CH 5

“Why are you so late?”

Katarina’s voice echoed through the room.

“I’m sorry, miss.”

She was actually ten minutes early, but Amélie bowed her head deeply and begged forgiveness.

It’s harassment she’s still not used to. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Maybe it was the anxiety, maybe it was the breakfast she’d had, but she’d been feeling like she was stuck in a rut.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“I don’t like it. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Are you late on purpose?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Of course not, miss.”

There’s nothing she can do about it as someone from a poor family. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Explaining only makes things worse, and all she can do is lower her head and endure.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“I can’t. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You have to break your habit.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Katarina’s fierce eyes swept over Amélie like a censor.

A neatly tied up brown hair, a uniform that was so worn out that the elbows were slightly creased but not a speck of dust was on it, and a head deeply bowed with a very apologetic face as if having committed a deadly sin.

It was a sinister gaze as if one would tear and eat Amélie right in front of her.

Unable to find any fault, Katarina turned away irritably.

“I need to choose a dress for the banquet, and jewellery to match, so get out all the hats, shoes, and parasols. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Everything.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“…Everything?”

Amélie’s face turned bright blue. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Katarina looked down at her, her nerves on edge.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Why do you ask. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Do I have to tell you twice?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

The Count and Countess of Biché were the kind of people who would open their wallets for their daughter.

Amélie’s head was spinning as she imagined a room filled with dozens of hats, a hundred pairs of shoes, and more than a dozen parasols and dresses.

It was obvious that she would be the only one to organise and put away all that stuff.

“Move quickly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.What are you doing?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

A sharp, angular voice pierced behind her.

“…Yes, miss.”

Turning, Amélie’s white nape was unusually pale. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Katarina glared at the back of her head in annoyance.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

It was her own fault for attracting more attention than her mistress. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.So who told her to draw the men’s gaze?read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

So the problem was something that had happened a few months ago at a social party.

* * *

〈Who’s Katarina?〉

At a party, when her body was slightly warmed up by a few glasses of champagne.

Katarina, who was about to go out to the terrace to get some fresh air, heard her name mentioned from behind a large potted houseplant and quickly hid herself.

〈Why, it’s Count Biché. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The big mansion in the outskirts of Ezon.〉read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

〈No way. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You’ve never been to a Count Biché’s party before?〉read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

A group of gentlemen were giggling and mentioning her name.

〈I’m sure you’ve heard of the extraordinary parties she throws.〉

〈Oh, it was fun to attend the party, but I didn’t think about seeing a maid.〉

〈Next time, pay close attention. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It will catch your eye for sure.〉read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

〈Then remember the ‘Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion.’〉

…’Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion’?

Katarina’s eyes widened. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.‘Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion’ was certainly a nickname she knew.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Even though she pretended not to notice, feeling proud to know that the affectionate nickname was actually for her, she passed by as if nothing had happened.

〈That’s quite a nickname for a maid.〉

The ‘Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion’ is not me? Katarina felt her blood rush to her ears in anger.

To be honest, she was a little puzzled as to why it was ‘sunshine.’ Doesn’t a more sensual name suit her better?

It’s embarrassing to say it herself, but for example, something like “Black Velvet” or “Seductive Rose” might be more appropriate…

〈Katarina must be quite jealous. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Despite spending so much money on the party, the gentlemen only talk about her maid…〉read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

〈To be honest, it’s not even comparable. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Shee’s ignorant, with a big frame and stupid-looking eyes… There’s nothing noble about her…〉read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

〈Well, that’s because the Countess is so dull.〉

〈Her lips are always hanging open too.〉

〈Ugh, watch your mouth.〉

〈The real problem is that her personality is worse than her appearance.〉

Katarina’s eyes welled up with tears as she listened silently. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.How could those crazy people speak such words so casually…read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Her fingertips trembled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.This was the first time in her life that she had ever experienced such shame and insult, and she didn’t know what to make of it.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

In the meantime, they continued to talk about the ‘Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion,’ raising the bar and talking dirty.

So, ‘Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion’ is a nickname given to her because her eye smile is clear and beautiful.

At first glance, her melancholy and dignified gaze stimulates hidden desires, especially her white and snowy neck, which catches the eye.

Although her face is much more aristocratic than her lady’s, her chest is appropriately large and her waist is slender, so if a man were to take her to bed, she would be better than any other courtesan…

Despite appearing as a clean-cut gentlemen, their conversations were endlessly filled with vulgar and disturbing topics, without any sense of shame.

However, Katarina’s heart plummeted as she listened to the conversation through her tears.

…It must be Amélie Gagnier.

The Sunshine at Biché’s Mansion, not Katarina Biché, but the lowly Amélie Gagnier.

She knew it then.

All this time, she thought she was the centre of attention.

Her big eyes gave off a lascivious aura, a hint of loneliness that drew men to her.

She thought her large breasts had a sensual appeal, and that men were attracted to the angularity of her height and long legs.

Drooping lips, drooping lips they say. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She thought they were her weapon.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Flames leapt from her chest.

It was hard to contain the rising anger at the thought that the eyes of all the men she’d ever thought of as hers were on Amélie, not her.

There were a lot of times when she thought they were looking her way, but when she walked up to them, they didn’t even bother to look at her.

In retrospect, whenever they do that…

Amélie was near.

When walking on the street, even the servants and middle-aged gentlemen, and even the theology students in the church, would roll their eyes to look at her.

It was for this very reason that she was so ridiculously unpopular at social parties, that everyone was so cold to her.

All because of Amélie Gagnier.

* * *

“Amélie?”

Katarina straightened her body in front of the mirror. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The small silver scales of the tight-fitting silver dress were tightly woven with fine threads, making her look like a glittering snake.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“You look pretty, my lady.”

Amélie pulled up the corners of her mouth desperately. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She forced a smile, not because the dress wasn’t beautiful, but because her forehead was too hot she couldn’t even see properly.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Another ‘pretty’, Amélie. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I didn’t call you here so I can hear a bunch of bland ‘pretty’, did I?”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“You can put on a coat or cloak. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Black or dark red would be good.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Not a bad idea.”

Katarina, who raised her eyebrows fiercely, reluctantly agreed.

No matter how much she hated her, if there was one thing she couldn’t deny, it was that she had a pretty good sense of aesthetics.

She had a way of instinctively knowing exactly where to put a corsage, or what colour and material accessories would go with a certain fabric, just by looking at it.

So, Katarina, with Amélie, was able to get a dress that she loved with just a few instructions.

Of course, that didn’t mean she was going to give Amélie a break.

During the hour-long process of moving Katarina’s entire dressing room, Amélie was getting worse and worse.

And she’d already changed seven dresses since the morning. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.As if determined to make Amélie miserable, she even made her pull out an old fashioned dress she wasn’t going to wear.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Pulling the corset tightly, she puffed up the crinoline at the back like an ant’s thorax, then flipped over the skirt and petticoat to complete the silhouette.

Then Katarina laughs, twirls around in the mirror, makes a few tweaks, and had her repeat the whole process from scratch.

In addition, each dress has its own matching jewellery, gloves, fans, capes, jackets and hats… Amélie moved with all her might.

For Katarina, who wanted to change the look of her hair, she brushed it with trembling hands, plugged in and unplugged dozens of hairpieces to create different moods.

It must have been exhausting for the party wearing all those clothes and props, but as someone who gets stronger the more she torments Amélie, Katarina enjoyed herself.

Well done. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Well done, Amélie…read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

The voice of Katarina, who had a hat tilted on her head, became distant like underwater, then dug into her ears and became clear again.

She wasn’t sure if she was being complimented on a job well done or if she was hallucinating.

“P, you look pretty… my lady.”

Her tiny fingertips were already visibly pitiful, twitching from the fever, but Katarina didn’t seem to mind and continued to ramble on about the dress and the gloves.

“Yes… yes, miss.”

A chill ran down her spine now.

Even as her mind fogged over, Amélie managed to squeeze out as many compliments as she could from the words that came to mind.

“So, it’s like Charlotte Garrel’s stage costume, it shows off your figure well… And, it’s also elegant.”

“Charlotte Garrel? The theatre actress?”

Katarina asked with a raised eyebrow.