CH 83

Most nobles knew that the Penso family acquired many slaves, but there was an unspoken rule not to mention it. It would tarnish the reputation of the Penso family, and there were hardly any families who deliberately wanted to provoke the wealthy Penzogas.

However, May brought it up. Everyone around them fell silent.

Clara was taken aback and couldn’t speak for a moment, but then she retorted in a brisk tone.

“You got the question wrong from the start. Do you have any evidence that the Penso family acquires many slaves?”

“If it’s difficult to answer, you don’t have to. I’m someone who can afford that level of consideration.”

As May smirked and mocked, Clara’s anger flared up.

“No, I asked if you have any evidence!”

It was at that moment when Clara shouted. From the entrance of the ballroom, a charming woman with violet eyes walked gracefully toward them.

“Oh my, what’s all this noise? Where is this unpleasant conversation coming from?”

All eyes were on her. She was dressed in a pink platinum-blonde hair and a deep pink dress that complemented each other perfectly. It was Stella Nazret.

As Stella approached Mayi, she accidentally stepped on Clara’s foot. With a sharp heel, “click!” she hit Clara’s instep, causing tears to well up in Clara’s eyes.

“Ouch-!!”

Screaming in pain was an added bonus.

Stella turned around at Clara’s scream and offered a fake apology, pretending it was a complete accident.

“Oh, lady Penso’s, did I step on your foot? I’m sorry. I didn’t know someone was there.”

Clara thought she had only heard barking and couldn’t have possibly thought there was a person there.

After enduring the pain for a moment, Clara wiped away the tears that welled up in her eyes with her little finger. Then, she glared at Stella as if to say, ‘Are you crazy? How dare you step on my foot?’

But Clara was not one to just take it lying down. She deliberately stepped on Stella’s foot as well. Due to the position, she had to use the front of her shoe, but she stamped down forcefully, causing Stella to feel the same amount of pain.

“Ugh….”

As Stella let out a short groan, Clara offered a smug apology.

“Oh my. I’m sorry, Your Ladyship. It was my mistake too.”

However, Stella wasn’t one to just be on the receiving end either.

As if waiting for Clara to react in the same way, Stella soon started to sniffle, displaying a sad expression.

Seeing this in front of her, Clara’s face was filled with surprise.

What’s going on? Why is she crying here? Her expression seemed to ask.

“Huuhu….”

Bingo. Stella began to shed tears, crying softly.

* * *  

“Look over there. Lady Nazret is crying.”

“Do you think there was a fight between Lady Penso and Lady Nazret?”

Stella cried, shaking her body to appear as pitiful as possible. May noticed that she was acting and decided to play along with the comedy she was creating.

But May felt that Stella had gone too far and scolded her.

“Lady Penso, no matter what, purposely stepping on someone’s foot, even if it’s Lady Nazret’s, is not appropriate. Lady Nazret accidentally stepped on you and even apologized. Did you really have to do that?”

“No, Lady Nazret stepped on me first, deliberately.”

Unlike Clara’s aggressive tone, Stella responded in a composed voice.

“I said it was an accident. Why would I have any reason to purposely step on my foot?”

May looked worriedly at Stella’s reddened instep.

“Can you walk? Let me support you.”

May reached out her hand with a concerned expression, and Stella subtly wiped her tears with the back of her hand before gently grabbing May’s hand.

“Thank you, Young Lord.”

Her tearful voice was perfect. May felt that her acting skills had improved with Stella by her side.

The tearful performance of both of them influenced public opinion, and sentiment turned against Clara, making her look bad.

“Madam Cecile, they say Lady Penso purposely stepped on Lady Nazret’s foot.”

“Goodness… How could she do such a thing? There’s not a trace of noble dignity in her.”

A 2-to-1 confrontation. Feeling disadvantaged, Clara elbowed her brother, Clovin, who was standing beside her.

“Brother, I’m the one being wronged here, and you’re not helping? Whose side are you on?”

But Clovin was more concerned about Stella, who was crying, than his sister. He approached Stella with great kindness and asked gently, “Are you okay? If it’s hard for you to stand, I can help.”

However, Stella pushed his hand away slightly and declined his help.

Seeing this, Clara was on the verge of exploding with frustration. Her useless brother!

Clovin apologized on behalf of his sister, saying, “My sister didn’t step on your foot with bad intentions. Let me apologize on her behalf, and please kindly understand.”

Stella made a clicking sound with her tongue, annoyed that things were not going as planned, but only May could hear it.

In the end, Clovin pretended to defend Stella while apologizing for his sister’s mistake, becoming the kind-hearted older brother who covered for his younger sister.

If Stella didn’t accept the apology, she would become a narrow-minded person. Stella reluctantly forgave them.

“Okay, I accept the apology.”

“Thank you, Lady.”

Clara was about to argue and demand what exactly they were apologizing for, but thanks to Clovin, who said he was embarrassed, they quickly left the ballroom, so she couldn’t do it.

Once the Penso siblings disappeared, people turned their attention to May and Stella and went about their business.

Stella wiped her tears with a blank expression as if asking when she had cried. May praised her acting skills.

“You’re really good at acting.”

Her crying act was consistently excellent.

“I guarantee that if you debut as an actress, you’ll become a top star.”

“Really? In my next life, I’ll become an actress.”

Stella gladly accepted the compliment on her acting skills.

Then May brought up the topic she wanted to discuss with Stella.

“Stella.”

“Yeah?”

“I found Milo.”

She told her everything that had happened.

Milo creating a decoy and taking the beatings instead of other slaves at Penso Manor.

Using the power of the guardian deities to defeat Gliw-gon and rescue Milo.

Milo’s plan to return home after recovering.

“Almost everything is settled, and we’ll be back home within three days.”

“That’s a relief.”

Stella sighed with relief, genuinely happy. She also felt glad to think about Heint, who would be happy to see Milo again.

“Thank you, May, for saving Milo.”

“It’s all thanks to Lady Iris who granted her powers early on.”

Then, Jed’s voice was heard.

“May.”

At the sound of his voice, May reflexively turned her head, and Jed, looking sharp in his attire, walked in.

“… Jed.”

She had resolved to keep her distance, but he looked so cool that her heart wavered unnecessarily.

Stella, noticing May’s feelings, quickly grabbed May’s wrist before Jed could get any closer.

“Stella?”

With a sudden action, May looked at Stella, who acted nonchalantly.

“Shall we go that way? The champagne over there looks delicious.”

“But I’m still a minor and shouldn’t drink alcohol…”

“Then have some orange juice instead.”

“?”

Perplexed, May was forcibly dragged away by Stella’s strong grip.

“Stella, why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“Stop talking and come with me.”

Unable to resist Stella’s strength, May went along. As Stella led May away, she glanced at Jed with a glare.

‘How dare he play around with our May? If he dares to make our May uncomfortable, I won’t let it slide. This squid!’

Jed, who couldn’t understand that gaze, simply blinked. He was in no hurry since May would come back to him anyway.

At the place where Stella took May, coincidentally, Princess Isabella was present.

When Isabella noticed May, she ran towards her with a bright smile.

“Kyaa! Lord May!”

May gently pulled her wrist free from Stella’s grip and greeted the princess.

“I am honored to meet the Princess.”

“I wanted to see you, Lord May!”

“I also wanted to see you.”

Stella looked back and forth between May and Isabella with a chubby expression.

‘What’s this? Were they close friends? When did they become close? She never told me separately…’

Stella concealed her disappointed feelings and greeted the princess.

“May Starcia’s blessings be upon you.”

“Who…?”

“I am Stella Nazret, the daughter of Marquis Nazret.”

Isabella held May’s hand with a guarded look, as if regarding Stella as a rival. She pulled May towards her side, declaring:

“Lord May is mine.”

Huh? Stella’s eyebrows twitched, and she grabbed May’s other hand.

“That can’t be true. I’ve known Lord May for much longer than the princess.”

A strange tension arose between them.

“Sometimes, someone you’ve known for just a day can be better than someone you’ve known for years.”

“But in most cases, that’s not true.”

Isabella’s expression turned peculiar. As a princess, she had always been the one winning people over.

However, Stella didn’t give in, which made her uneasy. With a false smile, she shook May’s hand.

“Lord May, let’s play together, just the two of us.”