“Why?”
The face of the young woman holding the empty wine glass turned pale.
Drops, drops, drops of wine fell to the floor in drops.
Through her deeply stained hair, Wilhelmina stared at the young woman with a fierce look.
"Seriously, how inappropriate.
Have some strange trends emerged in my social circles while I was away at the academy in the kingdom?"
Wilhelmina exhaled briefly, then spoke to the young woman while casually combing her wine-soaked hair.
“I do not understand the reason for this behavior, especially at a party that includes distinguished guests from the Kingdom, and not an ordinary party.”
“I just wanted to put her in her place...”
"You put her in her place?
Because you are a Count's daughter and Miss Saliss is a Baron's daughter?"
Wilhelmina snorted in disbelief.
“Then, as Duke Lopez’s young lady, should I teach you your place?”
Wilhelmina said this while raising her hand to the side.
As if reading her thoughts, the maid placed a wine glass in her hand.
Without a moment's hesitation, Wilhelmina sprinkled wine on the count's daughter's face.
“Oh my God!
Madam!
How can you do that!
Do you know how much this dress costs?!”
"I'm just showing kindness by not making you pay for the dress I ruined.
You should be grateful."
Then, as if she could no longer bear to remain here, Wilhelmina turned sharply and walked away.
'Huh?'
And for some reason.
She pulled me while holding my hand tightly
Only after entering the rest room prepared for the ducal family did she look at Wilhelmina, who seemed to have come to her senses.
Then she shouted loudly, her face as red as spilled wine.
“Why are you here!”
"You brought me here, ma'am.
I thought it was very kind of you considering my embarrassment in this situation, so I followed you.
Were you presumptuous in my thinking?"
I first praised Wilhelmina's actions when she spoke,
Then, in contrast to her previous words, Wilhelmina spoke as if she were stifling a cry.
“Who said that!”
Then she asked her maids to prepare alternative clothes, and she also ordered them to serve me tea.
She's really nice.
And also…
She looked like the original Velma.
Actually, it was because I confused her too much, but in the original, Wilhelmina had the charisma befitting a ducal lady...
Just like she scolded the Count's daughter at the party earlier.
In the original work, she also gets angry when other girls bully Roita instead of her.
That's why in the latter half, people wondered if she was obsessed with Cassian or Roita..
I waited until Wilhelmina finished changing her clothes while I drank the tea prepared by the duke's maid.
When she finally sat in front of me with a frowning face, I bowed politely and expressed my gratitude.
“Thanks to you, ma’am, I was able to avoid trouble.
Thank you.
And I’m sorry too.”
“…There is no need to apologise, I acted on my own.”
Wilhelmina said, then muttered somewhat mysteriously.
“Why did I really do that...instead of Miss Saliss...”
I heard everything, but I decided to pretend I didn't hear.
In my mind, I was remembering information about that count’s family.
I believe there is a task related to a business run by the Count's family in next month's work.
Should I put some pressure up front?
I smiled cheerfully while thinking bad thoughts in my head.
Then, as if on reflex, Wilhelmina shuddered and spoke to me.
"Now get out!
How long do you plan to stay in my rest room?
You seem to think I'm close to you.
You and I are rivals!"
Look how shy she is again.
So I decided to be rude
"I thought I was getting too close to you, ma'am.
Was that so conceited a thought after all?"
"…What?"
“It was a first for me, a young noble lady received me like this...”
This was true.
It wasn't just because I was Baron's daughter, it was because of the bad reputation I had acquired over the past year.
The hero ruined all my friendship opportunities.
Even the original Roita had a boyfriend or two...
At my words, the room fell silent for a moment.
Wilhelmina's face turned pale as if she had said something she shouldn't have said, and then she looked away.
“Stop saying such arrogant things, there is nothing wrong with just greeting someone.”
Her face turned red again.
Our Velma is really very nice.
Wilhelmina asked me to leave and then stopped me, saying that we should have a cup of tea first.
“You should at least keep me company while my hair dries!
You have that much sense of responsibility, don't you?”
Naturally, I did not miss this precious opportunity and showered Wilhelmina with compliments.
Save Velma with some compliments!
And save myf too!
It's a total win, isn't it?
“I heard you graduated from the academy with excellent grades!
You are truly amazing, ma’am.”
"It's nothing surprising.
I've only read a few books, that's all."
“You are truly humble, you have done something that even young Duke Lopez could not do!”
At my words, I clearly saw Wilhelmina's trembling lips trying to hide behind her teacup.
This is understandable, because it's not something you would ever hear at home.
At first, this family sees the woman only as a tool in the marriage process.
However, my efforts over the past two weeks have not been in vain.
“M-next time.”
"Yes?"
"I'll have tea with you!
You won't refuse, right?!
Surely, as Prince Cassian's fiancée, you won't refuse?"
I can see through your trying to act nonchalant, Velma.
It's okay to just say you want to have tea with me!
Wilhelmina doesn't have many friends either.
I smiled and nodded my head when I heard those sincere but insincere words.
“Of course, ma’am.
How could I refuse your invitation?”
However, at my response, Wilhelmina frowned slightly with a look of displeasure.
“…I hope you stop using words like ‘ma’am’.”
“Excuse me?”
“I thought you were the only person who could compare to me, but when you talk like that, it makes me feel worthless too.”
She looked at her with a surprised face for a moment at those words.
It was kindness hidden in seemingly arrogant words.
My heart swelled with pride.
The result of two weeks of effort!
My shining light!
In this way, I made a friend and broke some flags of misery.
That's true, isn't it?
“You abandoned me.”
When I returned alone after parting from Velma, Cassian, who was leaning against the wall with a cold face, approached me.
“Do you not know the situation?”
His face scrunched up a little at my words.
He looked at me with a look of dissatisfaction, and instead of saying anything, he extended his hand to me.
After a while, the dance music started, and I started moving my feet, and handed my body into Cassian's hands.
As I felt before, his dancing skills were close to perfection, as expected of a hero.
“…Why are you so worried about Ms.
Lopez?”
“…because she’s cute?”
I lost track of the tea time I had spent with Wilhelmina earlier, and felt a reflexive dread...
Then my boss looked at me with a very bright smile and replied.
“I see Rose likes nice things.”
You're not thinking about bullying Wilhelmina, are you?
She gave him a gentler smile than usual, hoping that the claws of this devil-like man would not reach Mrs.
Wilhelmina.
Then Cassian, who was smiling beautifully, moved his lips slightly,
“Ah-!”
The next turn, he suddenly pulled me towards him with his body and whispered.
“No matter how I think about it, it seems I gave you more of what you wanted, Rose.”
“…Your Highness?”
“I'm going to have to try harder.”
Contrary to his words, his purple eyes held a dangerous gleam.
No, why do you make such a lustful face when you say you'll try harder?
It's similar to the look you had when you uprooted the corrupt nobles three months ago.
“This way you won't abandon me.”
When I heard these words, I did not hide my disbelieving face and showed it to him.
“You are too harsh with me, Your Highness, while I am faithfully fulfilling our contract.”
To look at someone irresponsibly.
Employment contract and engagement contract.
In no way can I arbitrarily escape when my precious salary is at stake.
While I was looking at him in dismay, Cassian finally smiled in satisfaction and finished the dance beautifully as the music was ending..
It was really annoying that he led a perfect dance that others didn't notice at all, even though he confused me by changing the steps..
In contrast to the cruel and rude Cassian Artiz, the innocent and compliant Ms.
Wilhelmina Lopez sent me an invitation a few days after the party ended..
Was I able to attend tea time...?
The answer is no!
Was this intentional?
I looked towards Cassian with upset eyes when I saw a mountain of accumulated papers.
I want to be a friend too, hero!
That lady who looks like a hedgehog sent me an invitation to tea.
At this rate, I'm going to have to send out a third rejection letter.
Because there was no time due to a lot of work..
Of course, I know very well that it is because of the royal wedding, the reception of distinguished guests, and all kinds of diplomatic negotiations…
"What's going on, Rose?
Do you want to know tonight's menu?"
When I see him casually mention overtime, it seems intentional
What..
I moved my head quietly to avoid trying to stop him unnecessarily.
I wrote a rejection letter bitterly, swallowing tears from my desperate free time.
If only Wilhelmina could see this situation.
Then you will lose interest in him completely...
I honestly thought it would be great if I could save an innocent lamb with my extra work.