Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 48

IT WILL BE DIFFERENT THIS TIME.

YOUR MAJESTY~~~!!

LADY COCOCHE?

YOU REMEMBER ME!

IT IS AN HONOR, YOUR MAJESTY.

ALLOW ME TO OFFER MY BELATED CONGRATULATIONS!

I WANTED TO ATTEND AS WELL,

BUT I WAS TOLD NO ONE EXCEPT THE HEADS OF FAMILIES COULD ATTEND THE GRAND CEREMONY.

I was deeply disappointed.

I TRUST YOU HAVE BEEN WELL?

YOU HAVE GROWN EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL SINCE I LAST SAW YOU.

AH,

UM...

THANK YOU.

COULD THE PERSON WHO APPLIED FOR THE LADY-IN-WAITING POSITION POSSIBLY BE YOU?

YES, I GATHERED MY COURAGE AND APPLIED!

BUT ARE YOU NOT THE HEIR TO THE RUTHERFORD FAMILY?

THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF SERVING ME.

HEIRS ARE USUALLY BUSY MANAGING THEIR ESTATES,

AND NORMALLY, IT IS THOSE REMOVED FROM THE LINE OF SUCCESSION WHO APPLY...?

WELL, YOU SEE...

DIDN'T YOUR MAJESTY SAY THAT NO ONE WOULD APPLY TO BE YOUR LADY- IN-WAITING?

THAT WAS WHEN LADY COCOCHE SUDDENLY CAME TO MIND.

WHEN I MADE THE SUGGESTION TO HER, SHE WAS DELIGHTED.

NO, BUT STILL, TO TROUBLE SOMEONE SO BUSY–

SINCE LADY COCOCHE HAS PREPARED FOR THIS SO ENTHUSIASTICALLY,

I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BEST FOR YOU TO GRACIOUSLY ACCEPT HER.

HMM... LADY COCOCHE.

IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE AN INTELLECTUAL LIKE YOU AS MY LADY- IN-WAITING.

I MAY BE A MASTER WHO IS LACKING IN MANY WAYS,

BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME COCOCHE, YOUR MAJESTY.

TO BE ABLE TO SERVE YOUR MAJESTY IS THE GREATEST HONOR FOR MY FAMILY.

Please make full use of me! Completely~!

I-I shall do so.

A SHORT WHILE LATER, DURING TEA TIME

THERE ARE TOO MANY TEA LEAVES.

CLEAR THEM AWAY.

Y-YES!

WE MUST REPLACE THE TOWELS WITH A FINER FABRIC.

YES!

The color combination of the cutlery and teacup should be a bit more...

Clatter

YOUR MAJESTY. YOU MUST HOLD THE TEACUP LIGHTLY, STARTING FROM THE TIP OF THE HANDLE.

IF YOU CLASP IT LIKE THAT, IT LACKS ELEGANCE, DOES IT NOT?

AH, THEN,

...IT MUST BE HELD LIKE THIS.

YOU SHOULD ALSO PICK UP THE COOKIES LIGHTLY WITH YOUR FINGERTIPS.

IF YOU STAB THEM WITH A FORK, THEY WILL CRUMBLE, AND THAT WOULDN'T DO, WOULD IT?

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT.

I CAN JUST EAT IT LIKE THIS, RIGHT?

NO, YOU MUSTN'T!

YOU MUST NOT BRING IT TO YOUR MOUTH SO HASTILY; YOU SHOULD EAT WITH AN ELEGANT POSTURE.

WHEN EATING, LOWER YOUR HEAD SLIGHTLY SO THE INSIDE OF YOUR MOUTH CANNOT BE SEEN...

NO, JUST A LITTLE.

JUST ENOUGH SO MY WRIST REMAINS IN YOUR LINE OF SIGHT.

YES, LIKE THAT.

WE HAVE LIVED SO INFORMALLY IN THIS LIFE...

I DIDN'T REALIZE EATING A SINGLE COOKIE COULD BE SO COMPLICATED.

THE NAGGING WALTER DID DOESN'T EVEN QUALIFY AS NAGGING COMPARED TO THIS.

IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM OF NAGGING

From now on, I will take responsibility for everything concerning Her Majesty! Yes! Follow my lead well!

B-Before I knew it...

COCOCHE...

WHAT IS ALL THAT?

THESE ARE THE SCHEDULES AND MATTERS RELATED TO UPCOMING MAJOR EVENTS.

SINCE YOUR MAJESTY IS UNVERSED IN COURT ETIQUETTE,

I WAS STRICTLY REQUESTED TO INFORM YOU IN ADVANCE.

...ETIQUETTE? WHO SAID THAT?

IT WAS CHANCELLOR KIEL.

It is a bit embarrassing to admit, but

I have prior experience teaching etiquette lessons.

With thor~ough explanations, I will ensure I am of help to Your Majesty,

and serve you with all my soul!

CHANCELLOR KIEL_

THAT DREADFUL OLD MAN!!

TWO WEEKS LATER

SOUTHERN COMMAND

WE HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED IN THE SOUTH.

NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE SOUTHERN COMMAND

PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT.

THANK YOU, WHIS.

THEY SAY PICKLED PLUMS ARE SERVED WITH EVERY MEAL IN THE SOUTH. IS THAT TRUE?

SO I HAVE HEARD, BUT...

I HAVE RARELY TRAVELED DOWN TO THE SOUTH EXCEPT FOR AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE, SO I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE...

THEN WE CAN FIND OUT TOGETHER.

ZEN MENTIONED THAT THEIR STEAMED RICE WITH RABBIT MEAT IS AN ABSOLUTE DELICACY.

HE SAID THE RICE SOAKED IN BROTH TASTES EXQUISITE.

RABBIT.. YOU SAY?

AH, MY APOLOGIES. I FORGOT YOU DO NOT EAT MEAT, WHIS.

A WEEK SINCE THE ADVANCE PARTY DEPARTED.

ONE WEEK AGO - DURING THE BRIEFING

Oh, and

IT WOULD BE BETTER IF I VISITED THE HEADQUARTERS ALONE.

WHY? I SHOULD GO AS WELL TO BOOST MORALE--

YOU WERE A CADET YOURSELF, SO SURELY YOU UNDERSTAND.

THEY WILL ALREADY BE INCREDIBLY TENSE JUST FROM MY ARRIVAL. IF YOUR MAJESTY VISITS...

AH.

The entire group might faint.

WAITING FOR THE ADVANCE PARTY

~And that is how it happened~

HE SAID IT WOULD BE FINISHED BY MORNING, BUT IT IS TAKING QUITE LONG.

YOUR~ MAJESTY~!

HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING LOOONG?!