# 30
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It opened
Punishment room
.
Long ago, Empress Isabella, Eliza's mother, used this method when she held court ladies or noble ladies accountable for their sins. With the passage of time, that place began to be given a name
Punishment room
.
Today, the one who continues to use it is none other than the Marquise of Lenco herf.
On this day, the Marquise summoned all the noble ladies who entered the Duke of Richmond's castle. Her courtiers sat around her, spread out like a bird's wings, while the rest of the ladies' seats were allocated to one side.
With this arrangement, she would extract deeper loyalty from the loyal women, and show the hesitant women with their own eyes what awaits those who disobeyed her, instilling fear and caution in them.
Behind the Marquise, maids in dark navy blue dresses resembling military uniforms were lined up, standing in regular rows. Behind their backs, sunlight was filtering into the room, reflecting on them with a backlight that made their features immersed in shadow, giving the scene awe and majesty.
In this room, Lenco was both marquise, queen and judge.
Directly in front of her, where all eyes were directed, was a single chair, a chair that no one could mistake:
Comet seat
.
One of the noble ladies, who came to the castle at dawn to deliver something to her husband and then was stuck in this situation, whispered to someone sitting next to her:
“It seems they intend to investigate the woman the Duke brought, doesn't it?”
“I entered the castle only yesterday... I don't know how His Highness will react. “I fear that we, the weak, will be the ones who pay the price through no fault of our own.”
“I heard she assaulted my maid, Miss Flora. I wonder, did you really do that?
“Whether you do or not, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that the Marquise made her sit in this room.”
Meanwhile, Flora was standing behind the Marquise's back, staring at that chair with intense eyes.
“What a vile woman, Madam Marquise! Oh my God, to threaten my maid Flora like that!!”
The Countess of Lewin, Flora's mother, screamed, the veins in her neck bulging from anger. The other ladies were quick to nod their heads in agreement.
“Indeed, the evils of those who seek to advance their status are beyond our imagination.”
“Ever since I first saw her, I felt uncomfortable with her.”
The Countess rubbed her arms as if she had a goosebump, then turning to Flora's two maids, she said:
“How did that malicious woman threaten you?”
The two maids collapsed crying and began to complain:
“She said she would kill us... We were so afraid...”
“Yes, yes. This is correct. We had served her dinner, and as we were leaving we were suddenly dragged somewhere. “We thought we would be killed at any moment.”
“Oh heavens!” Instead of thanking the maids who prepared her food!”
The Marquise crossed her arms elegantly and tilted her head slightly.
“Why didn't you tell me right away?”
“She asked us not to tell anyone... We were afraid she would kill us.”
“Madame Marquise, it must have been unbearably cruel, for them to be so frightened.”
Disgust appeared on the face of Flora, standing behind the Marquise, but it quickly turned into a hidden smile.
How fortunate it was for her, for that woman to act so recklessly and give them this precious excuse. Flora quickly wiped away her smile, put on a mask of pity, and said in a trembling voice:
“I should have protected you better than this... I'm sorry.”
“Oh, Flora. This is not your fault. Your heart is too tender...”
The Marquise extended her hand and patted Flora on the back herf, and the latter couldn't help but burst into tears.
“Don't cry. “The one who should be shedding tears is someone else.”
As soon as the Marquise's words had finished, a polite knock sounded at the door.
At the same moment, the eyes of Flora, who was wiping her tears, and the Marquise, who was consoling her, turned to the door.