Many people work in the Royal Palace, though one might not think of it now.
Marius tries not to acknowledge them – the pages who handle errands, the maids who help with cooking, cleaning, laundry, and needlework, the stable hands who care for the horses…
It makes him feel out of place.
Above the maids are ladies-in-waiting, ladies attached to royalty, and personal attendants, and above them are the Head Maid and the Lord Chamberlain.
For Marius, of ordinary birth, it was enough to make his head spin.
During the Wyvern attack, he had few escorts, which surprised Marius, but Bernhard III’s explanation was dispassionate.
“A King must strive to create employment, or the economy will stagnate.”
It was a perfectly reasonable statement, but it only led Marius to another question.
“Then why did you only bring a few people with you during the Wyvern attack?”
A reply steeped in bitterness, both in expression and words, was returned.
“Simply put, it was overconfidence. Wyverns are not native to the country, and other high-ranking monsters are only found in the border regions. I judged that for a day trip, that number would be sufficient. In fact, it has always been fine until now.”
There was a need to cut costs wherever possible, so he couldn’t mobilize a large number of people for a day trip inspection, but this time it had been dangerous.
Looking back, a king is always judged by results.
Saying, “I tried but failed,” repeatedly would lead to rebellion.
If Marius was surprised by anything, it was that Emma and Helka were not nobles. He lacked knowledge of such matters and had assumed, without basis, that anyone directly serving royalty must be of noble birth.
“Noble girls can’t possibly do everything like Emma-chan.”
Even in the Royal Palace, it was the daughters of families of Count rank or below who worked as ladies-in-waiting. This was primarily to enhance their prestige for a better marriage prospect, or with the ambition of catching the eye of royalty or high-ranking nobles. Very few were devoted to increasing their own skills. Helka had laughingly told Marius that Emma was an extreme exception, and Marius could only nod, thinking, “Is that how it is?”
“But aren’t royal attendants supposed to be from socially prominent families?”
The reply was that Emma and Helka’s families were prestigious military clans that had produced many high-ranking military officers over generations. Although they held titles, they strongly believed in doing things for themselves. The family doctrine was that having many skills increased one’s chances of survival in times of crisis. Both Emma and Helka faithfully adhered to this, but they were undoubtedly a minority among ladies-in-waiting and other attendants. Serving meals was originally the job of dedicated maids, and the true role of an attendant was to manage the maids, assign them tasks, and be a confidante and listener for their mistress. The difference between a lady-in-waiting and an attendant was essentially whether they had a specific mistress.
“But I only remember seeing you serving meals.”
“You are a valued guest, Marius-sama, so we cannot let the maids serve you.”
Emma explained that in Filat, it was customary for someone of higher standing than an attendant to serve honored guests. If she and Helka were not present, it might have fallen to the Head Maid.
“Few ladies-in-waiting are capable of serving,” Emma replied impassively, but Marius sensed a hint of disdain in her tone. This implied that the Head Maid was likely capable of performing a range of tasks like Emma and Helka.
Addressing Emma, Marius brought up the question that had been on his mind the most.
“Your family holds a title, yet you are not considered nobility?”
“‘Honorary nobility’ is the correct term,” Emma explained. In this country, the most meritorious individuals at the time of its founding were granted the ducal title, and those with significant achievements could be granted titles even without royal blood. However, if titles were bestowed upon every meritorious person, the country would be flooded with nobles. Therefore, various conditions were imposed, and only families that met them were granted honor.
“To produce one leader in a department such as Knights Commander, Magic Division Commander, or Head of Intelligence yields an Honorary Baron. From there, producing a General or Chief Royal Court Magician, or two or more department leaders, grants a regular Baron…” There were clear conditions for reaching the ducal rank. Essentially, it was a system that favored families producing multiple talented individuals. The confusing part was that while the bestowed titles were regular ones, the status remained that of an honorary noble.
“In my family’s case, my father served as the Head of Intelligence, so we will become regular Barons once we produce one more top-ranking official,” Emma elaborated. Fleg, who had recently retired as Head of Intelligence, was Emma’s father.
*Was he from a military family but in intelligence?* Marius wondered, but he didn’t voice the thought. In other countries, honorary nobility might be revoked after one generation, or individuals without noble blood might not be able to ascend the noble ranks at all. Filat, however, was relatively lenient. There was even a rumor, akin to an urban legend, that this leniency was the very reason Klaus Adler had fallen out with them.
“It seems the status difference is stricter than I imagined.” Marius suspected that the path provided was a way to vent pressure, a means of diverting discontent. Combining this with information he already knew, a question arose.
“Helka’s husband, if I recall correctly, was from a high-ranking noble family. Wasn’t there an uproar about the mismatch with honorary nobility?”
“Ah, there was very little. Firstly, she became an attendant to a Princess, and secondly, she had a letter of guarantee from the Head Maid.” In Filat, the status of a royal attendant was extremely high. Regardless of her own intentions, she held considerable influence and say over the royal she served. As such, royal attendants were carefully selected, sometimes with consultations between the Lord Chamberlain, the chief administrator of the palace, and the Head Maid, occasionally involving the King. Were they exceptionally capable? Was their character trustworthy? If no suitable candidate was found, the position would remain vacant. The selection process for royal attendants was thus exceptionally cautious. It was considered the highest honor for a lady-in-waiting, a position every aspiring lady-in-waiting dreamed of. It would be no wonder if the chosen individual and their family acted arrogantly, and even then, only royalty or the Head Maid could admonish them. However, seeing Emma and Helka, it was difficult to imagine.
“What is this ‘letter of guarantee’?”
“It’s akin to a certificate of merit that the Head Maid issues only to those who are exceptionally outstanding,” Helka replied, prefacing her statement with, “This might sound boastful.” In Marius’s original world, it was something like an imperial endorsement. The Head Maid, alongside the Lord Chamberlain, was the highest authority among those serving the Royal Palace, and even Chancellors and high-ranking nobles had to treat her with respect. Consequently, those who received such a certificate were inundated with marriage proposals. Like being a royal attendant, it was something aspired to by aspiring ladies-in-waiting.
*Emma perhaps, but Helka… is she really that outstanding?* Marius wondered what criteria were used for her selection, but of course, he couldn’t say it to her face. Seeing her frequent, overly intimate interactions with him, only to be scolded by Lovisa and Emma each time, made him wonder why she hadn’t been fired. However, he reasoned that her time with Marius was limited, and she must be outstanding in other aspects.
Marius gazed at the ladies-in-waiting moving about the Royal Palace, recalling a time when he didn’t even know the difference between a lady-in-waiting and a maid. It seemed their attire indicated their rank and position at a glance, but Marius couldn’t discern it at all. This meant he couldn’t tell whom to ask to be announced to the King. Judging by Raymond’s attitude, he likely wouldn’t be dismissed regardless of who he approached, but he hesitated to interrupt someone busy.
*First, I’ll just head to the office.* Perhaps he might run into someone he knew and could easily speak to. He started walking with a faint glimmer of hope.
“That must be the Royal Court Magician.” “They say he’s much stronger than Lucas-sama and Nilson-sama.” Whispers like these reached him. The voices, a mixture of admiration and fear, reminded Marius of his own position. He had no desire to be feared by young women, but there was nothing he could do about it. He thought being feared might reduce his chances of getting involved in conspiracies, but the reality was that his discomfort remained unchanged. The hood of his Purgatory Robe probably lessened the pressure of their gazes, which was a small comfort.
“The hood increases my mystique and secrecy, which is good.” This was the King’s reply when Marius asked if he should remove it within the palace. The interior of the Royal Palace was surprisingly unpretentious, with a design that could be described as simple and robust, suiting Marius’s taste. The only exceptions were the audience chamber and rooms for guests. This was one of the reasons Marius had developed a favorable impression of the country’s royalty.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but we’re facing financial difficulties,” Lovisa explained, looking genuinely ashamed, but Marius didn’t entirely believe her. While there might have been times of hardship at the founding of the nation, after the attack by demons, or at other points, he didn’t believe they had been struggling financially continuously since the founding. A country couldn’t survive continuous financial struggles for centuries, nor could it afford to employ so many people in the Royal Palace. He honestly admired their willingness to cut back on expenses that might have been for their own vanity or entertainment. Though, from an economic perspective, some spending might be necessary.
Therefore, the attire of the ladies-in-waiting and maids in the Royal Palace of Filat was also subdued in its extravagance. However, this didn’t mean all women walking through the palace were dressed modestly. Noble ladies from prominent families indulged in luxuries within their family’s financial means. It was likely a matter of maintaining their status as nobles and their pride as women.
Perhaps it was because he was thinking about this that he was accosted by young noble ladies.
“Marius-sama, I am Millie of the Regenta family.” “I am Farna of the Garral family.” Their gestures were elegant and their speech polite, but to Marius, they appeared no different from a pack of hungry beasts who had found their prey. Though their demeanor was modest, their eyes were filled with the light of interest. The troublesome aspect of this pack was that he couldn’t simply brush them aside with force.
“A pleasure to meet you. Please call me Marius. Your radiant beauty is almost too much for me to bear. Please forgive my fragility in not being able to remove my hood.”
“Oh, you are so eloquent.” Judging by the noble ladies’ reactions, who seemed not displeased, Marius began to think that perhaps Emma and Lovisa were the exceptions. These beautiful noblewomen were likely accustomed to receiving compliments from men.
“That’s right. Marius-sama, you are accustomed to seeing Princess Lovisa, aren’t you? Are we, perhaps, drab in comparison?”
Indeed, in terms of beauty, they didn’t seem to measure up to Lovisa. However, they were comparable to Emma. He praised them effusively with gestures, and they responded with delighted expressions.
*The psychology of women seems to be largely the same even in this world.* He reminded himself not to let his guard down, as the upper class in this world was presumably more adept at subtle maneuvering.
After offering a moderate display of friendliness, he tried to excuse himself by bringing up his future plans.
“Actually, I have matters to consult with His Majesty about shortly, so I must take my leave.”
“Oh, is that so? What a shame.” His judgment that mentioning the King would prevent them from stopping him proved correct. They exchanged farewells with feigned disappointment.
“May the blessings of my ancestors be with you, Marius-sama.” Millie said, with a captivating smile, gently patting Marius’s shoulder with her handkerchief. In Filat, when a young lady touches a man’s shoulder while offering such a blessing, it is an expression of affection. It is common to touch the handkerchief or accessory they are wearing. Since there was no specific promise made, and no words that could be twisted, Marius accepted it with a hint of ulterior motive in his heart. One of the reasons was that refusing such an expression from noble ladies was a difficult task. The reciprocation from a young lady was typically a light embrace. After receiving their affections, Marius noticed the expectant gazes of the ladies but was unsure how to respond.
*I’m about to meet the King, wouldn’t it be bad to be covered in a woman’s perfume?* This was his reasoning. Visiting the busy King while reeking of young ladies’ perfume—even if he wasn’t punished, he felt he couldn’t complain if he was denied an audience. However, if they behaved this way after he stated he was meeting the King, perhaps problems didn’t arise in Filat.
“Unfortunately, as I am to meet His Majesty, I must ask for a rain check on the return of affection.”
“Oh, that’s right. We were so taken by Marius-sama’s charm that we completely forgot. Farewell, then.” The ladies departed with smiles that could melt a man’s reason, but Marius, far from feeling impressed, broke out in a cold sweat.
*Was that intentional? Did they try to sow discord between me and the King?!* If so, he felt they were capable of terrifying actions behind such innocent faces. If no one had warned him beforehand to be wary of women, he might have fallen for it.
