The Slave Queen - Chapter 100: Chapter 100

Sienna continued, "Moreover, she also said that even if you can't handle this, she'll step in to help. Rest assured, none of these things will fall into anyone else's hands."
Everyone in the room knew perfectly well that Margot was referring to Julia, the usurper who stole Raelynn's rightful place and would stop at nothing to drive her to despair.
Raelynn nodded and placed the land deeds back into the box. "I promise that I'll manage these properties well and absolutely won't disappoint my grandmother."
At this, Sienna's face lit up with genuine delight.
"Oh, right," Raelynn said while picking up the topmost land deed and glancing at it as a sudden idea lit up her eyes, "Nina, didn't you miss the Ice Party today?"
Nina thought, 'I did try to bring it up earlier, but Sienna and Lane cut me off before I could say much.'
Nina smiled awkwardly. "Yes, my lady, but honestly, it doesn't matter if I go or not. After all, Hazond City never runs short of ice in winter!"
Her witty remark sent the whole room into laughter.
Raelynn chuckled, "Exactly!"
Pointing to the land deeds, Raelynn said, "Both Blossom Manor and Cottonwood Grove are located on the outskirts. They say the snow falls heavier there. Tomorrow, I'll take you all to play in the snow there. We can inspect the properties while enjoying ourselves. How does that sound?"
"Really?" Nina exclaimed. She could barely contain her excitement.
She grew up in a place where it snowed, but she came from a poor family.
She was always hungry and cold. In winter, her whole family had to share a single pair of padded trousers.
So even if she had the chance to go outside and see the snow, all she remembered was endless white, the biting cold, and the agony of working in the freezing wind.
Playing in the snow was a luxury Nina never knew.
By sheer luck, she was sold off by a broker into the Duke's estate, and even luckier to ended up serving Raelynn in Lunebloom Hollow. With her daily chores much lighter now, she finally had the leisure to appreciate the snowy scenery.
At Raelynn's promise, Nina's heart leapt with joy.
Lane and Elaine had endured similar hardships.
In those hard days of poverty, they never had the leisure to appreciate nature's beauty through the changing seasons.
After enduring so much hardship, they had finally found such a kind employer. All were profoundly grateful to Raelynn.
Among the four maids, only Sienna had a relatively better life.
Though merely a second-rank maid in Embergrace House, Sienna was a house-born servant.
Her parents and brother also served in the Duke's estate, so their lives were relatively comfortable.
Thanks to her quick wit, she caught Margot's attention and was promoted to a second-rank maid in Embergrace House, where her monthly wages became quite generous.
Margot had always been known for her kindness and compassion.
Having grown up in the Duke's estate, Sienna had seen so much snow that she was thoroughly bored with it by now.
Yet, seeing her three peers so thrilled, even Sienna found herself looking forward to tomorrow's outing.
Without the strict etiquette of the Duke's estate to constrain her, Sienna felt that Raelynn would be in even better spirits tomorrow than she was today.
The room instantly buzzed with lively energy.
Yet unnoticed by all, a slender figure had lingered by the doorway long enough to catch every word of their conversation.
Her tears blazed with jealous fire.
She thought, 'Why? We were all brought into Lunebloom Hollow together as maids, yet they get to stay by Lady Raelynn's side, have such elegant names, and even go out with her. I'm stuck with this crude name, doomed to be nothing but a lowly scullery maid.
'I won't accept this!'
Clenching her jaw in silent fury, she slipped away unnoticed.
Then, seeing no one around, she furtively bolted out of the courtyard.
The heavy snow quickly erased her tracks.
As Elaine carried away the bowl Raelynn had used, she naturally didn't notice the eavesdropping maid by the door.
On the other side.
Upon hearing Shawn's ominous words at the gate, Gabriel felt a surge of foreboding and hurried toward Moonspire Keep.
'I must warn Julia in advance,' Gabriel thought anxiously.
Yet this time, Gabriel, who had always come and gone freely from Julia's room, was stopped at the door by Isabel.
Isabel said respectfully, "Lord Gabriel, Lady Julia cried for quite a while after waking up today and has finally managed to fall asleep. Please don't go in and disturb her now.
"If she wakes up again, she might not sleep for the rest of the night. It pains me to see her like this."
Yet, there wasn't the slightest trace of respect or pity for Julia in Isabel's eyes.
Her arm still throbbed with pain.
Earlier, when Julia had thrown a tantrum, she had accidentally cut her flesh with a pair of scissors.
If it weren't for the thick winter clothes she was wearing, her sleeve would already be soaked with blood by now.
And then, of all times, Gabriel just had to show up.
Julia had no wish to see him at all, which was why she'd sent Isabel out here to turn away Gabriel.
Gabriel frowned while casting another uneasy glance at Julia's room. "But there's still a light on in her room. Is she really asleep?"
He clearly wasn't convinced.