Flower of Steel

Just as I was about to snap at them with such a thought, I heard a stern voice retort, “Don’t you all have a job to do? I’m sure talking about someone behind their back isn’t part of your job.”

I turned and saw the stern-looking government official I saw at the Finance department glaring at those maids. Her name was Rosaine von Faularner, I think.

“Huh? What is she saying?”

“Does she think she’s something because she’s an official?”

The maids mumbled, but Rosaine didn’t back down and sternly spoke to them, “Even if you’re maids from the Royal Palace, you can’t talk disrespectfully like that to me as I’m a deputy. If you’re a 1st maid, you would be ranked the same as me as I’m a 5th ranked official. The person you’re insulting right now is a secretary, a 4th ranked official.

I couldn’t fight back at them because I was worried things might get messier even when they were insulting me, and she was siding with me in my place. I never experienced something like this.

“To find someone so disrespectful to serve the royal family as a maid… This is impressive. Will it be okay if I let the Head Maid know about this?”

The maids flinched and scurried away while whispering to themselves. Rosaine then turned to me and talked in a low voice, “That. Is it the budget plan for the current date?”

Her eyes were on the document I was holding, so I answered,  “Yes.”

As I handed it to her, she bowed with her hand and commented, “Don’t worry about them. Their only pleasure out of their boring lives is insulting others. That’s all they do.”

“Yes, I know.”

She smiled at my answer and bowed again, “If you’ll excuse me then.”

“Yes,” I replied.

Even as I watched her leaving, instead of pride that made me not want to look weak, I was worried that she might get hurt because of me and couldn’t thank her. I acted strong, but others being friendly to me was unfamiliar. I looked at her back for quite a while, then returned to my office, where people considered me a part of them.

***

Days had gone by, and I found my calmness had returned, but rumors about me had spread all over the beau monde. I was used to getting attacked by people who hated me, but that didn’t mean I was oblivious to it. Although I felt disgusted and sick of it, I still acted calmly. I didn’t want others to know that it affected me. However, the people around me didn’t leave me alone.

“Marina, let’s talk for a second.”

Rave held onto me. He seemed frustrated by something. Other officials seemed to share his thoughts as they signaled for us to talk.

‘Is he trying to ask about the rumors regarding me?’ I sighed and went out of the building with him.

“What is it?”

Rave took a deep breath and let it out. Then he looked at me with his dark blue eyes and asked, “Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“He then spoke in a frustrated tone, “There’s certainly something going on with you. There’s a rumor going around about you.”

Ah, as expected, the reason why I expected to see him was that he was similar to me from the past. The foolish me, who was frustrated and wished that boy who wouldn’t speak to talk. I don’t dislike him. Just like I was before, he, too, must be worried about the questions he’s asking.

“It’s got nothing to do with me.”

“Stop lying! How can it not be with such rumors!”

I found it unfamiliar to me for Rave to shout like that. It was the first time he spoke in such an angry tone when he was always playful. I blanked out in shock, and he looked at me with an unusual look on his face.