CH 34

Since then, the tea party has run smoothly.

The kids didn’t particularly like me, but they didn’t bully me outright either.

Considering the position of the Duke of Barmuth in society, it was understandable to some extent that they didn’t like me.

The nobles hated Barmuth to the point of interfering with Barmuth’s work at the union level.

But it was a bit surprising that the kids didn’t bully me.

I knew how cruel these kids could be on the social gatherings stage.

That’s why I’m determined, but… Is this too bland?

I raised my teacup, covered my face, in doubt.

There was no need to wonder for long.

As soon as I put the teacup down, I could see why the kids didn’t bully me.

“Excuse me, Lady Schwires.”

Lady Oris spoke to me, showing a restless expression as if she had been patient for a long time.

“Yes, Lady Oris.”

“I, that…”

Lady Oris’s blue eyes stared at me.

To be precise, it wasn’t me, but the brooch on my chest.

“Is that topaz brooch really the Mermaid Tears?”

Lady Oris asked cautiously.

“I read it in the newspaper. The Lady visited the jewelry storehouse of the Gottfried Knights and came out with a huge jewel called Mermaid Tears.”

Her eyes twinkled as she spoke of the jewel.

Rather than coveting the gem itself, it felt like she was fascinated by the story behind this topaz.

“Please tell me. Is the newspaper article really true?”

“I was curious too.”

“Me too!”

Starting with Lady Oris, the children sitting around the table opened their mouths one by one.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by ardent gazes.

If I had come out wearing the Russell Diamond series, it would have been a real mess as even with the Mermaid Tears, which isn’t well known in our generation, they reacted this much.

“There’s no way. It’s fake, right? I heard that the Mermaid Tears is gone!”

Among them, there was a child who shook his head, saying that I couldn’t have obtained mermaid tears.

“No. Rumors circulated that it was lost because it hadn’t come out of Gottfried’s warehouse, but it really exists!”

Fortunately(?), few children thought that Mermaid Tears were fake.

The trend tide was flowing toward the topic of whether the topaz brooch I was wearing was mermaid tears.

“Please tell the truth. Miss Schwires!”

The children roared.

I shrugged my shoulders as I looked at the children’s eyes, which sparkled like glass marbles illuminated by light.

“It’s real.”

As soon as the word “real” came out, exclamations erupted from all over the table.

The brooch was moved around so the children could get a good look at the mermaid tears inside the topaz brooch.

“Whoa, it’s so beautiful.”

“But do you know? I saw this in the newspaper, there was a nobleman who offered 7 million Darzul to buy the Mermaid Tears.”

“Oh my, who is that?”

“I heard that he was Marquis Pierce…”

The children watched the Mermaid Tears as if they were enchanted and talked among themselves.

Some even asked me about the Mermaid Tears with curious eyes.

I responded sincerely to the best of my knowledge, and soon I was able to naturally melt into the table.

I don’t know if Kellerhan thought this far, but it was a moment when the Mermaid Tears he gave was very helpful.

It was while the children were debating how far the price of the Mermaid Tears had skyrocketed when a pale blonde, green-eyed girl entered my field of sight.

The pale blonde girl, unlike the other children who had lively discussions, was unable to open her mouth as she only watched her surroundings.

She seemed to be reconsidering the timing to intervene in the conversation as she sometimes held the teacup in her impatient hand, yet the girl rarely got a chance.

“Would you like to try this? It’s very delicious.”

It was the moment when I broke down and handed a cookie to the child and spoke to her as I pitied her.

In an instant, an uncomfortable silence descended on the table.

The children looked at me with wide eyes as I spoke to the pale blond child.

“Excuse me, Lady Schwires.”

Lady Oris, who was most favorable to me, opened her mouth in a solemn voice.

“It’s better not to talk to Lady Lemper.”

Lemper, she said? Where did I hear that name?

I tilted my head at the familiar sound.

But even when I searched through my memories, none of the young girls who bullied me had the last name Lemper.

Besides, that child doesn’t seem to have the temper to bully anyone.

While I was thinking about this and that, Lady Oris continued.

“Lady Lemper doesn’t match Lady Schwires’ class. As a distant cousin of the Marquis of Makachi, she received an invitation to this tea party, but Lemper is only a baron.”

A baron.

I learned why the children, including Lady Oris, were horrified by my actions in talking to Lady Lemper.

“Although you were a daughter of a viscount, now that you have become the prospective Grand Young Lady, shouldn’t you befriend people who fit your class?”

At Lady Oris’ words, Lady Lemper shrank.

I could see the water in the girl’s round eyes.

I looked around without saying anything.

Most of the children agreed with Lady Oris’ words, and those who didn’t agree stood by.

My gaze reached Lady Lemper again.

She was just like me.

To be precise, the me in my previous life.

In my previous life, I wasn’t in a low position because I was the Grand Young Lady, just like now.

However, because Heiner openly ignored me, other people didn’t treat me properly either.

What should I do, I wonder.

I had just made up my mind to refrain from acting mature or too conspicuous.

If I openly criticize Lady Oris here and help Lady Lemper, I will attract unwanted attention.

And I wondered if the daughter of the Lemper family would ever want my intervention.

My position here is very ambiguous.

Barmuth kept themselves away from the social world, that’s why my attendance at this tea party was exceptional.

Thus, there’s very little chance I’ll see this kid again in the future.

What if I noisily take this kid’s side here and I don’t show my face to society in the future?

I may be able to become an apostle of justice for a moment, but that child will fall into greater trouble in the future.

She might be more isolated from the peer group with my help.

I want to solve it as quietly as possible, though…

Ah, there is a way.

“You’re saying that for my sake, aren’t you, Lady Oris?”

First of all, I blurred the atmosphere with words that were neither positive nor negative.

I could see Lady Oris contemplating how to respond to my words.

“By the way… ”

Pretending to extend my arm naturally, I touched the teacup in front of Lady Lemper.

The teacup tipped over, and soon the hem of Lady Lemper’s skirt was stained the color of tea.

“Oh, my!”

I approached Lady Lemper in bewilderment.

“I’m sorry, isn’t it hot?”

I spilled it after checking that the teacup was lukewarm, but I asked just in case.

“I-It’s fine.”

Lady Lemper opened her eyes wide and looked up at me in fear.

Don’t be so scared, will you? I’m on your side, you know.

“Come on, let’s go to the lounge.”

“I-I-I-I-It’s fine.”

However, contrary to my wish, Lady Lemper couldn’t shake off her fear and trembled, wary of me.

“It was my mistake. I will bring you to the lounge.”

“I-I…”

I whispered while pretending to tidy up Lady Lemper’s skirt before she misunderstood me any further.

“Come quickly. You don’t want to be here anymore, do you?”

For an instant, her eyes shone.

“I have to change my clothes, as Lady Schwires said.”

Perhaps because she was quick to judge the situation, Lady Lemper immediately accepted my words.

And the two of us quickly left the table.

“I’m sorry I spilled the tea. At the time, I thought that was the best way.”

After closing the lounge door, I apologized.

Lady Lemper stared at me, then she did something unexpected.

She smiled.

“You really were trying to help me.”

“My way was a little strange, wasn’t it?”

“No, I know that was for the best.”

As I guessed, Lady Lemper was a child who was quick to judge the situation.

She seemed to understand all the reasons I had to do the way I did with one brief remark.

Hmm… I might have thought of something about the surname ‘Lemper’. What was it?

“Thank you.”

While I was searching for knowledge from my previous life, Lady Lemper bowed her head.

“No, it’s not something to be thanked for. It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t talked to you in the first place.”

I shook my hand and declined, yet she was stubborn.

In the end, we finally found a compromise after exchanging apologies and rejections for a long time.

“Then let’s finish by being good friends from now on!”

It was to just be friends.

Because I didn’t know anyone in society, it would be nice to have new friends, and Lady Lemper also had a hard time adjusting to the social world, so it would be nice for her to have someone to rely on.

“I’d like to.”

Lady Lemper said with a bright smile on her reddened face.

Her eyes were full of kindness toward me.

“Then shall we call each other by our names now?”

“Really? Can I?”

Lady Lemper jumped up at my suggestion.

“No matter what, Lady Schwires is the prospective Grand Young Lady and I’m just a baron’s daughter… ”

“Didn’t you just leave the tea party because you didn’t want to divide people that way?”

Lady Lemper bowed her head happily and embarrassedly.

“…It’s an honor.”

She spoke in such a sincere tone that I could tell she meant it just by listening.

“I wonder if I’ll be on the same level as Miss Schwires… No! I don’t know if it will help Miss Schwires, but I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you.”

For now, I accepted Lady Lemper’s favor.

“My name is Isabella. What about Lady Lemper?”

“I… ”

Lady Lemper raised her head.

“Lisi, my name is Lisi.”

The moment I heard the name Lisi, my eyes widened.

I finally remembered.

I knew I heard the surname Lemper somewhere!

“Lisi? Could you be Lisittea Lemper?”

At my words, Lady Lemper nodded.

I covered my mouth with one hand at the unexpected great luck.