Chapter: 40
“N-No.”
“It’s not like that…”
The ladies all shrank back awkwardly.
“First of all, I think we need to define what a close friend actually is.”
The young duchess narrowed her eyes and questioned them again.
“So you all think treating someone like a maid counts as friendship?”
“……”
“……”
The ladies stiffened.
Well, that was only natural.
Every one of them was one of Seraphina’s followers.
And followers usually imitate the behavior of the person they admire.
Besides… it must have been convenient.
Following Seraphina’s lead and treating me like a maid.
Now that the young duchess had given me the confidence to stop playing that role…
Of course they wouldn’t like it.
I glanced sideways at Seraphina.
Her face had frozen as hard as ice.
“Did Lady Ansi tell you I was deceiving her?”
The young duchess continued with an irritatingly smug smile.
“Well, what should I do? Rather than spending time with idiots who can’t even tell the difference between friendship and treating someone like a servant, I’d much rather spend time with the clever Lady Ansi.”
“Y-Your Grace, we…”
“At the very least, I have a wonderful time whenever I’m with Lady Ansi. But as for all of you…”
After slowly looking the ladies up and down, the young duchess curled the corner of her lips.
It was a merciless sneer.
“Well?”
Embarrassment spread across the ladies’ faces.
But the young duchess wasn’t finished yet.
“And from now on, you’d all better be more careful with your behavior.”
It was a cold, unmistakable warning.
“The name of House Claudius isn’t so insignificant that people like you can casually interfere in my friendships.”
“……”
“……”
The moment she invoked the ducal family’s name, every lady turned pale.
“Hmph.”
The young duchess gave a scornful snort before declaring,
“The party hosted by Count Gusto’s family—it was on July 5th, wasn’t it?”
At that instant, Seraphina’s face filled with caution.
As though mocking her vigilance, the young duchess confidently dropped a bombshell.
“House Ansi will also be holding a party that day.”
She straightened proudly before adding,
“And I’ll be attending that party.”
The surrounding nobles, who had been pretending not to listen while secretly eavesdropping, erupted into loud murmurs.
“What?”
“The Young Duchess of Claudius?”
At the same time, all the color drained from Seraphina’s face.
Oh…
I marveled inwardly.
Whether the young duchess had realized it or not…
With those few words alone, she had dealt Seraphina an enormous blow.
The Gusto family’s summer party.
If someone were to name the most famous party in southern high society, it would undoubtedly be near the very top of the list.
Seraphina was also the lady closest to the count’s second son.
Naturally, she had become the brightest jewel of that party.
And the more brilliantly she shone there, the more firmly her position in southern high society became established.
But no matter how prestigious the Gusto family is—or how remarkable Seraphina may be…
I shrugged lightly.
How could they possibly compete with the only daughter of House Claudius?
Which meant…
With a single declaration, the young duchess had thrown one of Seraphina’s most important stages—where she always reigned as the star—into serious jeopardy.
Seriously, what impeccable timing in using her influence.
I think I’m about to fall in love with the young duchess…
“Of course, it’s entirely up to all of you which party you choose to attend… But if I don’t happen to see your faces at the Ansi family’s party…”
At the same time, the young duchess gave them a wicked smile.
“I’ll be terribly disappointed.”
The ladies turned toward one another with ghostly pale faces.
W-What are we supposed to do?!
How did things end up like this…?!
Panicked glances flew back and forth among them.
Ignoring their distress, the young duchess turned sharply toward me.
“Let’s go. I don’t want to stay here another second.”
Grabbing my wrist, she swept her contemptuous gaze over the ladies.
“If I stay around idiots like them any longer, I think I’ll become stupid too.”
With that, the young duchess strode confidently out of the hall, pulling me along behind her.
Ha.
I really need to start a fan club today.
Its abbreviated name will be E.D.L.
Evangeline Deserves Love.
And I’ll be both Member Number One and the club president!
How could this happen?
Seraphina simply couldn’t believe the reality before her.
Just moments ago, the Young Duchess of Claudius had casually grabbed Lariette’s wrist and walked out with her.
They had looked incredibly close.
As though they truly were friends.
This is so infuriating.
Unable to suppress her anger, Seraphina clenched her teeth.
Evangeline Claudius.
From the very first moment Seraphina had seen her, she had disliked her.
Beautiful features as though crafted by a master artisan.
Brilliant honey-blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes.
Grace, noble status, and immense wealth.
A noble lady blessed with every possible advantage.
At first, Seraphina had intended to win the young duchess over and use her to her own benefit.
“Why would I have tea with Lady Lopes?”
…That cold, emotionless voice.
The Young Duchess of Claudius had been the first true wall Seraphina had ever encountered in a life where everything had always come easily.
She was the only person who had never treated Seraphina kindly.
For the first time, Seraphina felt as though she had encountered an insurmountable barrier she might never overcome.
And yet…
Why Lariette?
The stubborn young duchess had accepted Lariette almost instantly.
Not only that.
Being with the young duchess had changed Lariette dramatically as well.
The old Lariette would have been apologizing profusely and shrinking into herself if she’d been cornered like this.
Why do things keep going wrong?!
Unable to contain her rising fury, Seraphina gripped the fan in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
“But seriously, Lady Ansi has become so arrogant!”
Right then, one of the ladies raised her voice while carefully watching Seraphina’s expression.
“Isn’t that true? Lady Lopes was always so kind to Lady Ansi!”
“This is betrayal!”
But unlike before, the accusations against Lariette lacked conviction.
Then…
One of the ladies cautiously spoke.
“But… I never imagined Her Grace would openly take Lady Ansi’s side like that.”
At that moment, Seraphina felt her heart sink.
They had realized it too.
Just how close the Young Duchess of Claudius had become to Lariette.
That one remark opened the floodgates.
The ladies began revealing what they were really thinking.
“To be honest… I never wanted to make an enemy of Her Grace.”
“I guess it’s true that Her Grace is genuinely close to Lady Ansi.”
“Exactly. I was honestly shocked that she’d even attend House Ansi’s party.”
The lady who had spoken first continued worriedly.
“We’ve already offended Her Grace. If we skip that party too… won’t we be in serious trouble?”
Wait.
What are they talking about?
Seraphina stared at them in disbelief.
But once the conversation had begun, there was no stopping it.
“To be honest…”
One lady glanced nervously at Seraphina before continuing.
“Lady Ansi is the future head of House Ansi, isn’t she?”
The others immediately nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. She’s going to become the head of her family someday. Maybe we’ve been far too disrespectful to her all this time.”
“There was never any need for us to be so hostile toward her.”
Their attitudes had completely reversed in an instant.
The ladies exchanged uncertain looks with one another.
As though silently wondering,
Why did we ever act like that?
Meanwhile, Seraphina felt her mouth go dry.
No.
She couldn’t let the atmosphere continue shifting like this.
“Oh my, Lady Phelan.”
Putting on a sweet smile, Seraphina interrupted the ladies’ conversation.
