CH 28

Themis Perdia’s greenhouse garden was famous.

It was also the laboratory of the most famous poisoner in the empire, and all kinds of rare plants that were not found in the imperial garden grew there.

Since poisons and antidotes were inseparable, Themis’s stake in medicine was significant.

Thanks to that, scholars in all fields had a lifelong wish to enter Perdia’s greenhouse garden at least once.

However, no matter how interested they were in research, they knew that their life was more precious.

They dare not knock on Perdia’s door, so the greenhouse garden was only known by rumors.

And Angellus’s mother and daughter never thought they would be invited to the greenhouse garden.

“I wonder what happened for you to come here without contacting me, Dolcinia.”

Themis Perdia, the owner of the infamous greenhouse garden, poured tea in front of Angellus’s mother and daughter and smiled.

Duchess Dolcinia Angellus replied with a gentle smile, “I contacted you, but I guess you didn’t get it. I tried several times, but there was no answer. Were you busy?”

Themis nodded knowingly. “Ah, if it’s not an important letter, it’ll be sorted out on the butler’s initial overview.”

She was not busy.

Duchess Dolcinia’s expression distorted for a moment because of the additional comment Themis made.

Didn’t that mean that her “unimportant” letter didn’t deserve to be received?

Themis and Dolcinia were the duchesses of two of the four major families, and at the same time, they were so-called “friends” belonging to the same social circle before marriage.

Sadly, neither of them ever thought of the other as a friend.

However, it could be said that they were close enough to visit each other like this.

Dolcinia took care of her collapsed expression and smiled in ease.

“You’re still the same, Themis.”

It was a twist of words that meant she was still selfish, but Themis replied calmly while she looked at Dolcinia’s face with pity.

“Really? Dolcinia, you must have had a lot of work…..”

She didn’t say anything substantial, but the words contained a lot of meaning.

Again, Dolcinia held the tea cup casually, maintaining the smile around her mouth that was about to collapse.

‘Oh, my,’ Dolcinia thought with gritted teeth.

Hastily putting down the teacup, when she realized that she could not defeat Themis with her words she changed the subject.

“The reason I came today was because Miss Elodie committed a great disrespect against my daughter, Dorothea, at the Imperial banquet not too long ago.”

Dorothea chimed in like she had been waiting, saying, “Hello, Duchess Perdia. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

”Yeah, it’s been a while, miss Dorothea, but what’s the matter with Elodie?”

Perdia’s Duchess showed a smiling face, but the Angellus women felt pressure that was hard to explain in words. Dorothea felt intimidated without realizing it.

Indeed, Themis was the only one who could be said to be on par with the Duke of Perdia.

Dorothea glanced at the empty seat next to Themis.

“I came because I wanted to get an apology from Miss Elodie.”

“Well, sorry.” Themis responded unconcernedly. 

“I’d like to speak directly with the person concerned, but isn’t Miss Elodie too late?”

Dolcinia grabbed the line her daughter threw and continued to find fault with Elodie.

“It’s unusual for a host to show up late when a guest is already here,” she crowed with thinly veiled unpleasantness. 

It was at that moment–

“I’m very sorry, but that’s not the case, Duchess Angellus. I was late getting ready. If I had earlier known you were coming, I could have come out on time.”

It was the appearance of Elodie.

Even today, she looked as lovely as an angel, not befitting the nickname of Perdia’s madman.

Dolcinia’s expression brightened up a little.

‘It would be easier to deal with Elodie – who has a fiery temper but is rather stupid – than that fox-like Themis.’

“I told Themis that I had sent several letters. But all of them got no answer.”

“I see……..”

“That’s enough of the story, so sit down now, miss Elodie.”

When Elodie sat down, Themis filled her teacup with tea water.

Then she pushed the teacup over to her with a calm voice.

“Drink it, Elodie.”

“Yes…..mother.”

***

Even if I was an illegitimate child, I could not call Themis “duchess” in front of others, so I was taught to call her “mother” in a situation like this.

But I was seldom in the same place as Themis, so the number of times I called her mother could be counted with my hands since I was born.

‘It’s unpleasant for you, right……..?’

I glanced at Themis’s face, but she only drank tea with a haughty expression and did not respond much.

‘The duchess will understand the situation.’

Rather, I still should greet the two guests who set foot in Perdia before agonizing any further over having to call Themis mother.

“I see at first glance that you have something to tell me, Miss Dorothea.”

“Yes. Miss Elodie’s escort was rude to me at the last imperial banquet.” Dorothea raised a spiteful eyebrow. 

I knew it. How absurdly predictable. 

I laughed inwardly at the purpose of the visit, which was just as I thought, but I maintained a serious expression on the outside.

“Ah. Didn’t Miss Dorothea come up to me and my escort first, and ask him to hold her hand because she was dizzy and staggering?”

Dorothea’s face flushed at the nakedly honest words, but she knew they were true and nodded her head obediently.

“Yes.”

“My escort complied with Miss Dorothea’s request.”

“But after that, didn’t he wipe his hands with his handkerchief as if it was dirty and then throw it away in front of me?”

“Well, he did.”

“Then Miss Elodie should admit it. That Miss Elodie’s commoner escort was rude to me.”

Dorothea gave me a serious look, deliberately applying strength to the phrase “commoner escort”.

‘Who showed interest in that commoner escort?’ I resisted the urge to snort at the hypocrisy. 

It was funny how she tried to get attention from Raeyan and after the failure, rushed to argue about the subject.

“My escort wiped off the dirt he got on his hands, but Miss Dorothea could misunderstand that.”

“Yes, so come on, apologize.!”

I answered before she could finish her sentence.

“If you misunderstood him, I will apologize on behalf of him. I’m sorry.”

“…..What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“…….?!”

***

Angellus’s mother and daughter were stunned for a moment. 

Their purpose was not to receive an apology. They didn’t even think they would be able to get an apology from Elodie Perdia in the first place.

It was a strategy to lower the prestige of Perdia by spreading the fact to society that Elodie Perdia committed a crime against them.

But what was this?

Isn’t she apologizing calmly without raising her voice at all?

Dorothea was dumbfounded, thinking, ‘That Elodie Perdia?’

It was absolutely unbelievable.

Even if you told this to others, they would all wave their hands at you and remind you not to lie.

“Miss Dorothea?”

“Y–yes. I accept your apology.”

It would be ridiculous to ask for an apology first and then argue that the other party apologized, so there was nothing she could say other than this.

Themis, who was watching the situation, smiled lightly, and asked, “Is that all you need?”

“…..Yes, Themis.”

“I think you must be done. Since we’re all here, let’s talk over tea.”

Since she couldn’t say she would return right away, Dolcinia could only nod her head with a sour face.

But she never dreamed that it was the wrong choice.

Tea.

Themis clearly saw Dolcinia lift the teacup earlier and put it down, startled.

She was such a coward that she couldn’t even drink tea served by a poisoner.

Themis was not generous enough to let go of those who came to her house and wanted to humiliate Elodie.

“Dolcinia, I especially brought out tea that is hard to get because another ducal mother and daughter came, so won’t you drink it?”

Dolcinia, who looked down at the tea, answered with her head raised, saying, “Later. It’s because I’m not really thirsty right now. I’m going to drink slowly.”

“Hmm, are you afraid that it’s poisoned?”

The words turned the Angellus mother and daughter’s faces white.

It hit the nail on the head.

“Now, ye–”

Before Dolcinia could make an excuse, Elodie interrupted the conversation.

“Please. I’m sure you know that a person with a proper head wouldn’t do the stupid thing of poisoning a visitor. Unless you’re a fool.”

“What, what? Miss Elodie, what are you saying…..?!”

“Hmm? I didn’t mean Duchess Angellus. Did you ever happen to think so?”

“No, that’s not–”

“Go ahead and drink, Duchess. The tea brewed by Mother really tastes and smells great. Try drinking it, Dorothea.”

Duchess Angellus and her daughter looked down in fear at the teacup they hadn’t taken a sip of.

It was just tea.

Even though it was only tea, they had heard countless rumors surrounding Themis.

There were scathing rumors that after teatime with the Duchess of Perdia, there were cases with general paralysis, or those who developed respiratory problems, or died suddenly of a heart attack, and so on.

Contrary to Elodie’s words, even if the tea was really poisoned, it could be covered up somehow.

This was the territory of Perdia, and Themis, the best poisoner on the continent, would not do anything sloppy like using poison that remained in the body.

They never intended to touch the tea with their mouth, but Themis and Elodie stared at Duchess Angellus and her daughter.

Like a viper in search of a gap in his prey’s defenses.

…. Surprisingly, their faces looked alike.

Dolcinia lifted the teacup while under that strange pressure, and felt the sense of danger that she was being pushed.

As her mother lifted the teacup, Dorothea, who could not stand still, also raised her cup.

The two tried to pretend to talk, but in the end the blatant gaze fixed on them eventually forced them to take a sip of cold tea.

“Sigh.”

“What do you think? The tea tastes good, doesn’t it?” Elodie Perdia asked, her eyes twinkling. 

Dolcinia raised the corners of her mouth.

“That’s….good,” she forced out. 

“That’s a relief. I was worried that you might misunderstood my words. Duchess Angellus would never be the kind of fool who wears her hair as decoration.”

“……….”

Dolcinia corrected what she had thought earlier as she looked at Elodie smiling beautifully.

She didn’t know what the hell was going on, but Elodie was not an easy opponent for her. The Perdia girl was no pushover

Reader, what would happen if you add together Elodie’s “Mouth from Hell” and Elodie’s extraordinary wit after thinking of her past life?

A masterpiece would be born. 

A hell-mouth who laughs like an angel pretending not to know anything but pours out vicious remarks when the other person is off guard.

Dolcinia opened her mouth with a rather cold voice as she looked at Themis and Elodie.

“Looking at it now, you two really have similar personalities, don’t you? I would believe it when you say you are mother and daughter.”

It was clearly meant to be sarcastic.

Since everyone knew that Elodie was not the biological child of Themis, Dolcinia’s comment acted as a clear mockery of Themis’s situation – a duchess who had no choice but to accept the illegitimate child as her daughter.

But Themis replied with a relaxed smile.

“Of course we resemble each other, because she is my daughter.”

“………!”

The person most surprised by these words was none other than Elodie.