Chapter 80

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: First Party (2)
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Many people approached to offer their congratulations to Russell and Ariana. Ariana greeted them with a smile, committing each of their names and faces to memory.

Once the congratulatory greetings had largely concluded, Pelos and Isabel arrived.

"Wow, my niece. You're truly beautiful. Huh? You're really the most beautiful in the world!"

"Dad, is she prettier than me?"

"You're pretty too. My daughter is stunningly beautiful, but your dad is objective and fair, you know. To my eyes, my daughter is the most beautiful in the world, but objectively, Ariana is better."

"Honestly, Dad, you never say anything nice."

Isabel clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, then beamed at Ariana.

"But you really are beautiful. I knew that dress would suit you well."

"Thank you, sis. I really love it. It fits perfectly too."

"The shoes are pretty too. Who sent them?"

"Jeor."

"Ah, Jeor does have some taste. Averster took your dance card away. He said your feet might hurt since you don't have much experience wearing heels."

At Isabel's words, Ariana looked around the ballroom for Averster. Averster was surrounded by elegantly dressed noble ladies.

When their eyes met, Averster smiled brightly and waved. The noble ladies' gazes followed him, turning towards Ariana.

Ariana offered a faint smile and a slight nod.

Isabel asked.

"How are your feet? Do they hurt?"

"No, they're fine for now."

"Then let's walk around a bit. You couldn't eat breakfast properly because you had to wear the dress, right?"

Only after hearing Isabel's words did she realize she was hungry.

It was strange to feel hunger at a party. Up until now, she had always been too nervous to even notice her hunger at any party.

Led by Isabel's hand, she headed towards the center of the ballroom. As Ariana walked gracefully, many people's gazes followed her.

Ariana knew well that while some gazes held favor or curiosity, others were scrutinizing her for flaws.

'But you won't find any flaws in me.'

She hadn't known that attending various parties and mastering the demeanor of a noblewoman, all under the instructions of the Third Prince Harold, would prove helpful in this way. The efforts she had made for the man she so deeply despised were now becoming Ariana's weapons.

"I think this one's the most delicious."

Isabel gestured for a passing servant and said. On the silver tray the servant carried were several small cups, about three fingers tall.

Inside them was a dish made of minced cheese and roasted meat, lightly sprinkled with parsley.

Isabel picked up two cups and handed one to Ariana. Watching Isabel heartily down hers, Ariana followed suit.

The dish was savory and rich.

"How is it? Delicious, right?"

"Yeah, it's really delicious."

As they were discussing the dish, Averster approached, leading a group of ladies. He stopped beside Ariana and offered a refreshing smile.

"You look beautiful, Ariana."

"You look dashing too, brother."

Seeing that there were eyes on them, Ariana called him 'brother' instead of 'Young Duke' as she usually would, and Averster smiled, pleased.

"I'd like to have your first dance."

"What, brother? You took her dance card away because you thought her feet might hurt, so why are you asking her to dance?"

"One dance is fine, isn't it? Even His Grace the Eastern Duke and Uncle Pelos are itching to dance with Ariana, so I can't let them snatch the first dance. Oh, now that I look, Grandfather is too."

Seeing flashes of jealousy in the eyes of several noble ladies, Ariana surmised that Averster was quite popular.

'Well, he is the Young Duke of the White family, and he's tall and kind, so it's only natural that they'd vie for a spot by his side.'

A noble lady who had been particularly close to Averster spoke up.

"Lord Averster, before you do that, please introduce us to the Princess first. We'd also like to have the honor of greeting Her Royal Highness."

Ariana gazed steadily at the owner of the slender, charming voice.

'Wiona Obelier.'

With her scarlet hair and green eyes, she was exactly as Ariana remembered her.

Her kind and innocent-looking eyes, her slender and delicate figure, and a pale pink dress that perfectly accentuated her pure image. Her fair neck and shoulders, revealed by the moderately low-cut dress, made her appear even more fragile.

Isabel shot Wiona an unfavorable look, but Wiona pretended not to notice Isabel's gaze, looking instead at Ariana. Her smiling face appeared entirely guileless, merely that of a noble lady thrilled to greet the Princess.

"Ah, right. Ariana, this is Lady Wiona Obelier. And this is..."

Each time Averster introduced someone, the noble ladies curtsied slightly to Ariana. Ariana nodded, acknowledging their greetings.

After introducing about ten noble ladies, Averster said.

"Hmm. Then it might be better to ask for a dance a little later. The noble ladies will have things to talk about among themselves. Ariana, your first dance is mine, so you'll refuse even if His Royal Highness asks, right?"

"Understood, brother."

Averster might have been giving Ariana a chance to socialize with noble ladies her age, but Ariana wasn't particularly keen on it. Dealing with someone like Wiona was exhausting.

But without revealing her true feelings, she kept a smile on her face and waited for someone to start speaking.

"Princess, it's truly an honor to be able to greet you like this."

It seemed Wiona was the leader of this group. Once Wiona spoke, the other noble ladies also started uttering words of honor and the like.

Isabel linked her arm through Ariana's.

"Alright, you've greeted her, so that's enough, isn't it? I have something to say to the Princess."

"Oh, Isabel. Why the rush? We want to get to know the Princess too. Are you trying to monopolize her?"

"Yes, Wiona. I am."

"I understand you don't want to lose the Princess because you're lonely. But doesn't the Princess also need a chance to make friends? She came all the way to the Eastern Territory with such difficulty, she doesn't need to be alone here like you."

Wiona wore a look of concern, but Ariana detected the thorns hidden within her words.

Isabel's face flushed red.

"Hey, I have friends too, you know?"

"Oh my. Of course, I know. You must have friends. But those friends aren't here right now, are they?"

Though Ariana didn't know the full circumstances, it seemed Isabel didn't have many friends. Isabel was glaring at Wiona with a look that clearly said she wanted to hit her.

Wiona smiled at Isabel, her eyes curving into crescent moons, then turned to Ariana.

"Princess, we have a gathering once a week. Sometimes we hold book discussions, sometimes we listen to music while doing embroidery, and occasionally, when there's a good performance, we go to see it together. If Your Royal Highness would grace us with your presence, we would arrange the best seats for you."

Book discussions, music, embroidery, good performances. It was definitely the kind of gathering Isabel wouldn't enjoy.

Ariana replied sweetly to Wiona.

"Dragons don't mingle where lizards play."

The noble ladies blinked, failing to notice the sharp blade hidden within the sweet voice.

"And I wonder if lizard pups could even prepare a place worthy of a dragon's stay."

Only when Ariana added that did a few of the noble ladies grasp the meaning and flush. Wiona was among them.

Wiona's mouth twitched. But she skillfully concealed her anger and asked.

"Princess, what wrong have I done to you?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because it seems Your Royal Highness is displeased with my invitation."

"I'm not displeased, Lady. I merely spoke the truth."

To be honest, she *was* displeased. More so than when she herself was attacked.

But she didn't show that emotion outwardly. Ariana's blue eyes were utterly serene and benevolent.

Wiona gritted her teeth. The muscles in her cheeks twitched. Eventually, Wiona lowered the tips of her eyebrows and spoke.

"I heard you had a difficult life. I read the articles about the trial in the newspaper, and my heart truly ached. I cried so much..."

Tears welled in Wiona's eyes. The other noble ladies also nodded, reaching for their handkerchiefs to dab at their eyes.

Ariana watched the scene with amusement.

"You're a princess, yet you did laundry and cleaning there... I even heard you once got sick from eating food scraps, didn't you?"

"Wiona, why are you talking about such things here?"

Isabel, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward.

Wiona wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said.

"It's just so regrettable. How amazing it is that after enduring such hardship, you've now become such a magnificent princess. I truly admire you, Princess."

"Indeed."

"What's more, Your Royal Highness is incredibly beautiful, aren't you? Living as a maid, men wouldn't have left you alone, so how did you endure that? If it were me, I'd rather have died than endure unwanted men."

Wiona's voice was thin, but it was loud enough to reach the noblewomen listening in nearby.

It was common for maids with beautiful appearances to be defiled by their masters or fellow servants. It was only natural for some to assume the same had happened to Ariana, who lacked the protection of her parents.

Isabel's face flushed even redder than when she herself had been insulted, and she cried out.

"Hey, Wiona! How could you say such a thing...!"

Just as Isabel stepped forward as if she truly meant to strike her, a soft voice caught Isabel's attention.

"What a truly interesting and vulgar imagination you have, Lady."

Isabel stopped moving, and Wiona's eyes widened. The other noble ladies held their breath, staring at Ariana's lips.

"I've never once imagined such a thing in my life, yet it seems your mind is full of such thoughts, Lady. How truly fascinating."

Ariana wore a genuinely surprised expression.

"Even the people from the Western Territory who tormented me never said such things to me, yet I never dreamed I'd hear them after coming to the Eastern Territory."

At her words, implying that a lady from the Eastern Territory was harboring vulgar thoughts that even the most wicked people wouldn't, the noblewomen who had been listening intently also flushed with embarrassment.

"Do women from the Eastern Territory normally dwell on such fantasies? Or are they taught to?"

Wiona's lips parted, then closed again without a single word. Ariana smiled sweetly and took a step closer to Wiona.

Wiona, who was already taller than Ariana and wore high-heeled shoes, was so statuesque that there was a full head's difference between them. Yet, at that moment, Wiona felt as if Ariana was looking down on her from a higher place.

A chilling aura emanating from Ariana's blue eyes enveloped Wiona.

Ariana spoke in a soft voice.

"You need to watch your mouth, Lady."

Ariana's fingertip brushed past the corner of Wiona's lips.

"Clear those obscene fantasies from your mind and conduct yourself properly. Then I, too, will show you courtesy."