The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 92
Artizea Rosan’s eighteenth birthday party was scheduled to begin with an evening dinner.
Just four days ago, she had been worried she wouldn’t be able to sleep on this day, but instead, she slept soundly and even overslept in the morning.
“Good morning, miss. Hurry up and wash your face. There’s a lot to do today.”
“Okay.”
Rubbing her eyes, Artizea went into the bathroom to wash up first and then stretched before returning to her bedroom. Alice handed her a freshly prepared vegetable juice. Though still officially a maid, Alice had practically taken on the role of her secretary lately.
“Have a quick drink first. You probably won’t have time for breakfast later.”
“Alright.”
“This morning you’re scheduled to meet with Marquisate Rosan’s legal representative and estate manager. Also the new steward and head butler.”
“Okay.”
Yawning, Artizea took the cup. She wasn’t really hungry but knew she needed energy with so much to do. As she drank about half the juice, Marie offered a small piece of bread topped with cheese and dried figs.
Artizea eagerly accepted the snack while changing her clothes.
Turning eighteen didn’t just mean receiving congratulations comfortably. Cedric was preparing to hand over all Marquisate Rosan assets and personnel he had managed to Artizea. Today would mark both an ending and a new beginning.
She had only learned the rough scope of it yesterday. Now she understood why Cedric had been so busy since returning from the North and hadn’t been able to spend time with her.
Though she wished he had told her earlier, she remembered she’d been told from childhood that this would happen on her eighteenth birthday. She hadn’t taken it too seriously, being focused on her marriage plans.
She would have to change again this afternoon, but this morning was her first time appearing before the retainers as Young Marquis Rosan, so she had to be mindful of her appearance.
She wore a neat blouse, jacket, and pleated skirt carefully chosen by Sophie. Then, hurrying not to be late, she stepped outside.
Marquisate Rosan’s vassals, including the legal and estate managers who could be considered the heads, were already gathered in the hall. With about fifty attendants, the butler of Grand Duke Evron’s residence hurried to arrange tables and chairs and serve refreshments.
About 30% of the managers had been in charge of Marquisate Rosan estate management for over ten years, appointed by the Emperor himself, while the rest had been hired by Cedric.
However, some longtime retainers remained. Most of the visitors today were from this group.
Since roughly ten years ago, after the previous Marquis passed away, Grand Duke Evron had been searching for former retainers and employees who had left the family, helping those in need find work and support.
Five years ago, as compensation for advising on Lawrence’s disposition, the Grand Duke regained all authority over Marquisate Rosan and allowed anyone who wished to return to rejoin the family.
Torben Hanson, who ran the winery owned by Marquisate Rosan, was among those who came back then.
A significant tension existed between the returning retainers and those who had stayed. Those who left considered the stayers traitors, and vice versa.
Grand Duke Evron was aware of the conflict but chose not to intervene.
[As a guardian, I only temporarily hold the estate and don’t have the right to decide the family’s fate. I understand your feelings, but I hope you can wait until Artizea becomes an adult.]
After he publicly sent such a letter, the fighting temporarily ceased.
There was also tension within the Hanson family.
Though Torben believed in the Grand Duke’s sincerity and had returned, he couldn’t convince other relatives who expected the Young Marquis to side with her mother. The returning and non-returning parties were about evenly split.
After five years of this ongoing situation, anxiety grew. Torben’s uncle Marcus Hanson also expressed a negative attitude.
[It’s understandable that Grand Duke Evron is troubled. After all, even if they accuse someone of betrayal, it’s not like they directly harmed the previous head of the family or relatives. It’s hard to punish.]
So Marcus didn’t have high hopes, assuming the Young Marquis would behave similarly.
Yet Torben accepted the invitation to the Young Marquis’ eighteenth birthday party and came all the way to the capital despite being very busy. He wanted to see her with his own eyes.
He wasn’t the only one. Many retainers at the gathering had that thought.
They didn’t have to wait long.
Soon the doors to the hall opened, and a slender young girl entered, accompanied by a guard and a maid.
It was easy to recognize who she was. Of course, the only noble girl attending was Young Marquis Rosan, Artizea, but even some of the older retainers recognized her face.
Torben recalled the image of the late family members from his memories. The young masters were all fair-skinned, slender, and had light blonde hair. She bore no resemblance to either parent but, according to Marcus, she closely resembled their maternal grandfather Michael.
He also remembered the former head of the family’s stunned expression when he first saw the newborn’s face, as Torben had been working in the steward’s department, attending closely to the family head.
At the time, he hadn’t been able to read the paternal lineage immediately from the baby’s face, but it wasn’t surprising the previous head recognized it right away.
Torben felt a strange emotion.
The young masters had never been good people. They were immoral, decadent, lacking self-control, and behaving arbitrarily even toward their servants.
Had one of them become the head, the future of Marquisate Rosan would have been bleak. Most retainers wouldn’t have remained loyal. Whenever the former head drank and lamented why none of his children were decent, Torben wondered if a child could even grow properly in such an environment.
However, the Young Marquis, with that familiar face, proved more than anything else that she was the rightful heir to Marquisate Rosan’s direct bloodline.
Unlike her dissolute, willful brothers, she stood gracefully and with dignity, looking at those who would serve her.
The legal and estate managers, who won’t likely have the same emotion as Torben, as they were chosen by Grand Duke Evron, approached respectfully and bowed before the Young Marquis.
“It is a great honor to formally meet you, Young Marquis.”
“I believe we have met once before. Do you remember me?”
“Nice to meet you again, Sir Marek, Mr. Garen.”
Artizea reached out and shook hands with both men. The legal representative Sir Marek politely shook her hand and said.
“There are several documents you need to sign today. According to the existing contracts, Mr. Garen’s and my contracts end today, but we hope for a six-month extension.”
“Why would I suddenly fire you and look for new people when I know what you’re capable of? But before that.”
Artizea spoke calmly, looking at the retainers behind the two men.
“I want to greet those who will be serving me.”
“Of course, you should.”
Garen smiled and stepped aside to make way.
Torben assumed the next to step forward would be the new head butler managing the Rosan family’s employees. However, that wasn’t the case. Garen and Marek gestured him forward first.