Chapter 22
#22
“The dress, that sky blue one over there. Forget the necklace, and just prepare small diamond earrings.”
I quickly scanned the clothes and jewelry with my eyes, instructing the maid.
Leaving them to prepare what I had chosen, I looked in the mirror.
I looked a little tired from reading late into the night yesterday, but I could cover that up enough with makeup.
No, maybe it would be better to go with this face as it is, I thought.
To make him feel like I made time especially for him, even though I'm busy and tired.
“Make the makeup light. Don't use too much color, and make the lip color nude.”
“Yes, Miss Bianca.”
The book still seemed to want to kill me, but I had no intention of letting it.
I don't know if you're a god or an ancient being, but you must feel relieved only after cutting off my head, poisoning me, and finally killing me, but no matter what you do.
Do you think I'll die that easily?
“That can't happen.”
The beautiful woman in the mirror shone her eyes sharply.
A firm will could be felt in her eyes, like a well-honed blade.
It was a resolute determination to survive, not to die.
“Bianca!”
As soon as I got out of the carriage, a voice I had heard once called my name happily.
“Hello, Maria.”
“I was surprised you came so suddenly.”
“Oh, did you have other plans?”
“No, no! It's not that. I meant it in a good way. I was surprised and happy that you came so suddenly.”
Maria smiled brightly.
“Please come inside. I have refreshments prepared.”
“Okay.”
I smiled back at her as I looked at her. She would probably smile even brighter soon.
Because I would make her.
Because Lord Wendsbury liked to invite people, the Marquis of Wendsbury's residence was a familiar place to me.
But without showing it, I followed Maria's guidance to the drawing room.
As she said, refreshments were already prepared in the drawing room.
“I didn't know what you liked…”
Judging by the way she was hesitant to speak, it seemed she had prepared the menu.
Hot chocolate and macarons.
It was a combination that made me want to sigh.
“I like both of them.”
But only when eaten separately. But there was no need to say such a thing and dampen Maria's spirits.
Maria smiled brightly when I said I liked them, so that was enough.
Fortunately, perhaps because it was prepared at the Wensbury residence, the hot chocolate was very delicious. The rich and full aroma and the right amount of sweetness were to my taste.
As the sweetness entered, it energized my body as if replenishing the sugar-deprived sleep.
“Actually, I hesitated a bit because I was worried it might be meddling.”
I put down my teacup and carefully brought up the topic.
“Meddling?”
Maria, who was biting into a macaron, asked with wide eyes. A few crumbs of the cookie fell from her mouth onto Maria's dress.
My gaze naturally followed it down, but with the power of reason, I pretended not to see it and looked back at Maria.
“Yes. After hearing about Maria's mother last time, I couldn't just stand by. So I came to deliver this.”
I took out an envelope from the handbag I had brought and handed it to Maria.
“What is this?”
To Maria, who asked, I simply smiled as if to say, 'Open it and see.'
As if reading my intention, Maria blinked and opened the envelope.
“Oh… this is a letter of recommendation?”
“Yes.”
“Saint Rumenica Hospital?”
“Yes. It's a hospital run as an annex by a monastery sponsored by the Crofort family.”
Maria blinked a few times, then quickly turned her eyes back to the letter of recommendation and quickly read the rest of the contents.
“It's a letter of recommendation for my mother's hospitalization.”
“Yes. I believe the Marquis of Wendsbury would have found an excellent hospital, of course. But when it comes to consumption, Dr. Kenwill at Saint Rumenica Hospital is the best.”
“I, I've heard of him too.”
“Then there's no need for me to say more.”
“But I heard that Dr. Kenwill isn't taking any more patients because of the patients he already has. So I gave up.”
“Yes, that's right. That's why I wrote you a letter of recommendation.”
“Then?”
Looking at Maria, who was widening her eyes, I nodded slightly and smiled.
“Oh my! Thank you, Bianca!”
“No. I'm glad I could help, seeing how happy Maria is.”
“Help! To write a letter of recommendation to Dr. Kenwill, you're a benefactor to me!”
Maria was so happy that she didn't know what to do.
I was also happy that things had become much easier because she knew Dr. Kenwill.
Otherwise, I would have had to explain with my own mouth how great a doctor he was, how difficult it was to meet him, and how difficult it was to receive treatment at Saint Rumenica Hospital.
“Thank you so much, Bianca.”
Maria thanked me with a face that looked like she would burst into tears at any moment.
“You're welcome.”
Towards her, I simply wore a benevolent and kind smile.
I was going to give her as much mercy and good deeds as I could.
So I was going to make her indebted to me to the point where she couldn't repay me.
So that she wouldn't think of killing me, unless she was a beast.
If she became a beast, a personification of desire and jealousy, this plan of mine might be ruined, but I was going to control that as well.
“Actually, the letter of recommendation could have just been sent as a letter, but there's another reason why I came here in person.”
“Besides this?”
“Yes.”
“What reason is that?”
“Now that Maria has become a member of the Wensbury family, shouldn't you prepare for your Debutante?”
“Ah……”
As if she had forgotten, Maria let out a short sigh.
“That's……”
Maria lowered her head slightly and avoided my eyes.
Looking at her, I realized that my guess was correct.
The Marchioness of Wendsbury probably had no intention of giving the husband's suddenly appeared illegitimate child a splendid Debutante.
No, maybe it wasn't a matter of splendid or simple, but she might just act like nothing happened.
Judging from Maria's reaction now, it seemed to be the latter.
“Is something wrong?”
“I don't think I'm ready yet.”
Maria, who had been hesitating, finally raised her head and said with a smile.
“I was just a commoner from the countryside a few days ago. I don't think I can make my social debut.”
“But now you're the Marquis of Wendsbury's daughter. All the noble young ladies in society have their Debutante and then start their social activities.”
“I don't necessarily have to make my social debut. I'm still clumsy at dancing, I lack aristocratic eloquence, and I have many shortcomings in many ways.”
“Is that Maria's opinion?”
“Yes. It's my opinion.”
“Didn't Lord Wendsbury say anything?”
“Lord Wendsbury, or rather, my father, of course, wants me to go out into society. He told me to live as a proud Marchioness from now on.”
It seemed that Lord Wendsbury was very fond of his suddenly appeared daughter. Judging by the fact that he was saying such things.
But the problem was that men were not very powerful in society, and even more so in Debutantes.
The flower of society was women, and the mistresses and women were in charge of managing and hosting it.
If the Marchioness of Wendsbury was unhappy with Maria's Debutante, even if her Debutante was held, it would obviously be held very simply.
Maybe it would be worse than the Debutante of the fourteen-year-old child of a certain Count that I was invited to a while ago.
“Maria.”
“Yes.”
When I called her name, Maria finally raised her head and looked at me.
“Would you be honest with me?”
“……”
“Of course, there are people who don't want to make their social debut, depending on the person. People who are introverted, shy, or enjoy solitude.”
But Maria was not.
According to the report I received, she was cheerful, lively, enjoyed being with people, and people liked Maria.
There was no way that Maria, who had been living among people, would suddenly become introverted just because she came to the capital.
“There are also people who hate the glamorous society, and there are also women who find things like pretty dresses and beautiful makeup annoying.”
But this was not Maria either.
If she was really a woman who had no interest in such things, the story of her becoming the flower of Splendor society would not have come out.
The book created the present based on the past and showed the future.
Ricardo's change was proof of that.
“There are also people who hate having meetings or having a good time with men. Furthermore, there are people who have no interest in marriage.”
“Is society… related to marriage?”
“It's hard to say that it's not at all. Society is a place for exchanges in aristocratic society.”
“I see.”
Maria seemed to be thinking about something.
Did she now know that the person she met on the day of the festival was the heir to the Duke of Wincaiser's family?
“Perhaps, is there a young man you have in mind?”
“Ah, no. It's not that……”
Maria blushed and lowered her head again.
From her reaction, I sensed it. She had now figured out who Ricardo was.
How did she know?
Did that great destiny lead Maria to him?
It didn't matter. No, it was even better.
If Ricardo was involved, Maria would want a Debutante, and she would feel more grateful to me for helping her.
“If Maria really doesn't want a Debutante, I'll go back as I am. But if Maria wants to make her social debut……”
Towards Maria, who was staring at me blankly, I gave the kindest and softest smile I could.
“I'll help you.”
Thinking that it would be good to look as much like a Saintess as possible.
