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Chapter 04
She had expected a sharp tongue, but the young lady turned out to be kinder than she’d thought. Seizing the opportunity, Odellia expressed that she would be truly grateful if Yudith followed through.
“Hoho, don’t misunderstand. Ah, yes. I was thinking of holding a bazaar with the other ladies—would you like to come?”
“If you would be so kind, I’d gladly accept. Every little bit helps in my current situation.”
Just reselling those things would fetch a decent amount. In fact, if she could be a little more greedy, she’d love to get some unworn clothes or accessories. If she took those to a dress shop, she could sell them for a good price.
If she saved up little by little like that, she might even be able to have a dress made for the debutante ball. Of course, once she had it made, she planned to wear it until it fell apart.
“Thank you for worrying about someone like me, Lady Yudith. As expected of a noble lady—you have true character.”
“W-well, you don’t have to go that far…”
“Not at all. The very fact that you brought it up first is a great help to me.”
Yudith was flustered by Odellia’s genuinely excited demeanor. She had expected Odellia to blush with wounded pride, but instead she was genuinely happy? And on top of that, she had received unexpected praise.
*’What? I heard she’d been through battlefields, so I thought she’d be fierce, rough, and arrogant, but she’s actually… rather humble?’*
Through the grapevine, she had heard that Odellia looked down on men and despised nobles, but the Odellia standing before her was completely different.
Hearing things like *I’d truly be grateful*, *You have such a kind heart*—it made her lose all will to fight.
And Odellia’s face, flashing that refreshing grin…
*’What? Why is she handsome? Why is a woman handsome?’*
It was a face that would have been beautiful if she were a woman. Ah, she *is* a woman, right.
Anyway, looking at her makeup-free face, her height a full head taller, her slender build, her healthy complexion so different from their own pallid faces—despite being the same gender, there was something strangely stirring about her charm.
*’Come to think of it… even wearing an outdated man’s coat, she doesn’t look shabby at all…?’*
That was only possible with an outstanding physique.
“Th-then, when the bazaar is scheduled, I’ll send you a separate invitation. R-right, everyone?”
By now, it was Yudith who was blushing.
“Of course, Lady Yudith.”
“Naturally. I’m already looking forward to the bazaar.”
“I have so many things to put up, too.”
……It wasn’t just her—the other ladies, who had come fully prepared with sharp glares, had also softened somehow, staring at Odellia with goofy smiles and saying *Of course*. Their original plans had become useless.
“Yes, I’ll be waiting. Please do contact me.”
“Yes……”
Yudith, finally snapping back to her senses at Odellia’s bow of thanks, took her companions and retreated to a corner. It seemed they were going to hold another strategy meeting.
“That woman—was that intentional?”
“Intentional?”
“If not, how could she captivate people with every single smile like that?”
At Yudith’s words, the young ladies exchanged subtle glances. Yudith, whom they had expected to dislike Odellia the most, seemed to have fallen for her first.
“……She’s rather impressive. The way she speaks, and all… I thought she was just imitating men, but it’s not really that… I didn’t expect her to come in a borrowed tailcoat either. I thought it would look ridiculous, but somehow it suits her. She’s tall and well-proportioned, and her face is delicate. And more than anything… her bright smile is really striking. She seems like… a solid person, you know?”
At Yudith’s words, everyone nodded in silent agreement.
“Then when should we hold the bazaar?”
“How about holding an auction there and using the proceeds to sponsor Lady Odellia?”
“How about inviting some designers too? I know a few.”
“Do you think Lady Odellia is interested in desserts? She’s so slender, I feel like she wouldn’t care much about them.”
Even though the date hadn’t been set, the ladies were already deeply discussing what to put up, whom to invite, and what Odellia’s favorite foods might be.
Meanwhile, Odellia watched Yudith and the other ladies whispering in the distant corner.
*’Are they plotting a new strategy?’*
Soon, her eyes met Yudith’s, and she flashed an awkward smile. For some reason, Yudith blushed.
“I hope that bazaar really happens.”
It would be wonderful if she could buy dresses and accessories cheaply and resell them at a premium. She had heard that there were merchants who took discarded noble dresses and repurposed them into pouches, cushions, and other items for resale. Since these were ladies from quite prestigious noble houses, the dresses and trinkets they put up at the bazaar would surely fetch a good price.
As she turned her gaze, Odellia spotted the lavish banquet spread across the tables in the distance.
Right on cue, her stomach growled. Come to think of it, she hadn’t eaten anything since two slices of apple this morning. With the sharp eyes of a hawk locking onto its target, Odellia strode toward the table.
Yes, today’s goal was to devour this. Just as she thought that and reached out her hand, someone spoke to her.
“All of this must be unfamiliar to you. How are you finding it? You seem to be enjoying it more than I expected.”
Odellia turned to look at the man. He was slightly taller than her, and there was confidence in his eyes.
“I am Roxion, heir to the House of Montegue.”
“Odellia—”
Before she could finish—
“There isn’t a noble in this room who doesn’t know your name. I’d like to ask you for a dance today, but unfortunately, you don’t have a dance card. And more than that, if we danced, people might think two men were dancing! Hahahaha!”
A dance card? What’s that? Odellia first picked up a champagne glass from the table and downed it, then immediately bit into an éclair.
It was so sweet it made her frown. But she couldn’t quite scrunch up her face, so she forced it down her throat.
“You seem nervous. To be honest, I was a little nervous too. I’d heard about the Golden Lion Hero and was worried about how burly you might be.”
No, she wasn’t nervous—the éclair was lodged in her throat and she was choking.
“As it happens, I had just returned from a trip on the very day you entered the palace, so I only heard rumors and was already intimidated. Hahaha. Is this your first time talking with a man like this? By that, I mean dances, small talk like this, you know. The battlefield is full of… rough types.”
Odellia patted her chest.
“Oh, your heart is racing? I feel the same.”
“That’s not—la—”
“Haha. You’re not as rough a woman as the rumors say, I see. You even know how to be shy like this… I heard you came to find a husband, but up close, you have rather delicate features—”
“Kek—cough!”
“……”
“Ah……”
Of course, the man named Roxion of House Montegue was truly greasy and delusional—a thoroughly unappetizing partner—but spitting the éclair that had been stuck in her throat onto his face had not been intentional.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to.”
He quietly wiped the crushed éclair from his face, then flicked the food that had fallen onto his shoes as if shaking off mud. After that, he silently met Odellia’s eyes.
He clearly wanted to curse but was holding it in because of all the onlookers.
Among those onlookers were Yudith and her group. They immediately grasped the situation—though with a slight misunderstanding added on.
“Oh my, isn’t that Roxion of Montegue?”
At those words, Yudith’s expression crumpled.
*Lady Yudith, your face, your face!* One of the ladies beside her quickly unfurled her fan to cover her face. She must have been making a truly hideous expression—if she showed that in public, her marriage proposals would dry up in an instant.
“Why is that man here…”
Yudith ground her teeth. In fact, last year at Yudith’s debutante ball, Roxion had proposed to her, only to propose to another woman behind her back, causing her no end of humiliation.
In the end, the marriage between Yudith and Roxion fell through, and Yudith, having missed the prime window of her debutante as a woman, became a laughingstock for some time.
“That man is clearly only approaching Lady Odellia to covet the territory that will be bestowed upon her, isn’t he?”
At someone’s remark, Yudith sprang to her feet. Though she hadn’t developed any great loyalty to Odellia, she still didn’t want to turn a blind eye.
Since Odellia had probably never received a man’s flirtation before, she might naively fall for Roxion’s sweet talk.
Anyone else might be acceptable, but not that man.
For the sake of her own sense of justice, and as a fellow woman in need of a marriage partner, she had to drive Roxion away from Odellia. By the time she came to her senses, Yudith was already standing between Odellia and Roxion.
“Run out of money to preserve your family’s reputation again, Roxion?”
“……Lady Yudith.”
“Lady Odellia. There are two kinds of men in this world. Those who protect women, and those who prey on them. They say the devil tempts with sweet words, don’t they? Men and devils are separated by a single hair.”
At Yudith’s sharp retort, Roxion’s face flushed with considerable embarrassment.
“Lady Yudith. With that waspish, aggressive personality, do you think you’ll ever find a husband? A man may mature like wine with each passing year, but a woman… if she misses her marriage window twice, that would truly be unfortunate, wouldn’t it? The reason I chose another lady back then was entirely because of your fiery temper.”
*Slap!*
A sharp crack rang out. Yudith’s hand, which had struck Roxion’s right cheek, trembled, and her large eyes filled with tears.
She knew she absolutely shouldn’t cry here, but she was overwhelmed by resentment, betrayal, and self-loathing for having once given her heart to him without knowing anything.
Just then, something fluttered down and landed over Yudith’s head like a veil.
It was a man’s coat. More precisely, the coat of the tailcoat Odellia had been wearing.
*Why is this on my head?* The moment she thought that, Odellia’s voice rang out.
“Apologize.”
