"What happened, my lady? Why are you smiling?" Mira asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Althea replied. "I get to leave this place! Come on, we have to pack. The Emperor hasn't given us much time, has he? "

Mira nodded eagerly as Althea opened the curtains. The maids cleaning the hall looked up in alarm at me, bowing hurriedly.

"Can you please inform the Marquis what happened?" Althea ordered. "I have to hurry to pack."

A maid ran off towards the Marquis, while the others accompanied her. Althea thought of protesting, then figured that she could use their help. The group of them walked towards her rooms, the maids whispering behind her.

"Is she actually going away?"

"Didn't you hear the Emperor? The lot of us better get in her good graces, it's her grace, the Countess Guarding Diery now. Not even the Marquis outranks her now."

Althea tuned them out, but the words stayed with her. The position of a guardian wasn't a small one. A guardian was a duke if the Emperor gave them a duchy, a count if they were given a county, but they would still be referred to as a grace. The position was usually reserved to someone who had saved the Empire.

If her mother had survived, she could have the position. The late Countess had rushed after her husband, just after giving birth to her little brother. And there, still grieving the loss of her husband in the battle, she had cast her final spell.

The spell had cost her life, and the lives of her entire army, but it had changed the tides of the battle. Althea did not know what spell it was, but the battle had been part of her history curriculum.

Althea walked into her room, not really surprised to see the Marquis waiting for her. The man had to have known she had used the communication orb.

The Marquis waved the maids into the closet and then turned to ALthea once they were alone.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he demanded.

Althea just stared at him, not willing to back down. The man reminded her far too much of Ms. Lewis.

"The county secession has left a gaping hole in the entire march. The entire march is weakened. I am weakened, Althea." he said.

"Perhaps you should have tried another way then." she replied.

"Can you tell me one then?" the Marquis taunted back.

"How about teaching your son some manners?" she replied.

The Marquis just looked at her for a few seconds before pointing past her. "Ms Nera is one of the best stylists in the Empire. The Emperor will announce your position in front of the entire court. Ms Nera can help you get ready for that."

The Marquis walked through the door, not even sparing her a glance as he passed her. Althea turned around, watching an old woman shake her head as she entered the room.

"Oh dear. Oh, dear."

Althea was a bit offended by that. The old Althea had lived her life trying to cultivate a refined appearance, and if this woman-

"I fear this will be one of the hardest jobs I have ever done, dear." the woman interrupted. "At my level, it is easy to turn normal to stunning. But even I fear touching such brilliance."

"And those eyes." the old woman said, coming far too close to Althea as she peered into her eyes. Althea had no idea what she was on about. What was up with her eyes?

"What do you mean, ma'am?" she asked, trying to be polite. After all, she was the one that needed her help. And experts tended to be strange. The books said so.

"Why are your eyes practically glowing with power?" the woman said, taking out a mirror.

Althea would have said more, but she was drawn to the woman in the mirror. The woman looked like a businesswoman, or, in this case, nobility. But her most striking feature was her eyes. Glowing like they had a hidden power, they immediately drew one's attention. And Althea was sure that her eyes were no way near that bright before this morning. Was this a consequence of the transmigration? Or the class change?

Sadly, she did not have time to think over that. The old woman had already started running about as maids dragged racks of jewels in. Althea noticed that the racks did not have the crest of the Bern family, no, they had the Diery family’s crest instead.

"I don't know who you are, your ladyship, but I fear your eyes will make tiaras a near impossibility to pull off." the woman said, pausing as she stared at the racks being dragged in. "Well, at least we'll have plenty of options."

Oh, she hadn't introduced herself.

"I am Lady Althea Diery, Countess of Diery." she said, finding the title a teensy bit awkward to say. But she followed the steps. A slight smile. A small bow of the head to indicate respect.

The woman curtsied hurriedly as she said. "I greet her grace, Countess Diery."

And then she rushed off towards the cupboard. Althea followed, finding the maids packing the vast cupboard in a hurry. The maids stopped their work, turning to look at her instead.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Please continue." she said, hurrying towards Mira, who was showing Ms Nera her dresses. Ms Nera had already turned to her, holding a light green dress with golden embroidery.

Althea noticed that it too was something similar to a cocktail one. Not one of the poofy gowns.

"I don't think you will be needing the gowns, dear. The poofy things simply spoil your look." Ms Nera said. "Now, try this on while I select your jewelry. I do not think we will need any makeup at all."

Althea walked into the bathroom, dragging Mira in with her.

"Did you notice my eyes?" she asked.

Mira shifted her feet, seeming nervous.

"I was going to, my lady, but then I decided not to." she said.

"Why? How long have I had it?" Althea asked. The eyes weren't that big a thing, but for some reason she felt there was something important in them.

"The change came just after you ended the call with the Emperor. When I asked you why, you seemed happy." Mira said, her voice dropping. "I have only heard of such things after a class change. And if your class changed…"

Mira didn't have to say anymore Althea was already reaching for the System.

System, status.

The System did not respond. Althea groaned in frustration. Of course the bloody System didn't have a status. Or used a different keyword.

System, please give me information on my class.

Class name: Arcane Druid

Class type: hereditary

Class description: The warriors of old, the leaders great and the backbone to many of the greatest Empires come together in this class. The forces of nature course through you. Use them wisely.

Class element: Nature

Class perks: 170% boost to agriculture and wildlife in lands ruled by the Arcane Druid.

Althea sighed in relief. The trait wasn't gone. In fact, it seemed to be enhanced.

"The druid class evolved." Althea told Mira. "To Arcane Druid. I still have the trait."

Mira smiled widely, and even Althea could see the relief in her eyes. The girl really cared about her. The girl reminded her of Karen in that.

"Come on, we should get you dressed, my lady." Mira said. "Oh, it should be, your grace now shouldn't it? I do apologize."

"Just call me Althea." Althea said, taking the dress from Mira's hands. "Now go, other maids probably need your help."

Mira's eyes widened. "As you wish, your grace."

Althea opened her mouth to say something, but Mira was already gone.

A few minutes of struggling later, she realized that sending Mira away was the wrong decision. Just why did dresses not have zippers here?

Althea adjusted her hair, returning it to its usual shape. The hair screamed elegance and nobility to her, but she wasn't sure many people would agree. The hair certainly wasn't popular back on earth. A bit boyish too. But Ms Nera's reaction should mean that it was fashionable here. Or she was just flattering her.

Althea stepped out of her bathroom through the other door, almost walking into Ms Nera.

"Are you quite all right, miss?" she asked.

"Oh, yes dearie." the woman replied, holding up a necklace as she shook her head. "I am old dear, not made of glass."

"Hmm, this won't do." the woman said as she picked another necklace. A thin one with five emerald pendants connected through a gold chain that ran the length of her neck. The pendant's size varied, framing a symmetry around the center as they decreased in size.

Ms Nera fidgeted, handing her a pair of jade bracelets with gold carvings on it. Althea had no idea how it was made.

And next up was a string of diamonds. Where was that going to end up?

"I know I said you didn't need one, but I simply couldn't resist after seeing this beauty." Ms Nera said.

"I wouldn't if I were you." a meek, childish voice said from one corner of the room. Althea turned towards the source, finding only a potted plant there.

"Did you already forget your familiar Guarding Countess?" the plant said.

Althea chided herself in her mind. In her hurry, she had forgotten her familiar. A baby Silverbirch tree.

"Weren't you sleeping?" she asked.

"Yes...but you looked like you had forgotten me." the plant said, sounding quite hurt by it.

Althea felt guilty about it, but she couldn't admit fault so publically.

"Oh no, how could I forget my own familiar?" she said instead. "I was just letting you sleep in."

"Well you should have told that lady. The horrible humming really didn't help you know." the plant said, much to Ms Nera's irritation.

Althea decided to change the subject. "What do you mean there isn't time?"

"Just that there has been a lot of activity in the garden." the plant said, pointing out the window. " I just saw Neil run back. And since Neil tends to run late..."

Althea was late too.

"Am I ready to go, Ms Nera." she asked, getting up.

"Well I would really suggest the jewels. And a new hairdo..." Ms Nera looked at her serious expression for a moment and then disengaged. "Perhaps we can do it another day."

"Thank you." Althea said as she walked out of her bedroom, and realized she had no idea where the announcement was going to happen. The main hall was probably a good place to start.

Althea practically strutted to the hall, passing through scores of maids on the way. The guess was confirmed when she passed by Neil on the way to the hall. The boy frowned at her and hastened his steps. Althea did too. Neil might be more athletic than her, but he was still three years younger and a good deal shorter.

Althea slowed down as they reached the hall, letting her lead go while Neil simply rushed in, breathless. The communication orb was already projecting in the hall, but nobles were still arriving on the other side. The maids had drawn the curtains to make the hall darker, and she was sure they would close the door too.

Althea breezed into the hall, a sharp contrast to Neil's hurried entrance. The entrance made her look calm and confident. At least that was what she thought. What it actually showed...well she would probably have to live with not knowing that.

The Marquis gestured as Althea arrived, and the servants closed the door behind her. Althea walked towards the front of the room where eleven fancy chairs had been set up in front of the projection.

The Marquis coughed and pointed to the seat to his immediate right. Althea took it. As a Guarding Countess, she outranked every other person in the room. Even the Marquis was at most her equal. In rank at least. The Marquis had far more prestige, power and money. Well maybe not money. Althea still remembered the racks of jewels that had come into her room.

The stewards on the other side must have realized they were ready because the 'important' nobles began entering soon after.

"The Duchess of Albridge reports to the Emperor's court." the steward announced as a portly woman. Two more duchesses entered, followed by a single duke.

And finally, the Emperor and Empress.

ALthea stood up and curtsied as the Emperor walked in with his wife holding his arm, walking to their throne without so much as a glance towards the people bowing.

The royal couple took their seat and turned to crowd.

"Please, rise." the Emperor said as the court straightened in near unison. Althea nearly missed the mark but caught it in time.

"I have an important announcement to make today." the Emperor began. Althea took her seat as the orb's perspective moved to face the Emperor directly. The time had come.