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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: A Trial Friendship
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It’s a proposal that kills two birds with one stone—not only will it improve Your Grace's reputation, but it will also deal a blow to Serapina.
And so, while I desperately tried to persuade the Duchess with my words.
My mind raced.
The most advantageous thing for me at this point was that I hadn't yet gotten on the Duchess's bad side.
That was because, up until now, there had been little interaction between Serapina and the Claudius siblings.
Naturally, today was the first time I had ever met the Duchess.
If things had followed the original story's plot, I probably would have clumsily taken Serapina's side and infuriated the Duchess.
‘Yes, to the point of getting slapped, insulted, and having water thrown on me…’
I sighed inwardly and continued speaking.
“Just the fact that people are speculating and adding their own thoughts will be very damaging to Serapina. She has such a kind image, after all.”
The Duchess stared at me intently, as if telling me to go on.
I gladly met her expectation.
“On top of that, if I become your friend, it will surely infuriate Serapina. Isn’t that satisfying enough on its own?”
“Hmm. And?”
“As we gradually wear her down like that, a time will come when even Serapina makes a mistake.”
I smiled wickedly, like a little devil, and drove the point home.
“Her mask slipping off, her true face laid bare. Wouldn't you like to see that?”
For a moment, the Duchess’s blue eyes sparkled.
A short while later.
The Duchess gave a curt nod.
“Well, your words aren’t without merit.”
Then she straightened her back and faced me directly.
“It’s true that I need to restore my reputation.”
At the same time, her pretty hand tightened its grip on the teacup.
Blue veins stood out starkly on the back of her pale white hand.
S-scary!
“I have no idea why such a rumor suddenly started spreading…”
The Duchess continued, gritting her teeth.
“My brother was quite furious. He said I had to quash these rumors quickly, for the sake of the Duchy’s honor.”
After that prelude, the Duchess’s shoulders slumped as she let out a soft sigh.
“Well, it’s not as if the rumors are completely baseless.”
Hmm?
“I know my personality can be a bit sharp. I have a sensitive side, and it’s true that I can be prickly.”
What’s this? She told me not to put myself down.
But now she’s doing it herself?
I stared at the Duchess’s sullen face and replied impulsively.
“Not at all. I find your straightforward personality quite refreshing, actually.”
Looking taken aback for a moment, the Duchess blinked her pretty, golden lashes and stared at me.
“Pardon? What did you just say…”
“I said I like that you’re so straightforward.”
“M-Me?”
“Of course.”
At my answer, the Duchess bit her lip.
“But everyone tries to keep their distance from me. They flinch and get startled at anything I say…”
“That’s just because people misunderstand you a little.”
I gave a slight shrug.
And for good reason, because I knew.
Serapina had been subtly manipulating people to avoid the Duchess!
Of course, the Duchess did have a slightly(?) sharp side to her, but from what I’d experienced so far, she certainly didn’t deserve this level of criticism.
The Duchess, who had been merely parting her lips for a while, asked cautiously.
“D-Do you really think so, my lady? That I… that there isn't a huge problem with my personality…”
“Of course. In fact, I wish I could be more like you. You’re very cool.”
I nodded emphatically.
A faint blush colored the Duchess’s cheeks.
But it was only for a moment.
The corners of the Duchess's eyes suddenly shot up.
“...In that case, my brother is definitely the one being petty.”
Pardon?
Duke Claudius, all of a sudden?
At the same time, the Duchess slammed both hands on the tea table with a loud thud!
“Can you believe it? My brother threatened to cut my allowance just because of some rumors! Isn’t that so petty?!”
My eyes widened.
‘Oh, the allowance issue… This part is exactly the same as the original novel.’
To be honest, the social circles were only buzzing with rumors about the Duchess being arrogant.
There was never any mention of the private matter of her allowance being cut.
But the details match perfectly.
Even if the characters’ personalities are different, the direction and content of events might flow similarly.
‘This means the information from the original novel might be quite helpful to me in the future.’
Meanwhile, the Duchess, who had been fuming for some time, finally calmed down a little after gulping down her half-cold tea.
“In any case, as you said yourself, Lady Ansi… you’re Lady Lopes’s best friend.”
The Duchess leaned back leisurely in her chair and posed a question to me.
“How can I trust you, Lady Ansi?”
Her blue eyes, shining like sapphires, narrowed with suspicion.
“For all I know, you could have approached me under Lady Lopes’s orders.”
I felt an intense pressure.
The old me would have succumbed to that pressure and been swept up in the Duchess's pace.
But.
‘It’s okay.’
I forced myself to calm down.
For nearly a full day before the Duchess’s reply arrived, I had run all sorts of scenarios through my head.
Which is to say, I had already anticipated being asked such a question.
“Of course. It’s only natural for you to be wary of me.”
Taking a short, deep breath, I smiled brightly.
“In that case, how about this? We could have a trial period, where we’re friends on a temporary basis.”
“Temporary friends?”
A new emotion surfaced in her suspicious blue eyes.
The name of that emotion was curiosity.
“What exactly do you mean by temporary friends?”
“Even when hiring an employee at a shop, there’s a probationary period, right? I’m saying I’ll have one of those.”
“...Hmm.”
The Duchess was still feigning indifference, but I could tell.
She was clearly interested in my proposal.
Ah, how can I be so sure, you ask?
How many years do you think I’ve spent walking on eggshells around Serapina and Gregory?
Naturally, I was sensitive to people’s emotions.
‘Is this a silver lining to being a doormat…?’
Sighing inwardly, I made a counter-proposal.
“How about we spend time together as temporary friends, and if you’re satisfied with the results, we can proceed with drawing up a formal friendship contract?”
Honestly, from the Duchess’s perspective, it would be difficult to blindly trust someone like ‘Lalitt Ansi.’
After I had openly acted as Serapina’s handmaiden, for me to suddenly propose becoming friends with the Duchess…
‘Of course she would be suspicious.’
But completely rejecting my offer would be a bit of a waste for her.
My position as ‘Serapina’s best friend’ was, in a way, a double-edged sword.
If I truly appeared to have cut ties completely with Serapina and chosen the Duchess, it would deal a significant blow to Serapina.
‘So, the plan is to offer a grace period in the form of a temporary friendship, giving the Duchess the power to choose.’
Having that safety net would put her mind at ease.
I won’t deny that I took the idea from the classic romance-fantasy trope, the ‘contract relationship.’
Well, who says only romantic relationships can be contractual?
Contract friendships are all the rage these days, you know.
And my calculations were spot on.
