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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Guest
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After the first meeting, the book club continued to run smoothly.
Well, I was reasonably satisfied.
I’ve always been fond of reading, and the ladies were passionate enough about it to start a book club in the first place.
Sharing our impressions and opinions was quite enjoyable.
The Duchess, however…
‘Hmm, it seems she really doesn't like the book club.’
Inside the carriage, on our way to the Sherwood townhouse.
The Duchess, with a bored expression, rested her chin on her hand and stared out the carriage window.
Regardless of what she thought of the book club, I found her efforts rather admirable.
To be honest, our Duchess isn't exactly the type to enjoy reading.
And yet, the way she diligently read every book and wrote her thoughts on it… it just showed how earnest she was.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Just then, the Duchess, who had been gazing outside, glanced at me sideways.
“Ah, well.”
I smiled awkwardly.
“I was just thinking that you're a very earnest person, Duchess.”
“…All of a sudden?”
“What do you mean, all of a sudden? I've always thought so.”
“Hmph.”
The Duchess stared at me for a moment before turning her head away with a prim expression.
“Lady Ansi, did you find this month's book interesting?”
Still, the fact that she initiated the conversation suggested her mood had improved a little.
‘By the way, the book selected by the club this time was…’
A romance novel that had reached the status of a classic.
The reviews said it explored fundamental human conflicts through its protagonist, a man torn between his lover, wealth, and power…
“Um… honestly.”
After a moment of consideration, I shrugged.
“It was a bit boring, wasn't it?”
“Right?”
At my answer, the Duchess's eyes sparkled as she whipped around to face me.
“This book, the male lead was so—frustrating.”
“I know. He should have just made a choice—his family or his lover. All he did was waver between them.”
“Ha, that's Lady Ansi for you. This is why I love talking with you.”
And so, as we went back and forth, complaining about the book.
The carriage finally came to a stop in front of the Sherwood townhouse.
However.
‘Huh?’
An unfamiliar carriage was parked in front of the townhouse.
The crest on the carriage was…
“The County of Sanchez?”
The Duchess recognized the house at a glance.
I looked bewildered.
And for good reason. The lady of the County of Sanchez…
‘She's supposed to be part of 'Peony,' Serapina's group, isn't she?’
Lady Sanchez was the second-in-command of ‘Peony’ and regularly socialized with Serapina.
I'd seen her a few times through Serapina myself.
‘And just like friends, she had a personality strikingly similar to Serapina's.’
In a word, she was obnoxious.
But that wasn't what I was curious about.
“Um, Duchess.”
I asked her carefully.
“How did you recognize the crest of the County of Sanchez so quickly?”
You see.
The Duchess was famous for never acknowledging any of the other houses.
Until now, I'd just assumed you didn't memorize the crests because you weren't interested in other families…
‘Nobles usually make a point of remembering the crests of high-ranking houses, from marquises and up.’
But the Duchess had always maintained an indifferent attitude, acting as if she didn't recognize anyone.
That attitude had only served to reinforce the rumors Serapina deliberately spread about her being ‘arrogant’.
In response to my puzzled tone, the Duchess shrugged and replied.
“I've memorized all the crests of the counties and above.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. My brother nagged me until my ears bled, saying I had to know at least that much.”
“…Then why do you usually pretend not to know?”
“Because it's a bother.”
“…”
Ah, I see.
I was at a loss for words.
At the same time, the Duchess, who had been sullen the whole time, broke into a bright smile for the first time.
“But I memorized the crest of the Viscounty of Ansi on my own, before my brother started nagging me.”
“…My family's crest?”
“Of course. It's a wave and a swan, right?”
I did well, didn't I?
Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at me, as if asking for praise.
“Yes, that's right.”
My heart warmed for some reason, and I quickly nodded.
The Duchess, who had been gazing at me with a proud expression, suddenly seemed to catch herself.
“D-Don't get the wrong idea.”
She averted her gaze primly.
“It's just… you and I have a friendship contract. So I memorized it out of courtesy. Understand?”
“Of course. You were simply being faithful to the contract, Duchess.”
As I quickly played along, the Duchess feigned indifference.
“…Well, it's not just that.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, it's nothing. Let's get out.”
The Duchess scrambled out of the carriage.
Her flustered manner somehow reminded me of a cat with its tail on fire.
I followed her with a small smile.
As I did, someone came striding toward us.
It was Lady Sanchez.
“Hello, Duchess!”
Lady Sanchez greeted the Duchess with a wide smile.
“…”
The Duchess gave Lady Sanchez a sour look before glancing sideways at me.
‘This is that lady who hangs around with Lady Lopes, right?’
Her gaze seemed to convey something to that effect.
‘It's fine.’
I gave a subtle nod.
At that, the Duchess's expression turned openly displeased, and,
“Yes.”
she replied, before primly turning her head away.
She didn't even offer a polite greeting in return.
“Ah…”
Lady Sanchez looked a bit embarrassed, but she quickly dispelled the awkward atmosphere by turning to me.
“Lady Ansi, you're here too. It's been a while!”
…Somehow, the very act of greeting me so openly showed just how thick-skinned she was.
After all the times she'd subtly ignored me while hanging around with Serapina?
However.
‘If I point that out, I'll just look petty.’
To explain this subtle dynamic, one must first understand the difference between the ladies of the capital and those from the south.
The southern ladies had known me since we were young and had long witnessed Serapina's disdain for me.
As a result, they had slowly but surely followed Serapina's lead and begun treating me like a handmaiden.
The ladies of the capital, by contrast, adopted a more refined approach.
They might mock me behind my back, but to my face, they maintained a pleasant smile.
It was infuriating to be on the receiving end, yet it was just subtle enough to make it difficult to call them out on it.
Besides.
‘There's also the matter of the Duchess's reputation.’
It would be a problem if I started a feud with Lady Sanchez over my personal grudges, only for it to backfire on the Duchess.
‘Especially now that the Duchess's reputation is finally improving.’
Having come to that conclusion, I nodded with a gentle smile.
“Indeed. Have you been well?”
“Wow, Lady Ansi. Are you worried about me?”
As if seizing the opportunity, Lady Sanchez latched onto me and began to chatter.
“I heard the party the Viscounty of Ansi hosted recently was incredible!”
“Pardon? That was…”
“A party attended by none other than the Duchess and the Duke! Ah, I'm so envious!”
I couldn't help but give a wry smile.
Lady Sanchez's intentions were painfully obvious.
Although she was outwardly talking to me, her interest was focused solely on the Duchy of Claudius.
In other words, I was a kind of…
‘A bridge.’
She wants to use me to get an in with the Duchess, doesn't she?
‘Not a chance.’
I have no problem with the Duchess making good friends.
But seeing someone deliberately approach her, trying to use her halo for their own gain…
‘It's just… grating, isn't it?’
As I was thinking that, I flinched and my shoulders tensed.
Wait, is this one of those 'it's romance if I do it, but an affair if you do it' situations…?
Feeling a pang of guilt, I deliberately straightened my posture.
So what?
The Duchess and I entered into a friendship contract as equals.
It's not a relationship where one side is taking advantage of the other!
“So, what made you decide to join the Watkins Book Club?”
“Ah, my mother is very close with the Countess of Sherwood. So I asked her to put in a word for me.”
“I see.”
While I chatted amiably with Lady Sanchez on the outside, my mind was deep in thought.
To think that Lady Sanchez, the second-in-command of Peony, would break away.
‘Is the group as a whole starting to cut ties with Serapina?’
Just as I was deep in thought.
Someone grabbed my arm.
