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Chapter 52
But she soon returned with a sorrowful look and nodded.
“……Yes, I’m fine.”
Adelina quickly tried to recall the conversation the princess had overheard.
“No matter what accomplishments a princess has, she should never treat nobles so harshly.”
It would be hard for them to catch all her lies today. If she could control the guests with just her gaze…
“L-Lady, I heard that the princess did this to Lady Weiss’s wrist.”
What on earth was this girl blurting out now?
Adelina held back a curse and sent a desperate look to the talkative young lady. Please, shut your mouth.
But somehow, the girl misunderstood…
“Of course, Lady Weiss may have accidentally bumped into the princess’s maid, but… to injure her wrist like that seems excessive.”
“Your maid?”
Princess René furrowed her brows and looked around.
“Did Lady Adelina really say that? That the reckless Princess René injured someone’s wrist just because she bumped into her maid?”
“Well….”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Just as Adelina tried to speak, the bold young lady interrupted again. Was she an ally or an enemy?
“Huh.”
René gave a subtle smile. It didn’t feel like a good sign, and the tension tightened.
Suddenly, Princess René stood. Adelina thought she might leave, but instead, she appeared right behind her.
René’s soft hand grabbed Adelina’s shoulder.
The thin, gentle fingers felt like standing on a knife edge—dangerous and chilling.
Adelina flinched, and a soft voice spoke.
“Elza, what punishment should a noble face for insulting royalty?”
“Regardless of rank, I’d tear their mouth.”
Adelina’s heart sank, and she heard a whisper in her ear.
“That’s right, Lady Weiss.”
“……Your Highness.”
“How dare you insult both me and Princess Marie at the same time? You even twisted what happened to spread rumors.”
René grabbed Adelina’s chin and turned her to face her. Adelina stared nervously, in shock at what might happen in front of everyone.
“You were almost hit by Princess Marie while riding the royal carriage inside the palace.”
“…You want to tear my lips?”
“And you even struck the princess’s cheek, mocking the Stade royal family.”
Adelina felt a small relief, thinking someone truly ambitious wouldn’t be so reckless.
“What should we do with this insolent mouth?”
“……Your Highness, there’s a misunderstanding.”
Adelina tried to deny it. If she admitted first, she’d lose. Without a third witness, the loudest voice wins.
“When did I ever do that?”
“Ah, no witnesses, and now you deny it?”
“Deny? Your Highness, I just told the truth.”
“So you won’t admit that Princess Marie almost got hit by your carriage, or that you slapped her cheek?”
“Yes.”
René made a curious sound and turned.
“I see… Marie.”
A girl appeared over Adelina’s shoulder. Red eyes, unmistakably her father’s, covered in bandages on her swollen cheek, with a scab on her elbow. The guests were confused.
“Then how will you explain the wounds on Princess Marie’s cheek and elbow?”
“Why ask me…?”
Adelina was flustered but stood her ground.
“Do you have proof that I hurt Princess Marie? Anyone could have done that.”
“Do you think I’d do such a terrible thing and frame you?”
“I want to believe you didn’t.”
Adelina shivered, and René smiled wickedly. Seeing the confused looks around, Adelina felt justified in pushing forward.
At that moment, René grabbed Adelina’s left hand. She flinched, and René stroked the ruby crescent ring on her hand.
“I didn’t know you had a tendency to lie, Lady Weiss.”
“This ring—you were wearing it when you struck Princess Marie, weren’t you?”
Adelina almost nodded but held back. The danger wasn’t over yet. Marie removed the gauze from her cheek, revealing a sharp scratch over the swollen red mark. Nobles gasped at the sight.
“As you know, the wedding ring was made stitch by stitch by my husband. A slap wouldn’t leave such a mark.”
“If you still deny it, I’ll call the palace physician who examined her and escalate this further.”
Pressured, Adelina bit her lip and glared at her left hand. She regretted not locking the ring away.
The truth would come out if Princess René pressed the issue. The carriage incident could escalate too. Adelina made a quick decision. If she kept denying, René’s wrath could lead to an even worse punishment.
‘Honor can be restored, but surviving is first.’
She bowed deeply, teeth clenched.
“I apologize, Your Highness. All of this is my fault.”
…Or so she thought.
“No, this time an apology isn’t enough.”
Adelina lifted her head in shock.
“I was debating whether to tolerate your last act, but you dared to defame me while holding the tea gathering, without canceling it.”
“……Your Highness.”
“I plan to report this formally to His Majesty.”
X. Adelina’s mind went blank.
Instinct took over, and she knelt fully in front of Princess René. René pretended to be shocked.
“Oh? Why are you doing this, Lady Weiss? Should I tell everyone I made you kneel?”
“……I was wrong, Your Highness.”
Adelina pressed her forehead to the ground, apologizing. Everyone was shocked, but René smirked, unconcerned.
“I thought you truly regretted your actions last time. Now I see otherwise.”
“I’ll do anything to make you forgive me.”
Adelina grabbed the hem of René’s dress desperately. Afraid of what everyone thought, she clung to life itself.
“Please forgive my foolishness… and spare me.”
A heavy silence followed. René sighed thoughtfully… and then,
“No.”
She pulled her dress away and turned, leaving Adelina stunned and powerless.
