IPBPBD 74🔐

chapter 74

Countess Emilina and Countess Razella arrived at the Marquis Chase’s residence without being late.

Fortunately, they weren’t the last to arrive. Three more carriages followed right after them.

Emilina inwardly felt relieved that there was at least one less reason to draw attention.

She had already anticipated being the center of attention the moment she entered, and the thought of arriving at the very end like a “main character” was enough to make her shiver…

No. I won’t think about it.

Emilina quickly shook off the ominous thoughts.

Yes. The most important thing was that such a thing wouldn’t happen now.

The two of them were then guided by the marquis’ butler to the location where the garden party was being held.

Upon arrival, the first to greet Emilina and Countess Razella were, as expected, the Chase mother and daughter.

Well… it was natural, since they were the hosts.

“It’s an honor to have you here, Duchess,” said the Marchioness of Chase. “This is the first time we’ve met. I am Martina Chase, the host of this garden party.”

Serica followed with her introduction:

“I am Serica Chase.”

Emilina returned the greeting.

“I am Emilina Dietrio. Thank you for inviting me to such an important gathering.”

Fortunately, Emilina could say her full name naturally.

Because of the change in her surname, she had previously struggled to get it to feel right on her tongue, making it awkward to pronounce.

But the practice had paid off, and she could now say her full name smoothly.

Some might scoff, thinking it ridiculous to need practice just to say one’s name, but for Emilina, it wasn’t trivial and required serious preparation.

Why, you ask? Probably because she would answer:

“The name… how should I put it… sounds awkward.”

Apologies to Kirzen, but her new surname combined with her given name didn’t quite match.

Others might not notice, but Emilina felt it immediately.

The sound felt clumsy on her tongue, making her hesitant to speak it aloud.

So practicing it wasn’t in vain.

Well… now I’m used to it, and it comes out smoothly, she thought.

Seeing herself say it without hesitation, she felt she had adapted well to her new surname.

Moreover, she was pleased that she hadn’t shown any awkwardness in this setting.

Emilina observed the Chase mother and daughter as they returned her greeting and began exchanging pleasantries with Countess Razella.

However, they didn’t prolong the conversation.

Other guests were still arriving.

Just then, the butler of the marquis brought in new guests.

Since there wasn’t much time for prolonged conversation, the Marchioness of Chase quickly wrapped up the discussion.

She then instructed Serica to guide Emilina and Countess Razella to their designated seats and left to receive the next guests.

Following Serica, Emilina and Countess Razella took their assigned seats prepared by the host.

Soon after, all attendees were seated.

The garden party had begun.

The tables set in the well-manicured, spacious garden were arranged in long rectangular rows.

Roughly… twenty people?

According to Countess Razella, several invited guests were unable to attend, so the original number was likely higher.

Emilina quietly felt relieved. Twenty people already seemed plenty to her.

She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

She glanced around, trying to understand the meaning behind the assigned seating.

Hmm, this looks like a ranking system…

The further one sat from the host, the lower their social rank or reputation.

It was as if each person’s status had been represented by their seat.

Even from the moment one sat at the table, hierarchy was already established.

Emilina felt a strange mix of emotions as she looked at Serica.

Originally, she wouldn’t have even been allowed to attend this gathering.

Even if she had been seated, she would have been placed in a position where conversation would be nearly impossible.

Yet, she was just one seat away from the host, the Marchioness of Chase, and Serica sat directly across from her.

Perhaps she should feel grateful.

Countess Razella sat right next to her.

Recalling how surprised she had been when first receiving her seat, Emilina suspected it had been arranged out of consideration for her.

It made sense, since this was Emilina’s first central social gathering.

Being a first-time attendee who had previously avoided social circles in various ways, some leniency was natural.

To prevent awkwardness, having her only friendly contact, Countess Razella, by her side would help her settle in.

Though it’s true some of it may be because we’re from a ducal family.

Of course, this arrangement also required friendly intentions, so Emilina took it positively.

In any case, if it hadn’t been for Countess Razella, Emilina might have faced considerable difficulty from the moment she sat down.

She would have had to greet others despite reluctance, and now that her status had risen, she couldn’t avoid speaking.

The noblewomen and young ladies with lower ranks acted exactly that way.

Perhaps that was why some of the expressions among the mixed attendees were quite entertaining.

Especially Serica’s followers and young ladies of Emilina’s age group.

It was funny in its own way.

Those who had once looked down on her now couldn’t utter a word, even though positions had shifted.

Though their expressions revealed their displeasure, politeness prevailed in speech.

Emilina couldn’t hide her amusement at the situation.

At the same time, she felt a bitter satisfaction.

People’s attitudes could change in an instant, and the duplicity of these individuals was infuriating.

Sigh. Even knowing this, it still feels unpleasant.

Emilina fiddled with the teacup in front of her.

Although some were unhappy with their seats, the gathering itself had not yet officially started.

A slightly tense atmosphere lingered as the Marchioness of Chase took her seat, accompanied by a subtle silence that matched it.

With the host not opening the floor, everyone remained cautious and quiet.

Finally, the Marchioness spoke.

“Thank you all for coming. I hope that, as this is a meaningful gathering, you will achieve the results you desire today.”

With that, the noblewomen and young ladies began initiating conversations.

The garden quickly filled with voices, replacing the prior silence.

And Emilina…

“Hello, Duchess. Allow me to greet you again. I am Serica Chase.”

“…Nice to meet you, Lady Chase.”

She found herself in an awkward situation.

Serica had spoken first, forcing Emilina into an uncomfortable exchange.

She was so flustered she nearly bit her tongue.

Thank goodness I didn’t.

Otherwise, she would have been embarrassed and become a laughingstock.

No matter what, Emilina did not want to provide amusement to these two-faced people.

As she quietly reassured herself that she had handled the situation well, Serica’s lips curved softly as she continued.

“I’ve wanted to have a proper conversation with you, but the timing never worked out. I’m delighted that an opportunity has finally presented itself.”

Indeed… Serica had shown considerable interest in her over time.

Even now, those same intense gazes were fixed upon her.

Meanwhile, the surrounding noblewomen pretended not to notice, chatting casually.

If they keep staring like this, they might drill a hole through my face.

The young ladies in the middle were burning with jealousy, envy, and other unsightly emotions.

Control your expressions.

What on earth were they thinking?

Despite claiming to be part of the refined central social circle, they were no different from ordinary young ladies elsewhere.

It was puzzling why such distinctions were even made when emotions were so openly displayed.

Of course, given past behavior, Emilina had expected as much.

Hah. So I thought she wouldn’t speak to me directly…

She had completely misjudged the situation.

She expected to be led into conversation via Countess Razella, but she had guessed wrong.

Emilina hid her displeasure and spoke in a calm, indifferent tone.

“Oh my. I hope I don’t disappoint your expectations. I may not be very talkative, so I’m not sure I have much to share.”

She phrased it politely, but Serica’s response was sharp.

“You have a good sense of humor. Conversations often start from the simplest things, don’t they?”

Damn it. Just let it go.

Emilina smiled faintly.

“Of course. I only said that to bring a smile to Lady Chase. Wasn’t it a decent joke?”

Serica’s eyes curved into a gentle smile.

“Hehe. Quite decent. I, too, lack eloquence, so I could almost learn a thing or two from you.”

…What was this? What kind of conversation was this?

Emilina studied Serica with a complex expression.

Was she being sarcastic, or was she genuinely trying to be friendly? She couldn’t tell at all.

Since Serica’s intentions were unclear, distinguishing between the subtle barbs in her words was extremely difficult.