Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 59
59: Childhood Friend – Philas Tertan
The bustling activity at the lord's castle gradually subsided.
This was because preparations for receiving the distinguished guests were nearing completion, though it did not mean that the maids' workload had noticeably decreased.
The head maid, always stern-faced, singled out five maids. She lined them up horizontally and said:
"Now you must serve Lady Harie Guidan, so keep your wits about you."
She had selected only the smartest and most diligent ones after observing them for a month, but she was worried sick about employing those with no experience serving nobility.
Why did the young lady bring only two maids when she was in such a hurry?
The head maid warned that any mistake would result in severe punishment, making the chosen maids pale.
It was daunting to be tasked with serving nobility. The generous pay was attractive, but no one wanted to be beaten or chased away for the slightest mistake.
She was scared but also a bit excited.
"Nobility! And a young lady at that!"
She was curious about the luxurious lives of the nobles. What kind of life did they lead? They were said to be heartless, but they didn't seem that way last time. How could their skin be so white? What is the capital like?
Lena, eager to glimpse the daily life of the nobility, diligently participated in the training, catching the head maid's eye.
Not long after, Lena became Lady Harie Guidan's exclusive maid.
The two maids that Lady Guidan had brought were on the verge of collapsing from overwork, and an urgent replacement was needed.
The head maid, noting Lena's quick and perceptive nature, assigned her to the position.
There was hardly enough time to teach her, but it was the only choice. They had to deploy the fastest learner...
Early in the morning, Lena carefully knocked on the door and said:
"Lady, I have brought your washing water."
"You may come in."
When she entered, Lady Harie Guidan was stretching in bed.
‘Oh my, nobles wear gowns even when they sleep. Is that something I haven't washed yet? Did she bring it from the capital?’
Lena discreetly observed while placing the warm water on the bedside table. She stood quietly with a towel in hand.
Lady Harie, noticing the unfamiliar maid looking around curiously, smiled.
‘She thinks I won't notice...’
Noble ladies, skilled in subtle and enigmatic etiquette, could pick up on the slightest movements.
Lady Harie Guidan was not one to torment her servants. However, seeing the maid trying to observe everything without turning her head made her feel playful.
She stood up from the bed and suddenly discarded her gown.
"Oh? Lady, you only wash your face in the morning..."
"I did bathe last night, but I seem to have sweated during the night. Could you help me wash?"
Seeing Lady Harie half-naked and seated on a stool, Lena began to sweat nervously.
What a disaster! I haven't learned how to bathe someone yet!
‘Do I just wet a towel and wipe her down? Where do I start? How far do I go?’
Flustered, Lena began to wash her, and Lady Harie smiled.
‘How cute.’
Up close, the maid washing her body seemed quite adorable. Her slightly chubby cheeks made Lady Harie want to pinch them.
‘Did I go too far? Look at her sweating.’
Feeling a bit guilty, Lady Harie gently guided her through the task.
“There’s perfume on the table over there. Choose the yellow one and mix it with the water, please. And then...”
Fortunately, despite her panic, Lena understood her instructions well, and Lady Harie found herself liking the maid.
As autumn approached, a distinguished guest from the Conrad Kingdom arrived in Bosfo.
A carriage adorned with the red shield symbolizing the Tertan Duchy carried a young man who was greeted by the steward as he disembarked.
With neatly groomed dark brown hair and similarly colored eyes shining, the young noble was Philas Tertan, heir to the Tertan family.
He was a very young heir.
The grandson of Duke Lappert Tertan, who held sway over Conrad Kingdom’s political scene, he had yet to reach adulthood.
Set to come of age next year, Philas displayed impeccable manners despite his youth, thanks to thorough education.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Philas Tertan. I look forward to your hospitality.”
“We will serve you without fault. Are you not weary? Would you like to meet Lady Guidan first? Very well, let me guide you to your room.”
Wishing to meet the lady in a fresh and tidy state, Philas asked to be shown to his room to shake off the dust from his long journey.
The fifteen escort knights accompanying Philas were assigned rooms, except for two who remained with him.
Left alone, Philas placed a small jewelry box on the windowsill table and sat in front of it, exhaling deeply to relieve his travel fatigue.
With a mischievous smile still lingering, he pinched his straight nose thoughtfully.
‘Why did Grandfather make such a request?’
His grandfather, Duke Lappert Tertan, was an exceptionally kind man. Despite his grip on the politics of the Conrad Kingdom and having Prince Eric de Yeriel as his grandson, he was incredibly gentle.
He adored Philas Tertan and tried to keep his grandson close whenever possible.
Because of this, Philas' father, Midian Tertan, couldn't leave the duke's estate even after getting married.
Usually, even heirs of noble families would live in separate estates after marriage, but the duke's stubbornness defied such common norms.
For Philas, this was a blessing. Although material abundance and quality education were guaranteed as a grand noble, there was something special about the care of a family elder.
He grew up healthily, continuously receiving attention from his grandfather, grandmother, mother, and father.
Philas considered himself very fortunate.
It wasn't unreasonable to think so, given that he was born into the most prominent family in the Conrad Kingdom, except for the Yeriel royal family, and had a harmonious family.
However, the task his grandfather requested this time was somewhat odd and unexpected.
Philas Tertan recalled the moment Duke Lappert Tertan called him into his room.
+ + +
Philas was summoned by his grandfather late at night.
The sun had already set, and despite the duke's estate being well-lit, most areas were enveloped in darkness.
What could it be at this late hour? We had dinner together earlier; does he have something more to say?
When he arrived, his grandfather was sitting in his study, stirring a glass of precious iced water and staring into space. It was a long-standing habit when he was deep in thought. The flickering candlelight made his wrinkles look deeper and darker than usual.
“Grandfather, I’m here.”
“Come in. I’m sorry for calling you so late. I have an urgent request.”
Smiling gently, his grandfather guided him to a comfortable chair and spoke.
“You have received a marriage proposal.”
“A marriage proposal? But isn’t it too early for me?”
At his grandson's question, the grandfather smiled broadly, as if pleased by the precise inquiry. His wrinkles spread out in all directions.
“Indeed, it is too early. But do you know where the proposal came from? It’s from the Guidan Marquisate in the Orun Kingdom.”
“The Guidan Marquisate? The one bordering our territory?”
The Tertan Dukedom held vast lands in the southern Conrad Kingdom, and Philas's father, Midian Tertan, was also a western border count, holding additional lands.
Thus, the Guidan Marquisate in the eastern Orun Kingdom and the Tertan Dukedom in the western Conrad Kingdom shared a border in the southwestern part of the continent.
“You know well. They asked if we would take a beautiful young lady named Harie Guidan as your bride.”
“Hmm…”
Philas was momentarily speechless.
The duty of nobles.
Though not yet of age, Philas was already aware of it.
No matter how grand a family, if left to stand alone for too long, it would eventually collapse.
Thus, noble families sought alliances through marriage, and the young heirs bore that responsibility.
But marriage!
Philas, raised tenderly in a large family, had yet to truly meet a young lady. He was only now finding his footing in social circles.
Yet marriage!
Philas felt strangely embarrassed. He hadn’t even met her yet, but knowing a future spouse was somewhere on the continent made his heart flutter.
He was a newly-minted youth, inevitably green and fresh.
Clearing his throat, Philas thought of his noble duty and shyly responded.
“I’m fine with it. It’s something I must do. I’m glad I can contribute to the family.”
However, his grandfather’s response was unexpected.
“I’m not trying to marry you off. Although the Guidan Marquisate is a prestigious family, it’s still a foreign family. The marriage proposal will be rejected.”
“Then why are you telling me this?”
Philas asked, a bit disappointed.
If the marriage proposal was to be rejected, couldn’t they just decline it without informing him? Surely many proposals had been rejected without him knowing, given the desire to be allied with the Tertan family.
Duke Lappert Tertan rose and retrieved a jewel box from a desk drawer.
“Deliver this to the lady named Harie. It’s still a prestigious family, so we can’t reject the proposal without any gesture. I’m not asking you to face her and reject it personally. Just give this and return, and I’ll handle the refusal later. Consider it a trip.”
Inside the box his grandfather handed over was a necklace with a gem that gleamed darkly even in the dim light.
Philas wondered why such a cumbersome rejection was necessary but accepted the box.
+ + +
Philas, feeling the foreign wind by the window, continued to ponder.
He held the necklace with a large gem in his hand.
‘Oh no! I shouldn’t touch the gem like this.’
Depending on the type, some gems would retain smudges from finger oils.
Alarmed, he carefully inspected the necklace, but luckily, no marks were left.
What a peculiar gem.
This dark red gem seemed very solid from the outside, but strangely, it reflected light differently at varying angles as if something inside was swaying. Philas often found himself mesmerized by the gem during the long journey.
- Knock, knock
“Lord Philas! It’s almost time to meet the lady. Should I let the maids in?”
“Let them in.”
At Philas's permission, three maids entered the room carrying garments.
They had followed him from the Tertan Dukedom to this place and swiftly removed his outer clothes, dressed him in a fine new outfit, and adorned him with a scarf and several accessories.
They brushed his hair, applied light powder to his face, and checked for any unsightly stubble before bowing and leaving the room.
Though accustomed to such service, Philas had recently begun to feel uncomfortable about it. As he matured, he became more aware of the young, pretty maids around him.
Moreover, he had recently heard a shocking story from a noble peer.
To be intimate with a maid!
Growing up in a large family, Philas found it unimaginable. How could one do such a thing in a house with one’s grandfather present?
Moreover…
‘They’re commoners.’
The proud dignity of the Tertan family did not permit any disgraceful relations with commoners.
Philas easily suppressed his base desires with rationality and left the room, heading towards the lady whose marriage proposal was already set to be declined.