Chapter_44

Translator: Yonnee

❖ ❖ ❖

 

Late in the afternoon, Cecilia called for the maid, Martha.

It was the same maid who had accompanied her when entering the southern wing earlier.

“Are the caravan’s wagons still in the outer castle?”

“Yes, Madam.”

“How long do merchants usually stay once they arrive?”

“About three days, Madam.”

“I’m not planning to go out to the outer castle, but is there a place where I could see the caravan’s wagons? Preferably not too close.”

“Yes, Madam. You should be able to see them from the wall connected to the west wing.”

Following Martha’s guidance, Cecilia walked to a vantage point where she could view the outer castle grounds in their entirety.

Dozens of wagons were still surrounded by people.

Groups of people gathered in small clusters discussing, others were trading actively with the merchants, and some were busy carrying goods on their shoulders—everyone looked busy.

Cecilia spotted Russell.

Even in the brief time she watched him, people were constantly approaching him.

One person would come and speak to him, then leave, only for another to come and speak, show an item, or hand him documents.

Whether they were from Lagos or merchants, no one seemed overly formal, nor did they appear intimidated by the lord.

Russell’s attire was plain.

At a glance, it seemed as though no one would recognize him as the lord.

Cecilia felt a fresh sense of surprise.

The nobles she had encountered before had all been extremely authoritative.

They never dealt with merchants directly.

The attitude of the people around him was markedly different.

Cecilia thought about how servants behaved in front of nobles.

They kept their heads down, wore expressionless faces, hunched their shoulders, and appeared intimidated.

But here, the people stood tall in front of the lord and spoke to him while meeting his gaze.

Yet, Russell did not appear undignified or lacking in his authority as lord.

‘He’s busy.’

It seemed unlikely she would be able to continue their conversation from earlier in the southern wing today.

Since it was the first market day in two months, he would have many responsibilities.

She decided she would wait until the merchants had departed.

“That’s enough. Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Madam.”

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

Late at night, Tran, the deputy leader of the Ewen Guild, knocked on the lord’s office door.

“Come in.”

Tran entered, carrying a polished wooden box.

The box was large enough that two people would typically be needed to carry it, but Tran handled it with ease.

Russell gestured for him to place the box on the empty table.

After setting down the box, Tran pulled a letter from his coat and handed it to Russell.

“The Leader insisted you read this letter before opening the box.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Once Tran had left, Russell looked at the wooden box on the table.

He had often gifted hunters with fine leather or weapons as tokens of appreciation, not as formal payments.

Those, too, could be considered gifts.

But this was the first time he had ever made an impulsive purchase as a gift for a lady.

‘I thought I should buy it since she might need silk. Compared to the Jericho Grand Duchy, Lagos likely lacks items a noblewoman would require.’

There was no deeper intention.

Publicly, she was the lady of Lagos Castle, and internally, she was a guest of honor.

He simply wanted to treat her accordingly.

‘Now that the item has arrived, I should check it…’

As he was about to open the box, Russell remembered the letter Tran had given him.

He pulled it from the envelope and began to read.

As he continued, his expression grew increasingly troubled, and he sighed, brushing a hand through his hair.

The letter detailed the implications of ‘a gentleman gifting pure white fabric—whether silk or cotton—to a lady’.

Women used pure white fabric to make undergarments.

If given to an unmarried woman, such a gift implied flirtation and could not be easily excused, even if one were severely reprimanded.

If given to a mistress or wife, it conveyed an intimate meaning: ‘I was pleased with our night together.’

In families with strict traditions and reputations, even husbands refrained from such gifts to their wives because of the vulgar implications.

‘That mischievous old man.’

Russell recalled Dustin’s poker-faced expression when he had said, ‘If it’s a gift, I’ll wrap it for you.’

Dustin must have been laughing about this inwardly.

Though Russell felt a tinge of embarrassment, he was grateful to have learned of this custom before making a blunder.

He nearly made a significant mistake.

As he finished reading the letter, Russell frowned.

‘He gives me the problem, then the solution.’

The letter also included a suggestion on how to present pure white silk without causing offense.

At the end, a postscript was added,

 

—Consider the cost of the silk and this letter as a debt.

 

Russell chuckled as he folded the letter, thinking Dustin was a merchant to his core.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

The next morning, Helen entered Cecilia’s bedroom with breakfast, accompanied by two maids.

Originally, this had been Benjamine’s task, but after Benjamine injured her ankle, Helen took over.

As Cecilia ate her breakfast, Helen and the two maids attended to her.

This role, once held by Benjamine and the maids of the grand duchy, had naturally fallen to the maids of Lagos.

 

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