Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Anriche, who was looking at Liliana with admiration, eventually nodded her head.

“Yes, if Liliana thinks so.”

“Thank you.”

“Instead, as I always say, I hope Liliana can always consult with me if you are having a hard time.”

Saying so, she held out her little finger towards Liliana and smiled before added, “Can you promise me that much?”

Liliana, with her cheeks blushing, walked over to her little finger.

“Yes, I promise.”

“Good.”

“Again, it’s just the two of you getting along well.”

Elliot, who had been staring at the two of them sulkily, eventually crossed his arms and turned his head away with a quick glance.

Such a cute Elliot, Anriche looked back at her son with a smile on her face.

“By the way, Elliot wasn’t invited?”

“Well, this time, only women gather.”

He shrugged his shoulders and grumbled.

“That’s why I can’t be with Liliana, can I?”

“…Right.”

Somehow, it felt like they excluded Elliot, who could protect Liliana.

Was she being too sensitive…?

Thinning so, Anriche’s eyes narrowed.

“If you know anything about the Tornians, I’d like to hear it.”

So, she was told by the butler:

Lady Londini and Lord Tornian have been engaged for about three years.

If it was not too much of a problem, they had decided to let the children get married as soon as they reach adulthood. In addition, the Tornian’s two children are currently being educated through an academy and home classes, and among them, the Lady’s tutor was…

‘Look at this?’

Anriche’s eyebrows rose crookedly upwards.

Because that tutor was Viscountess Ivan.

‘Actually, the Ivan family went to the countryside, but only the Viscountess remained in the capital.’

Could it be that she had built up ties with several noble families?

As Viscountess Ivan was still working as a tutor.

Encouraged by rumors of the ‘wicked woman’ Anriche had in the social circle, the work hadn’t been concluded thanks to her packaging herself as a pretty pitiful victim.

“Why? She doesn’t punish children physically anymore?”

At her crooked question, the butler smirked.

“It was probably because of Miss Liliana’s incident.”

“Liliana’s incident?”

“Yeah. It seems like she’s saving herself a little now.”

Well.

Even so, if she wasn’t careful with her actions, she would lose the job she barely got.

Anriche clicked her tongue briefly.

‘Previously, Viscountess Ivan was blind in doing her job.’

No matter how bad it ended, Viscountess Ivan was Liliana’s former tutor. It was because she was afraid that the rumors about Liliana would get worse because she was too harsh on the Viscountess.

…But.

‘As expected, I can’t.’

The violet-colored eyes sank coldly.

There was no evidence that Viscountess Ivan used her hands in this tea ceremony.

Nevertheless, she had such a strong feeling.

In particular, to prevent Elliot from attending the tea ceremony, it was an ‘only women’s meeting’ It was doubtful to have that premise when, needless to say, the tea ceremony was a common culture that both men and women could learn together.

‘Someone gave her some advice, of course.’

She wouldn’t have thought of it this way if she wasn’t at least an adult adept at social events.

After a while, she raised her head again.

“Butler.”

“Yes.”

“Liliana is going to a tea ceremony soon, so she might need to bring a small present.”

Anriche smiled.

“Can I ask for snacks and tea that the children will like?”

“Leave it to me.”

“Ah, let’s make it as expensive and good as possible.”

“Of course”

The butler, who nodded his head, looked at his master, the Mistress, with new eyes. It must be so, because Anriche’s gift had many meanings.

‘First of all, of course, it means to get along well with Liliana.’

In front of delicious snacks and fragrant tea, the mind was also relaxed.

Even if it was Lady Tornian who didn’t like Liliana, she would at least not be opposed by the other children in attendance.

She could get it.

And, secondly…

‘The Duchess of Valois is watching the tea ceremony personally.’

Actually, this was the real meaning.

Even among all the families of the Empire, there was no family that could relax in front of the name ‘Duchy of Valois.’

Even the Imperial Family treated the Duchy of Valois specially, so it was only natural. However, the Mistress of such a family cares for Liliana to such an extent that she kept an eye on the child’s petty tea ceremony gatherings.

‘Even though the young Tornian siblings may not understand everything…’

Viscountess Ivan or Madam Tornian would be able to recognize the truth.

That alone was enough to raise awareness.

‘Besides, there’s no room for accusations for a gift like this.’

Of course, there was an unwritten rule that it was better for adults not to intervene in children’s affairs. Nonetheless, sending tea and refreshments was more like adults giving children a good laugh and doing them a favor.

The butler gazed at Anriche with a smile and a satisfied look.

‘After all, it seems that our master has changed a lot.’

That, too, in a very positive way.

The butler, feeling proud, left the Duchess’s office.

It was the day of the tea ceremony.

Liliana, who was standing in front of the club room with an apologetic smile, told Elliot, “You don’t have to take me here.”

“What are you talking about?”

Elliot shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

“I’ll be waiting in the common room inside the student hall. Goodbye.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Nodding her head, Liliana stepped into the tea ceremony club room. The children’s eyes quickly turned to her and then to Elliot, who had just left.

“Isn’t that the one who just stood by the door, the Small Duke of Valois?”

“Oh my God, did he come all the way here?”

“I heard that the Small Duke was very fond of the Lady…”

The children, with their eyes wide open, each shouted. Until then, the atmosphere towards Liliana was not that on edge.

Then…

“It’s been a while, Liliana?”

A girl with a grumpy expression said a greeting to Liliana.

She froze on the spot.

“…Lady Londini?”

However, because that person was Lady Londini, she hadn’t heard that Lady Londini was attending the tea ceremony.

Lady Londini clapped her hand and smiled.

“Hey, what’s Lady Londini between us? You can call me Sister Zenith.”

It was as if she was giving a great favor. Meanwhile, in the past, she would run wild to call her ‘Lady’ instead of ‘sister.’

Zenith narrowed her eyes and scanned Liliana up and down.

“You went to the Duchy of Valois, and it looks like it’s worth living?”

Today’s Liliana was dressed as pretty as a high-class porcelain doll.

And, Zenith was very annoyed.

‘The one who used to serve me is now the fiance of the Small Duke of Valois…’

Tsk, Zenith, who clicked her tongue, opened her mouth with a voice full of evil.

“Looking at you reminds me of the saying that the frog doesn’t think of the time when it was a tadpole.”

[ T/N: As one is higher in position/ranking, they won’t remember their lower days; the English equivalent is actually danger past, god forgotten. But, I guess it’s too heavy a topic for young children… ]

No, why was she suddenly arguing with Lady Aberyt?

The other children who had already sat in their seats became restless and only looked at each other’s eyes. On the other hand, Anita was fully prepared to add to Zenith’s words.

“Well, Lady Aberyt has risen so suddenly, hasn’t she?”

Anita quickly came forward with a word.

“I think that’s why… She hardly thinks about the difficult situation she was in in the past.”

“Oh my God, do you think that, too, Lady Tornian?”

Zenith’s eyes widened, and she looked back at Anita.

Anita shrugged her shoulders.

“Yes. To be honest, no matter how you are engaged, County Aberyt and the Duchy of Valois are very different, aren’t they?”

“That’s right.”

“In such a situation, if I were in the position of Lady Aberyt, I think I would be a little more careful with my actions.”

Anita added her words, pretending that she cared for Liliana.

“There are limits to a birth status, so at least, you shouldn’t do anything to get attention. Isn’t it?”

“Oh, my gosh, Lady Tornian really gives important advice.”

While Zenith quickly responded to Anita’s words, Liliana was listening to their chatter with an expressionless face.

Anita, who was secretly looking at Liliana’s eyes, quickly pushed up the tip of her lips at an angle.

‘What, you can’t even protest at all, even when I say something like this?’

As expected, Viscountess Ivan’s words were right.

With such certainty, Zenith spoke again with a voice full of victory.