🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 8
“H-Heston.”
“Yes, I was beginning to think you’d forgotten me entirely since you weren’t listening to a single word I said, but apparently you still remember me. Your Highness, please speak.”
“Didn’t you just say what you were thinking out loud a little too easily?”
“No, Your Highness must have imagined that.”
“Imagined it, huh.”
“Haha… Please give your orders.”
Lucian muttered about whether he should really cut him down, then sighed.
“I think it’s about time I changed things.”
“If you become even more troublesome than you already are, it’ll be impossible to clean up after you. If you insist on that, then cut off my head first.”
Lucian actually started drawing his sword as though he fully intended to grant his loyal servant’s request, making Heston hurriedly pull his neck back and stop him.
“I didn’t mean I literally wanted my head cut off! It was a figure of speech!”
After awkwardly clearing his throat, Heston looked toward his lord.
Blue eyes stared silently back at him.
As though he had read the thoughts flickering in those eyes, unease spread across Heston’s face.
“Your Highness.”
“The place where I gathered information betrayed me too. No matter how carelessly I behave, nowhere ever becomes a place where I can breathe easily. Instead, I’m being cornered more and more. Silence is no longer protecting me.”
Heston’s face twisted with anxiety.
Lucian smiled faintly while touching the corner of his eye.
“No matter how much I tried to hide it, it was never something that could truly stay hidden. And I got exposed in the most ridiculous way possible. She calmly asked whether keeping my eye color changed for too long would damage my vision.”
“If someone is trying to investigate Your Highness, just give the order. I’ll make sure the secret remains a secret.”
Murderous intent appeared in Heston’s otherwise gentle gaze.
Lucian smiled with satisfaction as he looked at that unwavering loyalty.
“No. Somehow, I feel…”
At that moment, Flotie’s violet eyes crossed his mind.
“We’ll meet again before long.”
“Your Highness?”
“I think the time has finally come.”
After all, he had always known he couldn’t keep running forever.
***
After saying all those outrageous things in front of Lucian, I only truly relaxed once I returned home.
And immediately began worrying about practical matters.
“Ah… but after talking so confidently, what exactly am I supposed to do from now on?”
I felt lost.
House Rosena was powerful, but that didn’t mean I could freely command that power myself.
And I couldn’t rely completely on Unni and Minabel either.
They would help me as much as they could, but there were limits.
Unni wasn’t an all-powerful duke, and Minabel wasn’t going to inherit her marquis house.
And if I didn’t move on my own, then I’d just become an irresponsible person causing trouble without any plan.
As I scribbled on parchment, I began muttering through possible plans.
“First, I need connections. Honestly, that’s everything for nobles anyway.”
“Connections?”
“Yeah. House Rosena itself is powerful, but… it’s not something I can freely use. And besides, we also need other noble houses who can strengthen the prince’s authority.”
If someone like me, merely the youngest daughter and not even the heir, wanted to build influence personally, then I needed far more fame and connections.
And the first place where someone like me could build those connections was…
Right.
The social world.
At best, I could only join gatherings of young noble ladies, but behind them stood enormous noble families.
“Bell, honestly, you already dominate high society. You’re the most famous lady there.”
“It’s embarrassing hearing that directly from my own mouth, but… I need to gather friendship points to use the shop too…”
Even while looking shy, Minabel blinked curiously.
“Then next time, can I go with you? Maybe charity banquets or music recitals. Especially places attended by neutral families.”
“What is this story progression seriously? Ah, uh, I’ll look into it! Will Sister Rphina come too?”
Ever since that day, Minabel seemed to have grown strangely attached to my sister.
“If Tie goes, then of course I want to follow her anywhere, but high society really isn’t my thing…”
For the first time, Unni looked slightly reluctant about joining me somewhere.
“But I understand what you mean about needing allies. I can’t just sit back either.”
My sister suddenly spoke in an unnecessarily solemn tone.
What exactly was she planning?
“Lady Cherita, please take care of Tie while I’m away. If anything happens, tear this handkerchief. I’ll come immediately.”
Unni handed Minabel a pale purple handkerchief.
Just recently, she had practically treated Minabel like a possible assassin, so this was honestly emotional progress.
“Tie, I’ll give you a magical tool that can immediately kill anyone if something happens. I’ll place a curse on it powerful enough that not even ancient magic could block it.”
Apparently Minabel was special. Unni still clearly distrusted everyone else.
Still, at least she wasn’t opposing me, which was a relief.
***
“Now, Tie. Remember what I told you?”
“When you nod, people will admire your wise opinions. If you take a sip of tea, smile lightly. If you tuck your hair behind your ear, just imitate the reactions around you. And if all else fails, stay expressionless and blame your poor health…”
Minabel nodded seriously.
Rumors that I, who had barely appeared in noble society since my debutante, was finally returning spread instantly.
Though honestly, about half of that was because Minabel personally ran around spreading the news herself.
Thanks to that, countless invitations poured in as people fought to host my symbolic return to society.
“I never thought this many people would actually care about me.”
“Sometimes I feel like you seriously underestimate your family’s influence.”
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
“You can’t separate yourself from House Rosena. You’re literally trying to conquer high society because you want access to the influence behind all those noble daughters too.”
Every time I realized it again, Minabel possessed the terrifying ability to shut me up with a single sentence.
Then again, that was probably why she ruled social circles so effectively.
As Minabel carefully sorted through the invitations, she gave practical advice.
“A charity party would look good publicly, but people stand around for too long at those. That’s impossible for you. If I took you somewhere like that, Sister Pina would cut me down with a sword immediately. So I picked somewhere smaller, where you can sit most of the time, but still full of important people.”
“Important people?”
“Mmm… basically somewhere efficient. Killing two birds with one stone, making both the sister and brother-in-law hap— never mind. Forget I said anything.”
The place she ultimately chose was Lady Panesula’s Reading Club.
“A reading club? It sounds like the kind of place where people only have productive discussions, not somewhere to build meaningful relationships.”
“My dear Lady Rosena, people gathering together and having only productive conversations almost never happens.”
Minabel grinned as though revealing a deeply confidential secret.
“Ah, though if you don’t require those productive conversations to be morally good, then it’s an incredibly useful place.”
“Are they committing terrible crimes there? I still don’t have much experience with political schemes.”
“If you put it that way, it’s the birthplace of many terrible things. But since words, not actions, hold power there, it’s also the place where you can have the strongest influence.”
Minabel briefly explained the true nature of the club.
Officially, it was a reading group.
In reality, it was where all kinds of horrifying gossip began.
And apparently, everything depended entirely on the whims of the club’s owner, Lillian Panesula.
Still, if she liked someone, they received incredible special treatment, so countless people desperately tried to join the club, and its current members were all extremely prestigious.
“The fact that they sent you an invitation first really shows how important House Rosena is.”
“I didn’t really want to hear people call us important in this kind of context.”
When I wondered aloud whether Count Panesula’s family also dealt in information networks, Minabel laughed softly.
“They’re very skilled at spreading false information. And Lady Panesula especially enjoys questioning young ladies she dislikes.”
