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Chapter 52
We succeeded in escaping.
“Thank you for saving me, Leslie.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. This is something I must do as someone who will one day be the queen of society.”
Isn’t the empress the queen of society?
I tilted my head in confusion, then let it go.
“Miss Arellin, as a lady, you must always be mindful of your manners.”
“Hm?”
“It’s best not to play too much with gentlemen. They will all look at you with bad eyes.”
But isn’t it funny that they all hang around Pession because they want to play with him?
“Thanks for the advice.”
I chuckled lightly, but Leslie’s expression hardened.
‘Cute.’
Whether it was jealousy or whatever, I needed the help.
The twins and the crown prince kept sticking to me and just wouldn’t let go.
‘I have to save my friend!’
Harun wanted to run away, but I, not wanting a three-way fight with Pession and the twins, clenched my teeth and held on.
If it weren’t for Leslie, the four of us would have just fought it out again.
“We’re having a tea party today.”
“Ah.”
“It’s a girls’ tea party.”
The mini tea party prepared by the palace maids was held on the terrace of the crown prince’s palace.
A prime spot where you could feel the warm sunlight and the early summer garden scenery.
“Miss Leslie, welcome!”
“We’ve been waiting for you, Miss Leslie.”
“Everyone, I brought a special guest. It’s Miss Arellin! You all know her, right?”
“Wow.”
“Everyone, enjoy the tea party!”
Sitting apart from Leslie, I glanced around and thought.
I realized once again,
‘There are many grown-up kids in this gathering.’
There were many kids who didn’t behave like kids.
‘Is it because of their environment?’
Well, I grew up like this too.
The more expectations placed on a child, the more capable they are, the more likely they become grown-up kids.
‘Kids should grow up like kids.’
Though even I don’t really know what acting like a kid means.
“Miss Leslie is amazing.”
“That’s right, even last time.”
The kids were chatting among themselves.
I didn’t understand the talk.
It was something I couldn’t understand.
An invisible line was drawn that made it impossible for me to join in. Secret glances only they understood, and covert smiles.
This blatant exclusion just made me laugh.
‘So this was the point.’
Being a stuffed straw doll. It wasn’t just a day or two. I wasn’t suddenly annoyed.
I was just bored.
“Miss Arellin, aren’t you used to these kinds of gatherings?”
“Hm?”
Just when they were excluding me, now that I was openly bored, they pounced on me as if they had been waiting for it.
When I looked up carelessly, a young lady who seemed to have caught her chance smiled.
“Your thoughts show too clearly on your face.”
=How can you not hide your expression this well?
“You shouldn’t do that if you’re a lady.”
=If you’re a lady, you should be able to brush it off. Amateur?
“Oh, right. Miss Arellin probably hasn’t had anyone to teach her these basic social rules, huh?”
=Ah, no mom to teach you this?
This was a sneaky dig at me for not having a mother.
Fine. Let’s see how far this goes as they started chatting among themselves again.
Earlier they openly excluded me; now they put me on the chopping block.
“Miss Arellin seems to be very close with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
=You’re that close with the Crown Prince?
“He’s always around you without a break. Like a nanny.”
=Is the Crown Prince your nanny?
“How did you manage to pique his interest? No one else has succeeded.”
=How did you seduce him? I’m curious.
“How long do you think this interest will last?”
=How long do you think this situation will last?
Every word was a work of art.
“If you’re a lady who knows honor, you shouldn’t behave like that!”
=If you knew honor, stay away from the Crown Prince.
“That’s right, my mother always said to behave modestly.”
=You probably didn’t learn that because you have no mother, but behave modestly and stay away.
“Clinging to men is very vulgar.”
=You cling too much, so you look vulgar.
Their social-climbing phrases auto-translated into my mind, making me smirk.
You’re so obvious and simple, you guys.
‘Wait, was the reason they called me out because of the Crown Prince?’
“Young Lord Muvisk and the Sperom twins have also been paying a lot of attention to Miss Arellin lately, probably because of His Highness.”
=Harun and the twins stuck close to you too; it was annoying.
“Maybe it’s because you can’t adjust to the group?”
=How did you seduce him? Were you acting weak?
“We’ll take care of you from now on, so please be more careful about your manners.”
=We’ll include you, so keep your distance from that side.
“We’re only saying this because we care.”
The grilling seemed to have ended. Everyone was waiting for my reply. I just smiled quietly, more amused than anything else.
“Why?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why can’t I?”
They expected me to say “Okay, I will,” but I quietly smiled and betrayed their expectations.
“Who dares tell me what to do?”
I am of the Halbern Duke family.
The only duke’s daughter.
The only ones above me are the royal family.
Even if I had a reckless, wild personality that leaves ruins wherever I go, no one could dare say anything to me.
Except the royal family.
But still—
“Who’s going to tell me what to do?”
The mouths that were chattering loudly all at once snapped shut like clams.
The atmosphere suddenly chilled as if cold water had been poured.
No one dared speak.
I quietly stared at the young ladies who had looked down and slandered me.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? I’m asking.”
“……”
“Doesn’t what I say sound like something worth responding to?”
Everyone looked at me frozen and flustered. You could see their pupils trembling, from all their earlier chatter.
“Is a young lady telling me what to do? Hm?”
gulp
I heard someone swallow hard.
When I looked at them indifferently, their faces immediately paled and they shivered, which was amusing.
They started picking fights before, but now that I reacted like this, they were flustered, surprised they couldn’t handle me.
‘Did they really think I’d just sit there and listen quietly?’
At that moment, Leslie, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward.
“Miss Arellin, maybe you should stop now.”
“Why?”
“……”
“Leslie, you’ve been quiet so far, so it’s best you stay silent this time too.”
Leslie pursed her lips as if wanting to say something, hesitated a moment when meeting my gaze, and then shut her mouth.
“Why is everyone silent and refusing to answer? I’m so curious who dares say anything to me.”
I smiled sweetly, but the atmosphere remained cold.
“People might think I’m the villain here. I asked a perfectly reasonable question.”
The situation was completely broken, and everyone was flustered, not knowing how to behave.
Confirming the initiative was now completely mine, I focused on the young lady who first started the trouble and had talked the most.
“Young lady.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Name?”
“Na-Nadely.”
“Father’s title?”
“Viscount.”
“Miss Nadely, do you know this is just a social gathering, so it’s limited? If this were a regular party, you wouldn’t have dared speak to me. Dare.”
“Ugh.”
Nadely bit her lips, turning bright red.
“Thanks for the advice, but—”
I wiped the smile off my lips.
“I never gave you permission to advise me.”
I heard someone gasp.
“Do you know that advice from those without qualification is an arrogant meddling and a sin committed by words?”
“Sniff…”
Unable to reply, Nadely trembled and then suddenly tears spilled.
Her crying looked pitiful, but I felt no sympathy.
I had spent far longer hiding and crying alone.
‘They were just kids like this.’
Why did I want to get close to them so badly?
I was lonely.
I wanted friends.
Because my weak body kept me stuck in the mansion, I wanted peers to play with. I thought having friends would make me less lonely.
But the reality I faced was different, and the only ones who saw my kindness as a weakness were those bullies.
No matter how kind, how much I smiled, how gentle I was, I was alone.
But still, I wanted friends.
Anyone was fine; I just hated being alone.
Before the memories of my past life returned, Arellin—my past self—was just that little girl.
‘I just gave up.’
I just gave in and gave up.
Is it okay for their eyes to look at me so differently?
Then, now, I am still Arellin of Halbern.
“Sniff, sob, sniffle.”
Watching Nadely, who burst into tears over a few words, I quietly observed as the palace maids approached after hearing the commotion.
“What’s going on here?”
Other young ladies fidgeted nervously.
Everyone’s eyes turned to me.
“The duke’s daughter?”
The palace maids approached me.
“I was just telling Miss Nadely a little early truth.”
“Hm?”
“That crying won’t solve anything in this world.”
The maids, with blank expressions, stayed by my side.
“I enjoyed the tea party. I’ll be going now.”
“Oh, yes.”
Making friends was a lost cause.
