17 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Episode 17
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How much wealth had been squandered to buy gifts for them, and how many noble sons had been corrupted as a result? It was impossible to count how many noble ladies had clutched their chests and swallowed their tears because of those women who entered the family as concubines.
Of course, there were first-class courtesans who, with Madame's full support, had cultivated enough refinement to engage in intellectual and emotional exchanges with intellectuals—thereby drawing them to their establishments—but they still spread their legs and acted coy for men. How could anyone mock this class, calling it the only measure that distinguishes 'stones' from 'people' used only in brothels?
Therefore, whether the prostitute before me was first-class, second-class, or of a higher rank, she deserved contempt for lifting her skirt for money.
Perinnil, knowing I understood such gazes, would naturally be reluctant to speak with me. Waiting for Theodore de Bishwaltz to introduce himself was, in a way, her last shred of pride and a mechanism of self-preservation.
The problem was that I was not a noble lady steeped in aristocratic ideals like other girls.
As soon as I learned Perinnil was a prostitute, I immediately changed my attitude. I followed his lead, sat down obediently, and looked at her.
Theodore de Bishwaltz seemed somewhat disappointed, perhaps expecting me to scream and run away like other noble ladies. More than anything, he seemed very surprised that I was smiling gently, without any sign of displeasure.
"How unexpected, my lady."
"Unexpected, what?"
"That you are sitting here."
"What did you expect? Did you perhaps expect me to shriek and recoil? Oh dear, you seem to have forgotten that it was the noble son who first offered me a seat. How pitiful. I can only hope your drunkenness wears off soon. Truly."
Theodore, his expression hardening with a hint of disgust, asked me.
"Is that all?"
Perinnil also watched my lips, waiting for an answer. Her face was now sparkling with interest. I almost laughed at the slight 'curiosity' and 'wariness' flickering in her eyes, but I held it in.
And, striving to maintain my noble elegance and the solemn authority it represented, I lifted my chin stiffly.
"It's a whim. So let it pass. I am more curious about the noble son's intentions. What were you thinking, taking a lady's hand? How rude! If you had no intention of shaming me, you'd better apologize immediately."
Then Theodore de Bishwaltz smiled enigmatically and spoke. His demeanor was impudent, even careless, but not entirely unacceptable. His voice was very deep and resonant.
"Theodore de Bishwaltz sincerely apologizes to you, my lady."
"I will understand with a generous heart."
I was doing my utmost to imitate the behavior of a frivolous noble lady. A naive sixteen-year-old, who, despite hearing the notoriety of prostitutes, was driven by instinctual curiosity upon actually seeing one, even sacrificing a bit of her pride for it.
Therefore, I was determined to fully embody the role of a brazen fool, filled with vanity and unable to distinguish heaven from earth, who, having been a commoner until recently, was desperately trying to put on airs of nobility.
This was because Theodore de Bishwaltz, heavily intoxicated, was unable to discern the situation properly, and the more I focused on him, the greater the chance that Perinnil would see me as a joke.
As the situation unfolded, Perinnil had no choice but to greet me first. There was no one of lower status than her here.
Theodore de Bishwaltz, drunk and out of his senses, had no energy to introduce us.
Perinnil bowed politely, as much as she knew how, and introduced herself.
"Greetings, my lady. I am Perinnil."
I replied in a curt voice, trying not to meet her gaze as much as possible.
"Would you like to sit a little further away?"
Then I opened my fan and covered it up to my nose. I deliberately furrowed my brow and cast my eyes down slightly. It was the perfect posture for a condescending glance.
As if such poor treatment were nothing, Perinnil burst into laughter and shuffled backward on her knees. Then, in a playful voice, she asked me.
"Would you prefer I leave the seat entirely?"
"Hmph, don't say such foolish things. What would I be to the noble son?"
I snapped back in a prim voice, and she nearly died laughing. Yes, it must have seemed amusing to her.
In her eyes, I must have appeared as a remarkably audacious girl, newly arrived in the noble world, trying to act like a superior.
It must have seemed absurd that I, who had fallen for such trivial tricks, still clung to my pride, unable to shed my commoner's nature.
However, her attitude of perking up her ears wasn't entirely unpleasant, so I decided to let it slide. I felt her wariness completely fade as I looked at her as if she were a cat.
In truth, I had underestimated Perinnil. Despite the thick layer of makeup, her fair skin was very young, and her eyes, clouded by lust, lacked any spark of intelligence.
Therefore, I mistakenly believed that if a noble lady, whom she dared not even look at, deigned to speak a word to her, she would be overwhelmed with emotion and babble endlessly.
Moreover, I thought I could easily manipulate a prostitute like her using the conversational skills and knowledge I had honed in high society.
After all, no matter how much she had been through in the back alleys, dealing with various types of customers, could she compare to a noble lady who swayed her tail like a fox, acting enchantingly?
So, I assumed that if I stroked her ego, she would spill all sorts of things willingly.
However, Perinnil was no ordinary prostitute. She was more cunning than a hundred snakes boiled alive, and more political than a seasoned noble.
As if haggling over the price of a prostitute, or trying to make a man impatient, she omitted the important details, chattered about trivial gossip, and subtly watched my reactions.
It felt like a battle. Invisible spears and shields were clashing. Because of this, the conversation, which was more tiring and boring than I had anticipated, continued, leaving me bewildered.
It was Perinnil who constantly spoke, gauging my mood, but she was even more so because she kept evading the essence of the conversation like a slippery loach.
And in this feast of trivial gossip, she ultimately seized the advantage. Perhaps she was quite sharp-witted, as she seemed to have figured out what I wanted to hear from her through a few exchanges.
As she looked at me with a deep smile on her lips, I instinctively realized I had lost.
My experience honed in high society and years of practiced conversation could not defeat a prostitute who had rolled and tumbled in the dirty mire of the back alleys, where every day was a war. The battlefield built on formality, face, and pride was no match for the real thing. That was the cause of my defeat.
Despite my efforts to speak sparingly, not reveal my true intentions, and not show any openings, Perinnil was easily navigating my inner thoughts.
I could only let out a strange, hollow laugh at this situation where the roles had been reversed. The initiative, which I could have seized first by leveraging my social status, had long since passed to her.
However, a feeling of satisfaction came before anger. A deep thrill even sent shivers down my spine.
Yes, this was it. This was what I wanted to learn from her.
I wanted to emulate Perinnil's actions. I wanted to learn. The conversational skill that, with just a few words, quickly grasped the other person's heart and turned the situation to her advantage was something I coveted unbearably.
Even that annoying demeanor, which seemed to gently prod at the other person's heart while my eyes were cast down, was something I needed to master.
"...So, do you have any further questions?"
I averted my gaze from Perinnil's lips, which were redder and more luscious than roses. Mocking myself for being so confident of an easy victory, I smoothed the wrinkles on my dress.
The conversation, which I thought would be a bit long, reached the sorrowful conclusion of my defeat in less than thirty minutes. Perhaps intoxicated by victory, Perinnil's shamelessly beaming eyes shone upon me.
"No, it wasn't worth listening to. A waste of time."
I disparaged her story in a scathing tone and rose from my seat. I scowled as if I had heard something I shouldn't have.
This was the pride of a noble lady, refusing to be defeated by Perinnil—refusing to fall for her words. So, like a cat that couldn't control its temper, I deliberately put on a sulky expression, letting out a meow and baring my claws.
Perinnil seemed to like my reaction, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled broadly. To her, I must have looked like a dog tucking its tail as I stood up, about to leave. Her star-like eyes held a glint of delight.
She purred and coaxed me, her voice like a gentle breeze. She intended to thoroughly satisfy her own amusement by teasing me with her excellent conversational skills, as such an interesting situation wouldn't come around often.
"Oh my, you're not leaving already? I have a mountain of interesting stories to tell you."
"Enough. Please convey my regards to the Bishwaltz noble son in my stead."
With a rather rough gesture, I opened my fan and said in a prim voice. Theodore de Bishwaltz, apparently completely passed out, was snoring softly.
Perinnil, seemingly delighted by my attitude, burst into loud laughter. Then, twisting her body alluringly, she whispered in a low voice.
"If you are interested in the secret stories we couldn't finish here, please come find me later. Perinnil is quite famous, you know. If you mention my name, everyone will bring you to me."
"Hmph, that will never happen."
"Oh my, don't be so sure."
She winked one eye. Her tongue, flicking incessantly as if made from a snake's, was quite seductive.
"And who knows, I might fulfill your desires."
I almost let out a hollow laugh at her words but managed to suppress it. What a cunning woman she was. She dared to revel in her small victory today, acting as if she knew no bounds.
She feigned ignorance of what I desired, repeatedly mocking me in a hushed tone. And this, despite the fact that her freedom to act this way was due to my generous tolerance of her licentiousness.
However, I didn't dislike her attitude because she embodied the ideal I was seeking. So, I could easily brush off Perinnil's words.
Come find me? No, you will come looking for me.
I deliberately made a "Hmph" sound and turned away from her. Then, with a hurried demeanor, as if stepping over filth, I moved away from Perinnil's side. It was as if the encounter just moments ago had been the worst meeting in Cishe de Bishwaltz's life.
Perinnil waved her hand as if seeing off a guest, making various sounds of farewell. All eyes were on us.
"Then, please take care. Today's meeting was most enjoyable."
Despite her actions, I did not erupt in anger or become irritable. Even though I had been defeated by a mere prostitute, my steps were remarkably light.
It was because I had glimpsed a facet of the ideal I wished to emulate. Therefore, I could genuinely smile with joy.
