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Chapter : 49
“I don’t know what you were worried about, but there’s no need to be. It’s true that I haven’t received any contact since the day I was dismissed from my role as your attendant, and now that our relationship is settled, I have no intention of getting involved with you again.”
“W-What? Sister, how can you say that…?”
“From the beginning, I was only ordered by your father to serve as your attendant. Now that that’s over, there’s no need to continue this connection, is there?”
“But we’re cousins, aren’t we? Even if you stop being my attendant, we’re still family. Can’t you stay as my sister?”
“Family? You and me?”
Frea couldn’t stop the hollow laugh that escaped her this time. To think the word family would come from Astella’s mouth—the one who had treated her like a pushover more than anyone.
“If you really thought of me as family, you wouldn’t have acted so selfishly.”
“Frea unni, that’s a strange thing to say. When did I ever do something like that?”
“Shall I list them one by one? What you made me do and what you demanded under the excuse of ‘attendant.’ If you want it all revealed here, I can do that.”
“……”
Astella glanced around and tightly shut her mouth.
Even between cousins, there was a line to what you could expect and demand from an attendant.
She knew she hadn’t kept that line, and that her actions weren’t something she could be proud of. She might have tried to feign ignorance, but with public opinion already against her, that wouldn’t be a good move.
As Astella’s head slowly lowered, Frea felt the frustration she’d bottled up finally ease.
“Hey, you! Who do you think you are, threatening people like this? Don’t you know your place—!”
“Karin.”
Verde reached out and stopped Karin, who was shouting in anger. Shaking his head at him, Verde looked at Frea with a hardened expression.
“Miss Valche, mind your words. Astella trusted and followed you more than anyone. Just because she acted a little spoiled, is it right to twist it into something so malicious?”
Just as expected, Verde defended Astella. Frea frowned at his biased words and replied,
‘A little spoiled, you say? She’d come every day without any regard for my schedule and drag me out shopping, and even if I prepared tea parties or gatherings more than ten times, she’d learn nothing and just show up in body. You call that ‘a little spoiled’?”
“She’s a child experiencing high society for the first time. Everything must be unfamiliar and difficult. Isn’t it only natural that it’s hard for her to learn quickly?”
“As far as I know, she prioritized her debut in society and skipped etiquette and liberal education, learning practically nothing else. Even after I explained things to her many times, she’d say she couldn’t do it and ask me to handle everything from start to finish. And you call that ‘a little spoiled,’ Young Master? Not once or twice, but for over half a year.”
“……She probably did that because there aren’t many people she can open her heart to. Can’t you understand that much between cousins?”
Since when had being cousins become such an important excuse? Before Astella came, their families barely even interacted.
They were the sort who would exchange greetings if they met at the same social party. In the palace, they didn’t even acknowledge each other.
Maintaining a cold, cynical tone, Frea answered,
“No matter how close cousins are, there are still boundaries. Think about it the other way around. If I had treated Astella the same way, would you have understood?”
“That’s different. You’re older than Astella, aren’t you?”
“It’s only a three-year difference. She’s an adult too, so what does age even matter? If you’re going to say she’s still young and can’t adapt, it’s already been over eight months since she returned. There’s a limit to overprotecting someone, Young Master.”
“Miss Valche!”
Verde finally lost his temper and snapped. His brows were deeply furrowed, and his glare toward Frea was fierce, yet he couldn’t bring himself to argue back any further.
“Brother! You’re really going to believe what that woman is saying? There’s no way Astella would do that! She’s just spouting nonsense— I won’t let you get away with this!”
Seeing Verde being pushed back by Frea, Karin stepped in again, veins bulging on his forehead as he tried to advance.
“At a banquet I’m hosting, what do you think you’re doing right now?”
Helena, who had been watching from behind, intervened. At her confident step forward, followed by Jayros, Verde and Karin flinched and bowed their heads, and Astella belatedly followed suit.
“We greet His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess.”
“That greeting came rather late, Young Master Binok.”
Helena’s gaze toward the three hastily paying their respects was far from friendly—especially sharp when it landed on Astella.
Sensing that, Verde hurriedly spoke in a polite tone.
“My apologies for the late greeting, Your Highness. I was delighted to meet my cousin, Miss Valche, after a long time and lost track of myself.”
“For something that delighted you, the atmosphere didn’t look very good. It seemed like you were arguing. Did I see it wrong?”
“Ah, there was just a small misunderstanding. Nothing Your Highness needs to concern herself with.”
“Hm. Is that so?”
When Helena shot him a suspicious look, he quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, the banquet hall is truly splendid. It’s my sister’s first time at a palace banquet, so she was very much looking forward to it. Right, Astella?”
“Ah, yes. Brother Verde is right. Palace banquets really are on another level.”
Astella smoothly picked up on his attempt to steer the conversation. After glancing at Frea, she stepped closer to Helena and Jayros, smiling shyly.
“I’ve been sad that I never had the chance to talk with the two of you before, so I’m really happy you invited me today. Especially since I’ve always admired Your Highness the Princess for your confident and bright demeanor.”
It was hard to believe she was the same person who had just lowered her head in frustration—she looked like someone else entirely. Her cheeks flushed, her green eyes sparkled as she gazed up, and her radiant, cheerful aura drew attention.
This was the lovely Astella everyone knew, but somehow her presence felt even stronger.
It seemed she was trying to win Helena’s favor. Would that really work? Brushing her arm where a sudden chill ran through, Frea watched their exchange.
“To think the famous young lady of Duke Binok admires me. Thank you.”
“Oh, not at all. I’m just so happy to finally meet you like this.”
“I’m happy to meet you too. I’ve seen you a few times at other tea parties and gatherings, but this is our first proper conversation.”
“It’s an honor to be given this chance. I’ve learned so much from Your Highness, who leads the trends of high society. It’s embarrassing to say it directly, but I’ve always wanted to become close to you.”
Judging Helena’s reaction to be favorable, Astella subtly revealed her true intent. She smiled while glancing sideways at Frea, like someone who thought they’d gained a new advantage.
She really thinks this will easily win over the Princess? It’s too soon for that.
Sure enough, Astella’s hasty misjudgment was soon shattered.
“I’m glad you say that. But tell me, young lady—did you perhaps misunderstand the banquet time?”
“Pardon?”
“If not, how could you arrive later than the host herself?”
Helena’s golden eyes flashed as she stared sharply at Astella, as if interrogating her. At the sudden change in tone, Astella’s face filled with confusion.
“Ah, I—”
“The time was clearly written on the invitation. That’s strange. You did read it properly, didn’t you? Since you came with the young masters, you couldn’t have gotten lost on the way here. So what happened?”
“Well, that is…”
“You didn’t come early, full of anticipation, and you even greeted me late. Do you really admire me that much?”
“……”
Under the barrage of sharp words, Astella was left speechless.
“Care to answer, young lady of Duke Binok?”
Helena’s scolding voice echoed through the banquet hall.
From Helena’s point of view, she couldn’t possibly like Astella, who arrived late, drew everyone’s attention, and acted as if she were the main character.
It was well known that Helena despised people who were different on the outside and inside. And since she’d already heard about Astella’s true nature from Raiden before coming, Astella’s shameless attitude must have irritated her even more.
No wonder she’s called the Red Rose who reigns over high society.
Though it was a nickname given for her glamorous looks and conduct, many feared her for her tendency to speak her mind and press forward with thorny sharpness.
Still, because she always stepped up to confront injustice directly, most people liked her, even if they found her personality burdensome.
What Astella had overlooked was that background—trying too easily to win Helena’s favor without knowing who she was dealing with.
She might have been trying to change targets to survive, but neither the situation nor the timing was on her side.
