“You… what did you just say… … .”
Hermia turned her head away, looking at the Count, who was unable to continue speaking and just gaping like a carp.
Not only the Count, but everyone in the mansion was looking at me as if they had seen a ghost.
‘Did I say something wrong? I clearly said I was sorry.’
Ah. I guess my voice was small. I should say it again.
“I’m so sorry about that.”
“Whoa! I think this kid has finally gone crazy!”
Hermia covered her mouth as the Countess screamed, her eardrums nearly falling off.
The voice that came out was clearly his, and he heard lines that he would never say.
Am I still drunk? Or is this a dream? Where does the dream begin?
Hermia carefully opened her lips.
“iced coffee.”
Even if you slightly remove your hand and clear your throat, it is clearly reality. The countess is shaking her absent-minded husband while holding him in her arms.
“I, I’m right, right? I told you that you’ve been acting strange since yesterday! You were bleeding from your feet without even blinking! You suddenly jumped out of a moving carriage, saying you were going to the duke’s house.”
“… … .”
“Arnold! Say something! I said your daughter is crazy!”
“You, who are you? There’s no way my daughter would say such a vulgar thing… … .”
Seeing the Count, who seemed to be gripped by fear beyond shock, I suddenly felt the gravity of the situation.
The thought that I should leave for now was ringing the alarm bells. If I said anything more strange, the Count would surely think of me as a devil in the form of his daughter.
“I… I think I’m still a little drunk. I’m going upstairs to rest. I need to get some sleep… … .”
Hermia turned toward the stairs, muttering in confusion. Her own legs were shaking from the shock, but the servants stood motionless.
They were usually divided into two groups. Those who were looking at the new spectacle with curious eyes, and those who were watching the count and countess’s expressions to see whether they should help or not.
As I was climbing the stairs, leaning my weight on the handrail, with no expectations, I heard a loud thumping sound. It was the Countess, who had followed me like a swarm.
“So you and the Duke have been drinking together all night? Just the two of you?”
“yes?”
The hand that grabbed my arm and pulled me tightly was scary. It was something that happened all the time, so it wasn’t surprising, but today, for some reason, I felt annoyed.
The Countess forcibly turned Hermia around, moving her gaze up and down, then this time putting her nose close to her and sniffing.
“I don’t smell alcohol. But the clothes and shoes are something I’ve never seen before… … .”
“What is it? Why is it like this?”
“Are you already with the Duke… No, no. No matter what, we have to respect your privacy.”
“What are you talking about?”
The Countess’s lips were forcibly pulled up at the corners of her twitching mouth, even though the dark veins on her powdered forehead were clearly visible.
“You must have had a lot to drink. Oh, go up and rest.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hermia, who had responded without thinking, realized it later and hurriedly ran up the remaining stairs.
The countess, who had been looking up until the sound of the door closing was heard, eventually came down with a very excited face.
“Arnold! Come here!”
She ran to her husband, telling him to come, and whispered angrily.
“I think he must have had an accident with the Duke. His attitude suddenly changed!”
“what?”
“You must have gotten a definite answer from the Duke, so you must be acting so rashly. That must be it!”
“I, I, I’m already a pervert before I even got married… …!”
The count shouted, clutching the back of his neck, but his wife opened her mouth and laughed instead. Her wide-open eyes even had a gleam in them.
“Hermia will now become a duchess without fail. There is no way that clever girl doesn’t know that.”
Then, as if something came to mind, he ran off somewhere again, shouting, “Invitation! Invitation!”
* * *
Hermia returned to her room and sat in front of the dressing table, staring straight ahead.
The reflection in the mirror was of beautiful silver hair and jewel-like blue eyes… No, that’s not it. She shook her head vigorously and opened her lips that had been quivering.
“…Am I really crazy?”
This one is coming out right. The mouth shape is right too. What on earth was that just now?
Even though I had a feeling that something was wrong, strange words just kept coming out. Trying to stop them in the middle didn’t work.
“Did you suddenly eat a lot yesterday and today and your brain is confused?”
“miss?”
“Knock when you come in! Please! Knock!”
“Hic.”
Andy opened the door and came in, then backed away and closed the door behind him.
Hermia, more surprised than Andy, grabbed her hair with both hands. This time, too, it was an unintended remark.
I wish it was just a dream. But contrary to my hopes, the vivid pressure I felt on my scalp made me snort, telling me not to laugh.
It was several hours later that Hermia was able to think calmly.
I don’t know why, but when I open my mouth, words just come out on their own. No, rather… … .
It would be more accurate to say, ‘The words that I think in my heart come out.’ This was a conclusion that I reached after going through several tests.
“I am pretty.”
So far so good.
“Countess, yes… yes… the thief who stole my necklace.”
I could really say what I thought, and when I tried to lie on purpose, something mysterious happened like that just now.
I quickly gave up on the idea of going to the hospital because I remembered a scene from my childhood in the village where a person who spoke strangely was dragged away with his limbs held in his hands.
She looked down at the high-quality card in her hand with a depressed mood.
A tea party to select a maid of honor for Princess Elisabeth Muller’s twentieth birthday will be held tomorrow at the princess’s private villa.
Every noble woman living in the capital would have received an invitation. They would have selected those of similar age to the princess, so the number would be around a hundred.
“Irene will come too. Damn… … .”
The thought of the pack barking at him like hunting dogs gave him another headache. The excuse of feeling unwell was no use.
Since this was a place where you could meet royalty, it was obvious that the countess would be dragged by a leash. Or at least tied to her limbs like a marionette.
‘Can I really endure this condition?’
With a hundred ladies, their mothers, and servants, the crowd will be enormous, so I’ll have to sit in a corner and pretend to be dead before getting out.
* * *
“Where is that woman?”
Elizabeth asked, her eyes peeking out from above her feathered fan. It wasn’t easy to spot the rumored villainess among dozens of tables and similarly dressed ladies.
“Who are you talking about?”
“Helen… … What was her real name? She had dull gray hair and torn blue eyes.”
The attendant, who was looking over the list at the unclear words, tilted his head.
“There are two people named Helen… They are not young ladies, they are both ladies.”
“No, not them. Sir Walter and the young lady he recently became engaged to.”
Only then did the attendant say, “Oh.” and turn the page to the back to find the name.
“You mean the lady of the Bansen family? Her name is… Hermia Bansen. She’s twenty years old, just like the princess.”
“Hmm.”
Elizabeth habitually twisted her platinum-blond hair around her index finger. It was something she did unconsciously when she didn’t like something.
‘Sir Walter must be getting a huge inheritance if he is engaged to a woman of such bad reputation.’
She had a firm belief that Walter had chosen Hermia over her because of the money.
If the will was as it said, he would become her man in a year, but even so, marrying a man who had already been divorced was a considerable blow to Elizabeth’s pride.
So, when the princess herself met him in person, she realized that Kyung-ui’s fiancée was a truly worthless person, and she wanted him to reconsider the marriage. She planned to persuade him one more time in that way.
‘It doesn’t really matter whether she’s a real villain or not.’
Elizabeth, too, enjoyed reading the novel, but she knew that, as is often the case with popular fiction, it had some exaggerated aspects.
If the person in question wasn’t Walter’s fiancée, I probably wouldn’t have been interested. So I’m going to check it out with my own eyes.
What is the identity of the villainess who dared to sit next to Walter Rockford?
“Bring her here. I want to be the first to greet her.”
Elizabeth, who spoke kindly, drank herbal tea with graceful movements. She thought it would be better for the body than black tea or coffee.
A little later, the Countess of Bansenga and the Countess Youngae stood side by side in front of the princess’s tea table.
As soon as Elizabeth saw Hermia bowing politely on her knees, her face flinched slightly.
‘What? She’s beautiful?’
“Welcome, Mrs. Vansen, and Miss Hermia.”
“I am so honored to be invited to this special occasion, Princess.”
The Countess spoke with a face full of emotion, but Elizabeth’s red eyes were fixed firmly on Hermia.
As Hermia raised her head and blinked without saying anything, the Countess tugged at the hem of her skirt. Elizabeth pretended not to notice the sight and waited for her greeting with gentle eyes.
“Hey, glory… Hello. I’m Hermia Bahnsen.”
And then his smiling face froze.
When greeting not only princesses but also high-ranking nobles such as royals or dukes whom you are meeting for the first time, you must always say, “It is an honor.”
‘I must have misheard.’
Elizabeth forced a smile, feeling unfamiliar with the new situation.
“It’s nice to meet you. You seem to be more famous than me these days, so I guess I should be the one honored.”
“…yes.”
“… … ?”
Hermia kept her mouth shut again, but was barely able to utter a word at the touch of the Countess’s hand.
This time, Elizabeth’s expression did not improve. She stood up from her chair and asked as if confirming.
“Miss Hermia? Did I mishear you?”
“… … .”
There was silence again. Elizabeth suppressed her anger and asked again.
“I ask you, should I really say that I am honored by Miss Hermia?”
“… … .”
“This is not a request, this is an order. Please answer.”
Hermia closed her eyes tightly and muttered softly at the words that were almost a warning.
“…either do it or not.”