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Chapter 09
As the host of the tea party, Seara was restless even before the appointed time.
Mistakes were unacceptable. She personally inspected the tables and chairs in the garden where the tea party would be held and arranged the seasonal flowers beautifully.
After thoroughly checking everything, Seara changed into her party dress. The pure white dress was adorned with small, star-like sparkling jewels, and her golden hair, shining like silk, was left long with two jeweled pins as accents.
When her dedicated maid finished carefully applying her makeup, the other maids gasped at the sight of beautiful Seara. She smiled contentedly at their reaction.
Soon, word came that the invited young ladies were arriving one by one and being guided to the tea party location.
“Lady Harna Juurn has just arrived.”
“Really?”
Upon hearing that Harna, whom she had been waiting for, had arrived, Seara stood up. Unlike the other young ladies, Harna was specially escorted personally, and she expected the same today.
Stepping into the garden, Seara saw Harna’s uncommon orange hair. As Harna approached, Seara’s expression gradually hardened.
Though she wore a red dress, the overly flashy jewels and lace she usually wore were absent.
“Lady Juurn looks best in flashy dresses. To complement her beautiful face, it really should be something like that.”
Seara, who had previously manipulated Harna into wearing extravagant dresses, bit her lip subtly. The simple, form-fitting dress that accentuated her perfect figure suited Harna quite well. Around her neck, a silver necklace shone alongside a single larger jeweled necklace.
After looking Harna over from head to toe, Seara reluctantly admitted that she had changed a little. Mocking the flamboyant Harna had always been a source of amusement.
“Not yet. A change in dress taste doesn’t mean a person has changed.”
Wearing a crafted smile, Seara approached Harna.
“Thank you for coming, Lady Juurn!”
Harna, who had been surveying the garden, looked at Seara in her usual slightly irritated expression.
“As expected.”
Seeing that familiar look on Harna’s face, Seara let out a small sigh of relief.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Pardon?”
Seara was surprised by the sudden informal tone and asked back.
“…Y-Yes, Lady Poron.”
“Oh, yes. Please come this way. Everything is ready, and the other young ladies are almost all here, waiting.”
“Shall we go?”
Harna followed Seara naturally, ending her sentences with the polite particle, ‘yo’.
Didn’t get caught, right?
Why did she so carelessly assume it was acceptable for a marquis’ daughter to speak informally to a countess’ daughter?
Seeing Seara’s eyes widen like a startled rabbit at the informal speech, Harna casually added a remark as they walked, though her heart pounded nervously the whole way.
“Better be careful!”
When they arrived, aside from the chairs for Harna and Seara, the other young ladies, dressed beautifully, were already seated. They stood and greeted them politely as they entered and then sat down.
“Today’s atmosphere feels a bit different, Lady Juurn.”
“Is that so?”
A young lady whose name she didn’t know complimented her, and Harna smiled slightly as she admired the teacup in front of her. The cup looked expensive and luxurious, and she could feel someone’s gaze on her as she lightly touched it with her finger.
Looking up subtly, she noticed a young lady with a pale, nervous face, seemingly frightened by her presence.
“Who is that?”
If only close friends had been invited, she wouldn’t have looked so uncomfortable. No, she looked more than uncomfortable—she seemed anxious.
Tilting her head, Harna stared directly at the young lady across from her. The moment she felt Harna’s gaze, she bowed her head and shivered.
Perhaps she was already scared by the infamous Harna.
“Oh, this is your first time seeing Lady Juurn, isn’t it? This is Lady Peony Derain, the baroness’ daughter who recently came to the capital. I specially invited her, hoping you two would get along.”
As expected, Seara introduced the baron’s daughter, emphasizing “specially”. Harna arrogantly nodded as she played her role.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Suddenly?”
But she wasn’t flustered. Well, had this not happened before? Smiling arrogantly, she asked the trembling Peony:
“What are you apologizing for?”
“For daring to attend a tea party with such noble people, though I’m insignificant.”
“Lady Derain.”
“Yes?”
Though she hadn’t bullied her, Harna approached the teary-eyed Peony and smiled kindly.
“I don’t like people who cry.”
“I-I’m sorry… sniff!”
“Then don’t cry. It will ruin your pretty face.”
Handing her a handkerchief, Harna left the girl alone and returned to her seat as if nothing had happened. The other young ladies watched, mouths agape. Even Seara, who had been observing, had her smile replaced by a neutral expression.
Sitting down, Harna shrugged subtly toward them. They were seeing a new side of her. Normally, she would have mocked a scared Peony, but today was different. Harna, though playing her role, refused to harm others without reason.
The tense atmosphere was broken when the maids serving tea arrived, filling their cups. Watching Peony discreetly wipe away tears with a handkerchief, Harna thought it best not to speak, fearing it might make her cry more.
“This tea is delicious. I wonder what kind it is?”
“Hmm, the palace ball is just two months away.”
“Yes, we should prepare carefully to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday.”
To ease the awkwardness, the two young ladies started a conversation. Harna knew about the ball—it was the day in the novel where the male lead, Kardin, first met the female lead, May.
As she pondered what to do when meeting May, the conversation shifted to trending dresses and accessories. Time passed quickly, and her teacup was empty.
A maid, who had been waiting nearby, noticed and approached nervously. Harna’s instincts told her something might go wrong.
As the maid tried to pour tea, she accidentally spilled it toward Harna. Fortunately, only a few drops hit her. Vera quickly came over and wiped it off. The nervous maid knelt on the grass, bowing deeply.
“I-I’ve committed a grave sin. I’m sorry, milady.”
“It’s not really a grave sin…”
No one starts perfect. Seeing the kneeling maid reminded Harna of her first lead role—she had been nervous, repeatedly made mistakes, and apologized constantly. But thanks to her director and a supportive senior, she gained courage and performed perfectly afterward.
Thinking of the past softened her expression briefly, but she couldn’t let this mistake slide completely. If she acted too leniently, it might reveal she was someone different from Harna.
She approached the young maid with a stern expression: “I’m very angry!”
Seara, observing, quietly smiled at Harna’s unexpected behavior.
“Of course. I was a little worried she wouldn’t react to the first little ‘prey’ I gave her, but she did to the second one.”
Suppressing her inner thoughts, Seara stood beside Harna.
“Lady Juurn, I’m truly sorry. Anne is new, only here a week, so she must be inexperienced. It’s my fault for having her serve you.”
With a glint of anticipation in her eyes, Seara watched Harna, wondering what kind of playful mischief she would perform today.
Harna moved her hand.
“Starting with a hand strike, perhaps?”
Feigning surprise, Harna’s lips curved into a smile.
“Stand up. You can’t be forgiven for dirtying your dress.”
Despite her cold tone and sharp gaze, the way she helped the maid up was gentle.
“What are you doing?”
Seara almost lost her composure at Harna’s sudden strange behavior, quickly regaining her composure to watch carefully.
“Vera.”
Harna called her maid. Vera stepped forward, pointing at the trembling young maid.
“Take her out of my sight. Seeing her makes me angry.”
Frowning, Vera hurriedly led the maid away.
“Lady Juurn?”
Seara, stunned by Harna’s restraint, called out. Harna, smiling, held Seara’s small hand.
“It’s fine. Even if the maid made a mistake, she won’t blame the host. She just needs to be more careful next time.”
Smoothing Seara’s nerves with a bright smile, Harna returned to her seat. Other attentive maids cleaned the area and replaced the tea. Harna sipped calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Seeing this, Seara clenched her dress subtly, grinding her teeth quietly.
