IPTD 36

Chapter 36

Among the three of them, Lillian—who was closest to Katarina—exchanged a silent look with her. Then she slipped between Katarina and Renée and looped her arm through Katarina’s.

In a deliberately sweet, coquettish voice, Lillian spoke.

“Lady Katarina, don’t say that—let’s all have a picnic together. We’ve already secured a lovely spot!”

Having edged René aside, Lillian turned her body completely toward Katarina. It was a gesture that clearly dismissed René.

Yet René, who had naturally taken a small step back, showed no change in her expression.

Pretending to look troubled, Katarina gently linked arms with Lillian in return and tilted her head.

“But I already had plans with Lady Renée… Hmm. Since it’s come to this, would it be all right if I enjoy a picnic—perhaps a tea party—with the young ladies instead, Lady Renée?”

Though she asked with a troubled face, she couldn’t quite hide the smile in her voice.

A neat reply came at once.

“Hmm… Yes, that sounds good!”

At the immediate answer, the young ladies let out soft giggles.

“Oh my. Her Grace the Grand Duchess will be joining us as well…?”

Serena spoke with feigned concern, unfolding her beautiful lace fan to cover part of her face. From behind the fan, she briefly swept her gaze over René from head to toe.

“Would the others object? As long as I’m with such lovely young ladies, I’m happy with anything…”

René’s bold reply left them all speechless.

And at the same time, they all thought:

This woman is no ordinary one!

It was shamelessly audacious.

To deflect attacks so casually with those innocent eyes! Even in the face of open humiliation, she didn’t change expression at all?

If four women seasoned by countless social battles in the weaponless battlefield of high society were this flustered, just how skilled at social maneuvering was she?

She was so composed it was almost chilling.

There’s a limit to being thick-skinned! Even if she’s an illegitimate child, a Blanche is still a Blanche. That brazen attitude is exactly the same.

Serena cleared her throat lightly and pressed on.

“Oh my—of course it’s an honor for us! Lady Katarina, you’re quite all right with this, aren’t you?”

“Of course. Our Lady Renée is still inexperienced in high society. This will be her very first tea party. So I believe sitting with you young ladies will be a valuable new experience for her.”

Katarina answered demurely.

The conversation among the ladies flowed as smoothly as water, but the intention behind it was obvious.

They regarded Katarina as superior to René.

Which was no different from saying they did not recognize René as Grand Duchess.

But…

René, who had been blinking and gazing elsewhere as if unaware of everything, suddenly beamed.

“Katarina, that means I can go too, right? Wow, I’m so excited!”

Clenching both fists in delight, she expressed her joy with her whole body. The hem of her yellow dress fluttered lightly.

Katarina, failing to manage her expression, only twitched the corners of her mouth awkwardly instead of offering her usual gracious smile, then nodded.

Julie and Serena, standing beside Lillian, chimed in as well.

“O-of course! We’d be delighted if you joined us.”

“Right over there.”

Serena gently pointed toward a small hill.

In the shade beneath a large tree stood a round table grand enough to outdo the word “picnic,” laden with assorted refreshments, attended by footmen and maids.

It was quite an impressive tea party setting.

After confirming the location, René smiled faintly and nodded.

“The honor is mine. To be with such beautiful young ladies—I’m truly thrilled!”

Her voice was smooth as pearls rolling across a silver tray.

Wearing a spotless, bright smile, René’s gaze landed on Lillian.

And the moment their eyes met—

Something in Lillian’s heart suddenly felt rough and unsettled.

Those red eyes, once scorned and whispered about as cursed, were instead…

Like red glass marbles.

The girl standing before her looked small, delicate, and pure.

No. This might be a cunning trick to make us lower our guard. The Blanche family is two-faced, after all.

Forcing a smile, Lillian spoke.

“…I’m very glad as well, Lady Renée. Please, follow us.”

When they arrived at the tea table, it was filled with dishes carefully prepared by the maids.

As sandwiches, madeleines, and various sweets were laid out, maids bustled nearby brewing black tea.

In an instant, a rather convincing tea party scene was set.

The young ladies sipped their tea primly, exchanging subtle glances.

After tasting a sip, Serena spoke up.

“Ahem, Lady Renée, you mentioned this is your first time at such a tea party, correct?”

The Grand Duchess who had never even had a proper debutante ball.

It was a topic deliberately brought up to tease her.

Yet even to a remark meant to mock, René replied straightforwardly.

“Yes, at least with young ladies my own age. I’ve never had the opportunity.”

“Th-then… what about close friends?”

“Friends? Ah, my maids are very sweet and kind. We’re always having fun together. Wouldn’t that make them friends?”

“Y-your maids?”

“Well, I consider them friends. Don’t I, Betty?”

René asked kindly, turning to the maids standing properly behind her.

One of them, eyes wide, looked deeply moved and nodded repeatedly, sniffling.

What on earth—how much did she bribe them for that reaction? And honestly, calling maids her friends…

How exactly does the Blanche family raise their children?

No—more likely she was neglected and never educated at all.

Setting aside their shock at her unconventional thinking, the three young ladies were flustered by René’s attitude—none of their attacks seemed to land.

She was impossible to grasp.

At times it felt like she understood everything and acted accordingly; at others, as though she truly knew nothing.

Hadn’t Katarina said she was merely a fool who had lucked her way into the position of Grand Duchess?

Then why—

Why did elegance seem to flow from her even when she did nothing?

“Ah.”

A gentle breeze scattered her silver hair, and René let out a small exclamation as she tucked it behind her ear.

Even that tiny gesture looked like a painting.

Serena merely fluttered her fan, scoffing inwardly.

Still, Lady Katarina has served His Grace the Grand Duke Celeste since childhood! We must keep our wits about us and choose our allegiance wisely.

Just as Serena was reinforcing her vigilance—

“Actually… I couldn’t say it earlier, but I’m really happy to have met you all like this. I hope we can become friends too.”

After looking around at the scenery, René spoke shyly, her cheeks flushed and her voice bright with warmth.

The four young ladies who prided themselves on ruling high society had never encountered anyone like René.

Calmly and gently parrying every barbed remark.

Eyes that seemed vacant yet shone with intelligence.

And that candid, unaffected manner of speaking, delivered with a rosy face.

Why is it? I keep getting curious.

Renée Blanche—now Renée Celeste—the woman before them, was unbearably intriguing.

“Yes, well… if Your Grace truly wishes it…”

As she said it, she almost felt she truly did want to become friends.

“Ahem!”

Just then, Katarina cleared her throat pointedly from the front, and the three young ladies’ dazed expressions snapped back to place.

Realizing her lapse, Lillian—green-eyed—awkwardly changed the subject.

“L-Lady Katarina! Come to think of it, the dress you’re wearing—isn’t it the newest piece from Velua Boutique?”

Only then did Katarina’s expression relax.

“Oh ho, as expected of Lady Lillian. You have a keen eye.”

“It suits you perfectly. The deep blue silk gown you wore at the last ball was beautiful as well! Compared to that…”

Lillian openly swept her gaze over René from head to toe.

But—

“A ball?”

Had she truly not realized her attire had just been evaluated?

In René’s eyes, which flashed for a brief moment, there was no trace of humiliation—only curiosity.