CH 9

Bullying in the Court

Lucrezia received a dinner notice around dinner time and called the butler, somewhat troubled.

Basically, dinner at a nobleman’s house is supposed to be taken in formal wear. However, Lucrezia had no clothes other than the simple everyday clothes she had worn when she was evicted from her home.

“Um, I’m sorry….. I didn’t bring the formal attire needed for dinner. As this is just after my trip, I would prefer to wear this dress or have dinner in my room.”

The butler smiled softly. His round red face was crumpled with laugh lines.

“Lucrezia-sama is the main guest today, so of course the master will welcome her. Please feel free to come as you are.”

“I’m glad…… Thank you.”

She was prepared to be frowned upon because of her rudeness, but none of the servants showed any disapproving looks.

Lucrezia then went to the dining room and was astonished.

Ramilio showed up in his daytime clothes without changing. His hood and glasses were still in place, as were his clothes, which were made of rough materials suitable for laborers.

“Hello, I’m sorry I’m dressed like this. I don’t like to spend time and effort on my clothes because of my face.”

He told her lightly, but Lucrezia could tell he was lying. He must have heard about the situation from the butler, and taken care of it so that Lucrezia wouldn’t feel ashamed.

‘This kind man….’

Lucrezia tried to suppress the smile that welled up in her but ended up grinning.

Ramilio looked at Lucrezia as if surprised.

‘Oh no, it was rude of me to grin so much.’

Lucrezia hurriedly erased her expression and returned to her usual gloomy eyes.

***

Ramiro looked at Lucrezia smiling as if she had unintentionally let her emotions get the better of her, and then he huffed.

‘I see, so that’s her trick!’

Without a doubt, this must be an act to ask for more dresses and jewelry. Otherwise, who would smile at a man like Ramilio? He was almost fooled.

‘She is indeed pretty. I’ll admit that. But don’t think that’s enough to win me over.’

Ramilio’s territory is in the countryside, but it’s full of vigor. It’s also a major transportation hub, so the income is high. It’s probably one of the richest lands in the world.

This is why even Ramilio, whose engagement had been broken off six times, was always offered a marriage, but the fact that he was not loved even with his huge fortune took a toll on his body and soul.

‘At any rate, this girl will run away as soon as she sees my true face.’

He thought wryly as he sat down directly across from her.

They were on opposite ends of a long table, so they could hardly see each other’s faces.

At this distance, Ramiro could eat his meal in peace.

“I’ll make arrangements for you to go to the bank tomorrow. It would be inconvenient if you don’t have anything with you.”

‘I’m not going to let her beg me for a dress.’

Ramilio thought cautiously, but she only thanked him humbly.

‘She would soon show herself to be in need, anyway.’

Once she showed that behavior, he decided that they would never get engaged and would ask her to go back to her family.

***

While Lucrezia had just arrived at the Duchy of Pastore and was exchanging awkward greetings with Ramilio, Rosa was at a tea party, looking down with her face on the verge of crying.

The ladies were laughing secretly behind their fans, but their voices were unusually loud.

“I never thought I’d see a girl who would touch her hair while she was eating.”

“How filthy!”

“How embarrassing!”

“Hey, maybe a commoner’s daughter got mixed up in here by mistake? Someone should tell them that this is not the place for them.”

The ladies laughed.

They had been laughing at Rosa’s manners for nearly an hour at the tea party.

“Hey, ladies, you shouldn’t laugh so much, it’s not fair. Maybe she’s an eight-year-old child who just looks bigger than she is.”

“Yes, I’m sure she is.”

The one who was badgering Rosa was Countess Tiriya, who had heard rumors of the broken engagement.

A group of salons led by the Countess of Tiriya existed, and these women had called on Rosa.

‘You old hag, just because sister is your favorite, doesn’t mean that you have to resort to this kind of underhanded tactics!’

For a group of adults to get together and make fun of a little girl, isn’t it considered bullying?

‘Besides, I know the rules of etiquette too.’

Rosa is a descendant of the royal family and also the daughter of a duke.

‘I know at least a few manners.’

The reason she didn’t show off was to show that Rosa is a friendly girl who can get along with people of lower status.

The protagonist of the romance novels that Rosa admired was exactly the kind of girl who could get along with others without being pretentious.

Rosa was a princess by birth, so she was just reaching the age where she was ashamed of her noble status.

‘Even if I knew, I wouldn’t dare to say or show it off, but these old ladies clearly don’t understand anything.’

“Hey, everyone, don’t be surprised. This girl is the next Marshal’s fiancée.”

“It’s the end of the world!”

“I heard that the marshal’s son is still not allowed to enter the court, I wonder what is going on.”

“If things continue as they are, will the position of marshal be given to someone else?”

“I think that would be a good idea. I will advise them to do so.”

Rosa was furious with the ladies who said whatever they wanted.

‘I have royal blood in my veins, and you dare look down on me?!’

Rosa’s grandfather was the previous king’s brother.

Even in Rosa’s favorite romance novels, princes and princesses are different from everyone else.

She could have told her father and he would have thrown them all out of the court, how thoughtless they were!

Rosa immediately cried to her father that night.

“Countess Tiriya made fun of me, calling me a little girl with no manners! Isn’t that terrible?!”

“It’s her, is it….?”

“How dare she opposed me, a royal, even though she’s just a countess! Dad, expel all of those people from the royal court!”