"Do you think it should be changed?"
The middle-aged Chief Maid spoke indifferently.
Eleanor, expressionless, replied, "You decide."
Seeing this, the Chief Maid nodded her head and called, "Come here."
Moments later, two maids came over, led her in front of a dressing mirror, unraveled her painstakingly braided hair, and restyled it under the direction of Maria Maid Chief into a less conspicuous look.
Perhaps, the true intention was merely to prevent the stunningly beautiful Eleanor from overshadowing others.
As for who was the main focus, it went without saying.
"Miss Yunis of the Mosgla family will also attend the dinner," Maria Maid Chief said indifferently while watching the maids fix Eleanor's hair. "As one of the initiators of the dinner and also a famous socialite of Glostin, you should learn more from her in terms of behavior and conduct."
"Furthermore, it is said that the Fourth Prince will also attend the dinner tonight, representing the Royal Family to honor students who are about to go on an expedition. You are to have the last dance with him as the grand finale."
"Do you understand, Miss Eleanor?"
Although it was a question, Maria Maid Chief's words carried an undeniable authority.
Since they had been sent over by the Mosgla family, they had indirectly taken control of the mansion.
After all, the owner of the mansion, Marquis Bartleion, was currently in a coma, utterly reliant on others like a vegetative patient.
With such a leverage, they weren't worried Eleanor would make any defiant moves.
Hearing her words, Eleanor subconsciously covered the needle marks on her wrist with her sleeve, a hint of anger flashing through her clear blue eyes.
Since her last clash with Yunis, the demand for her blood from the Fourth Prince had indeed increased—from one vial to ten.
But how could she possibly allow herself to be exploited ?
She had immediately terminated the deal.
However, the Fourth Prince seemed to have a particular interest in her, or rather, the blood of the Bartleion family.
Thus, to force her into agreeing to the deal, various issues had been hurled at her continuously, even the Grand Court had decided to resume its investigation of the Bartleion family.
This had left Eleanor feeling utterly disheartened, even to the point of thinking that dying might not be so bad.
Fortunately, today, Maid Serlin had brought her some rare good news.
After a moment of silence, Eleanor spoke softly.
Hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Maria Maid Chief's eyes: "Miss Eleanor seems particularly obedient today. Did something good happen?"
Her words were loaded with implication.
Eleanor's heart tightened, but she maintained a calm facade, "After all, this is what you wish for, isn't it?"
Maria Maid Chief narrowed her eyes and looked at her for a while, then nodded her head, "With you being so sensible, our work naturally becomes much easier."
"Alright, a carriage is ready for you outside; you may leave now."
Saying this, she patted Eleanor on the shoulder.
Eleanor silently lifted her skirt and, accompanied by Maria Maid Chief, slowly walked out of the Bartleion Mansion.
Looking at the approaching carriage and recalling the news Maid Serlin had brought earlier, Eleanor's heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
Tonight, she could escape from this damned cage and out from under the surveillance of the Mosgla family!
Just as this thought appeared in her mind, a sudden sound of shattering glass came from behind her.
Eleanor instinctively turned around and saw a figure plummeting from above.
In the moment their gazes met, she read fear and despair in the other's eyes.
Accompanied by a muffled sound, the noise of a body hitting the ground reached Eleanor's ears, with a slight spray of dust around.
She then saw a vivid red, like spilled paint, slowly seeping from the twisted figure, gradually spreading.
She stared blankly at the scene before her, her once fervent heart seeming to stop beating, her blood nearly freezing.
Maid Serlin, who had just been combing her hair, had in a blink turned into a warm corpse.
"Perhaps it was some disobedient maid who couldn't withstand the punishment," Maria Maid Chief's voice floated uncertainly into her ears, as if the scene before her was entirely expected, "That's why, only by learning to obey, can one have a brighter future."
"By the way, Miss Eleanor, this person seems to be your former personal maid, a habitual liar. For your sake, I had her reassigned away from you."
"You didn't believe any of her ridiculous lies during your encounters, did you?"
At her words, tears welled up in Eleanor's eyes, her already hollow gaze growing more desperate.
So, everything she had done was under their surveillance.
You bunch of... damned demons.
After watching Eleanor get into the carriage in a daze, Maria Maid Chief shifted her gaze back and, accompanied by the maids, returned inside the mansion.
At the moment, it seemed that Eleanor Bartleion's spirit of resistance had been completely shattered.
At least, it would be impossible for her to reignite her fighting spirit anytime soon.
With that, the final obstacle for the Bartleion family was now removed.
It was indeed a perfect completion of the task assigned to her by the family.