85 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Episode 85
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Presently, I calmly picked up a quill and wrote, ‘I know what situation you’re in, but please stop whining like a child and shut up, you bitch. What will become of me if you hurl such vulgarities? Is your tiny head full of dust? I know you’re angry, but there’s nothing beneficial for you right now, so lie low and try to please the Emperor. With those Night skills you’re so good at.’ I wrote the message as elegantly and circuitously as possible.
Later, when I looked at the letter, I even worried whether Chatoul would understand the content because I had been too indirect.
Strangely enough, the only letter I received during that time—that is, for several days since she was placed under house arrest—was from Chatoul.
I expected a flood of spiteful letters mocking a broken toy within days, but even Madame Lavalliere didn’t send a letter containing the admonishment, ‘Didn’t I tell you so?’
It seemed people placed more weight on the title of Michael Ayres’ lover. Indeed, the love story of a promising young knight would be more interesting than the Emperor’s favorite whore.
If my memory serves me right, he would later rise to the position of Imperial Knight Commander. So, everyone must be paying close attention to our love affair.
No one realized that Michael Ayres was the only person, besides Chatoul, who could summon me to the Imperial Palace.
I took out a piece of stationery and wrote to him with as much respect as I could muster.
I wanted to meet him in person to properly thank him for the flowers he had sent while I was ill, something along those lines.
At the end, I added that although I had sent a gift through my mother, I was worried it was insignificant compared to the kindness Sir Ayres had shown. I was on the verge of getting a headache from writing so dryly, twisting my words to avoid giving him any expectations.
Of course, if I had truly felt grateful, I should have visited him immediately after recovering.
However, despite being able to enter the palace thanks to Chatoul, I had never met him privately.
I made the excuse to others that I didn’t want to disturb Michael Ayres’ busy schedule, but in reality, I didn’t want to inflate the gossip about us with unnecessary meetings.
Thinking of him reminded me of the unfinished handkerchief, and at the same time, Sir Halberd, who had begged for unreasonable demands as if pleading, flickered in my mind.
“But it can’t be helped.”
I handed the finished letter to Seril. She looked thrilled upon seeing Sir Ayres’ name written on the envelope. And she hurried out of the room.
Unlike Marina Blan, Seril was tight-lipped—due to her fear of me—so she would definitely keep the letter a secret. Therefore, I didn’t have to worry about unnecessary rumors spreading. Fortunately.
Madame de Châteauroux was inherently far from the words consideration, patience, wisdom, and reason. She was quite impulsive, a moth that burned brightly, chasing her current emotions.
Therefore, she would hardly have properly investigated her new enemy, the Baroness of Flanders. The information given by her followers would only be about bedroom matters.
How the Emperor moaned, how satisfied he was, whether that damned bitch walked out of the bedroom on her own two feet or was carried out, and so on.
Chatoul seemed to think that since her new enemy was known as a whore, there was no need to know any other information.
Are there any whores in this world who indiscriminately sell their bodies? I, too, spread my legs to make a living.
Madame de Châteauroux’s second letter was so primal that it was embarrassing.
Strangely enough, even within social circles, no one seemed to know much about the Baroness of Flanders. What kind of shop she worked in, who her pimp was.
It was as if she had been born a ‘whore’ and entered the palace with that label attached. Even the person who presented her to the Emperor was unknown.
Princess Dieunzel seemed to think that since I was friendly with Madame de Châteauroux, I would be curious about the gossip circulating in social circles.
She very kindly wrote down the above information and added a tiny bit of paltry consolation.
The true meaning contained within was very clear. Rather than living with stupid eyes that can’t even find a proper string to cling to, just wait quietly and debut into society and take the candy I give you, something like that.
On the surface, she pretended to generously understand even my hastiness and impatience as endearing.
But I couldn’t just ignore it, because in the past, Chatoul was the one and only woman favored by the Emperor until the Crown Prince suppressed the rebellion.
Until the old Emperor was on his deathbed due to old age, her power was nearly absolute.
Of course, this happened before I debuted into society, and at that time, I was so preoccupied with Sir Halberd that I didn’t even think about finding out proper information, so such an incident could have very well happened.
Because between men and women, there are always complicated circumstances such as jealousy, misunderstandings, separations, and reunions arising from small incidents.
However, even if I had lived with my ears closed, I had never heard that the Emperor had a new woman.
Especially with such a hot topic, there was a high possibility that I would have overheard it somehow. The Emperor’s lower body affairs are a topic that even the beggars on the street are interested in.
That’s why I can’t help but check. The ‘Baroness of Flanders’ who is the center of everyone’s attention.
Michael Ayres must have been pleased with my letter, as he sent a reply quickly.
That evening, Ayres, covered in sweat, sent a reply brought by a panting servant. It was surprisingly long, considering how quickly he had written the lengthy message.
It was quite amazing that the man called the Knight of Ice used at least three or four sheets of stationery to express his praise for me and his joy at the prospect of meeting. Yet, the time and place for the meeting were only mentioned in one or two lines.
Marie, who was giving me a hand massage, blushed as she read the letter and exclaimed that the content was very romantic and even ecstatic.
Seril nodded in agreement, and Blan stared at the letter with envious eyes.
I knew exactly what they were thinking, so I clicked my tongue softly. I couldn’t help but find it amusing that they were vying for who would get to follow me that day.
“It’s not an official visit, so I can’t stay long. So, I’ll go alone. Don’t even think about telling anyone else about this. Understand?”
Oh, the look of disappointment on their faces as if the sky had fallen. I arrogantly lifted my chin and commanded.
“Give me a thorough massage. Since I can’t take a maid, at least my appearance should shine.”
At the same time, I pondered what to take as a gift for Michael Ayres. He would surely like anything I gave him, but I needed something that seemed to contain the least amount of sincerity.
Because any ‘room for feelings’ that inevitably leaked out would be rude to both him and me.
Michael Ayres had a very good public reputation. He was handsome and skilled, so it was inevitable.
However, he was said to be quite cold and aloof when dealing with people, so there seemed to be quite a few who considered him obnoxious. Because of this, there were those who placed Lustewin Halberd above him.
But that was only a minority; most men couldn’t voice their complaints about him.
Because Michael Ayres’ abilities, background, and appearance were so good that there was no comparison.
He had a cleaner private life than other nobles and knights who boasted of promiscuous sex lives, and he was so good at his job that he was showered with favor from his superiors.
Moreover, there were rumors that he might become the next Emperor’s sword in the future, so no one would dare to touch him. So, they had no choice but to poke at the easy target, me.
I stared blankly at the man who was gazing at me with a greasy smile on his face.
Wearing the Imperial Knights’ uniform, he was the one who had been persistently flirting with me since I had entered the palace to see Sir Ayres.
I wondered if he even knew how to use a sword properly; the jewels embedded in the scabbard loosely hanging from his waist were unnecessarily flashy. It seemed his flamboyant, chattering tongue was sharper.
Men seem to think that complimenting a woman’s appearance is all it takes to seduce her.
They mistakenly believe that if they spout things like brilliant jewels, the luster of her hair, and more beautiful than flowers, even a woman with an iron wall will melt and give them a foolish smile.
But most women, especially those who have rolled around in social circles for a long time, have heard all sorts of flattery, so they are not fooled by such clumsy tricks.
Because there is nothing more unsophisticated than melting at unoriginal rhetoric. It was a disgrace to oneself.
So, noble ladies taught their daughters the compliments that foolish men often used, teaching them how to choose a real man.
‘If some idiot comes up to you and tells you these things, just smile quietly and avoid him.’
They advised them so earnestly.
So, I politely asked for his understanding, twisting my words as much as possible to say, ‘I’m smiling at you right now, but that’s because I’m holding back from wanting to kick your shins with my heel. So, please disappear.’
Unfortunately, this idiot didn’t realize the true meaning of what I said and kept sticking to me, laughing boisterously.
His eyes, scanning me, were full of undisguised greed and lust. His expression clearly showed that he was dying to drag me to the Imperial Garden, take off my skirt, and have his way with me.
Perhaps he would have put the above thoughts into action if Michael Ayres hadn’t appeared to find me.
“Bischwartz Young Lady.”
Sir Ayres, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, was still neat and handsome. The Imperial Knights’ uniform shone as if it were made for him. It was a radiance that couldn’t even be compared to the idiot in front of me.
The smile he gave me was also like that. How could he look at someone so purely?
His neatly lowered eyes were focused solely on me. Just like it had been from the beginning. Even the fingertips he extended were unwavering.
“Have you been well, Sir Ayres?”
I greeted him and raised my hand. A natural escort. Passing by the knight whose name I didn’t even know was instantaneous.
It was only natural that he was furious at losing his carefully prepared prey. But as soon as he met Michael Ayres’ gaze, he quickly lowered his tail, seeming to know how to read the room quite well.
His own safety was more important than his anger. What was he going to do, loitering around me without the guts to pounce?
I couldn’t help but laugh at his ridiculously pathetic state, but I held it back. I had been able to indirectly confirm Michael Ayres’ status within the Knights, so that was enough.
