Chapter 527

As soon as Athena stepped into the front hall, Diana looked up at her. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked mortified. As Athena approached, her knees buckled, and she almost knelt down. Athena quickly helped her up and said, “Princess, what are you doing?”

If she were to kneel like this, even a spray of spit from the common people could drown her. At that time, the people would say that the Princess Consort of the Xander Manor couldn’t tolerate Princess Diana—arrogant, bossy, and conceited. Just thinking about it made one feel suffocated.

Diana didn’t come to apologize to her. She came to make things worse. “Royal Aunt,” Diana’s voice choked up, and she cried miserably, “It’s all my fault. I was narrow-minded and wasted your good intentions. If Prince Xander hadn’t scolded me awake, I’m afraid I still wouldn’t have realized it.” She sobbed and cried like a river.

This behavior was really disgusting. Athena let go and said in a flat voice, “Princess, if you have anything to say, sit down and say it.”

Diana didn’t want to sit down. She felt that sitting down wouldn’t reflect her misery. But as soon as the thought arose, her arm was supported. “Princess, please sit down.” Diana felt her body being pressed into the chair by Trina.

She looked at Trina in surprise, her chest rising and falling with anger. 'What an unruly maid—how could she be so strong, acting like some country bumpkin?' she cursed inwardly. Diana didn’t know that Trina had been by Athena’s side for a long time. Trina watched how hard Athena had worked all the way. She wanted to protect Princess Consort, so she secretly learned some martial arts from Ansel.

“You are such an undisciplined servant! How dare you touch the princess? Step back now!” Kally scolded with dissatisfaction, acting as if she were the owner of the manor.

Marquita glanced at Kally with some surprise, noticing the old nanny’s fierce expression. Seeing her also following Princess Diana, she guessed that the woman must be one of the princess’s trusted aides. She glanced at Athena, noticing her lowered eyes skimming the foam in her coffee cup.

Then, she stepped forward and said to Kally, “You have great prestige. Have you forgotten your place after serving the princess for so long?”

“You are used to throwing your weight around in the Princess’s Manor, but this is Xander Manor, and it’s not your turn to act tough.” Kally’s face went pale. She truly intended to boost Princess Diana’s standing. Even if she admitted her mistake, she still had to suppress Athena. As a result, she was scolded severely by an old woman. After all, she was from the Princess’ residence. It was only natural that everyone respected her. Even the princess treated her with courtesy. She couldn’t believe that even a mere servant woman could dare to dominate her.

Kally raised her chin arrogantly and asked, “This old servant would naturally not dare to act presumptuously in the Xander Manor.” Then, she faced Athena and performed a curtsy. Though she appeared respectful, it was clear she had no regard for Athena. “Your Highness, since when does even a lowly maid dare manhandle a princess?”

“I may be a mere servant, but as the princess’s nanny, not even the King would dare to reprimand me in this way.”

“Yet, the servants in the Prince Xander manor are yelling at this old servant. Is this the rule of this manor?”

Diana felt extremely pleased in her heart, but frowned on her face. “Kally, you must not be rude in front of Royal Aunt.” Kally pursed her lips but did not move. Diana apologized to Athena, “Kally watched me grow up and can’t bear to see me wronged. Royal Aunt, please don’t take her seriously.”

Athena put down her coffee cup, her eyes turning cold. “The rules of Xander Manor are about actions, not people. No matter who it is, as long as anyone shows disrespect to their lord within the residence, it is considered impolite.”

“No matter who it is, as long as they follow the rules and protect their lord, they are considered meritorious in the residence.”

“Although that maid is merely a low-ranking servant, she knows how to uphold the rules of the residence; this is not impudence, but loyalty.”

“Kally, although you are the princess’s nanny, you have shown disrespect to the Princess Consort and reprimanded the manor’s servants in the manor. This is not protecting the lord, it is overstepping.” Athena looked at Diana, the coldness in her dark eyes growing stronger. “May I ask, Princess, are you here to apologize or to show me your power?”

Diana’s face turned pale, and she hurriedly denied, “Royal Aunt, don’t be angry. It’s all a misunderstanding. Kally just thinks…” that the servants in the manor have no rules, so she taught them a lesson. After all, as slaves, they can’t be pulling and tugging at their lord.”

“Oh…” Athena said meaningfully, “According to The Grand Luminary Empire law, slaves indeed cannot overstep their boundaries, but Trina is not a slave; she is of good family.”

“What?” Diana’s face turned even paler. She had seen Trina following Athena many times, calling herself a servant. How could she suddenly be considered of good family?

Seeing this, Marquita sneered inwardly, “A few days ago, Princess Consort kindly restored Trina’s freedom. But she was unwilling to leave and wanted to stay by Princess Consort’s side to continue serving her.”

Diana was dumbfounded. She didn’t expect Athena to be so generous. 'I wonder, which lord dares to give freedom to the servants around them?' 'If there is no handle in hand, are they not afraid of them stabbing you in the back?'

Kally looked at Trina, shocked and disappointed. She had been by Diana’s side for so long and was loyal to her. Even if she protected Diana with her life, Diana had never said that she would return her freedom. Kally really didn’t know whether to say Princess Consort was brave or broad-minded.

“So, that’s how it is…” Diana could barely manage a smile.

Athena opened her mouth at the right time, “The Xander Manor never mistreats servants. Even when Trina has a good husband in the future, I will adopt her as my adopted sister and send her off to marry with great honor.”

“Therefore, she is not a lowly servant, and you should not hold on to this matter, Princess Diana.”

Trina looked at Athena excitedly, only feeling her heart pounding wildly. She never dared to imagine being the adopted sister of Princess Consort. Not to mention, Princess Consort would send her off to marry with great honor. She clenched her fists tightly, wishing she could kneel on the ground right now and kowtow to Athena a few times.

The way Kally looked at her was more of jealousy than envy. Once a slave, always a slave. Even future generations couldn’t escape this identity. They would kneel under their lord’s feet generation after generation, serving as slaves. Yet Athena returned Trina’s freedom. Kally’s heart was about to fill with jealousy. She was taken in as a foster sister. This was a great honor. Even officials in the court could marry her.

Diana forced a smile, which looked worse than crying. “Royal Aunt is right. I have caused you to witness such a thing, and I apologize…”

Athena didn’t speak, only looked at her with a pair of cold eyes. Diana knew that Athena was waiting for her to give Kally a lesson.

“Kally, kneel down.”

Kally looked at her in surprise, only to see Diana’s cold face. “Do you know your guilt?” A sense of unspeakable loss arose in her heart. She slowly knelt on the ground, her voice choked with sobs. “This old servant knows her mistake.”

“This old servant should not have been domineering in the manor and lost the princess’s dignity. This old servant accepts the punishment.” Although Kally was kneeling on the ground, she knew in her heart that Diana would not let Athena punish her. Thinking of this, she felt much better.

Just then, a deep voice came from outside. “You should indeed be punished.”