Chapter 8: Baroness Sarah Hill
It had been three weeks since I arrived in the Ross Estate. Marquess Ross was quite hilarious. He told me he would hire proper instructors, but it seemed he passed that task to his wife, so the ones who had been teaching me were a bunch of ill-tempered noblewomen.
"Again."
I snapped back from my trance as the books on my head fell to the floor. Honestly, I just wanted to stay on the bed and let sprout roots grow to still me on the bed. This body was too weak, and these classes were useless.
"Pick it up and start over again." My instructor in etiquette, Baroness Sarah Hill, ordered coldly.
'I'm tired,' I replied in my head, raising my gaze at her, who was standing on the side holding her hand fan.
Normally, there should be a maid who would help me with this task. However, the head maid of the manor was keeping Tani busy with all other tasks, and no one else was here to assist me.
A shallow breath slipped past my lips as I picked up the books. How could I recover my strength if I kept straining this body? Lady Sarah was surely acting out of the Marchioness orders to make my life miserable since she kept trying to find fault in me no matter what.
Did she think she's better than the instructors in the imperial palace?
"Do it properly, Lady Marsella. I've been instructing you for over three weeks now and yet, you still can't do the basics!" Lady Sarah said angrily, couldn't conceal the disdain flickering across her eyes.
I cradled the books close to my body, staring at her dead in the eye. "Lady Sarah, are you stupid?"
My question took her aback as her pupils dilated and stared at me in surprise. I've been too lenient with her that I just let her be, but this won't do. I had to protect my precious body.
"During our first meeting, not a single book fell off from my head, but you repeatedly harassed me and find fault in everything I do," I recalled coldly, closing my eyes briefly as I took a deep breath. "Are you sure you want to teach me? Or do you just want me to make a fool out of myself with your lack of tact and knowledge in etiquette?"
"You…!" Her breath hitched as her face flushed in red, pointing her hand fan at me as it trembled under her grip.
'This is reckless,' I told myself. 'But if I don't put her in her place, my body will suffer. Since no one was around, I just had to keep her silent.'
"Really… I can't believe I'm being taught by a mistress." I scoffed, pressing her nerves purposely.
Lady Sarah had taken the bait easily as her eyes blazed in anger. She stomped her way towards me, raising her hand to slap me. But before she could, I dropped the books to her feet, causing her to wince and hunch in pain.
"Oh? It seems like my hand slipped, Lady Sarah." I gazed down coldly. "As you can see, they are quite heavy and I'm quite frail."
My pair of cold red orbs locked with hers when she gazed up. She looked stunned at the unrepentant emotions flickering across my eyes.
"Have you…" Lady Sarah's breath hitched again as she recomposed herself, staggering back. "Have you lost your mind, Lady Marsella? Do you think this will not reach Marquess Ross?!"
"It won't," My response was cold as I took a step forward and she instinctively took a step back. "It was just the two of us here, Lady Sarah. The Marquess wouldn't hear anything if you can't speak or write about it."
Her shoulder trembled slightly. It was almost unnoticeable, but not under my watch. The fear, the uncertainty, and the shock that she came across just now were enough to rattle her. Although I knew I couldn't do anything to her right now, killing her was not the only option to silence this coward.
Soon, Lady Sarah couldn't take a step back anymore as she struggled to keep her knees still. So I closed the gap between us, bending over as I narrowed my eyes into mere slits.
"Did the Marchioness tell you the reason I was tucked away in a mansion on the outskirt of the Capital?" I asked in a low tone, smirking at her pale complexion. "It's because I have a tendency to be violent once provoked. Three weeks will probably be the longest record I let someone push me around and lived."
"What… what are you… how can you threaten your…"
"Shhh, Lady Hill." I placed a finger in front of my lip, shushing her into silence. "It's not a threat, please, do not misunderstand."
I drew my head back, still had my eyes fixed on her. "Don't mistake a threat and a statement, Baroness. If this reaches the Marquess or the Marchioness, they might ground me. However, I will live since they need me. What about you?"
Lady Sarah slowly moved her barely blinking eyes to me. She flinched when I offered her a sweet smile.
"If you continue reporting to the Marchioness about tormenting me, and giving me some slack privately, isn't that a win-win for the both of us, Baroness Sarah Hill?"
It might be the sweet smile on my face and the aura I've pulled on her she couldn't speak. However, I didn't mind tainting my hands to protect myself. After all, adding another corpse under my belt wouldn't mean a thing to me.
"Then, shall we have some tea?" I offered, raising my brows as a hint for her to agree.
"Ye — yes, Lady Marsella. Let's take a break first."
I nodded, pleased at her obedience. "You're quite quick. I like it."
And so, we spent the rest of our time drinking tea, idling, and chatting — although it was barely called chatting since she merely told me about the gossips in the high society.
"So my fiance will soon arrive in the Capital after defending the southern borders and forcing the enemy to retreat." I nodded, recalling my memories of the past, and remembered what would happen afterward. "When will they arrive in the Capital?"
Lady Sarah gazed at me with puzzlement but answered. "The estimated time of their arrival is in two weeks."
"Two weeks..." It was around the same time, just like how I remembered it. My brows raised when I took notice of the way Lady Sarah looked at me.
"What?' I asked.
She cleared her throat and hesitated for a moment, but still inquired after mustering her courage. "Lady Marsella, aren't you afraid of the Archduke? There are many terrifying rumors about him, and no lady wouldn't cry if they were to get wed to him. But you... you sound as if... you're looking forward to it."
The corner of my lips curled up that reached my eyes. "Rumors like... he is a war-craze, a cursed-being, a man with tales of bloodshed trailing him like a shadow, and had a horrendous face?"
Lady Sarah nodded meekly as all those rumors were what my fiance was known for. There might be some truth in it since I met him in the past, although I'm not sure about him having a horrendous face since he had quite intimidating but charming eyes. I never saw his face before since he never took off his head armor.
"Well, instead of crying, isn't a lady supposed to do her duties?" I answered without giving her the real reason. "Neither my fiance nor I can stop this marriage, so why would I have to waste my precious tears if they wouldn't help me, anyway?"
"You're quite... something, Lady Marsella."
"But I think marrying someone as interesting as him isn't bad, honestly," I murmured, making Lady Sarah slam her hand against the table.
"Lady Marsella, he is a dangerous man!"
Look at this woman. Just moments ago, she was bullying me, and now, she sounded like she just became my best friend.
I clicked my tongue. "Even so, that doesn't change the fact that I ought to marry a dangerous man. Who knows? He might turn out to be handsome? If his looks are a disappointment, then I can only look at his fortune since it is handsome for sure."
"Lady Marsella..."
"Don't act as if we're friends, Lady Sarah." I rolled my eyes as I didn't think a simple intimidation and an entertaining chat could win her over. "However, I have a request from you."
"Hmm?"
"I want to go see them in two weeks," I requested without beating around the bush, but that seemed to baffle her. Lady Sarah was quite slow, I see. "I mean, I want to see his highness parade his victory in the capital."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone