Chapter 79
Episode 79. Beautiful Competition
2023.12.18.
“Are you alright?”
Russell Junior hurriedly grabbed Olivia Blanchett.
“Ah… yes.”
Olivia’s eyes darkened. Her instep throbbed, but it wasn’t so bad that she couldn’t walk.
It was fortunate, but that didn’t mean she was perfectly fine.
Why go this far?
The anger that had been suppressed deep within her heart slowly began to boil. Her stomach churned. Olivia slowly turned around.
“Today is the last day of my match. Are there any reporters who are curious about the match?”
Olivia said in a clear voice. The chaotic surroundings became quiet at once.
“Of course, we have high expectations. But Miss Blanchett, shouldn’t we clarify the rumors that are circulating first?”
Olivia turned her head.
Standing upright, she gave a relaxed smile and slowly gazed at the reporter.
Faced with the dignity and majesty that made it hard to believe she was a lowly bastard, the reporters swallowed hard.
“In my humble opinion, I think the existence of the ghost who brought misfortune to a woman is more important than the result of the final.”
Michael Dosett of the tabloid ‘The Sun’ was the reporter who had been asking rude questions at every press conference before the tournament.
“I heard that your loyalty to the royal family is great.”
Olivia smiled and stared at the man.
“It is the pride and self-esteem of my life.”
Olivia nodded lightly at the man’s proud expression.
“I wonder if that loyalty will remain solid even after you know the truth about the ghost.”
The reporters buzzed at the incomprehensible words. Michael Dosett’s expression became awkward as he stared directly at Olivia.
“I will hold a formal press conference after the tournament. I hope you will wait until then, even if you are curious. May I go in now?”
“……”
The reporters who had been trying to get an exclusive no longer had any reason to hold onto Olivia.
They wondered what the truth about the ghost had to do with loyalty to the royal family, but they made way for her.
Olivia gave the reporters a short bow and took a step.
“Ah!”
Olivia bit her lip.
Pain spread like a tremor throughout her body from the instep of her left foot, which had been stepped on.
A clear look of dismay spread across Olivia’s face.
It was when Hans, who was mixed in with the crowd, watched the scene and raised the corners of his lips.
A white Carriage with the Brit Royal Family crest shining delicately slid into the morning sunlight.
It was the Carriage of Princess Anne Boleyn, the star of the Dumblin Championship and the Queen of Tennis.
Anne Boleyn got out of the Carriage.
The princess, with her fiery red hair braided tightly and adorned with pearls, was graceful and elegant.
Maids quickly arranged the skirts of her pure white dress for Anne Boleyn, who stood before the reporters.
Soon, a sharp light flashed, but the princess, who did not even flinch, exuded an unapproachable nobility.
Anne Boleyn posed in various directions for a sufficient amount of time so that the reporters could take pictures.
Each time the princess moved, the thin chiffon layered over the cream-colored lining rustled.
The reporters, who were capturing the flawlessly perfect princess in their lenses, behaved so politely that it was hard to believe they were the same unruly crowd from before.
It was absurd.
“I can’t stand those guys.”
Russell Junior gritted his teeth.
He wanted to ignore them and pass by, but as a citizen of the Kingdom of Brit, he had to pay due respect to the royalty.
Damn it. How much longer do I have to watch this unsightly sight? It was when Russell Junior was grinding his teeth.
“Shall we stop here?”
Anne Boleyn said, raising her lips alluringly.
Who would dare to object when the princess said it was enough?
The reporters simply bowed their heads repeatedly in gratitude, and Russell Junior glared at them with displeasure.
Then, she made eye contact with the princess. Startled, Russell Junior reflexively lowered his head.
Elaine, Anne, and then Olivia paid their respects in sequence.
Anne Boleyn approached them with unhurried steps. It was purely an impulsive act.
Decided solely because Edgar was not to be seen.
In an instant, the surroundings buzzed.
The princess and the bastard.
The former and current lovers of Marquis Lancelot.
What were the odds that the two would face off in the Dumblin final?
The photographers who had set up their tripods in front of the royal Carriage, sensing that a memorable scene of the tournament was about to be created, quickly moved again.
As the distance between Olivia and Princess Anne Boleyn narrowed, the surrounding air froze like midwinter due to the tension.
It was truly a fascinating sight even before the match began.
Olivia watched the princess approaching from close range and clasped her hands neatly together.
The two stood facing each other in front of the green Ivy Wall, the symbol of Dumblin.
“I greet the princess.”
Anne Boleyn looked across at the woman who was kneeling and rising with a calm gaze.
Beneath her slightly lowered long eyelashes, her blue eyes sparkled.
She had a distinctly different face from when she had seen her in the match with Sara Pavlova.
Anne Boleyn’s gaze, which slid across as if searching, fixed on one place without hesitation.
The smooth hand that slightly lifted the white flared skirt.
He hasn’t proposed yet.
Olivia’s empty left ring finger gave Anne Boleyn a brief moment of relief and a small expectation.
At the same time, she felt so pathetic and miserable.
Just… because of a woman like this.
‘…The day you touch even a fingertip. Your life will be over too, Anne.’
The dagger that he, who was once her man, had plunged at the Leopold Hotel opening party was still stuck in her heart.
“So. We meet again.”
Anne Boleyn said with an elegant smile.
“I have been anticipating today.”
What was so good about this woman?
Anne Boleyn met the woman’s gaze as she lowered and raised her head again.
The woman’s coldly sunken eyes were quite challenging. How dare she.
“Come to think of it, it’s already been six years. The day I first participated in this tournament and won.”
Anne Boleyn whispered as if chatting with a close friend.
“We decided to officially date then. With Ed.”
Her amber eyes became wistful as if recalling a beautiful moment in the past.
“After that, Ed escorted me to every match. A busy man.”
Only when she saw the woman’s pale face did she feel a sense of relief.
It seemed that her twisted heart was relieved a little. Only then did Anne Boleyn smile comfortably.
Olivia knew what the princess was trying to do. She didn’t want to play along.
Nevertheless, Olivia couldn’t help but feel bad.
「Bring her with the utmost respect」
His neat and sophisticated handwriting came to mind.
Olivia felt powerless in the face of their memories, where the person to be treated with the utmost respect was Anne Boleyn, not herself.
Her heart ached when she thought of the princess who had been in that man’s time. But she didn’t bother to show it on her face.
“So. What is it that you want to say?”
Olivia asked in a deliberately calm voice.
“Because Ed is not here. I just remembered the old days for a moment. I also thought that his easily bored personality is still the same.”
Anne Boleyn smiled. It was a truly harmless smile, but there were thorns hidden inside.
“Who today will be for.”
Anne Boleyn held out her hand.
“Do your best. Us.”
She smiled brightly as if nothing had happened. Then, her eyes became cold and calm.
Olivia realized at that moment. That the princess’s composure was wavering.
Through the thin gaps that quickly appeared and disappeared in the solid wall of composure, anger, jealousy, and fear that had been tightly hidden were revealed.
“I will do my best so that you will not be disappointed.”
Olivia took the princess’s hand.
At that moment, flash! A camera flash went off.
Silver sparks flew incessantly across the midsummer morning sky from all directions to capture the scene, which was staged like a painting ahead of the two’s beautiful competition.
\*
“Busy these days.”
It was natural for the tournament organizer to be busy during the Dumblin Championship.
It was not something that Duke Lancelot had to bother to call a busy person to confirm.
It was even less likely that he would summon his son, who was in a worse relationship than a stranger, from early in the morning.
Nevertheless, the Duke, who had summoned Edgar, had a sharp expression as he had expected.
“It’s not enough to bother you.”
Edgar looked down at Duke Lancelot, who was still fixing his gaze on the unfolded newspaper, and answered calmly.
“Is that so.”
The Duke placed the newspaper he had been holding on the desk with a thud and put a cigar in his mouth.
“Not enough to bother me.”
Edgar’s gaze naturally reached the ground.
「Big Match of the Century, Anneblin Grace Britt vs. Olivia Blanchett, Who Will Be the Star of the Dumblin Championship」
Underneath the commonplace headline that lacked any creativity, photos of Anne Boleyn and Olivia were placed side by side.
Even just looking at the selection of photos, it was obvious who the reporter favored, as Olivia’s photo was terrible.
It was truly a petty manifestation of patriotism.
“Just good enough to play with for one night.”
Duke Lancelot raised one eyebrow crookedly and looked up at his son.
He was a cynical and indifferent father. He hated his son as much as he hated his wife.
He looked into his son’s face, who did not react much.
His attitude of pretending to be calm, even though he had bought a proposal ring, gave him the creeps as if he were seeing his dead wife.
“Isn’t it time to get rid of her?”
“I didn’t know you were so interested in my personal life.”
“Still, you’re my son. It’s only right to be interested.”
The Duke exhaled a long puff of smoke. As the fog cleared, the smoke that had been thick in Edgar’s face gradually dissipated.
Except for his black hair, the face that resembled that impertinent woman became clear again.
His son was looking at him with emotionless eyes.
The look in his eyes reminded him of his dead wife again, making him feel as disgusted as ever.
Even though it had been almost 28 years, he could not forgive that woman.
