There Are No Bad Young Ladies in the World

The Most Noble and Impoverished (3)

Since Aiseline had been a prominent figure in the aristocratic circles, she had witnessed the rise and fall of many families.

Some plotted rebellion, violated the unspoken rules among nobles, or exploited countless serfs beyond their limits, leading to their deaths… There were cases where they accumulated significant evil deeds and faced justice.

There were also cases where they simply couldn’t adapt to the changing times or were driven into extreme corners in the management of their territories, leading to a natural decline.

As their fortunes dwindled, Aiseline had seen many fallen noblewomen placed in unfortunate situations. According to her observations, those who managed to survive and maintain some degree of influence had certain characteristics.

First, they were determined. Second, they didn’t easily succumb to despair. Third, they had good practical skills.

Aiseline herself had some of these values and attitudes, so what she needed to develop was practical skills… in other words, the ability to manage daily life.

The number of servants had dramatically decreased, and there were hardly any external personnel like squires or knights, so she had to handle simple tasks herself.

Since the mansion was half-destroyed, most of the manpower was focused on restoration work, so she often had to take care of things like grooming and meals herself.

In short, she had to cook, sew, clean the surroundings, and do the shopping herself… She had to handle all the tasks necessary to continue living on her own.

As she rolled up her sleeves and tackled every task herself, she sometimes wondered if this was okay, but such thoughts crossed her mind.

“…It seems kind of fun…”

“…What?”

It was about a month after the mansion was destroyed.

Inside the still drafty remains of the mansion, Diela, who was eating simply grilled turkey with seasoning, made a strange expression.

“Aiseline, sister…?”

“Oh, no… It’s just that, given the tumultuous situation and the many people struggling, I shouldn’t be thinking like this, but….”

At that moment, Reig and Miriela were still unconscious.

The servants were always worried about the future of the mansion and constantly concerned about the two noblewomen.

—

—

In this gloomy situation, wondering if she had misspoken, Aiselin fidgeted with her hands and quickly lowered her gaze.

“I’ve never actually cooked myself. Or done any sewing… Or just stared blankly at the sunset sky because I had time to spare… I’ve never done these things myself…”

“R-really? I thought you were quite versatile, Aiselin.”

“Of course, I’ve learned a lot of things under the guise of a lady’s education, but they weren’t practical skills. I know how to embroider a beautiful peacock, but I don’t know how to mend a torn skirt. I can make fancy desserts, but… I haven’t learned how to grill rough meat in a way that keeps it juicy.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Diela, don’t misunderstand… This might sound a bit strange…”

Aiselin continued speaking while slicing the poor-quality turkey meat.

The quality of the meal was poor, but her movements exuded elegance, creating a stark contrast.

“Going out to the noisy market to haggle for ingredients, scrubbing dusty windows until they squeak, washing carpets until they’re spotless… I think I like these things… When I see the old grime being completely removed, I feel a strange pleasure or ecstasy… Am I too bizarre?”

“…”

In fact, a person’s temperament can reveal itself in unexpected ways.

Just as Diela, a genius wild magic user, was born into the Duplain family, the leading house of the discipline school of magic, there were many cases where the environment one was born into didn’t completely align with their temperament.

Aiselin was the most noble lady in the Ebelstein social circle, and everyone considered her the most noble flower that bloomed in the most beautiful garden.

She lived her life thinking that was her role, but as circumstances changed, she discovered aspects of herself she had never known.

“Today’s turkey roast isn’t of good quality, but I used spices from the Alderete region, so it tastes better than expected, right? I marinated the meat in the morning, and by the afternoon, it seems to have absorbed the seasoning well. Next time, I’ll make time to get more pepper. The servants would like it too, right?”

“Hmm… No matter how much I wash the bed sheets, the old stains won’t come out… Simply soaking them for a long time doesn’t seem to solve the problem… When Katarina returns from purchasing supplies in Ebelstein, I should ask her about it…”

“I brought some brooms from the basement, and they’re surprisingly good, right? The bristles are soft yet stiff enough, and they don’t let a speck of dust escape. The quality is really good. Why were such good items left in the basement? I wish I knew which workshop they came from…”

Before she knew it, Aiselin was always rolling up her sleeves when she wasn’t appearing in public.

One day, she went out to the mansion’s restoration site and was carrying old bed sheets with the maids, or she was in the mountains, tasting plants to see if they were edible.

One day, she even tried to go to the restoration site with a shovel, but a maid stopped her, thinking it was too much. Helping with household chores was one thing, but for a noble lady of a declining family to engage in manual labor was crossing the line.

It was then that Diela finally understood.

There was a side to her that even her younger sister Diela didn’t know. She was a born homemaker.

It was about two months after the mansion had been destroyed.

“Aiselin… What are you doing…!”

“Diela…! It’s better if you don’t come too close! Heave-ho!”

It was when Diela, who had gone to check the local situation in Ebelstein to return to the Rosea Salon, arrived at the mansion.

Behind the mansion, which was still under restoration, the furrows of the field Aiselin had dug were perfectly aligned.

Aiselin was no longer wearing a dress, but a light skirt and blouse, wiping sweat from her neck with a cloth.

Her face was pretty even without makeup, but with her hair tied back tightly and sweat pouring down, she looked like a true laborer.

When Aiselin put down the heavy wooden bucket, it was filled with something like reddish-brown soil. As the stench emanated, Diela took a step back.

—

—

“What, what is this?”

“It’s fertilizer. By mixing the manure from the mansion, the leaves that are starting to fall, and the sawdust from the restoration work, we get some pretty high-quality compost.”

“Are you preparing for farming?”

“I thought some degree of self-sufficiency was essential, so I dug up a field. What do you think? The servants made a fuss, so the work got delayed a bit… but doesn’t it look better than expected?”

In front of the stinking fertilizer bin, Aiselin’s expression was quite serious as she pondered how to spread it.

“For crops… I think it’s better to buy grains directly and plant vegetables for cooking… The servants will have to manage it while I’m away, so I hope it doesn’t require too much work… It would be nice if it were resistant to pests…”

“Where did you learn all this?”

“I studied by reading the books in the mansion. Also, when I went on estate inspections, I roughly observed what the tenant farmers were doing… Let’s see, we should plant turnips, radishes, onions, and cabbages…”

At this point, the servants were beyond the stage where they could stop her.

When Diela looked at the servants who were busy with the mansion restoration work, they hung their heads in shame.

“Let’s plant tomatoes too… We can use them for salads… What else could we plant…”

Aiselin’s eyes were sparkling. Without a doubt, she was genuinely enjoying the situation.

It was often said that extraordinary people were always a bit off in some way, but no one could have imagined it would be in this direction.

Diela was so dumbfounded that her mouth hung open.

*

The fall of the Duplain family became a major topic of gossip even within the Rozea Salon. It was only natural.

The thickest pillar among the three pillars of Duplain, Belmiard, and Beltus had collapsed.

This not only meant that the influence of the Rozea Salon had waned, but it also signified a new opportunity.

The Belmiard and Beltus families alone could not swallow up the entire power structure of Ebelstein. Inevitably, gaps would appear in the void left by the Duplain family.

Some saw this great upheaval as an opportunity for social ascension, while others recognized it as a time to focus on defending their vested interests.

As the nerve-wracking tension of the Rozea Salon continued, rumors began to circulate that the young ladies of the Duplain family would finally attend the salon gatherings again.

“Oh my. They say the young lady from the fallen family that touched the taboo is now trying to set foot in the Rozea Salon?”

“Life is so fleeting. Lady Aiselin was beautiful, noble, and kind… but who could have known she would fall so hard…”

“If you think you’ve hit rock bottom, it might be better not to step into the salon. But then again, with nowhere else to turn, she’s probably trying to cling to our Rozea Salon. In a way, it’s quite pitiful.”

“At least Lady Aiselin is pitiful. On the other hand, Lady Diela is getting what she deserves. She acted all high and mighty and even treated Lady Denise poorly, so she’s getting her comeuppance.”

There are always those who derive lowly pleasure from picking at others’ faults.

Lady Ellente, who was crossing the corridor of the Elfontaine Hall, saw the young ladies exchanging such gossip and strode over to them.

“Lady Rovent, weren’t you practically a follower of Lady Aiselin? You sure turned your back quickly.”

“W-what? Ugh… L-Lady Ellente?”

“No matter how much you flit around like a bat, how many people do you think speak well of you, Lady Rovent? You should take a good look at yourself.”

—

—

Lady Rovent widened her eyes and stared at Ellente.

However, Ellente, as if not caring at all, swiftly turned around and moved deep into the Elfontaine Hall. She was exhausted from staying up all night studying for today’s conference on magical philosophy.

In fact, it was expected that the people from Duplain would hear slander. Those who were already in the mire were often the first to become victims of gossip.

Although she was not unaware of such nauseating aspects of the social world, she was particularly irritable today and ended up saying something. It was strange, even though she knew it was best not to make enemies.

‘By now, she must be in the conference room. Lady Aiselin must be having a hard time.’

Ellente was quite worried. She knew that Aiselin was a strong-willed person, but stepping into the social world when all her foundations and authority had crumbled was no easy task.

Even so, Ellente was not in a position to actively help her, so she could only watch her timid figure from a distance.

Feeling quite heavy-hearted about the situation, she sighed deeply as she entered the conference room.

“Oh my, Lady Ellente. It’s been a while, nice to see you!”

‘….?’

Lady Aiselin, on the other hand, looked healthier and her expression was brighter.

At first, Ellente felt more sympathy, thinking she was just pretending to be strong, but after exchanging a few words, she could tell that this was not an act. Aiselin was someone whose inner self was easily revealed.

“It’s nice to come out to Ebelstein after a long time. I’ve been so busy lately that just staring blankly at the scenery from the carriage was quite nice.”

“Oh, I’m glad to see that Lady Aiselin is healthy.”

“Well, except for being healthy, I’m practically a corpse! So I have to stay healthy!”

Although she was dressed nicely in a pretty dress, she was not as lavishly adorned as before. She had few accessories, and there were no longer any fresh flowers in her hair.

However, Aiselin looked at Ellente with sparkling eyes and said,

“Thank you so much for not holding us accountable for the great discourtesy that occurred at the Duplain mansion! Thanks to you, several large families did not hold the Belmiard family accountable either. Most still demanded various things under the pretext of the disaster, but the burden has been greatly reduced!”

“It’s okay. I just did what I thought was right.”

“Still, the Duplain family owes you a great debt. I will never forget this debt.”

“No, it’s fine. You must have a lot on your mind these days, so if you need any help, please let me know. I’ll consider it within my means.”

“…Then, may I shamelessly ask for something?!”

“…Yes?”

It was just a customary remark, but Aiselin seized the opportunity like a ghost.

Her way of speaking seemed much more lively compared to before.

“I don’t have much available funds right now, so I’m selling the artworks and magical items in the mansion at a low price. But as you know, there are many high-priced items, so they don’t sell quickly, which is a big concern.”

“Is that so?”

“So I’m doing some direct sales myself. It wouldn’t be bad for you either, Lady Ellente. You can’t find such famous artworks or magical items at such low prices anywhere else. I even stayed up all night making a catalog, would you like to check it out?”

Ellente took a step back for a moment, overwhelmed by Aiselin’s momentum.

The former Aiselin had an aura of noble elegance that was untouchable, but now she was exuding an energy that seemed almost ghostly.

—

—

“The magic book of Odelton is only 300 gold coins. If the people of the Drest Academy saw this, they would faint at how cheaply it’s being sold. Also, the collection of sculptures by the great northern artist Theon is being sold for just 100 gold coins. If you buy the entire collection at once, I’m willing to give you a 30% discount. Will you ever get another chance like this?”

“…”

“And look here and here… There are staffs I prepared for my own use later, and magical items that high-ranking retainers actually used. The prices are ridiculous, right? Missing this opportunity would be truly absurd, wouldn’t it? There are many people eyeing these items right now… If you don’t buy them now, you might keep thinking about them when you go home tonight.”

“…Hoo.”

It wasn’t just empty talk; there were indeed many good items. In fact, if they were items from the Duplain family, it was only natural that there would be a large quantity of high-quality goods.

Momentarily tempted, Ellente was staring at the catalog when she suddenly came to her senses and shook her head vigorously.

“Ah, is it really okay to sell off even these things?”

From noble mtl dot com

“Is this a time to be picky? It’s better than having the servants starve. Artworks don’t feed you, do they?”

“…”

Remembering her elegant figure always discussing the value of artworks with dignity in aesthetic debates, Ellente fell into a rather complicated mood.

“Look at this too. A portrait painted by Count Antras himself is less than 100 gold coins. I know selling it this cheaply is disrespectful to the artist, but given the situation, there’s no other choice.”

“Did you go around selling like this to other young ladies too?”

“Of course. The sales are not bad right now. When Lady Denise arrives, I plan to show her too. If you don’t secure these items now, you might miss the opportunity.”

Aiselin, clenching her hands tightly, spoke with a gleam in her eyes.

“This might be the chance for the highest sales!”

“Please, calm down, Lady Aiselin. No matter what, you can’t be doing business at the Elfontain Hall, can you?”

“Knowing that, I checked from the beginning of the hallway. They don’t block artistic exchanges between the ladies. This is an ‘artistic exchange’.”

“Well, if you insist, it might be so…”

– Creak

As a new person entered the study room, Aiselin quickly adjusted her dress and turned her gaze in that direction. Her expression was more like that of a salesperson spotting a new customer rather than someone seeing a familiar face after a long time.

“Oh, Lady Denise. It’s been a while!”

Quickly grabbing the catalog, she walked briskly towards the new arrival and greeted her.

Lady Denise, dressed in a pretty and elegant dress, entered with a weary expression.

At the moment she saw Aiselin’s expression, she flinched in surprise.

“Lady Aiselin. It’s been a while.”

“Yes. Lady Denise, you look beautiful as always! Could you listen to me for a moment? I have a catalog here, and the prices are quite reasonable, so…”

Just as she had with Ellente, she was determined to talk enthusiastically to Denise and boost her sales.

But just as she was about to start her sales pitch in earnest, she saw a man who had followed Denise in and was left speechless. As if she had seen something she shouldn’t have, her face turned red, and she hurriedly put away all the items she had laid out.

“Miss Aiselin. You look healthy.”

“Derek?! Why is Derek at the Elfontain Hall…?”

—

—

“In the afternoon, the royal magic advisor said he wanted to see me, so I am accompanying Miss Denise while I’m in the noble district.”

“R-Really?!”

Ellente felt a strange sense of discomfort at Aiselin’s reaction.

She always seemed relaxed, but in front of Derek, she was unusually nervous, her face turning red.

Like a wild animal meeting its natural enemy, she lowered her gaze, fidgeting in front of Derek.

“What are those documents?”

“Ah, well… I have some items I want to show Miss Denise…”

Aiselin was stammering, as if Derek’s sudden appearance was a significant event.

“It’s not that important right now. I just found it interesting that Derek is here, so I wanted to talk about it.”

“…? It’s not unusual to bring a servant or someone from the mansion to the Elfontaine Hall, is it?”

“Miss Denise is right, but… I was just curious. How have you been, Derek?”

“Yes. I’m always the same.”

“R-Really…!”

Aiselin stopped there and didn’t continue the conversation. It was strange, considering her usual way of smoothly changing the subject whenever she spoke.

In fact, Aiselin had been concerned about Derek for quite some time.

From the time she wandered through the mercenary guilds to find a teacher for Diela, to entering the Duplain mansion, teaching other young ladies, and even seeking direct instruction… She had wanted him as a teacher for a long time.

Now, the family’s situation had worsened, and Derek’s price had become too high, so it was no longer possible. It was time to let go of that goal.

However, Aiselin’s awareness of Derek had only become more exaggerated.

Whenever she made eye contact with Derek, she couldn’t help but recall the image of him wiping her blood on a rainy day at the mansion.

Then, her face would heat up, and she couldn’t even make eye contact.

“D-Derek…!”

“Yes?”

When Aiselin called his name abruptly, Derek responded nonchalantly.

“You’re amazing!”

“…What?”

“I mean, the royal magic advisor personally seeking you out means the royal family wants to commend your achievements at the Duplain mansion, right? You might even receive valuable magical items or, if you’re lucky, a magical weapon…!”

“Being commended for achievements is an honor, but… from what I’ve heard, it might not be entirely celebratory. There’s word that Sir Melverot from the north is looking for me…”

“R-Really? If it’s Sir Melverot, then there must be something…!”

“…?”

Aiselin, startled by her own words, covered her mouth. She added a belated apology in a mosquito-like voice.

—

—

Aisellin rarely made such basic rhetorical mistakes, so Denis and Elente narrowed their eyes as they watched her.

“…”

“…?”

A moment of silence passed. It was a strange and awkward moment.

Aisellin was covering her mouth, her pupils darting around.

Elente simply looked puzzled, but Lady Denis, who had been engrossed in writing romance novels lately, could easily grasp the meaning of her reaction.

Soon, Lady Denis’s expression hardened, and cold sweat began to pour out.