The laundry of the master and his siblings, which required less physical exertion and the use of warm water, was not Edel’s responsibility.
Before her were piled bed sheets, thin duvets, tablecloths, and towels, tea napkins, various covers, and even the mops used throughout the mansion.
‘It’s fortunate that the servants wash their own clothes and undergarments.’
As Celia had told her, Edel sat on a wooden chair before a large basin and began washing the mops, which were piled high.
It was late autumn, and the water was cold, but thinking it would only get colder, she couldn’t afford to groan just yet.
“Since it’s your first day, I’m assigning you the easiest items to wash: the mops and tea towels… You just need to beat them with a washboard until they’re white, so it shouldn’t be difficult… right?”
Whether it was truly the easiest task was questionable, but Edel nodded without a word.
After just a few squeezes, the water in the basin turned black.
‘What kind of place was this mop used to clean?’
Disgusting images kept coming to mind, but she tried to shake off such thoughts, or rather, she tried to think of nothing at all as she continued to wash.
Laila, the other person in the laundry room, also took her place, and soon the laundry room was filled with the chatter of Celia and Laila and the sound of washing.
The laundry room suddenly became quiet about an hour after the washing began.
“Ahem!”
At Marsha’s sudden clearing of her throat, Celia and Laila stopped their chatter and quietly resumed their washing.
Marsha, who had been pacing back and forth as if checking on the laundry, inevitably stopped in front of Edel.
“What is this?”
At the confrontational voice, Edel felt her body stiffen.
However, as if wishing for her to be more flustered, Marsha picked up a mop that Edel had already washed, lightly shook it with her fingertips, and then dropped it to the floor.
“Look here, Madam Duchess. Did you wipe the banister with such a dirty mop in the Grand Duchy of Lancaster? In this house, you’d get your hair pulled by Lady Lynnia.”
However, the mop Marsha dropped was almost clean, with barely any stains. The faint remaining stains were old and wouldn’t come off no matter how much they were washed.
Of course, she knew that arguing back would only result in more scolding and ridicule.
‘That head maid is showing off her power by crushing me, the former Duchess.’
What a sweet situation this must be. The reversal of power, where she could subjugate nobles as her inferiors.
Edel suppressed the churning in her stomach once more.
“I’m sorry. I’m new to this, so I’m clumsy. I’ll wash it again.”
“You speak well. Is this why you’re washing so gently to keep those pretty hands? What good are soft hands for a laundry maid?”
She was being criticized for having soft hands when she had just started the job.
Still, Edel bowed her head.
“I will work harder.”
“Of course, you will. Celia! Don’t let this one off the hook and keep a close eye on her! She’s a traitor, for all we know she’s plotting something dangerous!”
The term used to refer to Edel had finally devolved into ‘this one.’
For a moment, her brow twitched, but Edel gritted her teeth and maintained her composure to the very end.
What people like them wanted was for her to get agitated and rebel. That would give them a more solid excuse to crush her.
‘There’s no need for that… I just want to live out my remaining years quietly doing laundry.’
Edel felt pity for herself, already weary of life at the age of twenty-four, but she now knew that nothing sweet would ever happen in her life.
So, she could only pray that she could be satisfied with this much of a life, that she could at least do that.
As she meekly bowed her head and repeatedly apologized, Marsha frowned, seemingly dissatisfied, but unable to pick another fight, she left.
After Marsha left, Celia and Laila whispered to each other for a while, glancing at Edel.
‘What will happen to me from now on?’
A gloomy atmosphere spread like a dark cloud. Still, all she could do now was wash the mops even cleaner.
* * *
The Grand Duchy of Lancaster’s attempt at independence had failed miserably, and the families involved could not escape the wrath.
The Canyon Count Family, who had intervened by offering their daughter in her prime as a second wife to the aging Duke, had at one point been on the verge of complete ruin.
However, Dustin Canyon, as always, had shrewdly calculated and talked his way out of the crisis.
“Please believe me, Your Majesty! How could I refuse the coercive orders of Duke Lancaster! He not only forcibly took my daughter Edel but also threatened me into helping him with this scheme.”
Everyone in high society knew that he had gone to great lengths to form a marital alliance with one of the ‘Four Great Families,’ yet he insisted he had been ‘robbed.’
Of course, his plea was only accepted thanks to the exchange of secret information and a substantial amount of tribute.
“Damn it…”
Dustin cursed as he checked his halved fortune.
“That foolish old man, why did he have to get such a wild idea at the last minute…!”
The secret independence plan of the duchy had been discovered before it was fully developed. It was all because Duke Lancaster, who had become arrogant believing he would soon become ‘King,’ had lowered his guard.
And this was despite knowing that Demarcus, who had succeeded his incompetent father as Emperor, was determined to strengthen his imperial authority!
“Still, I thought it would succeed for the most part, but I never expected the Emperor to make an example of them like this.”
The Grand Duchy of Lancaster was as powerful as the imperial family, but that made them a perfect target to make an example of.
In fact, a few years ago, it would have been impossible for the Emperor to strike against the Grand Duchy of Lancaster.
The person who made all of this possible was the ‘King of Mercenaries,’ Laslo Krissus, who had allied with the Emperor, leading his mercenaries.
“Some bastard who used to beg for scraps, now a Count…! Damn it! Damn it!”
What was even more infuriating was that the Emperor had bestowed Edel, the former Duchess of Lancaster, to Laslo.
It wasn’t because he was concerned about his daughter’s suffering, but because it felt like a warning to the anti-imperial nobles, or more specifically, to the Canyon Count Family. And so, he was unable to contain his anger.
“Father. What should we do now?”
William, his eldest son, who had been silently watching his father’s rage, asked cautiously.
The sons, who had kept their heads thanks to their father, were now more watchful of his every move than before.
Dustin clenched his teeth, his eyes gleaming, and said in a low voice,
“For now, we must lie low. We don’t know when or where the Emperor’s sharp blade will strike. He’ll be fearless thanks to his well-trained hunting dogs.”
“Edel was given as spoils of war to that Laslo fellow, will that have any impact on our family?”
At the words of his second son, Jeffrey, Dustin snapped irritably.
“She should have taken her own life before suffering such humiliation! I don’t know what lingering attachment that Edel has that she’s still alive! She’s a disgrace to our family, a disgrace!”
He genuinely believed so.
Not only had she fallen from the highest position as Madam Duchess, but she had also been thrown into slavery to a dirty man of mercenary origin. Edel should have committed suicide to protect her own and her family’s honor as nobles.
Dustin clicked his tongue in annoyance and shook his head.
He had two sons left beside him, out of two sons and two daughters.
‘I definitely have bad luck with daughters.’
Edel, whom he had expected much from because she was quite intelligent and followed instructions well, had shown a very disappointing side at the end. Not to mention his youngest daughter, who had died early.
In any case, Edel was as good as severed along with the Grand Duchy of Lancaster, so he didn’t need to worry about her anymore.
“Your daughter was the Madam Duchess of Lancaster. No matter what, wouldn’t your heart lean towards her?”
“No, no, Your Majesty! A daughter is a married woman! She has no relation to our family anymore. Please believe me!”
“R-really? Then you mean you will not offer any words regarding the disposition of Edel Lancaster?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
With that, Dustin managed to protect his household.
Demarcus, who had worn a meaningful smile at the end…
He looked a bit ghastly, and perhaps he had already decided to hand Edel over to Laslo at that very moment.
It would be difficult to avoid gossip in high society, but for now, it didn’t matter since he couldn’t step forward anyway.
However, Dustin Canyon was not the type of person to meekly hold his breath and cling to life.
“Just you wait. I will definitely make a comeback and ensure no one can ever look down on the Canyon Count Family again. I absolutely will!”
He gritted his teeth and began to instruct his two sons on what they needed to do going forward.