Heroine On Strike

However, compliments were always good to hear. It made Ella smile a bit. After deciding what to wear, Ella allowed Joanne to decide the rest. She looked at the dress herself only because it was a special gift sent by Countess Setin. She loved it best when someone else chose the dress and styled it on her. It was also better to have Joanne, a skilled stylist, do that work on her than Ella doing it herself when she didn’t know much about it.

Then, Ella closed her eyes, justifying her laziness with such logic and thought, ‘I am a mannequin. I don’t think.’

Ella didn’t want to think for a while until she was fully ready. Complicated matters were always waiting for her to make a decision, but she needed room to think.

‘It’s not my own burden. Don’t forget that, Ella,’ thought Ella as she reminded herself of the letter from yesterday and calmed her uneasiness.

“Milady, there are some people outside wishing to meet with you. They’re all from the slums and came with Molly. Did you really call them?”

Associate Butler Philip, the future head butler and the son of Norland, the current head butler came over to ask Ella when she was about done with her preparations. He seemed to imply that he wished it wasn’t true. He was ready to go out and kick them out if that wasn’t true.

However, Ella ignored his intentions and made a bright smile. These people made her happy a few days ago.

“Joanne, aren’t we done yet?”

“Just a bit more, milady. Five. No, ten minutes,” said Joanne.

“Did you hear that? I’ll go meet them in ten minutes. Have them wait in my drawing room,” ordered Ella to Philip.

“But milady, that’s- They aren’t fitting for that place,” said Philip in shock as he looked at Ella.

Philip was the eldest son of the family with a long tradition of being the head butler of Constance and was very proud of it. His pride became severe after he was appointed as the future head butler. He felt people from the slums were very filthy. There was no place inside the estate that those people could lay their foot on.

Of course, there could be one or two places that they can go if pushed to the limit but these were filthy, unworthy people.

“Is there a place where I can go that you find fitting for them to stay in?”

Philip frowned at Ella pointing that out. The place where the precious lady of Constance could go was different from the place where these lowly people could stay. Her words made him feel uncomfortable. He cringed at the familiar headache and closed his mouth. Ella was right, but his will to not allow those people inside the drawing room of the family made him stay silent.

Ella shook her head at his excessive loyalty and spoke of a compromise. She didn’t want the conversation she needed to have with them to spread all over the place because of his excessive loyalty.

“I will see them at the northern garden,” said Ella.

“Do you have to see them? May I ask on what pretense you need them?” asked Philip.

The northern garden was located by the northern guest house. It was the worst of all guest houses and the most distant from the estate. It wasn’t a special garden like the famous Duchess’s private garden or a special garden for a tea party.

Ella had said this thinking he might compromise if that was the place, but he was asking if she really had to see them.

“I need them. It’s something only they can do. You… will truly hate it if I ask you to do it, so consider it lucky and bring them there,” said Ella.

“But what is it? Why do you need to do such a thing?”

It was certain that this man was looking down on Ella. If he wasn’t, there was no way he would speak back on her orders and resist it. The reason was probably the gossip of her refusing to become the crown princess that spread within the estate. Her eyes grew fierce.