160 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards 160
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Anyway, considering everything I had prepared myself for, it went over smoothly. I don't know how fortunate it is that I can get away with just one smile. I'm newly grateful that Michael Ayres is a knight with a noble character. It stings my conscience that it's a paltry reward compared to the hardships he will face in the future, though.
Still, is it because I received the reward I wanted? Michael Ayres had a more lively expression than a moment ago.
He maintained a nonchalant attitude as if he wasn't worried about what would happen afterward, and even had the composure to kiss the back of my hand when we arrived at the mansion.
At the same time, he asked me to lie low for the time being, and I knew what was hidden in those words, so my heart fluttered again.
"Are you really going to be okay?"
It was the umpteenth time I had asked. It would be annoying, but he nodded with a smile on his face.
"It's enough that you are safe, Young Lady. And didn't you just show me a smile? That's enough."
I don't know why I'm so restless when he, the person involved, is so calm. I would have brushed it off without a second thought before.
The fact that I was concerned about whether the Crown Prince, whom Michael Ayres would meet soon, would be him as a liege or him as a friend, was one such thing. I was anxious about whether he would be able to endure it well, as he would surely be seething with betrayal either way.
He won't give him a noticeable punishment because he has to be aware of external eyes, but there will definitely be resentment left. It would be the same even if I were the Crown Prince.
Still, what can be said to be fortunate is that he is not a card that the Crown Prince can use once and throw away. So he will struggle to drag him along somehow. Michael Ayres must be believing in this point as well.
"Thank you, Sir Ayres."
That's why I was able to sincerely thank him. Hoping that my pure feelings, without any ulterior motives, would be conveyed to him as they were. At the same time, I thought that I might end up granting his request again later, even while deceiving myself. It wasn't a premonition, but a strong conviction.
After the Crown Prince let go, all sorts of trivial letters began to pour in for me.
The most noticeable was Madame de Châteauroux's letter. I thought she would be very angry because it had been blocked from being sent to the Bishvarts Family mansion, but the story in her letter was more calm than I thought.
It was just trivial stories about how she teased the Empress and where she had her dress fitted.
In particular, the content was mainly about teasing the Empress in alliance with other noble ladies, and there were many things that I thought even I, as the Empress, would have gnashed my teeth at.
There were also incidents that were entertainment for them but could be hurtful to the person being targeted. Still, there were many interesting things, so I lightly laughed and moved on. While putting off replying day after day.
But this time, I couldn't just laugh at the letter that came. I repeatedly read the contents of the letter sent by Madame de Châteauroux with a cold gaze. The paper knife in my hand was trembling.
『There's a nasty girl named Emery Nilam around Pulcher. I ran into that woman in the hallway this time, and I don't know what she's got the nerve to do, but she held her head high and passed by!
She was so arrogant that I couldn't help but lose my temper and pull her hair. It was really unsightly to see her crying and screaming with a pale face.
I laughed at her with my maids, and she trembled and was ashamed.
I don't know why Pulcher is surrounded by such insignificant things. So—here, there were signs of lines being drawn and erased—no, I should stop talking about this. That's not why I wrote to you.
I heard from someone I know that there's something strange going into the Countess of Bishwartz's tea.
It's a powder for conceiving daughters, and they say it was bought from a Witch and it's incredibly effective.
Do you happen to know where that Witch lives? If it's effective, I want to go and see her too. So please let me know.
Marianne de Châteauroux.』
I knew that Madame de Châteauroux was a thoughtless woman, but I didn't know that she would write and send this kind of content so nonchalantly to mock me.
She said she would look for it if it was effective. It was no different from saying that she wanted the baby in Mother's womb to be transformed into a daughter by the Witch's powder. I felt like I knew why the Empress hated her so much.
I sighed and gestured to Marie. I had previously ordered Mother's maid to bribe her and let me know if there were any suspicious signs, but it had been quiet for a while, so it was strange.
"Was there anything strange about what Mother wears, eats, and drinks?"
"No, it's been quiet."
"Is there anything that's changed?"
"Oh, that's right. I heard her grumbling that she suddenly changed the tea she was drinking, so it was hard to get it."
"Really?"
I took out a pen and paper from the drawer. And I dipped it in ink and wrote a reply.
The letter, which mainly said that she must have been angry because Emery Nilam ignored her and that I understood her feelings, was filled with questions about the powder for conceiving daughters at the very end of the line, saying that it was unheard of and whether there was any evidence for it.
Leaving aside the powder for changing the gender of the fetus, it was suspicious that Chatoul knew about it, so I was carefully asking.
"Marie, is there anything special about the tea that Mother changed and is drinking?"
"She said it was tea given by the Count."
"Given by Father? He must have given it to her thinking of Mother."
"Yes, Roena recommended it."
I stopped writing the letter and looked at Marie. Marie seemed very embarrassed when I stopped what I was doing and suddenly looked at her. She shrinks her shoulders with a frightened expression.
"Roena?"
"Yes. Why, what's wrong?"
"Marie."
"Yes, Young Lady."
"Have you ever heard this rumor? That the tea Mother is drinking was actually chosen by Margo herself."
"Yes, yes?"
"That Margo suddenly introduced that tea to Roena, Roena told Father about it, and Father bought the tea and gave it to Mother as a gift."
Marie blinked her big eyes and opened her mouth. Her face becomes complicatedly blurred as if her brain is overloaded.
"Oh dear. I've found out about a story that only you guys know 'first', so what should I do?"
"So, Young Lady? So now……."
"So, do your duty and excitedly talk about the story you just told with others. That way, this quiet mansion will become more lively."
I looked down at the letter and finished the sentence.
『……Perhaps the truth about it will be revealed depending on the evidence given by the Countess. By then, we'll know whether the Witch's powder is effective or not.
If not, I predict that it will become a gossip worthy of going up and down in society. What do you think, Countess?』
And I wore a languid smile as I watched Marie's back as she hurriedly left the room, as if she had finally realized what I meant.
If Madame de Châteauroux's letter was delivered directly to the mansion, the Duke's letter was delivered through Arina, as if to keep his word that only I would know.
He gave a Silver coins to the young girl who came to see me at a set time every week and handed her a sample letter.
Arina was staring at me with an uneasy expression, as if she didn't know why she had to do this errand.
"I brought it because you said I had to bring it, but did I do well? I said I wouldn't, but you insisted that the Young Lady was waiting."
Instead of answering, I called Arina closer and carefully examined her cheeks, neck, mouth, buttocks, and thighs for any places that could be hurt. Fortunately, her body was clean. Arina refused once, but it seemed that she didn't use direct threats or violence.
Arina stammered and continued.
"You said I would be happy to receive it if I brought it, so don't worry."
"You said don't worry?"
"Yes."
In the meantime, I didn't noticeably favor Arina. It was because of Marie's jealousy and in case Margo would do something bad.
So I treated this little girl as a street child who thoroughly told stories, and even if I stroked her head, I kept a distance while keeping the minimum line. No, even if I did, I did it after everyone was gone.
Therefore, no one in the mansion would know that I liked Arina.
But how did you know?
I stroked Arina's head as if nothing was wrong and induced her to speak.
"Yes, you've worked hard. But have you ever told my story outside?"
Then the child blushed and nodded shyly. She said that there were people who were slandering me, so she told the truth.
From her first meeting with me to how she became a storyteller girl.
Arina proudly talked about how she told others in a cheerful voice that I was a kind, generous, and beautiful Young Lady.
"So everyone knows."
"Everyone?"
"Yes. My neighbors."
Good heavens. So that's how you found out. No, it's not that you found out, but that you tried it out.
I swallowed a sigh and frowned. I've already hired Jack through Arina and taken him away, so I can't hide it anymore.
They must have known this, so they were forcing me to receive the letter willingly, threatening me not to worry.
"Arina, I have a favor to ask."
"Yes, Young Lady. Just tell me."
"I like that you take my side thinking of me. I'm really grateful. But I'm afraid that others will be jealous of you and harm you."
"Why?"
"Because they want to be friends with a noble Young Lady too. But you're not only friends with me, but you're also being hired for money, so how jealous would they be? So they'll be jealous of you, beg you to introduce me, and bother you a lot."
"That's right. There were a lot of kids who said they wanted to see the Young Lady anyway."
"But the only kids I want to meet are you and Jack. I don't want to see the other kids. There's no reason to. But other people who don't know this will think that I'm not refusing, but that you're being greedy."
Arina bites her lips tightly with a pale face. I reached out and stroked the child's soft cheeks and said in a whisper.
"So, don't tell anyone else about me in the future. Okay?"
"Even if there's someone who slanders the Young Lady?"
"Yes."
"That's upsetting."
"Still."
"Why?"
I smiled and said to Arina.
"Because you're precious."
My precious childhood. Lost purity. Arina had great meaning for me in many ways.
That's why I hope she doesn't become as sticky as the snow that melts in the spring. Even if she has to do dangerous things like delivering letters, I still wanted her to be happy like she was dreaming in other things.
I hoped that the innocent smile on her red cheeks would last a little longer.
"What about the letter?"
"Keep bringing it."
"There's nothing bad written to the Young Lady, right?"
"Of course."
The letter, which was torn with a paper knife, was very simple. Only a line close to one line was written in cursive.
『Sir Michael Ayres and the Crown Prince had a big argument.』
What the Duke wanted to say was obvious. To run to the heartbroken Sir Aires and be his comfort. So that the relationship with the Crown Prince would become even more estranged.
Perinnil's words that he would do anything if he could just separate these two were not empty words. The Duke's assurance that it wouldn't be completely useless content either.
"Young Lady, what story shall we tell today?"
I held the letter to the candle and burned it without regret. And I gave a kind smile to Arina, who was watching me.
"Oh, right. Do you know about the story that happened in the back alley of the brothel?"
"Yes. You said there was something strange this time. What happened was……."
Arina opens her mouth with sparkling eyes. The child's words started with several people who had fainted in one of the maze-like alleys.
How they, who had covered their entire bodies without gaps, regained consciousness, and what they looked like were vividly flowing out of their small mouths.
She said that the whole alley, not just the brothel, was strangely quiet that day.
