Everyone was struck by what had happened and could only shout "what the hell!"
But, undoubtedly, the one most impressed was Latina Mayer herself.
The girl simply couldn't believe that something like this could happen to her. Dirty water was right now dripping from her hair. It was like some unrealistic dream.
But Erica, in turn, remained absolutely calm. Even despite her current status as a commoner, she without a shadow of hesitation inflicted such an insult on the young aristocrat.
Honestly, such behavior was close to ensuring a sure path to the guillotine...
God! How could Erica do something like this?!
I immediately jumped up from my seat and bowed my head low:
"Lady Mayer, please, magnanimously forgive us! My friend simply didn't know what she was doing!"
I bowed my head so low that my back almost bent.
The servants who accompanied the count's daughter on this trip immediately rushed to wipe her and try to somehow erase the dirty traces that had gotten on her face and clothes. It was obvious that right now the girl was in a real rage.
I wouldn't have been surprised if she ordered us executed right here on the spot.
"...You!" her voice trembled with rage. "How dare you do something like this to me! I... I will..."
The count's daughter spat out threats and was full of absolute hatred toward the one who had done something like this to her.
Nevertheless, at the moment when the girl finally saw her offender and encountered Erica's red eyes, she screamed in horror:
"Aaaah! It's the red-eyed demon!"
"L-lady..."
One of the servants tried to calm her down.
"What is the demon doing here?!"
Because of the sudden shriek of the young aristocrat's daughter, the atmosphere in the library heated up even more.
"Lady, please, calm down..."
"I can't calm down! How can I calm down when I'm in the same room as a demon?!"
Thus, the mask of the kind-hearted aristocrat was erased from Latina Mayer's face in an instant. But at that moment she already didn't care at all, because she was completely concentrated on her fear and hatred toward Erica.
Nevertheless, this time Erica's reaction also seemed a little strange to me.
Last time she had reacted quite painfully and almost burst into tears when the waiter in the cafe insulted her in such a way. But now, despite the fact that she was being insulted publicly by the count's daughter, she seemed completely indifferent to it. The child's beautiful but cold face remained absolutely impassive.
I was surprised by this, but I couldn't even focus on my thoughts, because the library was constantly shaken by screams.
Meanwhile, Latina Mayer had already plopped down on the floor, squealing and pointing her finger at Erica:
"Demon! Demon!"
The maid who was wiping her with a towel leaned over her worriedly.
"Lady," she tried to say. "Don't be afraid. Demons don't exist..."
"How can they not exist? Doesn't this girl look exactly like that demon from the legend?!"
At that moment I almost choked.
The noblewoman who had told me to read children's fairy tales, because in her opinion only such books suited me, as it turned out, herself believed in something like that... Something that was nothing more than a tale from children's legends. It really was absurd.
But, honestly, I also knew what the reason for her panic was.
This legend about a man, a demon, and a goddess was so popular in the empire that I had no chance of not learning about it since I entered this world.
According to the legend, five hundred years ago the Paladia Empire was founded by a man who was in a relationship with the goddess of light. The goddess of light shared her power with her beloved, and he founded the empire.
Nevertheless, the man who became emperor betrayed the goddess of light and succumbed to the temptation of a demon.
Subsequently, succumbing to the control of that demon, the first emperor committed an irreparable sin. He killed the goddess of light, being the only one who knew her weak spot, and because of this the empire plunged into chaos.
It was a chaos that continued in the empire for two hundred years, until a descendant of the emperor managed to restore peace in the empire by using a sacred artifact left by the goddess of light.
Since then, the demon who once caused the catastrophe and killed the goddess became the main enemy of the empire. And this legend continued to live to this day.
All people who had red eye color were considered outcasts in the empire. Simply because that demon also had red eyes.
But, honestly... this sounds just like some kind of nonsense, doesn't it?
Honestly, the plot of this legend was not too different from an ordinary pulp novel. I couldn't understand how people in the empire could seriously believe this. What demon? What goddess of light? Is this some stupid children's fairy tale, or what?!
Well, anyway, but this legend about the founding of the empire was still very popular.
So much so that not only the children of commoners, but even aristocrats believed in it. And a real example of this madness was right in front of me now.
"...Lady, I am very sorry for what happened. Please, magnanimously forgive us just this once!"
Nevertheless, however absurd this situation might be, we are still dealing with the daughter of an aristocrat. We shouldn't forget that.
One word from her would be enough for Erica and me to forget about a peaceful life forever.
So, before they decided to sentence Erica to execution and me to exile, I hurried to intervene and try to settle the conflict peacefully. At least, at least try...
"Forgive...!" she wailed. "How am I supposed to forgive that?!"
"..."
"How am I supposed to forgive this demon who eats and lives on the taxes of our empire?!"
Damn.
Feeling that the situation was steadily worsening, I hurriedly whispered to Erica:
"Please, apologize!"
"..."
"If you sincerely apologize in front of the cameras, maybe they'll even forgive you...!"
Though it would have been better if she hadn't done something like this in the first place!
No, really, what suddenly came over Erica?!
Nevertheless, even though I was whispering, begging her to do it, Erica didn't even move from her spot and didn't look at me.
"I won't do it."
"And why not? Now is not the time for stubbornness!"
I thought that the situation as it was now definitely couldn't get worse.
Where could it get worse?
But then another twist happened.
"Hazel, Erica, what's going on here?"
It was Amalia, who came to the library just now and caught this whole scene.
Although essentially Amalia was the same orphanage orphan as us, and couldn't do anything in this situation, but, seeing the female lead of the novel, I still felt that I had seen a ray of hope.
"Amalia!" I almost shouted her name, but held back. After all, we still hadn't resolved this situation that Erica had stirred up.
As soon as Amalia came here, it seemed she understood the whole essence of the matter immediately, even without additional explanation. And she acted without hesitation.
Amalia took the towel from the hands of one of the maids, and the maid herself was surprised at how easily she gave it to her. And then Amalia took the towel, walked over to the count's daughter, who was sitting on the floor, and wrapped the towel around her wet shoulders.
"You...! What are you...!"
Latina herself, of course, was shocked and indignant at what was happening.
But then Amalia took her by the shoulders and said so quietly that no one except the two of them could hear:
"Lady Mayer, you don't want trouble, do you?"
"What?"
"You came to the orphanage to visit poor orphans. So how do you think it will look if you cruelly deal with one of these orphans on the same day? Do you really not care what people will say about it?"
Latina's violet pupils involuntarily widened greatly.
Despite the fact that she was the count's daughter, she felt that she was a rabbit caught in the jaws of a dangerous python, which was this commoner.
Amalia's voice was sweet, but it caused alarm.
"Don't forget that reporters came with you. Are you going to destroy your reputation, and also your father's reputation, in front of the whole empire?"
"I..."
"So let's close our eyes to this just this once. It will be better for everyone."
No one suspected what words this orphan commoner whispered to the young aristocrat with a gentle smile on her face.