Chapter 4

“Hey, do you think you can win this argument by being loud?”

She asked the other coachman with a refreshing smile.

“W-What?”

“Well, the ignorants can’t win by logic, so they raise their voice for no reason.”

Once again, she let out a lively smile.

“I understand. People like you know nothing but to scream, right? That’s why people look at you with pity.”

She glanced at the other coachman with a snickering smile.

Even though her eyes were smiling elegantly, her lips were as stiff as stones.

“Y-You bitch! Yah, are you done talking?”

“Huh? No, I’m not done yet!”

She once again gave him a small smile.

Then.

“Drive properly! You onion-skin like punk! Did you leave your sense of direction back home?”

[T/N: Onion skin can be referenced as dense but in this scenario, I think Skyla is just insulting their skin.]

She threw out a lion-like insult worthy of the rude coachman.

At that moment, the coachman’s eyes widened. He looked very embarrassed.

Well, no one ever imagined a small woman would talk back.

After serving her for a long time, Febraiz closed her eyes and shook her head. Tishef was completely silent towards the other coachman.

Her tongue began to spiral like a loose horse.

“How could you drive a carriage like that? Do you think you can be so confident just because you’re driving a big, expensive carriage? If you’re not confident about driving one, you should just make soup at home instead! Or even better, you can rip your driver’s license and sprinkle it onto the dandelions that are on the  roadside to make manure!”

After continuously getting punched by her abusive language, the coachman looked as if his soul was thrown out of his body.

Only then she was relieved, and got the chance to blow her steam off.

She wanted to say more beautiful words towards him but unfortunately, there was a tea party waiting for her to attend.

“Let’s go, Tishef.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Coachman Tishef answered as he jumped back into the driver seat.

It was not long after she climbed back up to the carriage that it started going slowly again.

The frozen coachman was standing in the same place she had left him for a while. He looked very traumatized.

It’s perfect.

As she looked out the window at the stupid figure, she rested her chin on her hand.

That coachman, he said he came from the house of Viscount Artisina? 

This was the first time she had heard of that family name.

As she grew up in the capital, she was well familiar with all the noble families. However, it was the first time she heard of them.

It seems like the rumours, about the Prince giving out new titles to strengthen his position, were true.

The Artisina Viscount family must also be one of the newly created noble families.

“Should we send someone to greet the Artisina family?”

Febraiz asked swiftly as if she had read her mind.

Did she just read her mind? As expected of her maid.

But she shook her head at Febraiz’s suggestion.

“Forget it, leave it.”

She didn’t want to send people over to tell them what is right and what is wrong.

The reason was she wasn’t that nice.

Because it is annoying.

She couldn’t afford to personally visit a new noble family, like Viscount Artisina, just to offer her greetings when their place may be underdeveloped.

But if they come into her sight again, she will crack them properly.

She smiled brightly as she had that violent thought which she could not bring herself to say out loud.

This was normal for anyone that messed with Lady Skyla of the Duke of Kaerun.

** *

She arrived just in time for the Marchioness Garnett’s tea party.

This was all because of the damn Viscount Artisina’s coachman.

“O-Oh my god! Lady Skyla!”

The organizer of the tea party, Lady Aronia greeted her fussily.

“Oh, I thought you wouldn’t be coming so I wasn’t expecting you haha! You didn’t have to come.”

…What do you mean by I didn’t have to come when you were the one who invited me here? 

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lady Aronia.

Lady Aronia avoided her gaze as she guided her.

“Everyone has already gathered and are currently conversing with one another.”

Aronia had guided her to the garden of the Garnett’s residence.

When she went inside the terrace right after Lady Aronia, the laughter of many young ladies filled the atmosphere.

As she arrived there, two young ladies were happily exchanging stories.

“Oh, Lady Skyla!”

“Oh my God! You are really here!”

The two young ladies stood up and greeted her as they noticed her.

Their mouths seemed to be welcoming her but since the three of them did not expect her, their smiles were a bit stiff.

She frowned slightly unbeknownst to her.

Was it that much of a surprise that she came to the tea party? Why on earth are they reacting like this?

Her question was soon answered when she heard the threes’ heartfelt thoughts.

I sent an invitation to the Duke of Kaerun out of courtesy as this is a tea party by the Marchioness of Garnett, but I did not expect you to actually come…

Do you not have any common sense? Why would you attend when you are not even close to any of us? 

It was just going to be the three of us chatting. Tsk.

Aha.

Only then she understood why they looked a bit apprehensive.

They really did not expect her to show up.

Knowing her own records and history, she was famous for not showing her face in society.

I didn’t really want to attend either. 

She disliked tea parties.

And besides that… The organizer of this tea party, Lady Aronia, hated her.

Why does she hate her?

To summarize a long story short, a few years ago, Young Lady Aronia played a big part in the spice importing business.

The merchant from a neighboring country says that he will supply the spices at production value on the condition that I cover the shipping costs. And I’m planning to sell the spices at a low price by charging a small fee. How about this?  

At that time, she was interested in the spice business as well. Lady Aronia came to her for advice and told her about the business.

When Skyla heard of her business plan, there was something that bothered her.

The number she offered was not suitable.

Above all, it was strange for the merchant to ask for 50% of the sales profit upfront before the spices were even in Lady Aronia’s hands.

The neighboring merchant seemed to be a scammer.

So she told her what she honestly thought.

If you don’t want to pour your family assets down the drain, I suggest you take your hands off that business.

Upon hearing her opinion, Lady Aronia turned red and left.

She did not even take her advice into consideration as she was too proud of herself.

Skyla couldn’t help but contact Lady Aronia’s father, Marquiss Garnett, because of that.

After getting contacted by her, Marquiss Garnett hurriedly tried to convince his daughter out of her business plan, but instead, Lady Aronia was angry at Skyla.

“You’re being so rude, Lady Skyla! I am not a child! Why do you keep snitching on me to my dad!”

Lady Aronia went ahead with her business plan as she turned a blind eye on her advice and the results were disastrous.

As she expected, the neighboring merchants were scammers.

Rather than earning an investment, she suffered multiple huge losses. Soon after the incident, Marquiss Garnett prevented Lady Aronia from touching the family’s money.

Due to that, Lady Aronia has always tiptoed around her as if she was still ashamed.

Nevertheless.

The reason she showed up at Lady Aronia’s tea party was purely because of her mother.

Skyla, my precious daughter! If you don’t attend any more social events, you will be buried socially! 

Her mother was appalled when she looked at her work for a long time.

Marquess of Garnett is a very influential family in The Society, so you must attend! Okay?

She couldn’t refuse. If she did, it was obvious that her mother would cry and shout at her saying, “It’s all for you!!”

If she made her mother shed tears even accidentally, her father wouldn’t leave her alone.

She decided to go for it, just once.

That was why she had no choice but to force herself to show up at a tea party of young ladies that were not even close to her.

She sat down at the tea party where the three young ladies were at first.

The seat she was given was in the corner of the table.

As she sat down in a chair that was just recently placed, a servant came running from behind and hurriedly set a new teacup in front of her.

“…”

She firmly looked at the teacup in front of her.

They really did not set up a spot for me.

No matter whether or not she would attend, why did such a thing happen?

They should have at least waited until the appointed time and then remove her seat. She didn’t know that they wouldn’t even set up a chair for her.

“I really didn’t know that the Lady would come. Please forgive me.”

Lady Aronia asked for her understanding in a quiet manner as she sat opposite of her.

Just as she was about to respond that it was alright, Skyla could clearly hear the thoughts of Lady Aronia.

Aish, this is so annoying. Why did you have to show up all of a sudden? You told my father about my mistake last time… What are you going to do this time? Are you going to snitch on me again? 

She was so angry that it filled her heart with rage, and with that, she changed her mind instantly.

At the same time, her tongue moved faster than the one opposite of her.

“Am I being a nuisance in your tea party, Lady Aronia?”

“H-Huh?”

The faces of Lady Aronia and the other members of the tea party hardened instantly.

Lady Aronia hurriedly waved her hands and denied her innermost thoughts.

“W-What are you talking about, Lady Skyla! We are very happy to have you here, Lady Skyla! Right, Brochelle?”

“Y-Yeah! Of course! As Aronia said, we’re honored to have a tea party with the Lady!”

Her friend, Lady Brochelle quickly agreed to what Lady Aronia said.

“T-That’s right! Thank you so much for coming, Lady Skyla!”

Everyone echoed one another, but their words held no sincerity at all.

The three young ladies were still complaining about her.

“…”

With her mouth shut momentarily, she carefully lifted the teacup.

The brewed black tea was uncomfortably lukewarm.

She hated it.

The ability to read other people’s thoughts, she hated it so much.

“By the way, you all know that there will be a ball at the Imperial Palace next week.”

Lady Aronia quickly changed the topic as she was monitoring her mood.

The other ladies took the bait and continued the conversation.

“Of course! It is about time for His Highness to get married.”

“Oh, will the Crown Princess be decided through this ball? I’m so curious!”

Ah, that ball.

As she was quietly listening to the chatter of the young ladies, she remembered the Imperial Ball that is happening next week.

The most popular topic in recent years was about the Imperial Ball.

It was not very common for a ball to be held in the Imperial Palace.

The last ball was held eight years ago for the birth of the youngest princess, Yulia.

The reason for the ball being suddenly hosted was probably to find a fiancé for the still single Crown Prince.