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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Even a Dog at a School for Three Years Can Recite a Poem
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Doana wanted to whisper into Rosé's ear right then and there. *The man you call a good person is actually with me every night.* *He embraces me and whispers words of love.* Rosé flinched, seeing Doana's twitching expression. Her face was slightly raised, the corners of her lips twitching. Her eyes were playfully curved... It was the same expression Gyeoru often made towards Byeolha. Gyeoru's face seemed to overlap with Doana's.
‘…So that’s why you made that face so often.’
Rosé let out a hollow laugh at a fact she had been completely unaware of at the time. She had simply thought that expression was one Gyeoru made when she was in a good mood. But now, knowing everything, she saw that Doana's expression was one of superiority, soaked in the knowledge that she had coveted Rosé's husband behind her back. Rosé didn't care whether the male lead in the novel was sleeping with Doana or not. She felt no attraction to Eric, and the female lead's position was nothing more than a thorny path, no more, no less. It was simply Doana's repeated actions that angered her.
‘What on earth did you ever see in a woman like this? Why... why did you marry me?’
She couldn't understand it. If only he had dumped her and gone to Gyeoru before they got married, she wouldn't have been so hurt... Thinking of Lee Dohyeon, whom she had trusted without a doubt to be with her for life, a sharp ache throbbed in her chest. She had lived believing that, even if others might, her boyfriend, her husband, would never do such a thing. During their dating years, he had been kinder and more considerate than anyone. They had been the perfect couple, envied by all.
“Rosé?”
Finding Rosé's blank stare strange, Doana called her name. Only then did Rosé open her mouth towards Doana.
“Oh. I was just looking closely because your earrings are so pretty.”
“Right? Isn’t it amazing how they prepared earrings that perfectly match my taste?”
At Rosé's words, Doana beamed, revealing her white teeth. She seemed incredibly pleased that Rosé was envious, constantly fiddling with her ear.
“So, how did you meet your boyfriend?”
Rosé looked at Doana, carefully hiding her cold gaze. Doana, seemingly satisfied that Rosé was curious about her boyfriend, answered in a clear voice.
“Let’s just say we were drawn to each other by fate?”
Doana didn’t elaborate on how they met, only saying that their encounter was fate.
“Just… everything about him. He’s truly a perfect person.”
Then, she curved her eyes into crescent moons and glanced at Rosé. She was currently wearing a maid's uniform due to the many eyes watching, but...
‘That position is mine, Rosé.’
Doana flashed a bitter smile, not bothering to hide her dark intentions. In reality, she had secured the position of mistress. But a mistress's position was far from satisfying for Doana. She had captured Eric's heart and was currently acting as his concubine, but that was all. There were no lavish dresses, no luxurious lifestyle—just spending nights together. When she expressed a desire to wear splendid dresses like Rosé, Eric only told her to wait. He promised she would have everything when the time was right. While his words weren't entirely to her liking, she had a plan. A way to seize the Countess's position.
‘I thought my life was over, tied down by a man like Lee Dohyeon.’
Doana looked around Rosé's lavishly decorated room, a faint smile on her face. Who would have thought that she, someone of quasi-chaebol status, would meet the wrong man, be disowned by her parents, and end up living like a pauper?
‘He had nothing, yet he dared to get me pregnant?’
It was an unwanted pregnancy. She had intended to enjoy thrills with various men and then enter into a political marriage with someone of her own standing.
‘I should have just run away then.’
Like a fool, she had grown weak and ended up marrying Lee Dohyeon. She had also wanted to see Byeolha’s perpetually grinning face, despite having nothing, crumple miserably… Her parents, shocked by their daughter stealing her friend’s husband, disowned her and kicked her out without a penny.
‘Transmigrating into this book is clearly a god-given opportunity. For me, Gyeoru, to live a life befitting my original status.’
Doana, wearing high heels, clacked her way one step closer to Rosé. She scanned Rosé's face, which looked at her with the innocent expression of a country girl.
‘I heard Rosé already had one miscarriage. And she hasn’t been able to have a child for three years.’
Eric already sought only her every night. And he didn't seem to have any intention of going to Rosé.
‘Pfft… I’ll make sure you won’t even have a chance to make a baby in the future.’
Doana thought the winner of the game was already decided, and inwardly scoffed at Rosé. Rosé subtly furrowed her brow, watching Doana snicker in front of her.
‘Why on earth didn’t I notice this sooner? How foolish of me.’
To think she had considered such a transparent child a friend. Her past self felt inexplicably foolish. Doana, unaware that Rosé had seen right through her thoughts, was lost in her sense of superiority. Just then, a servant knocked on Rosé's door. *Knock, knock.*
“Madam.”
“Come in.”
As soon as Rosé finished speaking, a servant carefully opened the door and entered. He was flabbergasted to see Doana in Rosé's room.
‘What a truly brazen woman.’
To think she was carrying on this relationship as if mocking the unsuspecting Rosé. He shot Doana a sharp look, then bowed respectfully to Rosé.
“An invitation has arrived for you, Madam.”
“An invitation?”
At the servant’s words, Rosé tilted her head. *That’s strange.* In the novel, Rosé never received an invitation from anyone.
‘Am I not remembering correctly? I thought Rosé was definitely a social outcast who only ever looked at Eric and had no interactions with anyone else.’
“Oh my, what’s that?”
Even before Rosé could take the invitation from the servant, Doana snatched it away. She sensed that the servant's gaze towards her was not kind.
‘How dare you give me such a look? When I become the Countess, you’ll be fired instantly.’
As if she were already the Countess, she haughtily glared at the servant, then began to read the invitation.
“You are invited to a banquet to be held in ten days.”
Rosé’s eyes widened at the words coming from Doana’s mouth.
“What is this?”
Doana waved the invitation with a very intrigued expression.
“It’s inviting *me* to a banquet.”
“A banquet? What do they do there?”
“You just dress up nicely and go socialize.”
Dressing up nicely probably meant wearing a dress like the one Rosé was wearing. Doana couldn’t hide her smile as she imagined herself in such a dress. She was certain that she would be the most beautiful at that banquet too.
“Sounds fun. Let’s go together!”
Rosé found Doana amusing, already counting her chickens before they hatched when Rosé had no intention of taking her. Rosé spoke gently, as if soothing a child.
“Oh dear, I’m so sorry.”
“Huh? Sorry about what?”
“You can’t go, you see.”
“Why?”
Perhaps it was an unexpected remark, as Doana’s expression abruptly stiffened. She had naturally assumed she could go, but Rosé had said ‘no.’ Doana, who had been momentarily stunned, cleared her throat and spoke softly to Rosé.
“What are friends for? This is when you make use of them.”
Doana spoke to Rosé as if she were doing her a favor.
“I’ll go with you. A timid person like you wouldn’t be able to approach people first anyway… I’m just worried you’d waste your time alone in a corner.”
Her voice was soft, but it was laced with thorns. She spoke, gently gripping Rosé’s shoulder.
“It would be better if you came with me. Unlike you, I can easily befriend strangers.”
Rosé found Doana, who was trying to persuade her to go to the banquet, quite laughable. Moreover, she barely managed to suppress her laughter at Doana’s blatant attempts to subtly put her down.
“Sorry. I’d love to, but only invited guests can attend this party.”
“Can’t I just say I’m your friend and go with you?”
“You could come along, but…”
Rosé trailed off, looking at Doana.
“Only nobles can go there, you see. Maids can’t.”
“What…?”
Rosé showed a hint of regret towards Doana.
“If you go, you’ll just be turned away at the door… Oh! Or, would you like to go as my maid? If you attend as my personal attendant, you’d be able to enter the banquet hall.”
Doana frowned, seemingly offended by Rosé’s innocent expression and attitude, as if she had no ill intentions whatsoever.
‘A maid, you say. How dare she tell me, someone who will soon be the Countess, to attend to her?’
She would go to be served, but there was no way she would go as a maid.
“You’re not offended, are you? I only said it for your sake.”
Rosé subtly covered her mouth with one hand and carefully observed Doana. This was to emphasize that she had no ill intentions. *Even a dog at a school for three years can recite poetry.* Rosé found it amusing that she could mimic Doana's actions perfectly. She, who had always acted like a bear, was now imitating a fox.
“Offended? No… just disappointed.”
At Rosé’s actions, Doana couldn’t say anything and merely managed a cold smile.
‘That insufferable girl.’
Doana swallowed the curses she couldn’t utter to Rosé’s face. Doana was strong towards the weak but infinitely weak towards the strong. As someone who needed to extract information from Rosé, she had no choice but to appease her.
Rosé flashed a bright smile at Doana, then took the invitation from her hand.
‘Let’s see who this invitation is from.’
Rosé slowly read through the invitation. Doana had already read the invitation details, so that was fine. Ten days later, 6 PM…
“…Huh?”
As Rosé checked the invitation, she had to doubt her own eyes upon seeing the sender. Because he, who in the original story was someone she never even met face-to-face, had sent her an invitation.
“W-why would *he* send one to me?”
Rosé recalled the face of the man she had recently met and swallowed dryly. It seemed her connection with him wouldn’t end with just one encounter.
“Grand Duke Arteum…”
The one who sent Rosé the invitation was Grand Duke Arteum, whom she had met at the auction house.
