I'm Only a Stepmother, But my Daughter is Just so Cute

CHAPTER 4

Abigail turning over a new leaf started to look more plausible. In the past, if Clara spoke out of turn like that, Abigail would fly off the handle. Something changed after she came back to life, but... Norma continued to observe Abigail with a complicated expression on her face.

She noticed that Abigail's purple eyes land on Clara's ear. She stared at it intently before saying, "Clara."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Your earring is very nice." Hidden beneath the maid's hair, Clara wore a blue earring. Norma felt her heart drop into her stomach. Clara, you idiot! I told you accessories were banned! Abigail grinned as she responded to Clara, her face twisting to resemble a demon from hell.

Clara realized her mistake the moment she saw that smile. "I-I'm sorry. I swear won't wear earrings ever again!" Clara visibly paled, and tried to quickly remove her earrings. She was in such her hurry, she made her ears bleed.

Abigail jumped out of her seat and quickly grabbed the girl's hands. "Clara! Calm down! You're bleeding."

Norma stood at a loss. Abigail? Cleaning up a servant's blood? Not berating the girl for getting blood on the carpet? Right now, Abigail's face showed only worry, and she spoke as if she was the one who had gotten hurt. "I was only complimenting you on your pretty earrings. No need to be so startled."

"R-really...?" Clara looked more shocked than anything.

Abigail spoke in a soft tone, trying to calm the girl down. "Of course. And from now on, you may wear whatever you wish. Please tell this to the other servants as well."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty..." Clara barely managed to stammer out a response.

After Abigail confirmed the bleeding had stopped, she took off her handkerchief. "The bleeding stopped, but I recommend you still see a doctor." Her face was stiff, but not her voice. Clara went through the moment in a daze. To think the queen of the country would treat her so nicely...

Abigail didn't even notice Clara's reaction, and remained rather apologetic. She looked at Clara's bloodied earrings for a moment, then walked over to her accessory table. "Ah, come to think of it, there's this pair of earrings I'm not using."

When Abigail opened her jewelry box, precious stones and gems of all colors started shining from inside. Diamonds, garnets, emeralds, corals, pearls, sapphires... It looked like a small museum display, as if all the jewels in the world could be found in this one chest. Clara, too, had a few pieces of jewelry, as she was from a noble family, but this was on an entirely different level. There was just a ridiculous amount of jewelry inside.

Abigail picked out a pair of sapphire earrings from the hoard, ones the same shade of blue as Clara's earrings. Though likely much more expensive. "Here, I'll give you these." She carefully held out her hand with the earrings.

Clara waved her hands in refusal, completely shocked. "N-no. I can't accept something like this."

"I'm not using them. And you'd be doing me a favor since I was planning to get rid of most of these anyway." Clara's vision swam listening to Abigail's words. Abigail seized the opportunity, and put the earrings into the girl's hands. She then turned to look at Norma, who flinched in surprise. Abigail gave her a once over before nodding to herself. "Peridot would suit you, Norma."

"I-I don't need anything, Your Majesty. Your jewels would be wasted on me."

"No they won't. I know you've suffered under me all this time, so I actually want to bestow the most gifts upon you, Norma. ...I'm very sorry for everything." The apology was as awkward as the gift itself. Norma was unable to say anything as Abigail picked out a green necklace and placed it into her hands. No words of gratitude came from the two maids, but neither did Abigail expect any. She simply put the jewelry box back where it came from, and said, "I'll be giving the other maids gifts as well, so please don't dwell on it too much, all right? Now then, I'll be going outside for a bit."