CH 25

“I left social gatherings.”

Rebecca, who had sent a letter the day before, came to my house just as soon as I finished lunch.

It was worthwhile to ask in advance that my first friend would come over to visit, so the chef put all his energy into serving my favorite desserts, such as pudding, cake, macaron, and ice cream. But that’s what Rebecca said before I even had time to try it, and I was so startled that I almost dropped the teapot I was holding.

“I can’t believe you are leaving a social gathering…Why all of a sudden? Once you leave, it’s impossible to go back in.”

“I don’t have to go in. It doesn’t matter. Just find another social gathering.”

In the midst of this, small tears welled up in the two eyes that looked very unfair. I was a little startled, put down my teapot, and hurriedly approached her and gave her a gentle stroke on her back.

“Becky, are you okay? What happened?”

“I’m fine. However, I failed to protect my friend’s honor on the spot.”

Had I been insulted on the spot? Normally, it would have been better to feign ignorance and change the subject, but she chose to leave the social gathering.

‘You are really loyal. I was amazed, but also a little worried. ‘

“Who is hosting the social gathering? If you leave like that, won’t she hate you?”

“The second princess. It doesn’t matter, even if I look bad. I’ll be Duchess Khalid soon.”

Aside from the figure of crying while hugging my waist, Rebecca gave a rather powerful voice. When she’s a duchess, The princess is no match for her.

‘Not. who? Who was the host of the social gathering? ‘

“Ah, I can’t believe I have been insulted…”

“I’m sorry. I tried to stop the second Princess because she kept saying strange things to other young lady, but she didn’t even listen to me. How could she do that? She is so mean!”

And Rebecca put a stamp of confirmation on the story that I had only guessed with my siblings. The second princess was the first to say that I had fallen in love with Duke Khalid and wanted to dance with him, so I had been putting off my socialite debut until after the ball at the duke’s residence.

“Sorry. I thought the rumor was true…I was rude to Nell in the first meeting. Forgive me, Nell.”

“Sure. for me If I don’t forgive my courageous friend who fought with the princess now, when will I?”

“Are you really forgiving so easily? Actually I even use Nell”

“Are you using me?”

“Yes, that is…”

Originally, a young lady who has not debuted in the social world is not allowed to attend social events, but with the permission of the host, she can attend social events accompanied by a chaperone. That’s how Rebecca did it before the ball was held at Duke Khalid’s residence. She was attending the social gathering hosted by the second princess.

And my story came out on the spot…It seems that there has been a talk about giving shame to the ‘Lowly person’ who is greedy for Duke Khalid without even knowing her place.

At most, it was a social circle where people were connected to each other. That’s how the word not to give roses to the youngest daughter of the Howard family spread easily and spread again and again.

It’s the second princess who wants to. An adopted child who doesn’t know whose blood she is. Things went very easily in the direction that the second princess wanted.

“I told him to drive the new roses for you. At that meeting, you were the only young lady who hadn’t debuted in the social world yet….”

“I see. That’s great, you were able to dance with Duke Khalid.”

I just said that because I really didn’t care, but Rebecca’s eyes welled up in tears.

“Don’t you hate me? I was really the one who put off your debut to dance with Duke Khalid. At least, if I had not been there,  maybe Nell would have gotten any of his roses…”

“Otherwise, Becky might not have gotten a rose either. Besides, I even got a single rose back then. Leon gave it to me.”

“That’s right! Marquis Ajas!”

The delicate face of the young lady, who had shed tears like dewy flowers, suddenly became the shape of a volcano erupting with lava. Seeing me take a step back in surprise, Rebecca sighed in anger.

“How could he do that? He went on a date with Nell and escorted you to my birthday banquet! How did he go on a date with the princess? He even will escort her to the New Year’s Eve ball!”

“Well, Becky, that’s it.”

“I didn’t know Marquis Aias was such an untrustworthy person. Besides, the second princess Who is the reason you are now hearing curses that you shouldn’t have to hear!”

‘Wow, now you’re very angry.’

It wouldn’t be a big deal if anyone heard it because it was my house anyway, but I was worried for no reason and glanced at the closed room door, so I comforted Rebecca to calm down.

“No, Becky. Leon did it for me. Thanks to that, the rumor that I stayed at the hotel with him for the night has not spread, right?”

“Ah Instead, rumors spread that he kicked Nell because he fell in love with the princess!”

“I have to bear with that.”

If I think that the karma of using him to quell the rumors about Duke Khalid has returned as a boomerang, I can humbly accept it.

All the rumors haunted me. It’s unfair to think that it spread from the princess’s mouth, but…well, what can I do?

“I am not going to care anymore. After New Year’s Eve, I’ll go back to my home with my older brother liv.”

“Really? Then you won’t come back to the capital?”

“I will come here from time to time. There is my sister Lily in the capital, and brother Alex too….And I have my friends.”

I held Rebecca’s hand tightly and smiled, and she smiled widely with her face still wet with tears.

“Yes! Make sure to come to the capital. I’ll invite you. Don’t forget to attend my wedding. Oh, Nell, take the bouquet too.!”

“Me?”

Here, also, there is a custom of throwing the bouquet at the wedding ceremony. The only difference is that the recipient is not a close friend, but rather the most precious lady among the lady who attended the wedding.

Maybe if Rebecca had not quit the social gathering, The second princess would have accepted the bouquet.

“I am just the daughter of a count. And I don’t have a good reputation right now. If I get the bouquet, I’m sure there will be another gossip.”

“They dare to talk behind Duchess Khalid? Hey, let’s see. Whether she gets married or not, the second princess has to come out of the palace anyway. I’ll be a more precious lady by then.”

Rebecca made a promise while holding my hand.

“I’ll be a Duchess and dominate the social world. When that happens, I won’t let anyone dare insult my friend in front of me, so if I send you an invitation, please come to the capital. Okay?”

“Okay, I promise.”

To be honest, I pretended to be good in front of others, but I was very upset. It’s not my fault, how can I feel good when I’m being insulted simply because of my birth?

I thought a lot that I came to the capital for no reason, whether it was New Year’s Day, but my bad feelings are all relieved now.

“Thank you so much for being my friend, Becky.”

“Me too! We will continue to be friends from now on.”

And we enjoyed dessert with cold tea.

Rebecca really liked the swaddling jacket embroidered with a blue belly, the symbol of Count Norman, so I promised her to make a little blanket for her child.

We had a good time for a long time without even knowing the sun was going down.

* * *

Tok-tok!

“Uhhm…”

The sound of knocking on the door raised the consciousness that had sunk deeply to the surface. I was blinking blankly in the darkness of the room when I heard a knock louder than before.

“Who is at this hour?…”

As soon as I got out of bed rubbing my stiff eyelids with my hands, I noticed something strange.

Tok-tok!

The knocking sound was heard once more…It was coming from the window, not the door!

“Oh, my–!”

Surprised, I was about to scream, “It’s a thief!”, but a small light came on through the closed window. The face illuminated by the bright light seemed like a ghost.

The reason I couldn’t scream was because I was so frozen that I couldn’t even make a sound.

“hi!”

Whether or not she knew me, the face outside the window was waving at me with a very happy expression. with the body turned upside down.

Having managed to calm my pounding heart, I took a long sigh and went down from the bed and approached the window. Looking closely, I could see who the person was.

“Catherine?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Can you open it for me?”

I don’t know if she was hung, but Catherine had a very stable voice.

However, I was uncomfortable with seeing her, so I quickly unlocked her and opened her window wide.

Then Catherine came into the room with flexible movements like a cat. without making a single sound.

“Your house has poor security. It was very easy to get here.”

“No, there must have been a magic barrier…”

“Rob turned it off. Don’t worry, I’ll turn it on when I get out.”

The barrier in this house was set up by my older sister Lily. Rob is an aide, and he seems to be more skilled than my older sister.

‘Since Lily is a middle-level wizard now,…Is Rob at least upper class?’

Well, that’s why he must be serving as an aide to someone like the Marquis of Ajas.

“I’m sorry I came to you late at night without saying anything. I know this isn’t polite, but the Captain said we shouldn’t officially visit this place right now.”

After speaking, Catherine bowed her head. I nodded my head to mean that it was okay once I had accepted her apology, and that it was okay for me to open the window.

“But why did you come this way?”

“I have two purposes. This first.”

Catherine took a bracelet from a small bag on the right side of her belt. It was a pretty bracelet with a delicate design, studded with sea-colored gems a little larger than my thumb.

“It’s a reward for finding Ruby. We picked the prettiest one we had. The magic stone in the middle has antidote magic on it, so it will be helpful someday.”

“It has antidote magic.…?”

Wasn’t that shiny thing a magic stone, not a jewel? No, it’s more like antidote magic. Doesn’t sound like something I need.

“Wouldn’t the Knights need this more than me?”

“But that’s why you got a bracelet. Besides, none of our knights suffer from poison or anything like that.”

“Ah…”

Indeed, the knights under the Marquis of Ajax. It seems that everyone has the ability to detox naturally.

“If you don’t need it, you can sell it. You can sell it for quite a high price.”

“But, selling something…”

While answering like that, I suddenly remembered something and asked Catherine.

“Can I give it to someone else as a gift?”

“Do as you want. It’s yours now.”

“Thank you. I will be happy to receive it!”

“Yes. Thanks again for helping Ruby.”

Catherine bowed her head to me. Her greeting was far from the manners of aristocrats, but her sincerity was conveyed, and she stood in front of me and bent her knees.

“And this is the second purpose.”

Catherine pulled something out of her pocket once more. I know that the bag on her belt is a magic bag, but I wonder how it got in without any damage.

“The captain bought it for Raenel.”

It was a yellow Moon flower pot.