Chapter 9 - Trials And Tribulations

If one were to say that there's a refreshing atmosphere within the Thesmophoros Duchy, it would be nothing more than an understatement. The ambiance inside this Duchy's garden is currently occupied by the voices of the hostess' guests.

The latest topic of these people is neither different nor incurious, since a single sight of an unfathomable moment has been ingrained in all of the attendees' minds that one cannot hold their voices back.

Needless to say, the subject matter today solely revolves around the daughter of Duchess Thesmophoros, Kore. Thanks to a bizarre game of chess that was displayed to everyone by the ingenious hostess, these guests steadied themselves for their final match. 

Every single one of these attendees has raised their awareness towards the set of tactics under Kore's sleeves. And of course, they have come to understand and accept the hostess' gameplay in that short moment. 

In spite of that, a few have yet to give away their acknowledgement and refuse to believe the truth for their insensible reasons. As well as their lack of inability to comprehend Kore's expertise, these individuals are those who are blinded by their clear hatred and jealousy towards Thesmophoros as a whole.

Nevertheless, they prove of no great value to their presences and individualities in the eyes of Kore, and it's why she can fearlessly invite such guests to her humble tea party.

Leaving that aside, it had been well over 18 minutes of Kore's constant set of insightful moves during her chess games. At this point, none had spoken a word nor were they capable of expressing their speechlessness outwardly.

"It's beyond anything I had imagined.." An ordinary lady gasps.

"Not one of her opponents has won… More than that, I'm amazed she hasn't made a mistake.." A nobleman shows his awe.

"Even if Lady Kore did make a mistake, we wouldn't notice it at all judging by how she plays." Sharing the same thoughts, this nobleman agrees.

"Indeed, Lady Kore is what you call a prodigy, it seems." Eventually, a well-mannered lady comments.

—Chattering…

"How many wins have you gotten?" A commoner asks his friend beside him.

"No, no… I'm not sure if I can beat Lady Kore in a game of chess." His friend replies with haste.

"I agree. I have stopped trying to compete after witnessing Lady Kore's first game." 

—Chatter…

"Hello! Please play chess with me!" A boy with a common status and a youthful age spoke up to an elderly woman.

"Perfect timing, young man. I look forward to this match of ours." Slowly but surely, this grandma accepts the challenge.

As time passes, the conversations persist to overflow with the commoners' and nobles' voices and opinions. It brings wonder to anyone if they were to witness the difference of status to vanish, leading others to speak on an equal footing without a wall blocking them. 

It's without a doubt Kore's game of chess that displayed her ingenuity, prompting the devastation within the guests to submerge them completely. After all, once they witness the hostess play, how can they not be in awe and in despair?

"I win! Heck yah!" The young boy who was previously mentioned, shouted in joy!

"Oh goodness… I can't believe I lost.." It was a sight to behold when this grandma saw the boy jumping around.

"I gotcha, buddy!" A soon-to-be merchant plays around with her pal.

"Goddamnit! Why do I keep losing all the time?! This is my third in a row loss!" That said pal grumbled at his utter defeat.

—Murmur~

"Maid, over there. Can you bring me more desserts?" A lady requests. 

"Lady Constance, have you seen Lady Narcissa recently?" A fairly young noblewoman asks Claudia.

"Who? Oh, my apologies. I was distracted for a second." Caught off guard, Claudia started to focus on the conversation.

"You must be feeling bitter from losing against a commoner, Lady Claudia. There's no need to apologize."

"Thank you for your concern. And as far as I remember, I'm unaware of where Narcissa is."

"That's quite expected of her. After she failed to humiliate that commoner, Caissa, Lady Narcissa is nowhere to be seen."

"..I find it odd. Lady Narcissa isn't the type of person who would lower herself after such a defeat."

"That's true.. If that's the case, where in the world could she be? I must prepare my heart or else I'll be easily shocked by her misdemeanor!"

"What a rotten disgrace Lady Narcissa is. Not only is her reputation notorious, she dares to act all high and mighty. I hope Lady Kore doesn't feel bothered by such a villainy person." Before long, another noble lady shares her thoughts on this topic.

"Speaking of Lady Kore, I'm certain she knows Lady Narcissa's personality. How come she chose to invite that spoiled villainess?"

—Chitter-Chatter…

As their conversation continues onward, a handmaid comes by with her hands holding firmly onto the trays. It was a delight to see the cookies and sweets on the trays placed down onto the table.

"Lady Constance, here are your desserts."

"Why, thank you." Claudia greeted the maid with a smile before carrying on her conversation with her noble friends.

"Now, shall we move on to a different topic, ladies? I don't wish to speak of Lady Narcissa and spoil my break."

"I understand. My apologies for bringing up such a topic."

"Oh, Lady Constance, have you heard of the new bakery being opened? I heard they have a new sweet called, ‘Chocolate’!" 

"Yes, I'm looking forward to tasting it."

"I wish time would move faster! I can't seem to hold onto my senses after trying out the chocolate sample!"

And to share this moment of glee, the noble ladies moved on to another topic and proceeded to fill their stomachs, stating their opinions on each bite of a snack.

—Chattering~

As a bustling noise accompanies this tea party, there are dozens of guests who enjoy their leisure time after deciding to take pleasure in the snacks and not the competitive matches. Unfortunately for these few, they have to admit their defeat and reluctance in challenging the hostess in a game of chess.

Aside from that, there are a considerable number of people who are willing to play against Kore to enjoy the thrill and to witness a genius's strategies for their own benefit.

In spite of that, this has led to fewer people engaging in the final match, prompting a handful of people to come up to the garden nook where Kore resides. And as a result of that, the hostess is now sitting there without a single adversary.

"Oh dear…" Kore whispers to herself with a sigh.

—Rustling~ 

Even though the wind welcomes the attendees with a pleasant breeze, it only serves as a reminder of the tea party that is nearing its end. Rather than hurrying oneself, there's someone who isn't at all fazed by the diminishing time and is simply finding pleasure during her leisure.

"It looks like I ate too much." Spoken by the voice belonging to Caissa, she appeared to have left her seat vacant. 

Slowly but surely, Caissa, who is making her way through the crowds of guests, isn't wavering from the voices surrounding her and the gazes being laid upon her very being. Although she chose to pay no heed to such trivial matters, she had other thoughts in her mind, which is why she's currently trying to find the individual she seeks.

"Excuse me. May I ask if you can show me the way to the restroom?" Alongside a polite tone of voice, Caissa smiles casually at one of the servants in this Thesmophoros Duchy. 

"I'll lead the way. Please follow me." The jolly maid responds.

Even though servants such as maids and butlers are nearly identical in their formal uniforms, where none can distinguish them unless they're acquainted or are the masters of those maids, the Duchy of Thesmophoros has servants in the clothing of different varieties. 

Rather than the typical plain and simple outfits, the Thesmophoros' servants are personally customized by their own hands and are designed to show an individual's truest personality through their outer appearance.

Not only that, it's said that all of the employees within Thesmophoros Duchy will not be charged for their necessities, including the extra details on their self-made clothing.

From what Caissa heard, a person's life permanently changes when they enter the Duchy of Thesmophoros with a salary that satisfies all, along with a master and mistresses worth serving for an eternity.

Naturally, who wouldn't wish to be the servant of the majestic and dignified young master, Plutus Thesmophoros? Or the statuesque young lady, Kore Thesmophoros? Not just that, the Duchess of the Thesmophoros Duchy, Demeter Thesmophoros, is a prestigious mistress for anyone to serve under and she's a person who is greatly deserving of praise!

As tempting as an opportunity to be a servant of a highly regarded workplace in all of any noble's territories appears to be, Caissa isn't at the slightest interested in being under someone of great authority, much less a duchess and her children.

"This is the place. Do you want me to be on standby?" The maid asks after guiding Caissa on a four-minute walk.

"Yes, please." Caissa responds.

While the garden is where the tea party is being hosted, it's not truly close to the entrance of the Thesmophoros Duchy's main building. After all, who would wish to set up a party close to one's mansion in this day and age?

Excluding that, when the handmaid showed Caissa the way to a certain building, the latter didn't have any idea of what this place was nor did she have a reason to know it. 

Needless to say, it's unnecessary to learn what the location she is in when that information proves no use to a commoner like Caissa, who will never set foot onto a noble's territory ever again.

Even so, Caissa uses this moment and her idle time to learn the structure's layouts to keep herself occupied. From the impressive paintings to the aesthetic furniture, she did slightly flinch from a lifestyle different than hers. 

To be honest, Caissa had already expected a noble's territory to be as glamorous as a noble's status and wealth. Even if Caissa were to ever enter a modest noble's house, none is more exquisite than the Duchy of Thesmophoros!

Although this structure's interior is as awe-inspiring as it can be, it didn't truly catch all of Caissa's attention. And because this young girl was being escorted by a maid, her time was spent walking through the vast hallways.

—Swoosh…

Since Caissa has arrived and is right in front of the restroom after being generously guided by a maid, it's best to head in before the sun finally sets, which will ruin her entire plan.

Speaking of the sunset, it's nearly the end of the tea party and yet, Caissa chose to use these important minutes to go to the restroom as if the thoughts of failing to arrive on time didn't cross her mind. For what motive did Caissa have for her to make such a blunder?

"Where is that insignificant wretch!!!!!?!!" 

Out of the blue within Caissa's expectations, a familiar voice soon echoed throughout the quiet hallways, seemingly informing others of this person's presence. It wasn't the maid's voice, considering how she appeared to show quite a reaction after recognizing this particular voice in the hallway.

"Oh no. Not her.." The maid jolted.

"Anything but her..!"

In the corner of Caissa's eyes, an anxious whisper could be heard from the servant behind Caissa. Upon realizing the shivers are getting to the maid because of the frights, Caissa isn't surprised by it.

As a matter of fact, it was within her expectations to see a well-mannered handmaid behave in such a way after hearing the sudden yet familiar voice in the vast hallway.

Without needing to identify the culprit, both the maid and Caissa are aware of who it belongs to. While the vulgar wordings are crude and require a bit of cleansing after hearing the tone, it perfectly aligns with the speaker's personality and reputation!

In other words!

"She's right around this corner, my lady!"

"...!!" The maid flinches.

Not a few seconds had passed when another voice emerged from the hallway, reverberating clearer and louder as if they were getting closer to Caissa's location due to their resounding steps!

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, it didn't require much effort to figure out the voices' identities because it was revealed that the noble lady, Narcissa and her maid had arrived!

"There you are! After humiliating me in public, you dared to escape from me?!"

"How lucky for me to see you all alone!"

Despite being the one who wanted to humiliate Caissa at first, this lady had the audacity to cloud her tone with enragement and annoyance, acting as though she was the actual victim!

"What should I do..?!" The maid grasps her hands together as though to stop her quivering.

To everyone's surprise, Caissa isn't expressing her shock and is silently waiting without speaking a word. On the other hand, her escorting maid is at a loss for words as her body is visibly trembling. 

"Do you not hear me? You are a pest of a commoner!"

"My lady, I think it's wiser to punish that maid besides that commoner as she isn't responding to your words." Narcissa's personal maid speaks her opinion.

"You, what's your name?"

"M-My name.. is Oliva Emma Green."

"Well, Oliva Emma Green. I shall inform your mistress of your inappropriate behavior towards me."

At this point in time, it appears the situation will only worsen for the worse as the expression on this noblewoman's face is as transparent as day! Currently, everyone apart from Narcissa and her maid is aware of their circumstances!

"I wonder how Lady Kore would feel to have such an incompetent maid! Now that I'm here, I'll do her a favor by punishing her worthless subject!"

"W-Wait… My lady! Y-You canno—"

—SLAP!

"This will teach you how to behave!"

It all happened in a flash. While the bawl of Narcissa was loud and clear, the servant stood there in speechlessness after receiving a violent slap to her cheek.

Due to this vicious act, when Caissa looked over to the maid who was weeping because of what had occurred, the former understood the dread of the situation.

The moment a servant is facing the authority of a noble, they are nothing more than a pawn. No, they are simply powerless against others who stand all high and mighty with their high status.

Failing to soothe a noble's temper will lead to this current dilemma, and this handmaid is now unjustly suffering the consequences of a noblewoman's insensible wrath.

Before shedding tears and retreating a few steps back, this maid suddenly felt hands resting on her shoulders. Yet, when she sneaked a glimpse of Narcissa, it wasn't in the hands of a noble. 

In reality, Caissa is grasping onto the servant's shoulders with unfazed eyes. Not a second to understand what was happening, words began to leave Caissa's lips, and as if the maid's wishes were being granted…

"You're dismissed. I can go to the restroom now." Caissa casually says.

"..what?" Confused, the maid was, while her tears continued to flow down.

"You may go back to your duties."

"Y-Yes.." 

In spite of how obscure Caissa's speeches were, the maid eventually learned what Caissa's riddlesome words meant. As the sight of the fuming Narcissa is frightening, the maid manages to encourage herself to leave this predicament.

"I'll take my leave.. n-now!!" The maid rushes!

"Hey?! Where are you going?!!" Narcissa yells in a fit of rage. 

"And you! Who has told you to issue an order in front of me?" She turned to Caissa, itching to commit a misdeed!

—Whoosh…

Remaining in quietness, Caissa seemed to be having an observant gaze on Narcissa without a word needing to be spoken at the latter's rumbling. 

"Excuse me? Do you not have ears to listen to me?! What must you be thinking about ignoring me?!" Blowing a fuse, Narcissa bellows.

"My lady, I think she's giving you the silent treatment." The personal maid finally spoke.

"What?" 

"YOU DARE?!!" Slowly but surely, Narcissa's voice was shaking with rage.

At this point, Caissa is honestly waiting for Narcissa to finish her tirade. Even so, being patient won't get anyone far, especially since the tea party's time limit is quite near.

"Must you mean our match?" Caissa finally asks with her voice sounding calm and collected despite the situation.

"What else could it be if not that? Were you paying attention to me, you fool?!" Narcissa snapped.

"Lady Narcissa, did I perhaps bother you with my victory?" Caissa asks with her neutral expression.

"...!!!!" Narcissa gritted her teeth, clearly agitated by Caissa's words. "Who said you could make me lose with your dirty tricks!"

"My lady, I didn't use any sort of tricks during the game." Caissa utters sincerely and resumes her statement. 

"This commoner simply plays chess quite a lot, that's all."

"And you honestly think I'll come to believe all of that?! Truly, you commoners are far more simple-minded than I thought!" With a sneer, Narcissa carried on speaking without a rest.

"You commoners are always prone to making filthy plays to feed your greed!!" As if to show her clear disdain towards Caissa, Narcissa sounded far more discontent.

As transparent as Narcissa's emotions were, Caissa didn't show a single reaction to the former's insults and continued to retain her composed gaze once more.

"If only—!!!" 

"If only I won instead of you! I wouldn't have to go through such disgrace in front of everyone here because of you!"

With an astonishing grasp, Narcissa snatches Caissa's hand, clenching very tightly as the former's rings are digging into the latter's skin.

Not resistant to this harassment, Caissa knew that when a person is lashing out in frustration and anger such as Narcissa, it's unnecessary to satisfy this enraged person by giving the reaction they so desire.

"How will you fix my reputation!? I should have won! I shouldn't have been looked at like an imbecile in the eyes of others!" 

Even though Narcissa is letting out a blaring rant with her firm grip on Caissa's hand, Caissa is the same as she was in the very beginning. Not a word, but patience to wait for this noble lady to regain her composure.

—Swish!

All within a flash of a second, Narcissa raised her hand with a clear intent to land a slap on Caissa, the same as how the former did to the maid earlier! And despite that, Caissa isn't flinching from the raised hand and is instead wearing an unreadable expression!

"Don't give me the silent treatment AGAIN!!!" 

"You shall be punished for making me out to be a fool in everyone's eyes!! So accept your punishment, you greedy moron!" 

Narcissa let out a thunderous bawl, and with her hand coming down hard on Caissa's cheek, it finally happened.

—SLAP!

Without any notice, the echoing sound could be easily heard if one were to be across the hallway. Even so, they wouldn't be able to witness this unforeseen sight where a noble lady is laying a hand on the daughter of one of the most influential figures, Kore!

Where did Kore suddenly make her appearance without the realization of others?!