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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: The Tea Party
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“Please, don’t ever say that again. I despise people who are swayed by rumors.”
I emphasized my reasoning.
“If I believed in rumors, I never would have tried to meet the mages in the first place. Remember this: don’t believe any rumor you haven’t verified yourself.”
“…That’s true.”
Eaton conceded. A silence fell between us.
He wouldn’t meet my eyes, but the atmosphere around Eaton had undeniably shifted. Perhaps sharing my story had unlocked something within him.
‘How long has it been since my sincerity truly reached someone?’
For me, who had been surrounded by people I couldn’t reason with, this was a new experience.
It was ironic that the next person to do so, after Darcy, was a boy who despised nobles.
It was another reminder of how important it is to see a person for who they truly are, without being swayed by prejudice or rumors.
‘I think we’ll get along better than I thought.’
With this pleasant thought, I made a suggestion.
“Want to watch another one?”
Eaton nodded. The lights in the room dimmed, and another show began to play.
As he focused, Eaton continued to clutch the magic stone in his hand.
***
After that day, I showed Eaton the camera, and he liked it even more than I had expected.
Once he realized how serious I was about magic tools, he seemed to open up even more.
He stayed cooped up in his room, diligently taking pictures. He carefully packed the toys into the pouch Darcy had made for him. He was completely captivated by the magic tools.
“This is really amazing!”
Of course, while his attitude toward me had softened, his hostility toward Darcy remained unchanged.
We continued our preparations to go to the mages’ village.
Their home was located behind a waterfall on a cliff, deep within the forest.
Behind a waterfall… no wonder no one could find it. It would be more amazing if someone actually managed to.
‘It’s really time to leave.’
For the magic tools to make their grand debut, I had to leave soon.
They would receive the most attention when all eyes were on them, and that's how the most people would learn about magic tools.
That meant more people would come across the video player. And naturally, it would find its way to those who truly needed it.
‘If those who might have felt similar to me could receive a little comfort.’
If I could help Darcy and others like him, I felt I could be a little happier, too.
But there was something I had to do before leaving again.
“…You look so lovely, Lady Marso!”
It was a tea party with the nobles who would become the first buyers of my magic tools—and the opposition to Ryan's faction.
***
The maid's gushing was no exaggeration.
Looking at my reflection, splendidly dressed, I too was satisfied. An emerald and amber brooch pinned for the occasion, a beige mermaid-style dress that seemed all the more pristine against my dark hair, and even the faint red of my lips, which suited my pale skin.
‘Ready for business.’
From the moment I began appearing and disappearing with Darcy, I was considered part of his faction.
Marso Etoile, supporter of the new prince. That meant those who accepted my invitation knew Darcy and I were close. It also meant they were people who, like me, would support Darcy.
I checked the guest list the maid had given me.
‘Strange.’
Before Darcy, most of the people who accepted my invitations were Ryan's supporters.
Which meant that among the guests today were some who had previously kept their distance from me.
The rumors of my villainy hadn't completely vanished, yet the number of people accepting my invitations had grown considerably.
There were two reasons for this.
First, the news that I had gifted Darcy a magic stone had spread. Second was the nature of my relationship with Darcy.
The rumor that I had turned my back on my old love for a new one spread through the grapevine.
It had spread so far that even I, who pays no mind to gossip, had heard it.
Thanks to Darcy, I didn't have to go around telling everyone I wasn't in love with Ryan anymore.
Darcy's presence was so formidable that people readily accepted my change of heart.
‘His features could outshine any male lead, after all.’
Darcy's face was a blessing to all.
As I thought of him, I paused. I had tried to see him again after we returned and exchanged letters, but once his seclusion ended, Darcy was swamped with work.
In other words, we hadn't seen each other since our short trip together.
This was the first time we hadn't seen each other for so long.
‘He always used to show up eventually.’
At this point, regardless of his circumstances, I couldn't help but suspect he was avoiding me.
‘I suspected it was because of Eaton.’
But it didn't feel like that was the only reason.
The last time I saw him, he'd asked if it wasn't something a friend would naturally do. The memory was vivid.
‘No, I shouldn't jump to conclusions before he tells me himself.’
I didn't want to get ahead of myself and create a misunderstanding. I shook my head, considered Darcy's situation, and nodded to myself.
‘Who could be busier than him right now?’
Aside from his duties as a prince, he was busy because rumors of the crown prince's investiture ceremony had begun to circulate.
The Founding Day was a major national event and traditionally the day the crown prince was officially named.
With the Founding Day six months away, opinions were divided on whether a crown prince would be named, and if so, which prince it would be.
While Darcy had been focused on his time with me, Ryan had been accelerating his efforts to build his public image.
He not only delved into Darcy's obscure lineage but also fabricated and spread reasons for Darcy's indifference to others.
“The Prince is a blood-crazed madman!”
As it became known that Darcy was the one who had actually fought in the battles previously attributed to Kies, Kies rationalized his past actions.
He claimed he'd had no choice but to take in the blood-crazed bastard with a father's heart.
Surprisingly, however, he never revealed the fact that Darcy was a mage.
It would have been a perfect excuse to use while branding him a madman, yet Kies remained silent on the matter.
‘Darcy must have made some kind of move.’
It was likely something Darcy had brainwashed him about beforehand.
Either that, or Kies was too proud to admit any association with mages. If the latter were true, he was a fool.
…In any case, when their side made a move, our side had to counter.
Darcy was contacting nobles to refute the claims made by Ryan and Kies and to dismantle their power base.
Not everyone believed Kies's rumors; after all, they all knew how strangely he had acted on the day of his investiture as a prince.
I'd also heard that Darcy had been in contact with high-ranking nobles, including Marquis Etoile and Marquis Epekel.
He must have met with Marquis Epekel to win him over, since his granddaughter, Reshuan, was all but promised as Ryan's consort.
He's working so hard he can't even come to see me…
‘I need to help him, too.’
As I continued reading the list, I spotted an unexpected name and blinked.
‘Princess Werna.’
Princess Werna. I had invited her, but her acceptance was a surprise.
She had never once accepted an invitation from me.
Despite her high rank, Princess Werna hadn't been a main character in the novel. That was because she had no interest in me, Reshuan, or even Ryan.
In fact, I only became aware of her existence after becoming Marso.
The only daughter of the historic Atri family, she had an eccentric streak. For instance, she was incredibly quiet unless something truly caught her interest.
This was the main reason why someone of her status hadn't taken high society by storm. That's right. She simply had no interest in it.
Furthermore, her ducal house, with its long and storied history, maintained a neutral stance, exerting only minimal influence on the emperor and high society.
It was only natural to be surprised by the appearance of someone so uninterested in power struggles and the princes.
‘What is she doing here?’
Although I was the host, it was a given that those attending today's tea party would want to align themselves with Darcy.
For Princess Werna to attend meant she had some ulterior motive.
Was she finally planning to support someone? Or was there another reason I hadn't considered…?
‘I'll find out when I meet her.’
After one last check of the greenhouse where the tea party would be held, I headed to the entrance to greet my guests.
One by one, the young ladies began to arrive on time, stepping down from their carriages. Each was impeccably dressed for the occasion.
A path of pale beige bricks led from the entrance through the garden to my prized glass greenhouse.
This greenhouse was the venue for today's tea party.
Maintained at a pleasant temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, the greenhouse was overflowing with the scent of flowers.
The young ladies entered and took their seats in turn. At each place setting sat a small gift box.
“What… is this?”
“I prepared them as a token of my gratitude for your attendance.”
What I had prepared were bracelets crafted from magic stones.
Though they contained only a small amount of magic stone, the very fact that they were made with one made them alluring.
Items made with magic stones were my strong suit.
I intended to make full use of the more materialistic methods I had previously set aside.
“Wow…”
The young ladies murmured in admiration as they took their seats.
“Excuse me.”
With a curt word, someone sat down beside me. I offered a greeting first.
“…Hello, Princess.”
To Princess Werna, who had just taken a seat at my table.
