Ch#44
They’ll probably glance at me again and whisper among themselves? Whatever.
Thanks to Edel, Linia—whose confidence had somewhat recovered—deliberately kept her shoulders back and only lightly touched the tea and food placed before her.
Though curiosity bubbled up to the tip of her throat, she didn’t look around, and she even offered faint smiles as nods of agreement while listening to the conversations among the other ladies at her table.
The scrutinizing gazes upon her hadn’t lessened, but somehow they felt less uncomfortable.
*‘Yes, ignoring others does make it easier!’*
Linia felt pleased, as if she’d discovered something profound.
But upon reflection, it wasn’t indifference to others’ gazes that made it comfortable. The sneers and mockery directed at her had vanished.
*No reason to insult her anymore? So Edel’s choices were right?*
*Spoils of war*
*Duchess*
That realization eased her tension, broadening her view.
She began observing how other young ladies her age conducted themselves and casually watched those dancing.
Whenever displeased gazes met hers, her shoulders wanted to hunch, but Linia tried her best to act unaffected.
Before she knew it, it was nearing 11 o’clock.
*‘Today wasn’t bad at all.’*
Truly written by Lemon Frog
Unlike yesterday, when she’d felt like a complete fool, today she thought, *‘That was pretty decent.’*
Just as she figured she should bid farewell to hostess Camille before it got too late and head home, the lady beside her casually spoke up.
“Today’s dress suits you well, miss. Your skin looks so much clearer.”
“Ah………! Th-thank you.”
Her heart pounded as if it might leap out of her ribcage. But not only her—the other lady chimed in too.
“You chose the necklace well too. These days, young girls think piling on more is better, but at that age, they often get buried by the jewels’ presence.”
- 2 -
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However, now that she knew the dark intentions hidden within, the woman no longer seemed beautiful.
The ladies around laughed gaily at those words.
Linia nearly stiffened, feeling the remark targeted yesterday’s her, but to faithfully follow Edel’s advice to *‘act unaffected,’* she simply smiled faintly along.
“If I stay too late, my brother will scold me. So I’ll take my leave.”
Then, an intimidating-looking elderly lady seated quite far away stared at Linia and spoke.
“Was the party no fun?”
“Not at all! It’s been very fun since *‘yesterday.’*”
“You should keep close the person who helped with today’s attire, miss.”
Linia had said it just to act unaffected, but Camille briefly faltered. Truly just for a moment.
Those words pierced Linia’s heart.
Camille soon smiled sweetly and took Linia’s hand.
The table conversation shifted topics soon after, and a few elderly ladies rose, citing fatigue as an excuse.
“You’ll come tomorrow too, right? I’ll save your seat, so you absolutely can’t miss it.”
*‘I’ll follow those ladies and greet together. Going alone, who knows how they’ll make a fool of me again.’*
“Of course. See you tomorrow.”
Linia followed them and approached Camille, greeting her politely as Edel had instructed before exiting the hall behind the elderly ladies.
Camille spotted the ladies and greeted them with a bright smile.
But as Linia looked around for her family’s carriage, the ladies ahead turned back with smiles.
“Oh my, Mrs. Lesio! Dowager Marchioness Bringen!”
“The Criserus lady was quite something, wasn’t she?”
“We old folks have been holding the seats too long… We’ll head out now.”
“?”
“No! Please stay longer. At midnight, he’ll pass out champagne. Then the waltzes start again. Time to show off your dancing skills!”
To the bewildered Linia, the two ladies chuckled and said.
Camille acted spoiled like their daughter, even stomping her feet, and the ladies laughed brightly at her charming display before exchanging final farewells. They knew well such *‘stay longer’* remarks were mere courtesy.
“I’m talking about how you gave Camille Emerson a piece of your mind earlier. Felt so refreshing.”
But Linia, watching their warm exchange from behind, trembled with rage at Camille’s loathsome act.
“That queen bee bitch Camille. Always out to make innocents look foolish. Parties with her are always so uncomfortable.”
“To escape that treatment, you have to warn them firmly like earlier. Otherwise, she’ll keep at it.”
*She’s so friendly to real nobles……! No, she was like that to me at first too.*
“Exactly—why should the Criserus lady put up with the likes of Viscountess Emerson?”
The woman who’d been so kind and friendly at the last tea party had thoroughly made her a laughingstock this time. So blatantly that it was hard to pretend not to notice.
Linia was confused, unable to follow their words.
She wanted to grab that elaborately styled hair and shake it, but recalling Edel’s advice, she barely managed a smile.
She approached with relaxed shoulders and back, poised steps.
*‘I gave her a piece of my mind? Warned her? When……?*’
“Viscountess Emerson!”
But Linia knew asking *‘Me?’* would make her look foolish.
“Oh! Already leaving, Criserus miss? The party gets fun from midnight!”
“Th-thank you for saying so……”
Camille, eyebrows drooping in feigned disappointment, seemed to embody everything Linia admired in a *‘popular noble lady.’*
- 6 -
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“Hohoho! Turns out she’s a well-mannered, decent girl.”
“That’s just your inferiority complex.”
“Indeed. See you tomorrow, Criserus miss.”
“Ah, no! Brother, why say such things now……!”
“Farewell.”
“If anything like that happens again, I won’t let it slide, Lin.”
Linia bowed to them too before boarding the carriage in a daze.
Laslo’s affectionate nickname for Linia made Edel’s heart thud. Same as her late little sister’s name.
Laslo’s gaze turned back to Edel.
“Can you do it? I’ll move your room next to Linia’s and raise your pay. But if you don’t want to, refuse. I don’t want to force you.”
As darkness fell outside and everyone unwound from the day’s fatigue, Mina suddenly visited Edel’s room.
“No. If you allow it, I’ll do my best.”
“Best is enough. Just do it moderately.”
“Edel! The Count is calling you. What on earth now?”
She eyed Edel with irritation and wariness mixed, but Edel had no clue either.
Linia whined at Laslo again. Edel felt a twinge of envy at the sight.
Hurriedly wrapping Daisy’s gifted shawl over her nightgown, Edel headed to Laslo’s study.
Unexpectedly, Linia was there too.
*‘Those two truly have a deep sibling bond.’*
Linia looked expectant somewhere, while Laslo seemed complicated.
Linia respected and loved her brother. And Laslo pretended otherwise but cherished Linia.
“Sorry to call you so late.”
Edel felt an emotion she’d never known, even with two brothers present.
“No, it’s fine.”
“I planned to call you tomorrow, but this one kept nagging……”
*‘My brother and I were like strangers.’*
Laslo glanced sharply at Linia, but she grinned unaffected.
Raised strictly apart from childhood, they’d rarely even spoken. Edel barely knew her brothers, nor they her.
Seeing Laslo chuckle too, it didn’t seem bad, so as Edel began easing her tension.
Except when she’d refused marriage to the Lancaster Duke, and her brothers—like Canyon Count—had blamed her.
“Abrupt, but I’d like you to become Linia’s personal maid.”
“If you just endure it, everyone’s happy! Don’t be selfish!”
“Pardon……? Me?”
“Thinking about it, no one in this house is as suited as you.”
She’d never truly felt familial bonds, and that time, after her father, she’d severed all from her brothers too.
“Exactly. How did we not think of it sooner?”
“……Edel? Edel?”
Linia chimed in.
“Ah, yes!”
On the final day of Camille Emerson’s party, where Linia—having sought Edel’s *‘advice again’* for dress and jewels—had attended and returned in good spirits like yesterday, Edel startled awake, lifting her head. Perhaps she’d dozed off briefly.
- 6 -
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