Chapter 2: Ella and Her Housemaids

Ella's body instinctively moved into the duke's arms, a smile gracing her lips. Her eyes, brimming with trust, locked onto his. "Don't worry, father. Maylin went too far again. See? I'm perfectly fine."

Words effortlessly flowed from Luciella's mouth, a feat Ranhee never imagined possible. For Luciella, it was second nature. Unaware of Ranhee's confusion, the duke's expression softened as he gazed at his daughter. She was both precious and spirited.

"You do look well, my dear. But let's still wait for Baron Hillis. We wouldn't want a repeat of your previous illness, would we? He'll be here soon."

When Luciella was six, she concealed her illness to play in the snow, resulting in a grave sickness that lasted ten days. Though she ascended to become empress, the illness lingered. Ranhee was unsure which part of the novel's plot she had entered, only certain that Luciella was now a young lady of the duke's household. The duke and duchess were bound to interpret Luciella's condition with concern. Waiting for Baron Hillis seemed the wisest choice.

"Indeed, father. I apologize for causing you worry."

The duchess consoled Luciella, assuring her it wasn't her fault. As Ranhee was embraced by the duchess, unfamiliar emotions overwhelmed her—longing, remorse, gratitude, and guilt. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Darling, it's our duty to worry about you. We're relieved to still have you with us. Please don't cry. Your tears sadden us. Look at those beautiful eyes of yours! Tears don't befit you."

Luciella's eyes, a reflection of her mother's, mirrored the duchess's comforting smile. Ranhee's heart, heavy with guilt, raced.

"Mom… Dad…" Words she had buried deep within her heart resurfaced. For the first time since becoming Luciella, Ranhee smiled, tears falling for the last time.

The reason for Ranhee's transmigration into this novel no longer mattered. All she craved was to be someone's daughter again, to belong to this family.

Maybe my dream was realized in another way.

If this was Ranhee's new reality, then it was an opportunity of a lifetime. Everyone believed Ranhee was Luciella, so all she needed was to shift her mindset. With that, she could have the perfect family once more. There was no need to dwell on why she was sent here or how to return. These thoughts guided Ranhee's decision.

From now on, I'm Luciella A. de Constance.

Ella, now Luciella instead of Ranhee, reached out to her mother. Joy surged within her as her mother naturally bowed to her beloved daughter's gesture and enveloped her in an embrace.

I won't lose this embrace. Never. I'll never endanger them or disappoint them. I'll never let tears stain Luciella's beautiful eyes. I'll be your joyful daughter, always. So please, be with me forever.

Ella resolved to keep this promise, reaffirming it again and again.

The events of that morning concluded just like that. Maylin would have faced consequences for her actions if she worked for an ordinary noble family. However, the duke praised Maylin and even granted her permission to repeat her actions, pleased with her attentiveness to their daughter's well-being. They were delighted to see their daughter yearning for their love, a sight they hadn't witnessed in months. Duke Constance, known for his aloof demeanor, transformed into a doting father in the presence of his family. Ranhee was overwhelmed by the love she had read about in the original novel, sometimes forgetting her own age of 38.

Ella's fervent desire for his affection kept a smile on the Duke's face as he departed for work, reluctant to leave his cherished daughter's side. Only when he finally left could an ordinary day at the Constance household commence.

***

With Maylin and the other housemaids' assistance, Ella changed into a comfortable dress designed for home wear, eschewing the need for a corset. She admired the dress's silhouette and twirled around, discovering her fondness for such attire. The sight of the dress flowing as she spun filled her with excitement.

It's so beautiful! I'm so happy! Ella thought, her eyes sparkling as she spun once more.

This time, she delicately lifted parts of her skirt, hoping to observe its flowing movements again.

Wow!

The dark blue skirt rippled gracefully as it descended, the white laces beneath sparkling. Ella, intrigued, examined the underskirt she had never paid much attention to before. As she lowered herself to inspect it, Maylin, noticing her action, intervened. "My lady! What are you doing?"

"Huh? I'm just trying to see this sparkly thing in the lace of my underskirt," Ella replied casually, attempting to glance down again.

Maylin then signaled another housemaid to approach. A black-haired maid approached Ella cautiously, raising her skirt slightly so the underskirt was visible in the mirror.

"This will help you see it, my lady. It's the underskirt you ordered from Baroness Setin a few days ago. You wanted more because you loved the silver-threaded laces, remember? You were quite taken with them."

Ella avoided eye contact in response to Maylin's question. There was no way Ranhee would know about Luciella's recent orders.

The novel didn't provide that many details!

She couldn't voice this to Maylin, so she simply looked away and mumbled. Maylin then continued with her daily lessons.

"Also, my lady, as I've been telling you, you should never lower yourself like that! Always seek assistance, even if it seems inconvenient. There's always someone around you for a reason. You must never do that, especially when outside. Do you understand, my lady?"

Maylin's words made Ella realize the intricacies of her new reality. She now inhabited a world with strict social hierarchies, where even a simple action like lowering oneself was prohibited. The need to rely on others for even minor tasks underscored the nobility's status.

Nobility, my foot, Ella thought, eyeing Maylin and the other housemaids.

As Maylin lectured, the other maids showed no signs of dissent. It was clear to Ella that these individuals weren't akin to the managers or secretaries from her past life. This realization furrowed her brow. Just as Maylin was about to continue her lesson, she halted upon noticing Ella's darkened expression. Despite being a young girl, Ella remained Maylin's superior.

Ella sighed as Maylin tiptoed around her, clearly feeling the widening gap in their positions. Even the housemaids who had cared for her since infancy were now behaving with caution. It was no surprise that the newer housemaids, who had joined after Ella's debut and engagement preparations, followed suit. Ella glanced at the black-haired maid who had assisted her earlier.

So, she must be Mary.

Mary was an ordinary girl who joined as a housemaid when her brother became a knight of the Constance family. Despite a year of service, Mary remained the lowest-ranking maid, unable to make direct eye contact with Ella. The other housemaids were no different.

Smilliena B Cont Toleen.

The maid with curly brown hair tied in a bun was Smila, hailing from a count's family. Smila, raised as a princess, remained devoted to Ella even after three years. Unlike other daughters of count families from the Capital who would eventually seek Ella's downfall, Smila's loyalty rivaled that of her father to the Constance family. Mary and Smila viewed themselves as inferior in Ella's presence, prompting another sigh from her. In contrast, the red-haired girl, playfully blinking her black eyes, seemed much more at ease.

Joanne R. Von Pail.

Joanne spent the most time with Luciella, often pretending to admonish her for silly antics while secretly aiding her. Luciella was like an idol to the three of them, and Ella understood why. Luciella was both beautiful and extraordinary. But this wasn't the relationship Ella desired. Ranhee had always felt a void and sought to fill it with the love of those around her. Even though she now had parents again, it wasn't enough to fill that void. She craved more love.

I need something to ease these feelings of loneliness and uncertainty, Ella thought, her first realization upon deciding to live as Luciella.

While there was a chance to fill that void when she met the crown prince, receiving the special kind of love she longed for, it was still far in the future. Ella sought something to fill her void now, looking to the housemaids. However, their affection for her wasn't what she desired; it only widened the gap between them.

Ella knew she had to dismantle the pedestal the maids had placed her on, but she didn't want to tarnish Duke Constance's reputation.

I would never do anything that would make my parents sad, Ella reaffirmed. Elevating these people to her level seemed a better solution than lowering herself, though it wasn't easy.

Maylin, who had been observing Ella silently, resumed her lectures as Ella sighed loudly.

"My lady! A lady such as yourself shouldn't sigh! Especially not in front of others! If you must sigh or curse, use a fan to cover your mouth."

"What?" Ella asked.

"Like this. When you want to sigh, cover your face with a fan. Then smile with your eyes while you curse with your mouth. It'll make you feel better."

Ella laughed at Maylin's demonstration. A housemaid teaching a young lady how to curse was indeed a peculiar sight. Maylin's humorous advice helped Ella dispel her inner thoughts. There was still time to work on these people, but Ella had another problem to face. With that in mind, she left the room.