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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Duchess's Declaration
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“Ah, no.”
“It’s not like that…”
The ladies each shrank back.
“First, we need to define what it means to be a close friend.”
The Duchess narrowed her eyes and pressed the matter.
“Do you all consider treating someone like a handmaiden to be a form of friendship?”
“…”
“…”
The ladies flinched, their shoulders tensing.
It was only natural.
After all, every one of those ladies was a follower of Serapina.
And followers tend to mimic the behavior of the one they admire.
*Besides… it must have been convenient.*
Following Serapina’s lead and treating me like a servant.
And now that I, with the Duchess’s support, was trying to stop being their handmaiden.
*Of course, they’d hate it.*
I glanced at Serapina from the corner of my eye.
Serapina’s face was frozen, hard as ice.
“Did you say Lady Ansi was deceiving me?”
The Duchess continued, her tone vexing.
“But what can I do? I’d rather associate with a cunning Lady Ansi than with fools who can’t even tell the difference between friendship and servitude.”
“Y-Your Grace. We…”
“At least when I’m with Lady Ansi, I have a wonderful time. As for you all…”
The Duchess looked the ladies up and down, the corner of her lip twisting into a sneer.
It was a scathing smirk.
“I wonder?”
Shame colored the ladies’ faces.
But the Duchess was not yet finished.
“Furthermore, you should all be more careful with your actions from now on.”
It was a stern warning.
“Because the name of the Duchy of Claudius is not so trivial that you can carelessly comment on my friendships.”
“…”
“…”
At the mere mention of the ducal family’s name, the ladies had all turned pale.
“Hmph.”
The Duchess snorted and then declared.
“The party at the County of Gusto, it’s on July 5th, was it?”
In that instant, a deep wariness clouded Serapina’s face.
As if mocking her, the Duchess confidently dropped a bombshell.
“On that day, the Viscounty of Ansi will also be hosting a party.”
The Duchess puffed out her chest and added.
“And I will be in attendance.”
The nobles, who had been pretending not to listen, erupted in a great stir.
“What did she say?”
“Duchess Claudius?”
At the same time, all the color drained from Serapina’s face.
*Oh…*
I was deeply impressed.
I don’t know if the Duchess said it knowing the full implications, but…
With that one statement, she had dealt a massive blow to Serapina.
The summer party of the County of Gusto.
It was undoubtedly one of the most famous parties in southern society.
Moreover, Serapina was the lady most favored by the Count’s second son.
Naturally, Serapina became the most brilliant jewel of that party.
And the more she shone at the summer party, the more solidified her position in southern society became…
*But no matter how great the County of Gusto or Serapina may be.*
I gave a slight shrug.
*How could they possibly win against the sole Duchess of the Claudius family?*
In other words.
The Duchess’s single declaration had placed the important event where Serapina reigned as the protagonist in grave jeopardy.
Really, her sense for using power at just the right time and place.
I think… I’m going to fall in love with the Duchess…
“Which party you attend is up to you… but if I don’t see your faces at the Viscounty of Ansi’s party.”
At the same time, a wicked smile played in the Duchess’s eyes.
“I would be terribly disappointed, you see?”
The ladies, their faces ghostly white, looked at one another.
*‘Wh-what should we do?!’*
*‘No, why did things turn out like this…!’*
Urgent glances were exchanged among the ladies.
Paying them no mind, the Duchess turned to me abruptly.
“Let’s leave. I don’t want to stay here a moment longer.”
The Duchess snatched my wrist and shot a contemptuous glare at the other ladies.
“If I stay with those morons any longer, I feel like I’ll become stupid myself.”
With those final words.
The Duchess strode out, pulling me along with her.
Ha, really.
I’m starting a fan club today.
The fan club’s nickname will be [M.l.f.e.].
My Life For Evanjeline.
And I’ll be the first member and the president of the fan club!
***
*How can this be?*
Serapina simply could not believe the current reality.
Just moments ago, Duchess Claudius had snatched Lalitt’s wrist and stormed out.
They had looked so close.
As if the two were truly friends…
*It’s so infuriating.*
Unable to contain her rage, Serapina clenched her jaw.
Duchess Claudius, Evanjeline.
Serapina had disliked her from the moment she first saw Evanjeline.
Features as lovely as a doll delicately crafted by a master artisan.
Gorgeous honey-blonde hair and blue eyes.
Grace, status, and wealth.
A noble lady who lacked nothing.
At first, she had planned to win the Duchess over to her side and profit from it, but.
“Why should I have tea with Lady Lopes?”
…that icy voice.
Duchess Claudius was the first wall Serapina, for whom the world had always been easy, had ever encountered.
She was the only person who was not favorably disposed toward Serapina.
Serapina felt a sense of dread, as if she would never be able to overcome that insurmountable wall.
And yet.
*Why Lalitt?*
Lalitt had won over that unyielding Duchess in an instant.
Was that all?
Being with the Duchess had changed Lalitt immensely as well.
The old Lalitt would have groveled and apologized if cornered like this…
*Why do things keep going so wrong?!*
Unable to suppress the surging rage, Serapina clenched the fan in her hand.
The bones on the back of her hand stood out, white against her skin.
“I mean, Lady Ansi. Why is she so arrogant?!”
Just then, one of the ladies raised her voice, cautiously watching Serapina’s expression.
“It’s true, isn’t it? After how well Lady Lopes treated Lady Ansi!”
“This is a betrayal!”
But the voices condemning Lalitt lacked their usual conviction.
Then.
One lady spoke up cautiously.
“But… I never thought the Duchess would side with her so openly.”
For a moment, Serapina felt her heart drop.
These ladies had noticed it too.
Just how close Duchess Claudius was to Lalitt.
Spurred by those words, the ladies began to voice their own thoughts.
“Honestly, I never wanted to fight with the Duchess…”
“It seems it’s true that the Duchess is close with Lady Ansi.”
“I know. To think she’d attend a party at the Viscounty of Ansi… I was honestly surprised.”
The lady who had spoken first continued worriedly.
“We’ve already displeased the Duchess. If we don’t attend that party now, won’t there be severe consequences?”
*Wait, what are they talking about?*
Serapina stared at the ladies, bewildered.
Regardless, once the floodgates of conversation were open, they showed no sign of closing.
“To be honest…”
One lady continued, glancing furtively at Serapina.
“Lady Ansi is the one who will inherit the title of Viscount Ansi, after all.”
At that, the other ladies quickly chimed in.
“That’s right. She’s going to be the head of a family. I wonder if we haven’t been too rude to her until now.”
“There was no need to be so hostile.”
Their attitudes had flipped as easily as one might flip their hand.
The ladies exchanged uncertain glances.
As if they were all wondering, ‘Why did we do that?’
Meanwhile, Serapina felt her mouth go dry.
*No.*
The mood cannot be allowed to shift like this.
“Oh my, Lady Peylan.”
And so, Serapina put on a bright smile and put a stop to the ladies’ conversation.
