chaperone me. If he asks for a reason, I'd have to answer that I got caught lying. I'm scared the favorability will drop tremendously.

"No. There's no reason it would be a problem. I was just asking to satisfy my curiosity. I was curious whether you had other purposes. Of course, regardless of the answer, I had no intention of refusing Gabriel's request."

So if it wasn't Gabriel's request, she absolutely wouldn't have chaperoned me.

But is that really all? The butler grandfather and Gabriel said they accepted me out of sympathy, seeing their son reflected in the sickly Evangeline. And I was warned that the lady might ask about treatment secrets or something.

"I thought you accepted chaperoning me because you had something to hear from me."

"Something for me to hear from Lady Rohanson?"

"Yes. For example, 'How did Evangeline Rohanson rise from her sickbed?'"

"That..."

When I said this with a slight smile, cracks appeared on Mrs. Totten's face.

Wasn't this what you were curious about?

I was about to firmly say there was nothing I could help with as the butler grandfather said, when suddenly there was a knocking sound.

Before anyone could say to come in, the door slowly opened. Mrs. Totten frowned at the uninvited guest's rude behavior, but only briefly - seeing who opened the door, she jumped up in surprise and rushed out in one step.

"Cough, cough. Mother..."

"Ryder! Why did you come out instead of lying down?"